The otherworldly light of Omicron 90 was reflected by the rusty armor of the Golden Sheik, home away from home of the Samarran Raiders. The sun was shining even brighter that day somehow, as if it was calling a son back to home... The time had come. Besides a few raider patrols ensuring the safety of the Golden Sheik, every resident was called for a meeting... to decide the fate of the Commander of the Raiding Hosts, right hand of the Great Sheik of the Samarran Raiders, the Bastard Prince, Adrian Thrax.
The main room was crowded with hardy looking men and women, most were drinking rakia from their cups, enjoying the lovely gathering. In the center of the room a man was seated on a throne like seat, decorated with jewels and golden treasures. He was silent and his face showed no emotion. The Great Sheik Lerdi, raised his hand, keeping the straight face. A man from behind him started to announce loudly.
"Honourable Raiders! Today our Sheik called you all here to judge this man, who is accused of being a traitor and a dishonourable coward. He was witnessed while attacking the holy Anunnaki. Also while recieving a bribe from the enemy of the raiders, allowing his ship to be blown up, which put the raiders in his command at risk." The crowd booed. "A man like this is found to be unfit to lead the Great Sheik's raiders into battle, he shamed himself and his people. Therefore speak up! The Sheik will confer judgement on his vassal after he listened to your arguments!"
With that, the giant black doors opened up wide just on the opposite side of the throne. A man in rusty chains, wearing tattered robes, pretty much beat up, was being dragged into the room. The crowd was booing and throwing everything on their hands at him, spilling rakia on his face, spitting on the ground before him, as they cleared a way into the circle for the man. The man who was dreaded by his enemies and his people, spoken about only in hushed whispers, Adrian Thrax, was now looking pitiful, yet his face was calm and collected, cocky as always. When he reached to the center of the gathering, in front of the jeweled throne, two strong raiders accompanying him forced him to bow down, his head was touching the dirty floor.
Hastily moving through the corridors, moving with unnatural speed and leaving his bodyguards way behind, Bassam was approaching the Hall in which the judgement was taking place. Even though he was still far away from the Hall, he could hear the screaming, the laughter, various objects slamming against the walls, and the booing that the crowd was making, while enjoying every part of that unpleasant ordeal they liked to call "a fair trial".
Finally reaching the massive two part door to the chamber, Bassam pushed it with his arms making it open with a large crash as it slammed against the walls. The crowd went quiet for a minute, then continued with its yelling and throwing. Bassam approached the center of the chamber, and started yelling to get the attention of the present Raiders, and most of all, his Sheik.
"Hear me honorable Raiders! This man, that kneels before you now, is without doubt, a traitor! Once, some of you might have considered him a friend, a worthy ally and protector, but he has finally showed his true face!"
Bassam cleared his throat, and started speaking, while trying to conceal his mixed feelings and agendas on this.
"He took a bribe, and worked with one of our enemies, one of those marked for merciless execution! He has done some other things I care not discuss, and he deserves no mercy, pity, or dignity in his execution!"
"However."- He continued with a more calm voice.
"In light of things he did before this, he will be shown some, and instead of stoning to death, he should be granted a chance to be executed by the blade of our executioner. But before that, I wish to speak with him in private."
The Sheik nodded, and two guards took him by the arms, and dragged his exhausted body back to his cell, away from the crowd. As he was kneeling in his cell, Bassam approached him, and stared at him for a few seconds before speaking.
"There now. The mighty Adrian Thrax, who's name was spoken in whispers. Chained and beaten, a shadow of his former self. Excuse me if I find it hard to imagine you like that anymore. Right now, you're just a spineless beggar to me, a betrayer who deserves no mercy."
Bassam walked around him, while Adrian put up a strong and determined face, seemingly untouched by his words. Bassam stepped up in front of him, and slammed his boot to his neck, slamming him against the wall.
"You thought I didn't know?! You thought you could get away with killing a few Anunnaki behind my back? You thought that dead Anunnaki can't tell tales?!"- He yelled in his monologue, while he was pressing his boot harder and harder against Adrian's neck, before finally removing it, allowing him to breathe.
