Normandy

3,949 years since initial death
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No victory is ever met without a major loss.

The Hundred Years' War continued, and with the French regaining their strength after Orléans, they were finally able to end the war in 1453. Forcing the English back, France had won, but not without suffering terrible losses along the way. One of which occurred in 1430, at the Siege of Compiègne. Just over a year after Orléans, Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians and was handed over to the English army.

For a year, she was held in Normandy until the time came when the English agreed on a sentence. Coincidentally, Milton was there on May 30th of 1431, during his time traveling north after Orléans. He walked through the old marketplace of Rouen, hoping to purchase some fruit for his upcoming travels.

But nobody manned the stalls. Instead, everyone was walking towards a grand open space. Hundreds of people formed crowds and mobs, all screaming and showing signs of anger. He tried to push past them to see what was happening, but that was when he made a haunting discovery.

A wooden stake was present in the center of the marketplace, and tied to it was Joan herself. Her hair had grown longer, draping behind her back. A small cross dangled from her neck as she closed her eyes. All around her, the people called her a witch. Then, a guard carrying a torch walked forward and stood beside her.

Milton's heart dropped. He screamed Joan's name at the top of his lungs. By some miracle, she heard him. She immediately opened her eyes and spotted him in the crowds below. At that moment, she wanted to speak or call out to him. But it was useless by then. Just as she watched his attempt to save her life, the stake was set on fire. One final tear rolled down her cheek, forcing her to close her eyes one last time as Milton shoved bystanders out of his way to reach her.

There was nothing he could do. The fire engulfed her right before his very eyes. A few guards noticed Milton's attempts at reaching the girl, to which he was stopped. He was pinned to the ground as the guards rushed him. His mind had been plagued by his rage as he forgot how to fight back.

The last thing he ever saw was Joan's final moment on Earth. She was executed at just the age of nineteen. Her short but courageous life had abruptly come to an end.

As if God himself came to carry her away, the wind suddenly grew in strength. Just as Joan's final breath escaped her body, everyone could feel the wind howl violently despite being calm beforehand. The clouds in the sky slightly darkened as a pillar of light beamed directly over the cross.

But just as it happened, it all faded away. The wind returned to normal as the light disappeared behind the moving clouds. It all came to an end.

Milton was hauled away to a prison cell within the Rouen Fort's dungeon. He was recognized and found guilty of treason against the English country. His sentence was death by wheel, a method of torture and execution reserved for only the worst criminals.

Stripped naked, Milton was tied to a cross. Each of his limbs and joints were severely beaten with an iron bar, rendering him paralyzed. Every part of him was dislocated to the point his arms and legs could fold in ways that were impossible. But the worst part was still to come for him.

A live audience gathered to watch as Milton was dragged towards a large wooden wheel. Because every limb was broken and dislocated, his arms and legs were forcefully wrapped and tied to parts of the wheel's circumference. His torso would remain in the center of the wheel as it was hooked to the top of an axel that was nailed to the ground. It left him elevated in the air, lying in a horizontal position.

Then, the wheel was turned. This would cause his remaining bones to break simultaneously and deliver an unholy amount of excruciating pain. It continued to spin until his death. Afterwards, his head was severed and placed atop a spike in the city's gated entrance as a warning to other criminals and traitors. As for the rest of Milton's body, it would remain attached to the wheel.

Occasionally, a few ravens and crows would fly around the wheel and stop by to rip his body apart. When nothing but a skeleton remained, Milton's bones were discarded into the Seine River. The same river Joan's remains were cast into after her execution.

It would mark a truly horrific end, one that Milton could remember to be his most violent death.

However, none of that ever happened.

That's how the execution was planned, but Milton already knew what to expect. He'd be damned if anyone were to execute him this way.

What the English guards failed to realize before this exeuction was the state of Milton's sanity. He had seen nothing but his own daughter when he first laid his eyes on Joan. For them to execute her at the stake was like murdering Aisha in front of his very eyes. His anger was indescribable. If they had known how ferocious he would become, they would have preferred to decapitate him on the spot.

On his final night before his execution, he had accumulated more anger than he ever had before in his life. The last time he had felt this way was in Pompeii before the flow killed him. But this was different, it felt worse. It was a new emotion that not even he knew anything about. He walked towards the cell door as his hands trembled. His fingers twitched as he slowly felt his mind wander into oblivion.

At that very moment, Milton was mentally dead. What remained of him was nothing but his outer shell, as he unconsciously took several steps backwards. His mind was entirely lost, he was acting out of sheer rage. Just beyond the cell door, a lion slowly strolled by. Its scarlet eyes resonated vibrantly.

