Mobius

It didn't take long for the shaking to increase, causing Dago to sigh. He really couldn't handle longer than that without getting weak? He wanted others to cut him some slack and yet he wouldn't on himself. Go figure. No matter how the gladiator seen it, Theo pointed out that he was doing well. Raising a brow, he clearly sounded doubtful as he responded,"I am?" He wanted to believe the medicus, but he had a hard time doing so. Considering a few weeks ago he was laid up in better, completely unable to move without intense pain, Theo was certainly right... it was just easy for his viewpoint to be clouded by his many frustrations at the situation. Unfortunately, the answer to Theo's next question wasn't good for Dago's self-esteem. Sighing again, he shook his head. "Not really... it's uncomfortable and I wind up dropping whatever it is within seconds..." Though he probably didn't need to clarify, after furrowing his brows he did just that,"Unintentionally." Of course he had to injury his dominant arm. It couldn't have been his left, right? No, of course it couldn't. That would have been too easy. @Chevi

Dago sighed softly. A little break here and there wouldn't set him back that far, would it? According to Theo, it would... and he knew that it was wise to listen to the medicus. He clearly knew what he was doing. If the man didn't, Dago wouldn't be healing like he was. Hell, he might not even be alive. Somehow he would find the energy within to power through it, even if he felt like there just wasn't much energy left. It felt good to have the bandages off for a little while, but the movement Theo helped him through didn't feel so good. In fact, it had him wincing as the all too familiar sensation of a stabbing pain returned. Determined to get through it, Dago simply gritted his teeth with a bit of a hiss. Unfortunately for him (or perhaps fortunately in the long run), Theo requested more of him. "I'll try." It was the best he could do, right? "That damned stabbing sensation still hits me when I move it certain ways," he informed, looking at his arm as he tried to hold it up. It wasn't too long before it started to get shaky. Not too badly, but enough to notice. The weakness he experienced in it wasn't painful, but it was definitely a pain in a figurative sense. It really limited him at times. @Chevi

In the early days of the recovery process, Dago had wondered if he would ever be able to sit up on his own again, yet there he was doing exactly that. Granted, he was doing it slowly, but slow and steady was better than nothing. He knew better than to push himself. Why would he want to? Everything hurt when he pushed himself. Heck, everything hurt when he was doing the bare minimum. "I set a pretty high standard, huh?" he joked, relieved to hear that nobody had been seriously hurt. He wouldn't wish what he was going through on anybody, but he'd begun to realize that being alive was better than being slaughtered in a fight. Even if it meant recovering enough to the point that he had to fight again... he tried not to think about that. Dago looked shocked for several moments before his expression turned into a rather grumpy one. Oh, he knew that he'd heal much slower if the slaves cut him the slack that he wanted, but that didn't make it any better. Huffing, he nodded to give Theo permission to check the wound on his shoulder. Achy bastard, it was. "I know that, but it doesn't make me any less tired," he grumbled, turning his head to try to see the wound for himself without actually moving his shoulder or arm. The less movement he made, the less pain he had. Sighing, he then looked to Theo, keeping quiet for a moment or two before muttering,"I probably would have given up if it wasn't for you..." @Chevi

Unfortunately for the gladiator, Theodorus was correct in his prediction— things got worse before they would even think of getting better. The pain was horrible when the injury took place, but there was something decidedly horrible about the pain that accompanied the healing process. It was a constant aching throb that made him want to overdose on poppy milk. If only Theo or the slaves tending to him would have let him... Things were a smidge less horrible once he wasn't stuck in virtually the same position twenty-four hours a day, but he was reminded of just how horrible things were once it was time for him to start moving the problem areas again. It was far from a pleasure trip, but he tried to remind himself that no matter how painful or difficult it was to make progress, it would be worth it. If there was any consolation for the struggle, the first step he was able to take was exhilarating. It gave him the hope and determination he needed to keep on going. Though it usually meant putting up with the strain of the necessary therapeutic endeavors, Amatus looked forward to when the medicus would poke his head into the room. Why? Not because he was a friendly guy and he was responsible for the fact that the gladiator was healing (though those were certainly bonuses), but because whenever Theo came around the gladiator wasn't Amatus... he was Dago. "Good evening. Crazy night at the fights?" Shifting in bed, he slowly and carefully sat up. It was a relief to even be able to move like that. "Sore... somebody needs to tell those slaves that nobody is going to crucify them if they cut me a bit of slack," he answered with a chuckle, though he did follow it up with a sigh. @Chevi

