Bonus Insider Scene

In Aquatia: Treacherous Currents, we read of Sara visiting the Eels and making a deal with them. We then read that when Gavrio and the others were executed by Xifias by Eel-lectricution, they were actually saved. What we didn't read was how terrifying that experience must have been for them. They didn't know that Sara had prepped the Eels to act like they were attacking, but really they just got in a frenzy and pulled the humans to a safe place at the bottom of the tank. Then Septus spread as much ink as he could to make it look like dark blood spreading through the water. The humans were perfectly safe, but they didn't know that. 

Here is the story from their perspective:

The Eel-lectrocution Scene

As the Aquatians filed into the execution room, Xifias gazed about the room, wondering how many would show up for the event.  The room was about fifty feet square, the tank stretching from wall to wall.  Ten foot wide catwalks were hung along the perimeter on three sides, four feet above the water.  He estimated that the room could safely hold over a hundred people, but wondered if the catwalks would support such weight.  Not that he cared, if they collapsed then he would have that many less people to worry about. 

The execution would take place on a separate catwalk that extended into the center of the room.  There, at the end of the catwalk, was the hoist that would lower the traitors into the tank.

Xifias greeted some of the people as they entered the room, but mostly he stayed in the background, watching.  He knew there would be some attempt at a rescue, he just needed to be ready for it.

Once the catwalks were full, he ordered his soldier to bar the door and allow no one to enter or exit without his express permission.  Then he strode to the center catwalk and raised his hands for silence, upon which he stated: “King Lysander has other matters to attend to and has asked myself to officiate in his absence.”

         “We all know why we are gathered here,” he continued in a strong and clear voice, “our King desires all to have peace and prosperity, yet there are some who wish to destroy that peace and undermine the authority of the King.  If all would strive for peace, as our King does, events like these would not be necessary.  Yet in keeping with the King’s decree to purge our city of treasonous slime, it has become necessary for an execution of those so charged.”

“This pattern we now set forth will be followed for all traitors of the King, and to begin this pattern and purging process, the King has found seven individuals guilty of the crime of treason.  As I read to you the names of those so charged, take a moment to ponder in your minds if you will, on the character of each individual.  Think on their friends and acquaintances, their habits and pastimes.  For we have reason to believe there are more than these seven, and any found harboring traitors will meet the same fate as these.”

He turned to the only door leading into the room and motioned for the guard to let in the prisoners.  Xifias read off their names as they entered in single file, each had their hands tied in front.  “Pisto, Yevma, Kloi, Ravi, Gavrio . . . Elinda, and Garithes.”  There was a collective gasp from the crowd when they saw the two Council Members enter the room bound like the rest of them.  A muffle of whispers spread throughout the onlookers, many so shocked to see their Head Councilor that they could barely formulate intelligent sentences. 

Some also were shocked that a thirteen year old boy was included with the group of traitors.  A few even voiced their concerns over executing a small child, but quickly quieted when Xifias turned on them and said: “If any of you doubt the decision of the King, please step forward now.”

Those who had spoken up against the proceedings bowed their heads low, unwilling to take an action that very likely would result in their joining those on the list for execution.  When Xifias saw with satisfaction that not only had no one stepped forward, but that they had also lapsed into silence, he smiled.

With the silence, Xifias took a moment to look each prisoner in the eye, daring them to show anger or beg for mercy.  Unfortunately he was disappointed, for all seven of them merely stared back with bold defiance.

He wondered where they got their confidence from, then decided he had better increase the watch just to make sure, since the only thing that could give prisoners facing execution confidence, was the possibility of escape.  That thought made him nervous, even with the added security men from his home city of Mur, somehow the girl had evaded capture despite his greatest efforts.  Not only that, but she seemed to be somehow training the fish to help her.  That was what worried him the most, since they were surrounded by an ocean filled with innumerable fish.

Shaking off the tingles that suddenly ran up and down his spine, Xifias again addressed the crowd.  “As is customary in this setting, I would give each traitor a chance to save themselves by giving information regarding the capture of further traitors.”  Turning to the prisoners, he asked, “Speak now, for this is your last chance.”

Before he could stop himself, Gavrio blurted out: “You’ll never win!  We won’t tell you anything!”

The crowd gave a collective gasp of shock that this young man would have the audacity to shout such things at the man who held his life in his hands.  Then they turned their heads as a guard stepped forward and slapped Gavrio in the face so hard he tumbled backward.

“Please, don’t hurt him,” Elinda cried out.

Xifias only shook his head and said, “Your poor brainwashed child, it saddens me to have to extinguish the life of one so young and obviously deranged.  And yet, deranged children grow up to be deranged adults, like his companions here.”

Gavrio was fuming mad and was about to shout something else when he noticed that Garithes had stepped forward.  The whole room grew silent to hear their former Leader.

