"Let me go!" I tried to push past them, but one of the guards swiftly retaliated. He kicked me in the abdomen, causing me to stumble backward and fall onto the hard, dusty road, my back hitting the ground with a painful thud.

Deniz, rushed to my side as the guards maintained their blockade.

I rose to my feet, brushing the dust off my clothes, my anger burning hotter than ever. With a defiant stance, I challenged the guards, "You wanna go for a round, huh?"

Deniz tried to intervene, "Aries, stop it!"

But I had already made up my mind. In a swift motion, I advanced toward the guards. One of the guards reached for his sword, but before he could draw it, I sprang into action.

With a low, sweeping kick, I targeted the guard's calves, causing him to lose his balance. As he stumbled, I seized the opportunity, grabbing his hand that clutched the hilt of his sword. With a quick and forceful motion, I bashed the back of the hilt against his nose, he staggered back, clutching his injured nose.

His companion, infuriated, lunged at me with a swinging punch. I deftly shifted my weight to the left, evading the blow. In one fluid motion, I countered, unleashing a powerful punch with my right hand aimed squarely at his throat. The impact landed with precision, causing him to gasp for air and stumble backward, clutching his throat in pain.

"Let's go!" I ordered Deniz to follow me

As we entered Hakima's home. The elderly lady lay unconscious in the middle of the floor, her loyal dog anxiously wagging its tail beside her, desperately trying to rouse its master. Meanwhile, four guards ransacked the house, their actions displaying frantic search for something.

Among the guards, I recognized Yousef, one of the kids from our orphanage , who had later joined the ranks of the bramevaria guards.

I tapped into my perucolysis, summoning an unformed wave of power. The energy surged through me, and I directed it toward one of the guards. In an instant, the force struck the guard sending him hurtling through the air. The other guards, taken aback by this unexpected attack staggered back.

Stepping forward, I fixed my gaze on them "Leave her at once," I commanded

The two guards closed in on me, my attempt to summon Perucolysis was met with a sharp, searing pain in my arm, rendering that option unavailable. With no time to waste, I relied on my combat instincts.

One of them swung a powerful punch aimed at my face, but I ducked swiftly, feeling the wind of his fist. Seizing the opportunity, I countered with a quick jab to his ribs, causing him to grunt in pain.

The other one undeterred, attempted a kick, which I narrowly evaded by stepping back. In response, I launched a powerful side kick aimed at his midsection, connecting a thud as my foot struck his abdomen.

However, my momentary distraction with the first guard allowed him to recover. He lunged forward, attempting to grab me. I managed to block his advance.

I felt a sudden, unexpected pain in my wrist. Looking down, I saw that the other guard had managed to slip a rope around it, effectively immobilizing my arms. The rope tightened, restricting my movements.

As I grappled with the immobilizing pain in my wrist, the other guard saw an opportunity, he grabbed my head, forcing it downward onto the ground. My vision blurred as I was thrust toward the ground.

The room seemed to spin for a moment as I struggled to regain my focus. and I found myself pinned to the ground, my wrist still ensnared by the rope. With my arms immobilized by the tightly wound rope, I could do little to resist as the two guards, realizing I was no longer a threat in my current state, pulled me up from behind. Their earlier aggression seemed to have subsided.

As they hoisted me to my feet, I couldn't help but notice Yousef's sympathetic expression as he approached.

"Aries, it's not what it seems," Yousef said, " it's not like we are arresting her for no reason, we got a warrant of her arrest from Master Zayd."

"Explain, Yousef. Why are you here, and what's the real story behind her arrest?" Deniz chimed in from the entrance of the house.

Yousef sighed, clearly conflicted. "One of the guys from the printing press, who recently arrived from Lahaj, was ordered to follow you three by Master Zayd," he confessed, his voice tinged with regret. "Their suspicions were high, thinking you might be involved in something illegal. I didn't anticipate it would escalate to this level."

He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "Moreover, when the three of you were seen taking an unidentified person into town, it raised even more eyebrows. You should consider yourselves fortunate that there wasn't a warrant for your arrest as well. I managed to stave off that possibility, but the old lady's resistance during her arrest may complicate her trial."

