Treasury Of Visions

The sky was blue as the ocean, but ashes were flying it the eye view.

Men shouting, screaming, wanting for peace, wanting for blood. sword could be heard thrusting into each other, again, and again, and again.

It was 126 BC. As if a camera was panning down to see what the chaos was, you see two armies punching, bleeding, guarding and slashing each other. One blue and silver armored, with gold boots and the other black and red with bronze boots.

Catapults fling with blazing orbs like a quarter back with a football. Colliding with men on both sides. Most screaming ended, but some was still heard.

The setting is a black dirty as if many more wars were yet to be arrived.

One of the blue soldiers gets up taking his left solider pad on fire off with both fear and bravery. A solider on his side with a battle axe takes off his helmet. "Nikolas?" The solider with axe said.

Nikolas turns to see his Allie. "Markus, are we driving them or is hell close to us?" Nikolas said. Markus looked at Nikolas taking his helmet off. "They're getting closer, the catapults assisted us both also took half of us." Nikolas looks at the red army finds a sword sticking to the ground turns to his friend and looks back at the enemy. "Let's make the grim reaper smile." Nikolas said then a quick moment after he yanks the sword out of the dirt, let's go of it for a moment then catches it and the two brothers at arms run to their fates.

Nikolas and Markus charge at their rivals, the first solider Nikolas swings his sword to cut the man's head in half, the next his, he spins to slash the neck of the red solider. Markus takes his axe to swing it and cut one's head off.

We cut to see a general with black shoulder pads looking on a hilltop watching the battle hearing fade screams, dark grey armor, blue wrest plates and blue leg armors to show his leadership this man, with his peach skin, light brown hair, a medium light brown beard. A solider goes up to his leader and speaks. "General Pliny." The man said as he saw his leader look. "Raise the flag." Pliny said. The solider stops him for a moment. "But sir, two of our men are slaying the enemy." General Pliny stops and turns with shock. "What?" Pliny said. The General looked over at could see Nikolas and Markus slaying them one after the other. The solider walks over. "What must we do sir?" General Pliny turns to him. "We give them one hour." Pliny said. The solider looked at his leader with concern. "Are you sure sir?" General Pliny looked at him with his blue eyes. "This is Germany solider, anything can happen, also I miss my home in Rome."

We cut to Nikolas and Markus starting to feel tiredness, Nikolas falls on his knees for a moment, but Markus starts to walk until seeing his close Allie and reaches for his hand. "You will die old, not in this dirt." Markus said with pride. Nikolas smiles with inspiration his takes his bloody hand and their palms connect. Markus picks up his friend and the two continue their march to victory.

Markus get pushed by an enemy, he falls solider with red and black armor has a scar on the left side of his face has he raises he spiked bloody mace, a sword cuts his hand of holding the weapon gushing with red thick blood and the solider turns his armor to reveal Nikolas as his stabs with through his body with his sword.

Nikolas looks down on his friend with fear. "Come Markus, let me take home to you son." Nikolas said to assure his close one.

Markus put his axe down for just one moment. "Continue Nikolas, I'm tired." Markus takes moment to look at the white big cloud and the sky remind him of when he and his ocean would rest under a big green bulking tree to sit under looking at his son with short black hair and hazel eyes. Markus closes eyes before seeing his friend but imaging his child. "I have never felt more alive." Markus said, right before an arrow quick ramming into his neck side to side as Nikolas screaming in sadness blood gushes out.

Nikolas takes a broken shield close to him and blocks all the arrows coming down on him like metal rain.

Nikolas cries holding his body. As the tears constantly came down both sides of his face spoke one last time to his friend. " You have found peace, Markus." Nikolas said.

Nikolas lays his sword for a moment to wipe the liquid away from his face. A hole is seen through his shield, Nikolas turns his head with anger as if he was looking at the reader. He picks up his sword and takes a small step forward crouch down, arrows keep hitting his shield, with his head down, he takes two more step, then three, then four. The rival archer, moves his arm to hold one more arrow but turns to feel nothing but air, he turns to see Nikolas running at him, he throws his shield at him backing his bow away from him and falling to the ground on his back.

Nikolas slams his feet on the red solider body and without any hesitation he turns the sword in the direction of the man and stabs him with the sword through the ground under both of them.

