Capítulo 81: Only One Intent
This time, the early church bells did not manage to wake me up. Rather, I was the cause for them, and while they were incessantly ringing in everyone's ears, I stood silently in front of an arena and stretched my body.
A dense row of spectators surrounded the ring, creating a wall with no hole.
"Another Judgement Table?"
"Who is fighting, Chase again? Of course."
"What? Have you not heard? A small girl challenged him, she must be out of her mind."
"And he accepted? That he would stoop so low—"
"But at least it will be interesting."
I had gathered a sizeable amount of attention, it seemed. It was like a festival. I searched around the crowd for any people that I knew.
The person that stood out the most, was the young man seated on an elevated platform, watching over the place like a vulture in a desert. His listless gaze brushed over every single person, before he closed his eyes, bored by what he was seeing.
sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇ! ʏᴇs, sᴜᴄʜ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀs ᴍʏ ᴇʏᴇs ʟᴀɪᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏʟʏ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ʜᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʟᴍɪɢʜᴛʏ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇ ɢᴏᴠᴇʀɴɪɴɢ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴜsᴛɪᴄᴇ, ᴘʀᴏᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪs ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴀᴡɴᴇᴅ—ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ɪᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴜᴍᴏʀ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜʀᴏᴡɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ sᴜᴄʜ ᴜɴʟɪᴋᴇ ʜɪs ᴘᴀsᴛ ʜᴀʙɪᴛs, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴏᴛ sʜᴏᴡ ʟᴇss ᴄᴀʀᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴄᴄᴜʀ.
sᴏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ, ʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇ ʜᴇ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴍᴇ.
ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏɪʟɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴠᴀʀɪᴏᴜs sᴄʜᴇᴍᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇʀɪsɪᴏɴ, ɪ ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ—ᴀs ɪ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴅᴏ—ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴡʜᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀᴅᴀᴘᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ ᴛᴏ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴏᴍ ʏᴏᴜ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ sᴛᴀʏ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴀɴ. ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ʜɪᴍ (ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴍᴇ) ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀɢᴜᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʀᴇᴘᴜᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇʀɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ. ᴍᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀsᴛᴀʀᴅ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪᴍ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇɴᴛʟᴇss ʜᴀᴄᴋ.
ᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀs ғɪʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ғɪʀᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғɪʀᴇ, ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀɴ ᴀʟᴛᴇʀᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪᴍ, ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴅᴀʏ ɪ ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ's ᴍᴀɴᴏʀ. ʏᴇs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ɪɴᴅᴇᴇᴅ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ (sᴇᴠᴇʀᴀʟ ʏᴇᴀʀs, ᴘʀᴇᴄɪsᴇʟʏ). ɪ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ sᴇᴛᴛʟᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴛᴏᴡɴ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs.
Well, that was good to know. If anything were to happen, I knew who I should pin the blame on.
My eyes continued wandering around and behind the bearded men and veiled women, I saw the little boy Zeid, whose eyes were red from what I presumed was due to lack of sleep. His little sister was nowhere to be found, which reminded me of my own little sister-, or rather Agnes's 'little sister' Raya, who similarly did not attend my show.
Before I arrived here, I knocked on her door to see what she was up to, but from her room came only silence. I waited, a long time, and I even knocked again, but I could not even hear the rustling bed. Even though she used to be so punctual the days before.
ᴍɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇᴄᴜʟɪᴀʀɪᴛʏ, ɪ ʜᴀᴅ sɴᴇᴀᴋᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʜᴇʀ ʀᴏᴏᴍ. ᴀ ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴ ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴛᴀɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴠɪsɪʙʟᴇ ɢʜᴏsᴛ ᴡᴀs ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ ᴄʟᴏsᴇᴅ ʀᴏᴏᴍs ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴀғғʀɪɢʜᴛ. ɪ ғʟᴏᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴅɪᴅ, ɪ sᴀᴡ ʜᴇʀ sᴛɪʟʟ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ʙᴇᴅ, ᴄᴜʀʟᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴍᴀʟʟᴇsᴛ ᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ ʙᴀʟʟ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀɴᴋᴇᴛ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴍᴏsᴛ ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴛᴏᴘ ᴏғ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ.
