Chapitre 36: Judgement
Dan looked pale and exhausted, drenched in sweat and covered in bruises. He made a tactical retreat to reassess the situation.
This battle felt strange. Even though Ella possessed the amulet's power, her abilities seemed inexplicably enhanced. She could follow and casually block all of his attacks, a feat far beyond her usual capabilities. While fighting Gaius, Gaius could barely keep up with Dan's speed, and that was only due to his transformation.
"Dan, come out now, don't hide," Ella called out, walking around the mansion compound.
Dan quietly hid behind a large water fountain at the centre of the compound. He steadied his breath and emerged, facing Ella head-on.
"So you finally came out," Ella taunted.
Dan remained silent, scanning the area for clues.
Ella charged at him, throwing a punch. Dan tried to leap backward but ended up taking the hit and rolling on the ground.
"As I thought," Dan chuckled dryly, staggering to his feet. He mustered his strength and ran to another hiding spot, but Ella saw him.
Dan picked up a pebble, waiting patiently for Ella to approach. Judging her distance, he jumped out, channeling all his energy into his index finger, and hurled the stone at her.
The pebble flew through the air at a terrifying speed, scraping her arm and tearing her skin open.
"Arrgh!" Ella cried out, clutching her arm as blood gushed out uncontrollably.
With Ella incapacitated, Dan picked up his pace and found another hiding spot farther away. His suspicions were confirmed; close combat was ineffective against her.
Dan collected more pebbles, ready to attack. He steadied his breath, channeling all his energy into his right arm.
"Dan! Look what you've done to me. I thought we were in this together," Ella's voice turned sinister.
She wandered the compound aimlessly, clutching her hand and screaming.
***
Inside the mansion, Cornelius, with the help of a guard, made his way to the female quarters. He could barely stand.
As they reached the room, Barnabas was still sound asleep on the ground. It was better that way; he wouldn't want to get involved in what was about to happen.
Naya was sitting upright on the bed, sensing something had happened. She noticed Cornelius and the guard approaching, seeing Cornelius's bitter expression.
"What's going on?" she asked.
Cornelius bent down and sighed. "We are doomed."
"What? What about Dan?"
"He is keeping milady busy."
"Huh? What do you mean? Where is he?" Naya tried to leave the bed, but the guard stopped her.
"Let him be… he wanted your safety guaranteed first," Cornelius said.
"But what about him?" Naya asked.
"Beats me. He made the decision himself. Right now, we need to focus on leaving this place—"
*Ring *Ring
A loud bell echoed, stunning them. What happened next would be more terrifying.
***
Outside the mansion, Dan and Ella stopped as a crack appeared in the night sky. From within the crack, a being emerged, unlike anything seen by man.
Its skin was pale white, with two human heads—one with eyes covered by a white blindfold and the other with a crest embedded in its eyes. It had four arms, each holding a different object: a sword, a book, an hourglass, and a balance scale. The being wore a white robe that flowed with the night's breeze.
As the mythical being hovered, the two heads began to sing a chorus:
"O most divine and all-powerful Lords, who hath dispatched thy humble servant to tend to these wretched sinners. Grant us, O Lords, the fortitude, wisdom, and unwavering faith to fulfill thy sacred will. Infuse our limbs with strength, our hearts with a fervor burning as hot as the primordial flame, and our souls with the nourishment of eternal life. In thy holy name, I purge these sullied souls of their transgressions, bringing them forth into thy hands for thy final and righteous judgment."
*Ring *Ring
The bell rang again, and they all disappeared.
***
Dan slowly opened his eyes but immediately closed them, feeling a sharp, burning pain. After adjusting to the light, he opened his eyes and his jaw dropped.
He was in a hall bigger than anything he had ever seen. Everything was made of gold, except for the lights and the judicial bench where the blue-haired lady was seated.
Dan scanned the hall, seeing Cornelius and the guard pinned down with chains. Further along, he saw Naya in the same state.
