Chapter 9 - The guard's fate

-- Ren's office 8:00 pm (Taste of Magic Closing Time) --

"Sir August, I'm sorry for my behavior earlier, I only want to protect the restaurant." Said the guard, avoiding eye contact with Ren.

The atmosphere is perfectly quiet. The guard is heavily sweating on his forehead.

'What is this tense atmosphere, I can hear my heart pounding out of my chest.' the guard thought.

Ren is sorting the papers on his desk, not even looking at the guard. The guard can't take it anymore and said, 'Can you please just listen to my story boss?'

Ren nods without saying anything, but deep inside, he thought. 'Better to keep your story valid. I already created a metal man themed torture room.'

The guard straightens his posture and lets out small coughs out of fear.

"Sir, establishments owner didn't want any dirty homeless person in their property. I only want to do my job properly." The guard explained, noticing that Ren is still not saying anything he continued, "I was fired in my last job because I've let some homeless guy entered." His voice contained sadness with a hint of anger.

"It turns out that the homeless guy is crazy. He scatted in the middle of the place and assaulted the costumers." The guard explained in a low voice.

Ren applied his magic secretly to know if the guard statements are genuine. He is about to say something, but the guard continued his story interrupting him.

"That's not the worst part, Sir. The homeless guy pulled out a toy knife. I didn't know the knife was fake at that time, so I hurriedly pull out my gun and shot him. " The guard said.

Ren looked at the guard, ready to say something, but the guard interrupted him again.

"But...I've missed. The costumer that I was attempting to defend got killed instead." The guard said in a low voice, almost whispering.

Ren's twisted sense of humor kicked in. He looked down on his desk with both hands on his forehead, looking like he was thinking. In truth, he was fighting his urges to laugh.

The guard continued. "The news of me shooting a costumer got spread out pretty fast. I got fired immediately then I got thrown in prison. My family never visits me when I was in jail. They are embarrassed about what I have become. After serving my time for fourteen years, I got out of jail. I tried to search for a job, but very few will hire an ex-convict. My wife and children didn't want to see me either. After eight months, an agency talked to me about a new restaurant wanted some security. I think that l can finally fix my life, but here I am again." The guard finished his story with a dry laugh.

The guard's story is pitiful. Numerous people experience this kind of thing, a single mistake, it only takes a single slip for the people to judge them and deemed them evil. Many people closed their hearts because of this.

'The truth of this world is people only think about themselves. If I wipe all the people in the world, including me, will the world be better?' Ren asked himself.

'A person doesn't want a family member to die because it will make them sad. If it will not make them unhappy, then they wouldn't even care. Too many fakers are living in this world. Posting in social media that they love cats but kicked stray cats outside their house.' Ren continued pondering then he noticed the guard finished his story. Don't get him wrong he listened to the whole story.

"Thank you for sharing your story, Mr. Santos, but can you repeat what I said in the morning?" Ren asked.

"Treat every customer politely and don't discriminate." Mr. Santos replied.

"That's that reason. I only ordered one single thing, and yet you failed to fulfill it." Ren's voice is calm. He continued, "Do you really want to work here?"

"I desire to work here, Sir! Give me a chance, and I will prove it to you." The guard said. Ren can see the determination in his voice but still feel it lacking.

"Can you forget your hatred about homeless people?" Ren questioned.

"I cannot!" The guard said, then continued, "But I will try." He said it sincerely.

"I will give you another chance if you apologize to the little girl," Ren stated.

"I know I need to learn how to forgive. I know I am at fault for that accident too. My kindness recoiled at me. In prison, I have a lot of time to think I pondered that not all people deserve sympathy. I will apologize, but I think I don't deserve to work in this restaurant again." The guard said this while looking at the Ren's eye with resolve.

The guard realized that he didn't hate the homeless. He hates the people who throw insults and curses at him without knowing anything.

The guard looks at Ren, but he was shocked when he noticed that Ren is smiling at him.

"Did I say that you will work at the restaurant?" Ren said while still grinning.

"What? where will I work?" The guard questioned.

Ren didn't answer the question and asked, "Do you want to punish these kinds of peoples. People who laugh at the misery of others."

"I do, but I don't have the power to do that." The guard replied.

"If I give you the power to do that, would you?" Ren asked again, but this time he teleported behind the guard and taped his shoulders.

The guard was startled then he looked behind him, there he saw Ren smiling.

The guard then asked, "What was that?"

"Magic, magic exists in this world, my kind Sir," Ren explained.

Before the guard can talk, Ren already put his index finger on the guard's forehead.

Multiple colored energy envelops the guard's body. Roman Numeral one appeared on the back of his hands.

"What did you do to me?" The guard asked with a hint of fear.

"I gave you power. That symbol on the back of your hand will grant you teleportation ability." Ren said, then he snapped, and the location changed.

They are now in front of a small wooden cabin in the middle of the forest.

"Follow me," Ren commanded.

Ren leads Mr. Santos inside the cabin. Ren stopped in the middle of the cabin and said. "Open, gates of hell."

Adam Santos is the full name of the ex guard. He has a large build like a bodybuilder and a towering height of two-point two meters He possesses a brown skin, black eyes, and hair and Two by three hair cut and a scar on his left cheek.

Suddenly the ground beneath them crumbled like a paper, and they've fallen.

Adam noticed that he's in the middle of four rooms.

North named "Prison" in color orange.

East named "Interrogation" with half black and half white color.

West named "Game Room." The game room is all black outside.

South named "Exit." Color white with black outline.

"What is this?" Asked Adam.

"Adam, you will kidnap all the people that you believe evil. We will judge them here. Be sure to do your research about them before abducting them." Ren explained.

Adam is thrilled by the idea. He wants to punish corrupt people that the authority can't touch because of their money. Numerous people can't acquire justice at all.

He kneeled to Ren and said. "I follow the Judge."