The scream didn't sound like Octavius to Julius but he still got to his feet as quickly as he could and hobbled across the plaza towards the senate building. He reached the building before the others and went inside.

The first thing he saw was his cousin lying on the ground, blood soaking his tunic. Julius cursed as he threw himself painfully down by Octavius's side, cursing his cousin for not wearing his armour.

"Octavius, can you hear me?" He could not keep the panic out of his voice. "Octavius!"

He heard movement behind him but he only focused on getting his cousin conscious.

Meanwhile, Jill found two other people: Socrates and King Alexander. Neither had visible injuries but they were both unconscious. As she checked them over, Ambrosia caught sight of three more people in the corner of the room: Balthazar, Jedediah, and Petronius. All of them were also unconscious but the latter had a visible wound: a dangerously big cut on his forehead.

"Jill!" bleated Ambrosia in terror. "Jill!"

The Merlinian came running over and found the three of them. "We need a medic here quickly," she said, bending down beside Petronius. "Can you find someone?"

"Get Athena," called Julius from the entrance. "She's a skilled medic."

"And I can get Hippocrates," Ambrosia added. She turned and began to run, before skidding to a halt after Jill suddenly gasped. "What?" Ambrosia asked fearfully.

"There's someone missing," Jill said in fear. "King Arthur. I can't find him here."

Melody suddenly appeared and sprinted over to Jed's limp body. She examined him quickly and exclaimed, "When I find out who did this to Jed, I'm gonna-!"

"Temper," said a cool voice from the corner.

Everyone turned, even Julius, and saw a figure holding a sword in the corner.

"My king!" Jill gasped. "Wh-what are you…is everything okay?"

Arthur held up his sword, allowing everyone to see the blood dripping off it. An angry noise came from Julius. Jill turned in time to see the Tribune charging towards Arthur. "Don't!" Jill cried, sending a wave of magic towards Julius, but it missed, and Julius reached Arthur. He swung his cane fiercely but Arthur blocked it lazily and knocked Julius aside.

Without touching him.

Julius angrily got up, though his leg was clearly giving him trouble. "You'll pay for what you did to Octavius!"

"Stop!" Jill yelled. "You'll only make it worse!"

But Melody had also jumped to her feet. "He hurt our loved ones!" she snapped. "We can' let 'im get away with it!"

Arthur waved his hand and Melody fell backwards as if she was shoved. Then he waved his hand a second time and unbearable pain flew through Julius's leg, making him collapse. He screamed as the pain intensified. He felt like a dozen angry horses were continuously trampling his leg, not giving any mercy.

"My king, please stop!" begged Jill. "Why are you doing this?"

"And how?" Ambrosia added, fearfully hiding behind a chair. "He's not a sorcerer, is he?"

Jill shook her head. She had recognised that Arthur was somehow doing magic but right now she was concentrating on stopping him. With a heavy heart, she summoned a plasma bolt and threw it at Arthur, who stopped his assault on Julius to dodge it.

"Whoever you are, leave my king alone!" Jill yelled angrily.

"I am King Arthur," said Arthur, and this made Jill very fearful that he was right.

Then a wooden object hit the side of Arthur's head and knocked him backwards. Ambrosia turned to Julius and saw that the Tribune had thrown his cane at Arthur. She shook her head in wonder at the man's bravery and/or stupidity.

Melody took advantage of the distraction and punched Arthur in the jaw.

"Wait!" Jill cried. "He's not-he's being forced to do this!"

But Melody ignored her. She and Arthur had a furious fight that lasted about ten seconds before Arthur used magic to push Melody across the room, hitting her head on one of the pillars and dazing her. Ambrosia rushed over to check on her while Jill confronted Arthur.

"My king, stop!"

Arthur then waved his hand for the third time, and the bodies of Socrates, Alexander, and Petronius disappeared. Ambrosia screamed.

Arthur glared at Melody, who was lying protectively over Jed's limp body. "Move or you will be moved."

"No way!" yelled Melody. "Ya ain't gonna hurt mah boyfriend anymore!"

"Then I shall have to compensate."

With that, Arthur made the body of Balthazar disappear too. "No!" yelled Jill. "Balthazar!"

Arthur raised his palm towards Jill and fired a plasma bolt at her, which she dived to avoid. Then Arthur himself disappeared, leaving only his bloodied sword behind.

Ambrosia turned to Julius as she crouched over Melody's unconscious body. "Did you really throw your cane at a king with a sword?"

Julius ignored her. He crawled across the room to his cousin's body, desperately making sure Octavius was still alive.

"Come on…" he muttered desperately, getting his hands soaked in blood in the process. "Please be okay, please…you have to be okay…"

Jill watched him sadly from the other side of the room.

"P-please…"