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Chapter 3 - Episode 3 (the arena)

The Babylonian Captives strutted out of the hallway door, having a little swagger in their walking steps, and taking glances side by side.

The first among the Babylonians had a forward head posture and his hands drew back, he had threatening gaze with huge torso's, he was Abil-Ishtar, a former general in Babylon military, even as captives, the five other Babylonians in captive with Abil-Ishtar still saw him as their leader, it was all the reason why he was the first to emerge.

The day was Abil-Ishtar and his men's centenary, hundred days as gladiators, Abil-Ishtar and his men looked confident given that they had been routing their competitions, Abil-Ishtar was deemed to have a bright future in the world of gladiators,

If anyone in Venice is told to pick who would break Severus's record, they would say it's Abil-Ishtar, he was winning and gaining a lot of confidence.

Severus prowled about, glaring and gnashing at the Babylonians dangerously, crouching like a tiger and lurking like a barracuda, Severus poised his macho body for action, he lowered his body, drew back his left leg, and kept the right one in front, it was his usually fight posture.

Abil-Ishtar nodded at his men, the five Babylonians with Abil-Ishtar formed a circle around Severus, their hands clasped on clubs that had a huge amount of size, its edges had thick fractions of Bones and nails on it.

The Babylonians cowered, keeping their clubs aside near their leg, they intended to wipe the clubs up to hit Severus in his face.

Severus maintained his posture, he intended to play a trick on them, Severus wanted the Babylonians to confuse his stillness with weakness or fear, but he was ready to fight at any provocation, his sharp hawk eye's glanced around, Severus wanted to pick up vulnerability, the Babylonian who doesn't have a strong guard was to be the first he would pounce on.

The Babylonians moved around Severus in circles, drawing closer to him every second, getting him contained the more.

Coming ever closer, the Babylonians were careful, choosing not to be fooled by Severus's stillness, for he is widely considered the most belligerent man in Venice.

Severus saw a Babylonian at his left had lost his guard while he was making a move to the side, he pounced and shoved him away from the circle, Severus rushed at the Babylonian on the ground, he stomped on his stomach and drove the edge of his mace into his brains.

Blood gushed out sporadically.

The huddled crowd was inflamed with excitement, they all roared, chanting. "Haec horribilis!"

The savage crowd had seen a fraction of what they wanted in the match, brutality, and blood.

The four other Babylonians sprinted at Severus standing on the defaced Babylonian, Severus tumbled and rolled away from the Babylonian like a porcupine, the Babylonians were already closing down on him, Severus stood instantly, he swayed his long mace at the approaching Babylonians, the mace caught one in the face, the other two Babylonians crooked and went behind Severus.

Two Babylonians had been defaced.

Severus turned around quickly to not get ambushed from behind, his eyes looked scary.

It made the two Babylonians withdraw from him.

"Out here, the hunter can become the hunted in instant," Severus said to the two Babylonians.

"Take him down you scallywags."

Abil-Ishtar yelled at them, what an unfavorable event he is witnessing, his men had made no progress in weakening Severus so he could come and finish him off and have his men's glory to himself, Abil-Ishtar never wanted to fight a full-fleshed Severus.

Severus rushed at the Babylonians standing before him, he raised his feet high above the ground and trampled down one of the Babylonians, with a hard stomp on his head the Babylonian passed out, Severus stabbed his mace at the other Babylonian, he held onto the mace and dropped heavily to the floor, dust filled that region in the arena.

Severus drove his mace out of the Babylonian's stomach, blood made its way out, blood and sand everywhere.

Abil-Ishtar was left alone against Severus, Abil kept glances at him, Severus was facing backward clasping his mace, his whole body jerked up and down due to ungentle breathing.

Severus turned towards Abil-Ishtar, he had drops of blood near his nose, Severs wiped his Pam on his face, and looked at it, he viewed the stains of blood in it, he glanced at Abil-Ishtar.

Abil-Ishtar wasn't from Venice, but he knew the message Severus's actions were trying to relay to him.

He knew what Severus meant by what he did.

"Do you see blood in my hand, yours will be next." That was the message.

Roars filled the whole colosseum, and they changed their chants.

"Perificam!" "Perificam."

Agitating for a quick end to Abil-Ishtar's life.

The afternoon shadows drew in, it made a good picturing that befitted the event.

Sand rose above Severus's heels as he stomped his feet real hard on the ground, rushing at Abil-Ishtar with tremendous pace.

Abil-Ishtar tightened his fists on his club, he didn't want to be intimidated by his challenger's confidence, although his challenger's movements rattle a warning he was about to fight him real hard, Abil-Ishtar poised himself and stood firm, his warrior instincts beckons.

On reaching close to him, Severus deployed himself for an aerial assault, he jumped in mid-air, raised his arms above his head, and rammed his mace against his opponent's skull,

Abil-Ishtar kneeled, his eyes shut slowly, after a while, he dropped to the floor, faced down.

The crowd ran riot, chanting.

"Vir Bellator in sempiternum."

He remains a warrior forever in the heart of the people of Venice,

The inflamed crowd began singing.

"quasi Bellator fortis es Alexandri aeternum"

Severus stood in the arena, looking up to the crowd, singing him praises, tears trickled out of his eyes, breathing heavily, his skin pattered with goosebumps, Severus felt a deep passion from the song the crowd sang, he kept weeping and glancing at them, he found out how much everyone loved him, and he had made them proud.

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In the top middle row of the colloseum, Governor Giovanni Bianchi, sat unmoved by the event, he had his hands on his jaws, watching Severus receive praises and passionate ovations.

Luigi sitting beside him found how raw his emotions were like an unfavorable thing happened to him.

"He deserves an ovation Governor, he is a Legend." Said Luigi

"A legend indeed he is," Bianchi said.