Wow! Thanks everyone for such awesome reviews!!! lol. There were cries of agony and torture, and many compliments, many answers, and much love! :D you guys rock!

I would like to do a little shout out to James Franco. Thank you James Franco for being incredibly good looking. Your amazing face in Tristan and Isolde has motivated me to write this chapter.

Song for this Chapter: Delicate → Damien Rice. YESSSSS. Best song for this chapter EVAH!

Chapter 58: Extending Fate

In the last chapter...

Romeli and James chill out in a cell for a while. Then Maggur comes in and takes them to Romeli's death. He then tortures Romeli to death with James and him as the only witnesses.

We are left with one paragraph of hope in the whole chapter...

Unseen by the eyes of both Maggur and James, a small creature, a mouse, crawled out from under the table. The mouse's gait was labored, it was limping, torn apart and weak. It dragged itself into a small hole in corner of the room and into darkness.

"I summon you to life, hidden longings!

You, drowned in the dark depths of the creative spirit,

you fearful embryos of life,

I bring you daring!"

- Alexander Scriabin, written before his piano Sonata No. 5, the "Poem of Ecstasy"

For the second time in Romeli's life, she had died. For the second time in Romeli's life, she had ignored it, defying the laws of nature and strength.

Every movement she made tore at her broken body. Even in mouse-form, the pain withheld. A dislocated arm, cuts, bruises, welts. Her fur was matted with blood and she could barely see as she dragged herself through the mouse-hole that was more of a tunnel.

Where it lead didn't matter. She just had to get out, unseen.

She limped on for a long time, her stamina dying with every inch. A couple times she had to stop and lean against the side of the tunnel in exhaustion. The tracks she left behind her were stained with blood.

Right, left, repeat, she told herself sternly, forcing one paw in front of the other. Her limbs were sore, their muscles torn and damaged from the torturous stretching that had ravaged her. The words kept her going nonetheless, and she pursued the exit of the tunnel...wherever it lead.

She could not compute the work that lay ahead of her. She had to heal herself...and fast. But in order to do that, she needed her Gift. Obtaining her Gift required her Golden Magic, but her Golden Magic needed her Gift. The two balanced out in an inescapable deadlock.

But she had to save James, and she had two days to do it. The act needed as much strength and power as she could muster.

A voice quietly rumbled in her ear as she limped through the tunnel. It was Sclythe, and his words echoed through her mind with a strength that she yearned for.

Little by little, one travels far.

Romeli closed her eyes, letting the cobra's words soothe her. Hopefully it would be far enough.

OOO

TWO DAYS LATER

OOO

Sadly, sadly, the sun rose; it rose upon no sadder sight than the arena of the gallows and the man of good abilities, incapable of their directed exercise. He was sincere in both ability and love, though incapable of his own help. But with an imminent death such as his, he found no other option but to resign to his misery and let it eat him away.

The sun beamed at his shoulders and warmed his back. The morning rays of sunlight were a mockery to him. They held all the warmth the world would ever need, though the sun on his shoulders did little to thaw him now.

His gaze fell upon the dirt ground. There was a slight breeze that kicked up the loose sand, creating ripples of floating dust across the turf. The shoes he wore were once black; now they were dirtied with the debris of the dry terrain. His clothes were also sullied. They were crusted with dried sweat and dirt. The tunic and breeches were well exhausted now after days of wear. To say the least, he looked the role of an outlaw. Not even he could deny it.

Squinting, he stole a look at the gallows to his right. From the ground it looked immensely large, towering over the crowd below it. The stairs leading to the platform on top were made of sturdy wood—the whole contraption was quite sturdy, really. He caught a glimpse of the noose lazily floating in the direction of the breeze and quickly averted his gaze.

At this point he wasn't sure what to feel. So many emotions were skipping through his head that it was a challenge to comprehend any of them. On one side he was thankful. Romeli was dead, and he would be soon too. It would only be a matter of hours. He wasn't quite sure if it would hurt or not, but that particular factor hardly mattered to him anymore. Pain was tolerable. A life without Romeli was not.

