Reaper's Crown

Ch. 32 - Klakunhoi Head Further South

Death.

The word echoed indefinitely, piercing through the ears of many earlier simply standing around and observing the now-titled execution. The eyes of the guards shrank, even though they knew what they had to do. Linno Palski's closest family looked at the mayor in disbelief.

But after all, to the simple Paladian mind, this was the right choice. There was no other evidence in Ranpa's case that would suggest he was never involved in this calamity to begin with.

The mentioned Paladian looked towards the street where Atomu stood, the latter covering his mouth, shocked to the core.

"Shit..." Ranpa uttered, breathing heavily, turning up to the sky as if asking the moon for its help. It seemed to sparkle elsewhere, towards the northwest, and even the stars which earlier gleamed as if signs of hope were sparse and barely visible.

"Death." the mayor repeated, putting his hand on a sheath hidden under his flowy black robes. A shiny, silver and polished axe soon appeared in his hands, its sharp end reflecting his stern and final expression. 

It wasn't a regular weapon, but rather something known to many as a Royal item. They always gleam in the exact same way, with a white tinge at its sharpest, prudest end. The words Palski were engraved on the side.

"By murdering the Wise, you have solemnly sworn to betray the Paladian people. Your friends, your family. Everyone that once showed you love, you disregarded with a thin knife to the back. So now, a bigger weapon shall strike, in the name of justice."

"What justice?" Atomu asked himself, furrowing his eyebrows.

Justice, as perhaps assumptions for what Ranpa did. Would that weary and tired expression ever entail anything dangerous? At the same time, demons tend to hide amongst humans and in plain sight before killing. Atomu couldn't help but feel guilty, but there was no power in his body that would move his legs, even an inch forward. His head wasn't to turn, and his hands weren't to even tremble at the sight.

Guards and royals looked at each other, in concern, before Linno's finger landed closer to one standing beneath the wooden platform Ranpa was tied to. They looked around for a second, before uncalmly treading forwards.

Linno handed him the weapon.

"Cut his head off."

"No. No..!" Sam's voice echoed, as one hand landed on his hair, chaotically brushing through in a rush of anxiety. His eyebrows were furrowed and angry, he couldn't necessarily process what was truly to unfold in the next few seconds.

Even Danuta, who earlier was aloof and quick to assume the truth of her own words seemed concerned, as if she was regretting every choice in the matter of the few words that announced his death. Much like Atomu, she wanted to step out and protest but had no power in her legs to do so.

Where did that lack of strength come from? Clearly, it wasn't guilt. Rather, watching his fearful expressions, the stress eating Ranpa from the inside made her reconsider.

Was Ranpa innocent after all? Yes, but no one was to know that, except for the closest to him. It seemed, to his safety, that a light was soon to shine.

The guard hesitantly extended the axe towards the seething flame present in front of Ranpa's body. The embers nestled the sharp edges, burying them in a deep, red, fiery colour. The shade extended down its handle and sent a sparkling warmth to his fingers. Ranpa ground his teeth, his eyes shrunk, and even closing them wouldn't achieve anything. What was the struggle for? What was covering for the three in the first place?

What was so special about the three?

The Royal guard stairs, each step almost as if counting down seconds for his timely demise.