WARNING!! This work is fiction and contains depictions of violence, self-harm, and offensive language. Read at your own discretion.
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"Let death be not the end, but a passage that heralds the birth of a fruitful existence."-Keliath the Forsaken.
The sky was heavy and grim,
I thought to myself.
It might rain today.
"We stand here today, in the presence of the Lord and the judgment of Prisoner No. 7, Ren Chikara."
The judge's voice dripped with disdain, his gaze piercing through me like an arrow.
"His crimes are grave, his sins run deep, and his actions can only be described as the work of a devil!"
He paused, then with a deliberate flourish, the judge reached into his robe and pulled out a long, white parchment, the edges frayed with age. A crimson-red seal stamped with the emblem of a snake glistened ominously at the bottom. He cleared his throat and a heavy silence enveloped the courtroom. The air filled with tension, as the spectators leaned in, their faces a blend of curiosity and malice. They were eager for the spectacle of my downfall.
"Each transgression carries a weight that cannot be ignored. I shall refrain from delving into the sordid specifics, but they include the following:
Harassment,
abuse of a noble,
mistreatment of a noble—specifically, the near-fatal beating of said noble—
Theft—"
The judge's voice droned on, but my mind raced with disbelief. False. All of it.
A simmering anger built within me. I couldn't just sit and accept this travesty.
"Debauchery, child endangerment—"
"WAIT!" I interrupted, my voice cutting through the judge's rhetoric.
"I have never, in my life, committed any of those crimes! I swear upon my father."
The judge paused, turning to regard me with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. Silence reigned as the courtroom awaited his reaction.
[You noble pricks!] I fumed internally, my heart pounding. I continued to plead. "Maybe you don't understand my plight, so allow me to express it in terms your nobleness might grasp…" I cleared my throat dramatically, trying to channel the fervor of a commoner wronged.
"THY HATH COMMITTED NO SUCH CRIMES!"
The judge raised an eyebrow, unamused, before he began to speak.
"It's not that I don't understand—"
"ME NO HAS COMMIT CRIMES!" I bellowed, my desperation morphing into defiance.
"Look, pris—"
"ME, CRIME, ME NO CRIME!"
"Okay, you're not even trying anymore—"
"CRIME, ME, N—"
"ENOUGH!"
The judge's voice boomed like thunder, drowning out the chaotic whispers of the crowd.
"Prisoner No. 7! So it seems you are claiming innocence, seeing as you have not committed any of these crimes?"
I hesitated, weighing my words carefully. "Well... not exactly."
"Not, exactly?" The judge questioned.
I cleared my throat.
"The um... The abuse of the noble, was correct, yes, but theft? Debauchery? And child endangerment? How can I be guilty of child endangerment when I am but a child myself?"
The judge's sigh was heavy with exasperation.
"Prisoner No. 7, I have a record that states all the crimes I just listed are true. It is better for you and us, deer me if I say, you no longer persist with your arrogance."
" But-. "
"Prisoner No. 7... I will no longer continue this conversation and deem it as your final words. I will also no longer continue with the list of crimes and will now proceed to the order of sentencing."
[Final words?]
[Finished with the listing?]
[There was more crimes to be listed?] My mind raced as panic gripped me. Barely catching the final words of the judge.
"And so, with the authority vested in me, I hereby sentence Prisoner No. 7 to... IMMEDIATE EXECUTION!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, a cacophony of voices celebrating the bloodlust. I hadn't been given a moment to intervene, the gavel had fallen, and my fate was sealed.
A bunch of street rats they were.
There I stood, my neck just inches below the blades of the executioners', poised to deliver my fate. Their faces were as cold as the steel they wielded, expressionless and unyielding, as if I were nothing more than refuse to be discarded. In their eyes, I saw no hint of humanity, only the chilling resolve of men who had long since buried any trace of compassion.
To them, I was likely nothing more than refuse, a piece of garbage deserving of the punishment that awaited me. This was just another day for the executioners, a grim routine etched into their lives. Each condemned soul was a faceless statistic, lost amid the echoes of past executions, and I was merely the next.
But I was innocent... Or at least somewhat so. , I became a scapegoat for exaggerated crimes, and no matter how I pleaded my case, the scales of justice were tipped in favor of the powerful, leaving the weak like me voiceless and vulnerable. In a world where gold buys truth and influence silences the righteous, I was but a pawn, trapped in a game I never wanted to play.
The executioners' muscles tensed as they inhaled sharply, the air thick with dread. Their eyes locked on the prisoner—a silent acknowledgment of the chilling power they wielded in this final moment.
But from the pits of despair came hope.
