In the past, Eliya searched for the truth before raising the scales of judgment. He believed that behind every soul was a story, and behind every darkness was an untold reason.
But when a judge breaks beneath the weight of his own mistakes, he may no longer seek the light again... he may burn everything just so he never sees the darkness once more.
Between guilt and victimhood, between justice and revenge... one question is born: Does judgment remain righteous when the judge's heart has died?
Chapter 12: Guilty or Victim
Eliya stood up with a cold smile and began walking wherever the winds took him. He was tired, broken, but something started rising inside him.
Lilie said to him:
"You are no longer the way you used to be. Are you satisfied with what you are doing? Instead of atoning for your sins, you are making things worse. You can no longer even see. Is this the justice we were walking upon?"
Eliya answered:
"I am no longer searching for the light I was searching for, because they left me no other choice."
Lilie said to him:
"Don't you remember your own words? Not all humans are the same. There is good and there is evil. There is evil born from good, and good born from the middle of evil."
Eliya answered:
"Heh, in the past they were like that. Now everyone has become the same. I am no longer searching for the truth. Now I only search for judgment. And enough talking, I am not in a good mood."
Lilie said to him:
"Listen to these words from me and consider them whatever you want, a warning or a threat. Be who you are, and don't become what they want you to be. You were born crying because you saw them laughing, and now you are laughing while watching them cry. There is only a little left."
Silence took over the place.
He was walking with exhausted steps until he heard the voice of a girl.
She said to him:
"Young man, are you tired? My house is close from here, if you want to rest for a while."
Eliya answered:
"I can't endure anymore. Can I rest for a little?"
She answered him:
"No problem, come with me."
They walked for a while until they reached the house.
She brought Eliya inside and gave him a bed so he could rest for a while, and she brought him food and drink.
He ate until he was full.
Night came, and the sounds became silent.
Eliya was sleeping until he heard whispers.
He woke up to find a group of people surrounding him.
He quickly stood up and said:
"Who are you?"
They said to him:
"Was the food delicious?"
He said to them:
"And why?"
They said to him:
"Because you ate human flesh."
He was shocked by what he heard. He started vomiting until he threw up everything he had eaten.
He said to them:
"Who are you? And what have you done?"
They answered him:
"We sell human organs, but because you are a guest, we fed you from the meat we have. Our little girl brought us a surprise, a blind person who won't resist."
At that moment, they were praising the girl who brought Eliya.
At that moment, Eliya's veins appeared.
Lilie interfered:
"I told you, look before you judge."
He answered her:
"Don't interfere. I don't need to see more."
Then he said to them:
"No one escapes the ruin."
He raised the violin and began the Judgment of Bodies.
[VIOLENT AND CHAOTIC MOVEMENTS. ELIYA PASSES THE BOW ACROSS THE STRINGS WITH BRUTAL FORCE, MAKING THE WOOD OF THE VIOLIN CREAK, AND THE NOTES EXPLODE SHARPLY LIKE BLADES.]
"I cut the bodies... in the darkness of the pits
And you sold the breaths... you filth of mankind
You thieves of heartbeats... from within the chests
Today you will not escape... the hatred of the graves
My raging blade... desires certain erasure
And judgment has become... a hell above the servants!"
[THE BOW STRIKES ALL FOUR STRINGS TOGETHER IN A STATE OF HYSTERICAL MADNESS. BROKEN NOTES FALL LIKE GUILLOTINES, AND HIS BREATHS CHASE EACH OTHER WITH VIOLENT SUFFOCATION.]
"You sold the kidneys of the weak... in the market of filth
And collected money... from the collapse of dreams
There is no justice in my melody... only the deep brutality
I am the flame... that extinguishes this path
I will sever the limbs... a severing that wants nothing
Except annihilation... for your kind, you trembling ones!"
[INSANE SPEED IN THE MOVEMENT OF HIS FINGERS. THE SCREAM OF THE HIGHEST STRING PIERCES THE BONES. ELIYA PLAYS WITH A SOUL THAT HAS SHATTERED AND NO LONGER SEES CERTAINTY.]
"This is my judgment... the last, so no regret
I will pour above your thrones a circle of vengeance
You tore apart the pure womb from existence
So let my melody erase... what remains between the chains
Flesh monsters... your past is cursed
And now has fallen... the throne of serenity and death!"
[A SUDDEN SHOCKING SILENCE, LIKE THE CHOKING OF A FINAL BREATH. ELIYA STANDS TERRIFIED, LOOKING AT THE VIOLIN THAT ALMOST BROKE BETWEEN HIS HANDS.]
"No voice rises... above the voice of ruin."
...
...
"Guilty."
They began falling one after another.
The girl remained alone.
Eliya said to her:
"Why didn't you fall?"
She said to him:
"Please forgive me, I am innocent. They forced me to do this. I did not participate in killing humans."
Eliya said to her:
"But you bring people here."
She said to him:
"Please forgive me, I am a victim."
Eliya smiled coldly and said to her:
"Guilty or victim... there is no difference. You will receive punishment."
...
The little girl fell.
...
...
To be continued...
The guilty fell... and so did the victim.
The judge did not ask about the past, nor did he search for the truth. For the first time, the violin was not crying for the souls that disappeared... it was declaring a judgment that knew no mercy.
On that day, a new monster was not born... but the last part of the judge who tried to save monsters had died.
Because now... it no longer matters who you were.
Guilty or victim... there is no difference.