Smoke is seen from the point of view of General Pliny, he see's a figure coming out of the mist with the head of his victim from the ground on fire and Nikolas, with his face covered in blood and blunt and brushed lifts the flaming head and screams. "For Rome!" Nikolas shouted, having his allies soldiers cheering and living their arms holding swords, maces and shields with joy knowing victory.

General Pliny smiles and turns around know his final battle under his name is victorious.

We cut to the screen being pitch black, wipe slashes being heard over, and over and over again. With screams each times as you see scars on the back of a bloody white skinned slave his arms wrapped around to a chained wooded but firm pole.

The Roman Soldier's in their iconic armor's lashes him one last time and than stops, then drops the wipe with metal at the tips of them hitting the bright dirt. Two more roman soldiers use an axe one to hold on two the slave and the other to break the chains off him. The chains shatters off from the metal of the weapon as the slave falls to the ground in pain and tiredness. The slave with his short brown curly hair and stubble on his jawline.

The soldiers throw the slave back in his cage with stone like walls and they close the rusty bars in front of him hitting the ground face first.

Hours go by, the cage opens as the soldiers take the slave grab him throw him out of his cage his arms bent and his face on the ground on the left side of the dirt. A small axe drops in front of him, the slave slowly moves his head to see the weapon with dirt on his cheek and jaw. The slave see's wood ready to be cut in half, with a rageful fire inside of him. A roman soldier goes to the slave on the ground looking down on him. "Get up slave! Back to work!" The soldier said picked him up and putting the weapon in his hand. The soldier walks away from the slave but stops to hear nothing, he turns around to see the slave standing in place. "Hey!" The soldier said with anger. The slave had his head down and keeping his eyes on the axe. The soldier puts his pointer finger and thumb to lift the slave's head to face him. The slave says and does nothing but the roman solder slaps the slave in the right side of his face. "Back to work!" the solder said. The slave does nothing. The soldier slaps him again. "I said back to work slave!" the roman soldier said louder. The roman slaps him in the same spot, again and again.

The tension rises more and more, until the slave punches the soldier in the face with his knuckles, the roman soldier's helmet falls off and the slave tackles the roman to the ground and the raises his arms.

With both hands firm to the axe shining to the sun and slamming them the roman's head, hitting the axe to the forehead and nose, over and over. blood coming out hitting the slave's nose, face and front of hair.

Two soldiers close watching a slave farming, hear the axe and blood close to the scene rush stepping on the dirt to the slave killing the man and they both tackle the slave the ground and grabbing the weapon taking away from him.

We cut to days later, the slaves hand's still shaking, the man hear's the doors open on his cage and a wealthy man enter, tolga picta and tunica palmata of purple and gold colors with gold earrings on both ears of the man, with white skin and short brown hair, clean shaved. With a sense of greed, toxic fumes and his white teeth like a marsh mellow.

"Hello." The rich man calmly said. "Go away." The slave said. The man looks over for a moment than looks back at the slave, he than walks over and hunches with his arms crossed. "You are lucky to say anything to me right now, I could've had you killed before I walked in." The rich man said with honesty. The slave looks for a moment to understand his dilemma. "Who are you?" The slave said.

The rich man walks over to the slave and sit on the ground and lean on the wall right next to him. The rich man responses. "I am Tiberius Augustus, the ruler of Rome, you will help me with a torn in circle." Tiberius said. The slave looks at him. "Why do you want me, what is my purpose?" The slave said. Tiberius get off from the ground and cleans his purple and golden pant along with his legs. Tiberius gives a shade like glance at the soldier to open the door in front of him. Tiberius facing away from the slave. "I heard the soldier's saw, rage, revenge, that is your purpose, you are a killer and I need one to help me with my empire." Tiberius said. Before Tiberius walks out he turns to see the slave. "What is your name?" Tiberius said to the slave and the man on the ground get up from the ground. " I am Lucas, if you need a murderer, I lost my brother from the soldiers, we were slaves since 5 years of age, I am 30 now and I want my time back." Lucas the slave said.

Tiberius too a step forward to Lucas and put his left arm on his left shoulder. "Join me in the arena, you will be a warrior killing for time." Tiberius said and put his arm around Lucas' shoulder as the two leave the slave cell into the sunlight.

