Crown of Thorns

This is a battlefield.

The sword becomes a brush. The blood becomes paint, tainting the whole world with a shade of dark gray. The trickling drops of blood drench the faces and bodies of those wielding swords beneath. The glistening emotions in their eyes are murderous and make their hearts beat with purpose. Killing, killing, and killing again. This place is hell on earth.

They have no ill will toward each other. No, they never had any. However, if they don’t kill, they’ll be in a position of dying themselves, and as they watched their colleagues die, bad feelings arose. Maybe they’ve gone half crazy. Blood is bound to call blood.

I had set foot in hell.

The marble, which would have been polished countless times by maids, had long been covered in crimson blood. The bodies, which continued to pile upon it, were forming a river of blood.

The walls, which would have entertained the eyes of the passers-by, were also soiled and devastated that they could not retrieve their original form. However, the luxurious chandeliers hanging from the ceiling were still intact, creating a very strange feeling. But I kept an indifferent appearance, not caring what was going on under me.

It was as if, somewhere around here, the emperor was waiting for me.

“…Argh!”

I wanted to push one of the men confronting me with a sword back but he ended up hitting the opposite wall. The man’s body had been buried into the wallpaper, staining it with blood. But no one paid it any mind. The master, who would have had them punished severely for even a single dust stain, would have either run away or died by now.

“Arghhh!”

The man pushed to the wall ended up with a sword stuck in his chest. His wide-open eyes flashed with an incredible feeling. But soon, they lost their light and drooped. And the man who stuck the sword in the other’s chest was also pinned to the wall with a sword in his back.

I took my eyes off the two bodies that had become one ornament and walked forward.

The road was blocked by people who were struggling, but I didn’t care. No one cared about me, either.

What a miserable and terrible reception. I hadn’t known the way to meet him was so full of obstacles. But I didn’t take my eyes off of it on purpose. It is the least I could do to respect those who are nothing but scapegoats to fill the stomachs of the greedy. It’s the least level of consciousness I could afford, to those who die unmourned in the backstage of unacknowledged fairy tales.

Look at these dying lives. What thing is so valuable, so much so to be worth all their lives?

My destination was getting closer before I knew it. Gradually, I raised my body and breathed life into the shadow, and it simply moved according to my will. The smell of blood was pungent in the air. The world, which was all gray, had turned crimson. This place was brilliant with white and golden colors. So the red that was staining it became more prominent and horrible. When I took a step with my tangible form, I could feel the bewilderment from below.

“It’s… it’s the witch!”

Finally, the one who found me had loudly called out, and silence followed that one cry on the battlefield. Those who were aiming their swords to kill each other looked at me, stopping as they were. They had to kill the public enemy first before they killed each other. So it was by no means strange for them to rush right at me.

I turned again and walked towards my destination. The darkness that was slowly creeping from under my feet filled the space around me like fog from hell. I was lost in the dark and nowhere to be seen. They called out for me in confused voices and died with blows from a sword, not knowing whether it came from an ally or an enemy. I walked out firmly, listening to their painful screams.

Soon a tall, big door welcomed me. It looked so beautiful and noble without a drop of blood. They were either fighting to protect this door or to enter it. They will either protect the King’s crown or take it. The people here would be divided into those two parts.

I caught the doorknob. At that moment, a strange sensation spread through my hand all throughout my body quickly. I had already known, but the strange feeling could not easily be overlooked. As I managed to open the door, I saw a large, beautiful, magnificent room I had never seen the like of anywhere before. It was a room decorated with gold and all kinds of precious jewels that would have appeared only in fairy tales, with the feather decorations of heavenly birds and flowers that bloomed once in a century.

And the one sitting on the chair at the very end, at the highest level, welcomed me.

“You’re late. How dare you make the son of heaven wait?”

The lazy curve of the corners of his mouth was no different from that time in my memory when he condemned me as a witch. I’ve been looking forward to this day. And we have finally met again. The one who created the perception of the vile witch, all to hide the fact that he was a monster. The one who made many people suffer.

I opened my mouth and said,

“He who has been abandoned by heaven cannot be given the title of the son of heaven.”

But the emperor only gave a twisted smile and said nothing. The distance between the emperor and me was too far, and I began to shorten it step by step.

Outside, many people were bleeding to death, but this place was so ancient and beautiful. As if it had nothing to do with the outside. It’s as if all those things exist to make this place shine brighter. It was even more colorful and brilliant, which made it all the more bizarre.

“I never thought you’d still be alive. As expected, the witch is different.”

“And you, as expected, are no different.”

“Yes, but unlike you, I’ve tried so hard to live like this. If I had been able to get hold of that immortality of yours, your life would have changed a lot, too.”

I don’t understand why he kept on increasing his lifeline by stealing other people’s lives. That doesn’t mean he can live forever. He’ll eventually have to die.

The emperor continued in a voice of satisfaction.

“But today, you will die here.”

I know. I also want that.

I waited for this day to finish everything and start again.

As I stood in the middle without saying anything, he lifted a finger and began speaking.

“You’ve been overconfident because you’ve lived, but there’s someone who can kill even a witch.”

As if to respond to his call, someone appeared behind the curtain. In the midst of silence, only the pitter-patter of footsteps filled the room. As soon as I stood beside the emperor, I stopped breathing at his beauty.

His hair and eyelashes, clear and transparent, it was like that of snow. Red eyes similar to the sun, containing a brilliant light in them. He was a warrior I’ve seen before, but a lot of things had changed. His eyes, which used to contain only goodness, became sharp. His slender shoulders and arms were healthy and moderately tanned.

Evan, who grew up as a young man, was manly and beautiful. And it was heartwarming. I was glad and happy to see him again.

The sword in his hand was directed at me.

“Witch.”

Yes, Evan. No, warrior. It’s finally time.

The young and weak warrior had grown up with light. Every day it became clearer as the witch covered the world with darkness. Therefore, even in the bloodstained imperial palace, he was blessed with light alone. Even by the side of the emperor who was abandoned by God, he was loved by God.

My darkness dissipated like fog near him. It was as if I were about to crumble like ashes.

As soon as I reached the light, I looked up at the falling darkness and looked up to face the warrior. It was like a statue made of snow and sun, but the emotions in the eyes were different. Instead of looking at me warmly and affectionately, he had a coolness, bafflement, and wonder to the witch.

Unable to keep up with my gaze, he looked again at the emperor, who was laughing with ridicule as if he had already won. And so I smiled too.

Just as the witch dies here, the emperor will also have his long life ended.

As for the warrior, for Evan.

People will cheer. They will be pleased with the birth of a new emperor. The nobles, who had squeezed themselves and caused more pain, will gladly welcome the warrior who destroyed me—the one who covered the world with darkness and killed the emperor before dying.

Those who have hoped and hoped again for the birth of a new sun will support a young king who will change the world and write a new history.

I stand here now to crown Evan.

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