Death Sentence

Blood drip from her sword.

A smirk lay on her pale lips as some part of her body was covered by her enemies' blood. Dead bodies littered on the ground and the soil was bathe with blood. 

Nilibot niya ang kanyang mga mata.

Her stares linger through every silhouette that was surrounding her lone figure while holding a bloody sword.

Walang kumibo sa kanilang lahat. Bawat isa ay nakiramdam sa kanilang paligid.

Hinahabol niya ang kanyang hininga. Naramdaman niya ang mahinang daplis ng hangin sa kanyang pisngi na may talsik ng dugo. Humigpit ang kanyang hawak sa kanyang sandata.

Her eyes immediately narrowed into a deathly glare nang bahagya gumalaw ang isa sa pumapalibot sa kanya.

She turn her body and raised her sword. Sinangga niya ang espada ng kalaban na aakmang sasaksak sa kanyang katawan.

On cue, the others followed to attack one by one. She gritted her teeth and pour all her strength through her sword. Tinulak niya ang kanyang kaaway and with a sway of her sword, she stab the enemy bago muling sumabak sa isa pang laban.

She swish, attack and stab through every attack and killed her opponent with a single movement of her blade.

Her armor that was covered with blood felt light when she swiftly made a turn, her sword naturally followed through the motion of her arms.

"Urk!" the man immediately went to grab his neck pero huli na nang naramdaman niya ang tulis ng espada na dumaplis sa balat ng kanyang leeg.

The last thing he remember was the glowing green eyes that was screaming bloody murder before his head rolled off from his body.

Hindi niya mapigilan manginig. Lahat ng kanyang kasama ay puro bagsak sa lupa at wala nang buhay. Tanging siya na lamang natira.

Nang makita niyang lumingon ang babae sa kanyang direksiyon, his frightened eyes meet her cold orbs that sent shivers through his spine.

He unconsciously steps back when she slowly walk towards his direction. "S-Stay back!"

Pero parang bingi ang babae at patuloy itong naglalakad patungo sa kanya. Like Death was crawling from the depths of hell to knock on his door.

There was this unremovable smirk on her lips and the indifference in her eyes that made her dangerous yet enchanting.

She was dragging the blade of her sword on the ground while she was moving closer.

"W-Wag kang lalapit!" In his eyes, she was the incarnation of the devil. "Sinabing wag kang lalapit!"

He was desperately swaying his sword from side to side. Carelessly so. Terror was painted on his face as he screams for dear life.

Tumigil ang babae sa paglalakad. Pinapanood niya ang tanging natitira sa kanyang mga kalaban. She could see the desperation in his eyes but her heart was now numb from all the murder and killing.

There was no longer a tinge of sympathy that touch her skin. There was only the blood of her enemies that was itching on her skin like a tattoo.

There was a shift in the air.

The next thing happen, she was blankly staring at the head that was rolling towards her barefeet. And the last remaining survivor's body drop on the ground lifeless and, of course, headless.

She scans her surrounding with hollow eyes. Maraming mga walang buhay na katawan na nagkakalat sa buong paligid. Some bodies didn't have their heads intact while some have their limbs teared apart from one another.

It was a massacre.

A blood bath.

Her expression that was once filled with emptiness and indifference were bleak with fatigue. Sumasalamin sa kanyang mga mata ang pagod at pagtitiis.

Lumuwag ang kanyang hawak sa kanyang espada at hinayaan niya lamang na mahulog ito sa lupa. Awtomatikong napaluhod siya sa lupa na tinatakpan ng dugo habang nakayuko.

Her rimrod straight back was now bend. She was slouching and there was pressure of exhaustion that lays heavily on her shoulders.

She had been fighting for all her life. Nanginginig ang kanyang mga daliri nang tinaas niya ito nang dahan-dahan. Her hands was filled with callouses and lost it's feminine touch from holding a sword.

She was a soldier.

At the same time, she was a murderer with a fancy name of a warrior.

These hands...

Her milky white skin which she had tainted and painted with gush red of blood from countless of people that she had killed over the years.

She would be lying if she would say that she never enjoys going on a killing spree. After all, since she was young natutunan na niyang malasap ang kasiyahan sa pagkitil ng buhay sa kahit kanino.

...pero nakakapagod na.

Nanatili siya sa kanyang posisyon kahit may narinig siyang mga yabag ng mga paa na patungo sa kanyang direksiyon.

From their footsteps, there are thousands of them. They had outnumbered her ten times in number.

They were wearing heavy armor with spears and swords. Some of them were even carrying metallic shields and crossbows.

Lumikha ng tunog ang kanilang suot na armor habang pumapalibot ito sa kanya. The sound of blades echo throughout the area as they unsheathed their sword. Tinaas nila ang kanilang espada and pointed their blades towards her direction.

She tiredly blink her eyes.

Nanatili siyang walang kibo at naghihintay na lamang sa kaniyang kapalaran.