FIVE YEARS LATER

A feather hits paper with black ink right, as if someone was writing a story. We see the man with feather is Pliny, now older. White hair and white beard. A man enters his home with two roman soldiers, the man enters his steps and is revealed to be Tiberius. "Leave us." Tiberius said as he waved his hand and the two men armed with swords leave Pliny's home but guarding from outside. "Hello Emperor." Pliny said. Tiberius smiled sensing the sarcasm. "Hello, Elder." Tiberius said. "Rome is forever, grateful for your wins in history." The Emperor said. Pliny looked at the head of Rome with confusion "Why are we talking about the past?" Pliny said. "I regret to inform you that you must go back to war, our enemy is moving faster than before." Tiberius said. Pliny looks at his paper, his home and his armor inside and open inner stone wall. "No." Pliny said. Tiberius looked with concern, discourage and ready to order a kill.

"I'm sorry?" Tiberius said. "I wish to rest, I wish to stop fighting, I request for a different fate and I strongly request another man to raise a sword to an army for war." Pliny said.

Tiberius wipes the paper and feather with his raging arms and Pliny does not flinch for a moment. Tiberius huffs and puffs but closes his eyes puts his palms on his face to wipe it and calmly responds. "How about this. We settle this was a fight in the circle, you find your gladiator, I have mine, he has echoed for the past two years on the streets and the dust in the air. You win, I will let you stop fighting, I let you continue to be a journalist and write your heart out. But if I win, you go out to war and leave yourself to die on the battlefield and I will have you warrior hanged but the newest rope. Pliny realizes his outcomes, he picks up his feather, his paper, and lights a flame to get back to his writing. He turns to Emperor Tiberius. "Very well." Pliny said.

Tiberius fixes the clothes on his shoulder and snapes his finger's to get the attention of his soldiers. "Men, back to my temple." Tiberius said. Just before walks out into the light once more Pliny makes his ground. "My gladiator is the most feared and dangerous. You should be very afraid of him." Pliny said.

Tiberius chuckles with denial and walks out with the tow roman soldiers beside him along with a feel of power.

We cut to a house, a white stone place, strong top, loose door, green trees next to it, a fountain in the front, small but water coming out of it.

Nikolas in a brown no sleeved shirt, kissing his beautiful wife in the house, long brown hair, brown eyes, beach skin in a yellow dress, he picks her up gentle puts her on a table the two wrap each other in their love than a young little voice is heard in a hallway in the house.

"Mommy?" The child said. Nikolas and his wife stop immediately. The wife gets off the table and fixes her hair as quickly as she can. Nikolas goes over to his son and kneels down. "Adonis, what are you doing? I thought you were sleeping." Nikolas said. "Sorry father." Adonis said. Nikolas looked at him with understanding moved his long brown hair to see his beautiful brown eyes. "It's quite alright son, just go back to bed." Nikolas said gently patting his back and walking him in the direction of his son's bedroom. "My love?" Thea, Nikolas wife said. Nikolas put his son in his bed and turned his head quickly to hear his wife's voice. "Stay here son, okay? Be safe with mother." Nikolas said and Adonis nodded with understanding. Nikolas rushes over to his wife looking out. "What is it?" Nikolas said and the two see two men on horses riding to the direction of the house. Nikolas see's both of them and Nikolas walks out down the step of his front and Thea follows him. The two stand their ground and as the two men on horse are riding to them it is revealed to be Pliny one stag and a roman soldier on the other.

The couple looks at each other for a second as Nikolas begins to walk up to his former general, the roman swordsmen takes out his blade pointing it at Nikolas. "It's alright." Pliny said raising his hand to stop the violence.

Nikolas remembers. "General Pliny?" Nikolas said. Pliny looked at his former soldier and gets off his horse one leg after the other.

Nikolas is about to take a knee out of panic but Pliny stops him. "No need, good sir." Pliny said and Nikolas understood and Thea chuckles for a moment but stops quickly.

"What do you need General?" Nikolas said. "I am not a General anymore, I am an elder. I'm not young as I once was, I can barely pick up the sword now." Pliny The Elder said.

"Why are you here?" Thea said. Pliny looks to Nikolas. "Emperor Tiberius, has requested that I go back to the battlefield, I refused, he said if I do not find the best fighter I know and bring him into the arena fighting his most cruel fighter, both you, I and your family will be slayed in the dirt under our feet." Pliny said.

