Sorrow remained in the household even when asleep. The most heart-rending for the family was outside. Down below, all of Coelestis cheered for Hayato’s execution. Or, as they called him, “Ted VI,” the most evil monster.

Fireworks had flown high enough to reach their home view. Yukino saw the hundredth one in her bedroom. She hid in a blanket. “Big Sis… make my windows disappear.”

Kenkō rubbed her back, sitting beside her. “Sorry, Yukichi. I only know healing runes.” She explained it in a physical sense.

Their brother had turned his Every Hub into a widescreen holo-TV. Surprisingly, they all binged the show about soul reapers until midnight. But as the second arc commenced, they agreed to drop it.

Kakunō turned off the screen and sat in bed. “Hope that didn’t open some wounds, Yuki.”

She slowly unraveled the blanket and smiled. Not an ounce of blame for her brother, she insisted. In fact, she loved the series and wished for more later. “I wanna finish it, Big Bro!” She hugged him. “We can even have Lil Bro join—” Her eyes instantly frowned. To the blanket, she went again.

Kakunō saw her other sister comfort her once more, but the words gave him insight. He stretched and yawned. “Don’t worry, Yuki. You’ll get over it.”

Kenkō turned to him, eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

He looked at her with no sorrow whatsoever. “Need I say more? Her joy returned for a while. Happy again in two weeks, I’d say.” He searched online, finding a paper on how long depression would last.

Her eyes narrowed more, standing. “It says here at least, asshole! You really think she’d go downstairs smiling!?”

He brushed off her anger for a minute, even rebuking points. There was still a chance, after all. Then, it changed upon the last toxic vitriol. His eyes glared, heart racing. “So what if I didn’t cry once! I loved Hayato as much as you all did!”

She clenched her fists but turned to her little sister. “Please excuse us, Yukichi.” They went outside, and she aimed at his right cheek. “I always hated this side of you!” her shout echoed. “You’re not being ‘brave,’ you’re downplaying our pain!”

He heard another assumption and grunted, teeth clenched. “Hiding what, you stunted ginger!? As if my emotions are fragile at the slightest touch!” The venom between the two seeped in for ten minutes. Any more, it would have become physical.

Back inside, Yukino cast runes around the walls and ceiling. She wished and prayed to hear their laughter again. Their days of bickering were comedy gold. She reminisced more, curling in bed.

Minutes in, her eyes widened. She had killed time watching the show again—and saw the arc differently. It was about undying resolve to save a loved one. Now it all rang true louder than any idea.

That’s it! She snuck into her brother’s bedroom. Finding the key to their success, she gasped and smiled.

Outside the house, Kenkō sat on a bench by the lake. She complained of her brother’s whereabouts, arms crossed. “Hope you get lost, asshole,” she dried her glaring eyes. Then, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Kakunō had gone down the city surface toward a forest. He saw the supreme court transforming far away. It expanded into a “colosseum” twice more than the Fools’ Theater. This time, spectatorship was free of charge. Every other mage flew in via carpets.

He looked away from the “divine” execution site. Wishing for lightning to strike had him crack a smile. Alas, memories of another smile made him grunt. “Damn it!” he threw a jab at a tree, now in half.

Keep it together, man. The last word alone gave Kakunō more memories. He grunted again, teeth clenched. “Damn it!” His crusade against a few acres had left barren earth. Even gold-fleeced tigers ran from their fresh kill.

Deeper in the woods, he found a rock to access the black market. Besides supplies, he needed more crossbow bolts. He drew blood on its engraved runes—but heard a rustle behind. To think it was not from a bush.

Yukino’s head jutted out of a runic circle on the tree trunk. She whispered. “Pssst… Big Bro. Come here.” Her face vanished back, and a finger beckoned him.

He raised an eyebrow and slowly backed away. Before long, a hand had pulled him inside the portal. He screamed and felt he had passed three skyscrapers. Luckily, his descent ended via floating an inch from the floor.

Ow, my head, he slurred, standing with little balance. Pertinax residents shoved him out of the way, being in the middle of a street. All along, the underworld had a terrifying form of access. Another hand pulled him to a wall—an inn on the other side.

Kakunō expected only the two in the room. Tokino held his shoulder. “Sorry for my daughter’s wild idea. Still feisty, as ever.” She helped her husband store invisibility cloaks. Faulty switches of underworld products were a given.

