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4.76% Beauty and the Immortal: It started with a dig / Chapter 6: Awakened executioner

Chapter 6: Awakened executioner

Mallory's heart pounded along with the clouds that growled in the sky. When the lightning flashed once again, both women jumped in their places. 

"This is not an artefact. It's a person..." Mallory shouted against the rain. 

"Oh my goodness! We've unearthed a woman's final resting place!" Hattie responded, her words filled with worry, much like a hamster that had taken an unfortunate tumble. 

However, Mallory's curiosity peaked. Grasping the lantern that Hattie had abandoned, she cast its glow upon the coffin's occupant. She stated, "This is not a woman."

There lay a man, as if he had just been laid to rest that very morning. 

His clean, shaven face highlighted his strong jawline. His closed eyes rested below dark eyebrows that were slightly arched. Occasionally, his features would soften when the lightning failed to strike. His cheekbones were sculptures of subtlety, framing the noble straightness of his nose and the fullness of his lips. 

His skin was turning paler from the drops of water that continuously fell on him, while his long, black hair lay soaked, a dark halo forming around his serene face. 

"Milady!" Hattie called out to Mallory. "There's no other square headstone around. Perhaps what Lady Selia said was only stories." 

The flicker of hope that had ignited earlier faded, leaving Mallory in darkness again. She understood that the odds were against her, yet she clung to a glimmer of hope for her survival. The so-called powerful object didn't exist… and her hand tightened in disappointment. 

"You're probably right," Mallory conceded, letting out a sigh of exasperation. 

She knew if her grandmother was watching her now, she might be laughing at her for pointlessly digging up a grave. Because that was how her grandmother was, peculiar at odd times. Gathering her thoughts, she said, 

"We should restore the grave to its original state. You can take a break." Her arms ached from the relentless work, and she could only anticipate that the discomfort would intensify as time passed. "Here, take the lantern." 

Passing the lantern to Hattie, Mallory went to pick up the lid of the coffin. Unbeknownst to her, blood from her earlier wound trickled and fell on the dead man's face. 

"Forgive me for disturbing your sleep," Mallory whispered to the dead, before closing the coffin. 

Climbing out of the dug ground, Mallory began pushing the mud back into the hollowed earth. It was much easier than digging and took less time. Unable to see her lady working alone, Hattie soon joined, helping to finish the task.

"I can feel every inch of my arms," Mallory said, massaging them one at a time. 

"It is finally done, milady," Hattie huffed. Simultaneously, the rain finally came to a stop. As they walked, she noticed Mallory's arm and exclaimed, "Your arm is bleeding!"

Quickly, Hattie bandaged Mallory's arm with a handkerchief before they left the locked graveyard. But when they crossed the graveyard, Mallory stopped her maid from stepping forward. 

Mallory stared far ahead of them. Adjacent to their carriage stood two additional carriages, accompanied by four guardsmen. And there was George Kingsley accompanying them. By now, even the maid had caught sight of them, and her peaceful expression fell off her face. ​​

Before a word was spoken, George spotted them.

"She's there!" George raised his voice, angrily pointing his finger at them. "Catch her!" 

"Hattie, hurry!" Mallory urged, abandoning the shovel and lantern before pulling her maid along. 

Mallory and Hattie ran as quickly as possible on the slippery, damp ground. The men closely chased them, hot on their trail. As the women grew tired, it was only a matter of time before the men captured the maid and subsequently Mallory. 

"Let go!" Mallory demanded, struggling to break free. Despite the guardsman's efforts to restrain her, she managed to deliver a forceful blow to his stomach with her knee. 

"Omph!" The guardsman grunted, releasing her as pain shot through him.

Unfortunately, Mallory's luck took a turn for the worse when George forcefully grabbed her, twisting her wounded arm and pinning her against a tree. She let out a cry of suffering. 

"What do you think you are doing?!" Mallory demanded, feeling pain shoot from her arm even more than before. She felt helpless. 

