CHAPTER 267: HER TRIAL [2]

Her brother was running in another direction, holding the hand of the strange woman, who was known to have the capability to help and cure people from diseases, deep wounds, and more unknown conditions—the Miracle Worker of the village. Behind them, two bandits were chasing, while laughing like madmen, holding sharp sabers in their hands. It seems they were playing with the two of them. The miracle worker was a beautiful woman with silver-like hair and a gorgeous face.

The Miracle Worker’s parents had both died to some unknown disease, and that was the very thing that led her to chase that goal, to create a better way of life, to cure the incurable, to help those that could not be helped through normal means, to discover the secrets of life, of the human body. Such a pretentious woman, but definitely a good soul, filled with positive purpose, who always sought the good of others unconditionally.

A women who was the symbol of reverence and role model for every other older or younger women in the village, but as her eyes darted over the fleeing figure of that women, with torn clothes, meaning she was likely about to be violated just moments before, until her brother had likely saved her and now was running while holding her hand, only one thought passed through her head, Pathetic. She had no reverence towards her, no worry, no pity, but simply a calculative coldness, as if she were a necessary chess piece.

When they were far enough into one side, with no other bandits near them, she carefully backed away, maneuvering through the dark forest filled with dangers. But she was still somehow able to sense many things. Trusting her feelings, she strolled, waiting calmly for the bandits to catch up, a bit deeper into the forest, as the bandits chased their prey, thinking of themselves as the hunters. Reveling in that feeling, watching the two run away in fear, in trepidation, then gaining hope, but to lose it in the very next moment, falling into despair.

But a real hunter would never lose themselves in the joy of the hunt; a real hunter would only kill with efficiency, just as the large saber of one of the two men was ready to pierce through the chest of her brother. She lunged forward like a rabid beast. A sharp knife in her hand, as she picked up from one of the other injured villagers at the top of the mountain. She was like a wild beast; they didn’t even see her coming, as her knife stabbed the man in the stomach, who was just about to kill her brother.

She let out her full fury, as just in a few seconds the bandit was stabbed through the stomach and the chest more than 10 times, then, with the practiced efficiency of a killer, she lunged at the 2nd bandit, who was already going in for the attack. Her body was unable to avoid the attack in the nick of time altogether. Still, she mostly did manage to avoid a critical injury, at the cost of a deep cut on one of her arms, but unlike the bandit, her attack did not miss; the knife in Sophia’s hand went right through the throat of the bandit.

Disbelief flashed all over the face of the scar-faced bandit. He couldn’t believe it; he couldn’t believe his own eyes. How many people had he killed? Even proper warriors had died at his hands, yet he died at the hands of a little girl. An injured little girl. He struggled madly, at least wanting to kill the wretched little piece of shit that caused his own doom. But alas! Sophia, without a single shred of mercy. Pulled back the knife from the bandit’s throat.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, splattering all over her face. For a moment, her heart trembled at the iron taste and smell of fresh blood. She stepped back in horror. Her solid grip on the handle of the knife is unconsciously loosened. From the back, her brother muttered in fear and shock, "So...so...sophia????"

She looked backwards, fear evident in her eyes, for what she had just done, her brother also looked back and forth from the two dead bodies and her bloody state, and teary eyes that spoke of intense fear. He gritted his teeth, despite not understanding the situation; his brotherly affection overrode his other emotions, and as he drew closer, he hugged his little sister warmly. He kept muttering to her reassuringly, "It’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok, don’t worry, you did it to protect me, to protect us. You did nothing wrong, nothing."

Yet, the little girl who should be trembling in fear for what she had just done was not trembling in fear. The silver-haired woman watched as the little girl’s face seemed to almost split in two; one part was crying in fear, the other was smiling like a cynical devil. It was like a ghost had taken control over half of her face, and the little girl did not even realize it. She covered her mouth and looked away, unable to keep looking at the scene, as if she would be killed if the ghost noticed her.

Sophia killed the two bandits, and a strange strand of energy flowed into her from the two dead bodies. She could tell her injuries were healing; she could feel it intuitively that she was getting better, her strength and power, not just that, but there was more - like everything about her was increasing, her existence itself becoming firmer. However, the scale of the change itself was so minuscule that it could almost be regarded as dismissible.

Only she could tell the changes. The coldness within her seemed to be increasing, and her soft nature had a slightly harder time fighting against it. The predatory coldness seems to be gaining ground on her mind. The duality within herself was intensifying, and the wrongness she felt within herself was revolting in every possible way.

But that was not a time for her long and hard internal deliberation, as a little 10-year-old girl finally cleaned her tears and separated from the hug. She looked at her brother, not knowing what to say. But her brother seemed to have a terror-stricken look on his face, not while looking towards her. Instead, his eyes remained fixed on a specific pathway in the distance.

Sophia turned backwards, having a very, very bad premonition, clutching at her heart. Then she saw it, the bandits, some of them had discovered the secret path. She gritted her teeth; of course, they would find it. Her logical mind started working at full capacity. They must have realized the large number of people who went missing, so they likely intentionally released some people. Then, following them from behind, they discovered the pathway to the top of the mountain. That was hidden deep inside the jungle.

Even if those few poor villagers did not decide to show them the full path, or take them to the top personally. There was a long trail of blood through the entire path. They could easily follow it in this bright moonlit night that illuminated everything. In that moment, the world seemed to slow down, and everything went silent. The two sides of her were fighting each other, on which decision to make, the cruel part of her wanted to kill them all, and the soft part of her wanted to save the villagers.

The cruel part of her didn’t care about the lives of villagers; instead, she wanted to preserve herself more, not wanting to take too big a risk. While the soft part of her was scared of confronting so many of the bandits, too afraid to face those monsters wearing the skin of a human being. But in the end, both parties agreed on one single decision. Or maybe she knew all along which direction to go, what to do, what she must do.

As the time that was slowed down returned to normal, she looked towards her brother, a boundless resolve taking over her face and eyes, and her entire demeanor shifted. Then she spoke the words to her brother, the little girl in her speaking bravely, "Big Brother, don’t worry, I will protect the villagers and..."

She stated the rest after a stretch of pause, her monstrous part declaring," I will kill them all."

Her brother stared at her, then burst out with anger, "What the hell are you talking about? Have lost your mind, You fool. How are you even moving at that state, and what you just did now....."

But the eyes of his little sister, unfaltering, her gaze fixed, she cut him off and stated in a serious tone, "Brother, something is happening to me, something which I don’t understand. But I know I need to protect the villagers; I must do so."

Then her voice took on a sinister tone, "And I know that I must kill them all, every single one of them. They killed father, they raped our mother, so many others, how many newborn babies did those disgusting, worthless wretches throw into the waters, how many children died? The screams of our mother still ring fresh in my ears, brother. The painful cry of our father. I don’t know about you, but I could not forget that or forgive myself."

"I could never let them live, knowing I have the power to kill them."