In the following days, many more executions were made. Quantum never heard from Nhea. He didn't wonder or think about her, for it grieved his heart greatly.
All he heard and saw were the screams and shouts of people, as the destitute and wretched were pulled out of their little holes. They were murdered before the mindlessly bloodthirsty and confused higher class of people in Rhea-Nori.
Murders and violent acts raged across Rhea-Nori, and this was seen as a defiant act of Rahiel and his comrades. It appeared that was the city council's plan of cutting down the population of the inhabitants of the slums.
Most who watched the executions were members of a higher class that lived deep within Rhea Nori. A wall separated these people from the rest of Rhea-Nori, and entry was only granted to those who had connections or who had good reasons for entering.
The city square and city council were sited within these inner walls. Within the city square, gallows were set up, and bodies built up, day after day. Those outside the inner walls were filled with fear and strife.
Quantum kept still the whole time as these things went on. Doing nothing, but waiting. He watched as things slowly changed. The meat shop never opened again. A few of those he knew resided in the alleys, disappeared from his sight. The streets became emptier and darker at night. The stars seemed not to twinkle anymore. The moon hid its face behind thick dark clouds. Silence creeped all over the outer city, almost as though it was expectant of something.
The number of people that passed upon the city streets dwindled as more and more shops closed, shopkeepers fearing for their lives. To avoid any confrontation with the city guards they kept themselves away from anyone to prevent unknowing contact with any accomplice of Rahiel.
Occasionally, a few people would pass the road where the meat shop was, and shuffling along, would pass by the alley where Quantum sat, waiting. They rarely took notice of him. He was an unimpressive sight after all, with nothing so unique about him.
However, on one particular night, a lone guard walked upon the road, holding a torch in his hand. He looked depressed, and his face was downcast. As though he had given up on life itself.
As he passed the alley, he suddenly stopped and turned. It was as though something had caught his eye. Slowly, he drew closer to the entrance of the alley and sent the torch ahead of him, illuminating the entrance. He looked closely at the man sitting against the wall near the entrance to the alley, almost as though, he had seen him before.
Quantum turned as well, sensing the eyes upon him and the firelight. At that instant, the guard then saw them; the piercing blue eyes that seemed to stare into his very soul. The guard froze in place, as though he had seen a phantom. His pupils dilated, his hands begam to shake, and his knees became weak.
Quantum heard him mutter, "Yes…Of course…underneath our very noses…all this time..."
"What luck....what silly luck...How....Why...I..."
He was lost for words. And for a very good reason.
Quantum was sure he had seen the guard somewhere outside Rhea-Nori before, definitely. His face was familiar. A certain face he had seen a long time ago, and shown mercy, amidst many mitilated remains.
Quantum sighed.
It was a sigh of relief, of a wait that had finally come to an end.
He said to the guard's hearing.
"Come on, then. What are you waiting for? Bring your company, and take me away. Don't show me mercy, as I showed you mercy some time ago. Remember the hell you walked through, and be the destruction of my life. Let that burden of grief be released from you. I await you...in this very alley…".
His words filled the air like a magnanimous presence speaking. An almost otherworldly power. Like the voice of a great heir.
The guard stood with shock. His mouth began to quiver, sweat fell from his brows, underneath his helmet. He knew who that man was.
He was the murderer.
The demon.
The entity.
The guard stepped back slowly, turned and ran.
And in the distance, all Quantum heard was the deep moan of a burden finally released.
"RAHIEEELLLLLL!!!!!"
It was a cry of release. The demon had finally been found.
Quantum's time was up.
They came in their numbers. Many guards with their swords, spears and maces barged into the alley, with a mob following them close behind. Many torches set the street aglow, armor clattering as the guards marched towards the alley. They called out to their comrades, informing them of what had happened.
They didn't hesitate when they saw him. They cried out, "There he is! There's the murderer! Rahiel is here!" Quantum breathed a sigh of relief as they launched themselves upon him. His time was finally up. They had finally discovered that he was Rahiel.
His spear was torn from his grasp and he was dragged through the city streets along with many others as destitute as him, towards the city square. Some hardened criminals, others innocent and simply destitute.
Quantum was separated from the others who were captured, locked and bound in the dark cell of a dungeon, all by himself.
The glow of his eyes being the only source of illumination in the gloomy darkness.
Night passed quickly, as the moon and stars shone for their last. The darkness in the cellar was solemn, as though the night itself was paying him its final respects. Quantum remained silent, as the guards clamored to see his face through the bars of his cell, laughing and hooting.
Morning came quickly, and Quantum heard the rise and fall of the thunderous roar of thousands above.
People were being executed. And the crowd screamed in approval of it.
Soon after, the door of Quantum's cell was opened, revealing two strong men clad in black, his executioners.
