CHAPTER 26: DAY OF JUDGMENT
Author's Note: Short chapter here but I promise the next chapter will be beefy. I just wanted to post this to let y'all know I'm still active.
Judex crederis esse venturus.
In te Domine speravi.
Non confundar in æternum.
Salvum fac populum tuum.
Judex crederis.
The morning sky bled a disgusting mixture of red,orange and yellow clouds as it stretched across the city like a blanket. It seemed like the entire city was gathered in the square to watch the soon to be execution of the day,the crowd consisted of the citizens of Paris as many of them protested the event while many others reveled in it. The rest of the prisoners were still in their cages and got a perfect view of the show while a barrage of soldiers guarded the pyre so no one could make a last minute rescue. And lastly admits all this,the gang was among the crowd and they could just barely see the scene up ahead.
Frollo and a man in an executioner mask stood on top of the stage as the former read
out Esmeralda's charges "The prisoner Esmeralda has been found guilty of the crime of witchcraft." prompting a set of guards to start playing some drums before Frollo concluded "The sentence….death!"
The crowd had now begun to grow reckless as many of the protesters tried to rush to the stage only to be held back by the soldiers,and Esmeralda could only watch as firewood and hay was tossed right beside her. Phoebus pulled and yanked on the bars of his cage in the hopes of just maybe breaking free,and even the archdeacon tried to step outside to shut the whole thing down only to be met by the spears of two guards blocking his way.
"I can't see any way to get to her." stated a nervous Littlefoot as he and the gang tried to look for a way to get onto the stage before Cera angrily growled "There are soldiers everywhere!" prompting Chomper to fearfully exclaim "We have to go through the soldiers to get to Esmeralda!" only for Ruby to shake her head "But if we do that,we'll be spotted and captured if we do that."
"But we have to do something,or else Esmeralda will be killed. She will,she will." retorted Ducky in a just as fearful tone before Spike nodded in agreement to which Petrie looked up at the cathedral and wondered "Me wonder where Quasimodo be. He has to be doing something to help!" unaware that the hunchback was still trapped in the belltower.
Frollo had now taken the torch from the executioner and coldly explained as he approached the terrified Esmeralda "The time has come gypsy,you stand upon the brink of the abyss. Yet even now it is not too late,I can save you from the flames of this world and the next. I will give you the chance to recant and save yourself. Think of what I've offered. Choose me….or the fire."
Esmeralda immediately spit in Frollo's face much to the shock of himself and the crowd.
Kyrie Eleison.
"The gypsy Esmeralda has refused to recant. This evil witch has put the soul of every citizen in Paris in awful jeopardy."
Meanwhile up in the belltower,something inside him prompted Quasimodo to lift his head up and glance down at the square while Frollo concluded his speech "For the justice of the realm,for Paris and for her own salvation,it is my sacred duty to send this unholy demon back where she belongs!" and with one motion of his arm,Frollo set the pyre ablaze as smoke began rising from it.
Kyrie Eleison.
Kyrie Eleison.
"Oh I can't watch!" cried Chomper as he covered his eyes and looked away while Petrie fainted and the rest of the gang gasped in horror. And it was also at that moment that something inside snapped inside Quasimodo as he shouted as loud as he possibly could "NO!" before he started tugging and pulling on his chains with every bit of strength he could muster,ringing some of the bells above in the process. The pillars began to gradually crumble and Esmeralda was already coughing due to smoke inhalation while Frollo watched with a wide and disgusting grin.
Libera me Domine.
Libera me Domine de morte aeterna.
In die illa tremenda Quando cæli movendi sunt.
By now Quasimodo had managed to break free of his chains by bringing down the pillars he was tied to,and he immediately grabbed a nearby rope and swung down,quickly hanging on the walls of the cathedral.
Cæli et terra.
Dum veneris iudicare sæculum per ignem.
And then with a running start,he jumped off the walls and swung down to the stage,surprising everyone including Frollo and the crowd.
Salva me Salutaris hostia.
Quæ cæli pandis ostium.
Bella premunt hostilia.
Da robur fee auxilium.
"Hey it's Quasi!" exclaimed Littlefoot in shock as a smile formed on his face before Chomper turned around and smiled as he uncovered his eyes "Way to go Quasi!" to which Cera happily boasted "That'll teach em!"
Sit sempiterna gloria.
Sit sempiterna gloria.
Quasimodo immediately wasted no time and untied the now unconscious Esmerelda as the soldiers tried to climb onto the stage,but the hunchback managed to fend them off by ripping out the stake and knocking them off. He then grabbed the rope and swung back to the cathedral as Frollo angrily yelled "QUASIMODO!"
The hunchback now began climbing up the cathedral as the entire crowd including the prisoners watched in awe,even Phoebus couldn't help but smile. The gang could only cheer in happiness as Petrie and Ducky hugged each other and Ruby and Chomper spung and danced around in each other's hands.
Sit sempiterna gloria.
Gloria!
Gloria semper!
Eventually Quasimodo reached the rose window and proudly shouted as he raised Esmeralda into the air "SANCTUARY! SANCTUARY! SANCTUARY!" getting even more cheers and support from the crowd.
Sanctus!
Sanctus!
In excelsis!
Frollo however wasn't jaded by this and simply called out "Captain." to which his new captain of the guard answered "Sir?" before the former ordered "Seize the cathedral!"
NEXT CHAPTER: WARZONE
Author's Note 2: The Latin lyrics for Sanctuary when translated into English are so awesome. Alan Menken truly is a musical wizard.
