VERSE VII
Time?. What time was it?.
He struggled to decipher, just what was going on.
He could feel his heart beating much slower by the time.
But that's the thing, he doesn't even understand the concept of time anymore.
Where was he?. He kept asking himself this question.
His head is empty, with no thoughts of perception.
Faint were the wails reaching him. Judging from how faint it was, the sound produced was quite far away.
'Echoes?. ' He asked himself.
He didn't even know where, or what phenomenon was happening right now.
He couldn't see and struggled to breathe normally.
The black goo he was in, was a trap. To restrain himself from leaving.
He gagged, choking on the flesh of his arm that was ripped off.
Why was he sent here?. Where is his sister?. Wasn't he being carried just now?.
Insanity began building up inside of him, as he could hear the screams and echoes become much louder. As if their wails were closing upon him.
The liquid was sticking against him, making it impossible for him to even move.
The cold liquid pressed atop his body, making him tingle as it crept upon him. Slimy, yet a creeper.
Kato's only thoughts were to get rid of the idea that this liquid, is actually alive.
He had been boiled by this black goo. A pain that no man should ever feel. Anguish washed over him, and his screams were fully silent.
There he was boiling in temperatures that could melt the human body within seconds, or at least he thought.
Now, the liquid has cooled down. Dividing into goblets, crawling atop his body.
His right arm, he couldn't feel it anymore. He literally just swallowed the ligaments by mistake and ignorance.
He felt restrained, as he couldn't still move his right arm.
He tried to control his breathing. Each breath was much slower and quieter than the last.
This was destroying him, no!. It is destroying him.
The wails were so close now, that he had goosebumps all over. His breathing picked up again, expressing his state of panic.
Echoes of children, of whom seemed to cackling in the flames of war. Mothers labeled demons for the support of their children had their heads snapped.
Kato was instantly thrown into despair. Whoever is doing this,? No!. It's his self that's doing this. He began to draw conclusions, conclusions to arrive at a certain answer that he wanted it to be.
He didn't want what he had as a second thought.
There was a slight noise, like the opening of a thick object with liquid between it.
A sudden wetness. He felt it.
Ice cold, and so was the tongue. A lick on the ear!. A lick on the ear in a place like this!.
What drove Kato into despair wasn't just the sound alone, but because he recognized it!. Every single wail that was heard. He was present that day and in fact... He led that massacre.
Tears welled up in his eyes. Though for some reason, Kato was totally blind and had his throat cut by the black goo. Vision and speech, impossible to comprehend or be of use.
His mind raced, and his heartbeat quickened. He could feel his heart beating hard against it's cage, having minor chest pain.
Fear, and it was evident in this realm. Everything around him seemed to breathe despair to his being.
He knows what's happening now — or at least he's got an idea.
A desperate hunt for revenge, to collect what had been lost, what had been taken from them.
He could finally decipher, using various guesses to deconstruct his past activities, arriving at a conclusion seemingly justified.
It is seeking him, it needed his soul. Guilt washed over him as he developed instant regret.
There was nothing so devastating than the very happening to his being.
His breath quickened, shorter and faster.
There is no good from this.... In this...
It was here already, he could feel it.
His sins, had finally caught up to him. The actions of his past relinquishing his flesh in this bizarre realm.
In disorder and disdain, he has concluded that he was dead awaiting his trial and judgement to his eternal resting place.
But an eerie sound shook him off his thoughts, as he began to struggle in jeopardy.
Like the sound of a tumbler breaking against the smooth paved cement, he felt immediate warmth instantly causing a brief moment of comfort against the vile ice cold touch of the black liquid he was in.
And there was a ripple across the liquid, causing him to be unstable in the black goo, drifting him in and out of the surface of the liquid.
A realm, where his vision and speech was taken from him...
Any deity that administers judgement upon him, does not want to reveal it's identity.
And yes, Kato judged and concluded fairly.
Without his vision, he could not see but hear. He harkened unto the sounds of what seemed like a rampage, a large stomp on the liquid goo.
Large waves formed, tumblimg and ripping across the liquid, the movements of the liquid stirred Kato to struggle, struggle to swim far away but he had lost his second arm, completely without bones.
The souls and hands of the dead, the dead he has killed, dug their fingers into him ,tearing piece by piece with the most grotesque sight.
The waves, which seemed alive, sought to consume him. Rippling and crashing up on him every instant he was stable.
