by Olivia Arndt
“My sovereign.” I began, reciting the lines they had drilled into me. “I will pay for my crimes today before you and our nation, with my life.” I bit my lip to stop myself from screaming at him.
He gave me a small nod, unable to contain the smug look on his face. “Go forth, my servant, pay your debts.” I was forced to my feet once more and turned to face the poles.
Griffin’s desperate eyes were locked on me as the Sentinels forced me towards the beam beside the tallest, center pole. They pushed me onto my knees with my exposed back facing the crowd, and secured my wrists in the cuffs.
The roaring crowd was so loud, that I couldn’t hear anything but the blood pounding in my ears. I strained my neck, trying to see him around the pole. He was pulling against the chain causing it to dig in deeper, screaming out for me. Tears came to my eyes as I watched him. I tried to call out to him, but it was useless, he’d never hear me over the crowd, and I was going to die.
Mr. Lieu silenced the crowd looking smug, and Diego stepped forward, about to deliver another Cliffblazer to their death.
“My dear nation, I come to you as one of you. Just a soul trying to serve their beloved homeland.” Diego began, walking across the stage over to me. “I have before me a Standard just like you, who thought she was above the law. She has broken countless laws, one of which involved aiding a Fugitive and even daring to form an intimate bond with him. She stands before us today as a traitor of Lieu, you have no home here anymore! You will be treated as the one you so love, a Fugitive!” He screamed, ripping one of the rods out of the bucket, sending hot steam around me. “Tethys Victoria Cliffblazer, as punishment for your many crimes you are hereby stripped of your rank and will be branded as the Fugitive you have so clearly become! Mr. Lieu with his thirst for justice will put an end to your treason today for good! Long live Lieu!”
The crowd chanted after him even louder this time, but all I could do was look at the beam in front of me. There was no warning that could have been given for the pain I experienced next. Hot metal pressed into my flesh, causing me to let out a blood-curdling scream. My eyes filled with tears as the pain deepened and I cried out again, begging for it to end. I was dying…I was dying. The world was going dark around me, through the cheering I heard screams and a sickening crack. I watched through my tears as Griffin was whipped, struggling harder against the chains binding him. This was a whole new kind of torture; I couldn’t move.
“Griffin,” my voice sounded funny and came out as a feeble and hoarse whisper. “I love you,” I croaked aching to close my eyes. I wanted it to stop, everything was too loud, too bright. I had to get to him. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t save him.
“I love you, Tess! I love you so much!” Griffin’s voice cracked from the strain, as the Sentinels whipped him across his chest this time. He loved me. We were going to die. There was no more time. I needed more time.
“Take me!” He screeched clawing against the chains, blood seeping down his face from the whip mark. “Take me instead!” He let out another blood-curdling cry as they whipped him again, but all of it sounded miles away. I was so tired. So very tired. “Tethys, hold on!” His words were piercing through the crowd less and less, and just as the excruciating pain became too much to bear, I was roughly pulled to my feet by the Sentinel.
“This Standard now bears a new brand! A symbol for her cruel actions against Lieu.” Diego locked me securely to the beam so that I was facing the audience, supported by the heavy chains. “The treble clef signifies what you once were, and the X signifies what you have become. May this brand be engraved in your flesh even in death!” The crowd’s cheers were lost in the muffled screams of the Outsiders. “You have betrayed Lieu; you have betrayed Henri la Beaulieu himself! You will die as a warning to millions of Standards after you. This is what happens when you try to overpower the great nation that we have fought for years to protect!” The Opulents were going crazy, cheering, and even throwing flowers at his feet.
Smirking, he walked past me to the beam on my right. The highest point of the star. “I have here before me an Opulent citizen who thought their rank put them beside Mr. Lieu himself. Even the highest rank, even the strongest cannot overcome the founders!” More cheering erupted as a terrified looking Opulent child walked across the stage. His cloud was a violent shade of purple, the cloud that Drew had worn like a brand.
This was a little kid, how heartless were these people? They were cheering for his death just as they had for Sugar. The poor little boy had a streak of paint across his face, no doubt from the revolution. “No one is above the law! No child, man, or woman. No Opulent, Standard, Fugitive, or Outsider can ever defy the foundations of our great society! Come forth sinful servant, pay your debts to the nation of Lieu.”
