Chapter 690 Execution Orders

That morning, there was no sound of birds. Only the wailing wind, slicing through the cracks of the Sanctuary of Plum Blossom, carried the acrid scent of hot iron and old blood. In the damp underground corridor, prisoners lined up, their feet bound by chains, their bodies shrouded in darkness. At the front of the line stood General Bronn and the Earth officers, their faces as hardened as tombstones, merciless and without compassion.

Among the prisoners, fearful eyes exchanged glances, searching for the hope that had long since vanished. In a dim corner of the room, an elderly woman stood, her wrinkled face marked by a long life, now filled with despair; she whispered to herself, recalling the beautiful memories before this darkness covered the world. Her frail voice echoed through the corridor, intensifying the sense of dread in the air.

Miel, Sabina, and Tomoe stood among the nearly hopeless crowd. Iris was at the forefront, her tangled hair framing a pale face, yet her eyes remained clear. There was no magic left, only the remnants of dignity they clung to with clasped hands and whispered prayers. Behind them, the sound of soft sobs began to resonate, transforming the underground corridor into an arena of lament, as if the world were collapsing around them.

Bronn stepped forward, the sound of his boots echoing, marking the beginning of a new chapter of cruelty. He held a crimson glyph scroll—an execution order authorized by King Ardaius himself. Meanwhile, in the shadows, a faint light illuminated the walls, casting terrifying shadows around the prisoners and emphasizing the power and brutality that were shaking their hopes.

"Right now, I am not speaking as a general, but as the supreme law of this new world," his voice sliced through the thick air. "Every protector, every citizen who dares to defy the Earth government… today, your fate will be decided. Provide the name Joanna Fate, or I will erase your blood from history."

No one answered. The silence created tension, like poison settling in every inch of the room, stealing the courage from what remained of their hearts. The other prisoners closed their eyes, praying in the stillness, hoping that their fates would not be determined by a single name they had heard.

Bronn glared at Iris, his cold voice piercing through her resolve.\

"You, the fallen Queen, still cling to your dignity? Are you willing to die for a child the world has rejected?"

With every word spoken, pain haunted Iris's mouth like poison. Memories of joyful times when her child was in her embrace flickered briefly, yet now they felt distant and unattainable, as if trapped in the darkness enveloping her heart.

Iris stood tall despite her trembling body. "As long as I can stand, as long as I can utter my child's name, I will not surrender a single one of them to a world that despises hope."

Her eyes sparkled with determination, as if her entire spirit and hope were locked within those words. In the silence, her racing heartbeat echoed like a final song before battle, reinforcing her will to fight even when everything seemed lost.

Bronn nodded to the guard. "Start with her nearest protector."

Miel stepped forward, looking at Iris with tears in his eyes. "Forgive me, Queen. I have failed, but I do not regret it." He lifted his chin, glaring at Bronn with hatred.

Pain and sacrifice filled the air, creating an almost magical aura. Miel stepped forward with fiery courage, as if the spirits of fallen warriors were calling him to rise and fight. In his eyes, Iris saw the shadows of those who fought relentlessly.

Bronn drew his automaton sword and swung it at Miel. Blood spurted out, and Miel's body fell softly—more like a falling leaf than the lifeless form of a human. Sabina and Tomoe stifled their screams, their mouths forcibly covered by the Earth soldiers.

"Who's next?" Bronn asked flatly.

His words sounded distant and painful, like a shroud of death enveloping them. Sabina stepped forward, her heart racing despite her determination. She whispered to Iris, "Keep your name safe, Queen. There will always be someone to carry on, even if only in memory."

In an instant, Sabina felt the world tremble around her. She knew this small act brought great consequences, yet there was no other choice. One swing of the sword, and yet another life was lost.

Tomoe nearly fainted, but as the Earth soldiers attempted to pull him away, he struggled and shouted the ancient incantation of Oda—almost devoid of energy, but enough to make the soldiers hesitate momentarily.

