A fun little bit of trivia: The Latin poetry heading the last two chapters are excerpts from medieval Catholic prayers. The excerpt from chapter 19 is a prayer for God to spare the soul, and the one from chapter 20 is taken from "Dies Irae," a hymn about the coming of Christ on Judgement Day. I included them in the headers for ch. 19 and 20 because they form part of the soundtrack in the Disney adaption of Hunchback of Notre Dame, from which this part of the story is heavily inspired, and the lyrics fit the situation.

Murex border

Petra walked away from the border, back into Murex. She had safely spirited away Joseph and Stacey to the neighboring kingdom of Veritas. The city was out of the insane judge's jurisdiction, and from there, the two farmers could go on to a different kingdom if they so wished. But for Petra, fleeing would be more difficult.

Especially with Cassandra's men constantly on her tail. The very soldiers she had been instructing a few weeks ago were now hunting her down. They were loyal to the kingdom at all costs, even if that cost turned out to be stalking and intending to capture their former captain. Ah, the high price of patriotic loyalty.

So this was what it felt like to be a fugitive. Years ago, Petra was a hot-blooded patriot. She believed that foreigners had no place in the proud city, and often lobbied for Gabriel to pass legislation limiting immigration. No mercy for scruffy outsiders. Of course, that attitude had faded away with time, but now it struck her full in the face. Funny how life can turn around on a person like that.

"God must be trying to teach me something," she lamented as she slunk through the farmlands, hoping there were no soldiers around to spot her.

No such luck. Though she had abandoned her armor almost immediately after the burning house incident and she was quite dirty and scruffy, the men still recognized their old Captain. Without hesitation, they drew swords and ran after her.

Petra fled, mentally kicking herself. Stupid, stupid! She wasn't doing a good enough job of hiding from them. And she herself wasn't armed; she left the sword behind her with her armor. The only thing she could do was run from them. The soldiers chased her away from the city walls, through the farmlands, and into the outskirts of the kingdom. But she didn't know if they were going to run her out of the kingdom into another, or if they'd kill her as soon as she stopped. Now was not an advisable time to figure it out.

She suddenly tripped, tumbling into a ditch. She scrambled to her feet, spitting dirt out of her mouth. The soldiers shouted something from not too far away at all. In a panic, she glanced around. When she did, she saw what she tripped over - the culvert to a sewage tunnel. It was big enough for a person to walk through. Without thinking about it too much, Petra jumped inside.

At the sound of approaching voices, she slunk deeper into its shadowy shelter. She waited for the sound of men's voices and heavy boots to fade. When they did, she breathed out a sigh of relief and prepared to walk out. But she didn't get to do that, because someone had snuck up behind her, and now they struck her with a heavy piece of wood. Petra yelped in pain and surprise, falling on the ground.

"Hey! Let go!" she shouted. Several hands lunged for her, grabbing her by the shoulders and arms and ankles. The hands (she had no idea how many people were ganging up on her) pulled her to her feet and forced her deeper into the tunnel.

"I said let GO!" she shouted, punching futilely at the air as she was dragged down the length of the tunnel. The punching came to a halt when a cold metal chain wrapped around her wrists and pulled tight. Finally, her kidnappers gave her a push, and she fell on her knees.

"You all have five seconds to tell me what's going on-" Petra got interrupted when some lanterns ignited, washing the room in warm light. She was in a large underground chamber, with walls made of dirt and stone. It looked like the hub room of several tunnels. It was a catacomb system!

She also got a good look at her kidnappers. They were all thin and dirty, and they regarded her with vindictive stares. Two of them pulled Petra to her feet while a blue-haired girl, possibly their leader, circled her, leering and giggling.

"Who are you?" Petra demanded. "What do you want from me?"

The blue-haired girl just laughed. "Why should I bother telling you? You're the invader. I know who you are. Oh, this is rich. Gather 'round, everyone!"

"Ohhhh!" people said as they emerged from their hiding-places in the luggage and debris in the chamber. They chattered excitedly:

"Is that one of her soldiers?"

"This will be a fun night."

"Good catch, Nohr!"

"Can we sing the song?"

"Guys, guys," Nohr said with a chuckle, waving her hands at them. "This isn't just one of the blood judge's soldiers. This is Sir Petra, her loyal Captain of the Guard! Ain't that great?"

The outlaws hooted and cheered.

