In the dimly lit alley, Dante de Monfort, hidden in the shadows, observed the tense confrontation between the leaders of the Nullarians and Infernians.

His eyes narrowed as he took in every word and gesture, sensing a deeper deception at play.

Altan Erdoji, the 8-year-old boy, stood firm amid the Nullarians and Infernians.

The boy looked at the grown men in front of him who suddenly went hostile against him.

"There is no snitch. Only Truth and Justice," the boy declared with to them. His calm demeanor and measured voice carried authority as he sought to address the brewing conflict.

"What do you mean Truth and Justice? Aren't you the one that pits us against each other? Switching sides and brewing conflict amongst us?" The Nullarian leader said as he rubbed his beard.

The boy replied saying, "Truth and Justice have no sides. It sees everything. Judges equally. And punishes according to Truth and Justice. If you wish to accuse me of sin, then sue me. File a proper case against me in a court of law. Is it not the role of the government of the Freest City in the world, to become the final authority in conflicts such as these?"

They all took a step back, surprised at the child's eloquence and bravery.

"What do you know, boy! Who put you up to this? Was it those damn Solarists- those sun-worshiping scum?" a red-robed man said?

The leader of the Nullarians grabbed Altan Erdoji's shoulders and hesitated to punch him.

"Or was it those Elixiren? Those healers want trouble, don't they? Who told you what to say!"

The boy looking fiercely at the old man that grabbed him, countered and lifted the Nullarian to the sky, then slammed him to the ground. They were surprised by his strength and power.

Dante looked even closer with interest.

The boy walked up to him and said, "I will not say it again. If you believe I have sinned, then sue me, like the proud Freelanders that you are. The law is there to protect you from evildoers. If you believe you are righteous, then blame everything on me."

Altan turned and pointed his fingers at the Nullarians.

"Blame on me how you Nullarians steal from every warehouse in Liberty's Reach and then sell the product at a lower price. That soap was stolen, wasn't it? And how you burned the evidence for your thievery, by burning your secret storage of stolen goods under that Infernian Temple. Knowing that if the law investigated, you would all be convicted," Altan said.

"AHA! You scum Nullarians! You truly are parasites in our nation," one of the Infernians said.

Altan turned toward the Infernians and gave them a menacing look of accusation.

"And you, Infernians. You did not just beat that Philissian Beastman, didn't you? You murdered him. There were witnesses that you brought him inside the temple, but many claimed that a different Philissian Beastman came out the next day. You flogged three times... yes... but with blades, not whips. You even tried to silence the other witnesses by threatening to destroy the only well in the area, that the populations here rely on for survival."

Dante's mind raced, piecing together the puzzle that unfolded before him. He knew there was more to this encounter than a simple confrontation of ideals. "Who is this boy? And why is he doing all this?"

A muscular and gigantic man walked forward from among the Infernians and laughed.

"Hahahaha! How about you, boy? Where is your evidence for all your accusations? And what would you say is our purpose here today? Why would we fight amongst ourselves? Why are we in this alley?"

"It's obvious. Even an idiot would realize this. The Nullarians agreed to cover up the murder of their fellow Philissian who got greedy and used the soap that was stolen goods. You, Infernians, did not know that he was a member of the thieves that rent the secret storage under your temple and give you a percentage of their loot."

"And inadvertently killed him out of your brutality and monopoly of the well. And you all wished to track down the Snitch that was telling everyone the Truth. And we all know you wouldn't sue me for defamation because even the Courts of Law in Freelandia are corrupt and under the control of the Solarists and Elixiren, who would have loved to get rid of their religious competition. And to prevent that..."

"You are here to corner me. And kill me."

As Altan brought forth the truth to them all, Dante remained hidden, eager to see what would happen next. "Damn! This kid is roasting them! I'm rooting for this boy. Possibly dead boy- soon though."

The Nullarians and the Infernians looked at each other, then laughed uncontrollably at the young Altan Erdoji.

"You are a hilarious, little boy! So, that is it? Why have you not filed a case against us then, if you are so confident in your Truth? Would it not have been safer, if you had gone into hiding and waited out the course of the law, you stupid Snitch? Yeah. Sure! We admit it. What are you going to do about it now? You're dead, kid." the leader of the Infernians said.

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Altan took out a book, hidden behind his clothes. The book was grey, hardbound, and had a Sigil on its cover.

"I will not repeat myself. There is no Snitch. There is only Truth and Justice."

One of the Nullarians recognized the Sigil. "Hey! Isn't that the Sigil of the Court of Divine Inquisition?"

"Divine Inquisition?" the leader of the Infernians asked. "You are an Inquisitor of the Holy System! I thought you were all wiped out. What the fuck is this? Who are you!"

Altan opened his book. "Now, I have presented the Holy Truth. And you have admitted to guilt. There is Justice for all of you. Thus I shall administer the Holy Punishment."

The book in his hand glowed in the light, and Altan's eyes burned with flames. He levitated and was surrounded by flowing forces of energy.

"Fuck this! Let's go!" they all shouted in panic. "Run! It's a fucking Holy Inquisitor!"

Altan's mouth moved and he prayed, "In the name of the Holy System, I call upon the power of judgmental bindings. Let these chains of transformation restrain the wicked and bind them in compliance, ensuring their cooperation in the pursuit of justice."

The book glowed and a text appeared.