Nikolas reacted with shock falling to the ground in fear with Thea catching him. "Why would you choose us over yourself?" Thea said with anger and sadness. Pliny looks to clear his statement. "If Nikolas doesn't follow me again, You, your husband, your child and me. All four of us will be killed. Tiberius will make sure no one remembers us!" Pliny said. Nikolas calms himself down breathing in and out, in and out. and put his hand on his wife shoulder. Nikolas walks forward to the direction of his leader. "I will go with you." Nikolas said. Thea quickly walks over to face her husband. "Nikolas, please Adonis needs his father, please I need you." Thea said with worry. Nikolas softly puts his hand on her shoulders and give her words of faith. "I will be back and I'm going to kill this beast." Nikolas said. Thea wraps her arms around her husband and Nikolas hugging his wife. The two hold on for a moment and Thea slowly walks back with water showing in her eyes and Nikolas look strongly at her and the setting around him and closes his eyes. Hearing Pliny get back on his stag, to turn around get on the same horse and wrapping his arms around Pliny and hearing Pliny signal the soldier next to him as both Nikolas and Plint got on the horse. "Let us move out." Pliny said as Nikolas felt the movement of the animal and opened his eyes to see as if we were on a roller coaster, the stag charging past the trees, past, the similar homes to his.

Hour's later, he sees a large object coming close to both of them revealing a wall and a small gate with two roman soldiers on each side of the gate with large sharp spear's, the two men saw men but quickly realized that he was the one would be a gladiator for Pliny the Elder. "Open the gates." Pliny said. The two roman's both their arms and two push each side of these two big red barrier's as if they were pushing a wheel up a giant mountain.

The doors reveal a town with small brown stone house's but also roman training slaves wiping them, pushing them, making two slaves fight each other is wooden swords and at the end of the area was a giant building as if it was the start of a circle.

The three men on two horses pranced and pranced on seeing the area the slaves pushing each other, two white slaves in chains, in a cage. Nikolas with his arms wrapped around Pliny asked. "What is all of this?" Nikolas said wondering to his leader once again. "Sadly, power." Pliny said.

The horses stop to the front of the giant coliseum. The soldier gets off his horse to leave Pliny with Nikolas just to go back to his emperor.

Nikolas and Pliny enter the back empty waiting room as Nikolas could see a steps, long steps that led to the grounds of the battles he turns to see an open box with armor. "This was mine." Pliny said. Pliny goes over to the open box, picks it up, showing the same colors of Nikolas', he walks over and moves his arms to give it to his soldier for one last possible fight. "It's yours now." Pliny said. Nikolas, paused for a moment, but took the armor as if it was a shining ball not wanting to break it. "Your wife said your name is Nikolas?" Pliny said. "Yes." Nikolas said. Nikolas puts his arms throw the armpit holes of the arm feeling the pads of metal and putting the back on his own. Nikolas tightens the straps the connected to make sure it doesn't loosen. Pliny takes his sword in his holster from the open box and puts the closed weapon in Nikolas' hands.

A horn is heard let both know that it is time.

"Who is he?" Nikolas said. Pliny turns to the direction of his soldier. "He is a man who claims he did nothing wrong, the soldiers found him in the dirt before he was a slave. You will face a man with a soul who is hungry for war." Pliny the Elder said.

"I worry this will be my last fight, I can't have my wife and child be alone." Nikolas said. "Do you know what I saw when helped the army win the battle all those years ago?" Pliny said. "Rage?" Nikolas said with confusion. "Hope, that is your gift, that is your weapon, fight like you know you will win." Pliny said. Nikolas looked at him with understanding. the doors open leading the stairs to a heaven.

Nikolas looks at Pliny one last time. Pliny puts his hands on his chest and gives a short bow. Nikolas bows his head the same way.

Nikolas takes one step, than another he looks up as if there was an obsidian darkness with a small rectangular light at the end, Nikolas takes another step, another, and another. He could start to hear chanting. "Gladiators!! Gladiators!!" the distant crowd said.

Nikolas got up the endless step faster, faster and faster. Nikolas goes to the end of the steps to feel bright hot sand on his boots, the bright immortal sun hitting his face and body.

Nikolas look around the large area to see people around a giant circle of a crowd cheering to see him. Nikolas see's at the center of the arena to see a giant red chair in a small stand.

A man enters with his arms behind his back from out of the shadows on the opposite side. Nikolas on the left and on the right is a man with bulking abs shown for the lady's, a big, spiked shoulder pad on his right side, two gold wrest bands, bronze pants and boots. With a sharp knee pad on his right kneecap. Reveal to be Lucas, eyes with a story and a mind going off like a wipe constantly hitting meat.

