Chapter 50 - Things would go as planned

I was woken in a rush. There were people walking in and out in hoards, and in my half asleep state I thought I was about to die in a stampede. That idea was put to rest when I heard the aggressive shouts of the prison guards telling me to get up as it was time for my punishment. It was strange to think of it in that way. While they called it a punishment, my body, mind and soul did not agree with the wording. If I was to be punished why did I feel so at peace? It wouldn't make sense for punishment to be so freeing, wouldn't make sense for it to bring me the relief I had been searching my entire life for. Instead I was getting what I was long due, a chance to escape from the world that was another name for pain.

As I somewhat made myself presentable, aware that people I love may be seeing me for the last time, I began to walk towards my end. There was a large group of men walking behind and in front of me, while two bulky guards were on either side. The two held onto my arms with strength that was just light enough so as not to break through my bones. It would appear as though everyone had worried that I would run away, unknowing that there was no possibility of that. No matter what I would do, my end was written in stone. Like that, I continued walking with them. It was rather slow because of how many people were ahead of us but I passed time by focusing on the change in tone of the walls and floor. The further we walked, the more I could see light beginning to seep in. It wasn't the cheap, artificial light that I had been stuck with for days. For quite a while I stopped having nights and days as they both looked the same. My eyes were no longer able to give my mind any indication of when to rest and when to wake. In the confusion that it brought, I was slowly losing my mind watching the flames of candles flickering. If I stared at it long enough, I could see myself in it. My eyes and my hair were just like this, they were warm where they shouldn't be. Just like this single flame, I was dangerous to touch but weak to all else. I would be swayed with the passing of the wind, only to come back right where I began, constantly stagnant but disappearing in the blink of an eye.

In contrast to that darkness I had gotten used to, the light that was seeping in was too much for my eyes. The strength of it was far too overwhelming for me, even with the tall men in front of me acting as a shade. Even in the shadows of others, I could feel the light wrapping all around me. It was calling out to me. It was telling me to follow it, so that I could finally get to my destination. Faster, faster, faster. It was yelling at me as the intensity was growing and painting the ceilings and walls in a light yellow that was near enough white. Soon enough, we were outside, and the walls that protected me could no longer do so. The heat of the sun was pressing down on me and pushing me further into the ground. It was harder to see right now than it was in the cave that was my cell. Complete brightness and complete darkness would both pain me in the same way.

As I spent much of my time with weak visual stimuli, my auditory senses had picked up significantly and right now it was too much. Even on a normal day, the hustle and bustle of streets would be too much for me. Today's noise would put all of my past experiences to shame. I couldn't yet see how many people were there but from the sound alone, I knew I was the main act of a sick joke. People were yelling over each other, hurling insults at me and not missing any obscene word that they knew. I was the public enemy and it should have made me upset but it didn't. Somehow I felt good, because this was what I wanted. I wanted to be here and take the fall for it all; to have everyone treating me with disdain meant I had succeeded. I was selfishly taking the blame for something I didn't do, so that I could go out as a hero. It was a strange way to think of it, but the louder they yelled at me, the louder I imagined the support for Helios and Elina. The thought of that, simply imagining them being trusted and loved by the people of the Empire to such an extent, made me hopeful for the future. Even if I wouldn't be here to see it, the countless people that were here right now, were people who were strongly against immoral acts and were ready to voice it as such. With that, how could they not prosper?

The men in front of me were gradually beginning to disperse as I was getting closer and closer to the carefully prepared stage. Finally I was able to see everything exactly as it was. The sounds I heard wouldn't do justice the sight I saw. Every direction I looked in was filled with people squeezing together until they were overlapping. I couldn't tell where one person ended and another began. Though I had expected a sea of red from the rage everyone was holding onto, not everyone had the same expression on their faces. Most were angry, some were indifferent and only here for the show, while the very few people who knew me well were upset. They stood apart from the rest, watching with watery eyes and clenched fists. It was painful to watch them crumbling away with every step I took but I needed to take it in. Feeling unable to miss a single moment, I continued to look at them for as long as I could. I walked up the many steps until I was standing above everyone's heads. Standing in front of the guillotine, I could hear everyone quieten down as they waited with bated breaths. After all, wasn't this what they had been waiting to see, the very last chapter of my life?