Formed from darkness and longing, the incantation pierced the air, tearing through the arrogant silence of the night. Tomoe felt the presence of tortured spirits, as if they were hearing her cry and beginning to gather by her side, urging her to hold on despite the fading hope.

Bronn simply smiled faintly. "Even in death, you refuse to submit. I admire your hatred."

The voice, thick with disdain and intrigue, flowed into Tomoe's ears. She closed her eyes, feeling the anger she wished to channel towards the tyrant. With her remaining strength, she hurled a small stone at Bronn before her head was finally severed by another automaton.

As the line of protectors fell, Bronn looked at Iris with overwhelming triumph. "Now it's your turn, Queen. The world demands just one thing from you: surrender. If you don't, I will end your bloodline myself."

Iris felt the coldness of Bronn's desire for action. A sense of despair clung to her heart, ensnaring her spirit like a wicked thread she could not sever. Yet amidst that shadow, one determination burned bright—to survive, no matter the cost.

Iris looked around—at the corpses of Miel, Sabina, and Tomoe—and the remaining people, their bodies trembling on the brink of surrender. She closed her eyes for a moment, gathering the strength that lingered in her heart. In the silence, she could hear her own heartbeat, pulsating like a war drum, reminding her that life still existed even though hope had dimmed.

Outside the prison, the sound of flapping wings began to emerge—Joanna and Zadkiel, accompanied by the angelic forces, had breached the outer layers of the Sanctuary, but they were unaware of the fastest way to the execution corridor. Every second felt like a weight adding to their burden, and cold sweat trickled down their foreheads, sensing the simmering tension in the atmosphere.

Bronn gripped Iris's arm, dragging her toward the ancient altar stained with the blood of its guardians. Each step felt like a descent into eternal darkness. With every footfall, pain and dread enveloped Iris, as if the atmosphere was swallowing all the light around them.

"This is the end, Queen. Your choice… or the end of all the names you carry."

Iris bit her lip, holding back tears, then said, "I will never surrender. Better for my child to die with me than fall into the hands of a bloodthirsty world." This choice could lead her to death, but amid hope and emptiness, she found a strength that seemed lost. No matter how hard it was, she persevered, like a leaf amidst the storm.

Bronn raised the automaton sword, ready to strike. The sword's sharp gleam glinted in the dim light, sending a shiver through Iris's body. The atmosphere felt heavy, as if everything around them held its breath, awaiting the dreaded moment.

Suddenly, a golden light flooded the corridor, and the voice of an angel pierced the air:

"Stop! For the sake of the heavens, enough with the bloodshed in this world!"

Joanna appeared at the corridor's threshold, her wings radiant and her eyes ablaze with anger and despair. In an instant, the small flicker of hope she brought cast a new glow upon the darkness that enveloped them. Everyone's breath felt suspended, as if their world was filled with unbearable tension.

Zadkiel and two other angels stood behind her, emanating an aura that compelled the Earth soldiers to step back half a pace. A sense of bravery enveloped them all, like starlight piercing through a dark night, banishing shadows. However, doubt haunted their steps; how long could they endure in the midst of this raging storm?

Bronn turned, defiant. "You may descend as an angel, Joanna Fate, but the laws of Earth apply here!"

Her heart throbbed with anger, each pulse echoing with profound despair. A grim presence filled the corridor, as if weighing the choices to be made by every soul present. Tension thickened the air, creating a kind of resonance between the fallen and those daring to strike.

Joanna did not respond. She extended her hand, summoning the fire magic that Michael had just bestowed upon her. Red and gold flames ignited the air, awakening the glyph of death that Bronn had set upon the floor. Two automatons exploded, sending dust and blood scattering. The smell of iron pierced the air, triggering painful memories in Joanna's mind as she recalled the promise made to those who had died—of passionate vengeance.

Yet Bronn remained steadfast, deflecting the heat with his glyph shield, his face flushed with exertion. It was evident that he struggled to maintain control, as if a dark inner voice whispered to him, urging him to retreat or attack more fiercely.

