Kill The Killer

Kill The Killer
Gatrina's POV…

We had no plan. That was the part I hated most. Amara and I sat inside an abandoned hut somewhere deep within New Lagos, with the windows covered by old pieces of cloth and broken boards to keep anyone outside from seeing us. The place smelled of dust and damp wood, but neither of us cared. We had bigger problems.

Feran had Abigail. He had Jarox. And he had Gary.

And somewhere inside his palace, he was preparing to finish what he had started. I sat against the wall, staring at the floor. "We could go back into the Underground," I said.

Amara immediately shook her head. "The Underground is finished."

"We don't know that."

"I do." She looked at me. "I've been there. I've fought there. I've watched people lose everything there. After everything Feran has done, nobody down there is going to volunteer for another fight."

"People are still fighting."

"They’re surviving, Gatrina." She leaned back. "There's a difference."

I didn't respond. She was probably right. The Underground had once been our greatest source of hope. Now it was barely a memory. I rubbed my hands together.

"What about other Killers?"

Amara looked at me. "What about them?"

"Can you contact any of them?"

She laughed bitterly. "The last two I brought into this fight died at Ibasa."

"And the others?" I asked.

"Scattered."

"Where?"

"Everywhere." She shrugged. "The order was discarded. Some went into hiding. Others disappeared into different parts of the empire. I don't even know if they're still alive."

I sighed. "So we're alone?"

Amara didn't answer. She didn't have to. We were alone. No army. No Underground. No Killers. No safe place. And Feran was stronger than ever. I looked toward the broken window.

"What are we supposed to do?"

Amara was about to answer when her arm cell suddenly pinged. She looked down. Her expression changed.

"What is it?"

She activated the display. A broadcast appeared. The image of Feran filled the tiny screen. The Emperor was standing somewhere inside the palace, surrounded by imperial guards. My stomach tightened. Then he spoke. "Citizens of New Lagos."

His voice carried the weight of authority. "Today, the empire has captured one of its greatest enemies."

Amara's eyes widened. I leaned closer. Feran continued.

"Gary, known among the resistance as the Killer, has finally fallen into our hands."

My heart stopped. "No."

Amara stared at the screen. Feran's expression remained cold. "In one hour, he will be executed publicly at Skull Place, directly outside the imperial palace."

I felt something inside me break. Feran continued speaking. "Let his death remind every citizen of this empire what happens when you challenge the authority of the Krug dynasty."

The broadcast ended. For several seconds, neither of us moved. Then Amara stood. "We're going."

I looked at her. "To Skull Place?"

"Yes."

"Amara, we can't just walk into the palace."

"We're not walking into the palace." She checked her weapon. "We're going to Skull Place."

"And then what?"

She looked directly at me. "We save him."

I didn't know whether that was courage or madness. Maybe both. I stood. "Let's go."

.

.

.

Getting to Skull Place was harder than I expected. New Lagos was alive with movement. Every street seemed filled with Krug patrols. Every corner had checkpoints. Every alley had someone watching. So we moved carefully. We kept our heads down. We avoided the main streets whenever possible. Sometimes we waited several minutes in the shadows while patrols passed. Other times, we squeezed ourselves between buildings and moved through narrow spaces where nobody could see us. It took almost an hour.

By the time we reached the area surrounding Skull Place, my legs were aching. But I barely noticed. There were too many people. Krugs had gathered everywhere. Citizens. Soldiers. Officials. Ministers. Krug Lords. Masters. Everyone had come to watch. The empire wanted an audience. And Feran had made sure he had one.

Amara pulled me into a narrow corner behind a structure where we could see the execution platform without being noticed. I looked toward the center. And there he was. Gary.

They dragged him forward. He was barely recognizable. His face was bruised. His body was battered. His clothes were torn. There were marks around his wrists from the restraints. But he was still conscious. Still breathing.

They forced him down. His knees hit the platform. I covered my mouth. "Oh, Yahweh."

Amara's breathing became heavier beside me. Gary was pushed forward until his head rested against the executioner's block. Then Feran stepped forward. He was holding an enormous axe. I stared at the weapon. My entire body went cold. "Amara..."

"I know,” she said with vigour.

"We have to do something."

"We will." She started moving. I grabbed her arm. "No. We can't possibly go out there. We’ll be killed on the spot."

"He's going to die. Let me go."

I held on tighter. She stared at me. I couldn't explain it. Every instinct inside me screamed to run onto that platform. To save him. To fight. To do something. But there were too many soldiers. Too many weapons. Too many eyes. If we moved now, we'd die before reaching him. And then nobody would be left to fight.

Amara slowly stopped, now beginning to accept what was about to happen. Her eyes remained fixed on Gary. Feran stepped forward. The crowd became silent. He raised his voice.

"Today is a great day in the history of the Krug Empire."

The crowd responded with cheers. Feran smiled. "Today, we demonstrate that no enemy is greater than the empire."

He looked down at Gary. "This man has killed our soldiers. He has murdered our leaders and allies. He has attacked our cities."

The noise grew louder.

"He has stood against our dynasty." Feran raised the axe. "And today, the Killer falls."

Gary didn't say anything. He simply stared at the ground. Feran positioned himself behind him. "Gary, you have been sentenced to death for your crimes against the empire."

I felt tears gathering in my eyes. Amara whispered beside me. "Please..."

Feran lifted the axe higher. "Let this be a warning to every human who believes they can rise against us.nYour resistance ends here."

The axe came down. I screamed. "No!"

The blade struck. Gary's body collapsed. His head rolled from the block. For a moment, everything became silent. Then the crowd erupted. Cheers. Applause. Celebration.

I couldn't hear any of it. I could only stare. Gary was dead. The great Killer was dead. And Feran had just killed the man who had once stood between us and the destruction of everything we had left.

Amara stood frozen beside me. Her face had gone completely pale. Neither of us spoke. There was nothing left to say. Feran lifted the bloodied axe toward the cheering crowd. And I realized with horror that this was only the beginning.