PROLOUGE

             "Kill him!!"

             "Kill that traitor!!"

             "Kill him!!"

             "Kill him!!"

    The loud noises were echoing in the royal colosseum. Over thousands of citizens were cursing and shouting angrily at the boy kneeling on the tall execution platform in the centre of the royal colosseum. The citizens were angry and offended by the crime the boy had committed. They just wanted him to die. The sun was scorching high in the sky as it was the middle of the afternoon but the boy looked pale as if he was not affected by the hot summer sunlight. His hairs were slightly wet as if he had just showered. His hands were chained behind his back and his head was lowered. The red, purple, and blue marks all around his exposed skin showed that he was heavily tortured before he was brought here. 

               The boy was wearing white clothes which looked clean and bright because of the sunlight. His face was blocked by his shoulder-length brown hair. None could see the expression on the boy's face. What was the feeling when he was just a step away from his death? Was he afraid? Was he regretting the crime he had committed? Was he terrified of death? The platform on the platform looked like the grim reaper was standing just behind the kneeling boy and was ready to take his soul to hell.

                    The noises were continuously echoing in the royal arena demanding his death. Those people looked like hungry wolves hunting their prey. Not an ounce of doubt and sympathy was seen in their eyes. They were all just looking forward to the boy's death. At this time when the whole world was against him, what was the boy thinking?

            Nothing.

     His mind was blank. He was tired. He was tired of explaining. He was tired of being doubted. Why did it happen to him? What crime did he commit? Was it because he fell in love with the person he was not supposed to? It may be, after all, that he was just a commoner. He couldn't be compared to the persons living in the capital. He couldn't be compared to the so-called nobles. He couldn't be compared to the royals. At this moment, he was just a puny insect who was ready to be trampled by everyone present here. He had lost all his hopes and shine in his eyes. As everyone was demanding his death, he was also ready to die. He just wanted to be free from this pain. Although he looked clean and fine, his whole body was aching in pain. Although he looked pale, he was burning because of the bright sunlight. But who would notice his pain?

             No one. Don't hope.

       At this time, he just had one regret- not being able to see his father for the last time. He was really feeling sorry for his father. He wanted to cry loudly in his father's arms and say he was sorry. He would listen to his father's advice in the future. But it was not going to happen. He was about to die and his father wasn't even aware of it. What would he feel when he finds out about the death of his only child? He wouldn't even get his dead body to bury. He knew he made a great mistake by coming to this place. The boy was feeling extremely guilty. Guilty that he couldn't follow in his father's footsteps and fulfil his dream. Guilty that he couldn't say a final farewell to his father and most guilty that he fell in love with that man. On his death's door, he finally understood how cruel the world was. How low humans could fall to achieve their selfish desires. He understood how selfish and cunning humans could be. He understood not to trust, not to believe, and understand that every promise could be broken. His father was right when he told him that he would be left heartbroken if he falls in love with that man and would regret it.

                    His father was right. Right now, he was regretting his decision so much that he couldn't explain it in the words. He raised his head a little bit and saw the face of that cruel man. That man was dressed in royal attire making him look like he belonged to a different world. That man looked like he was from heaven while he himself was a dust of the land. There was such a huge difference. That man was sitting on the gold throne surrounded by the nobles. His face was not showing any expression but by looking at his eyes which had an icy cold stare, one could easily tell what he was feeling. That man finally stood up followed by everyone after that and extended his right arm signalling everyone to be silent. The royal colosseum which was buzzing with the noises was now silent with just one signal from that man after all he was their king. The king took a step forward-looking at the frail boy kneeling on the execution platform.

            The boy immediately lowered his head when he saw the cold expression of the king towards him. He chuckled lightly. Behind him were two executioners who were ready to punish him with just one word from the king. Well, he was also looking forward to it. He was just hoping the king would not regret his decision later. He just prayed that the king would live happily with that snake woman. And now he was also waiting for the king's order.

     "All of my citizens present in this royal arena today, you all know why you are here today. Today all of you are about to punish the traitor who had committed a very serious crime against the noble moreover the person very close to me. Before this, he had saved my life from death due to which I gave him a position in the royal palace to repay the favour. But this one wasn't satisfied and wanted more. Because of his greed, he harmed the person very close to me, for which today he repaying and he even committed the crime of treason while staying inside my palace.

      We will start his execution with fifty whippings. Immediately after the whipping is completed, all of you will throw stones at him until he dies."

          Then the king sat on his throne majestically and said, "Begin now."

