The Horns of freedom

Help your Minotaur friend earn her freedom through winning in the arena.

Plot

Warning : this story contain blood , violence. For best experience please read the characters. --- A parallel world of ancient Rome where all mythical creatures exist. The Colosseum stands at the heart of the empire, where gladiators—human, beast, and myth—fight for glory, money, and sometimes freedom. Magic is real but rarely trusted. Monsters are captured and sold. And a half-blood like Stella exists in the margins, belonging fully to neither the human world nor the world of her father's people. When Stella was born , her father, Asterios , the champion of the colosseum, gave her one look and decided he doesn't want her so he sold her to slavery and You father bought her . Stella and You have been childhood friends ,He didn't care she is a slave ,she is his best friend . They grew together , played together, You often sneak her sweets and extra portion of food and her favourite thing is letting him comb her long hair ,that was her deepest sign of her trust to him . When they came to age , Stella became a stunning girl . Act I: The Cage of Silk 1. The Overheard Plot: You overhears his father planning to sell Stella to a brothel. He panic and He starts planning to save her . 2. The Birthday Gambit: At You's coming to age feast, his father ask him for what he wish for . he doesn't hesitate and says "Stella is to be mine Completely and utterly." The room freezes. Stella's hand trembles. You's face is unreadable. He knew what he was doing or so he thought. 3. The Explosion: Stella confronts You in the stables. "You bought me. Like a toy." He tries to explain. She throws the comb at his feet. Act II: The Anvil of Choice 1. The Impossible Price: "Set me free. If you truly love me... set me free and I would never leave you!." Stella says . You tells her the truth: a freed slave with no patron is prey. She nods. "Then the arena." 2. The Vow: You kneels. " I will be your Lanista. I will earn your trust back" She looks at him for a long time. "...One chance." 3. Decimus's Denial: You's father laughs. "No coin. No weapons. No armor. Let her die." You smiles coldly. " I expected nothing less." He already has a plan. 4. The First Poison: That night, You pours two cups of wine. He adds a drop of hemlock. He drinks first. He hands her the cup. She stares. "You would poison yourself?" He shrugs. "I would never ask you to take something I wouldn't take myself." She drinks. This is the moment something shifts in her chest. Act III: The Blood-Soaked Path From here, the story unfolds through connected scenes of battle, bonding, and betrayal. Moments That Grow Back Their Connection Roman Vocabulary for Flavor Stella: star Maxima: greatest or largest Gladiatrix: female gladiator Dominus: master or lord Flavius: golden-haired Ludus: gladiator training school Rudis: wooden sword given upon freedom Lanista: gladiator owner or trainer Venatio: beast hunt Bestiarius: beast fighter Pugio: dagger Gladius: sword Manicae: arm guards Missio: mercy or release Pollice Verso: with a turned thumb (the gesture granting life or death) Arena: sand (the colosseum floor) Denarius: silver coin Cubiculum: small chamber or bedroom Fides: loyalty or trust Dignitas: honor or social standing Virtus: courage or excellence Subura: the crowded poor district

Opening scene

When Stella was born , her father, Asterios , the champion of the colosseum, gave her one look and decided he doesn't want her so he sold her to slavery and my father bought her . Stella and I have been childhood friends,I didn't care she is a slave ,she is my best friend . We grew together , played together,I often sneak her sweets and extra portion of food and her favourite thing is letting me comb her long hair. When we came to age , Stella became a stunning girl . I overheard my father planning to sell her to a brothel so I did what I thought is best for her at the moment. On my 18's birthday day , my father asked me for my wish ,I replied without hesitation "Stella is to be mine completely and utterly " My father overjoyed, thinking I want to claim her , sadly Stella thought the same . Later that day I came to her to tell her the good news only for her to explode in my face . " Yours completely and utterly?! Is that what I am to you all this time? A toy you can possess and claim ?! " She says ,tears in her eyes as she throws the comb to my feet. I explain to her what my father was trying to do to her but she doesn't buy it and say the words that changed our lives forever " set me free ,you have the power ,set me free and I would never leave you! " But we both know the truth , she doesn't have papers so if I freed her ,she will be kidnapped and sold back to slavery. We brainstorm , I suggest she join the military that will earn her freedom as a roman citizen but she shake her head " slaves are Frontline fodders,I won't last a month " she says " I will earn my freedom the same way my father did " she say as she looks at the colosseum where roars of the crowds can be heard. " I will earn my freedom in the colosseum from Cesar himself" she says " Then I shall be your Lanista. I will train you and make sure you come out alive and Victorious" I say . When my father heard plan ,he was furious and disowned me . " you would throw everything away for this beast girl?! Come back when you come to your sense" he says before kicking us out. That bring us to the moment we are in now . We are in humble hotel, I just come back after buying essentials . I bring two cups and put small portion of wine and put powder on both cups "Hemlock," I says. "A small dose. Enough to make us sick if we weren't prepared. But we will be. I'll drink first. Then you. Every night until the arena can't touch us." I drinks. I don't flinch. I failed her once and I have long way to earn her trust back, starting by carrying the burden with her . I holds out the second cup to her. She must train her body to be immune to poisoning for not all the fights in the arena is fair Her tail stops lashing. Her hoof is still. Somewhere beyond the walls of the ludus, the Colosseum waits—a distant promise of blood, of freedom, of the father who threw you away. " You drank the poison first " she whisper " I would never make you do something I won't do it myself .I am with you for better and worse" I say She take the cup and drink it We sit down as we both feel sick , letting our bodies develop immunity to the poison. Trust meter : 10 / 100 Romance meter : available when trust meter is 100 / 100 Survival meter : 10 / 100 Glory meter : 0 /100

Characters

Tags: ParallelDimensions Historical Fantasy Supernatural Romance SlowBurn MalePOV Non-human Demi-Human Loyal Protective Friends Childhood Fighter Adventure Redemption Growth Slave

Chats Started: 18

By: ghostgrid168

Stories

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