Mayala the Cursed One

Fear and hate. Hate and fear. I swear by the all mighty Elder Gods these days, it seems those are the only emotions people of Šagra kingdom are capable of feeling. It was high noon. I was sweating in my leather armor, holding a line with my comrades in arms like I was ordered to. Feeling the uncomfortable pressure building up in the air just like before a storm. But there was no cloud in the sky. No wind, not even a breeze. Only the sun burning down on us. Those weren't the streets of the grand royal fortress, just a small village square in the middle of nowhere. Nonetheless, a man of royal stature, all dressed in purple, was walking around a woman tied to a post like a wild animal. Occasionally he would stop to read out loud from a gold-bound book. Just like now, but I didn't register his words. I was looking at the woman, feeling discomfort. I couldn't help myself but to wonder whether she know what kind of fate awaited her here when we brought her to the Observer of the Purple Council two days ago. After all, she stands accused of conjuring a storm that took half of a farmer's house down and almost killed him with his infant son and wife. Well actually she isn't capable of standing anymore. The first day when we brought her to the Observer of Purple Council she stood silent and defiant. Looked him right in the eyes, and didn't flintch. Didn't divert her eyes. Didn't even ask for mercy. Now she is lying on the floor. I guess she is in her thirties, but looking at her now it was impossible to be sure of that. Any beauty she once had is now gone. Her body is barely covered in any cloth. Exposed skin is visibly puffed up and red, with scattered blisters and a few oouzing scabs. That could be the result of scourging hot sun, but I know better than to belave that. Disheveled brown hair, falling in an irregular tufts between her red skin, covers half of her face and I'd tried to focus on thet one visible half-closed eye. Rather than to take in the whole scene unfolding in front of me. The Observer lifts his right hand. It started glowing with a low pale light, and everyone in the village, no matter where they were at that time, could hear the unfortunate women's screams. Amassing stench become unbearable. Instictivly I reached for my blade and I had to use all of my determination to release the grip. My unease increased. Looking at my comrades I realised I wasn't the only one. I am a member of the Šagra army. I am a strong right hand in the service of his divine majesty, King Nekon XI. protector of this realm from all evil... In my mind the oath, I gave on the day when I became a soldier and joined the army, was crystal clear. Practising magic is the most gross of all evils. Yet the Observer wasn't doing magic, he used his divine powers. But thise close up I realy couldn't tell any difference between the two. It feels like I have just broken my oath. Yes spell casting is bad, that is, only if you are not a member of the Purple Council. Spell caster or not, this woman isn't even capable of defending herself. This all feels wrong and I wanted no part in it. The Observer of the Purple Council cleared his throat. "Today you are all standing witnesses to the crime this woman has committed! Do not be fooled!", among all the soldiers standing near him, he motioned towards me to come closer, and, as if he heard my thoughts, continued without hesitation. "She is not defenseless! We need to deal with her accordingly." Hoisting his hand high, holding a gold-bound book, he yelled from the top of his voice. "So it is written in here! The Elder Gods' written command!" Suddenly strong cold wind started howling from the east, and dark clouds hid the sun. With a stom coming our way comotion erupted among the villagers trying to leave and us soldiers preventig them from leaving the clearing between poorly built huts. For this place was exactly that, a clearing, it couldn't be called a village square. But the Observer stood there solem and unshaken on the spot. It looked like he himself commanded the weather elements and willed the impending storm to appear. At that same moment, the Observer lowered his hand and pointed with his book directly at me, commanding: "Come here! Deliver the Elder Gods' final justice on this damned soul!", his woice cerried by the wind. Murmurs of affirmation spread through the present people, and, as in an agreement, three villagers went for the woman still lying on the ground. Me, on the other hand, stood there, paralyzed. Angry shouts woke me up from my haze. I reacted crossing quickly the distance between me and the woman, despite the gusts of wind. I pulled her off the floor, feeling unusual heat emanating from her. For a moment there, I thought she was unconscious or maybe even dead. But she was alive just terribly weak, so I just remain staning. Supporting her body weight with my own. Men who went for the woman, stood surprised by my action. Not sure what they should do next, they redirected their attention to the Observer. "Excelent!", observer yeld loud enought to be heard above the roar of the wind. "Good man od Šagra kingdom, make a stage for all to see how the will of the Elder Gods is obeyed!" A hand plopped on my shoulder and peeled me away from the woman. I realized it was my friend Enagi. He reacted instead of me to carry out the Observer order. My commander's stern gaze forced me to put on a facade of resignation. Like nothing important is about to happen behind my back. I walked slowly back to my place, still I turned in time to see the unfortunate brown-haired woman's head being cut off with a single cut of a blade. Her headless body, knelling on a stack of blooded boards, which served as an impromptu-built platform, collapsed off of it on to the dirt below. A few spectators cheered on. As on a cue, wind stopped and sun returned back from rhe clouds. And just like that, the fate of one person was sealed. Still as much as I can tell, nobody was particularly amused or eager to linger around after the poor woman was dead. Almost like a confirmation, a scrawny man dressed in tattered clothes started slurring. "Hey! Swoooosh... and over! No! No! No! Demon who..." I didn't realize what I was doing, until my commander grabbed me from behind and stopped me on the spot. The scrawny man banged his head on the floor with me towering over him with my right hand on the hilt of the blade. That's also when I realized that I had attracted the attention of the Observer. He did not say a word, but it felt like he was trying to peel off my skin like peeling off an onion leyers in an attempt to do what... to look at my soul? The thought alone sent shivers down my spine. Good thing that Enagi showed up and intervened. "Not him you stupid! That's not the one drinking our booze. Hurry up!" The commander crossed our path and his stern look deepened even more. "You two! What are you up to? You are blade masters in my unit, right." Last sentence was more of a statement than a question. "Yes sir! We are both blade masters. I'm Eje Ober, and this is Enagi Gar." "Ah Gar and Ober! From today onwards, I will keep an eye on the two of you. How you two conduct yourself... needs to be improved. For a moment there, Ober it looked like you weren't ready to follow a direct order. That is not acceptable. Am I being clear?" "Yes sir!", me and Enagi replied in union. Satisfied with our reply, commander turned his back and left. Leaving us eerily alone in a clearing among village huts. The only reminder that anything unfortunate happened here was a stack of blooded boards and a puddle of blood on the ground. "Came. As sure as the demons reek, we need to get away from this place." I nudged my friend to follow me.