The little Opulent boy wordlessly walked over to the Head Official, his bottom lip quivering. “My sovereign,” his high voice was shaky, and he sounded as if he was on the verge of tears. “I will p–pay…for my crimes today before you, and our nation, w–with my life.” He whimpered as hot tears began rolling down his cheeks. I was surprised he even got through his lines.
“Go forth, my child, pay your debts,” Mr. Lieu nodded his head and the Sentinels ripped him away and secured him to the center post.
“Timothy Theo Mercier, you have broken the sacred rules that hold our nation together by consulting with the rebel forces and conspiring against us. You are a disgrace to your family and have committed treason to this nation. As punishment for your crimes, you are hereby sentenced with the death penalty! Long live Lieu!” Diego raised his fist in the air, roaring with the crowd as they chanted it back. I watched as Timothy broke down again, crying out for his family. I wished I could save him. I could’ve saved him.
Diego walked to the empty post beside me, seeming particularly excited. “As you all know, Insiders have been an issue for years. Wreaking havoc and killing the lives of innocents such as yourselves.” I gritted my teeth. What a liar.
“If I had to thank the rebellion for one thing, it is that some of these wretches made the mistake of revealing themselves.” With a deadly look in his eyes, I watched in horror as Miss García was led onto the platform. She didn’t look scared, instead, she held her head up high as she crossed the stage towards the Head Official.
“My sovereign,” she began getting onto her knees, smirking. “I will pay for my crimes today before you and our nation, with my life.”
He nodded, seeming taken aback at her confidence. “Go forth, servant, pay your debts.”
As she was led over to the post beside me, she gave me a little wink taking me by surprise. What did she know that I didn’t? Was she just happy to die? It didn’t seem likely.
Diego, disregarding her smirk, stood before the crowd once more. “García Hernández Pérez, you have hidden from us for many years. Lying, and conspiring with the rebel forces. You stand here today a traitor and a stain on our society. The only punishment fit for you is the death penalty! Today you claim the shame you have brought upon us!” I watched her calm expression in confusion.
The Outsider that had wired the explosives stepped forward onto the stage as he began. “The Outsiders have always carried the price of their crimes on their backs, but it seems that not even the Assassins are enough anymore.” He smirked as the hunched over man made his way across the stage to Mr. Lieu.
“My sovereign,” he began, his deep voice steady and calm. “I will pay for my crimes today before you and our nation, with my life.”
“Go forth, humble servant, pay your debts.” Mr. Lieu seemed more and more unsettled by their calm natures. He glanced around, seeming to check for any sneak attacks.
The man walked over to the pole on the other side of Timothy, waving away the Sentinels. They firmly chained him down, seeming angered by his casualness.
“Liam Charleston Hill, you have aided the rebels in the destruction of numerous monuments. Including the very stage, we once used to record our broadcasts on.” His v
oice had a sense of authority as it rang across the crowd. “You will pay for these crimes today with your life, serving as a reminder for others of just how gracious we’ve been with your kind for far too long.
“And finally, we have quite possibly the most severe display of treason in all of history.”
Walking to the post that Griffin was bound to, Diego gave him an evil grin as if he had been aching to do this for a while. “Griffin James Chainbreaker, your sins against Lieu are by far the greatest we have ever seen! You have postponed your punishments for these offenses ever since you were sixteen years old! You have murdered, and maimed hundreds, including the death of both your father and a Standard woman.”
“She was going to kill her!” Griffin roared, struggling against the chains trying to reach the Sentinel.
“And now you are the reason that she dies today!” The Sentinel cried, his voice ringing over the sound of his screams. Griffin let out a loud groan as he was slashed again, silencing him.
Diego went on, “You have put countless lives in danger, and have been living with these crimes weighing over you for over five years. You are the reason that these citizens die today and every month from this point on.” His voice rang louder than it had before, and it was filled with an angry passion. “You have killed those you love most, and you watch them die today because of your actions. There isn’t a penalty severe enough for your crimes, Griffin. I can only hope the shame and guilt are enough to torture you more than we can.” He turned to face the crowd again, raising his fists in the air. “You will be struck thirteen times for the thirteen years you escaped the wrath of this nation on the brand that you have worn since you were thirteen years old! Then you will be killed, just as you have done to so many others. May your crimes haunt you long past death!” The crowd exploded into cheers louder than ever before; they had been waiting for Griffin to die since the day he had been discovered.
