So, they come and get me, like they did so long ago. I guess the main difference is that instead of wearing a torn and reddened dress, now, I’m only wearing a pair of plain black pants. It makes their work of putting me in new chains a lot easier, so I feel kind of nice for being helpful and all. Before we leave, though, they actually push me down and shave my head, especially the back of my neck. It must be to keep my hair from messing with the execution. Interesting!
Then, they lead me up again, through the palace, and back out into the sun. Seeing it again after thirteen days in darkness feels weird. It’s very bright, but not as blinding as it used to be.
They’ve put up the scaffolding again, in the same place as last time. The statue of some goddess or another overlooks us as they lead me out onto it. Ah, what a crowd. It’s as big as last time, stretching through the streets and across the plazas. Though, unlike the last time, now, I can spot a fair number of humans, including…
I glance away from her. What is she even doing here? Why didn’t she just leave? Or maybe she wants proper closure from watching me die. Whatever. It’s her decision.
The scaffolding itself is the same as before, including the throne occupied by the emperor, though the other two thrones—alongside the emperor’s siblings—are all missing. It’s just him. That way, if I went berserk or something, he’d be the only casualty. Heh, not that it’s going to happen. No, this is it.
I puff out my chest. For the first time in years, I feel fully calm, and relaxed. Almost confident.
The only thing different from last time would be the presence of a guillotine. I’m assuming some human or another brought the plans for it over here, but it still feels out of place. They lead me towards it. I follow along with cool, easy steps. My entire walk is silent. No one in the audience is saying anything. Not even a peep. I can only imagine how many of them were here the last time. They know what could happen.
But it’s not going to happen. The only one who will die today is me. And what a wonderful day it will be!
When we arrive at the guillotine, I’m smiling. I arch my neck to look at the blade. They even got the shape right. Yeah, this’ll kill me. I can survive a lot, but losing my head… Heh, there’s no surviving that!
While I’m still smiling to myself, the main executioner and his assistants take over my handling. The executioner and one of his assistants grab me and remove most of my chains, while two of the other assistants lift the board that I’m to be served on, raising it until it stands perpendicularly in front of me. The executioner coaxes me forward until my bare chest is pressed against it, and then they strap me down properly, removing the final chains as they do. I let myself squirm slightly. I could escape, if I wanted to.
I chuckle.
—But I don’t want to!
I’m as snug as a bug in a rug, and the executioner doesn’t seem happy to see it. Not that he looks like the type to be happy about anything. He’s only moderately more severe-looking than the emperor, which is really impressive. I smile at him. He frowns. How expected!
Once I’m fully strapped down, they lower the board again, lifting the upper part of the guillotine’s pillory, putting my head inside, and then lowering it. Now, I’m in place.
Now, the audience feels safe enough to make noise. And by God do they make noise.
Booing! Screaming! Shouting! Oh, the indignation! Oh, the celebration! Finally, the beast is caught! Now, kill it! Kill it quickly, before history repeats again!
My giddiness returns to me. A giggle bubbles in the back of my throat like rising vomit. I’m almost choking on it. But I can’t show it. They can’t know how much I want this, how happy I am to be here, how glad I am to know that everyone’s on the same page.
But while I’m restraining myself, the crowd abruptly falls silent. What? Why? What is…
I sniff the air. The emperor is standing. Is he making a speech? Oh, how flattering!
“My people! The people of my father! I shall speak only briefly. Many of you remember a day like this, only two years ago, when this same beast, in this same position, took the life of my illustrious father. You remember the words he spoke, condemning this creature. You need not hear a repeat of such words. You know what it has done. Likewise, you may have heard of its latest victim: the poor city of Oran. The reason it lies before you, neck exposed, is well-known to us. Same as you, I, too, wish nothing more than to see its neck severed, and its head roll. However, there is a necessary ritual that must precede this. In lack of the King of Acheron’s presence, and in lack of the Queen of Ret-inn’s presence, its back shall be branded with their coats of arms, so that it may go into its cold sleep, knowing well the pain it has caused.”
Ah, I see. More. Will they never be content? I don’t mind, of course. The only issue is that I’m not sure that I truly deserve to feel such warmth before I die. Wouldn’t it be more fitting to leave me cold?
They don’t seem to agree. I can’t see what’s happening behind me, but I can feel the fiery heat of brands approaching my lower back. Oh, so that’s what the empty space on either lower side of the heart was for. How clever! I gave him too little credit. With his own brand sitting right on my neck, between the sides of the heart, it means my back is fully covered. As much use as that will do, of course.
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I feel the brands press into me. It’s warm. Heat tingles up my spine and down my legs. It’s nice. It’s delightful. Like this, Simel will be with me, even in my grave. That is, assuming I’m afforded a grave. The emperor is the one who mentioned it first, of course, but that might just have been a turn of phrase. Who knows?
“And now,” the emperor continues, “let us wait no longer.”
