Snippet #2100967

Adonis Petro

Adonis stood on the edge of a small gathering of athletes outside the Coliseum, his mouth was chiseled into a hard line and his dark hair was uncharacteristically messy. He flexed and moved his muscles, as his eyes glanced over the foreign armor given to him by one of the athlete trainers. It wasn't all that different from what he had taken into battle himself, if only a bit more advanced in its makings and unfamiliar in its fit. He had been allowed to keep his golden cuffs that came with him to Titania, but where the rest of his belongings were he didn't know. His ears listened to the banter of the other athletes, who were individuals of every age and size and from all different origins based on the small bits of information that Adonis had collected since his arrival. Some of the athletes were bursting with excitement to participate in their first "events" as he heard them called. Some were scared, shaking like leaves either based on their previous near death experience in the Coliseum or on their fear of the unknown and stories they had heard. Adonis himself was rather indifferent at the moment. He loved a good fight as much as the next man and he had spent several days rallying a few of the athletes to his team--for lack of a better word--that he knew he could count on for help if the situation called for it. However, the ache in his head from lack of an alcoholic buzz and the deeper pain in his heart--for his love, and now for the rest of his family and Greece as well--kept him from feeling the excitement that seemed to be buzzing through so many.

From time to time Adonis would close his eyes. He had seen so many things he could not explain since arriving here. Clothing, weaponry, a language he just woke up knowing how to speak, foods, cultures that were all new. Had he missed something greater than Greece? Was this the after life? Many of his questions remained unanswered. Cheers erupted from inside the Coliseum as observers began to move in to their peaceful seats and entertainers worked the center ring until the games would begin. As he opened his eyes and focused on the forming lines of individuals still waiting to get inside he observed one man who seemed particularly eager to get in line to view the games. Mumbling to himself, though louder than he had intended he said "If everyone is so eager to be here, why aren't they participating themselves?" Several of the athletes overheard his mutterings and burst into laughter as if Adonis had been attempting a joke, if only they knew he was serious.