"So, you are my rival?" Lucas shouted. "Looks that way." Nikolas said. "I will make this quick warrior." Lucas said with toxic fumes of anger. "You didn't half to be this young man, I don't want the grim reaper to smile at you." Nikolas said. "Then smile at my mace." Lucas said showing his arms once holding a spiked mace.

A horn is heard as Emperor Tiberius Augustus walks into his area and sits on his throne. Lucas and Nikolas both their heads and weapon on their chest plates with respect.

The crowd silences with Tiberius hands put in the air. He then looks at both Lucas and Nikolas. "Hello, Lucas the Beast, Hello Nikolas the Blaze. Rome welcomes both of you, you will both be bound to the circle, you with both be beaten and one will killed be the weapon. To he about to die. The people of Rome salute you." Tiberius said. he looks to a roman man with a gong about to start.

Lucas swings his mace for a moment, he then put the weapon on his head to the dirt and stairs at Nikolas like a dart on a target. Nikolas puts his feet firmly in the ground and listen to the wind blowing on to his face. Nikolas closes his eyes.

The gong is hit and heard for all and the crowd cheers. Lucas runs up to Nikolas swinging his fast, Nikolas quicker than him waves his sword once in the air letting the holster off and showing the bear naked sword. The two block each other with the other's attack. Nikolas kick Lucas in the chest and Lucas swings his mace with Nikolas blocks each attack quicker and quicker. The crowd cheers. Lucas goes low but Nikolas still blocks each attack want to aim and cut the flesh on his body. Lucas swings more and more until he moves so much Nikolas moves away and pushes Luas on his back and falls to the ground. hitting the sand.

The crowd boos loud. Lucas, quickly pushes himself up and faces Nikolas. "Hit me you bastard!" Lucas said before Nikolas punches him in the face quickly. Lucas looks hit him with anger. "What?" Nikolas said with humor. The crowd booed more Lucas could see The Emperor with disappointment giving him a look wanting to slave the beast right there. Lucas screamed with anger and runs up to him. Swinging his mace and hitting Nikolas in the chest plate and flies back by the size of a bedroom. Nikolas still holding on the sword listens the crowd cheer but want it to be about him.

He gets up and see's Lucas running at his and cut his left check with his sword and small drops of blood coming out. Lucas feels the pain but takes it, Lucas drops his weapon and without hesitation smacks Nikolas' sword out of his hand and tackles him. They both land on the ground, Lucas on top, Nikolas on the bottom. Luc as has his hands on the blaze's throat. But yet Nikolas is able to say word. "How long... have you been a fight?" Nikolas asked. Lucas response wanting to squeeze. "Five years." Lucas said. Nikolas looked to his right to see any weapon. "What's wrong warrior, scared to be a legend?" Lucas said taking left and off but tightening his right. Nikolas sees a small dagger hiding is the sand unable for Lucas to see. Lucas wipes out a dagger out of les left boot and ready to raise it up to Nikolas' forehead. "Kill!! Kill!! kill!! kill!!" The crowd cheered. "No." Nikolas said. Nikolas than head buts the beast, letting Lucas go of the dagger, dropping it to the ground, Lucas grabbing the dagger in the sand with the sand specks coming off fast, Nikolas than quickly goes behind Lucas arms his open arm around his neck and the both of them go on their knees facing the emperor. And quickly stabs Lucas in the heart.

"Twelve for me." Nikolas said in Lucas' ear. The crowd cheers with Nikolas' blow and Nikolas see's the eyes of a feared little boy. "The gods shouldn't have made you like this, for that I will always remember you and I am sorry." Nikolas said slowly taking the dagger out and throwing it away. The crowd cheers and Emperor Augustus looks at Nikolas with interest and approval. The Emperor looks at Nikolas as put his palms in the air want to speak. Nikolas gets up on his knees as Lucas falls to the ground on his back, getting the attention of Nikolas. Nikolas looks at Lucas dying body with sorrow and see's the soul leaving Lucas' body leaving with his eyes left one.

"You Surprise me warrior." Tiberius said. Nikolas bows his head to the leader of Rome and the crowd continues to cheer.

The emperor raises his palm one final time. "What do you ask for fighter?" Tiberius said.

Nikolas takes a moment he looks up to the big blue ocean sky with fluffy white marsh mellow cloud and looks back at Tiberius.

"Peace." Nikolas said.

For a moment and long years after, he will.