Welcome To The Real World

***

{Outside The Projection} 

The second Malik's blade cut clean through the kid's neck, the world just—stopped.

For a breath, everything hung in that thin silence... Then, it detonated.

Not just the Holy Palace—no, it felt like the entire damn world shook. A ripple, a shockwave of sound, like all the planet's inhabitants flinched at what just happened.

Of course, the loudest ripple was right here in the hall. Pandemonium. Many screamed, hands gripping their heads like they couldn't believe what just happened. Some gasped so hard you'd think they'd swallowed their own tongues.

And then, predictably, there were the ones who saw red. The "righteous."

"HE KILLED A CHILD!"

"A STAIN UPON THE SULTAN'S NAME!"

"HE TRULY IS SHAYTAN'S SPAWN! A DEVIL!"

"MAY HELLFIRE CONSUME HIM!"

The outrage came loud and fast, voices roaring over each other, fueled by shock and anger.