Chapter 36

Fifteen times.

Suguru swore he had died fifteen times.

He laid down staring up in this empty space as Chusi peered down at him. "Get up," she ordered.

Slowly, he did. At the same time, he felt the urge to heal himself. Despite the fact he didn't appear…

But he lifted his shirt.

Peering down, the markings, scratches and gouges from the lives he saw though appeared on his body. He slowly healed himself over and caught his breath.

Chusi however didn't give him much time to heal.

"The night of a thousand demons." She called.

More people, those who he never knew… and sorcerers that he did, came before him.

He worried this time around, since there is no excuse. This… this event was caused by his actions, his orders… his madness.

"Those who seek retribution, step forward."

They all did.

Suguru froze, there were hundreds here…

But he took a deep breath, got on his knees and opened his arms. "I'm ready when you are…"

#

Chusi thought for certain he would beg for this to end.

She has never met a sorcerer yet who endured all they have done, confronted it head on and explained his actions to his victims.

The village she understood his anger, there was ignorance and yet, a village does not deserve to be wiped out of existence. But from what she saw, had Suguru gone about it differently, the end result… would have been the same.

Had he left with the two little girl and not take the curse out, the village would have been destroyed in three days. He would have returned in a week to see the progress, only to come back to the death and decay of the people there. To her, despite the lack of empathy from both parties, she was satisfied with the result.

Checking her watch, it's been nearly two hours.

No one she is aware of can hold a domain this long, but then again… not a lot of sorcerers are aware of her power.

Suguru endured his punishment. For two hours he lives the deaths of his victims, enduring their injuries and suffering when them the moment he breaks free. He only has a few seconds to heal himself before he falls into another victim's memory and endure their death and pain.

He's only gotten though maybe half of the victims here.

"That's 140 people so far… do you want to stop?" she asked of him.

His face had been carved into, he was quick to heal himself over but didn't get all of the wounds… is he doing that on purpose?

"No…" he said weakly. "I can keep going."

She nodded as it continued. The cycle of pain as she called it.

Suguru endured for another three hours.

When the victims were satisfied, Suguru healed himself enough and lowered his head to apologize for his actions. Chusi watched them leave, and now, the final part of this.

She turned to the shadows and nodded.

Suguru peered up and saw his parents.

He didn't heal himself from the last incident, he kept the wounds and yet, when he looked into the faces of his mother and father, he shed tears.

Chusi noticed his parents weren't upset, they were sad for him. Their only child, and he suffers before them.

"Heal yourself," Chusi ordered him.

He shook his head. "They won't hurt me, they are my parents so I will punish myself. I want them to embrace me as they used to do, but I will be sure I feel pain as they do!" he protested.

This, she has seen happen before.

Those who have taken the lives of their family, kin and loved ones, they refuse to heal their wounds so they are at least punished one way or another.

"Suguru, heal." She said once more. "Or you punish your parents more than yourself."

He froze.

Peering up he saw his mother wanting to reach out to him, but, she doesn't want to harm him. Even his father wanted to pull him into an embrace, yet fully aware how hurt he is.

"Please, heal, I want to hold you!" his mother pleaded.

Suguru gave in. His body glowed as the reverse jujutsu did it's job. When he was healed up, he stood before his mother and father. Then went for the embrace.

The real reason why he had to heal himself was this.

He wouldn't have survived the punishment.

The moment his arms came around them, he was forced to endure everything they went through from his attack. Every thought and emotion that they had as he was killing them. He lived the final moments of their lives… with every emotion going through them at the time.

When the punishment became inflicted, his parents vanished, and Suguru collapsed.

Chusi called off her domain as Suguru suddenly laid on the ground and convulsed. "Why… why are you doing this… what did we do wrong? Why… why…" he whispered.

That went on for a half hour.

When he snapped out of it, he was pulled back into this stupor. Muttering once more the last thoughts of his parents… before the wounds began to take hold.

There was so much blood.

His flesh ripped and tore, he screamed aloud in agony to it all. Chusi knew his parents were torn apart by curses, but she cannot inflict the same punishment upon him without killing Suguru. The next best thing though was to mimic the pain of it upon his body.

Still, it was a sight Ryomen would have endured. She was already dreading the notion of Ryomen going though the same thing when he is ready. Chusi was disturbed by it all until it finally came to an end.

Suguru was barely conscious on the ground. "Now live," she ordered him. "The trial is done. Heal yourself, and rise again. You start anew, you start fresh, and you start with a new goal in mind. Don't think for a moment you have nothing worth living for. Since I know, very well, my sister needs you. So get up!"

He laid there, motionless.

She wasn't the least bit worried, even though Suguru lost a lot of blood. She waited until… she saw the wounds closing up.

Slowly, the body healed.

The skin became one again, the bruises vanished and the broken bones mended.

Even when he finished healing, he was out cold.

"It's been a while since something like that has happened…"

Chusi smiled and turned. Ryomen had arrived. "You had just as an eventful day as me…"

"I felt that, but what happened?"

Ryomen explained that the dragon Raynn tried to kill Kiyoshi, but the necklace Lady Tiamat made reacted accordingly. But the awkward part was the fact the boy has been pulled into his father. "The brat looks pregnant, let's say that," he explained.

Chusi sighed. "I should have kicked that damn lizard out…"

"It works in our favor," he said. "Lady Tiamat has asked me to break her rule, if the child survives, she has a way of getting around her own law"

She peered at him, curious. "Lady Tiamat asked you to break her own rule? Why?"

He tried to think of it, but couldn't recall. "I think she made me forget about it, but she wanted a way around a rule…"

Ryomen them peered down at Suguru. "He's alive?"

"More or less, he took his punishment and made it worst for himself by not completely healing his injuries."

"Tsk, does he really think pain is a good method of repayment?"

"Who knows at this point… help me get him back to his residence?"

He nodded to her, Ryomen hocked Suguru over his left shoulder. The two of them began to walk back, but Chusi slipped her hand into his lower right hand. "Things are going to get very interesting around here, aren't they?" she asked of him.

"You would know that better than me…"

Chusi giggled and nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if there is a new golden era upon us, it cannot wait to see what it brings!"

"Well prepare yourself. Lady Tiamat said something about bringing her grandchildren into this… I dread the day that happens…" Ryomen said and shuttered.

Grandchildren?

Chusi smiled at the notion, she didn't dare think that far in advance. If anything… she was thinking of how big of a family she wants with Ryomen.

After all, she isn't going to lose to her sister on that!