Chapter Thirty
Diego and the other sentinels surged forward unchaining Griffin and ripping the shirt right off of his back, revealing the brand to everyone in the audience and the entire nation watching.
Then taking out a long whip from a bucket of water, called out to the crowd. “One!” Griffin groaned, his back tensing as he curved into the beam clawing against it. I screamed out for him, starting to move but quickly stopping when the pain became blinding.
“Two!” This time he screamed, a sound that I hoped I would never hear again. My vision was turning black at the edges from my agony, but I needed to stay awake. I needed to help him. I pulled against the heavy chains, feeling like my limbs were turning to jelly. With each strike, his cloud grew fainter.
“Three!” The sickening sound he made snapped me back into it, and I tugged again but to no avail.
“Four!” Sweat dripped down his forehead from the exertion as he clung onto the beam.
“Griffin!” I called out to him, my voice still sounding hoarse and choked up. “You’re almost there! It’ll be ok.” I hoped that he could hear me, even if it was faint. “We’re going to make it, remember? No matter what.” He lifted his tired eyes up at me, grimacing.
“Five!” He screamed again, scraping his hands down the beam. I watched, helpless, as the crimson blood dripped menacingly down the post. Staining his once white hands, and turning them into a nightmarish shade of red. With the way his breathing sounded, I was worried he would pass out. I didn’t feel much better myself.
As they raised the whip for the sixth strike, a loud shout echoed across the square. Diego turned, letting the whip fall at his feet.
“What is this?” Mr. Lieu jumped to his feet, screaming at the Sentinels. “Why did you stop?”
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Storming across the Opulent town, Mary and hundreds of people with dirt coated, worn clothes marched raising their fists in the air.
“Vive la révolution!” They screamed, hoisting their varied weapons in the air. I watched as the order fell into chaos. Opulent citizens were screaming, rushing out of their seats, the Outsiders bound by chains were cheering, raising their fists high into the air despite the weight of their shackles. Mr. Lieu was trying to soothe the crowd, but his voice was drowned out by the rebels. He was overpowered. They outnumbered the Assassins, who were gawking at the mismatched group. They pushed through their forces surging towards the stage. Miss García began unchaining herself using a bobby pin, and it suddenly made sense. All of the confident glances, the winks. They had known. They had known this was going to happen.
Once she had freed herself, she hurried over to me, trying to break my own. I watched as Liam freed the little Opulent boy, and a rush of adrenaline coursed through me. We hadn’t lost at all earlier today, our victory had only been delayed and was now being broadcast for all of Lieu to see!
“Can you walk?” She asked, finally unlocking it. I nodded my head, trying my best to control my breathing as I made the slow journey over to the place where Griffin was bound. His head hung at a concerning angle as he coughed up blood, his breathing sharp and jagged.
“Hey,” I dropped to my knees beside him. “Hey, Griffin, it’s going to be okay. You just need to hold on for a little longer.” I tried not to focus on how faint his cloud had become. The wisps of smoke above his head resembled what Hyperion had worn right before he died.
He looked up at me, tears welling in his eyes. “I…I don’t know how much longer I can hold on.” He wheezed again, crimson blood sprinkling the post.
I frantically began trying to get the silver shackles off, “Griff, we have to move, your mom is here.”
He nodded struggling to his feet beside me. I looped my arm securely around his shoulders trying to steady him. He let out a sharp cry of anguish as he took another step forward.
“It’s okay,” I slowed down, helping him stumble forward. He nodded, and I continued steadily leading him across the platform, sweat trickling down my forehead.
I watched as the battle unfolded, Outsiders and Sentinels clashing. It was pandemonium, hundreds of clouds all coming together. Every color I could imagine.
