Execution

[Rianne Herculides]

OOC: Permission for this from Cain Ellatar, the administrator. Eragon, you were warned about Saphira many times and again and again you decided to not heed that warning and now action has been taken. Accept your mistake, for if we didnt do something you would never listen

May I repeat that of the current prisoners, only Eragon is attending, the rest of you are in your cells and not permitted to view this festive event

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It was a beautiful autumn day in Avaren.

Perfect for an execution.

And that was what was going to happen. Citizens were milling in the Town Square to see what the hustle was about where there were guards standing around a raised platform. A platform that was probably going to be a very common sight in the next few months because it was where public executions were held. One hadn't been performed in years, which is why it was a strange sight for all. When many of the townsfolk had gathered, there was a loud sound of drums and a path was cleared up to the steps of the raised platform where people were hung. But it was not to be a hanging today.

A procession was coming towards the platform, with many important figures in it. At the head of it all was a Priest of the church, though not Father Vidar at this time, his head bowed low in reverence as he was leading the head of an execution line. Behind him walked the Queen herself dressed in a normal royal dress of orange color with her circlet upon her raven black hair. Regal poise was something she always bore, to show people what a strong monarch they had. Behind her was the Captain of the Guard, Thurel, someone else who was going to become a key player in the road ahead.

Along with them came Eragon, the prisoner that they had apprehended, and the one who had begun the Cleansing of Avaren himself at the Banquet. The boy was flanked on all sides with guards and weaponless to make sure there would be no disturbance and so that he couldn’t get away. To make fully sure, there were also archers posted on top of the buildings with their target squarely on him. Until then he had been detained in a cell, now he was out to witness the grand thing that would be happening, the thing that would really ‘kick off’ the Cleansing so to speak. The execution of the creature which had begun all of this mess. A creature that should have never been in Avaren in the first place. And that was the prisoner that was also being brought along to the platform.

They reached the top and Rianne went with the others to stand at the fore of the platform while Eragon was taken to the back and made sure that he could not get away before Rianne began to address the crowd. “Fellow citizens of Avaren. You all know what shadow has befallen our great land. Well now is the day we begin to push the shadow back in the name of our Lord God.” She raised her chin up and there was another creature being brought to the platform. It was Saphira’s, Eragon’s dragon. The blue creature was bound so it had to be carried with all it’s limbs tied together and it’s mouth also clamped shut. Several men bore it onto the platform for all to see, and placed the struggling creature upon a block in the center.

Rianne pointed a finger at it. “This creature is a demonic being against God. We caught it in our beloved halls of the castle. Now it shall pay the price. Let the ending of this creature’s life be a marking point for the freedom of Avaren from the heathens, and a time where our godly lands are pure. Let the death of this creature mark the true beginning of the Cleansing of Avaren.” She said in a powerful voice to cheers from the crowd. The people of Avaren supported her, because they knew what was against their church and what wasn’t.

The Queen turned and a guard stepped forward, bearing an axe with deadly sharpness. The entire crowd was silent as the guard approached the bound creature, now tied to the block in the center of the platform. Rianne raised her hand and it bore no tremble, only a cool steadiness, and with it the axe raised above the dragon’s delicate neck. And as the Queen’s hand fell…so did the blade. A moment’s silence, and then the sickening sound as the axe tore through flesh and bone and blood sprayed upon the platform.

The first blood split in this cleansing.

There were no last cries from the beast as it had been beheaded, and already the head was being gathered into a bag to be put on a pike before the gates of Avaren, as a warning to any who wished to enter. The corpse of the creature was lifeless on the block, blood pouring from the maw from which the head had once been and no gleam to those blue scales any longer. Rianne just looked with coldness upon Eragon with his guards. There was a reason that boy was here, he would witness this. He would witness his mistake and what he wrought upon the country.

The crowd was cheering for the actions of the state and of the church, and Rianne held herself with poise and beauty befitting a young Queen. The first death, and how many were to follow?

