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Avso stood in a massive crowd with Uk, Skamtos, and Kraz. Thousands of people surrounded him, filled with a solemn rage that bubbled beneath the surface. They shifted on their feet, faces full of anger. They called for blood today.
In the heart of Murkali, the execution chamber was a vast central square. The open expanse was now choked with thousands of people, bound by simmering fury. The air was tense with the scent of sweat and the undercurrent of anger. The large, unadorned platform that dominated the center of the square stood eerily empty. The crowd's murmurs, a low, restless drone, were occasionally pierced by a sharp cry for retribution. Above, the sky loomed indifferent, the sun casting long shadows across the square.
Avso was focused on what Kraz was currently whispering to the three of them.
“We found him, but Ohvocudu wouldn’t tell us where the amulet was. He kept saying he needed confirmation that Murok had blessed their mission over and over again, but he wouldn’t tell us anything.”
“Oh, Murok,” Uk growled. “It was so frustrating. I wanted to punch him straight in the face.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I used too much Otu in the battle. This isn’t good.”
“Your Otu should replenish soon, though.”
“I know that.” Uk gritted his teeth.
A woman to Avso’s right was yelling for Ohvocdu’s blood. People cheered at her words. Avso ignored her.
“Why were there chairs in the room?” Avso asked.
“He’s been working away making chairs. That’s what he does in his free time—carpentry,” Uk said.
“Why?”
“I don’t know why the crazy man does what he does. If he wants to spend the last years of his life making a chair. Then whatever, let him.”
The crowd stirred.
A group parted, and the Emperor walked in, dragging behind him Ohvocdu. Several Murkali warriors flanked him. The Emperor’s head was visible well above the crowd.
Every person watched with rage, wishing Ohvocdu death—except for Avso and his teammates. He wanted nothing more than for Ohvocdu to escape and tell them where to find the amulet. But it wasn’t possible anymore. Uk looked sick as if he would drop dead any second.
Guards threw Ohvocdu onto the central platform. Murkali warriors lined themselves around it, blocking off it from the crowd. The Emperor stepped onto the platform, staring down at Ohvocdu's bound body as Ohvocdu slowly stood up. Ohvocdu didn't cower under the massive Emperor.
The Emperor’s voice was solemn as he said, “Why, Ohvocdu? Why?”
Ohvocdu didn’t answer.
“Why did you forsake Murok? Why would you do it? Out of everyone, why did you forsake him?”
“I did not.” That was all Ohvocdu said; he seemed entirely calm.
“Tell me why.” The Emperor’s voice was a command.
“I did not forasake Murok.”
“Yes, you did. Tell me why.”
“Listen to my words; I did not forsake Murok.”
“Tell me!” He slammed his foot against the platform.
Ohvocdu stared. And then he opened his mouth and started singing.
“In the shadow of Murkali's crumbling might,
Where justice once stood, now drowned in spite.
Here I stand, in the crowd's fiery gaze,
A whisper of truth in these dark, tyrant days—”
“Stop,” the Emperor said.
"—In the heart of wrath, under a blood-red sky,
Guha Labyrinth waits, where my hopes lie—"
“Stop! Explain why you sinned against Murok! Explain to me!”
Avso didn’t know what was going on. Ohvcodu started singing louder to overcome the Emperor’s voice.
"—Oh, Guha Labyrinth, in your halls so wide,
A refuge from the storm, a place to hide.
Murkali weeps, its glory lost,
In tyranny's grip, a heavy cost—"
“TELL ME!”
"Bound and scorned, before the Emperor's rage,
I sing of a maze, beyond this cage.
A labyrinth lies, under Murok's faded grace,
A glimmer of hope for a fallen race."
The crowd roused, yelling in rage at the Emperor, jeering at the frail old man. They cried for his blood; they cried for his death. Avso was right to believe he would be dead within the day.
Someone snickered from beside him.
“TELL ME!” The Emperor screamed, grabbing Ohvocdu by the throat.
Ohvocdu didn’t stop singing.
"As my voice rises, above the clamor and the scorn,
I dream of a dawn, of a new day born—"
The Emperor took his massive hand and slammed it into the man’s body. The singing suddenly stopped with a loud crunch. Blood sprayed everywhere on the Emperor.
He dropped Ohvocdu’s broken, bloody body to the platform. The crowd cheered. The Emperor looked feral, with blood covering every inch of him. He looked insane. The crowd didn’t seem to see that.
“Murok’s will pervails!” He screamed.
Uk snickered again. Avso stirred. How could he possibly find this funny?
“We will not stop until every nonbeliever and traitor is dead. Murok will control all the lands again, nonbelievers will be dead, and Murok will thank us for it!”
Uk laughed. Avso looked back to him.
Uk’s face was scrunched up in concentration. He seemed to be struggling immensely. His mouth was curled into a smile, but he looked in pain. Kraz held onto Uk’s shoulder, whispering something in his ears. Kraz looked scared.
“Murok will finally control the lands again—the lands he spent so long making, which he spent his life building—only for the nonbelievers to take them for themselves! The nonbelievers’ selfishness will not be tolerated. It will be punished. We will not stop until they all pay for what they have done to Murok—until they pay for disgracing his lands and worshipping evil.”
Uk laughed again, this time louder. His laugh rang throughout the square. People glared at him.
“Stop, Uk,” Kraz said, looking grave.
“We will kill every last one. We will show them pain that they have never felt before; we will make sure they suffer. And we will do it in Murok’s name.”
Uk laughed again, and he didn’t stop. His laugh rang throughout the square. The laugh was mocking, disgraceful to what the Emperor was saying.
“Stop, Uk, stop!”
“We will ...” The Emperor trailed off, hearing Uk’s laughter. His eyes were fixed on Uk, who was openly laughing as if he had heard the funniest thing in the world. He was staring at the blood-soaked Emperor and laughing.
The crowd stirred, shouting at Uk.
“What. Is. This?” the Emperor gritted out.
Uk could only laugh at his face.
Avso looked between them frantically. He turned to Skamtos. “What’s happening? Why’s he laughing?”
Skatmos suddenly wrapped his arms around Uk, covering his mouth with his hands and muffling his laughter.
“You dare laugh at Murok. You dare mock him?“ Rage, like never before, entered the Emperor’s eyes.
The crowd saw Skamtos pinning Uk down and rushed at him to attack. Kraz kicked at the ground, and stone walls jutted out, blocking anyone who wanted to approach Uk. “Stop!” he yelled.
The Emperor reached out his hand. “If you mock Murok. Then you will die in pain.” He closed his fist around the air, ready to drive it back and explode Uk.
Uk was still laughing, his laughs muffled by Skamtos’ hands.
The Emperor’s hands trembled.“You. Will. Die—“
“STOP!” Avso yelled.
The Emperor stopped in his tracks. His arm froze.
His confused face looked to Avso. “Blessed one, what is it?”
“Don’t—Don’t kill him. H-he’s not laughing at Murok. He’s laughing at ... He’s laughing at Ohvocdu.”
The Emperor’s hand was still outstretched and slowly dropped to his side. The crowd calmed more. Skamtos hit Uk atop the head; he stopped laughing, and his body went limp.
“I am sorry, blessed one. I misunderstood. Thank you for intervening. It would have been a shame to spill Murkali blood.”
Avso nodded, his entire body shaking.