Yukino sat in front of his bed and wasted no time with the plan. All except one family had listened carefully. On the other hand, he scratched his head. “So you’re telling me… anime gave you ideas?” he raised a brow, unimpressed.

She nodded fast. “Uh-hmm. Sure, Ich-go had trouble saving R-kia, but it worked!”

He sighed but had no energy to tell her what happened in the end. After all, they had no villains in their midst. “I’m just saying, Yuki. Real life’s different.” He tried storing the anti-rune EMP gauntlet she had stolen.

She would not let go like the world depended on it. But her brother accepted defeat in five seconds. “Wait, Big Bro!” she reached out a hand, stopping him by the door. Now, she hugged him like it meant saving. “Please… give this a chance. We have all the tools needed.”

Kakunō heard words of virtue, never to give up. Then, it devolved into a heartbreaking waterfall. The words ‘please’ went ten times. Smiling, he vowed never to hear sorrow this loud. “Come on, Yuki,” he patted her head, kneeling. “You just haven’t told my part, that’s all!”

She dried her eyes and smiled back. “Really?” She hugged again. Kenkō helped her dry more tears of joy.

Haruto stepped in and lent a fistbump. “Better now than never, Bro. He may not help us, but we’re all ready.”

The words slightly cut through his heart, yet he complied. The rest joined in with brighter smiles. “Forever till the end” rang true more than the tragedy.

On the surface, the supreme court finished its transformation. Every arch top had massive arms with axes held high. The floor “arena” was runes engraved on white marble. Spectators saw but a rusty wooden chair in the center. The place they stood was older than time, many had said.

Elder folk told the young of its true nature. Long ago, the Gods made a sure-kill method for any mortal. Once the runes glowed, the other side would meet their eyes. “Some say even they are not exempt,” one raised a finger, gazing wide. Children gasped in sweat. The place they stood was the divine Original Guillotine.

The highest seats comprised only thirteen. King Harald sat at the middle, sharing jokes with his six royal guards. Only two had not laughed or even reacted. On the archmage side, Feuer turned. “I’m shocked, brother. For I thought you’d smile at today’s criminal.” He looked below.

Hagel sighed, eyes cold. “Frankly, you believe I’d relish one’s death.” He crossed his legs. “My worst enemies only deserve my infernal glare. And now, I’m impatient.”

He had never heard such a vain demeanor for a child. His brother cared not about the involuntary crime. He saw Hayato too young for a cruel fate, but the latter saw a beast ripe for slaughter. The breeze went colder despite the high noon.

Feuer turned to his other sibling and hoped for a different face. His wish came true yet for the wrong reason. Hokori had hunched over his chair, eyes indifferent. He felt no hint of remorse. Still, he cleared his throat. “Shameful, brother. You saved billions from another doomsday. But I expected mercy.”

The words about family did not reach his ears much. He merely got off from hunching and watched closely. Legs spread and arms lowered, he scratched his nape. “True, but ya don’t see me complainin’.”

Feuer looked away, disappointed. However, he squinted and saw red dripping from the nails. Squinting again, spectators from afar complained about shoving. No one was behind them.

The king cast a runic dome over the Original Guillotine against any intruder. Everyone cheered for the main spectacle. Inside, a guard gave Hayato a blindfold. “Don’t worry, kid,” he wiped his forehead. “It’ll be painless, just like school taught you.”

He nodded, panting. “I know, I know. I wouldn’t ask anything else.” He declared his death would save billions. Guards reluctantly guided him outside. They wished not to hear any of the crowd. Even children yelled for them to move quicker. As promised, they made him sit on the rusty chair.

He heard screams for bloodshed—but felt kind gestures from the guards. None had strapped him too tight. Gratitude for them would not hurt like his fate. The runic circle finally glowed, encroaching his chair. He panted again as the chimes went louder.

Tears had no end, but he smiled upon memories. Perhaps he could meet his uncle’s late member. The panting stopped as he recalled every family dinner. Thanks so much, everyone.

Billboards had broadcasted the live execution. Not one citizen turned off their Every Hub screen. Coelestis, always united, cheered at the top of its lungs. Many counted to ten, then nothing. All had cocked their heads, confused.