Mr. Lieu stood at the front of the platform, too deep in shock to move. I turned in his direction, a determined fire boiling within me. This was the man that had taken Drew, my brother, Sugar, and so many others. This was the man that had controlled me my whole life, had trapped me my whole life. This man had driven countless people to live in unbearable fear, sent so many innocents to their deaths. I would never live another second in peace until his blood stained the pavement of the town I had grown to hate.
“Almost there,” I grunted in between pants. Griffin gave me a grim nod, stumbling forward, his breathing staggered.
“Rafael Lieu!” Mary’s voice rang across the platform as she rose up past the crowd. “Killer of millions, captor of thousands! You stand here today no better than the very thing you swore to destroy: a Fugitive! A murderer with no motive except for his thirst for power! There is no punishment worthy of the crimes of you and your ancestors.” She reached him, nothing but hate in her cold eyes. “You killed my daughter, and today you try to kill my son. It will never be enough for you; there is not enough blood in the world to quench your thirst!”
“Vive la révolution!” The crowd roared, saluting. I saluted with the Outsiders, thrusting my fist high into the air.
“You have destroyed the very virtues that you swore to protect,” she continued, forcing him to his feet. “You declared war while you preached peace! You promised happiness and prosperity while the lower ranks starved! There is no speech, no sacrifice that can pay for the pain you have caused us. This nation has neglected the needs of its people ever since Henri la Beaulieu, the man you called a savior! The very thing you swore to protect is now the result of your downfall. May these crimes haunt you long past death!”
He looked around at the people, tears filling his grey eyes. I could see the desperation in his gaze as he scanned the crowd. The Assassins had been defeated; the Sentinels all gone. He was
alone, and no one would weep when he died.
Chapter Thirty-One
“Do you deny these accusations, Mr. Lieu?” Mary asked, gracefully stepping around him to face the crowd.
“I…” He froze, terror crossing his face. “It was for the good of this nation!”
Mary scoffed, turning on him. “Today you will die for the pain you have caused this land. You will mark the end of a reign of terror and the beginning of a new era!”
“You will destroy what we have fought for years to protect!” He screamed, desperately turning to face the crowd.
“I think you’ve done a plenty good job of that.” She snapped, then facing me, her expression softened. “Tethys, my dear child, I think you should be the one to do this.”
I gulped and gave her a grim nod before completing the journey to where they stood. Mary gently took Griffin from my grip, stepping aside.
I looked across the group of people, if I hadn’t gone through all that I had, I would likely be standing among them today. We were giving them a future, one I had thought impossible, yet today we took the first step towards it.
“I come before you as not your leader, but as one of you.” Tears came to my eyes, and I blinked them away. We were finally going to break the system that had once been declared unbreakable. “I grew up thinking there was no chance of change, and that we had no need for one. I grew up watching my loved ones perish and blaming it on everyone except the real cause. The society itself. Our system was corrupt, but no one could even get a glimpse of that because all we saw was what we were told to. We’ve been guided on a tight leash for our whole lives, and I don’t want that for my children. For your children!” I looked around at the young members of the audience. “This isn’t mercy! Forcing young kids to die for the sins of others isn’t justice. Rules that restrict our every thought isn’t a form of peace.”
I walked over to the center post, picking up the shackles. “Whether you can see these chains or not, doesn’t mean they aren’t restricting you. We have been forced into ranks, divided when we are so much stronger together! Torn apart so that we could never overthrow our oppressors.” I walked over to the post bearing the mark of the Insiders. “Dear people, persecuting innocents for the sole purpose of being different isn’t protection, it’s murder. Driving people to steal to stay afloat, because you gave your resources to those who had more than enough, then punishing them on the same degree as murder isn’t justice. It’s cowardice. It’s neglect.” Walking back to the front of the stage, a newfound determination coursed through me. “Lieu is not a wonderful nation, it’s not a place with full of customs to celebrate. It’s a vile land, built on a foundation of corrupt, unjust laws. But today we begin the long process of changing that. Today we initiate the first steps of a new nation. One that stands together, where these lines that have been engraved into our minds so deeply will be erased!” I forced Mr. Lieu onto his knees, feeling no remorse for what was about to happen. “Vive la révolution!” I screamed with the crowd, taking in my hands the very gun that had ended my mother’s life.