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*TheEvilPrince: Magus turns out to have a ward being groomed for command named Gracchus. He's blond, oily, and gross. She ends up [[FemmeFatalons slashing his face with her fingernails.]]



** JerkassHasAPoint: On the other hand, he's very suspicious of Megan's story of being a captured Roman citizen, which she isn't.

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** JerkassHasAPoint: On the other hand, he's very suspicious of right to think Megan's story of being a captured Roman citizen, which she isn't.citizen is bogus.



* RapePillageAndBurn: Apollus reveals that the Romans engage in this for relatively minor offences, as part of maintaining dominance over a region. We also see the aftermath of a lot of it.

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* RapePillageAndBurn: Apollus reveals that the Romans engage in this for relatively minor offences, offenses, as part of maintaining dominance over a region. We also see the aftermath of a lot of it.



* Worf
* YouRemindMeOfX: Besides ItAmusedMe, Apollus's father treats Megan well because his deceased baby sister would've been around her age if she'd lived.

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* Worf
*WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** Gracchus is not present at Mount Gerizim in the finale, and is still unaccounted for by book's end...
*TheWorfEffect: After getting the run-around from Megan and Jesse, and after Megan has spent days being guarded by a twenty-men Roman escort, the Sons of the Elect ambush them on the mountain and kill them all. Besides restoring their status, it also reflects how desperate the Sons are getting.
* YouRemindMeOfX: Besides ItAmusedMe, Apollus's father treats Megan well because his deceased baby sister daughter would've been around her age if she'd lived.

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* AnywhereButTheLips: At the peak of their budding romance, Apollus has a chance for a BigDamnKiss and instead kisses Megan on the forehead. She's a little disappointed, but still finds it very sweet.
* ArmorIsUseless: Averted. Apollus's armor is very helpful. And in a more mundane fashion, his armor protects him when he and Megan jump into a thorn thicket to avoid detection.

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* AnywhereButTheLips: AnywhereButTheirLips: At the peak of their budding romance, Apollus has a chance for a BigDamnKiss and instead kisses Megan on the forehead. She's a little disappointed, but still finds it very sweet.
* ArmorIsUseless: Averted. Apollus's armor is very helpful.helmet saves him from getting killed from a blow to the head. And in a more mundane fashion, his armor protects him when he and Megan jump into a thorn thicket to avoid detection.
*BelligerentSexualTension: Megan and Apollus have lots. They're attracted to each otehr, but have a ''lot'' of differences''. The two spend a lot of time discussing topics Apollus doesn't get well.



*BigSisterInstinct: Megan spends a lot of time worrying about nine-year-old Jesse's safety, and Magus [[KickTheDog deliberately targets him because he knows it'll hurt her more.]]



* DeathOfAChild: Jesse is threatened with death and human sacrifice by the Sons. It's apparent that [[KickTheDog Magus picks him specifically because he knows it'll hurt Megan more.]]

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* DeathOfAChild: Jesse is threatened with death and human sacrifice by the Sons. It's apparent that [[KickTheDog Magus picks him specifically because Sons multiple times. He's even wounded, although he knows it'll hurt Megan more.]]makes a quick recovery.



*EvilCannotComprehendGood: The Sons believe the Scroll of Matthew contains a ritual that will allow them to ascend into heaven regardless of what deeds they've committed, ignoring that Christian doctrine teaches that one's actions ''do'' count.



* FlorenceNightingaleEffect: Megan has to spend three days hiding out in a cave with Apollus and tending to his injury while he recovers. She finds it pretty stressful.
* GivingRadioToTheRomans: Not quite. Garth mentions that he gave some Advil to a Jewish soldier who was having headaches. It worked, but also got him accused of witchcraft.

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* FlorenceNightingaleEffect: Megan has to spend three days hiding out in a cave with Apollus and tending to his injury while he recovers. She finds it pretty stressful.
* GivingRadioToTheRomans: Not quite. Garth mentions that he gave One character gives some Advil to a Jewish soldier who was is having headaches. It worked, works, but also got gets him accused of witchcraft.witchcraft.
** Megan also does a verbal version of this when she starts telling the Sons future historical events, like the date of Jerusalem's fall (three days), the date of Masada's fall (three years), and the date of Mount Vesuvius's volcanic eruption (nine years).