"That bastard's at it again," I muttered under my breath, frustration and anger building within me.

"Also, shortly that man will be Excecuted."

.

.

"Huh?"

Yousef continued, "By further investigation, it was revealed that he was a pirate from th-"

Before he could finish his sentence, I harnessed a sudden burst of Perucolysis, using it to free myself from the rope. I moved with impulse, my hands clamping down on Yousef's collar before the guards could react.

"What did you say?" I demanded

"He's the only witness to the recent disappearances in the forest. If he dies, we'll never uncover the root cause of those disappearances."

Yousef, visibly shaken, stammered, "I... I don't know much about it. It was all Master Zayd's decision from the beginning. He's doing the execution in front of the entire town."

"In how much time?" I pressed my grip on Yousef's collar tightening.

"It could happen right now," he replied

I released him and rushed toward the exit of Hakima's house, But Yousef called out to me one more time.

"Aries, hear me out. I have this hunch that Master Zayd might be doing all of this to draw you out. He's trying to frame you and declare you guilty."

I stopped in my tracks,

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"I know," I replied, "I know, yet you still decide to work for him brother dear."

After my words, Deniz and I hastily left the building, making our way towards the main square. The news had spread remarkably quickly, evident from the gathering crowd of townsfolk heading in the same direction.

As we reached the main square, the scene unfolded before our eyes. The man had a rope tightly wound around his neck, and he stood there with a look of resignation, his face obscured by the hood placed over his head.

At the center of this unsettling spectacle stood Zayd. He surveyed the crowd with an unsettling calmness, his eyes scanning the faces of the onlookers.

The atmosphere was tense, filled with fear, and curiosity. The townspeople whispered among themselves, unsure of what to expect. It was clear that Zayd had orchestrated this event not just as an execution but as a display of power and control.

As I moved closer to the elevated platform where Zayd stood, my heart pounded with anxiety. I didn't have a clear plan on how to stop the execution, but I couldn't stand by and watch an innocent man's life be taken.

Zayd, with a keen eye, recognized my face among the crowd. He seized the moment to begin his speech,

"People of Ringhseer Island," he declared, "as the son of Commander Farid, the acting head of the Bramevaria regime on this island, it is my duty to protect the people of this town from any danger that occurs."

The crowd listened intently, their eyes fixed on Zayd as he continued to speak,

"Some days ago," Zayd went on, "there was fear and anxiousness surrounding the town because of the strange disappearances. But as the proud guards of the Bramevaria tried to find the root of these disappearances, we discovered that a pirate group from the Gulf of Astareen had established a base here on the island. While we have yet to pinpoint their exact location, this man before you—a pirate who operated in these very waters—revealed everything once we questioned him. He confessed to their nefarious deeds, how his pirate gang attempted to enslave women and sell them to the East, and how they operated in small islands like ours."

As Zayd's words sank in, the crowd began to chatter, the revelation about the pirate activities sparking concern and outrage among the townspeople. It was a calculated move on Zayd's part, using fear and the promise of safety to gain attention from the crowd.

Zayd continued his speech, He pointed to the tattoo on the man's chest.

"As you can see," he declared, "this tattoo on his chest indicates his allegiance to his group. And may I inform you that one of our own people helped him get into the town? Do you want to know who he was?"

The crowd erupted, shouting, "Who! Who!"

"It was Aries!" Zayd announced, his voice cutting through the commotion, "and his brothers from the orphanage. We've been harboring these orphans, left by their parents and abandoned on ships. I wonder what Jerich would say about it, his children causing such danger to my people."

The townspeople turned their attention toward me and Deniz, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

"It's not him!" I protested, my voice drowned out by the accusations, "You set him up! The real reason was-"

But before I could finish my sentence, the man about to be executed suddenly screamed, his words laced with desperation, "It was humans! They chased me in the forest. They are trying to take our town from us. People, listen to me! I am a survivor!"

