PHASE 88 - ATONEMENT

My cold sweat ran to my neck. My bones trembled, and my eyes were wide open. I shouldn’t be surprised. I should have expected this much. There’s no way I could get out of this situation. I was a complete fool for thinking that everything will be back to normal.

“Tiara Hikari, you are under arrest for multiple counts of murder.” Jecchan’s words echoed inside my skull. The more that sentence repeats in my thought, the more terrified I get.

I bowed down, hiding my eyes behind my bangs. I made a series of soft breaths to calm myself. My heart is currently beating so fast that I’m worried if it’s going to burst.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” I heard Rikkun’s shout beside me. He’s certainly furious.

“Don’t you dare fight back, Alaric. We have witnesses who saw the killing of multiple Gate Guardians. Mianette and Heushac even saw how Tiara killed Erylle Fontaine.” Jecchan coldly glared.

“T-That’s…” Rikkun stuttered.

“It’s true, Ric,” Heushac mumbled. His blue eyes went to meet his best friend. “I saw her. I saw how Tiara brutally kills Sis Erylle.”

“No… No…”

Rikkun bowed down in absolute denial of the fact. I can feel the pain Rikkun is taking on his chest. His hands are clenching as if he’s going to crush his own bones. I know he’s overly burdened just by staying on my side. I can’t be a dead weight for him anymore.

Slowly, I adjoined my hands and raised it in front of Jecchan. My mouth moved to unleash the tiny remaining flicker of justice I had in my mind.

“I wish to surrender.”

Hearing this, Rikkun immediately looked at my face. His eyes and mouth are opened wide. He was so surprised about my sudden surrender. In response, I gave a tearful smile at him, desperately trying hard to calm him down.

“This is for the greater good, Rikkun. It’s true. I killed a lot of people.”

“T-Tiara…”

“You said that death is not the proper way to atone for my sins… so I think this is the only other way. I’ll go with them.”

“Great.” Jecchan made a relieved sigh as she put a high-tech handcuff on my wrist. When the handcuff locked, I felt that my prana circuits have been tampered, preventing me to use any spells or even Quintessences like God Cores.

Jecchan started to pull me by my handcuffs, and the other Gate Guardians and the SWAT team followed. As we walk in the corridors of the condominium, I made a final look at my love who appeared to be cold, lonely, and heartbroken.

<>

When we are in the police mobile, Jecchan, who has been sitting on my side the entire time, started a conversation with the Blazing Heart Members. She appeared to have a heated confrontation with them, especially against Mianette.

“Tiara is an Aether Crusade member, so she is under my turf. I would like to have special custody for her.” Jecchan said.

“And where are you planning on taking her?” Mianette asked.

“To the Kozukata Shrine. I’ll have the shrine maidens purify her curse.”

“No can do, Miss Noctis.” Mianette frowned. “We can’t even locate the head of the Kozukata Shrine as of this moment. There was also this Necross Hades incident that happened in that shrine, so it is not safe to have her detained there.”

“But she is my responsibility,” Jecchan said.

“Not anymore.” Mianette rebutted. “Remember, you surrendered your Aether Crusade leadership when you agreed on a joint operation with the Blazing Heart Legion. Whether you like it or not, the Blazing Heart will have control over the Aether Crusade with regards to that phantom lady and Tiara Hikari.”

“But Erylle is dead. You don’t have a leader-”

“Then I will take over.” Heushac volunteered. His cold blue eyes froze Jecchan’s flaming determination.

Jecchan clicked her tongue and then gritted her teeth. This is one of the rare times where I saw her helpless in a situation. I know this is a burden for her too so I tried to comfort her by holding her hand.

“Tiara.” Jecchan's eyes are about to cry.

I shook my head. “It’s okay, Jecchan. I completely understand. You don’t have to do anything anymore. I’ll be fine.”

Jecchan did not answer after that. But I know in her eyes, her deep purple irises that mirror her intentions, that she’s worried about me.