Spectators in the Original Guillotine screamed after a bang. The earth shook, and the archmages tried to keep balance. Seconds in, many opened their eyes and gasped. “Look! It’s fading!” one pointed at the runes below. Now all of Coelestis yelled about its failure.

Among the anger and confusion, Harald got off his seat. The city fell silent. “Fret not, my loyal subjects!” He raised an arm. “Mishaps are accountable. But it doesn’t mean it has failed! It can start over—”

The spectators gasped again, now everyone. Hayato floated in midair, carried by an unknown force. He fired many questions and heard a shoosh.

“It’s okay, honey. Climb to your father’s back.”

A cloak fell above him. Eyes open, he smiled in tears, and the other’s voices overjoyed his heart. They had flash-stepped outside the confines.

The angered spectators had clogged the exit. Outsiders hurried to search the family’s signs to no avail. It did not take long for one to discern their cleverness. “Follow me!” shouted a man with ornate goggles. “They’re headed to the forest!”

Nobles led the way as they owned such anti-theft products. Ironic that they roared primal with everyone. The boy must die, their heads concurred. Sadly, a concussion greeted said minds by the city’s edge. Many drew blood, slowly getting up.

Upon the central park, they saw the largest dome in their lives. Yukino strengthened the runes tenfold; some were even the size of molecules. She fell to her knees, exhausted. But any minute saved for her brother meant fighting the world.

She stood tall, eyes sharp. “This is as far as you can go!” her hand raised in front. “Fall back or pay the price!”

They all grunted, enraged beyond belief. The most evil monster escaped once more. Faces of a boy were not in their whirling heads. A noble prepared his right. “You traitor!” His eyes widened upon the truth.

The rest stood in surprise that the stone pelted her forehead red. “Let’s throw some more!” one picked from the ground. “She can’t even defend herself with magic!”

It was indeed truer than they all thought. In exchange for the living, only objects could pass through. Yukino rolled and jumped for five minutes. However, it was never enough. The “rain” had become a storm. The forest grass turned redder by the second.

She grunted as her forearm fractured in two. Trees too far to hide were not a good choice anyway. The dome withered as she backed away. Yet the closer she needed to concentrate, the “storm” worsened. She screamed upon a shattered kneecap and fell face-first.

Her vision went hazy, tasting the ground. She slowly stood and panted; the now reinforced dome meant sacrificing an eye. Either way, not a tear had flowed. She stood tall again and raised her arms to continue. Alas, the mob gave up with stones.

A flying ax dug two-thirds deep into her left shoulder. Then, a kitchen knife and cleaver to the gut and thigh. Nerves firing, she screamed bloody murder on the ground. The mob paused, sweating at the severed arm. She grunted loudly with every pull.

The dome flickered, ready to vanish. Yet Yukino panted once more, standing dignified. Now the waterworks came in one eye. “Shame on all of you!” she spat red at the runic arrays. “Is saving one you love a crime!? I know the consequences. But I believe! I believe he’ll never be a monster!”

The sun shone brighter despite the afternoon, not a cloud. She recalled her brother’s scent, his laughter, and their giggles. She never thought to smile with her life on the line. But it would be one to remember if only to laugh together again. For the mob, her eyes narrowed with clenched teeth.

“Screw saving a billion! I want my Lil Bro back!”

Her wish had reached the heavens. Yet she could only feel more pain in her gut. She had no strength left to remove the javelin, now lights out. Her ears caught the fading steps of an angered populace. Still, she tried reaching any of their ankles.

It failed fast, grunting upon her crushed hand. She lay on her back and smiled. At least one cloud showed up, one that returned her happiness. Let’s play, Lil Bro.

A breeze flew by the empty Original Guillotine. The king dispatched every mage for a full search. Turning, he sighed upon the one who remained seated. “I’ve much to do, old friend. I only hope your helping hand comes later.” He entered the portal to his home.

Arms rested, Hokori hunched more. He cared not to tell them of the inevitable failure. He deleted more messages from his niece. “Don’t do this, kiddo. It’s high-class evidence.”

After the last, he looked beyond the horizon. He cracked a smirk, amazed by their plan. Hayato would love the rustic beauty of Vetus. A second home he could not wait to visit. Yet his joy faded with the wind. He could not hope to find any more optimism. The breeze flew by again—alone.

Come on, you guys. It’s pretty chilly out here.