"You're finally awake," the giant rumbled. "What is your name, Novice," they asked with a menacing glower.
"Asmund O'Cuchulainn," the confused, battered, and dirty young man responded. The young man, Asmund, sat up from the raised, earthen platform on which he lay and looked timidly at the giant man in front of him. "Where am I- how did I get here? Who are you?" Asmund asked quickly, flinching as though expecting to be hit by the giant of a man.
"I am called Tai-ta'ahn," came the first answer. [A/N from now on I'll be spelling the name "Titan", I just wanted to make the way I intend the name to be pronounced clear. If you read it as just titan, it's fine. This was mostly for my own sake.] "You are in a ludus in the desert country of the Great Bellum Empire. The Lanista got you when he bought a new camel- the merchant scammed him into agreeing to take you as a "gift". You are to be a hoplomachus."
"I'm sorry, a hippo-what now?" Asmund confusedly asked.
"Hoplomachus," Titan replied, more slowly and clearly. "A class of gladiator who uses an aspis, spear, and either a kopis or a xiphos; they wear linothorax, though the type of helmet, vambrace, and greaves vary. The linothorax varies as well, though that's more about what gets added to it or the colors used."
"What the hell is linothorax, and what's an aspis," Asmund asked again, taking advantage of the fact that Titan was willing to answer his questions patiently. Kopis and Xiphos were terms Asmund remembered as being ancient greek swords, which he learned about during history classes in highschool.
"Linothorax is a type of composite linen cuirass- torso armor- made by gluing layers of cloth together. It's lightweight and offers decent levels of protection- not as good as metal armor, but still... Linothorax can have metal plates, strips, or scales attached to it so it can be more protective at the cost of some flexibility, and increased weight. An aspis is a big, round, somewhat bowl-shaped shield made of wood. The rim forms a lip that you can rest on your shoulder, and sometimes it has leather or metal layered on the rim. I use one sometimes, but mine is extremely heavy and covered in a layer of metal. Your shield will probably be more like the ones the Northmen use, which is flatter and somewhat lighter than the aspis, but still about two cubits across."
"Northmen," Asmund cocked his head to the side in curiosity. The shield Titan described first sounded like the ones he saw in the movie 300, but the flatter shield he spoke of sounded like it could be similar to the one used by the "Vikings."
Titan looked at Asmund with confusion, "are you not a Northman? You are pale, and light-haired with the same light-colored eyes as they have. And how do you not know of any of these things?"
Asmund froze, Titan's gaze having become sharp and dangerous. He felt as if Titan would kill him if his answer wasn't satisfactory. "I don't know," Asmund mumbled. "I know some things, but I can't remember how or why I know these things. To me, this entire situation is like a bad dream. Look at me," Asmund gestured to himself, with a wry smile. "I'm skinny, and my hands are oddly smooth. I look like I've lived my entire life in the lap of great luxury. Yet I have no memory of living anywhere in this world, or of the world itself. I don't even know what language we're speaking!" Asmund spoke in partial truths, his anxiety, fear, and confusion creeping through his shock over the whole ordeal.
Titan's gaze became gentler, more like a father who sees somebody else's lost child. But there was also pity there, and an odd glint. Asmund could almost hear Titan thinking that he was a mental cripple. "So that's why the merchant was so eager to be rid of you. You've obviously been beaten in the head too many times, and lost your memory. You unfortunate child," Titan sighed. "All the better you don't remember how your life was before this. It would only make your new life even more hellish." Titan stood up, and patted Asmund on the shoulder solidly. "Rest up boy- I've been placed on charge of your training and we start at dawn."
"Wait," Asmund called out as Titan was about to leave the room they were in. When Titan half-turned and looked him askance, Asmund asked what was on his mind. "I don't suppose I have any choice in this do I?" Titan only shook his head, a look of sympathy and pity in his eyes. "Then can I choose to use different gear than what you told me about?"
"That will be up to the Ludis, though if you prove your worth I'm certain he will allow it," Titan spoke over his shoulder as he walked out.
The iron-banded wooden door closed heavily behind him, and the faint clinking of keys could be heard from the other side. The lock engaged with an ominous clunk, before several sets of heavy, metallic footsteps slammed off down the hall. Laying down on the thin, coarse, fiber mat that covered the raised, earthen platform that would be his bed for many years to come.
"God help me," he whispered dejectedly.