It had been so long since he'd been called by his real name that Dago had completely adjusted to the new name. "Dago" had gone into the recesses of the gladiator's mind, like a display in a boarded up museum. However, Theo had awakened that long since buried memory, giving him a taste of the past he didn't realize he ached for. He'd missed his old name, no matter how hard he tried to not admit it. Poppy milk. What an unpleasant tasting thing. "I won't doubt a word you say," he replied quietly, truthfully. The man responsible for giving him a chance at healing was owed that kind of trust. Not that it required any kind of trust to not doubt that he'd be needing some kind of pain reliever. He wasn't looking forward to when the effects dulled and he was left to face the full pain. The dulled pain was bad enough! His brows did furrow at the mention of being taken to his bed by the man. How was that going to work? He could barely move. However, he gave the man a nod. He had to have a plan. Sighing, he had something in mind that he really needed, but knew he couldn't have. "A way to go back in time would be nice," he muttered before adding seriously,"You've done more than I could have hoped... thank you. It's not enough for what you've done for me, but thank you." @Chevi

"Dago." It was the strangest thing for Amatus... Dago to hear his original, his real name. It made him feel, well, he actually couldn't quite put his finger on just how it made him feel, save for the fact that it was a good feeling. The smile he couldn't prevent from coming onto his lips proved that. He liked the way Theo thought. If only everybody thought that way... or at least the person who renamed him. At least Amatus wasn't a bad name. He'd heard it meant "beloved" or something along those lines. There were far worse names to be given, especially as a gladiator, but he still preferred Dago for obvious reasons. "I appreciate it... I haven't heard it in so long," Dago replied quietly, sighing softly afterwards. A positive did come out of the wild ordeal. Looking to the cup, he did as he was told, not wanting to argue since the benefits would be worth it. His nose scrunched up almost immediately, though. "Gods, you weren't lying about that," he grumbled after he'd drank his fill,"What's in it? That poppy stuff?" @Chevi

Amatus breathed a quiet sigh of relief after Longinus clapped him on the back. At least he hadn't dug himself too deep of a hole by forgetting the formalities. It was a mistake he was determined to never make again. As he learned that his charge was out visiting a friend, he found himself clenching and unclenching his right fingers again in an attempt to chase away the pesky pins and needles that didn't want to leave him alone. He'd meet her later from the sounds of things, though. Nodding, he replied,"I look forward to it, domine." In reality, he really was curious to meet the girl. He had no clue what her mother was like so he didn't really know what she would be like. He hoped she wouldn't make him chase her around much or anything like that... he wasn't exactly built for chasing anymore. The tour picked back up and Amatus did his best to make mental notes of the places they passed by, though something told him he might be prone to getting lost for a little while. He was given a bit more time to take the triclinium in, for Longinus paused within it in order to have Amatus remind him of where the slave was from. "Gallia Belgica," he answered, hoping it wouldn't lead to him thinking too much about his original home... that wasn't what he needed at the moment. "Far North, domine." The slave trade, not to mention the trader of luxurious goods, had taken him on quite the journey Southward. @Sara