They grabbed him, and dragged him out of the cell. He showed no resistance, and followed their shoves. Like a lamb led to slaughter.
The glare of the morning sun hit Quantum hard, as he squinted. Large crowds had gathered to witness the execution of Rahiel, the murderer. They roared when he appeared out of the dungeon of the city council hall. Dust flew through the morning air as people pushed and squeezed to see the infamous Rahiel.
They screamed in unison, a thousand voices at once, "Kill him! Kill him!".
Quantum knew they shouted out of confusion and fear. Whatever wisdom they believed they had, within their principles, their ideologies and their god, was foolishness.
They understood nothing, yet out of fear, they still shouted. Some hesitated when they saw his scarred and bruised body, but continued as the crowd shouted in menacing cries of bloodthirst and fear.
Quantum lifted his head and looked forwards, as his executioners took him to a large wooden platform that lay ahead of him.
The stench of oil was thick in the air. The same oil that was used to light torches, and make fires burn hotter and fiercer. Quantum looked around, as they approached his station. They were other wooden structures around, with many dead men hanging from them. Others had piles of headless corpses scattered on their base. Their blood had painted the wooden base from dark brown to blood red.
On one particular platform, Quantum saw what seemed to be Nhea's mother, her emaciated body hanging on a strong rope, by her neck. The body suddenly fell to the ground, and two men took her body, throwing it into a pile in a cart.
"Such a deep cruelty this people have, that rejoice after separating a poor mother from her daughter", Quantum muttered.
Nhea's image flashed within his mind and his heart squirmed.
A lot of work had gone on.
Behind Quantum, on a balcony on the highest floor of the city hall, the members of the city council sat. Little men on little thrones, yet with hands as big as the world itself. Their tassels long and extravagant. Their robes lined with the best silk. A nasty bunch indeed.
One of them arose, the city council head. Standing at the edge of the balcony, he made a declaration to the hearing of the gathered crowds.
The noise of the crowd died down when he arose.
"Citizens of Rhea-Nori, proud blood of Karakh, children of the Eternal Flame, Calor, we are gathered here this morning, to witness the death and destruction of a certain demon that has plagued us for too long."
He paused; the crowd silent.
"He has taken the lives of our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, our friends and even our beloved children. This fiend has caused destruction within our beloved city, turning us against one another, stabbing at the very heart of the place we call home, enjoying in sick pleasure, as our people fall, desiring the crumble of our glorious society. However, dear citizens, today his revelry will be cut short!"
The crowd screamed, as the head of the council continued to declare.
"No longer will the darkness run and dare to hide underneath our very noses. No longer will this demon threaten the peace and security; the good life we have enjoyed for centuries. The blinding, ever-present light of Calor has judged this murderer guilty of crimes against Calor's own children, his people, his chosen race."
The crowd began to stir and roared even louder.
"RAHIEL! Judgement has fallen upon you today! Did you think you could hide forever? The light of Calor illuminates this world entirely, and no darkness escapes his destroying fire. As such, so will your demise be. You shall be burned as a sacrifice to the wrathful hand of Calor. It will devour your flesh and not even your ashes will remain."
The crowd continued to rejoice, throwing their hands in the air, praising their god.
"It will consume you unceasingly even after your demise…"
The people began to chant, "Burn Rahiel! Burn Rahiel!! Burn Rahiel!!!"
Many people had climbed rooftops and balconies on buildings all over the inner city, to witness Rahiel's execution. Murders of crows perched at the top of the city council hall, waiting to devour the dead bodies below. The two executioners took Quantum to the top of the Anul, the wooden station where Quantum was to be executed. Underneath the Anul were all sort of offerings, meant to appease their god and answer the prayers of many, amongst loads of hay and straw. The executioners took him to the stake upon which he would be burned. The stake was surrounded by a mass of hay and dry sticks, soaked with dark oil.
Quantum, held tightly, was bound against the stake with metal wires, which cut through his skin. There was no way he could break out of them. A large drum of oil was brought, and was poured all over Quantum's body.
People behind within the crowd struggled, pushing forward to see the execution. People in front, resisted, and pushed them back. There was chaos in the crowd as all waited expectantly, their bloodthirsty hearts pulsating in expectancy of the fall of Rahiel. Men and women; children and the elderly, all alike.
When all was ready, the head of the council signaled for the execution to begin.
One of the executioners, clad in black, standing at the top of a platform a little away from the Anul, drew a fire tipped arrow upon his bow. The flame from the arrow pulsated and danced in the morning sun, dancing to the beat of the crowds shout.
The people screamed.
The city council sneered and leered.
The arrow was released. It whizzed through the air, leaving an orange streak in the air. The arrow struck the very heart of Quantum, immediately igniting the Anul.
It was over, or so it seemed.