A slave.
Given a chance of freedom.
But he needed to fight for this privilege.
He had to travel to Rome,
to the Colosseum.
There he trained:
to fight and win.
To wound, not kill.
To please the crowd.
The colosseum’s crowd cried out for the combat to begin.
His enemy is also like him- a slave fighting for his freedom,
they stare into each other’s fearful eyes.
His opponent wears an iron chest plate,
and clutches a dagger to defend himself.
The crowd chants loudly, anxiously, for a battle.
He uses a melee worn gladius to fight with.
If this last battle is won, he is finally free.
Once the two gauge each other's experience, it begins.
The gladiators land blow after blow on each other.
The opponent struggles, slowed down by his armor.
The battle-hardened veteran uses this to his advantage.
He quickly and forcefully strikes down his enemy.
The veteran’s final battle lasts only but six minutes.
The veteran comes out victorious, eager for his freedom.
The Emperor stands and the crowd falls silent.
He proclaims the winner is no longer a slave.
The gladiator falls and thanks the Emperor.
His journey is over.
He is free.