4 Ch4: The Pits Again, Small Change.

The next morning Julius stood in the medical room while Barca and Ashur got Spartacus ready for the Pits, he was going down memory lane thinking about his time there. He couldn't help but smile at the fact that he got his second chance, he knew that he would have died if not talking his Dominus out of it though.

Now he was on the right track, he actually didn't think that he would be sent there again, though when it was brought up he was told to be one of the guards going. He had no other choice but to agree, not that he minded much he didn't want to stand around training all day in the first place.

"Julius! Dominus calls you." a Guard says while walking towards him.

He nodded before being brought to the gate that would lead him to the top of the Ludus, he saw that Naevia was waiting for him there, he nodded to her before following her up. The walk was quite until she decided to break it, "You fly to close to the sun playing your games, if you don't watch yourself you will find your head removed from your body."

"Is this you showing concern? I thought Crixus was the only one you saw." He said with a laugh especially when she tensed hearing his words, "Do not worry, I will not speak this to any one else but you be careful yourself, if Domina finds out about you two then she will send you to the mines. We all know she favors him."

She paused a moment the two of them a little away from the door, "Thank you, and I will also make sure to watch out for you."

He raised a brow but said nothing else and walked in, although he didn't want to be to cocky he had confidence in himself to get away from punishment, and there was no one who could keep him away from her. If she wanted him to back off or he saw she was only wanting the experience then he would be the first to stop it all himself.

Until something like that happened though he would keep going down the path he is going down, why stop a good thing if there is no one there to stop it.

Walking into the room he saw his Dominus standing behind his desk, "Dominus." He said standing in front of it while looking at the man.

"Julius, we both know that the Pits are your playground and that no one will mess with you there. That is why I want you to hide when we go though, I don't need to lose money while betting if people think Spartacus and that other will win like you." He said while walking around the desk, Julius stood where he was, "You will go ahead of us."

"Dominus?" Julius looked at him shocked using dominus like it was a real question to everything he just said, he looked a little stupid at that moment.

"Don't get me wrong I know that you wish for freedom but I trust you. You wear that house brand with pride, I am trusting you here to watch us from the shadows so don't let me down. No off with you, a guard will be letting you out. Don't let others see you leave from here." With those words said he walked to the balcony and left a dumbfound Julius standing there.

Julius took a second to shake it off before smiling and walking out of the room, when he got back to the gate a guard was there with some clothes, "Change into these, hurry they will leave soon." he thrust the clothes into Julius hand before looking away.

Since he was only wearing his underwear/diaper all he needed to do was throw the robe over it, next he was handed two daggers before being led to the the gate. Slipping outside he put on the hood before walking down the heel, with a hand spread at the side he felt the freedom of being able to walk without someone watching him.

At this moment he could escape but at the same time he couldn't just yet, Batiatus is still alive and since he is a coin earning machine they would look for him. From the memories he had Julius has never been outside of Capua so it would do him no good to escape, he would plan that out later though.

An hour later he made it to the Pits, going inside he wasn't checked as he walked in, it was a shady place as long as you didn't openly go in with a sword no one would actually check you. Looking around he spotted his Dominus come in twenty minutes later, since he needed to check in he walked over but didn't let others see his face.

"Dominus." He said patting his shoulder, "I will be up top watching, I don't expect anything to happen tonight but I will be by you side quickly if something does."

"Good go back into the shadows and wait until we are leaving to follow us from behind." He said nodding, he had to calm down Barca who looked ready to attack when Julius walked up.

Julius nodded to him and Barca before walking back to the top, he actually had three coin on him and bet it all for the current man who was going up to win. Though after the win when he was carving the face off of the man he was only able to win one coin, the odds were to high in his favor.

Spartacus soon was sent to fight, there was a little pause where he stopped to talk to their Dominus before he walked to the side where was announced and had to pick his weapon. Again Julius bet all four coin on Spartacus to win, he was going to make enough money tonight to be able to buy Ilithyia something.

Though he could give her wine and anything else delicious from his garden, he knew that women from this time were all about something they could show off like jewelry or clothing. He looked down and smirked when it was Spartacus time to actually fight, this was going to be a tough win.

He actually knew how this whole thing would go since he remembered the episode so he didn't actually watch out for his Dominus.

Eventually Spartacus did win before he was taken to rest he still had more matches tonight, if it was anything like his time he would have three more before it was over. That is how it ended up being him winning them all, his odds only increased one point since they were light opponents after all.

Seeing his Dominus leave he grabbed his winnings from the man who he bet from and left, he now had fifteen coin leaving, thankfully Spartacus had bad odds against him. Stashing the coin he caught up to them, this time Barca just nodded at him as they both went back to the Ludus, though he had to walk a little distance from them.

