"Oliver..." Lea begun. "What happened to Phoenix and Hamsphant?" They should have been able to protect him no matter what.
Oliver who only recovered immediately looked even more sad. He looked down on his hands, unable to utter a word. His eyes slowly turned red with threatening tears.
His reaction caused Lea's heart to jolt. "Tell me." She pleaded, almost demanding.
Without bothering to turn his head to look at her, Oliver croaked, "My contract with Phoenix... was cut off..."
Lea frowned, wanting to shake Oliver for more explanation. However, the young man obviously lost half of himself from whatever happened.
[What reasons can a contract between a human and a beast be severed?] She queried to the Spirits.
One answered in chorus, [One, the beast died. Two, there was discrepancy between the linked souls. Three, the human forcefully severed the contract-- which would create a backlash on the beast, the contracted.]
[What discrepancies?]
[Incompatibility between their consciousness. Either the human or the beast had turned insane, making either incapable of following the resonance.]
Her crimson eyes darted to Oliver's glum face, feeling the heartache of whatever could have happened.
"Oliver, please let me know what it is..." She softly coerced, pulling the edge of Oliver's sleeve.
Oliver's eyes flickered from his hands to Lea's. If it was her, she would know what to do... He tried to pull himself together, out of the abyss called depression and misery. His mind swirled over the incidents that had transpired over the months. They were the most painful moments of his life...
As soon as he made up his mind, he slowly reached out to hold Lea's hand and gripped it tight, grasping for strength-- to take courage. Then he begun to say, "T-there was a backlash when I was driven insane from drugs... I don't know what happened or when, but Phoenix's connection with me was severed forcefully... The last time I remember was her sharp shrill as she flew towards the sky, followed after by Hamsphant... They were both... crying..."
Oliver's muttering was soft and slow, but Lea patiently listened. Whatever happened in the City of Wern was very serious. Just from the scheme of evil-minded people, a good Emperor and beasts alike were subjected to something this tragic.
Lea quietly rubbed Oliver's shoulder with her other free hand as she attempted to comfort him with words, "Thank you.. You've done very well, Oliver... I'll do the rest now."
Saying as such, she tried to smile for him.
Oliver's grip on her hand tightened as the lump in his throat grew sorer. He felt like crying from relief and warmth. Lea's presence was that strong and dependable that he could finally let down his guard. Being a young Emperor was not easy, and he had done it for quite a while.
It was unfortunate that he lost badly against the opposing faction. An Emperor he was, but still couldn't be as merciless as he should have. Now it costed him his beloved Phoenix.
He didn't say anything in return, but Lea knew there was nothing more to be said.
She remained by his side until he fell asleep once again. Exhausted were his mind and spirit, he needed to rest some more.
All the while, Seth found himself pitying the unfortunate Emperor. He still remembered how Oliver was forcefully placed as the Emperor for being one that was capable at that time. He had no choice, and they had to take advantage of his love for his people and his hope to better other people's lives.
Even the tragedy outside didn't make other people think twice over their greed and selfishness. They wanted power, and so they did what shouldn't be committed.
By the time Lea turned to walk away, her crimson eyes had turned even more colder— they could freeze anyone at sight. Her heart that cried injustice forced herself to take action.
When she came back into the bed chamber, she viciously picked up Guanyu Jiahao who had been taking some rest on the floor. She gathered a bunch of his hair and pulled hard, then sneered into his ear. "Tell me the people who helped you and I might just let you live." That was a lie. She had no intention of letting anyone scoot free.
In fact, she would make sure everybody in the City of Wern know of what happens when one committed a great sin.
Guanyu Jiahao whimpered, warm tears trickling down his ugly face. He trembled helplessly with what little clothes were left on his body. "..H-half of the Justice officials..."
"Names."
Hence, for over an hour, Guanyu Jiahao was forced to utter every name of his accomplices while his hair was pulled, enough for his scalp to bleed. Whatever backbone he had while he sat on the throne just yesterday was gone, utterly gone in faced of a tyrant with might visible to anyone's eyes. Lea was no politician, and her actions spoke louder than words.
