122 The Parting Gif (1/2)

\”AAAAAAHHHH!\”

He had seen it. His anguished howl of sorrow echoed across the ruined city until he…

Awoke.

Frightened, he bolted out of bed and crashed onto the ground. Disorientated, his eyes darted around the room in pure terror as he struggled to grab hold of his bearings.

W-Where am I?! W-Wasn't I just at…?!! W-Wait was that all just a—

Lu'um swiftly leaped out of bed when she heard the commotion and scanned the room in confusion until she finally comprehended the situation. She hurriedly made her way to Reed and said, \”What's the matter, dear?! Are you alright?! What happened to you?!\”

\”I-It's fine, I think. D-Don't worry, I just had a really bad—\”

Reed winced and stumbled backward when he felt an all too familiar sensation of pain. The fiery kiss of vengeance had come for him, but this time, it was much more different than before. It had come without mercy for him, intent on making him suffer for the grievous sin he had committed.

No one was exempt from retribution.

Neither Man nor God could escape the consequences of their actions.

…And the greater the responsibility of the sinner, the more severe the punishment would be.

Hence, it was only fair that Reed was made to suffer an equivalent punishment what he had done, for he had committed an especially egregious sin.

It was like hellfire, hotter than anything he had ever experienced. Reed's mind suddenly went white; It had done so to protect itself from the onslaught of sensory information — specifically the feeling of intense, unimaginable pain — that had almost broken it the moment it had begun.

Every single cell in his body was screaming at his mind that they were being cooked alive from the inside out. Reed couldn't handle it and lifelessly crumpled onto the ground.

He knew that Lu'um was speaking, but he couldn't understand what she was saying no matter how hard he tried. In fact, he couldn't even really think, let alone speak, even if he wanted to.

The only he could do was mindlessly gaze at Lu'um's terrified, teary-eyed face. Her desperate pleas for him to respond — to give her a sign — would go unanswered.

A stranded and unfocused consciousness trapped within a prison of flesh that no longer heeded his calls — that was his current situation.

Every second that passed was unbearable for both of them, in their own specific ways. That was the punishment that had been delivered upon them…

An old, familiar voice suddenly reached Reed's ears, one that he had not heard in a very long time. It was the voice a person he had forsaken and sealed deep in his heart.

Someone Reed despised from the bottom of his heart and wanted nothing to do with.

...I didn't want to do this, but you have left me with no other choice, Reed. You and you alone have brought this upon yourself.

You have forsaken me and therefore, you have forsaken yourself.

This is a heavy sin, but it is not your greatest sin. Abandoning your responsibilities is your greatest sin, Reed, and you will suffer dearly for this transgression, mark my words…

.....I empathize with you, Reed, but there are some things that we cannot run away from. This, of course, includes one's destiny. ....But, in the end, some wisdom cannot be learned through counsel; it must be experienced in order for the student to fully comprehend it.

You wish to be a mortal, yes? Live a normal, mortal life? So be it.

I will give you what you desire and in return… the world will punish you for it. Their blood will be on your hands alone and no one else's.

Drown in your cowardice, guilt, and pitiful escapism, Reed.

Let the impartial hammer of justice fall upon you for your actions. May their deaths be a lesson you will never forget...

Do not say that you have not been warned. I have offered you and will continue to offer you my support, but not until you resolve yourself to your chosen path once more…

Everything I do is to protect our world and correct the mistakes of our... predecessors. Do not think for a second that I am some heartless, unfeeling monster.

You don't have even the slightest right to judge me. You, of all people, should already know what I had to deal with…