Orion sighed, walking through the sector, the vibrant silver moonlight shining on his torn clothes. He was lost in his thoughts. He should have just killed him, but something just… stopped him. That feeling.
This wasn't good. If he told his father he didn't obey his orders, that would give them the right to execute him. He needed a way out. He needed to think.
As he continued walking, a large chatter of people slowly started to become louder, more prominent. In front of him, in an open space, was a large group of people talking, looking up at a wooden platform.
On the wooden platform were three men tied to wooden poles, a woman roaming the platform with a scroll, and another man with a torch in his hands.
It was an execution.
The men twitched their eyes, moving their heads endlessly. It didn't seem like they wanted to get out. Rather, they had become completely unstable.
"Dream."
"Reina."
"Loven."
"Death."
"Flower."
They were uttering gibberish, their eyes widened. It was obvious. They had been affected by madness, a state where a user completely loses themselves when they overuse their marks. They were better off dead.
"Uhm," the woman coughed.
Orion stood in the crowd, looking up at the platform.
"We are unfortunately here today to announce the passing of these fine gentlemen." She held the scroll up.
The man with the torch got closer to the men.
"These fine men have served our empire with utmost passion, and inevitably lost themselves in the process."
The man lifted a bucket off the ground and doused the tied men with oil.
"Due to this, they are hereby declared to die by fire."
He lit the men on fire. They screamed, sparks emitting into the air, their skin turning to charcoal. Their voices were muted by the chatter of people and the howling wind.
Orion wasn't surprised. However, he always wondered about this. Shouldn't the people who served this empire die more comfortable deaths? Why death by fire? I guess that's just how the system works.
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He brushed the incident aside and continued walking.
----
Orion arrived at the Annex. The offices were always open, no matter the time or day. He walked in, ignored the guards, and went straight to Vaelor's office.
"Excuse me, sir. You can't just walk in," said one of the clerks.
Orion didn't care. He opened the door to the office. There, Vaelor sat, his legs on the table, files in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.
His face lit up when he saw Orion walk in, but he didn't say anything at first.
Orion sat opposite him, glaring at him, his eyes sharp.
The door knocked.
"Sir, please step outside. We will admit you ourselves," said the clerk as he opened the door.
"It's quite alright. He's an old friend."
Vaelor waved him off.
The door closed behind them.
They both looked at each other in silence. Vaelor smiled at him.
"So, how did it go?" he asked as he caressed the edge of his glass.
His voice was slow and bright, as if he expected everything to go according to plan.
Orion's face tensed. He clicked his tongue.
"There were some… complications."
Vaelor's eyes widened. His smile faded.
"Complications? What do you mean?" He rested his hand on his chin.
"I… I wasn't able to do it."
Silence.
"And why is that?" Vaelor asked, staring downwards.
"That boy, he isn't normal. When I met him, something happened."
After hearing Orion's words, Vaelor grabbed Caelan's files sitting on his desk and read them carefully.
"He seems normal to me," he said, eyeing Orion.
"No, you don't understand. There was just this… thing."
"What thing?"
"A feeling I got."
Vaelor put the file on his desk, his hands planted firmly on the table. He was in disbelief at what Orion was saying. He looked down towards the wood.
"So you mean you risked your life for a feeling?" His voice was shaky and muted.
"No, not just a feeling."
"You will get executed."
"Not if no one finds out."
Vaelor raised his eyebrows. He looked at Orion in confusion. The dominion didn't spare anyone. Did he have a plan?
"What's your plan?"
"We forge his files. We change his status to be an imperial asset, his oversight to be central authority only. That means no one can touch him. No one can interfere except high authority," Orion said, his palms clenched together, sweaty.
Silence.
Vaelor blinked. Then he chuckled, then laughed, then laughed louder. Tears started to fall from his eyes.
"So, that's your genius plan?" he asked whilst wiping his face.
Orion looked at him calmly.
"Yes."
Vaelor's face started to tighten, although he still couldn't believe what Orion was saying.
"He will be watched, hunted. How is this better than personally killing him?"
"It will buy him time, and I'm interested to see what he does."
"If they find out, we will both get killed."
"They will not find out."
Vaelor sighed. He picked up Caelan's files.
"You are playing a dangerous game."
Orion relaxed his body, and put his hands on the table.
"Vaelor, you know what the system does, you have seen it. I ask you, when will it stop?"
Vaelor opened his mouth, then paused, as if he didn't know what to say. He rubbed his chin, then looked at Orion.
----
Orion headed to his father's office, his heart pounding out of his chest. He took small steps, delaying as much time as possible. This was the only time he had been so afraid. It should be fine. He can't do anything. I am in the clear.
He contemplated the moment.
"Ahh, screw it," he said to himself.
He walked inside. His father sat in front of him, reading a book.
"So, what happened?" his father asked calmly, expecting him to say the right thing.
"I looked at his files. He is an imperial asset. We can't touch him," Orion replied, his words sharp.
They looked at each other. No one uttered another word. His father's eyes drifted back to his book. That was the signal to leave. Orion left the room.
He heard the banging of wood behind him.
