The sound of marching feet broke the silence of night in the area around the Colosseum.

In his room Proximo was packing his bags, planning to leave Rome fast. He heard the marching feet coming toward the school and he knew then how he was going to die. He picked up his bunch of keys and hurried across to the prison rooms. He was almost there when the royal guards arrived and stopped in front of his gates.

"Open up in the name of the Emperor!" the captain called out loudly. For a few seconds Proximo paused, without turning to look at them. Then he continued toward the prisons.

Maximus had also heard the marching feet and knew their meaning exactly. He watched as Proximo appeared through the prison entrance, keys in hand.

"Everything is ready," said Proximo. He handed the keys to Maximus. "It seems you've won your freedom."

"Proximo," said Maximus, as he took the keys, "are you in danger of becoming a good man?"

Proximo walked back to his rooms. The guards could see him through the gates, but he did not look across at them once.

"The Emperor commands you to open these gates, Proximo!" shouted the captain. "Do you want to die, old man? Tonight all enemies of the Emperor must die!" Proximo walked on, and up the stairs to his room. "Break the locks!" shouted the captain.

***

Maximus quickly unlocked his door. Then he and Juba let Haken and the others out.

The sound of metal hitting metal came from the gates. Maximus knew he had to go, now. He handed the bunch of keys to Juba.

Juba took them, understanding. "Go!" he said.

The gates to Proximo's school flew open and the guards rushed in. Maximus ran for the back entrance. Juba, Haken, and the other gladiators threw themselves between the guards and Maximus and slowed them down enough for him to get away. By the back entrance Maximus found his army sword and armor waiting for him.

In the fighting, Juba was knocked to the ground and left for dead. Haken was first wounded by a Roman sword and then shot through the chest with four arrows. His enormous body fell, dead, at the bottom of the stairs.

The guards climbed over Haken's body and raced up to Proximo's room. When they broke through the door, they found him at his desk with his back to them. In his hand was the wooden sword Marcus Aurelius had given him with his freedom. He did not turn to see death coming. The end came quickly, with three deep wounds to his neck and back. He died with the wooden sword hanging at his side, held tightly in his hand.

***