"And this loyal Captain of the Guard-" Nohr prodded Petra with her elbow "-just stumbled into our tunnels, looking to find out our secrets. We can't have that, now can we?"

"No!" many people yelled. "Hang 'er out to dry."

"Wait, WHAT?!" Petra blurted. "No, you people have the wrong idea. I'm not one of her sol-"

She got cut off by one of the raiders wrapping a cloth around her mouth.

"You have the right to remain silent!" Nohr taunted. "Okay, let's not waste our time. I've got good 'noose' for you all tonight, and I sure hate to keep you waiting."

Petra yelled in distress, trying to tell Nohr that they were mistaken, but all that came from her mouth was muffled and indistinct.

"That's what they all say."

The royal palace

Cassandra walked down the castle corridor, her strides strong. A few of her men stood behind her, conditioned to follow her wherever she went, but she waved them away this time.

"Go home, men," she told them. "While I meet the with the Queen, her own royal guards will be protecting us. I have no need of your services tonight."

"Yes, ma'am," they said before departing. Cassandra sighed and approached the conference hall door. Her judge's robes flowing majestically behind her. Holding her chin up high, she pushed the double doors open and entered the room.

Olivia was waiting for her, standing in front of the fireplace. She frowned as she gazed into the flames. When Cassandra entered, she turned to face her.

"You are aware of the reasons for which I summoned you?" Olivia inquired, crossing over to the long table in the middle of the room.

"A fireplace," the judge remarked sullenly, looking at it and not really hearing what Olivia said.

The queen narrowed her eyes. "No, Judge Cassandra, I did not summon you here because of the fireplace. I assure you, the fireplace is not guilty of sorcery, of being 'subversive,' or of harboring any nomads. There is no need to arrest it."

The judge's red lips curled up on one end at the mention of that last point. "Excuse me? I thought I was carrying out your orders."

"Yes, I admit that, but you are being excessive. I did not order you to go on the rampage you have brought unto my city. You are overstepping your boundaries."

"Overstepping?" Cassandra scoffed. "No, what I have been doing is ensuring that your policies are enforced. You wanted Murex to be cleaned of magician filth, and I am working towards that goal."

Olivia sighed deeply and rubbed the sides of her face. "Judge, you are very mistaken. You're killing innocent people. It was time I stepped in. I order you, as queen, to cease your duties in carrying out the order until you have calmed down."

At that, Cassandra's face turned almost as red as her hair. "What! Cease my duties? Have you gone mad, woman? All I am doing is carrying out the orders that you laid down. All sorcerers die! Is that not what you wanted?"

Olivia gritted her teeth and stepped backwards. "Y-ye-Maybe. At least at one time."

"Then why do you sound so insecure? Am I detecting shame in your tone?"

"How dare you talk to me that way! I am your queen. Now listen to what I say. I rescinded my father's order to make magic legal again, and I called for sorcery to be proactively eliminated from Murex. Deny that I will not. I am amending my statute, as I realize that it was a mistake made in the heat of emotion. Thus, I call for a scale-back of my law, if not a repeal altogether, because I have seen the damage that it caused. Or rather…" She took a few steps forward, getting up in Cassandra's face. "...the damage that you caused."

"You fool!" Cassandra pushed her back, an extremely daring move. "Can you not see the consequences of that? You will only allow the filth to repopulate your city. And just when I was making progress."

Olivia was still recovering from being pushed. She had grown up surrounded by palace guards and her parents to protect her. No-one had ever laid hands on her. No-one would dare assault the queen like that.

"That's enough. I will not tolerate this madness from you anymore. Consider yourself relieved of duty, Cassandra!" she snapped, when she got ahold of herself.

That was the breaking point. Cassandra, looking more panicked than angry, yelped something unintelligible and went for something in her pocket. She whipped it out - it was a long wooden stick coated in black polish.

"What is that?" Olivia asked, backing up. "Wait. Is that what I think it is? How could you-"

Cassandra barked a curse in magic language. Dark maroon magic shot out of the tip of the wand. It struck Olivia and surrounded her in a field of crackling energy. The queen attempted to move, but was frozen in place. She could only look around and just barely force out words.

"What...have you...done?" she gasped.

"Freezing spell," the judge said, voice growling. "You think this is a terrible act of mutiny, but I assure you that it is necessary. Oh, no...not for the purpose of protecting Murex from the magic filth. Ah, ha...no. This city could be sacked by barbarians and left a rubble-heap, for all I care. My dear queen, I have played you like a chesspiece."

