RECAP

  The dramatist stepped forward, sword half drawn “HOW DARE YOU SPEAK AGAINST LADON’S FAMILY”

  I swallowed hard “I’m really sorry. I’m new to this kingdom”

  He shouted at me “IGNORANCE is NOT INNOCENCE ”,

  “Ladon’s blood is SACRED . Their story is LAW”

  His voice gained the guards attention. After a moment they surrounded me.

  I finally understood something.

  In this kingdom, anything against the guild hall is a non-negotiable crime.

  Episode 9

  The guards didn’t loosen their grip even after I stopped resisting.

  Iron fingers pressed into my arms, not painful—deliberately firm. The theater had fallen into an uneasy hush. Masks tilted toward me. Whispers crawled like insects across stone.

  The dramatist stood at the edge of the stage, sword half-drawn, eyes burning behind the dragon mask.

  “I never opposed the GOD KAEL” I said, forcing my voice steady. “Nor the lord family. I only meant—”

  “You meant to insult law,” he snapped. “To undermine faith. To rot reverence”

  A murmur of approval rippled through the audience.

  I shook my head quickly. “No. I meant that stories live or die by how they’re told. If drama changes—if it grows—then Ladon’s name wouldn’t stay trapped in this kingdom alone. It would spread. Even beyond the borders ”

  Silence

  From the shadows behind the stage, a new presence emerged

  White robes. Gold-threaded symbols. A staff carved with concentric circles and an inverted triangle.

  His voice was calm “An interesting heresy” he said mildly. “Wrapped in devotion.”

  His eyes locked with mine

  “You claim not to oppose the god… only our way of honoring him.”

  I nodded “Yes”

  He replied, “Then prove it.”

  The dramatist laughed sharply “ohh—ohh head priest kael Drathos have said his word ”, after a small pause he whispered “There's no turning back ??”

  The priest tapped his staff once against the stage

  Every eye turned toward me.

  “Make a drama,” the priest continued. “One that does what you claim. One that elevates Ladon and the God kael beyond borders.”

  The dramatist’s smile widened, cruel and delighted ?? “And it must surpass mine.”

  My blood went cold.

  “I’m not a dramatist,” I said. “I’ve never—”

  “Then you’ll learn,” the dramatist paused. “Or you’ll sell yourself.”

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “In my name,” he added casually. “As an owner. Forgiveness has a price.”

  Luna stepped forward instantly. “That’s—”

  The priest raised one finger.

  “If he fails,” he said, “the Temple will judge him first. Then the slave market.”

  The stage tilted.

  I looked at Luna. Her jaw was tight and eyes and eyes were burning as if she might brun the priest alive.

  I bowed.

  “I accept.”

  The dramatist laughed. “Good. One more thing.”

  He turned, scanning the hall like a predator choosing its prey “I choose your cast.”

  His finger pointed “Her”

  Luna.

  She didn’t flinch.

  “Others will arrive by tomorrow morning,” he continued. “Five more. You will make a drama worthy of gods—with them”

  He leaned close “Everyone will be sold if you fail, don't forget the day it's coming Sunday ”

  Everyone started to leave the hall

  The dramatist whispered “I have arranged a Hall for you, you can't leave it until Sunday”

  He ordered guards “Show them the Practice Hall”

  The guards guided us to the hall and they stayed behind the doors.

  The hall they gave us was an empty rehearsal place and no one was there except us.

  Dust. Stone. A single hanging amber orb flickering weakly.

  I turned to Luna and bowed deeply. “I’m sorry.”

  She stared at me for a long second.

  “Don’t apologize,” she said flatly. “Solve it.”

  Then, softer, “Rest. Tomorrow decides everything.”

  I nodded.

  We slept, man this was the first time I'm sleeping with a girl still separated a miles away inside the hall.

  Man what I'm thinking.

  I slept

  SATURDAY – MORNING

  They came one by one.

  The first was tall, armored even without insignia. His posture screamed discipline carved by regret.

  A royal knight’s symbol—scratched out.

  Behind him walked a man with tired eyes and noble posture, wearing plain clothes like armor.

  “Lord Lapace this is the place” he said

  Lapace replied “Don't mention lord, draken you should not be here if not me ”

  Draken “It's my duty to stay with you lord”

  Lapace laughed “you never change, anyway let's better die here”

  Draken “it's quite a nice dusty place but yea good place to die ”

  When I tried to intro myself “I'm ____”

  They simultaneously said “shut your mouth mulf we know everything ”

  What does it actually mulf means? Many calling me with that name. I will later ask luna about this.