The whipping started. The whips were long and were made up of leather. The two executioners started to hit him continuously one after another. It was hurting him. He was in pain. He wanted to cry loudly but he kept his mouth shut. Only a few whimpers could be heard from his mouth. His lips were bleeding as he was shutting his mouth tightly by biting his lips with his teeth. His fists were clenched so hard that the blood was coming out because of his nails. Although he surrendered to his fate, he would never surrender to that king and that woman.

            A drop of sweat fell from the tip of his nose. The whole arena was silent and only the sharp sound of the whips against the skin could be heard. The sharp sound was piercing the silent atmosphere making everyone feel chill through their veins. Some were closing their eyes while some were enjoying the execution as if they were looking at the dramas in the festivals. The happiest one was the one whom you can guess easily.

            The boy was still kneeling lowering his head without moving an inch and without making any sounds. How could he manage to do it? Was he not feeling anything? That was everyone's thought. But who knew that the boy had suffered worst in the prison- suffered both physically and emotionally? One sentence from that man, made him surrender to fate. He hadn't felt any pain when he was starved. He hadn't felt anything when he was tortured continuously without a break. But the words from that man, made him feel completely hopeless which led him to the situation he was facing now. Sometimes words cut deeper than a knife.

           The fifty whippings stopped and right now he was heavily bleeding. The old wounds hadn't even healed properly when the new ones were added. His white clothes were stained with crimson red bloodstains. He looked haggard in his torn clothes. He looked so weak and frail as if he was about to break and disappear. He was already starting to feel weak and unconscious because the pain and the scorching sun made his wounds burn. But what about the next punishment? He didn't have the time to feel the pain of the whippings. He was about to face much worse which would ultimately lead to his death.

         The executioners then stepped off the platform. Now only the boy was kneeling on the platform with his blood-stained clothes. Then again the king who was watching the scene in front of his eyes without flinching stood up and spoke loudly.

         "Begin the final punishment."

Everyone gulped their saliva waiting for the final punishment. How was the king feeling now? Everyone in the palace knew how close they both were. How was he able to watch without any emotions in his eyes? At least the enemy would feel a little bit of sympathy towards their opponent but the boy kneeling there was his... Nobody dared to think further and stayed silent. Everyone was waiting for another to throw the stone first. Nobody wanted to be the first one.

       The king looked at the woman sitting on his side who had a sad and hurtful expression on her face. The king twisted his eyebrows narrowing his eyes towards the arena.

       "THIS KING ORDERED ALL OF YOU TO BEGIN NOW!!"

  The king's annoyed voice echoed in the royal arena. Finally, one stone was thrown toward the boy who was soon followed by one after another. The stones started hitting the lonely boy as if it was raining stones. Big, small, dull, sharp, and different stones were hitting him. It was like hell on earth to him. It hurt him so much. The stones were hitting on his back. his legs, his thighs, his arms, and his face. The sharp lingering pain made his body dull.  The wounds from previous tortures, wounds from the whippings, and the wounds from the stones made him feel like he was about to die soon. He couldn't take it anymore. Why did he have to get tortured to death like this? Why couldn't the king give him quick death? Why? Why? Why?

           And his wish was heard by the grim reaper as the large sharp stone hit his head. His mind became blank after that as the blood started to fall heavily on his face from the wound on his head. He looked like he just showered in the blood. His vision was getting blurred and his breathing was becoming heavy. His body was feeling light as if the soul was about to leave. His body swayed slightly before falling flat on the platform with a loud thud.

            He slightly turned his face towards the direction where the king was sitting. He couldn't see properly as his vision was getting blurred because of the blood. He lightly smiled looking at the blurred figure of the king and whispered some words. He wondered if the king noticed it as he speaking for the last time.

                As his father has said before, the person would see all their life events as a drama before they die and he used to wonder if it was true. Well, now he was seeing it. He couldn't tell whether it was a drama or not as he lived too short. Looking back at his life, what did he do? Nothing special. He couldn't even fulfil his dream. He could say it was pathetic and worthless. But he couldn't deny spending his days with that man was the warmest moment of his life. Meeting this man was both his luck and curse.

        The stones which were thrown at him were stopped right before he fell on the platform.  He could feel his life getting away. Wished he could see his father's face for the last time but the grim reaper was in hurry. He slowly closed his eyes which were looking at that man full of love even at this moment. Ah... why was he like this? Please just let him hate this man before his death.

            The boy's eyes were now closed. The executioners stepped on the platform and examined the boy. The executioners examined the boy for a while and stood up. They directly went to their king and knelt lowering their heads while one of them spoke.

           "Your highness, the traitor Ives Zach is dead."