He spoke in a strong and yet calming voice, “I know each of you, we have met on numerous occasions.  We’ve discussed your jobs, the economy of Aquatia, your lives.  We’ve wept about your children and rejoiced at their successes.  With many of you I fought side by side to fend off the invading forces eleven years ago.  We’ve worked together to rebuild our city and our lives since then.  I tell you now, I and those who stand beside me are not traitors in any way.  We have always stood for what’s right for Aquatia and the world, and we continue to do so.”

Xifias nervously saw how the people in the room were getting pulled in by Garithes’ words, they actually believed him.  Xifias had to stop him, yet knew he couldn’t because he was the one who had allowed him to speak in the first place.

“I hope and pray,” continued Garithes, “that if we indeed lose our lives this night, that there will be some among you who will remember my words, remember who you know us to be, and-”

“As you can see,” cut in Xifias who couldn’t take it any longer, “there is no remorse, no guilt, and no shame.  Each of you stand as witnesses this night, that these traitors are worthy of their punishment.  The law must be upheld and our King must be protected from vermin like these.”

Before the crowd could react further, or the prisoners do anything further to incite feelings of compassion towards them, Xifias motioned for the guards closest to the prisoners to attach the hoist hooks to the ropes that bound their arms together.  The hoist had six hooks and after glancing at Xifias for confirmation, the guards hooked up all but Gavrio.  Xifias had planned this, knowing that for a boy to see his parents and friends brutally torn to pieces in front of his eyes would be upsetting, to say the least.  He knew Gavrio would soon talk, probably before the others were even lowered into the tank.

Xifias looked around the room and saw that their spectator’s eyes were locked on one of two things.  Most of them were staring away from the prisoners, not wanting to make eye contact.  Instead they stared down, into the murky waters of the tank.  Xifias took a quick glance down there and could just make out a few eels slithering along near the top.

The others had their gaze locked on the prisoners, some with sadness in their eyes, but a few had looks of derision on their faces.  He took note of which ones looked on them with indignation, figuring the information might be useful later.

Once the six prisoners were attached to the hooks, the guards looked to Xifias, who nodded, then they operated a switch and all six were slowly stretched with their hands above their heads.  Then they were lifted off the catwalk and the hoist moved out over the edge and over the open water.  Xifias saw with delight that the water was now churning with hundreds of eels, eager for food.

The hoist stopped moving to the side, and the guard operating the machine toggled a switch that began lowering the prisoners.  Xifias was interested to note that even a few of the guards turned their heads at this point, unable to watch. 

He looked first at the dangling traitors, then at the boy, hoping to see a crack in their calm confidence, but he was disappointed.  Other than a quick ‘I love you’ from Elinda to her son, they maintained their composure, even as their toes hovered just inches above the water.

Angry now at the lack of any kind of reaction, Xifias made a signal to the guard operating the hoist, and all six people suddenly dropped into the water with a huge splash.  It happened so quickly that they didn’t have a chance to react before they were sucked under by the combined forces of gravity and a couple hundred blood thirsty eels.

Instantly the water boiled with activity as a dark stain and scraps of cloth saturated it in an eerily silent bloodbath.  Xifias knew that his guards would be watching the water for any signs of survival, but he kept his focus solely on the boy.

When the boy’s friends and family first dropped into the water, Xifias had noticed a gasp of surprise.  Immediately he had then pulled against the guard restraining him, trying to get to the water, presumably to save them somehow.  Xifias could see the boy’s confidence breaking as he watched the boiling, murky water first turn dark, then slowly fade as the blood dissipated, then the water settled and all that was left were a few scraps of cloth.  As the water calmed, so did the boy’s anger until he was only a pitiful, deflated child, weeping for his family.

Xifias then walked to him and said, while towering over him, “Such a pity, and to think, they would still be alive if you had told me what I wanted to know.”  He reached down and lifted the weeping boy’s head, “it’s not too late you know.  You can tell me now, and I might spare your life.”

Suddenly the boy’s weeping eyes turned wild and with boldness he declared in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “You’ll never let me live.  Even if I told you where she was, you’d only kill her too!  You know why?  Because you are scared!  You’ve got to hide the truth because you are afraid of it.  You are afraid that if people knew that Queen Regina’s daughter has returned-”

Gavrio was stopped suddenly by a head splitting slam against his face.  This one had come from Xifias, who stood over Gavrio in uncontrollable rage.  Gavrio back crawled away from the ravenous man but he wasn’t fast enough.  Xifias grabbed the boy by his shirt front and yanked him upright.  Then he dragged him over to the edge of the catwalk and hurled him as far as he could into the water.

Gavrio curled into a ball as he flew and hit with a cannonball splash.  He quickly flailed his arms out and tried to swim to the other side, but he only made it a few strokes before getting pulled under by the attacking Eels.  Other than a few splashes as the rippling water hit the sides of the tank, the scene became deathly silent.  None of the crowd dared make a sound, for fear of directing Xifias’s wrath on them.  Instead all eyes watched as the water again turned dark, and the scraps of cloth floated to the surface.  There were a few sniffles, and some had to wipe away tears as the water once again calmed to a smooth, glossy surface.