Chapter 9 – The Dead and the Dying
The air was heavy with dread. Rumors spread like wildfire through Spartacus' camp: Crixus had fallen.
Word came from survivors of his warband. The ambush, the overwhelming legions, the desperate fight. And then — the capture.
Crixus, the lion of Gaul, paraded before Rome's legions, beaten but unbowed. He was made to kneel, to suffer Rome's spectacle. And then, the sword.
The lion's roar silenced forever.
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The Weight of Loss
Spartacus stood before the fire that night, his face shadowed, jaw trembling. The men watched him, waiting for fury, for vengeance.
Instead, silence.
Until Ivar stepped forward.
He bowed his head, sea-green eyes reflecting the flames. His voice was low, steady. "Give thanks to the gods for Crixus' strength. He fought, he endured, and he died as gladiator and warrior both. His scars were prayers. His life was war. Let us honor him not with rage, but with survival."
The men stilled. For the first time, Spartacus' grief did not fracture them. It steadied them.
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Spartacus and Ivar
Later, Spartacus stood alone atop the city wall, staring into the night. His breath came hard, as though grief itself threatened to choke him.
Ivar approached quietly, standing at his side.
"You do not weep," Spartacus said bitterly.
Ivar's voice was calm. "I do not need to. The gods saw his scars. They know his worth. I thank them for the time we had."
Spartacus turned, eyes burning. "Do you feel nothing?"
Ivar's sea-green gaze glinted. "I feel everything. But I will not break. If I break, so will the men. If I rage, they will burn themselves alive. Balance is what keeps storm from destroying all."
For a long moment, Spartacus said nothing. Then, slowly, he placed his hand on Ivar's shoulder.
"You are no boy," he said quietly. "Perhaps you never were."
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Aftermath
The rebels lit fires high into the night, honoring Crixus with flame that could be seen for miles. They chanted his name, their voices raw with sorrow.
But in the quiet after the chants, another name carried softly between them.
Gemina Ferrum.
Not as warrior. Not as storm. But as the one who steadied them when grief threatened to break them all.
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⚔️ Do you want me to go directly into Chapter 10 (Episode 10 – Victory), the series finale where Spartacus makes his last stand and Ivar unleashes storm one final time before surviving into legend — or pause for a short interlude first showing Crassus' grim satisfaction at Crixus' death, while already planning how to break Spartacus and Ivar together?