"Sounds like a great place to visit," Amatus joked with his typical sarcasm. If he were to lose anything about himself, he hoped he'd never lose that sense of sarcasm. Call it his way of dealing with the world and all its problems. From the sounds of things, Germania had plenty of problems. Far more than he even realized. If that was the case, he imagined Theo encountered quite a few gruesome scenes. Maybe it really wasn't so hard to believe that the gladiator's injuries weren't the worst the medicus had seen. At least the legionnaires had a more noble purpose, for the most part, than a gladiator like Amatus who wounded and killed people for sport... Amatus was definitely a long way from home and sometimes he really felt that distance. He tried not to think too much about home since he knew he would never see it ever again, though there were times where he couldn't stop himself. Every now and then he wondered about his mother, if she ended up being okay after his father removed him from the picture. Naturally, he feared the worst, but for his own peace of mind he tried to think that things somehow turned out okay. Knowing that he would never find out was the worst part of all. Looking to Theo as he came over, he found himself momentarily stunned by the man's words. "Is there another name you'd like me to call you?" Dago. The last piece of his past that had been taken from him upon being purchased for gladiatorial interests. Of course Amatus didn't have a say in the matter. He just had to accept that what was left of his former identity was gone, perhaps even as a tactic to get his head into the game. He never heard his real... his previous name again. Realizing he'd been staring at Theo without a word, he shook his head to snap himself out of it. "My... my original name was Dago..." It felt borderline foreign on his own tongue. Dago... that was still him deep down inside. @Chevi

Amatus didn't doubt that Cassia was a good girl like her father said, though even if he did he wouldn't have vocalized it. That wouldn't have been a wise move. Nodding almost solemnly, he did wonder what her mother's story was. No amount of curiosity would prompt him to ask about the woman. Even though his mind was clearly overloaded by everything to the point that he had slipped up on the formalities, he knew just how bad of a move that would have been. Gladiators tended to be able to pick up on bad moves even if they were retired. If he managed to survive long enough, he figured he would learn what had happened to the woman. He just might learn more about the stories within the walls of the domus than he'd prefer to know. Amatus looked back to Longinus, his eyes widening slightly. Oops. Bringing a hand up to run through his hair (a nervous tic of his... and an anxious tic, but that was less applicable to the current situation), he cleared his throat a bit. "Domine... right. Sorry," he sputtered in an attempt to cover his ass. If anything, at least Domine had the patience to correct him without any sort of punishment the first time around. Returning his gaze to the game, he released the quietest of sighs. This new life was going to be an adjustment, but he was determined to not blow it. He didn't literally fight for his life for nothing. The companion of an eleven year old girl. If somebody in the past had asked Amatus where he seen himself in the years to come, he definitely wouldn't have answered them with that. Would anyone expect a man the height of a mountain with combat skills (rendered useless, but still) to one day fill the role of a young girl's companion? It was almost humorous to think about, but he didn't mind the thought of it. Going from fighting and killing to keeping a young human company and making sure she stayed out of trouble... it was the change of pace he'd been hoping for really. As for what he was expected to do when he wasn't with Cassia? He assumed he could handle it without issue so long as he favored his left hand instead of his previously better one. Looking back to Longinus and unintentionally meeting his gaze, he nodded. "I appreciate it, domine—" he wasn't going to make that mistake again "—I won't waste it. I'll serve you and the little domina well." No harm in reiterating what he'd said in the man's office, right? @Sara

The game up ahead took Amatus' thoughts off of what might have been if the fates didn't play out like they had. What the three people were doing looked peculiar to him. He'd never seen anything like it before and he found himself attempting to figure it out. Obviously one of the points was to catch the balls, which one of the players was making it difficult for the others to do. There seemed to be a method to it, too. A method he knew he wouldn't be capable of doing himself. Not with his right hand, anyways, or at least not successfully. An attempt could possibly be made, but it surely would be a failed attempt. He seemed content to watch, even chuckling softly as one of the balls went flying past the hulking one despite the guy's best efforts at catching it. Amatus' attention returned to the dominus as he began to explain who was who amongst the players. One was a secretary, one was a sparring partner (perhaps the most obvious out of the three positions), and one worked in the kitchens. There were more to be introduced, even though they weren't present for the peculiar game. Attis, Metella, and Cassia, the latter who seemed to become the topic of the conversation even if indirectly. Nodding, he hoped he would remember the names of everyone, but he wasn't too concerned about it. Longinus' next question made him raise an eyebrow. Did he have any interest in working with children? "Well... I imagine children are much easier to get along with than other gladiators," he thought out loud with a little chuckle,"It would be a nice change of pace. It's been... gods, I can't even remember when the last time I interacted with a child was, though." In other words, he had no idea how he would do in such a job, but he figured there would never be a dull moment and he wasn't used to having dull moments to boredly get through so why not? Children tended to be more pleasant than adults... right? @Sara