"W-What?" Olivia managed to choke out. "How can you use magic, if you've been hunting down people with magic all this time?"

"A touch of pure, unadulterated hypocrisy on my part," the judge purred. "I'm no so interested in expunging magic from Murex as I am in acquiring the key I need. The magic key that will finally allow me to escape this foul world and return to my real home. Infused with magical power, it could and would open portals to allow me to reach my true world. I knew the key was somewhere in France, especially in this quaint kingdom...I just didn't know who had it. So I wanted to weed out the magic folk to see who might have it. And Miss Queen, your law against magic was just the excuse I needed to raid their homes, capture them, and kill them in search of my prize. In fact...it was my own brilliant idea."

Olivia's eyes were as wide and bright as the moon. "What do you mean?"

Cassandra let out a devilish chuckle. From another pocket of her robe, she produced a vial of vile black liquid. Dreamshade venom. Snickering, she dropped it on the floor and let it roll towards Olivia.

"No…"

"I killed Gabriel!" Cassandra said gleefully. "Such delightful irony, is it not?"

"I-I...You really are evil. Go to hell, Cassandra!"

"Oh, but I can't, Miss Queen. The devil is too afraid of me." She laughed hoarsely at her own joke.

Someone knocked on the door. Leaving the Queen in stasis for as long as she pleased, Cassandra exited the conference room. A returning group of her soldiers was waiting for her in the hall.

"Ma'am, our capture of Petra failed."

Cassandra cursed.

"Even so, we know where she went. Our men last spotted her ducking into the sewage tunnels."

At this Cassandra perked up. "You don't say? Well, no-one goes into those miry depths for no reason. I do believe I have a lead on my wayward captain."

"How did your meeting with the queen go?" another soldier asked.

Cassandra looked him in the eyes. "It was quite helpful. Quite informative."

"Murex seems quieter," Jay remarked.

"Definitely." Nell scanned the vista of empty houses and dirty streets. "I wonder what happened. Do you think it was…"

She didn't even need to finish the sentence. "Probably. Come on. We shouldn't be out in the open. She knows what we look like."

"I haven't even met her," Nell said as they ducked behind a building, "and I'm afraid of her."

"If Petra is scared of her, she must be terrifying." Jay shimmied around the edge of a building.

"Petra's pretty fearless, huh?"

"Sort of. It's a nice trait."

"Oh." Nell sounded disappointed. "I'm glad you like her, though."

"I like her as a friend," Jay explained, then gave the water magician girl a meaningful wink. "Let's not talk about love right now. We're a bit busy."

"Right." Nell paused. "Hold on."

"What for?"

"Shh. I hear something." She bent her ear towards the sound. "I think it's people talking. Sounds like a bad conversation, too. Let's investigate."

"Nell, that's not very safe," Jay scolded.

"I can't help it." She was already hurrying towards the sound. "Water people are empathetic. We don't want to ignore someone hurting."

"She's gonna be the death of me someday," Jay muttered to himself, following her. "Ah well. She makes this fun."

They started to round about the corner of a building. Jay gently grabbed Nell's arm and pulled her back to keep her from running into the heat of the conflict. A group of a few soldiers, Cassandra's soldiers, had a woman and a child backed into a corner. They were carrying spears and haranguing the woman about something.

"We saw you making water in a dry well!" one soldier growled at the woman. "You were using magic."

"Please!" the woman pleaded. "I only wanted water for my child - we had none - and the well was dry. I could not find another way to provide."

"Excuses," another soldier scoffed, dumping the water bucket on the ground. "Does your husband know you've been up to this sorcery?"

"I don't have a husband," the woman said quietly, looking at her feet. "I...I never did."

"Oh! So you're a witch and a whore?" The soldiers crowded up on the woman.

Nell felt Jay's grip on her arm tighten suddenly. His bright green eyes were full of hatred for the lowlives harassing this woman. Nell desperately wanted to take the single mother and her child by the arm, then flight them to a safe place.

"Please, I didn't mean to hurt anyone." The woman hugged her child close. "I...I...Do what you want to me, but please, don't hurt my child! Is there someone who can care for her?"

"Who cares?" One man then reached down to pull the little girl away from her mother. That was the breaking point for Nell and Jay. They rushed in to fight, but so did a group of vigilantes. The alleyway quickly became a war zone as outlaws attacked soldiers and soldiers retaliated. Yells filled the air, blood sprinkled the ground, and the mother and her child ran for their lives.

