23. The Final Judgement #2
Peregrine took over once again. “You chose to become one of the Horsemen. No one held a gun to your head to make that contract. You did so to help Humans you say, yet you have become a force that killed millions of them. You knew the consequences of that contract yet still subjected yourself to it. You are guilty, whether you want to admit it or not, and will not walk away from this unscathed.”
I panted on adrenaline welling in my chest. “Do you not think I am crushed by my actions? That I am not disgusted by what I have done? How could I condone such violence? My own son was nearly slaughtered by my own hand-…!”
“That is another aspect of your sentence.” Aloysius addressed the room now.
“You horrifically maimed the true God of our Realm, the Successor of Endymion, who we have waited centuries for. Nicodemus means more to this Realm then you will ever, regardless of your current status. We cannot let this slide.”
“I understand he is Endymion’s Successor, but I am still a God-…!”
“You are a placeholder,” Elias barked over me, which made me shrink under the reality of his words.
“You are nothing more than a buffer to wait for our true God. We respect you as a being who keeps the peace amongst Realms, but this time, you need to face the consequences of your actions. Nicodemus nearly died trying to satiate you and your beasts, and both Gehenna and Caelum suffered blows they will not easily return from. You are a menace to this Realm and all others, and we cannot allow you to run free after what you have done.”
I stood abruptly, but multiple guards crossed the room and grabbed my arms to hold me in place.
I fought against their holds, screaming out in anger.
One of them locked a collar around my neck, similar to my familiars, and once the lock was in place, all of my strength depleted.
I crumbled to my knees, heaving harsh pants as I fought against the overwhelming feeling.
“You bastards will pay for this. I will turn this Realm upside down when I am free and make sure none of you ever hold your place as a ruler again!” I threatened in a gruff tone.
Peregrine snorted. “Your threats are hollow. It is not our fault that you made such poor choices. Nicodemus is the only God we respect as of right now. You are a lowly worm who was given far too much power for his own good. As the rulers of Gehenna, we will bind you filthy mongrels for good and ensure you do not bring harm to this world again.”
“Fuck you!” I spat, and received a spear handle to the spine for it.
Peregrine unraveled a scroll and cleared his throat loudly. “We, as the rulers of Gehenna, have decided the fate of the Atlas Crawford, God of Death, and of his familiars, Amara, Asher, and Bodhi.”
I fought desperately against the hold the guards had on me. “You haven’t even considered the facts! How could I control myself when I was forced into that role? If I hadn’t contracted with them, they would have destroyed humanity!”
He ignored me completely as he read off the scroll. “All four are sentenced to a hundred years in Decimus’s Layer for their actions. They will be imprisoned in the Layer of Violentia for their crimes, amongst souls as violent as they have been. So said by the court.”
“A hundred years…?” I whimpered.
“It will be roughly a year back in your home Realm, so you will be back in time for Nicodemus to hopefully dispose of you in your final fight.” The scroll rolled up and dissipated in his hands, leaving a stream of red dust in its wake that he brushed off on his chest. “Your sentence begins now.”
“This isn’t right! You cannot imprison the God of your Realm! I swear, I will get out, and I will tear you all to shreds when I do!”
Peregrine waved his hand casually. “Bring him to his chamber. I’ve had enough of all this screaming.”
“You can’t do this! You can’t! I did nothing wrong! It wasn’t my fault! Please, reconsider! Please!” I begged as two guards dragged me backwards out of the courtroom.
“Reconsider what? That you killed four million beings in a matter of hours? We have done all the considering necessary,” Arabella firmly declared.
Decimus shrunk in his seat when Peregrine called on him to join the guards in imprisoning me.
He followed us morosely, dragging his feet as they dragged me.
The cell that they threw me in was nothing more than the room Phillip had once kept me in, and automatically sent shivers down my spine.
The Layer was hot, oppressive, and the room was encircled by flames that bared down on it to keep me inside.
The guards threw me into the cell, along with my familiars, who whined in pain from the force of the throw. “Right where you belong,” one of the guards snapped before slamming the door shut.
I scrambled up and gripped the bars, panting, as I pleaded with Decimus. “Decimus, please, don’t do this. Don’t let them do this to me!”
Decimus placed his hand on the door, which trembled. “You have done a lot for me, by giving me a second chance as a demon. I wish I could repay you, but I am just too young and inexperienced. Peregrine would not let me get a word in.”
“Please, you have to convince them otherwise. I swear, I will do whatever I can to fix things…!” I choked out as tears rolled down my cheeks.
He looked into my eyes for a moment, then sunk into himself. “I’m sorry.”
“Decimus, please! PLEASE! Don’t do this, don’t do this! DON’T LEAVE ME IN HERE!” I wailed, pounding on the bars.
He did not say another word. More flames shot from his hand, finishing off the barrier keeping us locked inside, before he sauntered down the steps back to his throne room. I continued to scream his name for hours, maybe even days, but my voice was blocked by the barrier.