"Capturing the killer of the Winchester family," George murmured, subtly shifting his position to stand closer behind her. He inhaled the scent of her damp hair. He then stated, "Mallory, you have violated the rules. Murdering Lord Wilfred and his wife, along with the servants. You pose a significant danger to Reavermoure, and the town's head has issued a direct order for your arrest."

"I'm innocent! It was Baron Kaiser, not me!" Mallory protested.

"Lady Mallory is innocent!" Hattie spoke up, only to be met with an angry glare from George. 

"Assisting a criminal and aiding her escape—rest assured, your actions will not go unnoticed, servant," George threatened. He gestured to two guards, who forcefully removed the maid. He then told Mallory, "We discovered your carriage packed with belongings, indicating your intent to escape. Had you accepted my proposal, I could have assisted you... Maybe you've had a change of heart?"

Mallory clenched her jaw in response. Attempting to calm her mind, she simply nodded to George's satisfaction. She sensed his grip on her hand loosen, allowing her to turn and meet his eyes. 

"I told you several days ago. Did I not? I am your only opportunity," George declared with a smug smile, each word oozing confidence. 

"I know..." Mallory replied, her hands tightly clenched. "But I also told you." 

A look of confusion crossed George's face, and just as he was about to ask about it, Mallory swiftly raised her hand and delivered a powerful punch to the man's face. She was certain she heard a crack.

"ARGGH!" George groaned loudly. 

"I would never marry you. Not a worthless man like yourself!" Mallory glared at him.

"You wretched woman!" George, furious and seething, touched his bleeding nose.. With a sudden motion, he grasped her neck, causing her to collide forcefully with the tree. He watched her under his hold, licking his lips before saying, 

"I've been lenient with you, wanted to extend kindness, and even prevented my father from punishing your family for the embarrassment you caused. But it seems you prefer a direct approach. I'll teach you a lesson before you die."

Mallory's face turned pale as she grasped the meaning behind his words. As he moved closer, she fiercely clawed at his face, causing him to let out another yelp. 

George's fury reached its peak, and this time he was the one who raised his hand. With a single blow to her head, she fell unconscious and collapsed to the ground. 

When Mallory regained consciousness, her head and body hurt immensely. She squinted her eyes, before pushing herself to sit upright. As she looked around, she noticed the rusted iron bars before her and the walls surrounding her on three sides. 

Dungeon. She was in Reavermoure's dungeon. 

Mallory's chest was filled with a sense of dread and anxiety. She hurriedly dashed to the front of her cell, gripping the iron bars tightly as she desperately called out for help. 

"Is there anyone present?! Please! Hello?" 

"Be quiet! Do you not realise that it is unacceptable to create a disturbance?" A guard reprimanded her from the end of the corridor, out of her line of sight. 

"But it's a mistake that I am here!" Mallory didn't stop trying to clear up the confusion that was circulating. "I am innocent here! I didn't harm or cause harm to anyone—"

"Yes, you didn't kill anyone, and I didn't fuck a woman in here for not shutting up her mouth," the guard warned about the consequences of not remaining silent. 

Mallory bit her lip in anger. No one was listening to her, and they were only jumping to conclusions! She was angry at Baron Kaiser, but George Kingsley… She was going to haunt him first when she turned into a ghost! 

Her right hand still throbbed from the force of her punch to his face. 

She hopefully tugged on the iron bars, hoping they would break away given their rather rusty appearance. A sigh escaped from her when they remained in their place. She glanced at the tiny window of the cell, only to find that daylight still lingered. 

Where was Hattie? 

Anxiety clouded Mallory's expression. She shouted out, "Hattie, are you here?!" 

"You bitch! You don't close your damn mouth. I will sew it shut for you!" The guard let out a menacing growl, causing Mallory to swiftly move back from the iron bars. 

She hoped Hattie was safe. If something happened to her maid, it would be all her fault. Had she not proposed to dig up the grave, they would have left Reavermoure by now. She closed her eyes, praying Hattie would be fine. "Please be alive," she prayed silently. 

