Chapter 6
"Did he let go? It was only six seconds..." – James says in disbelief.
The atmosphere exploded most violently in the moments that should have held their breath. Tony bordered on the mist of the heavy, and amidst pain, slowly rose.
"1 point has been won by the member of the red team," – the shepherd finally declared, judgment slightly delayed.
"I promised I would prove myself... But... even yesterday's version of myself I now look back on with a twisted feeling... I learned my lessons."
Yet for the battle of our fears, now only half our strength is needed. For how could cheerful calm sustain us again, when their life is but desolation and loss?
A sea of tears dissolved, and sorrow was etched forevermore.
"I promise you won't be lost, Tony..." – Louis whispered.
Their burdened hearts are eased by nothing now, save for the gain. Day upon night, and night upon the curse of day presses down, and slowly something is born within them—something that will one day show the cruel to be cruel. Just as their souls are struck by blows, so does their wrath strike at every bad feeling. Their only satisfaction lies in vengeance—or perhaps that makes the abandoned, barren wasteland even emptier. Thus it is only their goal that heats the chalice of their rage, which the blood of baseness shall one day cool.
Louis stood motionless. His gaze fixed on a single point—where that body had stood just moments before, from where Tony now walked back.
"It can't be..." – he whispered.
Linnia stepped back, as if the loss itself had physically pushed her. Then she began to laugh.
"Hahh... screw it..."
"Haha," – she started laughing more and more hysterically and mockingly. – "Pathetic... The big alpha wolf... ha... pathetic..."
James slowly looked to the ground, and his fingers almost unconsciously clutched the edge of his shirt.
"Maybe... this will be harder than I thought..."
Kodella, who had been watching the events with a frozen gaze, now stepped forward, her lips trembling as she embraced Louis.
One would rather call their will strong than imagine they'd retreat. A blaze of color bursts in the arena—intoxicating visions, bitter tastes, fortify their hearts. The purple team breathes a brief sigh of relief as Tony props himself up from the basin of the trial chamber.
"Hahh..." – Tazold gasps, blending breath with words. – "So I won... haha, I won... 3 points, you good-for-nothings! I told you this game is about just that..."
"What do you think, would he have made it, Pekrin?"
"Maybe... if the weight of his soul hadn't been so heavy."
"And even if someone's sin is greater, the weight becomes weightless if they don't feel guilt, right?"
"That's the only possible way it works, yes..." – answers Pekrin.
"Don't worry! There will be a price to pay," – Tony replies, sitting sprawled, head tilted back. He pours water from a pitcher over his aching limbs.
"If you remain in the shadows, trust still—for around virtue is an eternal lock, it cannot be burned," – says Saiyna, who had crossed over a minute after the trial ended.
"Is that a problem?" – she asks the shepherd.
"No... Before the next attack, a few minutes' break can be requested..."
In their confused, tired authority, seeing no malice in her approach, they even asked what she wanted.
"What are you doing here?" – asks Louis.
"Actually, I came for you..." – Saiyna answered. "You seek retribution, I know, and I also know that everything can seem like an attack in this world... don't worry... you don't have to be afraid of me... Did you see the other words in that category?"
"Didn't really pay attention."
"But I did. I saw the other words: Apollo, and Virgin."
Are you sure about that?
"100% – I saw it," – says Dimeny, stepping forward with a notebook in his hand, showing the diagram he saw.
"Apollo has an arrow... So it's something with arrows. But the Virgin? It's not even from Greek mythology like the others..."
What would it mean?
"That's what caught my thoughts as well... What could it mean?"
"What does it symbolize to you?"
"Innocence..." – Louis said, from the first idea that came to his mind.
"Exactly... I think the worst player in this task would be... the one who engaged in the most debauchery..."
Tony raises his head...
"In my team, Lillian... I have a feeling she'd be in twice as much trouble as I would be, for example..."
"There are those who were taken advantage of, were foolish... I myself had dealings with someone whose decency was lacking, yet as a woman she served better than others," – Willy replied.
"That's no excuse! It justifies nothing! Willy... don't you think there's a line somewhere? For example, would you raise the child of a woman who isn't of your blood?"
"Absolutely not," – he grabbed his head. – "But I did manage to save a woman's soul... who later became the mother of my children," – said Willy.
"And was it worth it? Tell me... how many wounds did you have to endure for it? She'll surely wait for you, while you're stuck here with us, right?..." – Tony joined the conversation, his voice sharp with bitterness.
After his outraged burst, Willy looked away for a moment, and fell silent, cloaked in his shame.
"My wife... died in childbirth... So there's nothing left out there waiting for me..."
The girl watched them curiously, her head tilted slightly to the side.
"The point is, I don't want to be on a team with theese people... If you were to attack, and they ran out of points... you could count on my alliance in not using any saves on them..."
Anyway, this trial is about ideologies, right?
"There are several weak targets... We should strike back, not just pick new ones to target."
"If you're going for revenge, you need to chip 3 points off of him to truly end him. But this way, you could instantly weaken someone to 1 point..."
"And why him, specifically? Do you two know each other?"
The woman coughed a little...
"Once upon a time, we knew each other... That girl has ruined my relationship... Took away my love and made him a pawn. I won't let her twisted ideologies gain power... never..."
We shall think it over...
A softer veil covered earthly resentment. A feeling Tony had always yearned for deep within his heart.