sʜᴇ ʜᴜɢɢᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴘɪʟʟᴏᴡ—sɴᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʜᴇʀ ʟᴇɢs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʟᴀᴍᴘᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴍs—sᴏ ᴛɪɢʜᴛʟʏ, ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ғᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴏʀ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ sᴜғғᴏᴄᴀᴛᴇ. ɪ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ sᴀᴡ ʜᴇʀ ᴇʏᴇs ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜᴀʟғ ᴏᴘᴇɴ ɢᴀᴢɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏɪᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ sʜᴏᴡᴇᴅ ɴᴏ sɪɢɴs ᴏғ ʟᴇᴀᴠɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ʀᴏᴏᴍ.
Seeing that she would not come out, I felt without her.
Lastly, opposite of me, I saw Chase, standing behind the line and already waiting for me to join him. Right next to him, his friends also similarly anticipated my arrival. They looked at me, our eyes met, and I saw within them mockery, scorn, but mostly pity.
Only the innowner, who had no choice but be with them, clasped her hands together and prayed to God.
The man sitting on the table, the mayor of this town and judge for this round read of a paper, and as he saw the contents, his eye twitched. "The accuser, Agnes Maria, challlenges the defendant, Chase Mirenson, due to 'vengeance for her spoiled soup'." He then shouted: "under the name of his Royal Majesty, will the two of you swear to fight for the absolute truth?"
"I solemly swear."
"Sure, why not?"
"May the fighters proceed into the arena!" His deep voice penetrated all nearby ears.
Chase and I both began walking into the fenced field, our sights interlocked. As we did so, I felt like I was in these old western movies and about to have a gunslinger fight. Well, in a way it was similar.
Every step I took, a person would be shouting. Outside the stone fence, it was mayhem; the crowd either screamed their minds, flung their fists, bet on the winner or prayed silently.
Our judge continued talking, "to ensure fairness, the defendant, Chase Mirenson, has opted for a free brawl in which weapons are not allowed! May his majesty's grace bless the side of justice!"
By the time we stood only a few feet apart, I could see the significant size difference of us two. His bulging arms were like logs, while mine barely counted as branches. The height of my head only managed to reach his waist, and his shadow alone managed to engulf my whole body.
I cocked my head up, nearly hurting my neck, and I saw him sneering with a smile plastered on his face.
"Lady," he said, "if you bow down and swear eternal loyalty to me, I may still forgive you, what do you think?"
"I think you should find better lines."
"All right, don't say I didn't warn you."
Warn me? Wasn't he funny, thinking he could harm me. There was no way he could, I had a reassurance that prevented him from doing so. I laughed, closed my eyes, and breathed in. By the time I opened them again, the warmth had disappeared, unleashing the dormant bloodlust I had hidden for a long time.
The cold glint between my pupils immediately wiped that complacent smirk off his face and he turned pale. He shuddered and retreated a few steps back, his mouth opened wide. The man was about to say something, but he was interrupted.
Another person stood inside the ring. He was dressed like a priest—black gown with a cross necklace and holy book in his hands. He raised his arm and asked, "ready?" And by the time his arms went down, he announced: "fight!"
Chase gulped. He scuffled around and wanted to retreat, but every time he moved, I moved too. I had apparently spooked him that much. If it was like that, the game would end real fast.
I jumped forward, and prepared to take action, and just before I could do anything, Chase grunted, his feet slipping, and amidst all his hectic maneuvering, he punched out. It was a slow punch, done purely out of relex and I saw no point in stopping it, as I had a partner who could do so for me.
Promptly, his palm smashed into my face. As I did not defend at all, his hand hurt a lot more and I flew to the ground, sliding on the hard sand.
Eh, hold on, that wasn't supposed to happen.
I touched my cheek and realized it was beginning to swell. My eyes opened wide, and when I looked at Chase, he showed a similar expression. There was a short silent between the two of us, as if we both agreed on a time out.
Agnes then said behind me, "ᴊᴜsᴛ sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴʏ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ."
I immediately turned my head and stared at Agnes, dumbfounded by hear words. "Do you know what you are saying," I asked her my voice almost quivering.