But a part of him didn't want to die, devastated as he was. It was the instinct of self-preservation that kept him alert now. The adrenaline and hint of danger put a little color in his dull eyes. It was a small part of him, but a part nonetheless. Besides, Romeli wouldn't want him to give up anyways...

Who am I kidding, he thought as he shook his head. I've already given up. I gave up two days ago. Romeli's dead and I will be too.

He couldn't stop his shoulders from sinking a little further, his heart from breaking a little faster. No, Romeli and him were dead.

Is this really our fate? he questioned himself deeply, looking at the ground again. Are our lives this pointless? We live our years, however many are given to us, and then depart. Simple as that. Those who knew us will remember us, until they too leave the living as well. Then we are forgotten: a fraction of history not worth mentioning.

He bit the inside of his cheek bitterly, refusing to look around at the growing crowd of Tortallans dispersed throughout the gallows' grounds.

He was coming upon his last hour. Every moment was another lost. Every sight was another to remember and grasp.

But what if he extended his hour? What if he fought the fate that had undecidedly become his own? He was supposed to die, but that didn't mean he had to. He could escape—somehow. He would run from Tortall, from the Scanrans inhabiting it—he would go anywhere as long as he could not be found. And once he found this unreachable haven, he would train. He would become the strongest warrior in the realm and destroy those who tried to destroy him.

He would destroy those who destroyed her.

His heart was beginning to beat a little faster now. Perhaps there was hope after all. Perhaps there was a way out of this mess. Perhaps Romeli had not died for such a stupid cause.

And the truth was, it really was a stupid cause. She was a girl cursed as a weapon, capable of living both the roles of humanity and power yet seen and punished as only the latter. She had been condemned to death before her birth and it was only a matter of time before fate caught up with her.

Now that she was gone, he had no choice but to pull his effort forward. He was going to kill Maggur, whatever it took.

Assessing his current circumstances reminded him just how much it would take to escape a mess such as this. The crowd was growing larger and the sun was placed higher in the sky—it was almost time. In minutes he would be walking across the stage above him, living his last moments. His hands and legs were bound with chains and enchantments. Guards were dispersed all around him—most of them mages.

The chances of escaping were slim. If he were to run for it now—which is impossible, his chains reminded him—the mages around him wouldn't hesitate killing him. He was due to die soon anyways. There would be no difference in the end.

He didn't even have his Gift, which was more than half the problem. He couldn't get out of his chains without it. Not like that would do him much good anyways. The spell placed on him sucked out his energy and left him weakened. If the enemy mages didn't get to him first, the soldiers chasing him would.

James' heart sunk as the adrenaline of his noble vision began to fade away. The whole idea was ridiculous, really. He was beginning to realize that leaving the gallows alive was impossible. This was his death and that was that.

But what if I made just one effort to escape? he thought to himself. It would be an act of nobility. At least I would die at a sprint. No one would doubt my defiance or my pride. It would be a rightful death—a rebellious one.

And if I succeed?

He shook his head at the idea, titling it impossible. But nonetheless he was now convinced of his next move. For better or for worse, he would go through with it.

I told her I would see her on the other side, he reminded himself strongly, clenching is jaw. She's there, waiting for me, and I want to be with her too.

He stared at the gallows with a hint of determination no longer viewing his current situation as a death sentence, but a passage. He would be on the other side soon enough. The Black Realm would welcome him with open arms and the two of them would finally be together in peace.

With that as a small inch of comfort in his mess of a predicament, he sunk into a state of serenity. His surroundings blurred in his sight as he stared dully at the scene in front of him. His thoughts didn't wander; there were no thoughts, just existence. These were his last moments living, and he wanted to remember them.

The sensation of strong hands grabbing his arms awoke him from the reverie. His eyes snapped to reality—a lot of time must have passed since his mind wandered off. The late Autumn air was cold, despite the sun on his back. The crowd below the gallows was large. He didn't bother discerning faces.

