Land Of Judgement

After Raya left—returning to her room, I presume—I was left alone once again. The people staring at me made it hard for me to continue eating in peace, even though they meant no harm; instead, their blameless eyes made it even harder.

I left soon after; I couldn't stay anyways.

The sky as I stepped outside was silent of any clouds. There was a cold, transparent blanket chilling the entire town, the sun that shone through brought its light but with none of its warmth.

The streets were bustling with activity, much different than one would have expected of the old medieval towns.

People began their work since the early morning. By now, they had set camp in their respective activities: farming, selling, buying, cleaning, praying—and mesmerized themselves in their work, only those that served a common purpose could hope to interrupt them. Like small communities within a small community, they supported each other.

The walk felt lonely without my faceless aphrodite 'Raya' to bicker with.

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ," Agnes said to me.

"What are you saying so suddenly," I asked her back.

"ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇs ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇᴏᴜs ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴄᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟᴏᴡ sᴇʟғ-ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴏɴ, ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏᴡᴀʀᴅɪᴄᴇ."

"But to Raya," I said, "this only sounds like petty justification."

"sʜᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ. ᴡʜᴇɴ sʜᴇ ɪs ᴏʟᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴍᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ," she added, "ʜᴏᴘᴇғᴜʟʟʏ."

"You are just a brat too."

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ, ɪ'ᴍ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ 15. ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ᴍʏ ᴘʀɪᴍᴇ," she proudly puffed her chest out.

I arrived at the center of the town, which was a market filled with odd, wooden houses, aligned like the unwashed teeth of a beggar. Many shops with the remnant skeletons of temporary stalls have long turned into permanent housing for the merchants living right above their trade. The market, once as spacious as untethered grassland, had turned into a tree with several small alleys branching out from the innermost core.

There was a lack of light between the slender houses looming over the muddy streets like trees in a forest. I tried avoiding the broken barrels, and squeezed my way through the crowds of people looking to buy.

"I would like to get some potatoes," a woman shouted while carrying a basket full of fresh vegetables.

Another shouted, "do you have any carrots left? Give me four!"

"Give me a piece of meat of that lamb of yours, I am feeling festive today!"

All houses here were decorated with colorful signs, above a large, open window facing the alley front. There was a touch of individuality that came with each shop, like wooden carvings or paintings of fantastical beasts. Once or twice, a merchant would peek out, vying loudly for costumers.

Almost all shops could be discerned by smell. The scent of fresh herbs and lavender indicated a florist or herbalist, the savory aroma a food-vendor, while the stench of blood and entrails vacating through the glassless windows was most likely a butcher.

"Quite the busy town," I exclaimed.

Agnes answered even though there was no question, "ᴛʜɪs ᴛᴏᴡɴ, ɪғ ɪ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛʟʏ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʟᴏsᴇsᴛ ᴛᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴀʟ ʀᴊᴏᴋᴀʟʟᴇᴍ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛᴏʀ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴠɪʟʟᴀɢᴇs, ᴛʜᴜs ɪᴛ ɪs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ʙᴏɴғɪʀᴇ ᴀʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴀ sᴛᴀʀʟᴇss ɴɪɢʜᴛ. ᴀ ʜᴏᴛsᴘᴏᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ sʜᴀᴅᴇs ᴏғ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ."

"Rjo- what?" I stumbled on my words.

"ʀᴊᴏᴋᴀʟʟᴇᴍ," she repeated slowly, "ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴀʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ."

"Yes, that reminds me, what is this country called?"

Agnes slapped the back of my head and yelled, "ʜᴏᴡ ʟᴏɴɢ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʜᴇʀᴇ?"

"Hey it's not like I am totally ignorant, I simply forgot. I know about the neighboring countries such as the war-loving 'Randes Empire', and the country 'Erdsburg', in which the elusive princess that took our marriage spot was. I also heard about a 'Kingdom of Fallacy' in passing. It is simply this country that I do not know about."

"ᴀʜ, sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ʜᴏᴘᴇʟᴇss," she said in a tone mixed with relief and leftover disappointment, "ᴊᴜsᴛ sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ɪs ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴅᴇᴀʀᴀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏᴛʜ ɢᴏᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ɴᴀᴍᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ, sɪɢɴɪғʏɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ᴇɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴅᴇᴀʀʟʏ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ, ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ɪs ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ <ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴊᴜɢᴅᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ>, sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴀʏ ʀᴇғᴇʀ ɪᴛ ᴀs sᴜᴄʜ."

"<Land of Judgement>, is that something like a title," I asked her in confusion.

"ʏᴇs," Agnes said, while seamlessly floating through the body of a busy housewife, "ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʀᴀɴᴅᴇs ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇ ɪs ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ <ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴡᴀʀ> ᴀɴᴅ ᴇʀᴅsʙᴜʀɢ ɪs ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ <ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴘᴀssɪᴏɴ>, ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ɪs ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ <ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴊᴜɢᴅᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ>. ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀɪᴇs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇs."

