Antares — Alex J. Alex

In the arena where nude combatants fight like old west gunslingers, usually to the death -- ala The Quick And The Dead -- gladiator training usually begins at eighteen and few live to see their next birthday. Any who survive are usually retired within ten years.

At forty, Antares and Maximus are the greatest champions in history. Maximus has been consulting a soothsayer for years. Antares thinks such is silly, but he convinces her to see the old Tarot reader. When the five of Pentacles appears, the reader predicts hard times, suffering, poor health and rejection and recommends that Antares retire.

Antares ignores the advice and her next fight is the most brutal event in arena history. Badly wounded, she beheads her opponent, but suffers a terrible disfigurement and disability that forces her to retire. Antares is shunned, becomes addicted to several vices and ends up a vagrant.

Contacted by a writer/journalist who senses a great story, Antares is rescued and rehabilitated by a shady, unlicensed, but brilliant doctor. Visiting the soothsayer once again, she is urged to seek out Maximus.

Maximus's life has not turned out well either. He was supposed to meet a wonderful woman, marry, have children, etc., but he never met her -- she's the woman Antares killed in the arena.

The question is, what will Antares find?