Despite the mass confusion, Jay recognized one outlaw among the group. He wore an olive robe and had a long black beard. The old man turned and spotted Jay as well, and for a moment, they forgot the chaos surrounding them.

"Ivor?"

"Jay?"

"What are you doing here, son?"

"I-I…"

"Don't you know what the judge will do to people like us?"

"I know, but…"

"No excuses." Ivor rushed over to Jay and Nell, grabbed both of them by the arms, and hauled them away from the brawl. He hustled them along the streets until he found a sewage culvert. Without explaining any of his reasoning, he pushed them into the tunnel.

"Why are we going into the sewers?" Nell asked as Ivor goaded them through the damp, dimly lit space.

"Getting you to a safe meeting place," Ivor said breathlessly.

"Safe? I thought you didn't care about me," Jay said.

"Now is not the time for father issues," Ivor growled. "We've been through this. I'm not going to let my son and my ward walk the streets where that insane woman can find them."

"He cares," Nell told Jay.

"How did you end up with the outlaws?" Jay asked as Ivor brought them into a large underground chamber. A crowd of people, most of them scraggly-looking outlaws, were gathered there. They were talking and running around the chamber, excited about something.

"There wasn't a definite moment of my joining," Ivor replied, now ceasing to push them along. "I knew of their existence and their secret tunnels, I aided them in escaping Cassandra and plotting against her...and somehow I became their unofficial leader. Now! Let's see what these ladies and gentlemen are so excited about. Excuse me?"

He made his way to the front of the crowd, climbing onto a low wooden platform. A blue-haired girl scrambled out of the shadows from stage left, giggling like a crazy person.

"Nohr. There you are. What are these people all riled up about?" Ivor asked her, motioning at the crowd. "Are you making Cassandra effigies again?"

"No-" Nohr broke out laughing and had to recover herself. "-even better! Look at what stumbled right into our hideout."

Someone gave the unfortunate captive a shove, and they stumbled out onto the stage. They almost tripped and fell flat. A chain kept their wrists bound together. Ivor gasped when he realised who they were, but Nohr wasn't paying attention.

"Ta-da!" she boasted, making a mocking march around the captive. "It's none other than Sir Petra, the High Judge's loyal captain of the guard. Hup-two-three-four!"

The thrilled crowd squealed, so Ivor couldn't say anything to dissuade Nohr. Petra looked at him with wild, frightened eyes, letting out muffled cries for help.

But just as Nohr was tying together the seven knots for a noose, someone yelled, "Stop!"

Nohr stopped, but she still looked annoyed. Jay and Nell rushed through the crowd and scrambled to climb onto the stage. Nell grabbed the rope out of Nohr's hands and threw it aside.

"You're interrupting the fun part!" the girl whined. "All I wanted to do was to have a good time and kill one of Cassandra's soldiers. What's the big idea?"

"She's not one of the judge's soldiers," Jay told her, glaring. "That's my friend, Petra. She helped Nell and I escape, what's more. Do not hurt my friend!"

"Then why didn't Ivor say anything?"

"I was going to!"

"If she-" Nohr pointed at Petra "-isn't one of the judge's henchmen, she should have said so."

"I did," Petra growled when Ivor pulled off the gag. "I was just looking for shelter. My word! What is wrong with you people?"

"We're afraid, that's what's wrong," Nohr said, putting her hands on her hips. "With Cassandra hunting us down like rats in a haystack, we have pretty good reason to be wary of anyone who goes into our tunnels. We don't let just anyone in."

Ivor gave her a look that said otherwise.

"Fine. But can I ask who the hell you two are?" The blue haired girl motioned at Jay and Nell. "Where did you even come from? Who brought you?"

"I'm Jay, she's Nell," Jay explained, getting a little tired of having to constantly introduce himself. "Long story short, we're magic people and we're trying to avoid Cassandra. Also, I'm looking for my friend."

"They might be dead already."

"Ugh! I'd rather not think that way."

"What's their name?"

"Lukas," Jay said. "He's about yay tall...skinny...blond hair. Have you seen him?"

"Have I seen him? He's right here." Nohr whistled to the crowd. "Lukas! If you're around, come up onstage. Jay here wants to talk to you."