At least Amatus could speak coherently and his thoughts seemed to be processing normally. There was that ringing in his ears, which had died down from resembling the roars of the crowd to something less distracting, and the overall clouded feeling, but he had been assuming it was just from passing out and being so drained. It didn't get in the way of him conversing with the medicus, and considering that talking was providing a good enough distraction he was thankful for that. His eyes followed Theo as the man began to mix something, though he stayed quiet as he listened to him answer the question. It came as no surprise that Theo was born in Achaea. He was rather obviously Greek just based on the name he carried around with him alone. "Germania... weren't they having trouble out that way?" he tried to remember. It wasn't like he had ever paid much attention to politics. That kind of stuff had nothing to do with him so he didn't concern himself with it, but that didn't mean he didn't overhear things. He was a bit surprised when Theo asked where he was from, and he cracked a half smile because of it. "Northern Gaul," he started to answer, though he paused to grit his teeth as he shifted around on the table a bit,"Belgica. Not a bad place to grow up." @Chevi

Amatus knew that he had been fortunate to cross paths with the man who helped him learn how to read. Not many freepeople got the chance to learn, let alone a slave whose work only involved reading people to figure out who might be a threat and who could be disregarded. It wasn't a tool that had come in handy to him, but it was one that he was proud to have nevertheless. If this situation was any proof, he could never know what might come up in life. He just might come upon a chance to use that hidden skill someday. He didn't have any confidence in being able to write again, though Longinus did offer up some hope. Apparently, he'd seen a man lose his right arm to an axe yet he was writing with his left by the next month. Eyebrows raising, he glanced down at his left hand, moving the fingers on it in a similar way to what he'd done with the right. "Hmm..." Maybe he didn't need to be so pessimistic. Following Longinus past the curtain, Amatus was met by both curiosity and frowns. Giving something of an awkward wave, he commented under his breath,"I take it that room isn't the one I'll be staying in?" It didn't take much thought to realize the rooms were segregated. The looks alone were enough to figure that out. Walking out of the room, he raised a brow at Longinus' question. "No," he answered simply with a shake of his head, his gaze soon trailing around the gardens. "Never really thought about it..." More accurately, he'd never had the chance to. When he was younger, he always swore he would be a better father than his own father. That wouldn't have been a hard task to accomplish, though. @Sara

All things considered, Amatus was a lucky individual. How many people would have chosen to give him a new lease on life as opposed to sending him back into the arena for one more cash grab? Not too many. Fighting for his life, both during the match and on the operating table, had been worth it in the end. If only he could have known that back then. The recovery fight would have been at least a little bit easier knowing that he wasn't healing in order to shed more blood, others' or his. He'd had more than enough of that and he was eager for something new, no matter how menial it might end up being. At least the all too obvious revelation that Amatus would be no use as a guard wasn't any kind of disappointment. Longinus had no use for a guard, capable or otherwise. The man once again surprised his slave, this time by saying that he would give the lesser a tour. Nodding, Amatus began to follow as requested, the hitch in his gait clear as day. He'd gotten to the point where he was used to it. It was his arm that was the real problem. "I can read some." One of the other guards back in the day was a learned man who had simply fallen on difficult times. He and Amatus had hit it off and in their spare time he taught the younger man a thing or two. He wouldn't be able to understand complex texts, but he could make it through the average scroll just fine. "I probably can't write anymore..." he admitted, sounding a bit downtrodden over that fact. His gaze dropped down to his write hand as he wiggled his fingers a bit, being reminded of the pins and needles that still plagued him all the way up to his shoulder. No, he likely wouldn't be able to write. Holding something so small as a writing utensil for such a task would aggravate the damaged nerves, he assumed. If he could even hold something like that at all without unwillingly dropping it. As for using his left? It wouldn't be legible most likely. Sighing quietly, he dejectedly shook his head, more to himself than to Longinus. @Sara

