Inside the gladiator tent there are close to 150 to be sold that day. As they enter, they are screened for any weapons as it is well known that with all these oversized egos in one place, fights will break out. Andros and Urius are surprised to see what fit and beautiful young men are there to be sold. Every size from small to huge and all well muscled and very fit. This is after all an auction of men from only the very best schools.

Some are working out in pairs; others are having sex; and the rest are wandering around looking at their competition. Andros makes the mistake of looking at one competitor a bit too long and immediately finds himself in the middle of a hot and heavy fight. They are surrounded by onlookers who are cheering them on. It takes the guards a few minutes to reach the fight and break it up. If they hadn't, one of the two would have killed the other. To say that there was tension in the tent is an understatement. Each man is looking to be sold to the most prominent of owners.

The auction proceeds throughout most of the day and our two star pupils are sold. Urius first who is then taken off without the chance to say good bye to Andros. The latter is sold to one of Rome's most influential men, Thoros. He is a close friend of Ixalon and as benevolent an owner as they come which isn't saying much. Ixalon tells Thoros to take good care of Andros and with that we leave Urius aside, for now, and follow Andros and his new owner. It is a short walk from the auction square to the magnificent palace owned by Thoros. Inside it is quiet, cool and a welcome refuge from the heat and crowds. Andros is shown to his quarters and told he had a few hours to rest until dinner time.

Later he was escorted by the palace guards to the grand dining hall. It was an immense room, the center of which was an open aired, marble floored area 75' by 40'. It was surrounded by columns on the other side of which were lavish sofas, chairs and tables laden with food. There were about 80 guests, all, obviously very affluent. Andros ate at the table with Thoros as did his other acquisition that day, Damien. After dinner, Andros and Damien were taken to a room off the dining hall. The room was filled with clothing, weapons and all a gladiator could require to dress for the arena. The two were assisted by the slave in charge of the wardrobe and weapons. He knew what Thoros wanted so dressed and equipped them appropriately.

Damien was slightly bigger than Andros at 5'10", 180#, good looking and very well muscled. As for looks and body types, they could have been twins. During their time in the wardrobe room, they chatted and both found each other to be agreeable. They shook hands as they left and vowed to be friends.

Back in the great hall, they were told to stand, one on each side of Thoros. They were imposing in their attire and holding their weapons. Identically dressed and equipped, except for their size difference, everyone was hard pressed to tell them apart. They wore tight, short, leather skirts open at the sides. The front and back attached by leather strips. As well sandals with leather straps to their knees; studded harness' crisscrossing their muscular chests; and studded leather gloves. Each of the two were equipped with a net and a knife.

As they stood there, they watched as slaves covered the center of the open area with a few inches of fine sand. Then from a side entrance, in strutted 20 of Thoros' best gladiators. All similarly dressed and equipped, they placed themselves in a semi circle before Thoros and his two new acquisitions. Now Thoros stood and explained the rules for the nights entertainment. As the twenty newcomers had seniority, they would choose which one of the new men to fight. Thoros first put his hand over the head of Damien. With this three of the twenty threw down sticks indicating they wanted to fight him. When it was Andros' turn, 7 did likewise.

Next of the groups of three and seven, they were required to pick a stick. One stick was shorter than the other. The one with the short stick, got to fight the man of his choice. In Damien's case, his opponent would be the one known simply as "KILLER". Andros would face a man known as "THE BARBARIAN". Then came the bombshell ! Thoros announced that there would be first the two separate fights. The winners of each fight would face each other. In all, three cases the fight MUST end in death !

Damien was first to step off the podium and face his opponent, "KILLER". He was 6'2", 196 pounds and by the scars on his body, had fought more than one battle in the arenas. The one word that best described his appearance was devastating. Two faced off and began to look for their opening strikes. Killer, a little too overconfident soon found his opponent Damien more than he had bargained for. It was Damien who made the first strike. With his knife, he cut a deep slash across the chest of his opponent that cut his harness off. Killer lost it and was now out of control with anger. How dare this young, inexperienced man dare strike him first. He was blind with rage, not an attribute a gladiator wants to have if he wishes to win !

The fight continued with Damien totally calm and in control. After only 15 minutes, Killer was covered with slashes from Damien's knife and bleeding heavily. The end was obviously near and with that Damien caught Killer by entrapping him securely with his net. He wrapped him up tight so he couldn't move. As he stood there, Damien took his knife and opened up Killer's mid section. He reached in with his hand and pulled out his guts. The fight was over.

Damien had proved himself and was cheered by the audience for his brutality. Damien was indeed a champion and as such was without even one scratch as he returned to the side of Thoros. After a short break to remove the body and clean things up a bit, it was Andros' turn to face his opponent, "THE BARBARIAN". He was only 5'7" tall but weighed an impressive 190 pounds, muscles spread evenly over his massive body. At 155 pounds and 5'8", Andros had his work cut out for him.

As Andros faced his opponent, he could feel the warm, fine sand under his feet. Somehow this warmed his body and fed his mind with security and calm confidence. He knew he would defeat this barbarian. Like Damien, Andros was fresh from school; very well trained; confident but also cunning and calm. Similarly it was he who made the first strike. It was an open cash down the left side of his opponent which also left him standing there without his leather skirt. In a motion of defiance and daring, Andros took his own knife and cut off his leather skirt as well. In a way, indicating to the barbarian that they were now on the same level.

Both fighters sporting throbbing hard cocks, circled for the next onslaught. It came quick when Andros succeeded in gashing his opponent in the same way this time on his right side. The barbarian slumped to his knees dazed and confused. Andros rose his knife in a sign of victory as he walked slowly around the barbarian as though deciding how to kill him. The crowd was wild with excitement and cheering him on. As the barbarian tried to get to his feet, Andros placed his hand on his head and forced him back to his knees with ease. Kneeling before his prey, Andros looked into his eyes and as he did, he slit his throat from ear to ear. It was over !

Now Thoros had his two new champions by his side. In the chaos and excitement of the two fights both Andros and Damien had forgotten that now, they must face each other. When that knowledge returned to their minds, they looked at each other and wondered who would survive. With this both were taken to yet another room, a bath. Here they were attended to by slaves. Bathed, massaged then oiled. They were given more food and wine and each a gift of a golden ring which was placed on their little fingers of their right hand.

It was now 8:30 PM and they were taken to a quiet room where they were left alone. In the middle there was an enormous bed. In all their naked glory, they walked toward each other; put their arms around each others muscular bodies and kissed deeply. They then fell onto the bed and enjoyed wild, rough, satisfying sex. It was now 10:45 PM and they knew at midnight they would be escorted back to the great hall where they must fight each other to the death. In the time that remained, they talked and shared stories of their lives. Andros remembered a conversation he had with Urius many years ago.

It was what IF they ever were forced to fight each other in the arena. Now Andros was faced with just that situation but with Damien. But he always remembered what Urius had said. If we must fight, we do it well. We do it loving each other and by ending one friends life, we gain his strength which makes us that much better a true.....GLADIATOR !

It was now midnight as the gong sounded for their fight to begin. And so..........