“You bastard!” another man shouted.
He couldn’t keep up with Dominatus’s agility, and the next ruffian to approach had his head lopped off. A fountain of blood spewed from his gaping neck, dying the hut crimson. The other men fell to the ground, their mouths gaping open like stupid fish. These men didn’t stand a chance against Dominatus, who had braved a thousand battles against skilled gladiators. These drunk countryside men were treated like mere children before Dominatus’s sword.
Two more men gave it their all, but they were both cut down by the gladiator’s blade in an instant.
“What will you do?” Dominatus asked. “You’re the only one left. If you’d like to fight, let’s take it outside. It’s too cramped here.”
Dominatus and the boss of the ruffians marched outside. Lucianus stood by the doorway, his hands still tied. Snow was beginning to fall. The two fighters glared at each other as they inched closer.
“Rah!” the ruffian boss shouted. He swung his blade with all his might, and Dominatus received the blow with his own sword. The sharp clang of metal rang through the air. The man continued with his barrage, and Dominatus was constantly on the defensive. The ruffian was more skilled with the sword than expected, and he was nimble as well. He wasn’t just burly.
“You’re not bad,” Dominatus said. “Where did you learn how to wield a sword?”
“At a gladiator school,” the man answered.
“Ah, so you were a gladiator.”
“That’s right. So, I won’t lose to you.”
Dominatus dodged his opponent’s blade and smiled. “Oh, but you will. You’re a former gladiator, aren’t you?”
He crouched low to the ground and swiftly swung his blade to the side, slicing his foe’s thigh. Fresh blood spurted in the air and the man leaned forward with a pained grunt. Dominatus wasn’t about to let this opportunity slide. He used that moment to plunge his sword into the man’s stomach. The ruffian’s eyes went as wide as they possibly could.
“You see, I’m also a gladiator,” Dominatus said. “A current one.”
He drew his blade back, and the man convulsed as he kneeled onto the ground. There was nothing reflected in his eyes anymore. When Dominatus pushed the back of his head, the man leaned forward and fell lifelessly to the ground. Lucianus leaned on the doorway with a sigh of relief as he felt his strength leave his body. Dominatus wiped the blood from his blade with his opponent’s clothes, and sheathed his blade before he approached Lucianus’s side. The gladiator undid the ropes tying the noble’s arms, and cupped Lucianus’s face with both of his hands.
“Did they slap you across the face? It looks red. Are you injured anywhere else?” Dominatus asked.
“No,” Lucianus replied. “Thank to your arrival, I wasn’t raped either. Thank you, Dominatus.”
Dominatus pulled him in for a tight embrace; Lucianus’s lips trembled as he received a hug from his beloved. Thank goodness. I survived and I got to see Dominatus again. Even if I’m no longer loved by him, I was embraced by him, and he protected me. That’s more than enough.
“I’m guessing you heard the news from Nerrus and chased after me,” Lucianus said. “I’m sorry for making you worry.”
“You tried to head to D’Aleppo by yourself and cross the mountain,” Dominatus replied. “You’re too reckless.” He didn’t sound at all angry, making Lucianus feel even more apologetic.
“I’m sorry. I was just so frustrated and sad that you cast me aside that I wasn’t thinking straight. I’m fine now. I’ll return to the inn and head for Dyna with Nerrus tomorrow.”
“Lucianus…”
“Eek!” A scream echoed from behind the couple, and an elderly man with white hair sank to the ground, gazing with terror at the men that Dominatus killed. The old man finally spotted Dominatus, sullied by the blood of his victims. “M-murderer!”
Pale faced, the old man practically flew down the road and ran back from whence he came. Is he the owner of this hut?
“Dominatus, you should chase after him and explain yourself,” Lucianus urged.
“It doesn’t matter what I say. It’d still cause a fuss,” Dominatus replied.
The gladiator went back inside the hut, gathered the coins that the men had stolen, and tossed them back into Lucianus’s pouch.
“What will you do now?” Lucianus asked.
“I certainly can’t go back to the inn,” Dominatus replied. “And that old man might call for someone, so I can’t stay here either. I guess we’ve gotta climb the mountain.”
“But it’s starting to snow. It won’t let up for a while.”
“Perfect.” He wrapped a cloak and fur coat around Lucianus’s shoulders. “Thanks to the snow, no one will chase after us if we climb the mountain. Let’s go.”
Lucianus was unable to refuse and could only chase after his beloved. The men each mounted their own horse and made their way up the snowy mountain path.