Spartacus was dragged back to the medic when they got there since he could hardly walk on his own, "Great job watching over me tonight, you all go get some rest we are heading back there tomorrow. We leave after lunch, make sure you leave earlier again Julius." their Dominus said before walking away.

"How much did you win?" Barca asked as they walked towards the cells, Ashur already went ahead, Julius looked at him with a raised brow, "Don't give me that look like you are some simple minded fool. I saw you betting and not really watching out for us, I wonder what Dominus would think if he knew."

"Alright out with it Barca, you have never been one to hold your tongue speak your words before you see yourself beaten." Julius said for once showing the fierceness that he kept hidden.

Barca was actually mildly surprised, "Nothing much, just make sure to give me a cut from your winnings from now on. I am trying to earn enough coin for two to leave this place, I will need more then games to win that amount of coin."

Julius wasn't surprised, he even could vaguely remember that Barca dies this season but he forgot what from, "Fine for each win I will give you three coin." Barca smiled and nodded before they split up.

He was okay with this for the simple fact that he knew buying his freedom was not possible, unless the arena allowed it then no one was ever really set free. No they would die here unless they had the popularity to gain their freedom after a match in the arena, if it wasn't gained there then you died here.

That is another reason he wasn't to quick to make moves he knew that he needed to wait until the break out, he actually didn't want to see Aurelius die, the man was a good friend to him. Julius used his magic to clean himself and fell asleep after ridding himself of the thoughts, that was for later, now he just needed to make it day to day.

The Next Day <(*_*)>

Like before he ate then left, this time he was way ahead of Spartacus and the rest, since he had his lunch his Dominus allowed him to leave it, that is why he ate so early. He wasn't going to miss this chance to walk around some, he just told them he was going to scout before hand and make sure their were no enemies inside before they got there.

Barca gave him a look which he ignored and left still.

Walking down the hill he ravished in the freedom he got, it wasn't long before he made it to the city, though he didn't go straight to the pits instead heading to the market. When he got inside he looked around, he wanted to sell his wine and see how much coin he could get from it.

"Haha, this is good stuff best I have seen it would sell well to all the noble women and men around." A fat man said while laughing after tasting the wine that he brought, this was the first place he saw so he wanted to quickly sell it.

"Just name a price." Julius said impatiently he hated the smell of this place and wanted to quickly leave.

The man raised a brow but nodded, "I can give you ten coin a bottle."

Julius didn't complain he had an endless amount of the stuff so he saw no reason to barter with the man, handing him ten more from the bag he bought along the way he got his coin. It was the first time that he had actually got so much money, sure the Dominus had the thirty of his from winning games, but because of debt he didn't see it.

Now he had enough to buy anything he wanted in the city, well with reason, "Julius?" he heard someone call his name from a little down the road.

At the moment he froze though, two things happened in the next second, first he took off running like the hell hounds were after him and the next was him going through memories. He ran because the body he was in had no friends on debt collectors, and the fact that he didn't recognize the voice from the Ludus meant it was one of them.

He could hear people chasing and calling him but after some slips and turns he was able to make it free of them, he actually came out not that far from where he needed to be. Wiping the sweat from his brow he went straight to the Pits, thankfully none of his debtors were man enough to come here and bet their wages.

Walking inside he didn't see Barca and them so he knew that he was still ahead of them, looking around he didn't see any of Ovidius men, he was told to watch for them. Standing back in his spot from the previous night he waited for them to show, he was able to watch three fights before they finally did show up.

He went to check in while looking towards Spartacus who watched him, "Something to say Thracian?" He said pausing before he made his way to the betting area.

"They say that you have survived here and only came back with minor scratches after your first night, the pits are a place where they hail your name. How do you still live if this is true." Spartacus was looking at him curiously.

Julius raised a brow before speaking, "I don't let the gods like others choose my fate, when I came here it was with the sole purpose of living to not fall ever again. Oenomaus says this is for the damned but it also helps you to rise, it is only your choice if you wish to fall."

Spartacus looked thoughtful before nodding, Julius walked away after he realized in that moment that it was actually the first conversation he had with the man. Since he has shown up he has been avoiding the guy, really he was just going based off what he knew of him from the TV show and since it had been awhile since he watched it wasn't much.

Shrugging he placed his bet of five coin on Spartacus, though he noticed the odds get better for the man so soon his winnings would go down. Knowing that it was inevitable in the first place he didn't mind, he couldn't bet on anyone else since they weren't actually shown in the show.

