In Our Reason

Chapter Three: Justice

The quality of being fair and reasonable.

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She went to find her sovereign, Kindness, the next morning. The old woman had promised shelter to all throughout the realm, and that, coupled with the fact that she was a powerful member of the Seven had drawn Mercy into her sect.

Even as she walked along the small dirt trodden path to her sovereign’s cottage, Mercy couldn’t help but envy the oblivious others, still tucked into their blankets, and blissfully unaware. Love had breached even the most sacred rules of the realm, but as much as the woman’s action in itself terrified her, Mercy knew that her elder should be notified.

Kindness was outside, crouched and plucking weeds from her garden as she approached. “Mercy,” the old woman turned and greeted with a pleased smile. “Good morning-”

“There’s an urgent issue, that I came to bring to your attention.” She started.

 Kindness rose to stand. “Alright.” She replied, with a gentle crinkle in her eyes.

 “Last night - last evening, I was Called, by, by-“ she opened her mouth to speak the name, but no sound came. The name was not there, and after seconds of struggle, she realized that it was not simply a forgotten word, it was gone. “The last member of the Seven,” she finally blurted out.

Mercy could imagine Kindness’ mind fumbling around for the same name, as shock flitted across the old woman’s face. “The Fade,” Kindness whispered aloud. “It has not occurred for many years.”   

“Love,” Mercy said. “In the vision I received, Love Faded –“

“Love? Would she do such a thing?”

“I saw her,” Mercy answered. “She used Reason, she must’ve!” No Being was strong enough – not even Elpis – to Fade another alone. “She has stolen the Triad, and she released Elpis from a small box.” Upon speaking the words, the familiar gripping pain, though less severe, began to scrape her skull once again. Mercy winced, but plunged on through the discomfort.  “You must stop her, you know that after she gains control of that kingdom, she will go after the next.”

“I cannot.” Kindness answered after a moment of hesitation. “You must find another.”

“There is no one else,” Mercy said with a tightness in her voice. “You are my sovereign – “

“I cannot,” Kindness dismissed with a troubled expression. Mercy stilled as she realized the finality of the woman’s decision. Her sovereign would not go.

“You must go in turn, find Truth.”

 “I can’t,” she replied. It was absurd. “There must be someone else. Good, you’re Second, or perhaps – “

“Truth will listen to you,” Kindness answered. “Good must prepare, for…” She sighed and her eyes lifted to meet Mercy’s. Large dark brown orbs, old and tired, and lifeless deep within.

“I – I don’t understand,” She said, her gaze locked onto the ground. “Truth and I are barely in Similarity, and it makes no sense that he would ignore another-”

“He knows Belief,” Kindness quickly intruded. “Ask him for it, in turn for the warning. Go to Happiness and find him.”

Before Mercy could refuse once again, she picked up her basket of garden tools and hurried back inside her cottage.

Mercy stared at her closed gate, looking into nothingness. Her options were so simple, so clear.

The fact that Truth could give her Belief in itself – that she believed. He was not part of the Seven, Feeling’s grand-children, Beings who ruled over the majority of the realm, but only because he stood alone. His essence, his true identity hidden underneath his physical façade was said to be almost as powerful as Love’s. He was possibly the only one who could put a stop to the woman and her actions, he had no consequences to fear, no companions to threaten. Yet, she knew the danger. Love was not a Being to be trifled with, and if she learned of Mercy’s involvement…

Convulsing, writhing back and forth. Sweat warm on her back. A throat ripped and raw.

Love could produce horrors compared to it. 

I can’t. She had known it from the start. The hope of obtaining Belief was impossible. A hazy, untouchable idea. Reality was concrete, and beneath her striding feet on the soft clumps of grass. Can’t. Can’t. Can’t. Truth would learn eventually, through word of mouth, or by some other means, she told herself. She would carry on, as if she had never been Called. She was, she had to be, content with burrowing herself deep into her cottage. Deep back into safety.

Cries greeted Mercy on the path to her home.

“Let go! This isn’t fair! She’s not for you to take!”

Another Transfer, she realized with widened eyes. Right in the heart of Kindness land itself. Her heart quickened as she pushed her way through the rowdy crowd. The possibility of Love taking another once again loomed over her as a dark fear. There were only so many bold enough to intrude in such a way, upon Kindness’ territory, and now that she knew what Love was capable of –

Her gaze fell upon black, levelled eyes staring equally at the crowd. Straight, familiar, dark hair, that she ran a brush through each morning. Pale, strong cheekbones, almost identical to herself. A thin, cruel composure. Justice.

The girl’s gaze flickered to her for an instant, but her face never lost its rigidity. “I have my right.” Her sister spoke simply.

Mercy swallowed her fear, and took a step forward. This was cruelty, bordering on insanity. Strength rose in her bones, solidifying into iron in her spine and steel in her jaw. Love was unreachable, confronting her would be lunacy. This madness, she thought as she took a firm step forward. This madness could be stopped. Her tongue scraped the roof of her mouth, and she cleared her throat as quietly as she could.

“Release her.” All eyes weighed on her as soon as she spoke.

Mercy kept her eyes steady on Justice, knowing how easy it would be for her pupils to wander and hide from her reaction.

She balled her fists, trying to find resolve in the soft pain in her palms.

“And why would I do that?” Her twin finally responded in a monotone voice. Her expression remained cold and neutral, but Mercy caught the gleam of laughter in her stare. 

Silence lodged in her throat as the truth Mercy had forgotten came slamming back again. She was a fool. A fool to think her word meant anything, a fool to think she had any power, whatsoever, over the actions of her former rival. Her eyes flickered to the shaking girl tightly bound behind Justice. Her hair wild, eyes pleading, and her fingers, bloodied and bruised.

Just like her own.

Clawing, scratching, dragging her nails into the ground as he pulled her along. Her fingers trembled, her throat raw, broken from screaming for mercy. Her bare feet strained and pulled and kicked. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go!

“Please,” she whispered, turning her gaze away from the girl’s face, away from all their faces, to stare at the ground. Heat burned in the corner of her eyes, her jaw clenching tight.

 “No,” Justice answered without hesitation. She curled a hand around the girl’s wrists, and headed through the trodden grass without a further word.