She simply shrugged her shoulders. "ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ." Those were her last words, before turning quiet and hovering away.
Her answer stunned me, and before I had any time to recover, Chase yelled, "so you were all talk? Damn, I should have known a stupid girl like you can't do anything at all. You almost tricked me!" His jeering smile returned, and it turned even more hideous, as he licked his lips in anticipation.
I carried myself up and ran. Meanwhile, I shouted into the air, "you meanie! You big bad meanie!"
"What are you blabbering? You challenged me, idiot." Chase ridiculed.
I replied, "I wasn't talking to you dumbass," and I retreated even further, crawling toward a wall. I faced Agnes who was high up in the air, my angry gaze did none to affect her. She simply smiled, indifferent to my emergency.
Chase, like his name indicated, soon readied himself to chase me. He took it slowly, as he knew I had no place to run. I was like a rat trapped in a corner.
"Nope, nope, nope," I cried out and frantically ran away. Each time he came closer, I felt the dread tingling on my neck, which gave me goosebumps, and I inadvertently shivered.
"You can't run away forever," he said to me. "Get over here and join me. Let me beat you up and then rip your clothes apart. Come on, people wanna see a show, don't you want to entertain?"
His friend yelled from the stands, "lady, I am getting bored! Just let him have his way with you, if no one wants to marry you afterwards, you can beg big brother Chase to take you in."
"Show sum' blud, or evens better, show sum' skin!"
The women around them giggled. "What is wrong, show some female strength, woman, try seducing him," a girl told me.
In an enclosed room, it was only a question of time before he cornered me. And by the time he did, I recognized my breath turn ragged, while in complete contrast, he stood in front of me, as stable as a monolith. The light from that angle made his crooked grin particularly annoying. He swung out, and I saw, no-, I felt it deep in my bones, the latent strength embedded in his fist. If that were to hit me, I would stay laying and if I stayed laying, I would lose, and if I lost I would—.
He grunted and as it was about to connect, I dodged to the side, rolling away, and ran again. I drew a sharp breath. If the timing was even a minuscule second late, I fear to imagine what would have happened.
"Agnes, my dear Agnes," I called out, "would you not help a poor defenseless girl?"
The lady in question looked at me, smiling carefreely. "sᴜʀᴇ, ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ-, ᴡᴀɪᴛ, ɪᴛ's ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ."
"You bastard, is this what it is all about? Don't be so unforgiving, you won't find a lover like that!" I dashed even faster, but in my mind, I was only preoccupied on cursing her. That she would betray me in such a crucial time, did she not understand the consequences?
She ignored my words. "ʜᴀʟғ ᴀɴ ʜᴏᴜʀ ᴀ ᴅᴀʏ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ sᴀʏ? ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ʜᴏᴡ ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ʀᴇᴘᴏssᴇss ʏᴏᴜ."
"Have you gone crazy, I can give you at most 10 minutes a week!"
"ᴅᴇᴀʟ's ᴏғғ ᴛʜᴇɴ."
Chase who heard me talking to myself asked, "What's wrong? With whom are you chattering with?" He took large strides and soon covered the distance I created so difficultly. The man already considered our Judgement Table as a game, rather than a battle.
At a decisive moment in which he cornered me again, he grabbed my leg and I fell (to put it mildly) to the ground. He promptly placed his gigantic body on top of me, squeezing any air out of my lungs. I sunk into the hard sand. He placed his hands on my feeble neck and clenched tightly.
"How do you feel? Does it hurt?"
"Feels kind of iffy, honestly."
His grip turned stronger and I felt my vision waning, bit by bit. He punched my stomach and I spat a mouthful. He raised his fist and prepared to strike my face, my most vulnerable spot, the part showcasing my beauty.
"ᴏɴᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, sɪx ʜᴏᴜʀs. ʟᴀsᴛ ᴏғғᴇʀ." Agnes whispered.
All right, whatever. I agreed.
Agnes smiled brightly. The next moment, I saw her glow white.
ɪ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀ sᴡᴏʀᴅ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴍɪɴᴅ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴʟʏ ᴏɴᴇ sɪɴɢʟᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛ: ᴋɪʟʟ.
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