章 38: First Blood

The three days before the games passed quickly. Priscus and his gladiators were so absorbed in their training that they hardly noticed the passage of time.

The night before the games training was cut short to allow everyone to pack what they needed and get a good rest before the games began. 

In the morning everyone awoke bright and early as usual, gathering at the gate of the compound awaiting their scheduled transport.

Despite Priscus still having a bit over 2 million denarii at his disposal, he had forgotten the lawsuit settlement from Lucius, he was reluctant to spend it on a transport ship for his Ludus. 

They didn't yet have the claim to fame required to make such an acquisition palatable for the upper echelons. An up-and-coming Ludus with too many things beyond their supposed station would cause a lot of questions, and Priscus wanted to avoid that kind of scrutiny for as long as possible.