He was wheezing in agony, blood vessels crowing his head expressed his current state of being.
And here began the mental and psychic torment- the echoes of the children- his kindergarten mates he was forced to eat.
The punishment given to him by the House of Omi, the house at which he served both with and passion and hatred.
His mind was heavy with sorrow, consumed by grief and distress.
What is happening??. His uncle is dead, his sister is in pains,and he has been split in half?...
Now in this realm, he doesn't even know what it is?.
The thought of no way out, further bleaked his conscience.
In this midst of the noise he had internally, in the midst of the disturbance upon the liquids and his own mangled flesh , being feasted upon by the mouths of the dead.
A voice boomed forward, with tone evident in grace and justice.
This threw Kato into a semi fit, and he tried to stabilize himself.
If that voice was a deity, then he was right. He is to be judged...
Shit!! He doesn't want to die too early or go to eternal damnation.
Why would even a nine year old kid be judged by the gods?.
Didn't they see it, when he forced to do this ?
A wave of anger came upon him, casting him into fury. Causing the liquid and the souls of the dead to feast upon him even more.
" I, in the parliament, the judge of your indignity and iniquity—"
The voice sent to a shockwave around the realm, and Kato was swept under the liquid by the dead.
Struggling to breath, he began to fiddle and swing his legs in the liquid. A thick viscous liquid to which, his movements were jarred.
He has learnt how to swim out of many substances by the House of Omi for training.
But this , this is nothing like he had ever encountered before.
The roars of the dead echoed behind him, instantly sending a shiver down his spine.
Trying to grab the liquid, he understood it would be futile but he has to grab what he can to pull out.
But he couldn't use his arms nor his hands.
He could feel himself slipping from the top, sinking deeper into the liquid that he, so despises.
He couldn't seem to get out, he couldn't make a move, and the deity hadn't even judged him yet.
" Mortal, he who is named Kato—"
At once, the sea of goo gave him up, as if spitting him out of itself into the realm.
A toxic, putrid odor had filled the realm. The air seized of freshness and life, integrated with the scent of decay.
Entagled in liquid tentacles, he was taken out of the water but restrained.
He was seized of movement, and he could hear the wails of the dead once again.
The waters behind him stirred as if being gouged by hands.
The hands came upon his back, as if waiting to collect him as soon as he was condemned.
Kato instantly felt regret. Hot tears washed over his eyelids, sliding down towards his cheeks and finally letting go into the black waters.
He never wanted this to happen!. He was just caught up in the moment , in the actions of his past and seemingly enjoyed it.
He still as an idea of what and why this was happening. ..
But it's only an idea, an idea that could instantly ruin his eternity if the deity before read his mind.
He kept that idea and locked it shut. The conspicuity here, these realms and actions all spiraled from one single moment —
His core, the lotus had been burned by Yonikaharu—
Yuki said he was blooming, but his supernatural had been killed just few hours ago.
From that point, all this spiraled out of control, eventually bringing him to a realm of absolute death.
The temperature became increasing hot, as if commanding him to have no such thoughts.
Taking notes and being aware of his surroundings, he instantly closed the idea.
He had two reasons that validated this idea and now he was sure that the idea wasn't just an observation or a guess, it was the truth.
Now there is more to this idea, but the were also two more reasons to not divulge deep into the idea.
One- The presence of an increase in temperature only activated or kicked in when he was just about to analyze more theories on his guess....
Taking note of abnormalities and not seeing anything as ordinary, since he is now in a supernatural plane. The abnormality just now had testified to the guess that he was correct.
Two- the deity before him hadn't spoken yet. Though he can't see the deity, Kato is aware that the deity has the power to condemn him to death out of anger.
Why? The abnormality of the temperature, had given him another accreditation of his theory and guess, that the deity before knows what happened to him, doesn't like defamation from low class beings like mortals, and doesn't just like him at due to his behavior and sins.
These were valid, there are more but he would keep his thoughts here.
Though he doesn't even know if he would escape this, ....
" Are you the mortal, of whom slaughtered the province as Sacrahtina- that worships the Goddess Serene,
he who is called a Devil's child,
he who had eaten the children of the nobles of the Western Central,
he who had decimated the altar of the Summit of Gods,
he who hath lead the army of rebellion against the people of the lands- the people we created-
He who hath served the House of Omi recognized as the Saint of Life's true enemy?"..
The last sentence baffled Kato instantly. He struggled to move but the tentacles held him tight.