Although I had been walking at a slow pace this entire time, the guards holding me by my arms began quickly dragging me violently. One of them grabbed both of my wrists and held them behind my back while the second pushed me onto my knees. It was sudden and shocking so I couldn't brace myself for the impact. I could have sworn I heard something crack the moment my knees made contact with the ground. At first I wondered why they were suddenly behaving like this, but then it all made sense. Of course they would. There were all of these people here right now, watching them. It was their time to shine and show their loyalty through mistreatment of a traitor. If they did well enough, their popularity would sky-rocket. Above all else, His Majesty was here at this very moment; there was no better time to showcase their intolerance of enemies of the Empire than now.

Looking around at everyone, my eyes landed on the last person I wanted to see, Sophia. I could feel my blood boiling at her smug face but I tried to calm myself as everyone was watching. It didn't matter that she was there and I was here, because soon she would get what was coming. Soon enough she would be right here, looking through my eyes and regretting ever thinking that she could walk away unharmed. Though they weren't able to imprison her right now, I knew they wouldn't sit back and watch her live her life happily. Even if they pretending that nothing had happened, I knew enough of the future to see where her's was headed. The thought of her getting her comeuppance was enough to settle the anger bubbling within me.

Instead of wasting my last moments with such negativity, I turned to look instead at those I loved huddled together in a bubble of sadness. In this small bubble they were trying to protect themselves from reality by comforting one another. But it was obvious that no amount of comfort could save them from what was to come. Reality was too harsh for anyone to get out unscathed and they were bound to be hurt and to suffer. Pain was going to hug them to sleep for a few nights to come, but they had one another and I hoped that was enough. Maybe they could pick each other up and find the happiness that I had sacrificed myself for.

While I was still looking at them, with an apologetic smile on my face, my head was lowered into the small gap below the large blade that would blow out my small flame once and for all. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them, knowing that I was finding my way out, but that they would have to live with this. I was knowingly tormenting them. I was going to keep them trapped in the past to let them move forward. All of my emotions were leaving my body with every breath I exhaled, for them to inhale. Soon they would be full of me and would live with all of my struggles. I was a coward who looked for the fastest exit route but I wanted to be the only one to collapse. Hopefully they'd have a better end. I heard the sound of the blade cutting through the air before I felt an intense and sudden pain in my neck for a split second, before feeling my head falling down with a thud.

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<1 year later>

Since Persephone's death quite a bit had changed but much remained the same. Helios had become significantly colder to others and had given his all to trying to become a better heir for the throne. He wanted to be in a position where no one could touch him or the people he held dear to him. For this very reason, the entire Empire went through a massive transformation by focusing on their military until they were no longer at a significant disadvantage to anyone. Similarly, Adelphos, Nicholas and Theodore had focused more and more in their studies. They immersed themselves in it as though they were escaping any moments were they could think of anything else. Strength was all that they cared about. With that, they could protect anyone.

Elina had taken longer than most to recover. The guilt was eating away at her every day, thinking that if she had only not drank anything that day, she would have still been with Persephone. Thankfully she had May and Charlotte by her side. Despite their own difficulties, they were able to comfort her until she was strong enough to stand on her own feet and become the Elina she was destined to become, the strong willed and righteous Elina who Persephone hoped for.

Back at Persephone's home, they could still feel the overwhelming silence that was resounding loudly through the halls. It was bouncing off of the walls and attacking everyone, but it was especially harsh towards Anna and Seph's parents. Even now they struggled to sleep, afraid that they would miss the sound of Seph knocking on the door to come back home. It was difficult for them because they had been away from her for so long, knowing that one day she was here and the next she was gone. As per Persephone's request, everyone had done their best to make sure that they didn't find out about her execution. She worried that she would turn back if she had seen their faces so she ran away as she always did. Because of that, they struggled to come to terms with the fact that she was gone. To them, this was a horrific nightmare that was dragging on, but one day they would wake up and see Persephone again. Maybe one day they would finally be able to accept the truth, but today was not the day.

As for the rest, things were continuing as they originally should have. The only difference was that Sophia no longer held the power over Empire that she should have. With that, life was continuing. Though for quite a few people it seemed to have stopped, the world would keep turning and they had no choice but to move forward too. One day they would be able to tell everyone the truth and be able to openly love her. One day they'd confess everything and proudly call her one of their own, and she would become someone of honour rather than disgrace. As she had wanted, she would go down in history as a hero, one day.

< THE END >