I tilted my head, and while I did so, I almost slipped on a rotten piece of lettuce. The market was still operating in full swing, unperturbed by mine and Agnes's conversation.

"Who gives them these titles?"

Agnes answered, "ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ."

"I see," my eyes opened slightly, but I wasn't surprised, "the Era of Dawn again, right?"

"ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛ." She nodded slowly. "ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ғᴀᴄᴛᴏʀs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ. ғɪʀsᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴜʟɪɴɢ ᴄʟᴀss ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴀ ᴘʜɪʟᴏsᴏᴘʜʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢᴜɪᴅᴇs ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴏғ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ. ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪғ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴏɴʟʏ ᴀ sɪɴɢʟᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇʀʙ ᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ ɪᴛs ɪɴᴛʀɪᴄᴀᴄɪᴇs ᴏʀ ɪғ ɪᴛ's ɴᴇᴡʙᴏʀɴ ᴏʀ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ, ᴀs ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀs ɪᴛ ɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴘʜɪʟᴏsᴏᴘʜʏ," she then drew a cold breath, "sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ. ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ʙᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ ɪs ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴʟʏ ᴀғғɪʟɪᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ."

"What about the Kingdom of Fallacy then? Also a title?"

Suddenly Agnes began to laugh, "ɴᴏ ɪᴛ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ. ɪᴛ ɪs ᴀɴ ᴏʟᴅ ᴅᴇʀᴏɢᴀᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛᴇʀᴍ ᴜsᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴀssᴏᴄɪᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴇʀᴀ ᴏғ ᴅᴀᴡɴ ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴏᴡɴ," she laughed once more, "ɪᴛ ɪs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ sᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜɪʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴘʜɪʟᴏsᴏᴘʜʏ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟɪғᴇ ᴍᴜsᴛ ʙᴇ ᴀ sᴇʀɪᴇs ᴏғ ғᴀʟʟᴀᴄɪᴇs. ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ, ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ʟɪᴠᴇ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴄᴀɴ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ɪᴛ."

"Alright I think I get it now," I told her, "just one more question, there are basically two terms a country needs to fulfill: Possessing a philosophy and being associated with The Cloud. So if a country with no magic is called a Kingdom of fallacy, what is a country without an alliance to The Cloud called?"

She opened her lips and out came only a single word: "ᴅᴇᴀᴅ."

I left the market soon after.

The narrow paths all joined into a wide, clean street and the three-storied buildings all indicated that I had entered a prestigious area. There were no mossy barrels collecting the rain water off the attached roof, instead, there was a small well by which the people drew water from. The unique mixed stench wafting through the market disappeared after I had gone further.

The big road was like an arrow pointing me towards a single direction, and when I arrived, I saw a plaza, devoid of any decoration, only a wide, open field with hard sand serving as the ground. Surrounding it was only a sturdy stone wall, circling around it, about the height of my waist.

I looked around, and I saw no one who paid me any attention, and with a hop, I jumped over the walls into the field which was no bigger than half a basketball court. As I observed from the inside, I saw splatters of red blood, dried and slightly wet alike on the ground, but also the walls. The ground had slashes and dents making it more uneven than it already was and the walls seemed already brittle, with the stone beginning to chirp off.

"This is an arena," I mumbled to myself.

"ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɢᴜᴇss, ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ," Agnes told me, "ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ɪs ʜᴇʟᴅ."

I asked skeptically, "right here?"

"ʏᴇs," she said and then pointed towards the biggest house, "ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀɴsɪᴏɴ ʟᴏᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴜs? ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏʀᴅs ᴍᴀɴᴏʀ. ᴜsᴜᴀʟʟʏ, ʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇsɪᴅᴇs ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴊᴜɢᴅᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇs."

"Not a priest?"

"ɴᴏ," Agnes shook her head, "ᴀ ᴛʀɪᴀʟ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ ᴜsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʜᴇʟᴅ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴜʀᴄʜ, ᴀs ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʜᴏʟʏ ᴀғғᴀɪʀ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ɪs ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ, ɪᴛ ɪs ʙᴀsᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴɢ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ɪᴛ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʟʏ ᴀғғᴀɪʀ. ᴛʜᴜs ɪᴛ ɪs ʜᴇʟᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ sᴇʀᴠɪɴɢ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ʜɪᴍ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴜsᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ʟᴏʀᴅs."

"See, here is the thing, I am not sure I understand how this whole thing works yet," I told Agnes honestly.

"ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅᴀʙʟᴇ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ʜᴏᴡ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴅᴏ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴄᴋ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ?" She asked me, and her blue eyes glimmered with a queer sense of excitement.

"Right now?" I squinted my eyes.

"sᴜʀᴇ," she said and nodded fervently, "ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ʜᴇʀᴇ, sᴏ ᴡʜʏ ɴᴏᴛ?"

I looked around again to see if any eyes had gathered on me, "okay then, how do I start?"