What does he mean? Life's true enemy?. Who was that? What deity— and the the house of Omi served it?...
Then he recalled— he hath always seen and tried to understand why the rituals and prayers to the god of the house of Omi was different.
From the text he had read, and his sister's prayers and beliefs. He is well aware that the Western Central served the Shinto gods. The gods of whom were deemed overall.
This was their religion. Now even though had suspicious about the religion , he had no say for even he knew that the actions done and committed were not deemed holy for the gods.
Gritting his teeth, he fumbled between the cold slippery tentacles clunged atop his skin.
This was insane, even though he doesn't like the gods due to their over righteousness, he just thought the House of Omi was serving a normal demon- the sentient type of devils.
Life's true enemy is whom they served? whom he also pledged to and served, so he and the house of Omi , they are serving the enemy of existence.
Kato gulped hard, as his throat ached. The mere thought that he had entered even greater sin consumed him with anxiety.
How the hell and why did he get into this?. All because he wanted to protect his family? .. he saw what he wasn't supposed to see- true, he should have just died off .
". He, the mortal whom struggles in futility before me—" the voice had shifted into a soft, warm tone evident to express female personality.
Still stern, it continued—
" Kato J——— σωτήρ Musaru.
.. Thou hast committed great sin against existence..
And shalt be judged accordingly"
And a choir of bustling beautiful voices could be heard, chanting a song in an unknown tongue.
A large thump atop the waters and Kato was dislodged from the restraints, once more falling into the sea of black liquid.
But he suddenly spiraled to gain control of himself and get out, using his legs to get the surface.
The waters temperature was far too hot, and it seemed to increasing.
In panic, he opened his mouth to scream—
He tried using his arm, but it felt too light and the other felt like nothing.
He then remembered, he had lost his arm and the other...
He moved his right arm, it felt light but couldn't be moved. Like dead weight, he knew the arm was there but had a guess that it had been broken.
Now another mystery had been, throwing him into curiosity.
His mind raced against the present happenings, accompanied by the pain of the liquid being turned molten.
His voiceless screams saved nothing other than to help release his pain into voiceless screams.
But it came at an even greater cost, seeping the molten liquid into his throat- burning his insides.
The sensation of being melted alive was like no other, he had never felt this type of agony. He needed to get out but couldn't..
Every open area of his body was being flooded by the liquid fire.
He curled up,placing his head between his knees but he could feel his flesh being peeled away.
And then hands came upon him, his sense of feel and touch was waning drastically and so was his sense of pain.
He couldn't even think anymore, pain eroded him. He couldn't even guess or theorize on why he has extra names ...
Why was he called the word, "σωτήρ"? And he had a name that blurred out , but it started from a common phoneme "J".
What was the meaning of this names, was this another tongue?...
He had guesses and questions but the torment he is witnessing with his own body, didn't let him..
Suddenly, he was taken out of the sea of fire..
The temperature still very hot below him. He was vibrating, shivering in burns he had never felt before..
Now he had been totally damaged of all senses.
He felt wedged in between something and couldn't move.
The beautiful voices of the choir nor the voice that sought to judge him, he heard nothing anymore.
Drifting away into his mind, he began to reconfigure and rethink it all.
It was all a mistake, every actions he had committed.
It was true he enjoyed some, but he was caught up into it.
Now he served the enemy of existence, what about the oath the House of Omi made him swear?.
...
He couldn't think proper any longer
—
Having no say or anything to justify himself, he accepted his fate.
Ready to die eternally, pay for what he hath done, the havoc he hath wreaked upon the men of his world.
And then, he felt a sensation. An eerie feel atop his head.
For a moment, he stopped thinking and just wanted to be.
The amount of sense he felt at once, overwhelmed him, instantly giving him comfort in excruciation.
He realized, his sense of hearing, smell, taste and feel was restored.
A tingling sensation lay beneath his feet, and he recognized the sensation.
The hands of the dead were still gripping him, now held his heels and ankles.
" Kato J——— σωτήρ Musaru...."
The voice was heard again. Kato was jolted back to the reality of the realm.
Solemn silence with soft hums filled the realm and his ears..
Hums pleasing to the soul with different notes, pleasing to the soul of a sinner.
Something is wrong.. and once again he began diversing into different erratic thoughts.
" It would not be comprehended by you, if I don't tell you,.mortal ".
Kato was disrupted from his thoughts by the deity's speech.
