"911, what's your emergency?"
"T-There... there is a lunatic here… he is beating a person… there's blood."
"Calm down, miss. Can you describe the situation?"
Informing the officer, the woman turned her head to scan the scene. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the recent development in the fight.
"Ahh!! He has a gun… he is aiming for his hea—"
Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!
Before she could finish her words, the sound of gunshots reverberated in the surroundings.
"H-he killed him…"
Fearing for her life, the woman hid behind a building and informed the officer of the location.
Wiping the blood off his face, Ash stared at the corpse. The buzz of the vehicles and the crowd slowly faded away, making the sound of his heartbeat seem even louder.
The world around him slowly faded into darkness, and all that remained was the body beneath his feet. The bullet had burst open the head, leaving blood and brain matter scattered all around.
Ash kept his trembling finger on the trigger, fearing that the dead man might stand at any moment. Fortunately, it never happened, and the remains remained motionless.
The blood trickled toward him as Ash instinctively took a step back. He didn't want to be sullied by the filthy blood of this man.
Letting a long breath out, Ash whispered to himself, "Jenna, it's done… you can rest in peace now."
The promise Ash had made to his friend was kept, and now he was a free man. Liberated from the oath that had bound him till now, he looked around.
He saw people fleeing the area, traces of fear visible in their eyes whenever they looked at him.
'Afraid of me… haha.'
Ash couldn't help but chuckle seeing that some people were afraid of him. It was the first time he had experienced something like this… being the one others feared instead of the one who feared others.
For a few seconds, he looked at the crowd and soaked in the feeling, hoping it would bring him some satisfaction. It never did; he still felt empty inside.
'For this empty feeling… they go out of their way and suppress others…'
His hatred for people in power only grew stronger.
Turning his head back, Ash looked at the corpse as time seemed to stand still.
For the past six months, this man has been the only thing on his mind. After the murder of his friend and only family member, all that remained was revenge.
And now that even that was gone, Ash didn't know what to do with his life. He felt completely blank, without any purpose or reason.
'So, there is really nothing more to do…'
Ash was contemplating taking his own life when the sound of a siren reached his ears. The authorities had reached him, their guns aiming at his head.
"Put down your weapon and keep your hands where I can see them…"
The officers sounded their warning, and for a second, Ash thought of pointing his gun at them so they could kill him in retaliation. This way, he would be spared from the sin of killing himself.
But his hand didn't move. Because if it did, the case would be closed and he would be framed as a lunatic who had killed an upright citizen in a fit of anger.
This was far from the truth; the man deserved every bit of it, and some more.
Dropping the gun on the ground, Ash lifted his hands above his head and slowly turned to face the police officer.
The police officers nodded among themselves, and one of them got closer to him.
Putting him in handcuffs, he mumbled the usual line, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an att…"
Sound drowned around him as Ash took a deep breath and prepared himself for what was to come.
An officer led Ash inside the interrogation room, where another one was waiting for him. Handcuffing him to the table, the man patted the other officer on the shoulder and took his leave.
For a few seconds, there was silence in the room as the officer played with the papers. After a while, he looked into Ash's eyes and spoke in a calm and friendly tone.
"I can understand that what you did was justified, and I sympathize with you. But I can't say our law would agree with me…"
Hearing him blabber, Ash just scoffed.
He, or anyone with intelligence, would never put any trust in the justice system of the country; it was rotten to the core. A system full of flaws, only there so the powerful could use it to their advantage.
The blindfolded statue of justice held no sight for the powerless, yet it knew exactly how to bow to those in power.
Taking a glance at the officer's badge, Ash read the name. Even though the officer looked a decade older than him, he called him by name.
"See, Kite, there is no need for you to have this facade in front of me. I couldn't care less what you think of my situation."
Ash didn't want to talk about any of it… But his mouth went on by itself.
"When I… no, when she needed you the most, all of you were nowhere to be seen…"
"All of you are corrupt and only bow to those with power. You were never there to help us. Or else I wouldn't have been here… there is no place for your sympathy… just be honest with me."