"ᴀ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴs ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴇs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴅɪsᴀɢʀᴇᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ sᴏʟᴠᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴏᴡɴ. ᴜsᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴs ᴡʜᴇɴ sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴀᴄᴄᴜsɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴғᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴏʀ ᴡɪᴛɴᴇss ᴛᴏ sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀsᴇ," Agnes told me, "sᴏ ᴡʜʏ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀᴄᴄᴜsᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴏғ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ."

I began to play along: "I accuse you of always assaulting me," I said while pointing my finger exaggeratedly.

"ʜᴇʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ʏᴏᴜ!" Agnes lost her composure for a brief second but then replied, ɪ ᴅᴇɴʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғᴀʟsᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴜsᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴘʀᴏᴘᴏsᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ."

Afterwards, there was a short silence between us. "So what now," I asked.

"Well," she moved her head around, "ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴜsᴜᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴇɢɪɴs ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴇs ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴜᴘ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ sᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ," she then swiftly floated towards the only elevated plateau next to the field, "ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴜs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ 'ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ', ɪᴛ ɪs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏʀᴅ sɪᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇs ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀs ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴜʀʏ. ʜᴇ ᴇɴsᴜʀᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪs ᴊᴜsᴛ."

I cupped my hands above my eyes, to block the incoming sunray and saw that on the plateau, there was a desk embellished with intricate carvings and colorful paintings—still, it was only a desk. "What exactly happens in a Judgement Table?"

"ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅᴜᴇʟ ɪᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ. ʟᴇᴛ's ᴜsᴇ ᴜs ᴀs ᴀɴ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴡᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜ sᴛᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴡᴇ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ɢʀᴜᴅɢᴇ, ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋsᴍɪᴛʜɪɴɢ, ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ɢᴀᴍʙʟɪɴɢ, ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴅʀᴀᴡɪɴɢ ʟᴏᴛs—ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴇ ᴀ ᴡɪɴɴᴇʀ. ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ɢᴏ ʙʏ ᴄᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ, sᴏ ʟᴇᴛ ᴜs sᴀʏ ᴡᴇ ᴅᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏᴏ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ, sɪɴᴄᴇ ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴜsᴇᴅ, ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʀɪᴏʀɪᴛʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴄʜᴏᴏsɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʏᴘᴇ ᴏғ ᴅᴜᴇʟ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴛᴛʟᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ," she then gazed into the distance, "ᴜsᴜᴀʟʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇʟʟs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴜʀᴄʜ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪɴᴅɪᴄᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴅᴜᴇʟ. ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴄʜᴀɪᴄ ᴛʀᴀᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ ʟᴇғᴛ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʀɪᴀʟs ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴍʙᴀᴛ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏ ʙᴇʟʟs ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ."

Suddenly, before she had even finished her words, she jumped at me. I didn't know how to react and she shoved me down. I tried grabbing her, but she swiftly dodged by floating in the air. I fell to the hard ground, and scraped my left elbow, while Agnes was resting her body on mine. She pressed my head towards the cold stone while locking my arm behind my back.

"Ouch, ouch, what are you doing?" I asked her.

"ɪ sᴀɪᴅ sᴏ, ʀɪɢʜᴛ? ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴅᴜᴇʟ," she applied more pressure, "sᴏ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ɢᴏ ᴏɴ, ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴜᴘ?"

"That's unfair, you jumped me," I yelled, "where's your conscience?"

The girl then pulled my cheeks apart and asked again, "ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴜᴘ?"

"Awight, Awight, I givve 'p," I told her while she was mercilessly kneading my face.

"ɢᴏᴏᴅ." She stood up. "ɴᴏᴡ, sɪɴᴄᴇ ɪ ᴡᴏɴ, ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ʏᴏᴜ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴜsᴇʀ, ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴘᴜɴɪsʜᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ғᴀʟsᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀɢᴇs." She pointed at my eye with her finger, close enough for me to feel it with my lashes and said, "ғᴏʀ ғᴀʟsᴇʟʏ ɪɴᴄʀɪᴍɪɴᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴜsᴇᴅ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ sᴜʙᴊᴇᴄᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ʜᴏᴛ ɪʀᴏɴ ʙʀᴀɴᴅ ᴘɪᴇʀᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇʏᴇ, ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛɴᴇssᴇᴅ."

"Eww, sounds nasty," I told her and closed my eyes when I imagined it.

"ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ʙᴀsɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴜʀᴄʜʙᴇʟʟs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʀɪɴɢ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, sɪɢɴɪғʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴜᴇʟ. sɪɴᴄᴇ ɪ ᴡᴏɴ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀɪɴɢ ғᴏᴜʀ ᴛɪᴍᴇs." Agnes turned around and faced me with my back, "ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ, ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ɪs ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅɪᴇʀ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴡᴇᴀᴘᴏɴs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ʙʟᴏᴏᴅsʜᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ. ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴋs ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴘᴀsᴛ ᴅᴜᴇʟs. ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴡᴇ sᴛᴀɴᴅ, ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʟᴇss ғᴀᴛᴇs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ, ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴏ ɢᴇᴛs ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴏ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ'ᴛ."