CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:

DAWN OF DOOM

Marinette awoke to see pink and red light filling her cell.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep. She never imagined she would sleep, considering all that happened last night, but she did anyway.

Now, looking at the rays of sun seeping through the window, Marinette remembered: this morning would be her last.

The cell was warmer now, but Marinette had never felt so cold.

Maybe Adrien will be watching, she thought, and the tears came back. Oh, how she wished it had all been a nightmare, and this really wasn't happening!

She heard a sound from the door: a key being jammed into the lock.

Marinette looked, but her face remained impassive as the door opened, revealing the captain of the guard in all his grim glory.

Roger met her gaze with one of indifference. "It's time," he said.

Marinette didn't know how to respond. Should she ask to see her parents one last time? Or Adrien? Tikki, even?

Tikki... She would be so heartbroken when she found out, if she hadn't already. Then again, if she had, Marinette knew the kwami would come swooping in to the rescue. So where was she? Did Adrien tell her to stay away? Would he not allow Marinette's parents to see her? Did they even know about her sentence?

Marinette squeezed her eyes shut, not bothering to wipe her eyes.

He wouldn't stoop so low as that! the reasonable side of her insisted. You saw that look in his eyes – it's like you were seeing a different Adrien!

Her thoughts only brought up more questions, and when she didn't have the answers, they only brought up more tears.

So she said nothing and made no effort to fight back as Captain Roger and two of his guards led her out of the cell and into the hallway. Her chains jiggled between her hands as she walked.

Alya gave up on picking the lock of her shackles when her third and final hairpin broke.

Cursing, she tossed away the bit in her hand and leaned back against the wall. She hadn't slept a wink all night, and now she was starting to get even more restless.

I have to get out of here, she thought. I have to find Marinette, and the king... and Nino and Adrien... and Tikki... She blew out an irritated sigh. Everyone!

Alya lifted her face to the ceiling, wondering what would happen if she screamed at the top of her lungs... when something caught her eye.

A tiny beam of sunlight shined upon the dark stones above. Only it wasn't golden light – it was red.

Alya looked up towards the barred window and what lay beyond it.

The sky was the colour of blood, as though a giant sword had slashed it open and left it to bleed.

Back her thieving days, Alya had heard various rumours and superstitions about unusual changes in the weather. For instance, a red sky at the coming of dawn signified an impending death; that blood was to be spilt that very morning.

Alya had never labelled herself as superstitious, but some small, irrational part of her kept telling her that something terrible was about to happen.

Knowing Volpina, Alya knew that "something" was happening now.

"Would you look at that?" Volpina sang, pointing to the skylight above the dungeon chamber. "Right on schedule."

Trixx and everyone else in the cell shot their eyes up to see a faint stream of red sunlight poking through the window. It cast an eerie glow upon the stone wall.

Dawn had come.

Trixx forced her anxiety down, along with a really nasty furrball. Relax, she told herself, keeping her face grim and vacant, just wait it out a little longer.

Unfortunately, Volpina seemed to be taking her sweet time.

"And now," she announced to her prisoners, "for the final trick."

Her body and dress melted together and shot away from the group in a ribbon of light. It landed just in front of the door, transforming into a roiling black puddle. When it rose up again and took shape, it was no longer Volpina standing there.

It was a particular, golden-haired prince wearing a hooded, black cloak.

Even Trixx had to wince. Geez – how does that not make her feel awkward?

Volpina turned to the real Adrien and hummed in his voice, "I'll say goodbye to your girlfriend for you, Adrikins."

The prince struggled against his chains. "Volpina!" he yelled heatedly. "When I get a hold of you...!"

"You'll have to get in line, son," Tom the baker broke in before snapping an angry glare at the sorceress.

"Ditto!" Nino growled.

The prince's doppelganger made a pouty face that Trixx prayed would never appear on Adrien's face again. "Ooohh..." Volpina said in her normal voice again, "I'm so worried." She sneered at them once last time before snapping around, thrusting the door open, and slamming it shut behind her.

Trixx waited two seconds. Three. Four.

Then, she felt it: the sorceress's presence fading completely. Volpina was gone.

"Phew!" Trixx exhaled irritably. "Finally!"

Ignoring the scathing looks of the others, the fox kwami sat down on the table, placed her paws on both of her temples, and closed her eyes.

Then Nino's voice broke her meditation. "How could you double-cross Alya, after all she's done for you?!"

Trixx snapped to him. "Shh! I'm trying to concentrate!" she hissed.

In the magic orb beside her, Plagg muttered something that only Trixx's keen ears could pick up.

The little vixen whirled on him. "Hey! Do I insult your mother?"

Plagg blinked and then sat back down with a dirty look.

Groaning, Trixx closed her eyes again.