The guards holding him lead him towards the wooden mechanism with an official gait. He gave into their hold silently, his thoughts drifting in and out of meditation. The ceremonious party ascended the stairs smoothly. Each step seemed slow, like the whole event was being executed in a tedious motion.

The only thing he could seem to hear was the loud echo of his shoes hitting each wooden stair. The rest was muffled to him, like his ears had been stopped up.

The noise all came rushing back when he reached the top. Now it was he who towered over the crowd below. The noose hung a few paces in front of him, the unpredictable hatch directly under it. He stared at it emptily, dead.

Yes, perhaps this wasn't the right decision. Perhaps trying to escape would have been better. At least he would not see death before it hit him. At least he would not have to wait for the floor to drop from beneath his feet.

Then again, he hardly cared. He would see Romeli in the end and that was all that mattered.

A Scanran guard walked to the front of the stage and pulled out a scroll. The crowd, once murmuring and discussing, grew quiet immediately. All of their eyes were glued to the official above him. The whole time, James could not help but laugh bitterly to himself. Maggur probably wasn't even here. No, he was most likely off celebrating his latest accomplishment.

He listened to the guard's words, uninterested. They were brief, uniform, obviously nothing special. Like nothing was wrong with the current circumstances and justification of it all.

"We are gathered here today to witness the death of Jameson of Queenscove," he told the crowd in a monotone-like manner. "Who has been sentenced to death by hanging for breaking Scanran Slavery Code. He will be hung by the neck until dead. May the Black God have mercy on your soul."

James nearly laughed, a small wave of hysterics passing through. They didn't even bother mentioning his specific crime. Perfect.

The guard rolled up the scroll again and motioned for the guards around him to commence with the hanging. Without hesitation, they walked him forward. His stomach slightly dropped when the floorboards of the hatch creaked beneath him. One of the guards slipped the rope around his neck and tightened it smoothly.

The whole process of it all was rather eerie, and he couldn't exactly pinpoint the reason why for a little bit. But then he realized that it was quiet. No, it wasn't just quiet, it was silent. No one in the crowd below him uttered a word. He had never been to a hanging scene before; not being a fan of the merciless process of it all, he saw no reason to. But he did know one thing about them, and that was that they were noisy, violent, barbaric.

This was just...mute.

One of the guards next to him spoke, shaking him away from his thoughts. "Are there any last words?"

He looked down at the false floor beneath him. Surprisingly, his heart was calm. This wasn't death after all. Death was just the beginning.

With sincerity, he scanned the eyes of the crowd beneath him, meeting as many stares as he possibly could. His expression was serene. Whatever fear and sadness he felt now was concealed well. His eyes came across many people he knew, and many he did not know at all.

But when he found the dark green eyes of his father, they held. He stared at Neal with a level gaze, never glancing away from his father's face. It was a challenge to gaze upon a pair of eyes so contorted with emotion.

His voice was weak when he spoke, but it carried across the crowd well. It did not take much effort for his infamous half-smile to grow on his lips.

"I'll see you on the other side."

The Scanran guards took that as a good enough goodbye. Sensing his life coming to its conclusion, he closed his eyes and waited for the drop.

A guard pulled the lever and the hatch broke from beneath him. His stomach dropped as he fell through the air. There was a tightening around his neck and a snap.

OOO

Black surrounded him now. He had no idea that dying would feel like hitting solid ground after a great fall.

OOO

There was an accumulative gasp from across the crowd as the rope snapped in two. James' body hit the ground hard, and the great momentum caused his body to roll a few feet before halting a couple feet away from the spectators. His eyes were closed as he laid unconscious, back facing the ground.

On the top of the roof of the nearest building stood Romeli. Her stance was weak and her body was covered in unhealed gashes and bruises, but in her eyes burned a fury that invoked fear in every observant. On her back were two powerful black wings, most likely her means of getting on the roof in the first place. Her hands glowed with a fiery emerald green that rippled with menace.