The executioner appears at my side. I can see his face, just barely. If I angle my head, I can even watch as his assistants begin pulling on the ropes next to the guillotine, lifting up the blade, bit by bit. It’s a very nice blade. Looks like they even gave it some ornamentation. Nice! A stray bit of sun bounces off of the blade and into my eye. How pleasant. I think I can remember it raining the last time this happened, so having a bit of sun feels a lot better. There isn’t a single cloud in the sky. Just the stark midday sun, and, within time, me.
Above, the guillotine clicks into position. It’s so high up. Even with all my resistances, it’s sure to slice through my neck, no issue. I look out at the audience again. I spot her again. It’d be one thing if she was standing far back, looking on coolly, but she’s almost at the very front. Annoying. It’s really ruining the atmosphere a little.
…But, on the other hand, in just a minute or so, it won’t matter. It’s almost over.
I feel my tense body relax into the tight straps. I breathe slowly. In, and out. In, and out. This is it. Finally, this is it. There’s no escape. There’s no recourse. I won’t find atonement, but that doesn’t matter. I just… want… to…
The executioner at my side pulls a lever.
There’s a swish as the blade falls,
and then a single, final,
thump.
My perspective rolls, the world spins around me, and then the back of my head touches into the basket that was below me. My head is facing up at the beautiful, endless blue sky. It’s so pretty. There are no clouds to interpret, no beckoning storms on the horizon. Just the blue. Innocent. Blue curtains, blue door.
Blue…
I blink up at it.
Why… am I still alive?
I can think just fine. I’m not feeling tired. I should be getting sleepy, for the final nap. But I’m not. Why not?
I stare up at the sky. It isn’t answering me.
In the corner of my vision, I notice the status messages, slowly churning in.
Bleeding Immunity Lv.7> Brain Damage Immunity Lv.8> Oxygen Deficiency Immunity Lv.6> Paralyzation Immunity Lv.3> N—no, stop that! Stop it, I don’t want to… I’m supposed to die! I feel my fingers. Twitch, twitch. In sheer anger, I rise from where I lie, still on the board. The straps groan and snap, giving way to my body as it rolls off of the board, blindly stumbling to its feet. I can’t see it. I can feel myself, balancing, moving. Trying so hard. I have to be fast. I stumble forward, pushing aside someone who was trying to stop me, my hand moving along the edge of the guillotine to find… I see my body above me, headless and pale and bony. Reaching down, I see it reach toward me, and I grab my head, and I feel my head getting grabbed, and I lift myself high, feeling the vertigo below me. Brain Damage Immunity Lv.9> Oxygen Deficiency Immunity Lv.7> Bleeding Immunity Lv.8> I hold one hand on each side of my face, feeling my hands pressing into my cheeks, and then I flex what little muscles I have, watching as tawny muscles tremble on bony limbs and bony ribs, and with effort, the hole of my throat moving, gasping, grunting… I crush my own head. Brain Damage Immunity Lv.10> Brain Damage Nullification Lv.MAX> Like the remains of a crumpled tin can, it falls to the floor, out of my hands. My fingers tremble. I can still feel my head. Nerve endings, screaming for release. Although my eyeballs have popped out, they can still see, just a little, so I see myself, high above, trembling, shaking, shivering, the hole of my throat undulating, heaving, panting. I raise one foot, and see the foot, blurry, reddened by the perspective, and I stomp it into the remains of my head. Stomp, stomp, squish, squash, smash, stomp, stomp, crush, stomp, stomp… I can’t see anymore. I can’t hear anymore. I can’t taste anymore. I can’t smell anymore. I can feel the mushy, shard-filled remains of my skull beneath my toes. My rubbery skin, only partially torn. My brain matter is soft, almost velvety. Haah, haah, haah, haah… I raise one hand. There’s still one option left. One way. I have to… I stab my hand into my chest and pull out my still-beating heart. Oxygen Deficiency Immunity Lv.8> Bleeding Immunity Lv.9> It’s beating quickly. Afraid. Afraid of what? I’m not afraid. I know exactly what I want. No—not afraid… Excited! Excited heart! Yes, this will work! This will finally— I crush my heart in my hand. Bleeding Immunity Lv.10> Bleeding Nullification Lv.MAX> I feel the mangled remains of my heart in my hand. What did I do wrong? Why am I alive? Why aren’t I…? Oxygen Deficiency Immunity Lv.9> Oxygen Deficiency Immunity Lv.10> Oxygen Deficiency Nullification Lv.MAX> In the darkness, I feel a new message approach. Death Protection> Ah. I see. So, I can’t…? I fall to my knees. Maybe if I rip out my spine. Maybe if I mangle all my limbs. Maybe if I destroy my internal organs. Maybe… I feel a vibration through the wooden scaffolding, and then someone embraces me, and pulls me into the air, up on their shoulder, and the air I pathetically breathe gains a twinge of smoke. And suddenly, they’re running, carrying me, jumping, and I don’t want to anymore. I just… want… To sleep. Is that so much to ask for?