"Meeting him the way I did wasn't exactly a pleasure," Amatus admitted with the slightest of chuckles. It was never a pleasure to have to be tended to by the medicus, let alone in the way Amatus had required the final time. There was nothing like being on death's doorstep and being pushed even closer to the edge by painful, albeit necessary, medical procedures. The gods really had been smiling on him, for they let him pass out during the worst of it. In reality, they'd continued to smile on him even up to that very day, even if it didn't seem like they were when he was in the arena that fateful hour. He wasn't necessarily the most religious of fellows, but he remembered what his mother taught him back in Belgica, and some of it even aligned with what the Romans around him believed. Whoever they really were, they'd had mercy on him... not unlike the dominus seated before him. It wasn't news to Amatus' ears, but to hear it come directly from Longinus' mouth as opposed to a messenger was an entirely different experience, and it hit the man as if it were brand new to him. He was being spared from a death sentence. Surely he would have died if he'd been made to fight again. His efforts at saving himself the last time would have been for naught. Instead his dominus was saving him from such a fate and gratitude overflowed from him. "Thank you, truly. I will serve you well," he sincerely vowed with a bow of his head. The question as to what he did before had his nose briefly scrunching, his more reliable hand coming up to run through his hair. "Ah, well... I was a guard. Not exactly fit for that now, though, unless you don't want a very good one." A limping guard with full use of only one arm wasn't exactly a capable guard, after all, no matter how tall or daunting in appearance. @Sara

Amatus knew that everything, from how he would heal to what he would have to do post-healing, was out of his hands. He had no control over anything, but he tried to not dwell on it or at least to dwell on it as little as he could. He already had enough reasons to feel hopeless, he didn't need the lack of control over his future to make him feel even worse in that regard. Thinking ahead, if he had to fight again, he felt like it would be a death sentence unless a real miracle happened and he had no leftover problems once the injuries healed. From the looks and sounds of things, them healing perfectly was an unlikely scenario. Gladiators needed to be in top form, on their best game, one hundred percent, et cetera. If not? Well... To Amatus' surprise, Theo had seen worse than the busted up gladiator. The man even offered up a bit of hope amongst the aforementioned hopelessness. If they kept the wounds clean, Amatus would be able to live with them. He supposed, in the end, that was better than being dead. Though he looked surprised, he remained quiet, choosing to listen to what else Theo might have to say. His eyes widened when he heard just how long Theo had served in the legions. "Damn, I bet you have seen a lot," he breathed, shaking his rested head slightly. "What places did the legions take you to?" he wondered, seeing no harm in asking. A conversation made for a good distraction and Theodorus didn't seem to mind conversing with his patient. So why not learn a bit more about the guy responsible for giving him a, no pun intended, fighting chance? @Chevi

It had been a long time since Amatus had any sort of say in what he did with his life. He'd gone with the flow, done whatever it was he was told to do, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it. His pervious role as a guard wasn't so bad. It got monotonous and boring at times, but it was a sense of purpose that he actually did appreciate. Being a gladiator? Not so much. There was something about shedding blood for a crowd that rubbed him the wrong way. Perhaps it was the violence he witnessed growing up thanks to his father. He wasn't really sure, honestly, but at least the medicus didn't want any kind of explanation, and at least he wasn't offended by his charge never wanting to see him again. It was nothing personal, of course. The wounded man simply never wanted to be wounded again. Nodding slightly, Amatus sighed. "I'll do what I have to do, but..." Now shaking his head as his voice trailed off, he decided to try to shift the subject off of himself. Well, sort of. Not really actually. "That must mean you've seen a lot. Where do my injuries rank compared to other messes you've seen?" he wondered as he draped his good arm across his forehead. Even though he couldn't picture anything worse than what he had been hauled into the room with, something told him Theo must have seen men who were messed up even worse. @Chevi