Golly gee.

W.H.A.T

Replies:

itachihater13: Yeah, I agree with you on that. If I did do the recovery scene (all of it, that is) it would be a lot more slow-paced. We're going to figure out exactly what she does (if I can fit it in), but at this exact moment it's not necessary. Awww thanks! I love you too! Thanks for reading!

Grace: I know, I'm sorry the link didn't work! I actually went back and fixed it, but here is in again (just get rid of the spaces):

aluminum muse . proboards . com

Now, for the rest of your review... I did update soon didn't I! I'm kind of on a roll haha. Torture is fun to write, less fun to read I believe. However, writing that torture scene with Romeli was not fun. And in order to be inspired I looked up torture devices online...NOT a good idea. ugh. I am still disturbed. Will James die? hmm...dun know yet. :) haha. The rope got him good before Romeli snapped it.

natsumi456: Of course I'll continue!! We're so close to the end that I just can't stop now. :)

domitan'slovebug: You liked my torture scene, then? It was kind of a struggle to write. In order to inspire myself I looked up torture devices online. To say the least, I am still disturbed. haha! Oh yeah...the wheel thing...it was hard to write as well, trust me. I kept on wincing. Did you like the ending of this chapter? It's not exactly how you described what you thought, but it was pretty close! It's gonna get even better next chapter though.

Clear Blue Rain: haha. Ah yes, the ever-obvious question. The mouse certainly couldn't be Romeli, could it?

Alliekat1996: Well I did skip most of Romeli's recovery, but we will learn what she did to escape at the end. It should be interesting enough. It really was a depressing chapter, wasn't it. And this one would be the same if it weren't for the fierce ending haha. Me? Kill off James? haha...well your theory is good. Technically I can't kill of James if he's in the sequel. Well...we'll see about that. :) That rope lashed him pretty hard before Romeli cut it.

LittleMissGiggles'94': omg. Your review, once I got it, gave me the best idea in the world! :) It's what inspired me to write the little beginning segment of this chapter. Thank you so much!

RandomTamTamlover: haha. Your review really made me laugh. I didn't exactly go straight to the hanging, but close enough, right?

dares to dream: Thanks for helping me out with the link thing. Glad you could join the site! It rocks. I'm glad you liked the suspense of the chapter. It's definitely building up. Well..technically we've reached the climax...but it's going to be a roller coaster ride to the finish, haha. That sucks that you cringed, but it's good for me! haha. I am rather proud of my wicked writing now. As for the "We're going to play a game", I advise you not to watch the SAW series. That's where I got the link from, and they say the words quite a lot. haha. Oh...and yes...I love to leave you hanging.

Aly-Of-Tortall13: Indeed, I kind of did what you recommended. She's recovered now...practically. All we need to find out his how the heck she managed to get her Gift back, escape, etc. etc. It's pretty awesome actually...took me a lot of thought. And we'll figure it out eventually. Thanks for reading!

inktounge: haha...woah there. I did leave it at such a horrible ending didn't I. Good news is I think I could feel the wrathful vibes of my readers from my bed...causing sleeplessness...causing me to write faster. hahaha. Trust me, even when I'm writing the story myself i think the same as you. Ef this story! lol. And now that you're most likely out of bed...you should go check out the forum. :)

link (minus the spaces): aluminum muse . proboards . com

jenny-harkness: haha. The first line? Oh...no that is definitely not a Twilight Quote. That's actually from Grey's Anatomy I believe. And I didn't exactly go straight to the James hanging scene, but close enough right? :)

KrazyBookLuver: Oh lordy. It wasn't a bad cliffie at all. In my opinion the cliffie in this chapter is worse, but maybe that's just me. And how am I going to explain Romeli's escape? haha. Well it's all makes sense in my head, but how I'm going to write it all down I have no idea. :)

Wolfy Pup: lol! I updated! no worries!! :)