Theo knew he would have to strike the bear at exactly the right time and place in order to affectively take it down. The others had been badly weakened so wouldn't be much help in this duel. He was on his own. It was this charge towards the bear that had Theo more fearful than ever. What would happen to him? Would he miss and end up like the dead gladiator he witnessed earlier? Possibilities were open, but this also meant he could get lucky too. It would only take a split second to determine his fate.

It had been a split second too late to plunge that sword into the bear's perfectly exposed belly. He stopped and realized that the bear was being pulled back by a group of handlers. He was managing quite a struggle, but he was still no match for a group of well-equipted trained professionals. Theo knew what this meant. He had been spared! The spectators were speechless. Seems they haven't seen enough bloodshed for one day. I'll give it to them, don't worry. Theo glanced over at the still struggling bear and thrusted his sword towards it. Seems Theo had underestimated his aiming and hit the bear straight in the stomach. The bear's deafening cry was drowned out by the frantic crowd.

"WANT MORE?" Theo screamed as loudly as he could towards the crowd while the now weakened bear was easily dragged out. It was now wimpering like a cub. In some ways Theo almost felt sorry for the beast, but did what was neccessary to prove his worth to this savage society. It seemed to have been enough, at least for one particular group.

It took a few seconds for Theo to realize that it was the Emperor's officials themselves leading him out of the arena. He was puzzled. Why would they want him? As far as he knew he was just a slave serving his master, Rome. "Why...why...was I spared? Why did he give me the thumbs up?" Theo began to question his company nervously once they were out of the arena's premises. Somehow he had a feeling this had something to do with the emperor himself, somebody Theo always feared meeting. He had heard way too many stories back in Greece and during his years of training to take the man lightly.

Ooc: It's perfectly fine.

Anona leaned forwards slightly as she watched the gladiators fighting the bear, frowning slightly Theo caught her eye "Father" she started and looked at him "I want that gladiator down there" she said and turned attention back to watch them as her father gave the thumbs up. Smiling she rose to her feet with her father the emperor at the same time, as he sent two of his officals to get Theo. "Daddy, I want his wound fixed before I see him properly" she demanded, "Why dont we go and see him quickly, I want to know I am bring back a proper slave and gladiator to be" the emperor said.

Anona made a nod of her head as they were led to where they would meet Theo. Anona looked around her arms crossed over her chest, she wanted to see the gladiator quickly so they could get home and she could meet him properly "Daddy, where is he?" she demaded looking un-happy as she continued looking around for Theo, her fathers officals's talking with the officer who captured the slaves asking about taking Theo to the emperor for his daughter.

Slowly the officals walked into the arena, the bear was back in its cage, Anona watched the officals as they walked towards Theo and grabbed him leading him slowly over to the emperor.

[[Ooc: Hope thats ok, I've just had a very large writters block]]

It was only a matter of time now. Theo sat by the cage of a lion praying to the Gods for his survival. He hoped that all his training would pay off. Why must I die this way? He pleaded for strengh as he began to think of home and his family. Greece seemed a world away now, despite how hard it has been for Theo to accept Rome as his new home. It was hard to forget the day that he was captured. It reminded him of horrifying memories.

"Bind the damn boy before he escapes!" Theo remembered clearly every word of the Roman officer who was in charge of capturing slaves. Some slave he was, being trained to kill and be killed. Death was everywhere. Theo could smell the stench of blood coming from the arena. There has been another death. He knew it wasn't going to be the last one today. The crowd was screaming for more. From this, Theo knew the Romans only as bloodthirsty fiends. It disgusted him that they would watch deaths for fun. He began to think that maybe that was the reason they had slit his mother's throat to prevent her from fighting back. This was one thing he was never going to forget. They did it right in front of his face. That was the first atrocity he witnessed from the Romans and he knew right from that moment it wouldn't be the last.

It turns out he was correct. Theo turned away as the body of a dead gladiator was being dragged out of the arena. It was too much for him to take in. The corpse had been torn apart and many of the organs were left hanging out. An animal had been hungry. Theo hated the thought of himself facing the same fate. It was funny. In their cages the animals seemed like beautiful majestic creatures, yet in the arena they were vicious killers. The lions were, by far reputated to be the worse. Theo stared into the cage of the lion beside him. It was smaller than the rest. Perhaps she was still a kitten?

"You're just like me in a way, being torn away from your family only to be transformed into a killing machine." Theo spoke to the lion softly, being brave and stroking her. The lion didn't even try to nip at his hand once. In fact, the lion seemed perfectly content to be petted. She seemed just as nervous as he was. I know somebody is going to be spared here today. Theo felt this lion would probably not have intentions of killing, once placed into the arena. Theo began to pray that he would have to face this beast. At least he would have a chance to live through his first duel.

Just as he was getting content with petting the lion, Theo was ordered into the arena. It was time. He nervously made his way out into the open and immediately he was greeted by frantic cheering. He learned that they were not cheering to welcome him, but to welcome more death. Theo was just a pawn in this little game so it was hard to believe he would last. He stood ready, waiting to meet his opponent. It could be an animal or another gladiator. The suspense was killing him.

Bears? Theo trembled as the huge bear was brought into the arena. He began to examine it as the other two gladiators entered the arena. It was a majestic creature, it truly was. The whole idea of being dragged to his death by such a powerful creature didn't exactly appeal to Theo, but what did he have to lose? Nothing really. He had been captured as a slave and would be expected to follow his master's orders, even if it meant death. Theo knew the other two young men trapped in the arena could feel it too. They were trembling even more franticly than him. It made Theo feel slightly better about his position when he discovered the other two were smaller than him. It was to be survival of the fittest and Theo was confident he would be the fittest of the three "hunters".

Theo stood in a defensive position as the annoucement for the beginning of the battle was carried out. This was it. This would be Theo's final test. He could finally put all his rigorous training to work. Despite being slaves, gladiators were trained extremely well from a young age. It was said gladiators could be successful as soldiers if they were needed in battle. This was a fate Theo much preferred for himself. At least he would be dying with a sense of honour, defending Rome. Despite how much Theo wanted to be elsewhere he had to stay focused as the bear was now charging towards him and the other gladiators.

"Fuck! Take cover!" Theo managed to quickly shout out one command to the others before being shoved into the sand. They were lucky there were a couple trees within the arena. If not alot, they would provide some protection. Theo began screaming in pain as the bear began tearing at his flesh. He would have to fight back with the little protection he had been given before being forced into the arena: his sword. It wasn't much, but at least it was something. Theo had heard stories about unlucky gladiators being sent in unarmed. This was a horror he never wanted to experience. He would rather die before that point. He knew that at a certain point the really skilled gladiators would eventually be given the "thumbs down". He had learned exactly what it meant. Death.

Theo managed to get a firm grip on his sword while the bear got distracted by the other two gladiators who were now standing behind the trees. At this point, frantic cheering from the crowd began to build up. This made Theo uneasy. The cheering was usually against the gladiator. Mars, grant me strength! Theo prayed to the god of war, struggling to get up out of the sand. By this point there was already a gaping hole in his side, but not large enough to leave anything exposed. He had been lucky so far. Sword in hand, he began charging towards the bear as it had done towards him. It was the bear's turn to feel pain and Theo wouldn't be delivering it lightly.