* HiddenWeapons: In the first chapter, Gid has Harry sew a three-inch blade into the lining of his tunic so he can have a hidden blade if he's taken capture. Harry promptly forgets about it until [[spoiler: the finale, when he cuts himself free from the Sons of the Elect and frees his friends too.]]

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* HiddenWeapons: In the first chapter, Gid has Harry sew a three-inch blade into the lining of his tunic so he can have a hidden blade if he's taken capture.prisoner. Harry promptly forgets about it until [[spoiler: the finale, when he cuts himself free from the Sons of the Elect and frees his friends too.]]



*IntimateHairBrushing: Inverted. Mary asks Harry to cut her hair as part of her SweetPollyOliver disguise. Although it's a serious occasion, it still ends up being a bonding moment for the two.
*ItAmusedMe: Besides having a fatherly soft spot for her, Apollus's dad believes Megan because there's not much to do in this patch of Judea. Taking her claims of local terrorists seriously and making her safety a priority gives the men of his garrison something to fill their hours.



*PuppyLove: Both Harry and Megan.
**Harry and Mary are both attracted to each other, but know that Harry has to go back to his own people once this over and don't let it progress...
**Apollus and Megan, meanwhile, have a more serious courtship punctuated by BelligerentSexualTension.



* RasputinianDeath: [[spoiler: Simon Magus gets stabbed, survives being ''on fire'' for something like a minute, and still needs to get rocked by Jesse with a boulder to finally go down.]]
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Apollus's father is pretty good, giving Megan and Jesse a place to stay, a generous military escort, and several sets of clothes.

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* RasputinianDeath: [[spoiler: Simon Magus gets stabbed, shot with an arrow, rocked by a head-sized boulder, and then survives being ''on fire'' on fire for something like a minute, and still needs to get rocked by Jesse with a boulder to ''a minute'' before finally go down.dying.]]
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Apollus's father is pretty good, very generous, giving Megan and Jesse a place to stay, medical treatment, a generous 20-man military escort, and several sets of clothes.



* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** Jesse and Megan end up using the echoey caves they're trapped in to sing songs.



* YouRemindMeOfX: Megan is treated very nicely by Apollus's father. Apollus states that it's because his deceased baby sister would've been around Megan's age if she had lived.

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*Worf
* YouRemindMeOfX: Megan is treated very nicely by Besides ItAmusedMe, Apollus's father. Apollus states that it's father treats Megan well because his deceased baby sister would've been around Megan's her age if she had she'd lived.

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*AnywhereButTheLips: At the peak of their budding romance, Apollus has a chance for a BigDamnKiss and instead kisses Megan on the forehead. She's a little disappointed, but still finds it very sweet.


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*CunningLinguist: Garth is a Christian scholar, and thus knows enough Hebrew that he can get the gist of writing. [[spoiler: This comes up when he sees the Scroll of Matthew's teachings during the finale.]]


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*DeathOfAChild: Jesse is threatened with death and human sacrifice by the Sons. It's apparent that [[KickTheDog Magus picks him specifically because he knows it'll hurt Megan more.]]


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*DramaPreservingHandicap: Apollus gets a strike on the head that leaves him unconscious or incoherent for three days. This means that he can't risk descending the hill to get help when he and Megan are trapped on it.
*FishOutOfWater: Just like in Ancient America, Harry's pale skin makes him an immediate anomaly. Moreover, since the Jews are being besieged by the more ethnically diverse and European Romans, it gets him immediately suspected as a spy and captured.
*FlorenceNightingaleEffect: Megan has to spend three days hiding out in a cave with Apollus and tending to his injury while he recovers. She finds it pretty stressful.
*GivingRadioToTheRomans: Not quite. Garth mentions that he gave some Advil to a Jewish soldier who was having headaches. It worked, but also got him accused of witchcraft.


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*ParanoiaFuel: Megan and Jesse end up having to swim through an underwater tunnel in complete darkness, with no knowledge of when or ''if'' it will end. Then one of them doesn't come back when they take turns...


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*ShoutOut: Megan's is a fountain of these:
**During her presentation to the Sons, she claims a flashlight is a [[Franchise/StarWars lightsaber]], and that her Aeons (the Sons' word for prophets) are [[Franchise/StarTrek James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard]].
** She nicknames two of her guards WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpy.
**While singing in their prison, she teaches Jesse several cartoon theme songs, including the ''WesternAnimation/{{Underdog}} theme song.
*SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
**Jesse and Megan end up using the echoey caves they're trapped in to sing songs.

