I don't own Fate/Grand Order or it's related fandoms and characters. The same applies to any other fictional work(s) that may be referenced.
I also give permission to anyone interested in using my work as a source of material for their own creative initiatives, be it written, visual, musical or otherwise, to do so at their own discretion.
I do not write as a means to earn revenue, only as a hobby, so I will not be hiring anyone in the present or the future for anything related to my works on FF.
So…although life is still busy, it got less so in recent times. I decided to get back to updating this story, from time to time, whenever I have the free time, just to free my mind from these ideas for one-shots that keep popping up. As of now, however, I don't have any plans to start new ones. Not that I used to update frequently, or write many stories at once during my time here on FF, but you get what I mean.
The chapters will most likely remain short though.
Chapter 3
A man is brought to the room, chained, and suddenly all chatter stopped, leaving only a deadly silence.
He received glares filled with many emotions from those around him.
Disgust.
Hatred.
Apprehension.
But the most prevalent emotion of all…
FEAR.
How could they not fear him?
The man who robbed the lives of so many innocents, who broke their homes, their families, their lives, their spirits, now stood there right in front of them, chained, and yet, still…
SMILING.
As if it was all some sick joke, some twisted fantasy of his, to be here, after all he had done them, all he had taken from them, about to be judged and executed by them…acting as if…
AS IF HE HAD WON.
The people wanted nothing more than to throw themselves at the monster wearing human skin, and tear him to pieces, but they still believed in fairness.
In justice.
So they would give him what he denied their children, their siblings, their parents.
A trial.
A trial to leave no doubt to the world who was in the wrong.
But they forgot, in this quest to prevail over their foe, that by giving voice to evil…
THEY ARE GIVING IT POWER.
For although in the decades that would follow, his deeds would be remembered with scorn, they would still live on in the unconscious of those who learn of the dark tale that came to pass in that land.
And the monster's ideals, that were meant to die with him, would remain.
Lurking in the darkest corners of human mind.
Awaiting, until another, as twisted as it's original owner, took them as their own.
And the calamity that these people hoped to prevent with this trial, would befall them again.
And this time, they would not survive it.
Another dark reign would rise in the world, eventually leading it to it's demise.
That is preposterous.
That is unforgivable.
THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
That is why these people, the victims of a horror that few can scarcely imagine…
THE PEOPLE MUST DIE WITH THEIR MONSTER.
For dead men tell no tales.
And with them gone, the tale of the monster who took joy in the slaughter of innocents, would be gone as well.
And so, before the monster could open his mouth, and condemn humanity…
HUMANITY CONDEMNS HIM.
THE TIME OF EXECUTION HAS COME.
In the middle of the room, a man appeared out of thin air, like a ghost making himself known.
All paused and looked, stunned, be it the judge, the jury, the witnesses or the defendant.
The man opened his eyes.
GUARDIAN, LET YOUR FLAMES PURIFY THESE LANDS.
MAY THEIR HORROR END TODAY.
And so, as ordered by the Counter Force, the guardian let the flames of hope in his heart burst forth from his hands, and consume all those who lived in that land, be they innocent or not.
The people of that forgotten land, unwittingly, were taught about the harsh reality of the world.
A reality they foolishly believed to already understand.
A reality that only the dead can truly comprehend.
For only they are witnesses of all events erased from humanity's unconsciousness.
Life isn't fair.
And as the guardian slowly faded into golden motes of light, he could not help but envy the living, even if only for a brief moment.