To Jay's utter surprise, the crowd parted and a lanky blond man trotted up to the stage. Lukas was in tough shape compared to when Jay had seen him last; his clothes were dirty (although he was wearing a shirt now), he had scratches on his arms, and he seemed much more unsettled.

"Hey, friend," Jay greeted him with a smile. "I've been looking for you."

Lukas climbed onto the stage. "Hi. Were you wondering if I was safe?"

"Definitely. Finally, this crazy chase across Europe can come to a stop."

"Where were you?"

"Hiding in the wilderness, then went to Italy in self-imposed exile, and then back to Murex when I found your tribe but not you. It didn't help that Cassandra was on the lookout for your kind."

Lukas tensed up suddenly. "Do not mention that name."

"Oh, no. Have you…"

"Been jumped and harassed in a church by her? Yes," Lukas said bitterly. "Jay, I'm in huge trouble. She either wants to burn me at the stake or...ugh, I don't even want to mention it. I'm doomed."

"Calm down, Lukas. I'm sure there's a way to stop her, now that we're all together. Here."

Jay gave Lukas a gentle hug. He wasn't really sure why he did it, because he wasn't really a tactile person, but Lukas seemed to appreciate it. He relaxed after that.

"We're here for you," Nell promised. "We'll protect you."

He gave them a small smile. "Thank you. I wish there was more I could do for you. I have to be helped so often. I wish there was some way I could start helping for a change."

"You did help," some cold voices responded. Clinking armor and heavy boots sounded in the chamber. Everyone turned and muttered uneasily - no-one among them was wearing armor.

Oh no...

Cassandra's soldiers flooded in through the tunnels. The cornered outlaws shrieked and scattered, like frightened sheep, throwing the chamber into mass chaos. Some people attempted to slip out through the tunnels, while others hid in the garbage piles. In the midst of the commotion, a group of the judge's men jumped up onto the stage and cornered Jay, Nell, Petra, Ivor, Nohr, and Lukas. Jay tried to fight back, but someone knocked him on his feet and slipped tight leather shoes on his feet. The restriction limited his powers, and he found he could do nearly nothing as he and his friends were tied up in chains. Then the High Judge herself strutted into their midst, wearing an arrogant smile.

"Well now!" she exclaimed. "What a raid, if I do say so myself. Cleaning out Murex of an entire backlog of low-class filth. It's swell."

She motioned for her soldiers to take away Petra, Ivor, Nell, and Nohr.

"What have you done? How did you find us?" Petra shouted at Cassandra as she was led away.

"Simple. I ought to thank you, Captain," the judge said mockingly. "With your foolishness, you led me straight to your friends' hideout. I knew there was a secret catacomb under this city, and you proved it. So thank you, Captain."

Petra could only stare in stunned silence. Then she approached Jay, smirking.

"There's going to be a veritable bonfire in the city square tomorrow," she taunted him. "And I'm going to give you a complimentary front-row seat. How's that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know your secrets, Jay." She got up in his face, so close that he could smell her breath. "After all, I confer with the Queen herself. I know of your magic."

He shuddered.

"You see, I actually don't care about carrying out the queen's laws against magic. What I needed was an excuse to search for a magic key...the sort that opens portals between worlds. When my search proved unsuccessful, I decided - quite recently, in fact - that perhaps I should just make my own. Of course, doing that requires dangerous, evil, and forbidden sorcery. Oh, well. The ends justify the means.

"Unfortunately, I myself am not magical. I can do sorcery, but not a speck of true magic. To make the magic key, I must imbue the power of another in it. Which is what makes it so heinous. But if you die, your magic dies with you. So I'll have to keep you alive for now...until I can drain you of your power."

"You witch," Jay growled (well, his actual language was stronger than that.) The soldiers towed him out of the room. The chamber fell eerily silent. Cassandra was alone with Lukas now, something that truly terrified him.

"Hello, my little blond harlot...did you miss me?" she purred, striding towards him. Not only were his hands tied, but his ankles were bound also, keeping him from backing away.

"Leave me alone," he said, his voice trembling.

Cassandra got way too close for comfort. She looked him up and down as she walked past, admiring his lean figure and the outline of his muscles through his clothes.

"My offer still stands," she reminded him. "I'm giving you a choice...you can have me, or you can have the pyre. You have this night to think about it. Make your choice by morning."

In te, Domine, speravi

Kyrie eleison

Salvum fac populum tuum.

[In you, Lord, I have trusted]

[Lord, have mercy]

[Save Your people.]