Pinapanood niya kung paano nagbigay daan ang mga ilang sundalo upang dumaan ng maayos ang isang lalaki na may suot na isang kulay ginto na armor.

From his aura and the stern look on his face, he must be a high-ranking soldier. A respected general that leads a thousand armies.

He slowly unrolled the golden scroll from his grasp.

"By the decree of the emperor, Princess De Noblesse will be strip of her royal duties and military power and will be executed in front of the capital with the charge of murdering a royal member from the Imperial Family."

ꕹ

Both of her legs and arms were tangled with golden shackles habang marahas siyang dinala ng mga sundalo sa sentro ng lungsod.

May kadenang nakapulupot sa kanyang leeg dahilan para makaramdam siya ng sakal at paghihirap ng paghinga.

Nanatiling blanko ang kanyang mukha at iniwasan niyang tignan ang mga galit at muhi sa mga mata ng tao.

She could see how the crowd parted like the red sea when she walks by with a few soldiers surrounding her. They had strip her from her armor, leaving her only with thin and rag clothes. They didn't spare her any shoes and left her feet bare as she walks to the heart of the capital.

She feels like she had gone numb all over at hindi naramdaman ang sakit ng sugat sa kanyang mga paa.

Her mind was blank when the crowd started to get chaotic. They were screaming and screeching asking her to pay for all those people she had murdered in her hands.

They were pushing one another as they try to reach for her. Buti na lang at mabilis kumilos ang mga guwardiya sa kanyang paligid.

"You, witch! You deserve to die!"

"Rot in hell, you bitch!"

"Dapat sayo ay mamatay!"

"Pinatay mo ang pamilya ko! Hindi kita mapapatawad!"

"Murderer! Beast! Demon!"

"Ah!" a whimper escape her lips when someone suddenly yank her hair. It sting her scalp so much that it hurts.

Kinagat niya ang kanyang ibabang labi upang pigilan ang mga ungot at ngumuyngoy na lumabas sa kanyang labi. Tinaas niya ang kanyang tingin at nakita ang isang babae na may hawak sa kanyang buhok.

The lady manage to escape the guards that was shielding her from the angry crowd.

Kitang-kita niya ang galit sa mga mata nito. Her emotionless eyes met the girl's blazing ones.

"You son of a bitch! Wala kang puso! Pinatay mo ang mga kapatid ko. Ibalik mo ang mga kapatid ko!" sigaw nito sa kanyang mukha. "Napakawalanghiya mo. Dapat sayo ay masunog sa impyerno. Mas masangol ka pa kaysa sa demonyo. I hope you'll burn in hell!"

The girl's nails stratch on her skin. It dug deeper to her flesh. Nalasahan niya ang kanyang dugo sa kanyang bibig nang sinampal siya nito.

Aakmang hilahin na sana ang kanyang mahabang buhok kung hindi dahil sa mga sundalo na pumipigil nito.

"Let me go! Let me go!" patuloy ang dalaga na kumawala sa hawak ng mga sundalo. "Hindi ko pa napaghigante ang mga kapatid ko. Pinatay niya ang mga kapatid ko! Ang minamahal kong mga kapatid!"

It was pure chaos.

A lot of people. More than thousands of people wanted to seek revenge for all of her crimes. They wanted to injured and spilled her blood as much as she spilled the blood of their loved ones.

Vengeance were burning their existence.

Isang ngisi ang kumawala sa kanyang labi.

She felt her shackles were harshly drag by the soldier infront of her. Naramdaman niya ang pagsunod ng kanyang katawan sa paghatak nito. Dinala siya nito sa isang establadong bibitayan kung saan may nakita siyang isang pisi na nakasabit sa isang mataas na kahoy.

Usually, when a citizen committed a heavy crime they were destined to be hang infront of their people as an example to those who wanted to rebel. It was also a show of the Imperial family's power and aunthority

She was aware that she was a different case. Being hang was too light to pay for her sins that was too many to keep counting.

Sure enough, at the edge of the scaffold, she spotted a man covered from head to toe in black clothing. Nakasuot ito ng isang itim na balabal at may dalang isang malaking lingkaw na ginagamit upang pumutol ng ulo sa mga makakasala na may malaking kasalanan.

...and she was right. For her crimes was too heavy that not even hell could handle all of her sins. A lot of people will not be satisfied if the emperor decided to just hang her in the air.

As a princess who was stripped of her title and power and even murdered countless people without sparing a royal member, she deserve to have her head cut off.

"Off with her head!"

"Die! Die! Die!"

"May God punished her for her sins."

"She is a vicious woman!"

"She's a monster!"

From the crowd, she spotted her father with the infamous four dukes sitting on the audience seat for royalties.

Mapait siyang ngumiti. Buong buhay niya palagi na lamang ang pagmamahal ng kanyang ama ang hinahabol niya. Kahit mamatay na siya, hindi pa rin ito lumingon sa kanyang gawi.