He gulped hard. It had been listening to his thoughts all this while....
He decided to stop there, not to cause more conspiracies.
His sense of vision and speech still not restored, he could feel a loosening around his legs.
The water cooled instantly, turning into tentacles that wrapped itself around him.
With a sudden movement, Kato drifted across the liquid in restraints. Gliding swiftly, as he tried to feel his arms.
It still felt the same, his right arm - a dead weight, his left arm - empty.
Being swept across, he could smell the putrid odor no longer.
..
An increasing all compassing warmth washed over him. Not hurtful, but comfortable.
And suddenly he was stopped.
Breaking his legs, he was forced to kneel, Kneel before what he could not see.
The sudden ruptured of his bones jolted him to fall at his face on the black waters.
" J——— σωτήρ!...."
Once again, the name he knows not the meaning of .
" A proposal has been sent to meter out your sins. It would only be executed if you wish to go back to life.".
Go back to life?. His main confusion has been cleared. Even though it seemed like a trance, an illusion—, he is dead.
And right now, considering every factor before him and what had happened to him.
He could understand it now, though his brain thought to process it gently and much simpler.
This realm, is none other than the realm of judgement, and so...
If he's guesses are correct, those large stomps are the scales of which, his sins were being judged upon.
Now, to meter out his sin.. he would take it for sure.
His mind bounced erratically at different reasons, but there was one that stood out.
His elder sister, Yuki. He could have her innocence and her mindset of justification be toyed with and soiled.
That's his main reason, it's to protect his sister behind the scenes. Being the saviour and burden bearer of her mistakes and killing those who try to kill her.
Ofcourse, it would bring forth much disturbance upon his path and he might once again eventually die.
But at least he gets to live longer, than dying at the age of nine.
Kato tried to cloak his thoughts, although it would be useless against a deity judge.
There is a catch, something that would make this proposal happen, not at their expense but at his own expense. Something that shall grant them, a little bit of entertainment and joy.
" Smart choice, Mortal ". The voice praised him. With a hint of glee and cockiness, it continued,
" Upon this scale, lies the sins of your actions, of whom requests it's wages—" It paused.
Kato could hear the voice clearly along with the soft hums and chants, which were probably done by angels.
The voice, seemingly female continued,
" You have been chosen by we, the gods of existence, to become our servant of whom we shall confide all our assignments upon.
You would be given minimum assistance, to give up the wages for your sins during each assignments given to you.
Do you understand what this entails, Mortal?."
The catch. He can't think much now, since he is in the presence of a deity that can read his mind.
He tried to speak, but his speech was still not restored.
He slowly nodded, not wanting to go back into torment again.
"So, do you Kato J——— σωτήρ Musaru, accept this offer?..
Become an Executioner of the gods , one who would be placed even amongst the highest ranks of the angels?."
Kato needed to scoff, but he couldn't. What a funny assignment.
He can't think much, he knows what this means but has to accept it anyway.
Afterall, for his speech to be witheld expresses their intentions to forcefully make him serve them.
The chants of the angels increased with a sympathetic melody, all to lure him.
And yes, there was nothing he could do then accept.
He moved his neck, slowly nodding his head.
The truth is hidden, and it's hidden deep by the gods.
If he served the Enemy of existence with the House of Omi, why are the gods signing him up as their servant?.
There is conspicuous fear, and he could sense it. These gods, they fear the enemy of existence!.
A trifling matter, and the only answer to the even bigger questions he had, was by going on the missions he had been assigned to by the gods.
Pieces of the truth would be found if gathered overtime, and that is exactly what he would do.
" Then arise and bask in our glory,
take this sword and let it be thine protection in the assignments of divinity."
Kato heard a sudden swoosh, cutting through the thick dense air in the realm.
Landing before him with a large thud, rupturing the still waters beneath.
And he stretched forth his hand, taking the sword by the handle..
He was both electrocuted and magnetized by divine power, pain drawing him to tears- and the area around him was shrouded in grey mist as he had and was stained with iniquity.
But he held on, each excrutiating moment being doubled overtime, panting and giving out soundless screams of anguish.
...
He hath won over the sword.
And the chants of the angels resounded, more harmonious and soothing than before..
Expressing the joy of the heavens, and the triumph into divinity and salvation.
Without the restoration of his sight, speech of arms.
Kato was instantly transmitted out of the realm of judgement, back to his fractured physical body