After what felt like hours, Mallory heard the guard's voice, "Mallory Winchester? She's here."

Was it Colette who had come for her? Her cousin must have finally understood that she hadn't killed anyone. Sh—

Her face dropped with disappointment upon realising it was Baron Kaiser. With an angry voice, she asked, "Here to witness my downfall?" 

"I wish. However, I must depart for Wingston as my presence is required there, and the journey is quite lengthy," the baron responded in a composed and steady tone. "It has come to the town head's attention that you were the only person in the manor apart from the deceased at the time of their deaths. Kingsley made it effortless, though. He said you tried to rob your relatives' bodies." 

"Did you find what you were looking for in my manor?" Mallory questioned, and the look in the man's eyes turned grave. 

She couldn't fathom that just days ago, she had been envisioning a future with this person. This murderer. 

"Unfortunately, no. What a disappointment it was," he said, appearing tired at the thought of it. Looking at her, he remarked, "You look rather dull. I will order that the guard provide you with better food. Everybody deserves a memorable last meal before their death."

She was going to die… The thought sank into Mallory's mind. 

As she stared at the space in shock, the baron walked away from there without sparing her another word. 

As the sky shifted its hues in the evening, Mallory found herself forcefully dragged from her cell, her wrists bound by cold chains. A guard led the way, with another following closely behind. As she stepped forward, her spirits plummeted, and tears welled in her eyes. 

However, even in the face of death, Mallory was determined not to reveal any weaknesses in front of those who didn't deserve it. They walked through the passageways, where flickering torches illuminated the walls, and before long, the distant noises of the crowd reached her ears.

They finally emerged into the open, met with the angry outbursts and shouts of the townsfolk. The sky was a beautiful blue and peach, transitioning to the night. At least the view was favourable, though not the position she was in, Mallory thought to herself. 

She suddenly experienced a harsh pull through the chain, which caused her to stumble and climb the scaffold. 

"Punish her quickly! How dare she kill people!"

"Execute her already!!" 

"She must be held accountable for her actions! May divine mercy elude you, you heartless woman!" 

The townspeople had gathered with great anticipation around the scaffold to witness her execution. Some people even went as far as to fling spoiled fruits and vegetables at her. One landed squarely on her cheek, leaving a redness. 

"QUIET!" The hangman's assistant shouted loudly to quieten the crowd. "QUIET!" 

It took a good few seconds before the people went silent. The hangman's assistant pulled the scroll that he was holding in his hands, before he read it out loud.

"MALLORY WINCHESTER IS HEREBY ACCUSED OF BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF LORD WILFRED WINCHESTER, LADY DORIS WINCHESTER, AND THE SERVANTS WHO WORKED THERE. SHE WAS DETAINED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FLEE FROM REAVERMOURE, WHICH SUGGESTS OF HER BEING GUILTY. MOREOVER. SHE WAS DISCOVERED WITH A SHOVEL BESIDE THEIR GRAVES."

The crowd surrounding the scaffold let out a collective gasp and murmur. They regarded Mallory with a mixture of shock and repulsion. 

At the same time, a person's polished black shoes made their way towards the crowd. 

On the scaffold, one of the guards unchained Mallory's hands, before she was pushed to kneel down before the wooden platform where her head would rest. 

In her final moments, her eyes raked through the crowd to find her cousin, who wore an angry expression, and refused to look at her even though she was there. She eventually discovered Hattie, who was visibly upset. She was relieved to see her maid, knowing that she was safe. There also stood the town's head and George, watching her with the rest. 

"AS A RESULT OF THE CRIMES SHE HAS COMMITTED, SHE WILL FACE EXECUTION!"

Following the hangman's assistant's statement, once again the crowd erupted in yelling and screaming. This was it, she pondered quietly. This was the essence of her existence, and it would end here. 

"HEAD DOWN!" Mallory was commanded, and she let her head rest to the side with her face facing the executioner with an axe in his hand. "POSITION!"