Hearing Theo say that it was a good thing Amatus passed out told all the man he needed to know about the process that went into getting his bones back to as close to their rightful place as possible. The thought of the unspoken details was enough to make him grimace. How Theodorus held such a job was a wonder to the gladiator, but considering he was a gladiator... a medicus' job shouldn't have made him squeamish. Admittedly, he didn't think as much about the injury to his shoulder. No, he couldn't move his right arm without a good deal of pain, but he didn't realize just how crippling a wound there could be. His focus was on the leg and whether or not he'd be able to walk again, though that was likely understandable. It was the more glaring injury after all and not being able to walk on it was harder to deal with than not being able to use an arm. At his own expense, Amatus had put on quite a memorable show. The roar of the crowd still dully rang in his ears, though that could have been some kind of side effect from being so weak in the head. "Seems like the gods made a different decision." His expression scrunched up slightly as he made a little grunt. At the moment, the gods were sounding like sadistic bastards, but he did know there was a chance that he would feel differently once he got over the difficult first steps in the healing process. If he got over the difficult first steps in the healing process. Once again he didn't hesitate to drink what Theo offered to him, but with the way he was laid up he didn't like where drinking too much would eventually lead him. The man's question caught Amatus off guard. His eyes briefly widened, as if he hadn't considered such a thing before (he really hadn't), but soon his expression turned serious as he thought over it, staring at the ceiling as he did. When his gaze returned to Theo, his expression had shifted to one that almost read like Amatus was questioning whether or not honesty would be a smart move. However, he did end up answering the man honestly,"... no. Not to offend you, but I'd like to never see this room again if I ever get to leave it and fighting again just means I'll inevitably end up back here." If he were speaking completely honestly, he never really enjoyed fighting to begin with, but he kept that tidbit to himself. @Chevi

Listening to Theodorus explain the extent of his injuries was far from encouraging for Amatus. When it came down to it, only time would tell how things would turn out, if he would be crippled or if he would be able to function again. The gladiator had a bad feeling about things, but everything felt bad at the moment so perhaps he couldn't trust the dread within. It would take time for him to heal. Patience wasn't necessarily his strong suit, but he was resigned to the fact that there was nothing he could do about it except wait. "How did you even manage to get them back in place?" he wondered after he finished hearing about the many problems with his leg. The gruesome image of the injury was all too vivid in his mind's eye. It turned his stomach just thinking about it. Amatus sighed as he then learned about the injury his shoulder took. It had cracked the shoulder blade. "Fantastic," he muttered, closing his eyes for a moment. That was his dominant arm. How was he supposed to function without it? Well, he had his left arm, but still. Things were much easier with his right and now he had to try to not use it. Hearing that Theo was surprised he survived the fight, he reopened his eyes and raised a brow. "The cocky son of a bitch didn't see my blade coming," he explained, though his voice lacked the pride of a victor,"but from the sounds of things I should have just let him kill me..." It felt as if he had only delayed the inevitable. Sure, the medicus had been successful in his endeavor to save Amatus, but the latter still felt like he was on death's doorstep, which wasn't encouraging in the slightest. @Chevi

It was quite possibly a miracle sent from the gods, but somehow Amatus had managed to survive his... ordeal. It left him battered, permanently scarred in the way all gladiators feared. It dared to be said that he was left a shadow of his former self. A limping, aching shadow that somehow had to figure life out again. Initially, he knew that things would never be the same, but he didn't expect the new norm to be so challenging or his shoulder wound to be as damaging as it was. The man didn't realize just how badly he'd taken for granted being able to use his dominant hand without issue or being able to move quickly on his feet. It was a case of he didn't know what he had until it was gone. Despite the difficulties and how mentally (let alone physically) taxing they were, he was still grateful that the medicus had managed to not only managed to save him but also got him walking again. It took months of effort, but neither person involved gave up, even if at times Amatus was very tempted to. Thanks to those efforts, Amatus found himself within the tablinum of his dominus, awaiting the presence of the man of the hour. A new life was ahead of him, one that would hopefully not bring forth any additional broken bones or stab wounds, but one could never be certain. Naturally, his damaged arm thought that it would be the perfect time to annoy him with the prickly sensation of pins and needles, which was only slight managed by him closing and opening his fist repeatedly. The action was halted when he heard the sound of footsteps, and a look behind him revealed that Longinus had come to join him. "Dominus," he greeted in return, sounding a bit surprised by the clap to the back. Any feelings of surprise or positivity washed away as his attention was brought to his leg. Visibly, he kept his weight leaned onto his right to prevent the previously mangled left from becoming fatigued, but visually speaking it didn't look as bad as it certainly could have. Theodorus really was a miracle worker. Unable to keep himself from sighing, Amatus ran his better hand through his hair as he offered up a shrug. "I can walk on it at least," he answered honestly. Being able to walk was the best case scenario. He had figured from the beginning that a complete recovery was out of the question. "That Theodorus is either a miracle worker or a magician," he added, the slight chuckle he made coming out of his nose as more of a huff unintentionally. Then again, it took a good amount of pain to make the miracle work so a huff might have actually been accurate no matter how unintended it was. @Sara