"But no, I wont beat you up or kill you here, instead, I will make the last hours of your life hell, you will beg to die, just so it ends."
Bassam grinned as his eyes started glowing, that same glow Adrian knew, that same purple glow he saw before, the same glow that destroyed his family, he wasn't terrified or shocked, he was angry, his blood was boiling, and he would have jumped and strangled Bassam, was he not chained and exhausted.
Despite him resisting and moving against the wall to avoid it, Bassam placed his hand over his forehead, and Adrian yelled in rage and despair to the images shown to him, time was forgotten, it seemed like hours, while in fact everything happened in a matter of seconds.
"You see now? There is no escape, nothing is left unseen, maybe you should have learned that before"
Bassam called the guards and they ran in.
"Well, now, let's not keep the crowd waiting, you have a trial to face"- He grinned as they dragged him away.
As the guard brought Adrian back to the Hall, the great sheik stood up from the throne. Guard kicked his leg and made Adrian kneel again, and Lerdi approached him from the front, he kneeled too. He showed a bit of compassion, and he took a deep breath and started to speak. He was very short.
" In my eyes, I've seen you as friend, as a brother. After your act yesterday, I look at you as a litlle pathetic worm now. "
He smiled shortly and started to speak again
" A woman tricked you! I would rather exile you from Raiders, but i cannot, and you know why. Only way to leave this is by death, to avoid compromising our safety. I am very sorry about this, but you chose your path... It was your choice! "
Lerdi stood up and said his last peace with a calm voice
"And dont worry, I will ensure that your death will be painless and fast. And, that woman, Anna Prentice. I have another idea for her, very painfull death, a slow one. She will burn."
And with that, he calmly returned to his throne, looking to see if anyone else has anything to say, before giving the final word to Adrian.
<"From Darkness, lead me to Light. From Ignorance, to Truth. From Death, to Immortality.">
After few moments, the crowd started to yell and throw objects at Adrian again. Adam was trying to get to hall as quick as possible, and say a few words to Adrian before Sheik brings final decision. He was running in desperation, as he thought that decision has been made, and Adrian was executed. Soon after, he appeared in front of huge two part door. He pushed both parts with his hands, and everyone turned to see who is that.
Adam stepped out of shadows, nodded to Sheik, then he looked at Adrian, making sad face. After few seconds looking at Adrian's exausted face, he finally spoke few words, pointing with his finger at Adrian.
"You were like my brother, I trusted you! I trusted you more then everyone, but I guess I was wrong."
"People makes mistakes, and most of them should be forgiven. But, what you did is unforgivable. Shooting at Anunnaki, and ever worse, killing it!?"
"Cooperating with our enemies in secret, expecting not to be revailed? I'm sorry, my bro Coughs Ah, I wanted to say brother, but you're not my brother anymore. All I see in you now, is small worm, traitor of Raiders and Anunnaki, and I hate traitors most of everything."
Then he turned to Sheik Lerdi, nodded again and started to speak.
"With all due respect, I don't think he deserves to live. It would be nice if we are able to exile him, but I afraid that's quite impossible, and we both know why."
"That's all I had to say. My final vote is, he deserves no mercy."
The crowd started to clap, Adam smiled, turned around and walked out of hall.
*He came out from nowhere, after travelling a big distance, he was the last one informed...*
"What the.... Adrian, what have you done... I am really confused... I am still not believing it..."
*He sighs, then looks at the crowd and the other Samarrans*
"Brothers, it's maybe true that he betrayed us, but can't you remember the times when he fought with us, saved your lives, protected our people ? You forgot the good times spent together ? even when you look at him now, you can see that he's really... really sorry for his mistakes. *Then he looks to Sheik Lerdi* Dude, I think this is a pretty cruel decision, can't you change it ?"
