Laughing, Markus lied there in his chains. “You will not live out the night. If I die, you will die as well, I have the only cure for the poison that I cut into you. Let me live”. “I am not going to kill you, just make living the rest of your life extremely painful”. Saxen drew a dagger from his belt and forced the priest’s mouth open before cutting out his tongue. Markus screamed in pain and choked on blood as he was forced to swallow his own tongue. The pain alone was enough to knock him out and soon his eyes were closed. Saxen began to stumble and the poison began to take affect. His mother ran over and tried to help him but it was too late, he died shortly after the fight had ended.

5. Funeral

‘What?’

The thoughts of Markus Horatian after waking up in an imperial jail cell

The streets were lined by thousands of mourners as the funeral procession began. Once they had reached their destination, the body of Saxen, his father and his mother were all placed on the funeral pyre and the flame was lit. As they burned the emperor spoke to the crowd.

“The people before you today served the empire with great courage; all three of them former peasants have become heroes worthy of the history books. Saxen has killed the rogue inquisitor and leader of the cult of change, Markus Horatian, who has kept me in hiding for all these years. From the day forth you will see more of me. The empire is once again safe and the civil war has come to a close. Markus Horatian is imprisoned and his followers have all been slain. With peace comes a great price though. These people lost their lives to save yours, I ask you now to pay your respects to them”. The next day Markus Horatian was hung and the citizens of the empire rejoiced. A week later the emperor had a crossbow bolt in his back.