Father Jacobs turned to the insolent man who was begging to be taught a lesson in obeying the lord's servants. His mouth was opening to command the executioner to leave the funny-speaking pretty boy for his own personal treatment, his hand upraised to wave off the execution when-

A horrible noise. A sickening smell. Hot putrid bile mixed with putrescent contents blasting into his face, nostrils, mouth, and robes. At first, he felt extreme disgust, his own bile mounting in his throat, then he knew nothing, as he fell off the gallows platform and darkness enveloped his vision. He knew nothing beyond that.

[hr]

The executioner saw the spectacular fountain of vomit catapult the priest off of the raised stage, and then he looked furtively about. The crowd had jumped back to avoid the disgustingly sodden form of the unconscious priest. All the other guards were elsewhere, administering Vicarian justice to those who were not presumably, moments from death. Finally he made up his mind and stepped closer, pulling out his knife. He held it up in front of Salim's face. 

"See this? You pay me in coin you have right now, locked up in the dungeon, for this knife." He gave Salim a look as though waiting to hear what money was being held up in the dungeon that the executioner could look forward to. At that moment however, a guard caught sight of the catastrophe at hand, and began pushing through the crowd, clubbing bystanders liberally. The executioner's eyes widened and he dropped the knife at Salim's feet, and made himself scarce.

The crowd was jumbled, and the lone guard was having trouble making headway, however it was evident to the three heroes of our narrative, and their criminal companions, that if they didn't find a way out of the noose now, their temporary stay of execution would remain just that.

Temporary.
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