SCEPTRE: I

Pompeii.

SAVIO

"Slow down." I said to Ander "We are in Ancient Rome?"

"Yeah. This is Pompeii, one of the provincial cities." Ander said.

"Ander I'm sorry I brought you into this man." I said

"Are you kidding. This is awesome. I just wonder how you did it."

I guess since I already brought him this far I might as well tell him part of the truth. "I can't explain it all but you should know this; I am not from your time."

"Oh." Ander said, his expression unchanged.

"I am also a Traveller; I can move through time periods and teleport."

"Do you have super strength and invulnerability?"

"No. I'm not superman or Thor dude."

"Well you're useless then." Ander said, punching me lightly in the shoulder.

I smiled at him. I was surprised that he was taking it all very calmly. We were about to walk out of the room when I remembered we were dressed in 21st century clothes. "We have got to change."

"I know a place." Ander said. He walked to one of the inner doors and opened it. revealing a box of unrecognisable clothes. "How did you know that?"

"Instinct." he said.

We walked out of the room and into a corridor. We blended well into the midst of the people; all wearing togas, and fine silky and stuff.

"This is a Ludus. A training ground for the gladiators who fight in the Arena."

"Again. How do you know this?" I asked

"Maybe because of the buff dudes training in front of us."

I looked up and noticed the men in front of us, all armed with wooden swords, practicing different fighting techniques. I was about to talk to Ander when another man dressed in a toga came from behind us. He spoke in a language I did not understand. I was about to try tell him I did not understand but then Ander spoke up. The man then smiled at us and ushered us upstairs.

"What did you say dude." I asked

"I told him I was the son of of Gaius Adelfonsus Triplotemus."

"And who is that supposed to be?"

"An important senator. He is in line to be the next Ceasar." Ander said.

The man had taken us upstairs and was telling Ander about the Ludus, I kept looking round, searching for anything that could help in our search. The man had been talking for a while, when two other men walked into the room.

"Uh - oh. that can't be good." Ander said, as our guide walked to the two new comers.

"What's wrong." I asked

" G.A.T just walked in and he's about to tell tour guide here that I'm not his son."

"Oh."

All three men then looked at us. The one I assumed was Gaius called in his guards and in a moment we were sorrounded by Roman soldiers.

"So what do we do?"

I looked at all the weapons pointed at me and then the craziest idea ever came to mind. "Tell him I'm a gladiator and you're my translator."

"Are you crazy?" Ander said.

"A little bit." I replied

Ander told them what I said. The three men laughed for a while and then the man said something that Ander translated. "He said he doesn't believe you. but your execution by one of the gladiators would be easy enough."