Her heart pounded in her chest. She watched the executioner come stand next to her, taking his position, and upon the hangman's assistant's word, he raised the axe. This time, she closed her eyes tightly. 

The crowd fell silent, holding their breath, and they heard the man declare, "EXECUTE!" 

Mallory, who was anxiously awaiting her fate, was startled by a sudden, jarring noise beside her, causing her heart to leap. After a second, when she finally opened her eyes, she found herself looking at the executioner, who was now sprawled on the ground. 

"What happened?? What's happening?"

"Did the executioner faint?!" Curiosity filled the air as onlookers strained to catch a glimpse. 

Mallory lifted her head and observed a trail of blood staining the floor of the scaffold where the executioner was situated. He was dead. 

The hangman's assistant's eyes grew wide as he exclaimed, "Blood..." His words swiftly circulated, and he then gazed at the gathering and questioned, "Who was it?! Who killed him?!" 

Everyone exchanged glances until they caught a man standing at the back. One after another turned to look at the mysterious tall man. He stood with an air of sophistication, donning a sleek black coat over his black shirt. His ebony hair cascaded down his shoulders. 

When Mallory noticed the man, her complexion grew pale. No… That was not possible, she said to herself. 

A smirk played at the corner of the man's lips as he played with a pebble in his hand. He remarked, "It seems my aim hasn't lost its touch. Shame to interrupt the main event, but I do hate missing a good show."


Chapter 7: Fear in Reavermoure

Music Recommendation: Knives out! - Nathan Johnson

Mallory stared at the man whom she and Hattie had seen in the coffin, from the same grave they had dug out. Did she not close the coffin's lid properly? Maybe she was already dead, and she was now imagining things. That was the only possible explanation here!

When her blue eyes met the man's gold ones, the colour of her face further fell while a trickle of fear ran down her spine. 

D—Dead person… staring at me. Grandmother, I have been cursed! Mallory screamed in her mind. 

The townsfolk stared at the stranger, whom they had never seen before. Hattie, who finally realised why the man looked familiar, quickly hid behind people with her eyes wide. She turned to look at her ladyship and shared a look of distress. On the other hand, George, who wanted to take the initiative to show he was a hotshot, stepped forward with his crooked and bruised nose. He demanded, 

"How dare you halt an important execution?! Who do you think you are?" 

"God," deadpanned the man. "Now kneel down and pray."

George's mouth fell open at the response before he fixed his face and questioned, "Do you know who I am? If my father—"

"What happened to manners? Probably committed suicide. What happened to your nose?" The man emphasised this by pointing his finger to his nose. 

The son of the count blushed, partly due to embarrassment and partly due to anger. Because the townsfolks' eyes turned to look at him. He said, "Don't change the subject! You killed the executioner and you will be subjected to punishm—"

"Who, poor old me? I wouldn't hurt a fly," the mysterious man proclaimed with an oblivious look before a grin spread on his lips. 

George looked mad at being interrupted and talked over. With heavy steps, he made his way towards the man, extending his fist and swung at him. The man simply took a step back, and George missed his shot. When he was attempting to recover, the man used only one hand to twist the count's son's wrist with his fingers. He then crushed the bone with one quick movement. 

"AHHH!" George yelped in pain.

Mallory, who was on the scaffold, had a clearer view of what was going on, and she could tell George Kingsley was attempting to keep his composure, but his lips trembled, wanting to scream with anguish. 

If she had been concerned before, she was now terrified of what this man from the coffin could do. Maybe she should take this opportunity to run while everyone was busy staring at this person. As if testing the waters, she went to adjust herself while standing on her knees. But as soon as she did, the intimidating man's gaze flickered to her. She gulped. She would have to wait for the appropriate moment. 

In pain, George ordered, "Guards! Take this man to the cell!"

This didn't sit well with the man before him, whose eyes languidly moved in the directions where the guards were making their way towards him. He raised the pebble that was between his fingers, and with one flick, one of the guards fell backwards and onto the ground. 

