Book V: Chapter 5 | Lares Competalis

"Now, little secretary, write about how I, the great psycho queen, saw the false heroes put to death in the arena, proving that they were, in fact, false."

Takashis, with a trembling hand marked by scratches and bruises, one of her ears clipped, moved a shackled hand towards the wax tablet. Barbara started copying it down.

"I had your last report read to me. Make sure you're copying it down properly. Your master said you were a good secretary, and I'd hate for you to have to see your stylus again."

Barbara winced as she looked at her arm, marked with bandages where the stylus had stabbed her.

"I think you get the point."

Barbara nodded quickly, tears falling from her eyes as she scratched on the tablet.

"This is just the beginning of—write this down, please—this is just the beginning of our many, many adventures. She held her hands to her back and paced towards the elf. Placing her clawed fingers on the chipped ear. Barbara winced, the queen smiled.

"Once we have captured and executed the false heroes, we will bring their heads to the cities and use them as proof that I am the true heir of the Coguderri League. We will take advantage of the chaos established in the Mere Kingdoms, and we will control the kelp trade. Obviously, this kelp was meant and promised to the great hero's favorite girl and her descendants, which is, of course, me."

Barbara scratched it down.

Psycho Tome had her back to the arena while the rest of the crowd looked on. Guards rushed towards the arena. Barbara looked out at them. The Queen was irritated.

"We are focusing on me now, Secretary."

"Your Majesty, look."

The Queen looked over to the arena, seeing three figures coordinating against the Blemmya.

"What is going on in there? Do something about it!"

"But the crowd loves it!"

"I said, do something about it!"

The guard bowed his head and immediately scrambled, trying to figure out what, exactly, "do something" meant, and what he was going to do.

"Mistress, he is going to send his guards over to execute the two false heroes, and the plan will go on as I originally told you. <CLUNKY>They will be there to keep an eye on things in case it gets too hot, but otherwise, the creature is welcome to play with its food.</CLUNKY>"

The crowd cheered louder. The cheers turned to panic. The panic turned to screams. The Blemmya was on all fours and crashed through the door.

"My Queen, the guards have escaped into the cells."

"Well, stop them!"

In the arena, in the prisoner cells and the beast cells, Pompanianus and Pliny quickly overwhelmed two guards who were overwhelmed by shock. The third guard was overwhelmed by the Blemmya, who was now on top of it. Expecting to see a large number of surprise guards, Pliny and Pompanianus were both surprised and dismayed to see their children, armed with their old weapons and spears, leading a phalanx.

"Ave Pliny! Ave Pompaniani!" the elves cried out.

Alexander and Regulus came forward, both wearing their fathers' armor. Pompanius looked to Alexander.

"I thought I asked you all to wait, to escape as soon as I had the opportunity, or as soon as we didn't come back."

Alexander said, "We didn't have any time. They did something to us. We didn't even realize we were captured until it was too late."

Pompanianus Embraced his son. Pliny did the same for regulus. Both figures unbuttoned their cloaks and wrapped their fathers in them.

"The City is ours, we just have to take it."