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*ArmorIsUseless: Averted. Apollus's armor is very helpful. And in a more mundane fashion, his armor protects him when he and Megan jump into a thorn thicket to avoid detection.



* CoolSword: Gidgiddonihah keeps the sword he stole from a gladiator at the end of the last book, and the jewels on its handle prove tantamount to their survival, allowing them to barter for supplies.

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*CollapsingLair: Harry and co. make their escape from Jerusalem just as it's being sacked and burned by the Romans, creating this effect.
* CoolSword: Gidgiddonihah keeps the sword he stole from a gladiator at the end of the last book, and the jewels on its handle prove tantamount paramount to their survival, allowing them to barter for supplies.supplies.
*CrazyEnoughToWork: Apollus and Megan jump into a thicket of thorns when being pursued, since no one would think they'd be crazy enough to do so.



** Apollus and his father turn out to have one too. Apollus's mother and baby sister were killed in a carriage accident years ago, and his two older brothers were killed fighting in the wars. His father keeps him close because he doesn't want to lose his last child.
*DeliberateValuesDissonance: Mostly from Apollus. Being entrusted with Megan's safety, he mentions a lot of things that are terrifying to modern sensibilities, such as the Roman's tendency to RapePillageAndBurn in response to even a single Roman casualty.
** He also walks in on Megan while she's bathing to see if she'll get upset ''like a slave wouldn't''.
*TheHedgeOfThorns: Apollus and Megan jump into one.



* HotBlooded: Harry nearly gets killed when he comes across a girl about to be accosted by bandits and rushes in to save her. If Gid hadn't been there, he would've died.

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* HotBlooded: Harry nearly gets killed when he comes across a girl Mary about to be accosted by bandits and rushes in to save her. If Gid hadn't been there, he would've died.died.
*HumanSacrifice: Following their incoherent mishmash of beliefs, the Sons of the Elect plan to sacrifice Jesse at one point.
* {{Jerkass}}: Apollus is this. Being the son of the commander, [[PrettyBoy handsome]], and a proud Roman makes him pretty insufferable.
** JerkassHasAPoint: On the other hand, he's very suspicious of Megan's story of being a captured Roman citizen, which she isn't.



*ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Apollus's father is pretty good, giving Megan and Jesse a place to stay, a generous military escort, and several sets of clothes.



--->'''Guard:''' I've seen the Jews do lots of things they said they'd never do.

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--->'''Guard:''' I've seen the Jews do lots of things they said they'd never do.do.
* YouRemindMeOfX: Megan is treated very nicely by Apollus's father. Apollus states that it's because his deceased baby sister would've been around Megan's age if she had lived.
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* BlankBook: The Book of Matthew the Sons of the Elect are convinced will let them ascend into Heaven [[spoiler: contains nothing more than the teachings of Jesus Christ and some temple teachings. [[AnAesop The Sons of the Elect fundamentally misunderstood the point of the scriptures by ascribing supernatural power to them]].]]

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* BigDamnHeroes
* ColdBloodedTorture
* CoolSword
* DarkAndTroubledPast
* HistoricalDomainCharacter
* HotBlooded
* KnightInShiningArmor
* NarniaTime:
* RapePillageAndBurn
* SweetPollyOliver
* UnexpectedCharacter
* WarIsHell: My goodness, isn’t it.

