Reluctantly, Rhesus turned to Dracius, his trusted aide and master of the gladiators, his expression clouded with apprehension. "Dracius, go fetch Alcides. Inform him of the challenge with Helios and prepare the arena for the match."
Dracius, caught off guard by the command, hesitated for a moment, his mind racing through the implications of pitting the inexperienced Alcides against the seasoned Helios. He attempted to reason with Rhesus, "Master, this is madness! Helios is a seasoned gladiator; Alcides stands no chance. It's a fool's errand."
Rhesus, frustration etched on his face, snapped at Dracius, "Enough! Just do as you're told, Dracius. The senators demand a spectacle, and we will give it to them. Alcides will enter the arena, and Helios will triumph. That's the end of it."
With
