The workers picked up the dead bodies from the arena, and piled them up onto a wagon. The crowd had left the amphitheater, left a few drunkards still drinking and laughing at their podium. Those are some of the rich freemen of the empire.

“He left with the Elders!” A man told Seneca. He was a servant to Spiculus.

“Where were they heading to?” Asked Seneca.

“I’m not sure. My master ask me to go home alone. And he did not left me further instructions.” The man replied.

Frustrated with the answer, Seneca left the man, his mind is flooded by questions and he need immediate answers.

While hastily walking away, he bumped into a group of large men. The gladiators.

“Hey, old hag! Watch your step!”

What a rude man! He must have problem with his own eyesight for calling a well dressed noble man an old hag.

“I can’t believe that pussy boy got a pardon from the Empress!”

“C’mon! That’s a win! Your little noxii got her name written by the scribes! You can charge a good price for her upcoming show!”

“Nah, I would rather sell her right away! There’s three old fella offered me a talent of gold…”

Seneca heard their conversation, and realised that large man must be the Lanista, the one who own the gladiators, and the noxiis. He rushed towards them and grabbed his shoulder.

“I’ll offer three talents of gold!”

* * *

Am I finally freed? Where’s that fucking Charon? He’d better be here this time! I hear no stream of water. I see no burning eternal fire…

“Get up! Get up!” The man lightly kicked the noxii laying on the floor. They were at a large public room underneath the arena, a place for the gladiators to rest and heal. Her wound was still fresh and she could barely move.

“Your new master want you to get up immediately!”

She stared at Seneca, with her eyes full of anger.

New master?

She took a deep breath and attempt to spit on the old man. But her breath was too weak. The Lanista immediately gave her a few slap on the face.

“What a mannerless bitch!”

Seneca signalled his servants, and two men grabbed Mevia and lifted her up from the ground. They wrapped her with rough bandages, clothed her with simple chiton. Her blood still oozing out, but Seneca tied a pouch tightly onto her waist.

She was confused. Seneca grabbed her jaw, demanding her focus.

“If freedom is what you desire, then you must complete the mission I ordered! Listen!” He commanded.

“Go to Syracuse as fast as you can. Hand the pouch to Apollodorus… Argh!” She bitten the hand that held her jaw, until Seneca’s hand bled. She laughed, till one of the servant pulled her hair and the Lanista gave her another hard slap. Seneca stopped him though. He gently grabbed her cheeks with his bloody old hands. Looking into her eyes, attempt to use a different approach.

“You are not a noxii from now on. Let no one remember that name written by the scribes.”

“What do you know about Freedom?” He asked.

“An end to pain and suffering? A steep mountain leads down to that freedom! And it lies at the bottom of the ocean! Or simpler, a well. Or may be just hang yourself up on a tree! The path to that freedom is in your own veins!”

Mevia stunned by his words, there were times she wished to achieve that freedom…

“WRONG!” Seneca suddenly refuted his own words.

“You know nothing about true freedom!”

“The Empress had pardoned you, granted you an opportunity to fight again. But that is Mevia. You don’t have to fight, if you choose to run. THAT-IS-FREEDOM! Freedom is to have a choice! To decide who you are! To be who you wanted to be!”

Although she did not say anything, Seneca saw her eyes staring straight at him, dilated with a hint of hopeful thoughts.

The eyes…

“I am your new master now, you will be called Matea.”

“But, you have a choice, stay and be Mevia the gladiator, or…”

“Hey, sir! The three is here! They wanna counter offer 5 talents of gold!” A gladiator suddenly came to them.

“run away…” Seneca whispered, and he yanked his servants’ hands which then loosen their grip on her.

She was about to fall, but with all her might, she ran.

She ran as fast as she could, the Lanista shouted and the gladiators were chasing after her. Pushing away all the obstacle, the torches, the pits across the barrel vault. Trying to break away from the two gladiators behind.

She leaped on one of the moving wagon, covered herself under the heavy canvases it carried. They lost her.

Escaped out of the amphitheatre. Without the sand of the arena, she breathe in the fresh air. A scent of freedom!

* * *

Seneca was still in the amphitheatre, facing with the Three Elders who just came in and saw the escape of their target.

They did not say anything, but their eyes met, Seneca knew they were up to no good. He wanted to know where they had taken Spiculus to, but he swallowed that question. He knew he might not be able to digest their answer.

“Why, why are you sending her away? Lord Seneca?” One of the Three broke the silence.

“We are tasked to investigate this matter. Some rebels are trying to harm the reputation of our Emperor. His majesty is very angry, and he thought that you are the one who arrange this gladiator show, attempt to insult the Empress.” Another Elder continued.

“Of course we don’t agree on such accusation! Lord Seneca is the royal advisor. There’s no time for puny little task of an aediles.” The third Elder said.

“But why, why are you sending her away? Lord Seneca?” The first Elder repeated his question. But his tone did not sound like a question at all. And that send Seneca into complete silence. He knew they were up to no good.