His unexpected proclamation sent ripples of confusion through the crowd,

Zayd, undeterred, seized control of the situation once more. "See, this man still tries to defend himself with nonsense," he declared,

"Now, people, let's bid him farewell from this world. His ominous deeds will not be forgotten, and this will serve as an example for anyone who dares to cause trouble for our people."

A burly figure on the platform pulled a lever, and a section of the platform beneath the man's feet opened up. The rope around his throat tightened, and he fell briefly before being yanked back, his life extinguished.

The eerie silence that had fallen over the crowd was broken by Zayd's voice once more. He addressed me directly,

"So, now will we receive an answer from you, Aries," he demanded, "or should I kick you out of the town for causing such stupidity?"

The crowd, already swayed by Zayd's earlier words, began hurling accusations and jeers in my direction. I could feel the anger rising within me, and my hand instinctively started to gather the energy of Perucolysis. Deniz noticed my agitation and urged me to stay calm, fearing that any sudden outburst could worsen our situation.

Just as tension hung in the air, a soothing hand rested on my shoulder, and I turned to see Jerich stepping forward, He raised his voice above the crowd

"Listen, my fellow townspeople," Jerich began, "we all know that the disappearances have left us in fear and uncertainty. But before we rush to judgment, let us consider the facts. Yes, this man before us had a connection to those pirates, but that does not mean he was their willing accomplice. We have seen how desperation can force individuals into the wrong company."

The crowd's murmurs seemed to soften as Jerich continued, "Aries and his brothers from the orphanage may have shown kindness to this man out of compassion, not knowing the full extent of his past. But is it not our duty as a community to offer help to those who have lost their way?"

He paused, letting his words sink in, before addressing Zayd directly. "As for the accusations against Aries and his brothers, they are based on a distorted version of events. We should not let fear and anger cloud our judgment. Instead, let us seek the truth together and ensure that justice prevails."

He climbed the execution platform to command everyone's attention.

"Well," he began, his voice carrying across the square, "I must also inform you that I just came back from Captain Farid's place. While there, I had the opportunity to meet with the owner of the press print. He shared something quite interesting that he had overheard one day. It appears that you had paid one of his workers to spy on Aries some weeks ago."

A murmur of intrigue rippled through the crowd as people leaned in to catch every word. Jerich's revelation had captured their full attention.

"That's... um," Zayd stammered, clearly caught off guard.

Jerich pressed on, "You see, you told the public just now that you were trying to find the root cause of the disappearances. But I suspect that only the guards present within the crowd know your fabricated story. I became suspicious when I heard them mention that Aries would finally get framed. So, I followed you from Farid's place, and there was no interrogation. It became clear that you had already decided to proceed with this execution without a second thought, even though the man before us could very well be innocent."

The crowd erupted into a frenzy of chatter, disbelief, and anger. Zayd's deception was unraveling before their eyes.

"Needs witnesses?" Jerich exclaimed, "Right there, the owner of the press print and Captain Farid's loyal lieutenant, Percival, saw it all happen too. There was no interrogation. Also, I've learned that you sent the warrant to arrest Hakima, even though you didn't know the full story of the situation. Your silence in the face of these revelations tells me that this entire spectacle you created was nothing more than an attempt to frame Aries and satisfy your ego, is it not?"

Zayd, visibly embarrassed and unable to offer a convincing response, remained silent.

Jerich pressed on, his voice carrying a stern authority. "You don't value human lives, and I also hope that Captain Farid will take strict action against you once you return home."

Clearly irritated and defeated, Zayd turned and hastily left the execution site, with the other guards reluctantly following suit. The crowd's chatter grew louder as people began to disperse, and some guards solemnly carried the body of the executed man toward the cemetery.

Jerich descended from the staircase. He looked somewhat worn out but wore a faint smile.

"Well, that went smoothly," he remarked, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

Me and Deniz exchanged relieved glances, grateful for Jerich's intervention. I couldn't help but express my gratitude, "You really saved us big time back there," I said, my voice filled with appreciation.

Jerich waved off the praise with a modest smile. "Don't mention it. Let's head back, I have something important to discuss with you."

"With me?" With questions swirling in my mind, we began our journey back home.