It gave him the very signal he needed. That was when he sprinted towards the door and bashed it with his full strength. The amount of pressure and force he applied to the door was enough to snap the cell's lock. He became a human battering ram that forcefully ripped the door off.

The noise of his escape caught the attention of the nearby guards. Milton quickly walked over to the nearest wall and removed a lit torch. When the guards finally arrived, he faced them down with nothing but his torch. But when his eyes caught the lion walk behind them, he could hear a voice begin to speak to him inside his very mind.

Kill them.

The voice was deep and sounded like his own, but far more sinister. He watched the lion carefully and understood what it meant. There's a reason he's seen this lion a couple of times before throughout his life.

His wrath knew no bounds.

Kill them all, leave none alive.

What followed was nothing short of torment.

Every guard was severely beaten with brute force and set ablaze with his torch to die painfully. They never stood a chance, not when facing Milton's raw power, his pure wrath. He dropped his torch after the short fight, walking past the taunting lion and towards the exit while the deafening screams of burning men quickly faded away behind him.

He gave them a taste of their own medicine.

It's what they deserved.

Once he made it outside, he found himself surrounded by castle walls. If he walks through the front gate, he would surely catch unwanted attention. But it didn't matter, the bells were quickly sounded. Despite his hatred, he was done fighting. Instead of running out the front, he walked towards the walls ahead.

Using nothing but his hands, he started climbing the wall. He took advantage of every crack and held onto any frames he could get his hands on. Most of the guards in the fort watched the entrances while the rest looked for the escaped prisoner. He had already scaled the walls, standing at the edge.

Resting over a wooden crate was a dark cloak. He donned it and lowered the hood as he stood over the side of the walls. Below him was the Seine River. He hesitated, knowing this was where Joan's remains were scattered. Just the thought of it was enough to hurt him, but he kept his emotions from spilling. Finally, he took a deep breath and spread his arms one last time.

He dived into the river below, disappearing into the dark abyss of the night.

His time with Joan had taught him a valuable lesson, and he finally overcame his dark thoughts. There would be no more unnecessary bloodshed. There will be no more wars to enlist in. Instead, if he must fight, it will only be to protect his loved ones; just as he had done in the past.

Returning to the man his family once knew in Egypt, he was going to change his ways for the better. Instead of cursing at the idea of living for so long, he was going to make the best of it. Even if he was to suffer for an eternity, the least he could do was spare as many lives as he could from his pain.

Milton didn't return to England after the war was over, nor did he miss his old home in Ireland. Now was not the time to become homesick and spend his years away in isolation. There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes. He plans on living it to its fullest extent. He thanked the Maiden of Orléans for helping him acknowledge this truth.

She helped him fulfill the prophecy that was bestowed upon him by the Oracle of Delphi. Just as the Oracle had informed him, he did discover his true purpose in life. The meaning behind his immortality. His ultimate destiny.

As he walked over the Earth, he remained steady.

These adventures helped him realize just how to define his own destiny.

For as long as he'll continue to live for, he will always prioritize the safety of those he loves.

His story doesn't end here.

He knew the only fate worse than losing a friend is to live a life without one at all.

So he continued his travels, never showing signs of fear and cowardice.

Although his anger had often been beyond words and beyond bounds, he learned to control his emotions.

He will be the one to guide others towards a brighter future.

It's why he continued to live, because he has the heart to reveal his humanity to the world.

These were the valuable lessons he had learned throughout every chapter of his life. Joan helped him realize it. Although she's gone, her soul and legacy live within him. This was Maalik's path. Alongside everyone he's ever known and lost, he walked down his path and finally understood the truth.

He will never be alone.

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Historical Notes:

Upon her capture, Jeanne tried to escape from the castle she was held in, only to fail. She made a second escape attempt, jumping out of a window of a seventy-foot tall tower and landing over a dry moat. She survived, but was injured and later recaptured.

During Joan of Arc's trial, she impressed all the witnesses and interrogators by answering each of their questions maturely and avoiding any traps they laid for her. Even when threatening her with torture if she does not submit, she still refused. But because of her well manners and attitude, she was never tortured.

However, she would later submit and sign not to bear arms and not to dress in men's clothing. When taken back to her cell, she was met with mistreatment as there were even a few rape attempts against her from the English guards. 

It was 22 years after her execution that it was decided her trial was illogical. She was a prisoner of war being treated as a political prisoner, and being put to death without basis. She should have never been executed.

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