Archolia Chapter 42 - The Knight

Before anyone even has a chance to wonder if the show is over, a cackle fills the air, barely heard over the rumbling roar of the beast.  The witch flies out of the pit and holds on to the edge of the plank.
The crowd exclaims and draws back in fear  as the beast rises out of the pit, grabbing the witch and tossing her into the air.
Only the executioner, town crier and Sir Ivan remain near the pit.  The three of them determined to make sure the witch dies and is not allowed escape.
The beast lowers itself quickly into the pit, forcing the witch to free fall a great distance to join the beast back in the depths of the foggy unknown.
Despite the distance of her fall, the witch does not give in to the beast.  She can be heard fighting the beast with all of her might.  The beast’s roar rolls like laughter, as if it’s enjoying its new plaything.  A few brave curious onlookers creep to the side of the pit and gaze in, unable to see a thing.
Again the beast rises out of the pit.  This time the witch is cackling, hanging on to one of its claws as if she is on horseback.
Her eyes are full of evil madness.  Her laughter joins with the beast’s roar into a ear piercing cacophony of noise that causes the onlookers to hold their ears.
The rest of the crowd draws back even further, thinking the witch may actually survive this.  A few of the very brave, remain near the pit, hoping to witness up close and personal, the witch’s final demise.
The beast effortlessly tosses the witch witch away.  She hits the side of the pit with a blow that would have instantly killed most.  She is thrown so hard that she appears to stick there for several minutes.
Finally she falls, only to be thrown yet again by the beast.  She gracefully flies several feet into the air.  As she begins to descend, she holds her hand out to catch the plank.
The crowd gasps as she succeeds in grabbing the plank.  She crawls onto the plank, but does not get far, before the beast rushes out of the pit in a streak of blue scales and sharp claws.  It grabs the witch by her legs.
The witch is pulled back into the pit.
The witch continues to fight. The beast throws her into the air and opens its mouth wide  and positions itself right under her, allowing gravity to bring her into its throat and into its belly.
She falls into the mouth of the beast.  This time there is no fighting.  The beast lazily slithers down into the fog.
The beast emerges from the pit one last time and spits the witch’s bones out.  They land in a pile next to the pit.
Watching the witch’s fight within the pit, there is no doubt of the evil that empowered her. The crowd watches with wide eyes and shock as the grim reaper arrives to gather the witch’s spirit. 
Ivan has witnessed the final execution of witch Tregereth who will terrorize the kingdom of Archolia no more.

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