As soon as the last name was uttered, the Spirits had found everyone that was mentioned.
In her anger, she decreed, "Bring this trash to the Public Plaza." To which Seth obeyed readily, feeling giddy at the sight of Lea's malicious side that reminded him of their first bonding moment. Alone they were, inside a shed— their hearts became one then.
People gathered, feasting at the sight of famous people and members of certain prestigious families. They were confused, curious and interested to see what the hype was all about. Then their eyes eventually landed on the lone tall girl whose beauty could capture anyone's attention, for she was frightening but mesmerizing.
What made others turn their head towards her was also the fact that there were attractive men and a huge cat sitting behind her like they were getting ready for a B-list movie. Not to mention the aquamarine fox that stuck to her like glue, clamoring from her shoulder to her head.
Amidst the crowd's murmurs and gossip mongering, a little eunuch at the side muttered the names in his head as his dominant hand wrote the names down in his beautiful cursive calligraphy. On that huge yellow parchment, were the names of the nobles and retinues gathered in the center of the Public Plaza, surrounded by soldiers that were forcefully manipulated by Lea to follow her command.
Abundant was her essence capacity, she had free reign over living creatures; whether they were intelligent or dull.
"Lea, why must you do this?" Raize quipped as he looked at their surroundings lazily. He had no interest in serving justice, for what use of it if humans were naturally attracted to disasters? "This won't bring back what was lost."
"No it won't. Not anymore." Lea replied softly, her emotions divided whether she should commit more murder or let the criminals loose. Yet Oliver's blank expression surfaced in her mind, jolting her heart into bouts of pain. She grounded her teeth and bitingly said, "But I won't let another Oliver live through such misery."
Raize looked at Lea in contemplation, his obsidian eyes dark and unfathomable. Nothing could be read on his face as his chin rested upon his palm and his legs crossed atop one another. He tapped his fingers on his lap, like the beat of his heartbeat; calm and even.
Then he slowly parted his lips to finally say, "To seek justice for others. Is this your true heart or do you just wish to absolve yourself from guilt?" He paused, as he gazed upon Lea's eyes that had turned to look at him. Then he continued calmly, "Don't blame yourself for things that you ought not to. Lea, good and evil don't exist. It's either one agenda to the other. You doing this won't matter."
Lea piercingly stared at Raize, analyzing his words critically. Why was he suddenly saying all these things? "You don't want me to punish them?"
He slowly shook his head, a smile forming on his tight lips. He then stood up and strode towards her, reaching her face to gently stroke her cheek. This earned him a glare and a growl, yet he didn't stop and instead quietly told her:
"You hurt yourself every time you hurt someone else. Lea, you are not the kind of person who would let anyone suffer, but I cannot bear to see you eaten away by your own demon. If you wish, I shall do the deed." She wanted to protest on that, but before she could say anything, he already begun to say, "But I won't, because you'll feel bad for me instead. Just remember. You cannot save everyone, nor recover everything."
When he finished saying his piece, he turned around to sit back on his seat by the fountain. He knew Lea would go quiet from everything he just said, because she wouldn't feel comfortable without understanding what he meant. Just like him.
He thought they were the same, but no. They weren't, and this was why he wouldn't just leave her be. She was similar to him, at least for the most part. She was different, different in mysterious layers.
Seeing her complex expression, his lips curled into a smile unconsciously. She was adorable, and he liked seeing her troubled like this, from his words.
Lea stood there like a statue, her divided heart not knowing how to proceed. She was tired of killing already, tired of conflicts and certainly tired of saving people. Yet she couldn't help it. She wanted to make the world a better place if she was capable of anything at all.
She was not required, she needed to fill her empty heart with something. However, going through this complicated world full of atrocities that would never disappear, what good was it to kill?
What would be the better course of action to take? People would forever have their own opinion, consequently leading to conflicts and disagreements.