Gasps of shock escaped from the people's lips, and the guards paused their feet, without daring to take another step. 

"You don't have to praise me for that. It wasn't even my best hit," the man rolled his eyes, before sending an annoyed glare at George. "You know," his voice drawled. "I woke up in a bad mood. I had to find a tailor of my taste and finally found decent clothes that were ironed crisp. And you trying to crinkle it up makes me very upset now," he frowned. 

The town's head took a couple of steps forward, while still maintaining distance and reminded the stranger, "You do know it is against the law to kill a person. A sin! Mur—"

"It seems you are unhappy with my previous demonstrations, but no worries," the man sighed, slipping his hand into the pocket of his coat, and the people around him stiffened. But he only pulled out an old pocket watch to glance at it. 

"W—what do you want?" a middle aged woman dared to ask, while hiding behind her husband. 

A wicked smile spread on the man's lips, and he remarked, "I crave violence. Shall we play with pebbles and see what hits and what doesn't? Who. Should. It. Be? Hm?"

"Ahhhh!" a young woman shrieked, terrified for her life.

"Gee relax. I was joking. People have lost their sense of humour here," the man murmured, pushing George aside as if he were a piece of trash. He eventually introduced himself, slipping the pocket watch back into his coat, "I am Hadeon Van Doren, and I am here to collect my servant."

Servant? The people around him blinked. Did they hear this man right?

The bravery that George had shown earlier had plummeted to the ground. His mouth was open, and he was breathing with difficulty as the pain didn't seem to cease. The town's head was torn between keeping himself alive and keeping his dignity in front of the townsfolk. It was obvious that they were dealing with some crazy person here, and his voice quivered when he questioned, 

"S—Servant? If you need to locate your servant, we can have the report prepared right away. Or maybe for you, we can just—"

"That won't be needed," Hadeon said in a bored tone, waving his hand, the look in his eyes relaxed yet bright. "I have found the person. She…" His gaze shifted to the scaffold, narrowing at where the woman had sat before. 

Mallory, who had sneaked out of the scaffold when the man had looked down to see something in his hand, right now held the front of her dress and ran as fast as her feet could carry her before entering the woods. 


Chapter 8: Night in the tavern

Mallory briefly glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her. Because of the rain, the ground in the forest was slippery. She kept on running, praying that her maid was also fleeing too, to escape the consequences they had unwittingly unleashed upon themselves, along with the anger of the villagers.

But as she passed by the trees in the almost dark forest, she realised that it was possible that Hattie was safe. Because she was the one who had opened the coffin, not her maid. 

"Grandmother's information was wrong!" Mallory murmured to herself, huffing for air. "That is not an artefact. It is a nightmare!"

She hoped the townsfolk were keeping the ghost of a man occupied, giving her enough time to cross oceans! Curses couldn't cross it, could it? "What am I even thinking?!" Mallory asked herself in disbelief before her stomach growled. 

The distant cawing of a crow suddenly interrupted her train of thoughts, making her speed herself out of there. She finally arrived at the edge of the forest, arriving in a town named Ghoulsville. Lanterns flickered outside buildings as she quietly headed to a tavern, seeking food.

Mallory entered the dimly lit tavern, where a single oil lamp burned at the front, leaving the other parts of the room in shadow. The air was filled with the smell of food. Her gaze drifted to the only customer dining in a corner who blocked her view of the day's menu. Glancing towards the curtain, she waited for the tavern keeper to appear. 

Unable to stay still, Mallory made her way towards the counter, when her foot hit something and she stumbled. She whispered, "Who leaves a sack of pota—!!" 

Mallory's eyes popped wider than a full moon upon spotting a dead man sprawled on the ground, who was probably the tavern keeper by the looks of the apron he wore. She did not kill this man! She needed an alibi before her 'Wanted' posters would be glued on every wall and bark of the tree! 