<>

Jecchan left the police mobile when we are on the way to the Kozukata Shrine. She will be doing some paperwork there as well as informing me about the Kozukata Shrine Maidens on what is happening to me. She said that she will figure something out and she will also try her best to find Asumi-nee.

I was left with the strangers from the Blazing Heart. I don’t know Heushac well in this timeline and his glare at me is cold, which is a definite sign that he is not the Heushac I know from the previous timeline. I don’t know Mianette personally, so I have no clue about her.

When we finally arrived at the headquarters of the Blazing Heart Legion, they escorted me to their prison facility that is located underground. Unlike Black Cross Mansion’s prisons, the Blazing Heart is relatively small and only has six cells. The cells are empty, so I will be the only one who will occupy this place.

“Get there, you monster!” Mianette pushed me inside the cell.

“Kyah!” I hit my head on the floor which made a bruise. As soon as I looked up to them with my crimson eyes, the red-haired girl closed and locked the cell. She hid the key in her pocket and then proceeded to go upstairs.

Heushac stared at me for a minute. His eyes are very much chilly and empty, and his glare is giving off a vibe that he does not care whatever happens to me. Just before my mouth could open and talk, he turned away and left me alone in this place.

I sat on my bed which looked comfortable enough to rest unto. I looked at the ceiling which is equipped with CCTV cameras. Aside from the bed, the toilet, and the sink at the edge of my cell, there’s nothing in here. This place is gloomy as every other prison I’ve seen.

I stood up and looked at the mirror to check on my eyes. As I thought, the sky-blue color is no longer there. I only have these crimson eyes with layers of circles, and a triangle sigil at the center. I am certainly a Cursed Guardian.

“Ah, so this is my retribution. This is to atone for my sins.” I muttered to myself with a painful smile.

At least I won’t be able to kill people while I’m here.

At least I won’t be able to trouble Jecchan if I stay here.

At least I won’t be a burden to Rikkun if I atone for my sins here.

This is for the greater good for all.

That is what I think about this.

But I was wrong. Completely wrong.

<>

I was woken up by the clanking of the keys on the steel bars of my cell. It is already pitch-black, which should state that it’s evening already. I can no longer see any solar light in the hole in the wall. But even without much light, I can still make out of Heushac’s face and body, opening the door to my cell.

“M-Mister Heushac?”

Heushac did not say anything. He just went inside my cell and grabbed my handcuff and dragged me away. I obediently followed him while I assess my condition.

I can hear faint growls on my belly. My stomach hurts. I haven’t gotten any meal for this day, and it’s evening already. I shouldn’t skip meals like this.

While walking upstairs, I asked Heushac for a dumb question, trying to lighten the mood.

“U-Um, Mister Heushac? When is the mealtime? If you're on a budget, I don't need to eat five times a day. Three times will do. I’m fine with any food, so don’t worry about buying some expensive meat…”

I felt that I’m just talking to myself. Heushac has this cold expression as always, and he is gritting his teeth. My intuition says that he’s pissed, and he’s suppressing his emotions that would strangle me right here and now. I better stop talking nonsense.

We reached the door which Heushac immediately opened: revealing a dark backyard that was lit with hundreds of torches. At the center of the backyard was Mianette Springfield, and beside her is a wooden pole. Heushac dragged me and attached my handcuff to the wooden pole and left almost immediately.

“M-Mister Heushac?” I cried when he left.

I don’t know what’s going on, but I know this is something bad. I looked around the darkness and realized that the torches that lit the backyard are being held by people with a deathly stare.

“Tiara Hikari.” Mianette grabbed my attention. My eyes went wide open when I realized that there is black blood oozing from her crimson eyes.

“M-M-Miss Mianette…?”

“This is the time for you to atone your sins.”

Suddenly, a rock flew towards me, ripping my forehead and cracking my skull. Blood oozed from my wound and the hurt nerves started to jolt.

“Kyah!” I cried. “M-Miss Mia-!!!”

Another stone followed. Then another. Then another. Soon, flying rocks rioted on me that tore every inch of my body.