They were trapped for seven days. Faced with a myriad of uncertainties, this much Antonius knew to be true. The pangs of hunger had eventually morphed into a constant feeling of nausea. However there was no escaping the continual thirst that couldn't be quenched. How he desired his lips to touch the current of a fresh spring. Anything to replace the mix of his urine and rain water he had survived on this past week. Still the worst of his locked away environment was the person with whom he shared his cell, Marcus.

"How can he sit there with that dumb, grin on his face." Antonius thought to himself as sleep was beginning to overtake him.

Entertainer by day and prisoner by night. This had become the life of these two individuals. Antonius, the son of a slave who had just been granted his freedom was striving to achieve the status of a Roman Citizen. Why Marcus was there he wasn't as certain. However he did envy the manner at which Marcus nimbly, dodged the attacks of the other gladiators and exotic animals he had never encountered before. Earlier, on just that same day Antonius had narrowly survived the attacks of a behemoth that vaguely resembled a cat. Instead of the meek noises of a traditional feline, this monster let out a thundering roar right before attacking. The only reason he still possessed all his limbs was the good fortune of his sword finding the belly of the large cat as he fell over backward while attempting to escape from it.

The following day Antonius and Marcus were led from their cell directly up to the arena. To Antonius's surprise they were not to face any brutes that day... Only each other. Antonius immediately grabbed a sword and mace and then turned to seize upon Marcus. But the sight his eyes fell upon caused him to stop dead in his tracks. There stood an unarmed Marcus with his palms turned toward the audience.

"This Antonius? This is what you desire? To be one of them?" Cried Marcus.

As the sword made its exit through the back of Marcus the mace made contact with his head. A collective gasp arose from the audience. This was quickly followed by cheers and applause. Antonius stood over the lifeless body of Marcus wondering what he meant with those words. Who wouldn't kill to be a citizen of the most powerful nation in the world?