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Angel square – Execution platform; 10th day, Maṅgalavāsaraḥ, 10:42 a.m.
And so… beneath a sky that refused to intervene,
humanity gathered—not in celebration… but in judgment.
A judgment not passed by gods—
but by men who believed they were.
The vast stone plaza of Angel Square stood suffocatingly still.
Thousands had gathered.
Not to protest.
Not to resist.
But to watch.
At the center of it all, upon a raised execution platform, stood
Lord Evan.
Draped in pristine white robes, with a Violet cross as the mark of western holy church, unmoved by the biting wind, his presence radiated an unsettling calm.
A holy knight stepped forward and bowed.
"Lord Evan, the heretics are all in place. Awaiting your command."
Evan gave a faint nod and stepped forward.
"Attention! People of Holy Empire,"
His amplified voice thundered across Angel Square.
'witness the end of these foolish people who dare to rebel against the will of the Lord,'
The chained prisoners knelt behind him —silent, broken.
"Blasphemy," Evan continued, "is not merely an act."
"It is a disease."
His gaze swept across them.
"And like all diseases… it must be eradicated."
"Let this be a lesson to all… those who dare to commit blasphemy—whether through sorcery or forbidden science—shall receive no mercy!"
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'Devotion...
Such a beautiful word…
when it is not drenched in blood.'
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Amidst the sea of silent onlookers stood
Fate.
His fists trembled.
'They're… executing them? In public…?'
His eyes darted toward the platform.
'Just because they don't follow their doctrine?'
A bitter realization crept in.
"What can I even do…?"
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"Ah…
the cruel clarity of helplessness.
A truth every soul must face—
sooner or later."
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A desperate voice suddenly cut through the silence.
"Mercy! Please—have mercy!"
A teenage boy forced his way through the crowd, falling to his knees.
"My lord! Please release my father, he is innocent."
Gasps rippled outward.
Evan's gaze lowered toward him.
"Bring the boy forward."
Armored knights seized him, dragging him onto the platform.
"Let me go!" he shouted, struggling.
The crowd remained silent.
"My father saved lives! Countless lives!" the boy cried. "Why are you doing this?!"
Evan regarded him with faint curiosity.
"You dare question the authority of the Holy Church?"
The boy's eyes burned.
"My father did nothing wrong!"
A pause.
Then—
Evan smiled.
Cold. Thin. Final.
"Truth does not belong to men like you."
"It belongs to those chosen to define it."
The air turned heavier.
"And since you seem so eager to defend heresy…"
He turned slightly towards the executioners.
"Execute the boy as well."
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Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Lord Evan raised his hand & Stated,
"Order of Holy Knights, I hereby command the executioners to commence with the execution."
What followed was not an execution.
It was Fear… refined into ritual, a scenery literally out of the hell.
Each prisoner suffered a punishment crafted according to the Holy Doctrine.
The first prisoner was dragged forward.
A sorcerer.
Without ceremony, he was thrown into a massive iron cauldron.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
A scream tore through the square.
Raw. Animal. Unforgiving.
The crowd flinched.
Some looked away.
Most did not.
"Poetic justice, boiled like the potions they brew."
The knights overseeing the executions laughed.
Not loudly.
But enough.
Next—
A scholar of forbidden science.
Strapped to a metal chair, surrounded by lightning rods.
A surge of electricity ripped through his body—
Until nothing remained but ash…
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'Cruelty… dressed as righteousness.
A timeless performance.'
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And thus… the supposed protectors of the people
revealed their true nature.
Not guardians.
But wardens of hell.
Finally—
The father and son.
The boy's voice broke through the suffocating air.
"LOOK AT YOURSELVES!"
The entire square froze.
"You lived because of him!" he shouted at the crowd.
"You used his medicine!Took his inventions! His knowledge!The very things you call heresy!"
His breath trembled violently.
"And now all of you stand here quietly, while they kill him?!"
Silence.
No one answered.
No one moved.
He spat at the crowd.
"You ungrateful cowards!"
Then he turned toward the church.
"If anyone here has even a shred of courage—"
His voice rose—
"Then kill these bastards! All of them!"
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"A voice that dares to rise…
Will it ignite change…
or be snuffed out like a candle in the wind?"
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At this moment of time, the figures in the shadows could no longer endure the prejudice…
Suddenly—
A knight burst onto the platform.
"Lord Archpriest!"
He was breathing heavily.
"The rebels—they're here! Our guards have been eliminated! Please evacuate immediately!"
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A roar erupted from the distance.
"Brothers of the Resistance!"
"Charge!"
"Save our kin!"
"Execute the battle plan!"
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The attack of resistance began, 11:11 a.m.
Explosions shattered the plaza.
Smoke bombs engulfed the square.
Panic erupted instantly.
Arrows & bullets rained down violently from nearby rooftops.