"Naya!" He tried to move but realized he was also pinned.
"Dan!" Their eyes met, and a sense of calm washed over Dan. Realizing someone was missing, he scanned further and saw Ella strapped to a guillotine, with a masked man holding a sword beside her.
The blue-haired lady stood up and nodded to a group of people in black robes. They approached Ella and whispered incantations. The leader placed his hand on Ella's head as she groaned in pain. The amulet's energy flowed out of her mouth and into another amulet held in a box.
After the ritual, the lady spoke. "Stumbling upon the dark amulet can be forgiven in some cases, but keeping it to yourself is punishable by death. You are all condemned to death."
Four men with their faces covered stood in front of them, each holding a long sword, waiting for the command.
The lady nodded to the man beside Ella.
"Please wait! We can talk this out!" Ella screamed, but the man didn't budge. He swung his sword, cutting the rope that held the blade, and it dropped, decapitating Ella. Her head rolled on the floor, stopping in front of Dan. She blinked a few times before her eyes dimmed, and she was dead.
Dan stared in horror, cold sweat rolling down his back. He felt a heavy sensation in his stomach, climbing up his throat, and he vomited.
The event was incomprehensible, not only to Dan but to the others. Naya screamed, the guard laughed dryly, and Cornelius sighed, having long accepted his fate.
The lady nodded, signaling the men in front of Cornelius and the guard.
The man facing the guard raised his sword and brought it down, cutting his chest open.
Cornelius looked at Dan one last time. "If only you were a little patient with me, none of this would have happened." The sword ran through his chest, ending his life instantly.
Dan was horrified. He glanced at Naya, who was crying and screaming.
"No, please don't kill her, please!" Dan shouted, but the lady nodded again, signaling Naya's death.
"No, please wait! I can explain everything. It was me. I came here with the amulet. Please kill me instead!" Dan barked, but his efforts were in vain. He tried to break free, but the chain held him tight.
The man in front of Naya raised his sword and slashed her chest. Her blood sprayed like a stream of water, and with a loud thud, she fell to the ground.
"Naya?" Dan looked at her as her blood flowed endlessly. "Naya!" He tried to break the chain but failed. Despite his efforts, he only ended up injuring his hands but managed to set himself free.
"Naya," Dan knelt beside her, holding her in his embrace. She coughed up blood, looking at Dan's face. Naya ran her hand across his cheek, smiled, and took her last breath, tilting her head sideways. Naya had died.
Dan buried his face in her bloodied body, crying his eyes out.
The lady, unsympathetic, signaled the man to end Dan's life.
"Wait!" A gust of wind blew through the hall. When it subsided, a man in a black butler suit with short dark hair appeared.
"Lord Belphar!" Everyone in the hall, except the lady, bowed.
"What is the matter, Belphar? An execution is going on," the lady said.
"Don't kill the boy."
"And why is that?"
"I met Lucif—"
"You met Big Sis?!" The lady's eyes widened with joy. "Oh, it's been ages since I've seen her."
"She demanded the boy returns to his world alive."
"Huh? Big sis?"
"Indeed, she has changed." Belphar turned to look at Dan. "Hmm?"
Dan was in front of him, about to land a punch. Belphar swept his hand downward, a strong pressure brought Dan to the ground like before.
Belphar squatted, looking into Dan's eyes. For a moment, Dan's eyes flickered from white to red, then back to white.
Belphar was taken aback but dismissed the thought.
"Make sure to send him back to his world. Even though she has changed, I don't want to be on bad terms with her," Belphar said and disappeared.
***
Dan lay on the grass field, deep in the forest. He looked at the night sky, feeling empty. He couldn't cry or feel happy; he just existed, wishing he could become one with nature.
Once more, like before, Dan had lost everything he cared about.
[NEXT: VALERIE'S LETTER: A TURNING POINT]
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