Understandably, Amatus felt like he could drink the well dry so any kind of drink the good medicus offered to him was downed without question. He was at his absolute weakest and, boy, could he feel it. He hoped that the more he drank, the less weak he would feel, but he wasn't very optimistic about it. Admittedly, he was at a complete loss for optimism, though who could blame him? The odds of things turning out well were slim and he didn't even want to begin to think about what would come after he healed. Fighting again? It wasn't like he was eager to get back to it. Again, who could blame him? Groaning quietly, he smartly used his left hand to rub his eyes before rubbing down his face. He hated feeling the way that he did. It made him want to crawl out of his own skin. As to whether or not Amatus would be able to walk, well, that was up to the gods. Theo had done what he could do. All Amatus could do was hope that the man was a miracle worker. Looking down at the man, he watched as his foot was poked at. "I'm not ticklish if that's what you're trying to figure out," he grumbled as he rested his head back down against the towel. Not even his whit could lift his spirits in that moment, though. "But, no... I can't," he finally answered almost defeatedly,"and I'm guessing that's not a good sign?" He didn't need to be trained in the medicinal arts to figure out that having no feeling there after such a break wasn't a good thing. @Chevi

Passing out was most certainly a blessing to the severely wounded gladiator. From the aches and pain that still radiated throughout his body, being awake for the rest of the work Theodorus did would have been a living nightmare. Not only was his vision blurry, but his mind was equally blurry. He didn't immediately remember what had happened to him or where he was. At least the blurry vision began to clear up as he repeatedly blinked several more times. It didn't take working eyes for him to realize just how uncomfortable the position he was laying in was and if it wasn't for a voice answering his question he would have attempted to move. Turning his head towards the voice, he seen a face that he wished wasn't familiar to him. The medicus. He wasn't dead, but he felt as good as dead. Sighing quietly, he fought the urge to shift on the table, resigning himself to the necessary position Theo had settled him in while he was out of it. The drink Theo offered Amatus was welcomed, but he paced himself unlike earlier with the medicated wine. "Like I've been run over by a thousand chariots..." he answered through a sigh, sounding as beaten down as he was. Quite stupidly, he attempted to move his right hand towards his eyes to rub them, only to be met by a sharp pain that prevented him from seeing it through. "Don't try to move means don't try to move," he grumbled to himself. Sighing again, he did his best to look down at his leg. Everything was starting to come back to him. The fight, the incredibly bad ending to the fight... the way his leg had been mangled. From the looks of things, Theo worked a miracle, somehow getting the bones to a semblance of straightness. Swallowing, he looked towards Theo again. "Will I be able to walk once it heals?" he hesitantly asked, assuming the worst. @Chevi

