Chapter 572: You are too soft
Chapter 572: You are too soft
Chiron shifted his gaze from Hope as he answered her question with the same tone that he always used. "Because killing him directly is too kind for him."
In other words, Chiron wanted Kace to feel all the heart breaking moments, feeling how devastated those people who lost their loved one, and so that he felt the same agony that he had created upon them.
Killing him was too kind, because Kace would just experience one pain and then he would be free, but by living, he would feel worried over his mate, witnessed the death of the creatures that he had killed, and watched a life that he thought was meaningless turned out to be so meaningful in the eyes of others.
Sometimes, being alive was worse than death.
That was the punishment Chiron wanted for Kace. If he could survive through all of this, he would find peace with himself and with his past.But if he couldn't, no one would be able to save him.
Kace was not a monster that he once used to, now he was just a broken creature with a wounded soul. The wound that he inflicted to himself through centuries.
Meanwhile, upon hearing that, Hope had mixed feelings. She was glad that the centaur helped them in their most crucial moment, but if Chiron's true intention was to punish Kace this way, Hope didn't know whether she should thank him or not.
Hope shifted her attention back to Kace. Even the sight of his back told Hope of how much pain Kace was enduring and she felt it in her soul.
In front of them, Kace had reached the podium, the heat of the flames before him licked his skin as he walking closer.
And Kace smelled it, the air filled with the stench that was like rotting meat. Despite this strong unpleasant scent, the lycan didn't even winch or wrinkle his nose when he took one more step closer.
From that distance, he could see those dead bodies were half burned, scarred and hardened from burn marks. Their skin was peeling from their flesh, in the process of it became nothing but ashes.
Kace had seen something like this countless times, but it still didn't help himself to feel what he felt right now.
'You are too soft.'
That was what his father told him. Long time… a long, long time ago…
There was a moment in the past when the three of them went to see an execution of traitors that was placed in one of the villages in their territory.
As the sovereign of that realm, there were many creatures under the rules of their father.
Kace was only a small child, barely able to shift into his beast form for the first time, when their father brought the siblings to see the execution.
Little Kace didn't know what he was about to witness. All that he knew was that his father had finally brought him together with his older brothers to go out of the kingdom.
This was the first time for Kace, because back then, he would always be the one that was left behind while Jedrek and Torak would follow their father everywhere he went.
"Torak, what sin those people committed?" Kace asked his second brother, slightly tilted his head since Torak was much taller than him.
Kace watched there were five men, kneeling on the ground, with a silver stick stabbed on their tight, to prevent them from shifting or fighting back, as if it was used to weaken them.
Little Kace only knew the execution was about punishing people who broke the rule and the highest penalty was death.
Kace heard that from Torak's story whenever he came from his long trip with their father and Jedrek. He didn't really know how it felt to witness the real gruesome scene.
After all, as the youngest of the siblings, who had never taken a step out of their beautiful kingdom with everything was provided for him.
No one would hurt him and their mother would be there to provide some comfort whenever he needed.
"Treason," Torak answered his little brother curtly as they followed their father and Jedrek, who were walking in front of them.
Kace's memories were blurred about all the details of what his father said when he started the execution.
The first time Kace witnessed an execution, he turned his head when the red color of blood pooled on the ground, yet Torak talked in his low voice.
"Don't avert your eyes or father will know." Torak fixed his eyes at the scene, but he knew Kace had turned his head again to see the second execution.
Kace remembered clearly how the executor killed the two of five traitors, and left the three to the siblings.
First, the executor gave a silver sword to Jedrek, as per their father's order.
Patting Jedrek's shoulder, their father spoke with pride. "Show no mercy to your enemy. They don't deserve kindness."
With that being said, Jedrek walked forward and made a clear cut on the third traitor's neck as his head fell on the ground and blood spurted from his headless body.
Jedrek didn't even flinch when he had done that, and walked to Torak. He gave the silver sword to him to kill the fourth person.
Just like Jedrek, Torak did it smoothly and walked back to give the sword to Kace.
Little Kace received it. The sword was too heavy for him, but he managed to carry it with both of his hands.
However, Kace at that time, didn't know the burden that he must carry after that, was even heavier than the sword in his hands.
Kace stood in front of the traitor, as that man begged for his life. He could feel his fear that sipped from his eyes.
His voice was trembling, as he kept banging his head on the ground, asking for forgiveness.
Kace hesitated, he didn't move for some time until his father walked and approached him. He took the sword from his hand and slashed the last traitor in front of Kace.
"Never hesitate." His father's voice was very stern as he continued. "You are too soft."