"WAIT!" came a voice from the crowd. The executioners halted.
The judge grunted.
"Ugh, not again."
It was Lily.
"Don't kill him!" she pleaded. "He doesn't deserve this!"
I was taken aback.
[Thank you, Lily.] I thought, my heart swelling.
[At least one person believes in me, in this wretched work.] I managed a smile, grasping onto her hope.
Lily was a sweet girl, both in character and appearance. She had a warmth that drew people in, always greeted with a smile that could brighten even the darkest days. Her laughter was infectious, and I often found solace in her presence, especially during tough times. I cherished the moments when she cheered me up, reminding me that there was still goodness out there. She stood out in a sea of faces as one of the few I could call a friend—or so I thought.
"Instead we should make him suffer! Let's make his death a slow and painful one."
[F*ck you Lily, I thought you were sweet]. I held back tears.
Intrigued, the judge asked.
"Oh, interesting. And what do you propose we should do with him?"
"His sins are grave and I've hated that guy for a long time," she said with a burning passion.
"Hated me?? I thought we were friends." I asked sheepishly.
"Friends, pfft! You're a freak! You always have such a creepy expression, and you're always constantly chuckling to yourself. It's weird! I was only nice to you because I felt sorry for you. And now that I don't have to see that creepy face of yours again, I can finally drop the act." disgust, was all I could describe her face, smile, and beauty...gone.
" And so I say, we throw him into the Abyss... Alive! "
The Abyss was a vast chasm at the heart of Altia, a grim resting place for the dead. Here, the souls of the departed were said to drift into eternal slumber. Executions were routinely carried out at its jagged edges, where heads would roll effortlessly into the dark depths below—an unsettling but efficient means of disposal. It was not just a site of punishment; the Abyss also drew those in despair, a haunting destination for those seeking to end their suffering. This place, often referred to as the "Dead Man's Hole," loomed over the living as a stark reminder of mortality and the finality of life. The Abyss.
"You've piqued my interest, little girl." "Prisoner No7, I hereby sentence you to death... By falling! " said the judge.
I stood there, awe-struck, not by the situation itself, but by the weight of the betrayal. A close friend I had known for years had condemned me to a punishment far more brutal than immediate execution. The realization settled heavily on my chest, suffocating in its intensity. It was a betrayal that cut deeper than any blade, leaving me grappling with the disbelief that someone I trusted could turn against me so mercilessly. The shock of it all was paralyzing, as I struggled to comprehend how the bond we once shared could devolve into this.
I looked up the sky, and it began to rain.
I could feel the odd sensation of a foot against my back, as pressure was applied.
Then I heard it, a familiar chime.
"We stand here today in the presence of the lord."
Another judge began to trail off.
"And that of prisoner... No8."
Horror gripped me as I felt my body begin to shake. There, on the chopping block, stood a familiar figure, flanked by two imposing executioners. My heart raced, disbelief coursing through me as I struggled to comprehend the grim reality unfolding before my eyes.
"YOU PROMISED ME!!" I yelled
"You promised me you wouldn't touch them! YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOULDN'T TOUCH THEM! " I exclaimed.
The judge continued trailing on about the details and the list of the crimes they had committed, all of it false.
"Their crimes are grave and their sins run deep. So with the authority given to me, I hereby sentence Prisoner No8... To IMMEDIATE EXECUTION!!"
"NOOO!!" I yelled.
"They're innocent!" But my voice was not heard.
The swords fell. The chilling slice of the blades, as they glided ever so effortlessly through flesh. The familiar figure crumpled, the finality of it struck me like a dagger.
My body stopped shaking, and the blood inside of me began bubbling, an unfamiliar rage.
"YOU BASTARDS!! I WILL KILL YOU ALL!! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!!" I yelled.
"I WILL MAKE YOU ALL PA-"
Shove!
I was pushed, by that bastard judge.
And as I fell, time seemed to slow to a halt, the motionless clouds, painted against the blue canvas, the motionless flock of birds, dotted against the sky, and the motionless body, sat slumped on the chopping block. As the judge struggled to remove his grin from his face, planting his foot back onto the chopping block. .. What a wretched world.
[Is this how it ends?] I thought.
[Is this how I die?]...
PATHETIC! Truly pathetic.
[Death by falling, and I failed to protect them... I SWORE TO PROTECT THEM...]
[F*ck..]
[If-If only I was stronger.] I began to pity myself, listing all the things I could have done, knowing full well they were all just excuses. I was weak, and that's all there was to it...
I continued to fall...
And continued...
And continued...
[How deep is this hole?] I wondered.
[It must be one massive hole if it gives me enough time to dialo-]
THUDD!!