[Allen †]

Eragon watched the whole thing. He shouted, "SAPHIRA!" Then pain exploded at his neck and his mind felt like it was torn from him. Then at the part of the mind where Saphira first shared with him was now gone. Eragon wonced in pain as the darkness pressed onto him, buffeting his thoughts. And his life. It has ended.

Eragon the Dragon Rider has gone elsewhere... together with his dragon. A small smile appeared on his pale face as the last breath escaped his lips. He is going to join Saphira, whether the Queen liked it or not.

[Scarlet Novendot]

Scarlet stood in the crowd staring upon the platform on which there was to be a public execution of an offender to the Crown and to the Church. There were hard lines on the 19 year old's face, lines that shouldnt have been there for years. She was grim among all of the other civilians, awaiting the axe to fall on the heathen creature. She looked no different from a militia of the Avaren army, with a leather jerkin and pants to match with a dull sword at her side. Her red hair was braided back against her neck, and contrasted with the brown of her outfit.

When the axe fell, she did not cheer, but she looked upon the death of the dragon with satisfaction. Another victory for her church, another victory for her people, another victory for the Monarchy, and another victory for God. There were those out there who opposed this, but it benefited the people, so it was right. She watched too as the owner of the dragon died, and just smirked at that. One less heathen to worry about and soil their lands.

Scarlet took one last look before slipping back thorugh the crowd, heading back to her home.

[Ariadne]

Ariadne was walking around the city square. There was much commotion going on so she deacided to go have a look-see. As she walked through the crowds she heard murmurs that is was an execution of a dragon. Ariadne thought for awhile and then realize that the only dragon that was in Averan was Eragons. Ariadne looked through the crowds to search for him but couldnt find him. She watched as the axe cut threw Saphiras neck. Ariadne had winced in pain. "Stupid Queen." Ariadne thought to herself. She watched as people around her cheered for a death. Her eyes started getting watery but she brushed those tears away. Saphira had been everything to Eragon, taking Spahira away form Eragon was taking everything away from him. Ariadne thought not knowing that Eragon had died as well. Ariadne shook her head in disbelief. "So this is what the city of Avaren has gone to? It was known once for its fairness and glory. but not anymore. It was no longer safe for a mage to walk through this city seeing as they would be judged." she thought. Ariadne was filled with rage. She pushed people out of her way as she walked towards the Heavens Alter. "Never again." Ariadne said aloud. People had looked at her as she said this but she didnt finish her sentence.

[Shiro]

Shiro was up the roof. He wanted see what was all the cheering about. He looked amazed, an execution was about to go on. He twiched his eye and could see Eragon with his dragon. He watched as the axe swings right through Saphira's neck. His hand was shaking "How could they!!! How could they easily kill something that rare" He thought, his recent experience made him traumatice to death. From this day Shiro had promise, if this town had more death and allowed by the kingdom, he promise that this town will be never be same with him around. He jumped to the ground and walked away from the cheering crowd disgusted.......

[Sparky.]

and he was immediately bumped into by Sparky.

Sparky was late to see the execution, sadly. He'd wanted to see what it looked like when a Dragon died, and ask permission to poke it's heart to see if it was really made of pure Darkness. So naturally, he was running, and he didn't really expect anyone to just fall out of the sky like that. So, indeed, there was a -bump- and a -thump- and a -lump-. Sparky fell to the ground, having run quite fast into the person that had fallen from the sky. He winced, and stood up, rubbing the dirt off of him.

"What're you doing flying?" Sparky asked incredulously, weapon drawn. "Flying isn't natural..."

And Sparky put two and two together and came up with eleven.

"You're a heathen!" He cried, and added "who has ubercool flying abilities!" With that, Sparky lunged forward with his weapon, intending to stab Shiro.

[Ariadne]

As Ariadne was walking towards the alter she heard a very familiar voice. She noticed that it was the same oice from the guy that tried to stab her and then hugged her and then left her with the hyenaman "oh god." Ariadne said. She then turned back around and started walking faster to the alter. She hoped he didnt notice her.

[Sparky.]

'Oh God' was right.