Knights scrambled.
Bystanders screamed.
And just like that…
the illusion of control collapsed.
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Amid the chaos…
A voice echoed inside his mind.
Not heard—
But felt.
"Please… save my son. Fate!"
His eyes snapped toward the father.
'What…?'
'Is he calling out my name? so that's really my name…'
"Ho! He finally realized…"
As fate was getting lost in lost, the voice erupted again.
"He has the key to your problem!"
'My problem, does he mean about my memory?'
'but how does he know me?'
'Anyway, I should at least save the boy…'
Making his decision, fate clenched his teeth.
"I… I can't save you."
His voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm too weak."
"I can only take your son."
The father smiled.
Not with despair—
But acceptance.
"That is enough."
"Don't worry child, I do have a last resort."
He slipped a small object into Fate's hand.
"Take this."
"It will guide you… to the truth."
A dying man's final gamble.
Not for himself—
but for the future he may never see.
His eyes darkened.
"Remember…"
"Only the strong survive in this cursed world."
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A Quarter hour before the attack started, In the shadows… 10:57 a.m.
"Report!"
The commander stood over a large map.
"Team Alpha, status!"
"Alpha in position. No anomalies."
"Team Beta?"
"Ready for assault. Situation worsening. Uploading visual feed."
"Team Delta?"
"Sniping positions secured."
Upon watching the visual,
The commander slammed his fist on the table.
"Those fanatic bastards…"
He looked at the teams, it seems we can't wait anymore. We must rescue our comrades…
"On my mark… 5,4,3,2,1."
"Charge! Save our comrades!"
"For freedom!"
"For humanity!"
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Back to the Present, 11:18 a.m.
"Knights order! Capture the rebels at any cost!" Evan shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
"Chain them all!"
"And thus… the mask falls.
Faith, order, righteousness…
All crumble… when survival takes the stage."
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Meanwhile, In resistance base camp…
"Team Gamma reporting!"
"We've successfully split the knight forces!"
"Phase two commencing!"
"Alpha and Beta—advance and rescue the prisoners!"
Gunshots echoed.
"Delta providing cover fire!"
A sniper laughed.
"Bullseye!"
"Put a bullet straight through that psychopath's brain!"
"General! Are you alright?!"
The injured old man nodded.
"Yes."
His eyes burned with fury.
"Save our brothers first."
"And remember…"
"Leave none of those church bastards alive."
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Elsewhere, In the alleys...
A lone figure sprinted through the alleys, grabbing the teenage boy.
"Let me go!" the boy screamed. "My father—!"
"Your father entrusted you to me," Fate said firmly.
"You must live."
"No! I won't—!"
The boy struggled harder.
Fate sighed.
"Sorry."
A quick strike—
The boy fell unconscious.
'Mercy…
sometimes wears the face of cruelty.'
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River Moon Inn; 8:02 p.m.
Hours later.
The boy awoke with a gasp.
"My father!"
He jumped from the bed.
"Help! Someone help him!"
Fate grabbed his shoulders.
"Calm down."
"It's already over."
"Even if we went back… we were too weak to change anything."
Silence lingered.
"…Did he… survive?"
Fate paused.
Then—continued quietly.
"Your father didn't look like a man who planned to die."
"It's possible he survived."
"…So rest."
A lie?
Perhaps.
But not entirely.
"…We'll find out tomorrow."
The boy wiped his tears.
"…Okay."
"I'll believe you."
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Merchant District – Next Morning; 11:09 a.m.
"Old man."
The merchant glanced up. "Back again?"
"Pay first."
A coin slid across the counter.
"I need right information."
The merchant grinned.
"In this district, my information is as reliable as an imperial decree."
"So speak."
"What was theoutcome of the commotion happened in Angel's Square yesterday?"
The merchant leaned back.
"Oh, that?"
He smirked.
"The rebels succeeded."
"They freed the prisoners."
"Although there were some causalities, others escaped successfully."
Fate exhaled.
"Good."
The merchant chuckled.
"Looks like karma finally caught up with those church bastards."
The teenage boy smiled for the first time.
"See?" fate smiled at the boy.
"Your father likely made it."
"…Thank you," the boy whispered. "Big brother."
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"Fortune favors the bold…
But today… it seems to favor the desperate."
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River Moon Inn – Night; 12:02 a.m.
Silence filled the room.
Fate sat alone.
Thinking.
Analyzing.
Waiting.
Then—
A voice.
Cold. Mechanical.
But familiar.
[Eye Synchronization Initiated]
[40%… 70%… 100%]
A translucent screen flickered into existence before his eyes.
"Welcome… Admin."
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"…Again.
This presence.
This anomaly.
You continue to intrigue me…
Fate Dragon Heart."
------------------------------ End of Chapter 3 -----------------------------