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* BigDamnHeroes
BigDamnHeroes: Gidgiddonihah saves Harry several times over the story's course.
** The Romans also come in to help [[spoiler: during the finale.]]
* ColdBloodedTorture
ColdBloodedTorture: The Romans are engaging in a ''lot'' of this, as part of their campaign to terrify the Jews into surrender. Most notably, they've crucified ''hundreds'' of men outside of Jerusalem, so defenders can see their people dying in agony when they man the walls.
* CoolSword
CoolSword: Gidgiddonihah keeps the sword he stole from a gladiator at the end of the last book, and the jewels on its handle prove tantamount to their survival, allowing them to barter for supplies.
* DarkAndTroubledPast
DarkAndTroubledPast: Gidgiddonihah reveals his here, after seeing a refugee woman with a facial scar. When he was a young man, his wife and child died in childbirth and he threw the midwife out and threatened to prosecute her. With his position in the army at the time, he was very capable of this. By the time he changed his ways and sought her out to apologize, she'd passed away. The midwife had a similar facial scar to the refugee.
*HiddenWeapons: In the first chapter, Gid has Harry sew a three-inch blade into the lining of his tunic so he can have a hidden blade if he's taken capture. Harry promptly forgets about it until [[spoiler: the finale, when he cuts himself free from the Sons of the Elect and frees his friends too.]]
* HistoricalDomainCharacter
HistoricalDomainCharacter:
** The Jewish historian-turned-Roman Flavius Josephus appears as Symeon's connection in the Roman camp. He gets them into Jerusalem but makes it clear he's not optimistic about their chances.
** Future Roman Emperor Titus and Jewish princess Berenice appear in the camp as well.
** On a subtler note, one of the old soldiers in Apollus's camp reveals [[WhamLine he was there when Christ was crucified]] and was one of the soldiers that gambled for his clothing (Matthew 27:35). He doesn't seem to have been affected by it, though.
* HotBlooded
HotBlooded: Harry nearly gets killed when he comes across a girl about to be accosted by bandits and rushes in to save her. If Gid hadn't been there, he would've died.
* KnightInShiningArmor
KillItWithFire: The Romans elect to beat the Sons of the Elect by simply setting Mount Gerizim on fire in the finale.
** [[spoiler: This is also how Simon Magus goes out, as part of his RasputinianDeath.]]
* NarniaTime:
KnightInShiningArmor: Apollus makes his first appearance in a version of this, riding up on Megan while clad in shiny armor astride a pale horse. Megan is covered in mud at the time, and [[{{Lampshading}} notes how short-of-perfect this outcome is.]]
* RapePillageAndBurn
NarniaTime: It's revealed that while Harry's only been gone a month or so, in the present day it's been ''six months''. This is why [[spoiler: Uncle Garth decided to come after him.]]
* SweetPollyOliver
RapePillageAndBurn: Apollus reveals that the Romans engage in this for relatively minor offences, as part of maintaining dominance over a region. We also see the aftermath of a lot of it.
* UnexpectedCharacter
RasputinianDeath: [[spoiler: Simon Magus gets stabbed, survives being ''on fire'' for something like a minute, and still needs to get rocked by Jesse with a boulder to finally go down.]]
* TheReveal:
** [[spoiler: Garth Plimpton is in this time too, having followed after Harry to get him back.]]
* SweetPollyOliver: They try to disguise Mary as a boy while traveling to avoid unwanted attention, cutting her hair and dirtying up her cheeks. It works terribly, but they note that a little disguise is better than none.
* WarIsHell: My goodness, isn’t it. Murders, crucifixions, savage discipline, disease, starvation, stampedes, desperation, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the abandonment of all principle in the face of a crisis:]]
--->'''Guard:''' I'd be careful. The Jews have taken to throwing their dead into the ditch around the city.
--->'''Symeon:''' Impossible - the Jews would never treat a dead body so disrespectfully.
--->'''Guard:''' I've seen the Jews do lots of things they said they'd never do.
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Join fifteen-year-old Harry Hawkins and Megan Sorenson as they face the awesome challenges of courage and survival in the hostile world of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Now in the grasp of the evil sorcerer, Simon Magus, Meagan must conquer her greatest fears to free herself and the young Jewish orphan, Jesse. In the meantime, Harry must make an impossible journey to Jerusalem with Gidgiddonihah, the Nephite warrior, as the thundering armies of Rome seek to bring about the city's destruction. Harry's object: to recover a sacred scroll that may contain the ultimate power and mysteries of the universe — the very key to saving his friends, and perhaps even to saving himself.

Journey with our young heroes as they face flames, swords, desperate villains, and perhaps the greatest loves of both of their lives in this, the sixth volume of the award-winning Tennis Shoes Adventure Series.

!! Tropes:

*BigDamnHeroes
*ColdBloodedTorture
*CoolSword
*DarkAndTroubledPast
*HistoricalDomainCharacter
*HotBlooded
*KnightInShiningArmor
*NarniaTime:
*RapePillageAndBurn
*SweetPollyOliver
*UnexpectedCharacter
*WarIsHell: My goodness, isn’t it.

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