Alya felt it – that tiny, glowing string of magic tugging at her consciousness like a noblewoman ringing for a maid. It surprised her so much that she gasped and looked around suspiciously.

"Who's there?" she called out into the cell.

Then, she heard the one voice she thought she'd never hear again:

Al, do you read me?

"Trixx?" Alya asked incredulously, checking every stone and crevice in the cell. "Where are you?"

In your head, stupid! I'm using our mental connection to talk to you! Now, keep quiet or the guards will get suspicious when they hear you talking to yourself.

Alya huffed through her nose, her cheeks heating. Fine, you little furrball, she grumbled with her mind, but give me one good reason why I should be talking to you at all?

Trixx's tone became sincere. How about this? Volpina is about to execute Marinette.

Alya gasped. "No...!" she whispered. She got Mari too!

At that moment, her anger returned, igniting like a dry bush. So that's it, huh? You're telling me all this in my head because you don't have the guts to come and say it to my face?!

First of all, yes, Trixx grumbled. Second of all, haven't you wondered how we're able to speak into each other's heads at all? Look down.

Excuse me?

Just do it!

Alya growled and stared straight down at her shoes.

That's when she saw something gleaming on her chest... and Alya gasped again. Not with horror, but with delight.

Her pendant! She had her pendant back!

The redhead couldn't believe it. But I thought... How?

Trixx's smugness was clear in her voice. Remember when I was blabbering to you earlier, and I went up and touched the necklace? In truth, I was casting a replacement charm, swapping the real pendant for a fake of my own making. Volpina still has no idea the one she took was just an illusion. A small, triumphant chuckle escaped her. Takes a trickster to outwit a trickster. You know what I'm saying?

Alya still couldn't believe it. Why didn't you tell me this sooner? I could be out there right now saving Mari!

You think this was an easy feat? Trixx retorted. I had to wait until Volpina was gone in order to telepathically link with you. Now she's on her way to Marinette, and you're the only one who can save her!

Alya blinked. All of a sudden, that dark hole in her chest didn't feel so empty anymore. "You..." she said aloud before stopping herself. You went through all that trouble... so you could help me save Mari?

Well, first you've got to escape, Trixx added, which is kind of the idea right now. I left a little extra magic in that pendant for you to do a couple of space-jumps.

But you really are trying to...

LOOK, we can get all sentimental and hug it out later, okay?! Trixx was now shouting down the bond, making Alya wince. Your best friend is being escorted to the far east platform of the palace. There's a long suspended bridge that connects to it. Get out of that cell and get over there before the sun's up! I'll hang back and try to get you some back-up!

Alya blinked. How am I supposed to do that? Get out of here, I mean.

I don't know. What would Rena Rouge do?

The former thief paused, and almost smiled. Trixx... I...

I'll get you that back-up, the kwami said, though Alya could feel a wave of relief down the bond. Now hurry it up!

Then, like a ribbon being cut by a pair of scissors, the connection went silent.

Alya flung thought after thought into the open. Trixx? Trixx, are you there?

No response.

But instead of feeling tired and helpless, Alya felt like she could take on an entire army of thieves without breaking a sweat. Sure enough, the pendant was starting to radiate. She had her powers back!

Trixx really did pull through for her after all.

Narrowing her eyes with determination, Alya took a deep breath and concentrated.

The pendant flared with orange light.

Trixx panted as she released the connection, her fur sticking up with sweat.

"Oh, you're back now, huh?" Nino asked coldly. "Good. I still have a few more insults to throw at you."

The fox kwami flew up into the air. "I'm sure you do," she said as she landed on the magic orb and began checking it for vulnerable spots.

Tikki, Plagg, and Wayzz looked up at her confusedly from inside.

They weren't the only ones: King Gabriel was raising a scrutinizing eyebrow; Master Fu looked surprised but slightly pleased; Tom and Sabine – despite their grief – were now watching curiously; and Adrien and Nino exchanged a puzzled glance.

When Trixx found no cracks or weak spots in the orb, she sighed heavily. Volpina never makes it easy, she thought.

She tapped on the glass with her paw. Then she raised it up and brought down in a karate chop. The glass clanged, and Trixx drew away with a shaking, "Aaaaaaaaahhhhoooo..."

Shaking her paw with a muffled curse, the little vixen flew off and vanished for a quick second. When she came back, she was holding a wooden stick.

Adrien's eyebrow rose up skeptically. "What are you doing now?" he asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Blondie?" Trixx snapped as she heaved the stick up and started whacking the orb. "I'm... trying to... free the... chump kwamis..." She stopped for a breather and then carried on. "... so they can... save your... chump... girlfriend!"

The last word came out when Trixx's stick snapped. The kwami dropped to the table with a groan.

But now everyone wasn't staring at her coldly anymore. In fact, they looked utterly bewildered.