Her father had always been a cold-hearted man with a permanent scowl on his face. She thought that he was always like that and it was his nature to be cold and numb pero maling akala lang pala.

He was sweet and warmth when it comes to her sister. He always showered her with affection and gifts. Ngunit bakit sa kanya, kahit matamis na ngiti ay pinagdamot ng kanyang ama?

She wanted his attention, his fatherly-love and support. Gaya ng ginawa nito sa kanyang kapatid.

She did everything she could do. Kahit ang mga bagay na hindi dapat gawin ng isang babae ay ginawa niya. She learn to wield a sword just to hear a single praise from his lips.

She fought in the frontlines. She even entered in the battlefield just so she could accommodate her father during the war. She was willing to lay her life for her father that she had loved dearly.

...but it was all for nought.

Hindi pa rin siya nito nakikita o napapansin man lang. And she grew tired of it.

She was envious of her sister.

Her sister doesn't need to do anything and her father is already wrap around her pinky finger.

She was envious.

She was jealous.

It was unfair.

She gritted her teeth. Kung hindi niya makuha ang atensyon ng kanyang ama sa mabuting paraan then why not commit a crime?

Siguro mapapansin siya nito.

...and she was right.

For the first time in her life, her father called her name. Kahit pinagalitan siya nito and she had to kneel down until the incensed burner turn to ashes. It was worth it.

So she continue to commit a crime.

One after the other.

She was aware that it was wrong and she was losing her sanity with every blood she had spilled but for her father, she was willing to become a sinner just to hear her name from his lips.

It was toxic.

....but it was sweet and addicting.

Like a drug, it consume her until there's no turning back.

Not even God could save her now. No salvation could wash away all her sins.

They dragged her towards a device consists of a tall, upright frame with a weighted and angled blade suspended at the top.

Nawalan ng kulay ang kanyang mukha. Her lips was pale as white. Her death is near.

They secured her body and limbs with stocks at the bottom of the frame, positioning her neck directly below the blade.

Sa gilid ng kanyang mata, nakita niya ang lalaki na may suot na itim na balabal habang isinandal ang dala nitong malaking lingkaw sa tabi-tabi. Lumapit ito at tumabi sa guillotine.

"Today, we will witness the execution of the Fallen Princess De Noblesse convicted of murdering countless lives and the assassination of the first princess."

A man stood at the center of the scaffold as he slowly reads the scroll and his voice fought dominance against the cries of vengeance from the crowd.

"She had committed crimes after crimes. Abused of power. Bribery. Corruption. Murder. She will be punished in accordance to the empire's law."

She lifted her head when she heard of her crimes. Pride radiated from her evil smirk. Walang sinuman ang makakapantay sa mga ginawa niya. She was the devil among the devil. And for that, she was a proud woman.

Her green eyes shone with hopelessness and insanity. Isang malakas na tawa ang kanyang nilikha.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

A defeaning sound of silence covered the entire place. Kahit ang mga tao na panay sigaw at iyak para sa paghihigante ay napatigil sa pag-iingay. Tanging ang kanyang nakakakilabot na tawa ang namutawi sa buong paligid. It wasn't a sound of happiness, it was the laughter of pain and agony that tingles their spine and brought chills to everyone.

She smirked. "They deserve to die! They mock me. They disgraced me. I am a princess! They're supposed to love me!"

"I am still human!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I deserve love! I deserve respect!"

"Dapat lang sa kanila mamatay! Hindi ko sila mapapatawad. Hindi ko kayo mapapatawad sa mga ginawa niyo sa akin." hindi niya pinansin ang kanyang luha na dumaloy sa kanyang pisngi at nagpatuloy "The Red Queen will live on. Forever and ever! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Mga hayop kayo! HAHAHAHA! Ano ba ang ginawa ko sa inyo at tinatrato ng ganito? You seek revenge and justice to those who died. You point your fingers at me and call me a sinner. You are all fucking hypocites! Fools! Mga tanga! Lahat tayo makakasala! HAHAHAHA!"

She continued to laugh and laugh like there's no tomorrow. Her sanity was at the brink of breaking apart. Patuloy ang pagtulo ng kanyang luha na pumapatak sa sahig pero hindi niya ito pinansin.

The Emperor who were seated at the high pedestal watch the fallen princess on the scaffold with her head on the guillotine. He has no expression on his face. There is only indifference and a tinge of boredom in his eyes.

Lumingon ang hari sa lalaki na nakasuot ng itim na balabal. Sumenyas siya nito and the man in black nod his head that he understands.

"HAHAHAHAHA–" her laughter was cut short when the blade was released, swiftly and forcefully decapitating her with a single, clean pass.

Her head instantly falls into the silver platter below the guillotine. Her life ended just like that and her sins was now wipe and clean with her blood.

The crowd immediately cheer with joyous laughs. Finally, the evil princess is gone. Hurray for the people who died on her hands, hurray for the first princess they dearly loved for justice is served and nothing is sweeter than revenge.

At long last!