Three Spartacus matches later and they were leaving again, the man was to beaten from the night before so he couldn't fight as many tonight. Though his last night would be tomorrow, either it goes like the show and the man lives another day, or it changes and he dies in that ring.

Julius didn't care either way he was more worried about himself, if Spartacus's plot armor fails then he would just lead the rising to take down the Ludus, but he wouldn't start a rebel army. Getting back to the Ludus they all went different ways again, Julius handed Barca nine coin before they split again.

He was actually thinking of saving the guy from his impending doom but he needed to remember why it happens in the first place, it was slipping him at the moment. Walking back to his cell he sat down after cleaning himself and went to sleep with a silly smile on his face thinking of Ilithyia, he didn't see Aurelius shaking his head knowing why he was smiling.

He also missed something happening in his garden, now besides food there were metals. He would need to wait until he woke to figure out what the change was.

The Next Day After The Day Before <("_")>

Julius was eating his meal and laughing at a joke Aurelius said when he finally noticed the change in his garden, he was giving Aurelius his meal when he saw it. Sitting to the sides were all kinds of metals, there were even some that were only in fantasy worlds, a big notice of one being Vibranium, he was shocked seeing that.

The information about it all rushed into his head, he sat there a moment thinking it over and seeing it all, apparently it wasn't just metals there were also gems too. Stunned he didn't know what to think, well he actually did since with this he could make his own weapon, that was just one of the uses for it though, there were way to many to count.

Julius smiled widely and finished his food, clapping Aurelius on the shoulder he left again, he went around the same time as the day before so he had plenty of time. Walking into the city though he saw something that made him change directions quick, standing inside the market was actually five of his debtors along with four strong men each.

He was an expert in weapons but that didn't mean that he could take on twenty men at once and leave without a scratch, he ended up somewhere he hadn't seen before because he avoided them. He was standing in what looked to be and upper-class district, everything here was a whole lot cleaner compared to where he came from.

As he was walking a carriage almost hit him since he was distracted, the coachmen yelled at him causing the owner in the back to open since they stopped and were wasting the persons time. "Why are we stopped?! I have to hurry back to the Villa this smell has been killing me, don't delay further or it will be your head." the words were harsh but coming from the voice of his angel Julius smiled, of course it was Ilithyia.

"I am sorry my lady, this man got in the way of the carriage just now." The coachmen said with a scared expression, he knew his life could be ended with the power her father held.

Ilithyia looked over seeing the hooded Julius, he knew she couldn't see his face so he looked up he didn't want her trying to kill him because she didn't know it was him. He saw her eyes widen when she saw who it was, it went from shocked to happy in seconds, the coachmen was stunned seeing her actually step down to walk to Julius.

At the moment she had no guards with her just a handmaiden slave who she told to wait inside, the coachmen also looked away when she told him, Julius raised a brow at that. She did nothing but smile playfully and walk closer to him, when they were only inches apart he moved in closer pushing her against the cart.

Their breaths mingled together as they stared into each others eyes, "Now tell me why you would do something as stupid as coming closer, who says I won't kill and rob you?" He asked using his cleaning magic on her.

She actually felt it this time since the sweat on her brow went away and she could tell they both smelled better then before, she put it to the back of her mind for the moment though. "What is there to fear when I know you long for me?" She ran a hand inside of his robe before cupping his dick in her hand.

He growled out and went to sucking on her collar, she let out a moan while pushing into him more, they both got caught in the moment of just rubbing against each other. Julius though was the first to pull back after leaving a bright red mark on her collar bone, it could be hidden by the dress even if he didn't want it to.

"I have to go, there is no telling if Batiatus is already at the Pits." He said though he was holding her waist tighter not wanting to let go even for a second.

Her arms were wrapped around his neck apparently feeling the same way, "I heard about that, the Thracian is still alive then." She looked a little upset but it went away, "Then go before you are whipped for disobeying, but know that if you just ask it I will pay them to set you free, then you can be with me."

Julius paused and stared at her pink full lips that looked to kissable, he didn't hesitate to dive in and take them, she only paused a second before responding in kind, she was shocked that he lifted her by the ass and held her against him. She wrapped her legs around him deepening the kiss, it was a full three minutes when he pulled back.

"I would never let you buy me. Not to take from your goodwill but then you would own me, that would defeat the purpose of this relationship. There will be a day I come to take you and when I do you will leave because you love me and not out of your lust." He said, he still wasn't sure if it was a like or lust thing for her and wouldn't take chances.

"I---" she started but she was cut off when he kissed her lightly again and pulled back.

