A World without Justice

The laughter first came as a murmur, a scattered echo through the crowd. Then, like embers fanned by the wind, it grew into flames. Some child, too young to understand cruelty, imitated the crying with a mischievous smile.

Arthur looked up, his face reflecting disbelief. "What are you laughing at...?" he stammered.

Safwane did not answer. His eyes scanned the faces of those who had never suffered, those who had never seen a loved one fall in battle or felt the despair of helplessness.

A man spat near them. "Shame on you... crying in public like beggars."

The blood rushed to his face. Not from shame, but from anger.

'I see...' thought Safwane, seeing the situation. 'These people find what we've been through amusing.'

The emperor was lost in his thoughts... He lost himself in reality.

'These people haven't been through anything in their lives. Because they had strength or money, they were able to avoid what's out there.' thought the young man.

'The world is the same everywhere. The powerful matter, the weak don't.'

'You understand now, Safwane. The world is governed by that rule. And you are not one of the weak.' That cold voice appeared.

'Yes... I already broke my promise a long time ago.' The emperor thought.

'Now that there is no one with a singularity, no one can face you. Kill them.' The voice said again. '...Don't forget.' It added.

"Hey, wake up." A deep voice said.

Safwane felt his face wet. A constant murmur around him.

The young man began to open his eyes.

As the eyelids slowly opened, Safwane could notice that the environment had changed.

A dark and closed place. Damp and with a smell of dust. As well as some figures in front of him.

"Are you awake yet?" said one of the people.

Safwane had to look up. He was on the ground, his hands and feet chained.

"Hey... Don't look at us like that after what you've done." said the man, nervously.

'What have I done?' the emperor wondered.

"From your face it doesn't seem like you remember..." said another man. "You had gone mad and killed dozens of people." he added.

Safwane was confused.

"If you hadn't fainted, I don't know how this would have ended..." the other man finished saying.

The emperor looked down, disappointed. The blood on his imperial kimono was enough to give him a hazy memory of what happened.

'I've lost against my instincts...' he thought, holding his disappointment inside.

Safwane pressed his hands against the bars. Not to try to get out but to contain the resentment he felt towards himself.

The emperor smiled sadly.

'I can't even apologize for my actions...' thought the emperor.

However, after a few seconds of silence, Safwane looked up in surprise.

"You can speak my language?" Safwane asked, confused.

The guard scratched his head. "Are you still not feeling well?" he asked.

"The runic language is something all slayers know. Otherwise how would we know about the ruins?" the other guard explained.

"I see... Then I need to receive my punishment." Safwane replied, sorry for his actions.

"You will receive it. Killing so many people in the fortress is a death sentence." the guard said.

Safwane looked down at the ground. But he didn't feel afraid. It was a different feeling, freedom.

For the emperor, death was a way to escape his obligations.

He no longer needed to protect. He no longer needed to kill. He no longer needed to fight.

But after seeing this new world, Safwane didn't want to die. He wanted to enjoy life. He wanted to be able to see the world freely, without being bound by chains.

The young man opened his mouth. Trying to say something. But the guard stepped in front of him.

"...However, right now we can't kill someone strong. We need you, so finishing off the primordial beast will be your punishment."

A second chance. Safwane stood up, satisfied with his punishment.

Applying force, the chains broke.

"So you could have escaped if you wanted to?" the guard asked nervously, grabbing the bar.

The emperor walked through the guards. Thoughtful.

He didn't know the reason for his anger earlier. He had seen his comrades die hundreds of times. He had gone through moments where he was at his lowest.

There was one simple conclusion. The young man was envious. Envious of watching people being able to enjoy what he most longed for.

Safwane walked. Not paying attention to what was in front of him.

"Hey, we have to go through some procedures, where are you going!?" shouted the guard chasing him.

The emperor stopped. After a few seconds of pause he turned around.

"Don't cut me off." said Safwane angrily.

The guard gulped. "...I'm sorry but that's how we work." he said with a nervous laugh.

The guard led the young man to a room. In which he was made to sign some exit papers.

Now yes. Safwane headed towards the exit. Now he could observe the world without being an emperor and in a normal way.

After leaving the place. The warm rays of the sun pierced his skin. The young man looked up at the clear sky, observing under the light breeze.

"Hey... You can't leave." interrupted the guard again. "How do you think people will see you after the massacre you have done?" he added dragging the young man by the arm inside.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" asked the young man. "Could you stop me before I leave," he added angrily.

"I've tried but you wouldn't stop," the guard replied.

Safwane clicked his tongue.

"Come with me..." the guard said uneasily. He looked at the young man out of the corner of his eye.

The emperor followed him. This time he was observing the place.

A clean place but without many luxuries. A quiet place but without much security. A place where tranquility was the only thing there was.

Safwane looked down, letting out a smile.

'It doesn't take many things to achieve tranquility...' he thought.

"Get in the van." said the guard. Opening the back door.

The young man went through the door. After taking a few steps he entered the van.

The door closed loudly after entering.

Without delay, the van accelerated. As if it were a matter of great importance.

Safwane didn't pay attention to it. Anyway, he didn't know about the speed limits.

'This is very different from where I come from...' he thought, looking out the window.

The huge buildings were simple and not ostentatious. The streets were neat and clean. But still, one thing struck the young man: the people didn't seem happy.

They seemed to be forced to live, as if they were machines. On the other hand, Safwane always saw happiness in his citizens despite being in worse conditions.

The emperor wanted to know more about this world.

The trip wasn't very long. The van quickly stopped in front of a huge building.

A person opened the door for the young man. He got out through it, wondering what was going to happen now.

"Please follow me." said a man in a suit.

The emperor didn't answer.

They both walked in silence. A silence that showed how they felt.

The man seemed to be indignant. Annoyed that a criminal did not receive a proper punishment for being strong.

Safwane understood the resentment towards him. After all, he felt the same way.

His case showed how someone powerful can be judged differently than others.

'The world is so unfair...' the young man thought.

After entering the huge place, the emperor looked around in surprise.

The interior resembled a palace, but its splendor did not evoke grandeur, but a suffocating silence. White marble columns stood like motionless sentinels, while golden chandeliers cast shadows that seemed to dance on the walls.

The crimson carpeting muffled the steps, as if the place devoured the sound. On the walls, ancient tapestries told stories of times long gone by, their figures blurred by the gloom. Above, the ceiling inlaid with gold and onyx imitated a starry sky, but something about its brightness seemed artificial... as if it hid a secret.

Safwane walked, impressed by the place. However, he could not shake the feeling that something was strange.

The man in the suit came to a door. A huge door with a strong presence.

Something important seemed to be going to be carried out inside.

The emperor placed his hand on his hip. He tried to brace himself, but his knock was empty.

His katana was not lying next to him.

The man in the suit finally looked at him. It didn't seem to show hatred but mockery.

"Please come in..." the man offered. "Oh, and welcome to the Order's headquarters." he added, pushing the door.