Every judgment has a beginning... and every judge has a day when he must stand before the court.
After a long journey of justice and conviction, followed by doubt and regret, Elia reaches his final destination... where no excuses are accepted, no justifications have any value, and no voice rises above the voice of judgment.
Chapter 14: Judgment of Ruin
Elia walked along a long road after losing his justice, losing his conviction, and then losing the love of the last person he had. At that moment, he wished he could become a child again so that he would not lose that love. He walked with weary and heavy steps, not knowing where he was heading.
Lilia said to him:
"What are you doing now? Regret is no longer of any use. Do not think that time is always on your side. Yesterday, time stood with you, and today, time mocks you."
Silence filled the place.
Then Elia said:
"Ah, Lilia... One day I used to follow the greatest just ruler throughout all ages and all of humanity, but I chose the wrong path.
Because pain leads to suffering, suffering creates sacrifices, sacrifices lead to glory, but glory brings back pain, and it all begins again. It is something impossible to escape."
At that moment, his feet led him to a new city. As he came closer and closer, he found a man. He approached him and asked:
"What is the name of this city?"
The man answered:
"It is called the Kingdom of Ruin."
Elia was surprised by the name and asked:
"Who gave it this name?"
The man replied:
"The King. He is the one who named it. A strict yet merciful king. His laws are strict, but they are just."
Curiosity filled Elia. He thanked the man and entered.
He saw people being executed, while crowds gathered around them, surrounding them and insulting them.
He stopped to watch.
One of the guards approached him and asked:
"Are you new here?"
Elia answered:
"Yes."
The guard said:
"Then come with me."
Elia asked:
"Where?"
The guard replied:
"To the King."
Elia had nothing else to do, so he followed the guard until they reached the palace.
The gates opened.
Darkness filled the place.
Dim lights.
An overwhelming presence.
Elia stepped forward until he heard a voice saying:
"So... you have finally come, Elia."
Elia was astonished.
"How do you know my name?"
He walked closer until he saw the King seated upon his throne, with a small bird resting on his hand.
Elia thought to himself:
"How can such a small bird trust this King?"
The King spoke:
"With what face have you come here?"
Elia replied:
"Why?"
The King answered:
"And you still ask? You betrayed justice. You betrayed trust."
Elia said:
"But, Your Majesty, there was a misunderstanding."
The King replied:
"Silence! You still wish to justify your actions? Do you think yourself above mankind? You are nothing more than an insect in this vast universe."
Elia said:
"Do not force me to put you on trial."
The King laughed.
"Heh... Heh...
Hahaha...
Put me on trial?"
Then he recited:
"Tighten your belt for death, for death shall surely meet you.
Do not fear death when it arrives in your valley.
Neither armor nor helmet shall truly protect you on the day of terror.
Just as time once made you laugh, so too shall time make you weep."
Silence filled the place.
Then the King said:
"Today is the day of your judgment. You claim to uphold the Justice of Ruin, yet you betrayed it. In the law of this Kingdom, betrayal is an unforgivable crime. Compassion is betrayal, and betrayal means death."
Elia raised his violin.
But the King said:
"It will not help you."
Then the King began carrying out the judgment.
"In vain you carved justice upon your blades,
And made the illusion of memories your destination!
You stood within the courts, striking with false dignity,
Yet your judgments cast only the shadows of cruelty!
A sword that rushed ahead through suspicion has fallen,
For hidden desire shattered your every scheme!
The Prince established the standard of all justice,
Yet the ignorant servant knows nothing of its majesty!
Whoever made the past the guide of his judgments
Has sold away certainty and destroyed his own people!
Your destined ruin was written within my grasp
The moment I heard your words mixed with your cries!
No voice shall rise... above the voice of Ruin."
...
...
Guilty.
Elia was horrified and shouted:
"Your Majesty! My judgments were just! How can I be guilty?"
The King replied:
"You killed innocent people, and yet you claim you are not guilty? Lilia... do your duty."
Elia was terrified.
"How do you know Lilia?"
The King answered:
"I know everything about you."
Lilia said:
"I am sorry, Elia... Justice spares no one."
Elia screamed:
"I am innocent... Innocent!"
Silence returned.
The sentence was carried out.
Then the King looked at Lilia.
"You too... are guilty."
Lilia said:
"But..."
The King interrupted:
"No 'but'... Do it."
Without offering any excuse, she stabbed herself.
Here lay the tomb of the one who claimed justice... and betrayed it.
The End
A Message to the Reader from (1Shinigami1)
Dear Reader,
Justice spares no one. How many innocent people have fallen victim to wrongful judgments? How many souls have been lost because of bribery? If justice is corrupted, then everything becomes corrupted.
«"There are those who lose their wealth... yet they have lost nothing that cannot be regained."»
«"There are those who lose their health... they have lost part of their lives, yet they can still carry the meaning of their existence."»
«"But the one who loses his morals... has lost himself."»
«"Money does not make a person pure, strength does not make a person just, and health does not make the heart alive."»
«"How many people possessed everything... yet were empty when we looked at their actions."»
«"In the end... a person is not measured by what they own."»
«"But by what remains of them when everything else is gone."»
No matter what you do...
Morality remains the only true standard.
With my regards,
Author: 1Shinigami1