[Judgmental Chains Activated]

The ground in the alley moved and flowed fluidly like a gnashing river and pushed the escaping Nullarians and the Infernians back and in front of Altan Erdoji.

Their legs were then buried knee-deep into the ground, not allowing them to escape.

Altan then declared with the voice of a child, "My first Holy Argument: I, Altan Erdoji, Initiate Inquisitor of the Court of Divine Inquisition. By the Authority of Divine Inquisition granted to me by the Holy System, present my case before the Truth and Justice. Accusing these citizens of Freelandia, for the crimes of theft, murder, arson, exploitation, and obstruction of Justice. This is Holy Truth!"

Dante smirked while wearing his dwarf mask, and cloak. And walked toward the supernatural event.

"Please forgive us! File a case against us in the Court of Law in Freelandia!" the Nullarians screamed.

They struggled to free themselves from the grasp of the ground but faltered.

And the Infernians attempted to pray to the Eternal Flame but they were incapacitated and prevented from gathering any significant amount of magical energy.

"We do not believe in the Holy System! This is unjust! This is against our rights!"

Altan then declared, "My Second Holy Argument: The accused have admitted their guilt and the evidence presented has been sufficient to prove that these men have committed their crimes. This is Holy Truth!"

The ground then began to crawl up on the Nullarians and Infernians.

And it entered their pores and their whole bodies, causing them pain and suffering to test their minds on whether they believe Altan is lying or telling the truth.

"Aaaarrgh!" They all screamed in pain.

"Nooo! Please! He is lying-" One of the Nullarians spoke, and when the energy detected an inconsistency in the accused man, he disintegrated into nothing.

And the dust from the ground fell. The others who were still being accused and judged by the energies cried out for help.

"Please! Let us go! We will submit ourselves to the Court of Laws here in Freelandia! Please! Have mercy!"

Dante saw the man die right before his eyes. He remembered this type of event. It was similar to his ritual at birth.

Altan continued and said, "My Holy Conclusion: I hereby sentence the Nullarians to either return all the items that they have stolen or repay their victims the equivalent amount of what was taken. And I sentence the Infernians to deliver the murderers of the Philissian Beastman to the Forges of Redemption in the Kingdom of Solara, and from now on to share the well fairly among the people. I am Worthy Inquisitor!"

Everyone was shocked to hear the judgment. "What?"

Even Dante laughed when he heard the young boy's words. "That's it? I thought he was going to kill them all or something."

Altan then shouted, "Accept your Divine Punishment or Perish! Do you accept?"

All of them wept in tears and bore their regrets. "We accept!" they all cried out.

The floating light and energies around Altan and the accused criminals formed the shape of a beautiful scale and it duplicated itself.

Then each scale flew and attached itself to each of the criminals, scale then burned itself into their backs, signifying a formed Holy Covenant.

[Divine Inquisition Completed] appeared in Altan's book.

Altan fell to the ground but landed on his feet and closed his book. All of them were released from the Judgmental Chains and bowed before the young boy.

"Thank you! Oh! Thank you, good Sir!"

The young boy raised his hand. And all of them fled. Running for their lives, and regretting their actions.

Dante who was pretending to be a dwarf, watched all of them run away, and he approached the powerful young lad.

He was impressed that at that age, the young boy was able to do all of that.

He emerged from the shadows, stepping into the dim light of the alley. His eyes met Altan's, a mix of astonishment and gratitude shining in his gaze.

"Altan Erdoji!" Dante called out. "Or should I say, Holy Inquisitor Altan Erdoji? You are a blessing from the heavens. I thank you for your Judgment. And now I can get back my 10 crates of Soap that were stolen."

He even tried to deepen his voice to sound like an adult dwarf.

"I would like to ask though. Was it you that decided their sentencing? Or was it the Holy System?" Dante's voice was serious and with hints of rage.

Altan turned his back on Dante, "According to the Assistance you have requested, there is only Truth and Justice. Dwarven Merchant Danivio. Or should I say, Dante de Monfort? The Holy Judgment is proven to be true because it is effective. And if I am proven false, then I would have been the one to have disintegrated into a mist."

Dante replied, "Truth and Justice? Are you sure? You might be forgetting the third thing?"

"And that is?"

Dante threw a bag of gold coins in Freelandia Currency at Altan's feet.

"And Money... of course," Dante replied sarcastically. "That's my monthly contribution Holy Inquisitor."

Dante bowed and Altan happily accepted.

"You are always welcome to request Assistance, valued Contributor Danivio the Merchant-Dwarf. The Court of Divine Inquisition will always be of service to a member of the Church of the Holy System."

Altan bowed elegantly even though he had his back to Dante. And was going to walk away, but Dante then said, "It's a funny coincidence, though. Warehouses in Liberty's Reach only started getting robbed, at the same time that you arrived here, Holy Inquisitor Altan. It must be divine will that you have arrived just in time to save us from the blight of thievery."

Altan paused and smirked hearing this. Someone had been watching from atop the buildings, and observing them in the alley. He kept walking away.

Dante knelt on the ground where the Nullarian had perished. "He didn't even care to know their names or the victim's names. That man was taking care of his young sisters. FUCK!"

He kicked the dust in anger, knowing that to 'Perish' meant not just death... but total annihilation of being. That man's soul no longer existed, and would never be reincarnated again.

"Fuck this Holy System bullshit!"