Гладиатор
One More Duty
Heretherewasnothing-nohelp,nohope.
"Allright,thisisfarenough,"saidCornelius,theoldestoftheguardsandtheirleader."Takehimdownthere.Noonewilleverfindhim."
TwooftheguardsclimbedfromtheirhorsesandpulledMaximusfromhishorse.Hishandswerestilltiedinfrontofhim.
Corneliussearchedinhisbagforsomethingtoeat.HewouldmakesuretheordersfromCaesarwereobeyedbuthedidnotwanttohaveRomanbloodonhishands.Theotherman,Salvius,stayedwiththethreehorses.
ThetwoguardsledMaximusdownthehill.Theythoughthehadgivenupthefight,buthewaslikeacatwatchingamouse.Hecouldseetheywereyoungandtheirarmorwasstillnew.Thesewereroyalguards-theyalmostneverleftRomeandtheydidnotusuallygointobattle.Theywerenotexperiencedfighters.
"Thisisgoodenough,"saidoneofthem."Onyourknees."
BehindMaximus,oneoftheguardswasreadywithhisswordtocutoffhishead.ThesecondguardstoodfacingMaximus.
Maximussunktohiskneesandclosedhiseyes.Astheswordcamedown,heturnedveryquicklyandcaughtitbetweenhishands.Thenhebroughtthehandleoftheswordupintotheguardsface.Inthenextsecondheturnedagainandstrucktheswordthroughtheotherguard.Ashegottohisfeetandturnedbacktothefirstman,hesawhischanceandpushedtheswordthroughhisbody.
Ontheroadabove,CorneliusandSalviuswerewaitingontheirhorses.Theyheardacryfrombelow,andthenitwasquietagain.CorneliussentSalviusdowntomakecertainMaximuswasdead
