"You're doin' great," Chase encouraged.
"I have walked before, Chase," Ambrosia responded dryly, giving him a smile.
Chase was helping Ambrosia walk to the door of the infirmary so that she could visit Camelot. Both of them had heard the battle and were worried about its aftermath, seeing as they had heard nothing from anyone about it.
"I know," Chase said defensively. "But you spent all night and day in that bed and your legs are weakened."
"I know," sighed Ambrosia.
As they went towards Camelot, Ambrosia caught sight of Julius sitting on the edge of the fountain on the border between the Plaza and Camelot. He was engrossed in dipping his little daughter's toes in the fountain. Even from the distance they were at, Chase and Ambrosia could hear the child's delighted giggling. They exchanged a happy smile.
"Would you ever have children one day?" Ambrosia asked hoarsely.
"I'd like to," Chase replied. "I always pictured myself havin' maybe two: a boy 'n' a girl."
"I'd love even just one," Ambrosia said, smiling wistfully. "I can't tell you how much love I would give a child of my very own."
All of a sudden, a very loud buzz of conversation started up and the two miniatures spotted a large crowd of people crowded round something large in the Plaza. Exchanging a confused look, Chase and Ambrosia headed over there. They joined the crowd and found themselves standing next to Olympia and a Roman woman.
"What is going on?" Ambrosia asked her sister.
Olympia just pointed.
Ambrosia followed her sister's finger and let out a gasp at what she saw. Where the platform used to be, there was now a gaping hole that led down into complete blackness. Octavius was at the very front, attempting to keep people away from the hole. There were also several Romans doing the same.
"Everyone, keep back!" the general was ordering. "Stay away from the hole!"
Suddenly, a burst of fire flew through the hole, causing everyone to scream and scramble backwards. The Romans manoeuvred the crowd to a manageable distance, before a human figure floated up out of the hole, a gleaming sword in hand.
"Excalibur!" they heard someone yell.
Jill pushed to the front of the crowd and glared at the figure, who waved his hand and made the hole disappear, before landing on the newly formed ground.
"Ah, Jill." The man smiled. "Always nice to see you."
Jill folded her arms and tapped her fingers against her bicep. "Sadly, I can't say the same, Horvath."
Horvath actually looked wounded. "But why, Jill?"
"BECAUSE YOU KILLED GENIE!" Jill bellowed shrilly, causing quite a few people to step away from her. "YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT THIS EXHIBIT HAS BEEN THROUGH SINCE WE WOKE UP! YOU KIDNAPPED THE LEADERS! YOU POSSESSED ARTHUR! YOU KILLED GENIE! YOU WANT TO RAISE A POWERFUL SORCERESS FROM THE DEAD SO THAT SHE CAN KILL EVERYONE!"
Horvath gave a shrug and addressed the crowd. "She's right."
Shocked muttering broke out amongst the crowd, though Jill was unsure if this was because of the revelations or because they had picked up on the "kill everyone" part.
Horvath then lifted the sword in his hand. "You already know my plan," he said. "I am going to raise Morgana."
He waved his hand, and a bolt of lightning struck the ground a few metres away, causing most of the crowd to scatter in terror.
"But unfortunately, Excalibur alone is not enough," Horvath said. "The sword requires human blood to pass over its blade, as a sacrifice, before it can be used to raise Morgana."
Jill immediately threw a fireball at Horvath, but the sorcerer blocked it easily. Then he zapped her with a bolt of electricity. Giving a scream, she collapsed in pain.
Then Horvath turned to one of the remaining people: Julius, holding baby Hestia in terror.
"Two for one," Horvath said sinisterly.
With that, he gripped the sword and lunged towards Julius, who quickly turned Hestia away from the attack and clutched her tightly. He heard Octavius yell his name in a panic, before he heard the slicing sound of a sword entering a body. He gasped aloud, but he felt no pain. He realised that he had not been stabbed. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the person standing in front of him. Olympia had thrown herself in front of Julius, and now she had a sword piercing her stomach.
"OLYMPIA!" screamed Ambrosia from somewhere to Julius's right.
Holding Hestia in the crook of his left arm, Julius caught Olympia with his right arm as Horvath pulled the sword out of her. Portia appeared out of nowhere and gently took Hestia from Julius as the tribune gently lowered Olympia to the ground.
Ambrosia ran towards her fallen sister. Julius noticed this. "Keep her away," he instructed Rufus, who was standing nearby.
"She wants to say goodbye," cried Portia. "Just let her say goodbye to her sister!"
"Olympia is dead," Julius said bluntly. "Ambrosia can say goodbye when her sister no longer has a gaping sword wound in her stomach. I do not think Ambrosia wishes to see her sister in such a condition."
Portia just turned away, unable to watch as Rufus gently took hold of the thrashing and sobbing Ambrosia. Chase also took hold of Ambrosia, and he and Rufus half-carried, half-led her away.
Julius cradled Olympia's limp body in his arms. There was no doubt that she was dead: she was not breathing, the rate of bleeding was slowing, and if Julius felt for a pulse—which he deemed unnecessary—he knew he wouldn't find one.
Olympia had died to save Julius, who had only ever met the Greek woman perhaps three times. He had offered to help find her sister, and they had searched for a while. He had liked her quite a lot. Maybe even had feelings for her. Now he would never know.
Someone placed a hand on his shoulder. Julius looked up and around to see Octavius standing there. "Are you alright?"
Julius nodded slowly. "I'm fine. Physically, at least."
"That was too close," Octavius said. He frowned. "Did this woman know you?"
"Her name was Olympia," Julius said sadly. "I only met her a few times."
"You must have been close," Octavius observed. "Or else she would not have sacrificed her life for yours."
"I don't know why she did it," Julius said quietly, looking back down at Olympia's still body. He reached out with his left hand and gently closed her eyes. "All I know is that I am not sure whether to be grateful that she did."