In the small town of Bethany, near Jerusalem, lives Tobias.

    Tobias gets in trouble and a Roman soldier runs after him. A girl named Selina helps him and he escapes away from the soldier who is trying to capture him. 

    Tobias is now a fugitive in his country. He escapes with Selina and they hide in crates to smuggle themselves into a ship. Tobias escapes his hometown and sails to Rome. 

    Little does Tobias know, that he is on a Roman galley. A warship. he has just embarked on a life-changing journey. Soon, he hears commotion above on the upper deck.

    Tobias runs to the upper deck and stands back in shock. Cilician pirates attack the ship! Smoke billows in the air, swords clash, and the Captain of the pirates fights with ruthlessness. 

    The Roman soldiers are overtaken and the pirates take over the galley. The pirates steal the cargo and board it on their own ship. 

    Before the pirates leave, the ruthless pirate queen orders the galley's fate. The ship sets ablaze! Men jump overboard. The Cilician pirates leave the Romans to die. 

    Tobias and Selina try to escape on the lifeboat, but the general catches them and orders them to row. They row all night until the sun comes out. Finally, they see land! Crete. After landing on the island, they board another ship to Rome. 

    The Roman general takes Tobias captive. When they arrive in Rome, a wooden carriage awaits him at the end of the dock. Tobias is forced into the caged wagon. Inside, men sit in solemn sadness. Tobias had no idea where he was headed. 

    Driving through the powerful streets of Rome, people bustle around, statues decorate the place, temples tower overhead, and architecture with Corinthian columns show the glory of Rome. 

    The wagon halts to a stop. They arrive at the Ludus Magnus. Rome's gladiator school, right across the Coliseum. 

    In the gladiator school, Tobias trains to fight. Soon, his group is called to the next match. They are all scared because they know they have to fight to death.