"Excuse me!" Mallory blurted, attempting to alert the customer. "Someone killed the tavern keeper!" 

"Hm?" The customer turned to look at Mallory, and she staggered. He wiped the corners of his bloody red lips and asked unbothered, "Did you say something? I couldn't hear you while having my drink."

"Y—You…!" Mallory stammered, her body frozen as she couldn't process how he was here! She ran long and far, damnit! "You are the one… who killed the tavern keeper!" she whispered, as horror filled her face. How did he know she would come here?

"First digging out my coffin and now following me, tch," Hadeon tutted, his tongue clicking in mock dismay and his eyes twinkling, "You must be one of my followers." 

When he turned in his seat and rose to his feet, bells of panic rang at the back of Mallory's head. Trying to rack her mind, she ran to the kitchen and rummaged through the jars. 

"You don't have to cook for me. Age of forty-five or forty-seven, not usually one of my preferred choices, but I was thirsty—" Mallory heard his voice before he stepped inside the kitchen. She grabbed a jar before turning to face him. Her heart fluttered like a bird flapping its wings to escape, when he completed his sentence, "—and every drop to the last was delicious."

Did he just say he drank the tavern keeper's blood?? Mallory screamed in her head. 

"I apologise for disturbing your grave! I didn't know I would find a coffin of a dead body there," Mallory rushed her apology, hoping he'd accept it. 

"Of course! I mean, bodies are the last thing one would find in a graveyard," Hadeon feigned being shocked while his words dripped with sarcasm. "Waking up soaked to the bone, mud plastered to me because someone decided to excavate my grave amidst a downpour," annoyance flickered in his golden eyes. His voice darkened, "Maybe you'd fancy a taste of that?"

Mallory shook her head and replied, "I am fine. I am not looking for such thrills."

When she saw him take a step forward, her hand slipped into the jar that she had grabbed earlier, emerging with a clutch of salt and her stance defensive. 

"Salt?" Hadeon questioned, tilting his head. "As delicious as I look, I assure you, I am better off the flame. Though I do love turning others into meals," and this time when he smiled, Mallory caught sight of his sharp fangs, and she gulped.

When he walked towards her like a predator, Mallory didn't waste a second more by bending down and making a circle around her with the salt. 

The salt was going to keep the evil being away from her! She saw him stop before the circle, his eyes shifting from her to the salt on the ground. 

She was safe! Mallory released a sigh of relief. 

"I was going to thank you for interrupting the execution, but here you are trying to kill me too! You think I have a hobby of digging people's graves? And when did ghosts start drinking people's blood?" Mallory's eyes narrowed slightly. "I am going to send you back to the grave so that you can sleep well. Forev—"

Mallory's words stopped midway through her rant when she saw the person step on the salt she had drawn. He had fooled her into thinking that he couldn't cross it! 

"What a terrible attempt at drawing a circle," Hadeon taunted, lifting his gaze to lock with her wide, fearful blue eyes, and he grinned maliciously. He said, "It seems my coffin awaits another guest. You will have sweet dreams."

What now?? Mallory wondered if she should recite lines from the holy book! She said, "T—Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of d—death, I will fear. No—"

"No evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me," they concluded in unison, Mallory's voice a mere whisper against his confident tone.

She was living a nightmare right now! 

He took one more step to close the distance between them, and Mallory's heart shuddered. She was going to die! Either by him or by heart attack! Now that he stood right before her, she was more than intimidated. 

Hadeon's hand shot to her neck, and his fingers curled around it momentarily. Mallory quickly shut her eyes and pleaded, "Please don't slit my throat like the tavern keeper's! Don't kill me!"

She trembled when she felt his icy finger graze against her neck and felt him tug her chain. She opened her eyes in time to catch him holding the cross pendant between his fingers that her grandmother had gifted her. He remarked, 

"Indeed, you bear the cross of loyalty, just as my true servant would."

Grandmother… What nonsense is he talking about? Now she had to find a way to put him back in the coffin!


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