If only people knew that doing bad deeds out of selfish agenda could cost so many things, but then would they care? It could cost someone's future, or even a life. Yet to know is not enough, because certain people don't learn until they experience bad things themselves. An unredeemable cycle of society.
Lea bit her lower lip as she turned to look at the scathed Guanyu Jiahao whose appearance was worse than a beggar's. He looked like a mess and almost pitiful.
Killing was not the solution for everything.
Once that thought solidified in her mind, she climbed to stand atop the podium for entertainers, all eyes fell on her as silence spread across the huge Public Plaza.
"Excuse this intrusion, but do be aware that the people kneeling on that corner over there are criminals worth being put to death row."
Her voice was almost gentle, coercion even, but there was also blame.
Whispering begun, hissing here and there. Then one civilian said, "Criminals? The Acting Emperor is obviously being threatened! Are you the one who did this to him?? Shouldn't it be you who needs to be punished? Hurting the dragon body is equivalent to 100 strokes!"
"That's right! Such a young girl... you should stop lying while it's not too late... Poor Emperor.."
"Although Acting Emperor Guanyu has not been very kind to us, he is still the Emperor!"
"Got that right! Who are you people to suddenly punish the authorities??"
The Elder from Milke Town felt her anger rise at seeing these ignorant civilians insult her goddess. After all Lea had done to save them from the Beast Apocalypse! How very ungrateful!!
"You shut up!!" She screamed, clenching her hands so hard. "Do you even not recognize the priestess?! She is the one who saved you all!"
Yet instead of fear, many civilians from the mainland scoffed and jeered at the Elder who some of them thought as mentally ill. There was no such thing as gods in other people's world, only reality. And their reality only consisted of a normal society wherein it was rare to even have someone know how to manipulate the essences. Many even didn't believe about Spirits because they had never seen one before.
"Yea right, tell that to my talking hand."
"You really don't know what's good for you, granny. You should just stay home and continue your devotion to your lord in the confines of your house, not gracing everyone with your insanity!"
"This is just too much. What is even going on anymore? Is that really the Emperor on the ground? Not a fake?"
Murmurs continued to rise and go like tide. All the while, Lea and company observed how the people reacted. When some time had passed, an eunuch was urged to post the yellow parchment for all eyes to see. Then another eunuch loudly exclaimed the crimes of each names on the parchment, and for each mention, the person would be tattooed; the mark of the sinner.
"Ran Louxian! Embezzlement of funds from the foreign ministry, pooling the money for circulating false rumours. And working along with Acting Emperor Guanyu Jiahao in kidnapping Emperor York and for illegally locking the Emperor to his death."
A shrill resounded as the scalding hot iron was pressed onto Ran Louxian's back shoulder. Even with the robes on, the extreme heat penetrated through the layers and burned his skin with the unique mark.
What came next was the slow cutting of his toenails. He didn't die, but he couldn't bear the suffering either. However, every time he fell unconscious, he would be forced to wake.
Many of the civilians wanted to puke, while others did. More covered their mouth in disgust. Yet none of them left despite the gruesome sight, because soon enough, Official Ran begun begging for mercy.
Only then was he allowed to sleep.
"Gu Zheng committed fraud by illegally creating false documents of Emperor York's letters and written decisions!"
Just like Official Ran, Gu Zheng was also forced to be tattooed. He cried desperately and tried to violently escape, yet his efforts only made the burn bigger on his back. He almost fainted from the pain, while tears fell over his face. "Please, don't.... I'll do whatever you say; just no more!!"
He cried pitifully when an eunuch approached him with all sorts of blades on a tray.
Like this, the criminals were riddled with a 2nd degree burn for the crimes they made. And everyone bore witness to their innocent facade crumbling under the torture.
Cannot be sent for punishment until proven guilty? Or prove them guilty by punishment? Lea obviously mercilessly chose the latter, saving them their lives-- for now. It was easy to end a life, but that was not a solution to everything...