"Look into yourself and see if this is really what you want. If it is I will do everything to win your heart and to be someone even your father would approve of, you must remember I am just a Gladiator now, can you truly wait for me?" He asked that while bringing out something he made with his new features.

She gasped seeing it, there was a silver chain that shined in the light, there were also specs of gold in it twined together, the charm was a butterfly that was Sapphire Blue it was a bracelet. It was outlined by a green metal he found inside, all he knew was that it was indestructible from anything, weirdly it was called Hulk Metal, he didn't question it.

"It is beautiful, I have not seen this design around here. I didn't even know that they could produce something like this here, where did you get it?" She asked looking at it in awe.

"From the heart. I made it exclusively for you so of course you won't find it anywhere else, I hope that you will wear it and think of me." Julius kissed her cheek while setting her back down and backing away, he pulled his hood over his head as she looked at him, "I need to go but I hope to see you again, amica mea (My Love)"

She watched him as he faded into the crowd it wasn't until she started to get hot that she got back inside the carriage, no one with her said a word about what just happened. They knew it would only lead to death, even if they told her husband it would lead the same way so they said nothing.

What she didn't see was Julius freaking out after he left, he forgot that he meant to give her some wine and some of his water but got caught up in the moment. 'Next time' he promised himself while quickly going to the Pit, as he walked inside he just got there before his Dominus and the rest.

Spartacus looked defeated today though, it seemed as though he had given up on life at the moment, Julius could only shake his head, he had to agree this place could break you. This time he stayed at the bottom he knew the attack was happening this time and wouldn't let them touch him, he would get blamed for the injure that would happen.

When it was time for Spartacus to fight he watched the crowd for the second guy, he saw them both but the other was moving towards the other side, Ashur wasn't a threat. Finally the attack happened after Spartacus yelled, all he got was a scratch before the other pounced seeing Barca go after the first, he wasn't able to make it though since Julius stepped in.

With quick movement the dagger he was holding slashed the guys throat, the man was already dying but Spartacus still saw it as him needing to throw the axe to kill the guy. Julius looked at the guy like he was stupid, Batiatus though looked at him like he had done something good, Julius went to help Ashur up and stop himself from face palming.

Since he just lost a lot of coin on that fight it was time for them to leave, he helped carry a body back today and walked with them since this was their last day there. Getting back he threw the body he was carrying on the ground and stood to the side while his Dominus ranted and talked to him and Barca about the scar on his arm.

"Their flesh carries a brand, Dominus." Ashur said breaking him from his rant he was having.

"Of what origin?" He asked turning quickly to Ashur.

"Unfamiliar, but certainly the mark of a slave." Ashur responded looking thoughtful.

"Slaves? They send common fucking slaves to kill Batiatus! Common fucking slaves? Fuck! Fuck! Discover their master. I wish to have words with him." He said while kicking the bodies until he was satisfied.

Julius shook his head and walked off with Barca, it was Ashur's job to fin out that information, "Wait Barca," Julius called when he went to walk to his room, "Here what is owed after my next winnings." he handed him twelve coin.

"You still win coin despite what happened?" he asked looking at it in shock.

"Well I did leave before you all and was able to make some on other fighters, hide it well. We don't want the Dominus taking it away seeing it as his own since he lost so much tonight." Julius said pushing it into his hand when he just stood there staring at it.

He didn't wait for Barca to say anything else and went back to his cell, he saw that Aurelius was still awake when he entered, "You smell of a woman you know? Those nobles are use the best and strongest of scents, you should probably wash it off before coming back or someone might connect the dots." He said with a grin.

Julius raised a brow and smelled himself, all he caught the scent of though was blood and sweat, he looked up and saw that Aurelius grin was wider and knew he was tricked. "Funny, you would have been better off as a jester to the Senator then a slave." Julius threw a pebble at him while smiling.

"Haha, no I don't think your future wife's father would find me as funny as you wanting to actually be with his daughter." He said laughing harder then ever, there were some yells for him to shut up before he finally calmed down some.

"Go to sleep, tomorrow I actually train with you and won't be taking it easy on you like I am sure your current partner has been doing." Julius leaned against the wall before cleaning himself while smiling at his friends antics.

"Ha, you are the one who needs to watch out. You have had days off while I have been training harder then ever, so it will be you who needs to keep up with me tomorrow." Aurelius said before setting himself up to sleep himself.

Julius knew he was right though, but it was only two days there is no way that Aurelius could advance so much since then, if he could then Julius would seriously suspect him to be in the same boat as Julius. Nope tomorrow he would work harder, he knew better days were coming soon and needed to be ready for when they appeared.