Sparky turned when he heard those words, and saw that one girl he didn't get to stab. He hastily kicked the boy away and ran after Ariadne. "Wait!" Sparky said, sprinting to catch up to the girl. "I still have to buy you food and stuff! LoL!!!'' He cried, as he continues running. "I won't stab you anymore, I promise!"

[Ariadne]

Ariadnes eyes widen as she heard him yell out to her. She raised her hood up to completely cover her face. And as she speedwalked in the crowds. She had bumped into a soldier. Ariadne had fallen to the ground with a loud THUD. "My apologies Sir." she told the soldier as she stood up and dusted herself off. She then turned to look at the stabbing fanatic. "Promises are only comforts to a fools heart."

[Sparky.]

"Whatever you say." Sparky replied, grinning, as he had caught up to her rather easily, and then 'glomp'ed her. The grin remaining on his face, he let go, and said "I still has to buy food and stuff, you know." He thought for a second, and added "What was your name again?"

[Ariadne]

Ariadne rolled her eyes."My name is Ariadne." She answered."How about yours?" She asked politely not trying to be rude anymore. "You dont have to buy me lunch. Plus I was just on my way to go home. So it would be nice if you save it for another day." Ariadne declined. "As if I would ever like to step another in this city" Ariadne thought.

[Sparky.]

"My name is Sparky, Ariadne. I like eating jerky and stabbing people." He grinned, and added "I -do- have to buy you lunch though, because I said I would! Duhhhhh." He said, as if it was obvious. "So come onnnnn." Sparky whimpered, exasperated and totally forgetting about the black Dragon heart. "Please?"

[Ariadne]

"ohhhhhhh"Ariadne replyed to what he enjoys. She didnt like nothing that he mentioned. Jerky was nasty and stabbing people is unncecesary.She alughed a bit. He was "kind-of" crazy. Ariadne thought for awhile.She might as well get it over with now."okay. Ill go."

[Sparky.]

"Good!" Sparky said, happily and grabbed her hand and rapidly led them away. "Now, let's see. I suggest we eat.. food." So they quickly passed the weapon shop. "I also suggest we avoid eating horses." So they sped past the stables. "Come to think of it, the market makes me think of scary things so let's not go there." The market flashed by, as Sparky was now running full tilt. "Now.. I suggest we stop to ask for directions because I really don't have any idea where we are." And with that, he stopped, not realizing the girl would mostly likely run into him and knock him over or something. xD

[Mira Nightingale]

The city square was packed with people, as per usual, but there was one major difference this day. A large wooden structure was set up near the center of the square, and there was a hangman’s noose set up there. Mira jostled her way closer to the platform with a rising sense of dread, wondering what it could mean. It hadn’t been there yesterday afternoon or evening, so it must have been set up overnight. The reason why, Mira just couldn’t fathom.

Without any kind of warning, a drum roll started from behind her. Turning toward the sound she moving away from the steps to the platform, Mira watched as a small procession came closer, and closer. There was a priest, the Queen, several guards, the captain of the guard, and… Eragon. Craning her neck to get a closer look, she turned and once again faced the dais as they all ascended the steps.

Rianne started speaking, and for a moment Mira was confused. A shadow in Avaren? What was she talking about? Mira’s confusion faded as Saphira was brought, bound and carried by a half dozen men to the dais. Rianne then proceeded to call the friendly dragon a demonic being from hell. She really didn’t think that Saphira could be an abomination against the church, but as the assembled crowd started shouting and cheering, she second guessed herself. Maybe she had been associating with evil…

The axe fell before she was ready, and she jumped, startled. Paling as the head rolled and blood gushed out of the open cavity where the neck should have been joined with it, Mira took a hesitant step backward. It was disgusting… and she couldn’t help but to feel bad for the poor creature even though it may have been the devil’s creature.

Then, even more shocking, Eragon dropped dead. He must have somehow been bound with Saphira, but this death Mira took much harder. Eragon had been her friend, and now he was just… gone. Gone from the world, and in front of her own eyes too. Those eyes now started suddenly filling with tears that she refused to shed, and not wanting to draw attention to herself, she slipped back into the crowd with the intent to get as far away as possible.