Adrien had his mouth hung open. "What?" he breathed.

Tom and Sabine looked at each other with renewed hope.

Trixx groaned again. "You humans really need me to spell things out for you, don't you? Newsflash: Alya is on her way to save Marinette, but neither of them will last long without help! So yes, I'm helping! Happy now?!"

Nino stood several inches taller, his brown eyes lighting up. "Alya? She's escaped?" he blurted out.

"Trixx," Master Fu called calmly, "try disconnecting the orb from its holder. You might be able to drop it."

The fox kwami looked over at the three metal dragons and their long-tails that held the orb in place... and a sly grin stretched across her bulbous head.

"I don't know," Adrien said anxiously. "It looks pretty tricky."

Trixx stood up with a chuckle and cracked her knuckles (or pretended to, at least). "Tricky I can do."

Clang, clang, clang...

Marinette could feel the pounding of hammers on metal as she followed Captain Roger through the royal armory. It was unbearably loud, and the temperature was stifling. Why are they bringing me through here? she wondered absent-mindedly.

Once they reached the top level, Roger held up a hand, commanding the group to halt.

Marinette watched as the plump guard strode over to one of the flaming forges. The blacksmith working there was busy sharpening something on a whetstone. Beside him stood a tall, muscular man. He wore a sleeveless shirt that showed off his arms, matching pants, and a black mask covering his head.

Suddenly, Marinette wished she hadn't wondered about anything at all.

Roger whispered something in the masked man's ear before stepping away.

The hulking body turned towards Marinette, and grinned at her with sunken eyes and rotten teeth.

Marinette stifled a gasp and stepped back.

It was the royal executioner.

The sound of a blade screeching one last time upon stone filled the air.

The blacksmith heaved up something large and heavy for all to see: a two-handed axe with a curved blade.

Marinette felt like she was going to vomit. So that's how they execute people for treason... and murder.

The executioner took the weapon in hand, running his finger gently along the sharp blade with a rotten grin.

Then, he turned and walked over to a plank of wood that was being held up by two support crates. The executioner took position in front of the plank, holding the blade of the axe right above it.

Slowly and carefully, like a hunter about to snatch a rabbit, the masked man drew his weapon up. It came down in the blink of an eye with a soft SWISH!

The wooden plank broke cleanly in two and clattered to the ground.

Marinette's hand flew to her throat, her insides turning frozen.

At least... the blunette could take solace in the fact that it would be a quick, painless death. Right?

Outside the cell of the topmost dungeon tower, the two soldiers keeping watch heard something like a rush of wind coming from inside the cell. Then, it went abnormally silent.

The guards glanced at each other with narrowed eyes and turned to open the door when...

FWOOM!

Both soldiers leapt onto one leg with high-pitched shrieks when an auburn-haired girl appeared in front of them out of a whirl of orange light.

Alya gasped and looked at her hands. Then she checked to make sure she had all other parts of her body accounted for, and she beamed.

"YES! I actually did it!" she cheered, raising her fists to the sky.

It was only then did she notice the two perplexed and agitated guards who were looking right at her.

Alya's smile dropped. "Ah... Apparently not as well as well as I had hoped," she mumbled quickly.

Both men drew their swords and came at her.

The former thief slid underneath the arm of one while grabbing onto the arm of the other. Tripping up the first soldier, Alya elbowed the second in the face and spun around before landing a fist to his gut. He dropped with a groan.

The first guard rose to his knees and tried to throw his sword at Alya through the air.

The redhead lifted a hand... and the blade halted inches from her chest.

Alya's eyes gleamed with gold – like sunlight untouched by darkness – and she clenched her fingers.

The sword bent over with a keening groan before it clattered to the floor.

The soldier's eyes widened with terror, no doubt realizing now who he was dealing with.

He was dealing with a girl who needed to save her friend.

Alya stomped over to him and hoisted him up by the scruff of his neck. "Which is the quickest way to the far east platform?" she asked firmly. "And please be honest with me. I don't have the time or the patience to be played with."

The guard's lips quivered and he made a couple of frightful, squeaky noises before he beckoned over his shoulder. "D-D-Down the stairs," he stuttered in a child's voice. "Hang a right. Make your way up to the top level of the eastern tower. The platform's just down the open walkway." He clapped his hands together in prayer. "Please... I have a family..."

Alya's gaze softened, and a horrid feeling filled her.

Volpina used her powers to incite fear and intimidation. She got what she wanted through brute force and ugly threats.

But Alya was not Volpina. She was Rena Rouge. She didn't hurt people for pleasure, or in anger.

"I have a family too," the redhead said more softly, letting the guard go, "and right now they need me."

Alya walked around the astounded guard and his moaning companion and proceeded down the stairs.

She stopped briskly and called back kindly, "Oh – and thank you!"

Then she sped away.