Hearing this, Kite adjusted his tie and spoke, "I'm honest, but you have a reason not to trust me. Listen to me, kid… I know the system is flawed, but it is the only one we have… if not for this, the world would be plunged into such a horror that you'd wish the blind lady were there to help…"
A chuckle escaped Ash's mouth as he retorted, "I would rather die than believe in such lies…"
Understanding his circumstances, Kite pitied the boy and genuinely wanted to help the kid. But seeing his arrogance, he couldn't help but give up.
"Tsk! Everyone has their free will, and I will respect yours. If it's your decision not to get help, I can't force it on you. Now, shall we proceed with the usual way—"
Cutting Kite midway, Ash said, "I don't want to go through the hassle. I will confess and make things easier for you… but there is something I want to ask you."
Hearing this, it was Kite's turn to smile. Looking at the pitiful soul, he muttered, "After all the talk of not believing in the system, you want to ask something? Well, sure, let's hear what it is."
"I want you to tell the story in the news… I want it telecast to the world that there will be consequences for one's crimes. If the law doesn't do it… someone will."
"Is that all?"
Kite was surprised by the request, because after all the commotion Ash had caused on such a busy street, the news was bound to pick up some traction. He was about to ponder over its deeper meaning when Ash laid it in front of him.
"Those people will try to cover it… in hopes of protecting their name… just don't let them succeed."
"Alright... I will try to have it done. Anything else you need?"
Kite asked, to which Ash shook his head. After going back and forth a few more times, the paperwork was complete.
"I will try to get you the minimum sentence…"
Smiling, Kite nodded and left the room, leaving Ash alone with his thoughts.
'If only others were as good as you…' Flopping his head on the back of the chair, Ash closed his eyes and let himself fall into darkness.
Soon the day of the trial came, and because it was a planned murder, he was charged with first-degree murder and was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison. But after some pleading from the police department, his final sentence was reduced to fifteen years.
***
Right outside Julius — the biggest prison in the country.
Stepping out of the bus, Ash inspected the area where he had to spend the next fifteen years of his life. The place looked even more horrifying than he had ever imagined.
Concrete walls stood high above the ground with barbed wire laid on top. Every door was made out of heavy metal, which opened and closed with a creak, alarming the guards when it moved.
Multiple watchtowers were placed evenly around the perimeter, keeping every part of the prison within their range. Any escape attempt could be met with swift retaliation.
"Sigh! This will be your home… if I remain alive by the time you leave… make sure to come meet me."
Kite had taken some time out of his busy schedule and came to drop him off. During their brief time together, an unspoken bond had formed between them.
"Sure will…"
Keeping his words to a minimum, Ash nodded and moved toward the prison when he heard something.
Crackle!!
Lifting his head up, he saw dark clouds gathering above his head, painting the sky in a sinister shade of darkness.
'Thunder in the middle of summer… that's odd…'
Ash was in the middle of his thinking when something whispered in his head. Its voice sounded like a sweet lullaby, wanting to put him in an eternal slumber.
[The Day Of Judgement Has Arrived.]
[The Karmic Value Of The World Is Corrupt.]
[A Passage To The Abyss Is Opening.]
One after another, three small screens appeared in front of Ash. Before he could understand the meaning of these words, a massive bolt of lightning tore through the sky like a glowing river of white and blue fire.
The deafening strike exploded across the ground, sending waves of heat, dust, and broken rock in every direction.
It had struck a hundred meters away from him, but the light alone was enough to burn his eyes, turning Ash blind.
"Wha—"
Before Ash could finish his words, another bolt struck right beside him.
Argh!
Ash cried in pain as his skin burned from the heat, but even that didn't last long as another lightning strike struck right upon his head. Before life was snuffed out of him, another screen appeared in front of him.
Despite him being blind, he could understand the words clearly, and they read:
[O' Chosen One, Prepare For Your Awakening.]