It is confirmed that Pompey might perish, so Emperor Crysus, the patricians, the senators, and the equestrians had already left Pompey for Rome two months ago, leaving with claims that they didn't want the disaster to catch them unaware.
Now that the city might likely be abandoned, the last meeting held by the hierarchies stated that there was a chance of survival only if Titanium could be dropped into the volcano's crater during the time of eruption to stop it from destroying Pompey.
So the Commander, General Sebastian Caesar, has been given the mission to save Pompey or perish with it, and he has done his best to provide the Balaclava which will protect the volcano's ashes from the face and breathing attack, the light iron shoes, and the wet suit to wear for the mission, but the question is who will bell the cat?
So he called his bravest commandos and gladiators, which were five in number, and passed the challenge down as he was of age but could boast that his warriors were trained with such determination to face death.
“It is time to pick the straw to see who will go to the volcano as it is time for an eruption. We all know it is a deadly mission, but who will save PomPey or die saving it?” Commander General Caesar said.
The five gladiators stood alone and blindfolded; Brutus picked first, Spartacus picked second, followed by Anthony, then Marta, and Cebalous.
You can remove the blindfold General Caesar ordered, and to all surprise, the only lady amongst the gladiators, Marta, picked the short straw.
Marta moves aside, knowing that the mission supersedes her and also knows what it is to be a gladiator being one; then she mutters, “Don't dwindle, don't fidget as fear kills, “this is the motto of the gladiators and she says it with confidence.
Commander General Caesar continued, you remaining leading warriors should organize all the other gladiators and help the citizens of PomPey which comprises the plebeians, freedmen, and slaves off the land with the provided ships that will load people of the island to Rome and they all answered yes Dux, then walking pass Marta, Brutus held her shoulder and wish her best of luck and if not, they meet underneath earth or Valhalla he spitted, followed by Cebalous who say “ I wish to see you again or else, we see at the other side “ then Anthony and Spartacus move towards her crossed their arms on their chest and bowed their head a little while she bowed back and they left.
Martha, we all know you are one of the best gladiators that PomPey has; this is the time to save PomPey or perish with it; I will also stay here as you go. Have these Titaniums, drop it in the crater of the mountain, drop one there if possible, it is the cure to the pressure lava oozing from the volcano then find your way out of there, if you succeed, blow the signal trumpet so I can also blow the signal trumpet here to signal the people of Rome and the great Emperor Crysus that our mission is successful and if it is otherwise, I shall perish with you in Pompey.
Marta collected the Titanium, put on her Balaclava, wore her iron shoe and the wet suit, and left the Palatine hill where Commander General Caesar lives after answering Yes Dux, as the earthquake storms constantly.
The house before her collapsed immediately when she was outside, and she rolled to the other side, escaping the collapsed building, stood up firmly, and looked forward to the direction of the mountain Vesuvius.
As she was running through the route where lands are swollen and vibration everywhere, she saw a few people running towards the river to meet other gladiators and the safe ship and they were telling her that she was going to die along that place she was heading but she did not answer, knowing that they did not know her mission and wouldn't understand her.
She quickly took the Mystery Hill, a shortcut route that separates the mountains Vesuvius and Pompey, running as fast as she could even though she was on light iron shoes but carefully observing with her eyes and using her head altogether because of the vibration hitting the land, she also thinks of retreating to any safe spot in case the volcano burst and she sees the volcano bombs and the flying rock comes around, she reasoned she would hide at the back of big rocks, houses and any other things that can obstruct the obstacles to her destination. She soliloquizes and snaps back to reality.
“I must get there before the molten rock pushes into the atmosphere “ she soliloquizes as she runs on top of her speed.
Getting there, she saw it was possible to get to one actual spot of the mountain Vesuvius where she could aim the Titanium at the crater after it cracks where the molten rock will be oozing out from so she meticulously looked around to find a safe spot even though it is now getting tougher, luckily for her, she remembers the cave that was created by the larva tube hundreds of years ago after that first eruption fifteen minutes east side mountain Vesuvius and the first thing was to check it out and hid there.
A thunderous Boom was made as mountain Vesuvius made its first outburst Marta covered her ears, already expecting something of such as she hid in the cave.
She saw dust everywhere as it entered the cave too, but she was protected by the special Balaclava, which made her breathe, and the wet suit, which protected her skin. Then after thirty minutes, she raced out of the cave and raised towards mountain Vesuvius, ran to the spot she had calculated earlier then threw a handful of Titanium towards the crater but the sudden vibration made it not reach the target and she knew another outburst coming Then she raced back to the cave, jumping split lava that was on the ground even though she could not see clearly due to the volcano dust and she also noticed the lava tube is on land space and it is moving slowly towards the direction of her hidden cave.
She looked at the Titanium that remained and saw that she had a last shot or else it was a game over. Then the second burst occurred, and she did the same timing before rising out to the direction of the volcano.
Getting there, she ran towards the mountain knowing she must get it right or the mission was over this time around, she didn't even think of her life being safe again as she knew if she missed it, it a death sentence automatically so she got closer than the first try and threw the last few Titanium with all her effort and they dropped in the crater then she ran back to her hidden cave blew her trumpet heavily then she heard the trumpet survival signal of Commander General Caesar signaling to the people of Rome and Emperor Crysus.
It was as if the Titanium served as a pressed dissolver as the volcano became calm an hour after and the larva solidified in it, Marta enters Pompey half destroyed and goes back straight to meet Commander General Caesar who awaits her, congratulates her for saving Pompey and he said “ Marta we all know you are the first female gladiator and people asked me why did I select you, I don't know then maybe it because of your energy but now I know it is for your to serve your purpose which is to save Pompey” and held her shoulder saying thank you and she answered, you are welcome Dux.
Thanks for reading through.