Yes, it was really beginning to sound like letting the other gladiator kill Amatus was the better option. What was about to take place would surely make him feel like he was being dragged through the underworld itself and would he survive it? Perhaps he'd only delayed the inevitable by giving his opponent the ultimate taste of payback. Theo was going to have to realign the bones, if it was even possible, but if he didn't the leg would be lost. A grunt was all the good doc got in return. Neither option sounded good and they both would hurt, but at least the one he was facing now gave him some kind of chance of being able to walk again. The people who had begun to crowd around had gone completely unnoticed to the wounded man. Even the immediate world around him was beginning to blur, let alone the outskirts. He did notice the two muscular slaves when they approached to aid Theo in his work and their presence was nothing if not unsettling. What faced him really wasn't going to be good. Amatus' jaded eyes flicked back to Theo as he was spoken to again. "You are strong enough to survive this." Did he believe that? Not necessarily, but considering he fought to stay alive in the arena... he was going to try no matter how badly it hurt to. Another grunt was his response, though he bolstered it with a slight nod. He could only manage a slight nod, it would have taken more energy than he felt he had to do more than that in that moment. Then it was time and no amount of preparing himself could have, well, prepared him for just how painful it was. Needless to say, it was a good thing the slaves tasked with holding him down were strong. The piece of wood would walk away from the situation with some scars of its own, for he bit down with a force that challenged the weak state he was in. And the scream? The wood had no chance at muffling that scream. Suddenly, the scream faded and the slaves had a much easier time holding him down. He'd passed out. Sometime later, Amatus' eyes fluttered open. He might have passed out, but he somehow managed to hold on to life while enveloped in the dark, if not merciful, void. Everything he saw was blurry no matter what way he tilted his head. "Am I dead...?" he groggily questioned whoever, if anybody, happened to be near. @Chevi

Within the next couple of minutes, Amatus would no doubt be wondering why he didn't just let the other gladiator kill him. As it was, he was in the worst pain of his life and it was only going to get worse once the man started to attempt to patch him up. If simply being moved jolted the pain to a new level, his injuries actually being treated would amplify it far more. Was it worth it? Possibly not, but his instincts had kicked in and he somehow saved himself. Now his life, or at least the quality of it, was in the hands of Theodorus. "No... shit..." he somehow managed to reply through his gritted teeth, sounding as rough as he looked. Things already weren't pleasant. In the best case scenario he would pass out, if not from the pain from the amount of blood he was losing. Amatus didn't have to be told twice to drink from the cup. Though it was no doubt the worst, this wasn't his first time being patched up by Theo. Whatever help the concoction would give him, he couldn't get it into his system fast enough, but that did leave him coughing a bit by the time he was finished and that only aggravated the shoulder wound further. Being turned so the man could see it for himself had the gladiator groaning again. Even thinking about moving in any way, shape, or form seemed to make the pain flare even more, but of course he didn't argue with Theo. Hell, he barely had the energy to. As the folded towel was placed beneath his increasingly cloudy head, Amatus began to feel a sense of heavy dread. Theo had seen to the shoulder blade wound, at least for now, and there was one major injury remaining. His leg. Oh, that was going to be a bitch. When he was told to bite the piece of wood, he looked to Theo for a moment before sucking in a breath and doing as he was told. This wasn't going to be good. @Chevi

Things in the arena were never good when they went South. It was something of a rarity for things in a fight to go South for Amatus, but it was never pleasant when they did. This time it was far beyond unpleasant to something else entirely, and perhaps the worst part was that he'd seemed to have the upper hand at one point in the match. How the mighty had fallen... quite literally. One minute he was on the defensive and the next he was crumbling to the ground like a shattered pot, releasing a wail from his throat that echoed over the crowd's collective gasp. His head was spinning, overwhelmed by the searing pain coursing through him. Something was broken or, no, had he been stabbed? He didn't have the time to clear the mental clouds in order to figure out the exact problem, for his opponent was preparing his final move. The deathblow the crowd so desperately wanted loomed over the fallen gladiator like death's shadow itself, but desperation won over the system-shocking pain. Gripping his sword, Amatus swung with all the strength he could muster, turning the tables on his foe. The lifeless thud went unnoticed by the victor, though, as the pain drowned out all else. He couldn't even stand, but a weak glance downwards revealed why— his left leg was pointing in a direction no human leg could natural go in. Rendered immobile, two slaves had to hoist Amatus onto a stretcher (a most unpleasant ordeal). Try as he might, he couldn't stop the groans of pain from escaping him, especially not as his head began to feel light. He was covered in blood and unfortunately more of it was his than his victim's, with even more trailing behind as the stretcher was carried to the medicus' realm. Another unpleasant ordeal soon followed as the slaves managed to move him from the stretcher to the operating table. It was then that Amatus' gaze landed on Theodorus, though no words came from his mouth. He was gritting his teeth too tightly for any words to slip out. However, the pained crossed between a growl and a groan surely painted the same picture words would have.

Thanks, guys! I’m very excited to be here!