I sat there laughing, coated and sore in the best way, the rush of it all better than any history lesson. Rome felt like my playground now, gladiators just the beginning.

As night crept in slow and steady, the torches around the Colosseum burst to life one by one. Their flames danced high, casting long shadows and turning the massive stone arena into a place of flickering magic for the evening fights. The air smelled of smoke and sweat, mixed with the distant roars from the crowds gathering below. I had just finished rinsing off in a rough stone fountain nearby. 

The cold water hit my skin like a slap,...