Judgement

"Hah." Ana scoffed. "You dare talk to me about purity, Basar?"

"Does it amuse you?" Basar inquired.

"It does. Especially considering what you have done."

"I have only done what was necessary to save this world."

"Including killing your adopted daughter?"

Basar didn't respond as he stared silently at Ana.

Noting his reaction, Ana continued. "I read Madeline's past."

"You desecrated a dead body… how unseemly." Basar sighed as he placed the instrument he was holding aside before turning to face Ana.

"She trusted you to save the innocent yet you killed her. How do you feel knowing that a child that spent the better part of her life with you, trusting and believing you to be a good man, died at your hands!"

Basar glanced at the night sky and muttered softly. "Madeline was a wonderful child.

"I can still remember the first day I met her in the slums. A child with fiery eyes. She had a determination none her age could have. A resourceful child that wished for a better world just like me."

"If you feel remorseful, turn yourself in now and you can spend your time in jail, trying to redeem yourself," Ana said, assured that Basar would refuse.

As anticipated, Basar shook his head. "But I told myself a long time ago… back when I pledged my soul to the Eye of Truth that no matter what I will do what it takes to save this world. So Madeline's death… it was a necessary sacrifice to ensure the purification of this accursed world."

"Necessary, you say?"

"Would you like to judge me, Lady Ana?" Basar inquired.

"You are a monster that needs to be put down to ensure the survival of the Empire. There's nothing to judge more than that."

Basar nodded. "You are right. I am a monster… but it's not my fault."

"Are you joking?... You killed your daughter and plan on committing mass genocide yet dare to say it's not your fault?" Ana's aura had already enveloped the entire field, preventing Basar from escaping yet the latter remained poised as he softly replied.

"I have watched mothers starve to feed their children. Fathers sell themselves to provide for their families. Children make cakes from sand to combat hunger… I have seen good and honest people suffer injustice all because of a lack of status. I have seen so much evil committed in the Empire… What's more, I am also a victim of the same evil."

Ana's eyes flickered for a moment but she managed to regain her composure quickly.

However, Basar's words were ones she was familiar with.

The Empire had succeeded in creating monsters seeking to take it down.

Basar wasn't the first and he definitely wouldn't be the last if it continued like this.

But what could she do?... Apart from being an honorary member of the 12 Great Families, Ana held no real power to exert changes.

Using her powers would only mark her as a hostile force of the Empire and that would go against her oath.

So, just like Natasha, Ana held power but had no means to act… not like she wanted to any longer.

She watched the Empire oppress the common folk for so long, it became normal for her.

Faced with Basar, though she empathized with him… she found it hard to feel more than that.

Basar saw her empty gaze and sighed.

"Do you have the right to judge me, Lady Ana?"

"...what are you talking about?"

"Just like all the other sinners, you have also seen the darkness of this world. You have seen it more than anyone else yet… you turn a blind eye to it."

"Hmm…"

"You cannot judge me, Lady Ana. I am a monster created by the Empire. I have seen its sins and unlike you, have decided to do something about it. I have sacrificed myself, my family, and everything just to make this world a better place but what have you done with your glorious powers?... You are nothing more than a pawn of the Empire, an organization that soaked itself completely in corruption."

Taking a deep breath, Basar added. "So don't try to judge me. You aren't worthy."

"You may be right…I have no right to judge you. But that doesn't mean I'd let you destroy the world with your twisted sense of purification."

Basar chuckled. "You can't stop it."

"Are you looking down on me?"

"You may be a powerhouse, Ana but you came too late. The first trumpet has already been sounded and now 2 more remain. When the 3rd trumpet is sounded, the Eye of Truth shall descend on this world and erase the darkness inhabiting it."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Ana's irises turned narrow as she expressed her will to the world.

Stasis

Following that, time slowed to a halt around Basar until he could no longer move, stuck in static time.

However, despite the seamless nature of the capture, Ana did not lower her guard.

She still recalled what she had seen the first time she saw Basar.

He wasn't so weak that such an attack would beat him.

As expected the body trapped in static time turned to dust before another one emerged from the ground.

"You won't stop me," Basar remarked. "This world shall be purified. Wait for that time to come and if you are truly pure of heart… then prepare for a glorious paradise in the world the Eye of Truth will lead us to."

"I will stop you."

"You can try." Basar left with those parting words, his body glitching like a hologram before disappearing completely.

Ana gritted her teeth as she closed her eyes and spread out her senses.

A moment later, her eyes reopened as perspiration peppered her forehead.

"This is bad."

***

"Douglas, it's me, your younger brother, Alex!"

"Don't you dare use that name!... You are not my brother!"

Boom

More than half of the golden fields were ruined as Douglas tried to kill Alex.

For every unsuccessful hit, a wave of green energy erupted from Douglas's body and destroyed everything it touched, dealing irreparable damage to the surrounding area.

Alex didn't have a single scratch though as he dodged every single attack out of a desire to not engage in a fight that could potentially kill Douglas.

The latter however saw it as Alex looking down on him and only grew more angry.

Images of his sweet brother crossed his mind and he clenched his fist.

His green veins throbbed harshly as he glared hatefully at Alex.

"He didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve to be treated like this!" Douglas clenched his fist and roared at the sky.