"No one can save them all, not even the heavens!" Joanna stepped forward, the flames of Michael dancing in her hands. "I didn't come to save the world. I came to burn all the sins you have collected."

As the words slipped from her lips, whispers from hidden corners in the dark hallway seemed to flow into her ears. Each anxious note from her followers resonated in her heart, fueling her fierce resolve. In the flickering flames, she felt the spirit of those oppressed, ready to demand the long-neglected justice.

A brief battle erupted in the execution hallway. Joanna swung Michael's fire, incinerating the automaton, fending off Bronn's attacks, and protecting Iris, who was on the verge of collapsing. The loud clang of burning metal and the screams of the automaton filled the air, creating a somber symphony amidst the chaos. The flames, as large as her arms, reached out like hands longing to embrace the lost souls, casting terrifying shadows on the corridor walls.

The remaining people took advantage of the chaos to escape into another dark corridor, while two angels guarded them with walls of protective light. They ran with fear-filled eyes, haunted by memories of friends who had fallen to death. Behind them, the sounds of explosions and flames formed a backdrop, symbolizing the end of an era filled with suffering.

Fitran, though injured, refused to retreat. "The world will not change just because of the new angels!" His shout resonated with hatred, as if he aimed to incinerate the spirit of his enemies. Each word that spilled from his lips was a venomous burst, flowing among those still fighting.

Oda gazed at him, her voice trembling with vengeance and loss. "The world may not change, but humanity can choose not to become monsters. Today, you have to decide." Her glare was sharp as a blade, filled with determination and heartache that cut deep. In that moment, time seemed to halt, waiting for an answer from a man trapped between resurrection and emptiness.

With a sudden burst of flame, Fitran was thrown against the wall, collapsing unconscious. His head struck hard, leaving a deep mark on the wall and a shadow over his face. Oda felt a surge of satisfaction, yet the burden of despair in her heart reminded her that victory comes at a steep price.

Joanna knelt by Iris's side, tears streaming down her face. "You're safe, but the price we paid… it's too steep." Her voice trembled with regret, as if cursing the fate that had led her into this horror. A crushing guilt overtook her, not just for Iris but for all that had been lost, all that had been forgotten.

Iris managed a faint smile, gazing at the lifeless bodies of the guardians who had defended her until the end. "Nothing is eternal, Joanna. But as long as there are those willing to make a choice, the world is not entirely lost." Her words quivered, igniting a flicker of hope within the darkness of Joanna's soul, even as sorrow weighed heavily upon her. Iris understood that hope could thrive even in the most chaotic places, that courage sometimes emerges from the deepest shadows.

After the chaos subsided, Joanna and the angels guided Iris and the remaining people to the safe corridor. They buried the protector with simple prayers beneath the ground of the Sanctuary—without songs, only the whispers of names that would not simply fade away. The land was barren, yet it vibrated with an energy, as if every departed soul still cradled that space in an eternal embrace.

They prayed not only for the fallen protector but for all the souls that had been taken from this cruel world. In the dim light, Joanna sensed a lighter burden, even though sadness still lingered. A new hope flickered, a rebirth, albeit the sky above Oda remained gray.

Though the sky above Oda was still gray, the fire of revenge had ignited in the hearts of every surviving soul. For Joanna, this was no longer merely about salvation but about settling a history that refused to cease demanding blood. The cold wind whispered through the ruins, reminding them that bitter memories overshadowed every step. In the suffocating silence, she could feel her footsteps leaving marks on the wounded ground, each imprint echoing like the cries of ghosts from a past that would never be forgotten.

That day, the world fell silent once more. Yet beneath the surface, seeds of change had been sown, nestled among the ruins and wounds that never truly healed. The sound of metal striking the earth punctuated the somber atmosphere, creating a rhythm that echoed like a lament for all those who had departed. In that darkness, a voice began to resonate slowly, singing a tune filled with a faint glimmer of hope, as if to say that from this devastation, a new strength would arise, challenging the fate that had been predetermined.