I Became My Healer Elf Character-Chapter 76: Two Executions
Deep under water, there exists a mermaid city. The structures are towering and made up of pearls or reef. Inside of such a city, Princess Miliana ruminates over her fate.
Ever since the dawn of the mermaid tribe, they've always worshiped Lord Mosa. His massive and powerful form serves as protection from outside threats, but while he protects, he also demands compensation.
The only thing he accepts as payment is the life of the first born princess once she comes of age. By devouring her, he gains even more strength, and his protection continues.
However, Princess Miliana doesn't want to be eaten. A week before the ceremony and she's being spoiled. Her mother comes in with an abundance of fish and jewels to decorate her daughter. Though her mother doesn't say much, she has a forlorn look in her eyes, and it makes Miliana even more worried.
Queen Miliyu's elder sister was the one to be sacrificed last time, so surely she understands the pain more than most. At least, that is what Miliana wants to believe.
The queen grabbed her daughters cheeks and stared into her eyes. "Don't worry dear, Lord Mosa assures that the death will be fast and painless every time."
"The thought of it is consuming me every waking moment. It's a week to the ceremony, and I live in fear. How can one consider this painless? It's more like a slow and agonizing death."
Her mother frowned, but she did not disagree. "However, you're the one to bear this burden. It rests heavily upon your shoulders, but you alone continue the protection of our tribe for the next generation. And in the end, you shall be swimming in the heavenly waters of our divine."
"Have you ever thought of the idea that we don't need Lord Mosa's protection. I've been doing some research, and…"
Miliyu shook her head. "What you speak of is considered a blasphemy. Were you in the library again?"
"I was, and you know as well as I do that some of the more ancient texts have no mention of Lord Mosa. We are all stronger together without him, so I don't understand why I need to die."
"The deal was struck long ago," the queen said, "way before you or I were even thought of. When Lord Mosa descended peace reigned supreme. We need not sharpen our tridents. Nor would we wage war upon the other tribes of the deep."
Miliana couldn't understand it. Since her birth, her mother had always seemed to care for her. The queen lost her own sister to Lord Mosa, yet she'd not defend Miliana against him?
The queen would not turn away from the ancient scribbles. Just like everyone else, she'd never question the words of those tablets. Simply because Lord Mosa continued to provide protection? What was a life living in fear of the outside world, while clinging desperately to the fins of someone stronger? This was a life that Miliana hated.
Born to be sacrificed to Lord Mosa by her own mother and father. The whole tribe would watch and even consider it a celebration as they sent her away to be devoured. No, in Miliana's eyes Lord Mosa was not some great protector. For one, she'd never even seen him with her own eyes.
"I will be back later, dear," Miliana's mother said.
Miliana watched her swim away through the kelp door. Thoughts spun in her head. Thoughts of her own demise. Thoughts of being eaten by the monster called Lord Mosa.
The princess ripped the expensive pearl necklace from her throat. She glared at the piece of jewelry given to her.
"I will not do as everyone wishes, and I will prove to them that Lord Mosa is not the being that everyone claims."
With that vow in her heart, she dropped the piece of jewelry on the floor, serving as a reminder that she was there. Miliana swam up to the rounded window in her chamber and pried it open. By the time her mother got back, she'd be long gone.
The massive mermaid city loomed below. However, she would escape way before anyone was the wiser.
She'd read all of the ancient texts. She knew the history of this kingdom better than most. She also knew that mermaids were not meant to be some closed off tribe. They used to have trading partners on land. The tales spoke of people without scales or gills. They spoke of an entire world beyond the depths.
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Not too far away in the Empire, a General arrives in the capital city. Relief floods through his heart.
After being silent for a while, his maid finally speaks to him. "What's going to happen now? Will the Emperor be pleased to see you back?"
Once again, General Trent's heart sinks. In his fear of dying to a certain goddess, he'd forgotten all about the possibility of being executed by the Emperor for abandoning his station.
He sighed and slumped in his seat. "Maybe I am not meant to live after all."
Mirabelle looked at him in worry. "You still haven't slept well on this trip. My lord, may I speak plainly?"
"Go ahead. It doesn't matter anymore. None of it matters. Pretty soon, they will execute me anyway. And what can I do? Flee? Run away to some other region and start a life in another kingdom?"
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"With all due respect, My Lord, by fearing death and sinking into despair, you're losing your dignity. At least if we are to be executed, don't you want it all to end with dignity?"
General Trent shook his head. "You wouldn't know anything. You can't understand that pain. And what is dignity? It is something we simply cling onto uselessly while living our short lives. All so that the gods and goddesses can watch over us with pity? They must think it some grand game. 'Oh, look at all of those mortals suffering down there.'"
Mirabelle frowned. Her general who'd once stood tall on several battlefields had succumbed to a fear that afflicts everyone. Before she could say anything, the carriage driver stopped. They'd arrived at the towering structure of the Imperial Castle.
This thing had withstood the testament of time and became a monolith of the ages. According to all sources within the college, it hadn't even been destroyed in the calamity a thousand years ago. Towering stone pillars held up a grand stair case of marble that continued towards the ancient door. Magic crystals floated around the outside, ready to shoot magic at anyone the Emperor deemed a threat.
Two tall marble golems stood next to the door as guards. And the castle itself was polished marble, infused with strengthening magic. It had been said that over the long life of the Empire, very few of the leaders had been assassinated.
One who was daring enough to try to break into the Imperial castle was either a major fool, or they were too strong for their own good. The only ones who'd managed it had been hailed as legendary assassins in their day. All of them had infiltrated the ranks of the Emperor's most trusted comrades.
Yet, even as they assassinated the Emperor, none of them lived. It was a separate task to infiltrate and then try to escape from the castle's many archers, traps, golems, spell crystals, and if that weren't enough, they could raise a marble drake to pursue after them.
The two began up the steps, taking the longest journey up to the tower in their entire lives. General Trent felt like any second or any misstep would be enough to put the crystals on alert and blast his head right off.
Once they got to the door, the enormity of it felt even more staggering. The marble golems simply looked ahead unwavering. Their gigantic figures held massive tower shields as big as they were, and in the other hand, they held large spears that could run cleanly through a dragon.
The door itself might as well have been a construct made for one of those lizards. They were so huge that no human could open them, yet the golems did it with ease.
Each of them used the backs of their spear hands to slowly push the door open. The interior was even more grand and opulent. Towering columns of polished marble held up the ceiling high above. These monuments stood next to a long carpet, and between each of the pillars, there were guards wearing the insignias of the Protectors. It was a shield reminiscent of the two golems outside.
Along the walls there were statues of gargoyles, and at the very end of the long carpet, a small, marble throne contrasted the enormity of the place. Behind the head of the Emperor, a marble drake clung to the wall.
The Emperor himself wore fabulous red robes with golden lining. Though he looked like a young adult, no one questioned his rule.
Emperor Sylvano waited for the two to walk the carpet with narrowed eyes.
The two reached the end and knelt. General Trent waited anxiously to be able to make his case. If he could prove to this man that he had to leave, then maybe…
Sylvano's voice interrupted that thought process. He shouted towards the two guards standing behind the general and his maid. Two cold words left his mouth.
"Execute them."
General Trent was left with no chance of reaction. Before he could even reach his arm to plead, the sword of his executioner had separated his head from his body. In his last seconds of life, Trent's shocked eyes never left the feet of his Tyrant.