  Anyway It's natural that I was the whole reason they are here.

  Next came a woman, who touched everything—walls, orbs, floor—like the world was a puzzle begging to be solved.

  Is she some kind of weird whatever I asked her name.

  “Stark” she said cheerfully “Nice place to die”

  Man seriously no one here wants to live but to die

  Then a woman with bloodshot eyes came.

  When I get near her she said “I'm Scarlett and don't ever try to involve me in any $h*t”

  Scarlett went towards the corner of the hall and sat down quietly.

  Last came a girl in a simple maid’s uniform, hands folded nervously.

  When I asked her name

  “Misaki at your service, nice to meet you all” she said softly

  Seriously, she's the only one who wants to live.

  When I tried to get everyone's attention.

  Draken “can't you sit quietly, don't you understand why we are here ”

  Lapace corrected draken “it's more precisely because of who's fault we are doomed here”

  Stark laughed at me “this man won't even leave us to die in peace”

  Tension snapped the room in half

  Misaki tries to compromise “it's OK everyone let's settle out and use this as a chance to get out ”

  Lapace smiled cruelly “I'm from royal family and I know how it works, it's just a reason to sell us ”

  Luna stepped forward.

  “None is innocent, All criminals blaming a man who stood ,”

  Misaki gasped the situation and tried to stop luna but it's too late

  “These are death-row prisoners,” Luna said coldly. “This drama is a diversion. A mercy. You should thank William.”

  Lapace clenched his fists “You speak of mercy like you understand it”

  Luna’s eyes burned “Lapace Ladon. Corrupted prince”

  Draken flinched.

  “You tried to expose your family,” Luna continued. “the royal knight draken protected you.”

  She turned.

  “Stark. Assassin. Sold lives for coin.”

  Stark shrugged. “Fair.”

  “Scarlett. Revolutionary. Everyone died. You ran.”

  Scarlett didn’t respond.

  “And you,” Luna said, facing Misaki. “Assaulted nobles. Threatened them.”

  Misaki broke.

  “No!” she cried. “They abused me. Both of them. When I fought back, they framed me!”

  Silence slammed the room.

  Lapace shouted, “Stop weaponizing lies!”

  Stark stepped beside Misaki “ENOUGH!!!! ”

  I moved between Luna and the group. “Please—”

  Luna’s voice cracked “Truth doesn’t change guilt”

  “Sometimes,” I said quietly, “it explains it.”

  Time passed but still there's no progress, while we eat the leftovers of what guards gave us

  Misaki sat beside me

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “For earlier.”

  She smiled weakly. “It’s not your fault. News is a tool for manipulation and to deceive people”

  Stark joined us

  Stark “I have never felt any pain or resistance while killing anyone, but.... I can't kill that man”, she smiled while her eyes gloomed and continued “he's the one who saved me while I was a child and even died while some tried to assault me but I was assigned to kill him in the name of peace ”

  her face turned violent red ?? “day by day I can see the true faces of the kingdom when I tried to run away I was betrayed and caught ”

  She questioned me "why does he have to die? "

  Idk what to say to her “it's a very rough journey you have come through, but I will do anything to survive so how about you ”

  She smiled and said “what's the use in living ”

  I replied her "we carry the will of fallen "

  Lapace stood apart until Misaki approached him gently

  “You don’t have to act alone,” she said.

  Draken spoke then.

  “The Ladon family is rotten,” he said. “Lapace spoke out. They tried to erase him. I stood in the way.”

  I think it's just impossible to do we have not even progressed a bit

  Luna tapped my back and said “well done William ”

  I replied her “We haven't done anything, and because of me your life on bet ”

  She replied to me “you have made everyone together though except Scarlett”, she paused for a moment and said while she raised her voice “I have faith in you ”

  We both have gained everyone's attention, Lapace started to laugh.

  That night, we planned.

  A new form of drama, atleast for them.

  Music not as background—but heartbeat.

  Dialogue—not narration.

  Faces—not masks.

  While we were enjoying our moments, dinner came.

  I carried food to Scarlett.

  She didn’t look up.

  “I don’t know your pain,” I said. “But I know survival guilt.”

  She laughed bitterly.

  “Everyone died,” she said. “I lived.”

  “So did I,” I replied. “And because of me, many died.”

  She finally looked at me.

  “If we’re alive,” I said, “it’s to carry their will.”

  Her eyes trembled

  I hugged her and said “let's do our best for the fallen soldiers”

  Man this is the first time I'm hugging a woman, I have to go away before she throws slippers on me. Though it's my first hug ??.

  I left her and joined everyone.

  To be continued