*After his speech, the majority of the crowd started to insult him, while the minority was considering their opinion...*
A low chunky man appears from the crowd. His clothes is soiled by oil - seems like recent news interrupted him while servicing fighter. He rans to Satchafunkilus and punches him in face:
"Come to your senses, idiot!"- shouts he in anger - "Kneesed man infront of you is not just a betrayor. He rebelled against Anunaki - the higher beings who gave us faith and meaning of life"
Ivan Dulin takes a look at Adrian and continues with trembling voice:
"Evil is hidden behind his eyes, and the only thing he deserves is death" - he releases Satchafunkilus arm and leaves the room breathing hard.
As these two young raiders argued and the rest of the crowd joined them, the main hall was filled with confusion. The Great Sheik was sitting down silently on his jeweled throne, playing on his finger with a silver ring with jade encrust, and drinking rakia from his golden cup, appearing unaffacted from the scene. Adrian's face was still touching the ground, no reaction from him could be seen either. After staring at this pitiful man for a while, Sheik Lerdi suddenly stood up fiercely, crushed the golden cup to the throne, spilling the drink and creating a loud noise in the process.
"ENOUGH!" he shouted. "I've heard it all. I am passing the judgement on my vassal now." he seated himself on the throne again, his back straightened, a majestic look on his face. The crowd was anticipating his decision with hungry looks in their eyes. "Considering his services to the raiders, being one of the core members of our order, Adrian Thrax will be spared of shameful stoning... Instead he will be granted a quick and painless death, by the blade of the executioner." his voice was clear and his manner was strict.
The crowd cheered when they heard the sheik's decision, though some were dissappointed because they learned that they can't throw stones today... It was alright, they did it yesterday, and would probably do it tomorrow for another unlucky 'friend'...
Sheik Lerdi sighed, trying to appear bored, then raised his hand once again. From the black gates a giant man was summoned, a dark mask was hiding his face, his upper body was naked showing a huge belly, on his brawny arms he carried a sharpened and cruel looking axe, nearly as big as himself. The crowd went silent as they saw this disturbing creature, the people in front of him quickly rushed away to open up a way for him into the circle.
Two raiders, who were forcing him to bow down, now harshly raised him. Adrian's face couldn't be seen as it was covered by his hair. He was dragged to the platform where he would draw his last breath. The giant man took his position next to the platform, raised his axe and slashed it down once, getting himself ready for the much anticipated strike. The raiders held Adrian down to the platform, his neck was now touching to the cold wooden like object which had seen many uses.
Adrian couldn't help but think about those who were in his position before. He wasn't afraid, he wasn't feeling angry either now, he was a bit surprised by what is happening and what kinda demon his people were being fooled by. In truth, Adrian died way earlier than that day, when his tribe was drawn to a line, executed one by one, when he was made to watch the burning of his wife Aisha, and the beheading of his father... just like himself...
He would soon die because he did the same thing as his father, how he was like him even though he was just a bastard, not even considered a proper heir... They called him the Bastard Prince of Thrax, riddiculed him. And here he was now, the only remaining member... Prince of the soon to be extinct tribe Thrax...
Adrian who was deeply lost in thoughts came to himself when he heard the strict voice of the Sheik.
"Any last words... Adrian Thrax?" the Sheik asked...
For the first time Adrian raised his head to scan the people surrounding him. He soon found the man he was searching for... Bassam Hussaini. He was obviously in high 'spirits', looking pleased with the way things are going. Adrian looked into Bassam's eyes, amused by his little secret. Concentrated, trying to remember the time he killed the 'holy gods' Anunnaki... oh how he enjoyed it, the sweet feeling of revenge.... how many he squished there he lost the count. While thinking about that, he gathered his strength to voice his last words.
"That's beyond kinky, son" he winked and grinned.
The look on Bassam's face was a sight to see, though it only lasted a mere few seconds. As soon as Adrian spoke his last words, the executioner raised his axe, slashed it down for the last time. The time stopped like earlier, it wasn't fun to watch his tribe being torn apart for hours while the axe was slowly moving its blade closer to his neck. Finally a loud noise, the blade hitting the platform, the red paint on people's faces, and a son was returning home. His shell was thrown into the void, he flew away silently, following the warm light towards the sun and allowing himself to be embraced.
Finally, the judgement was done, the punishment was carried out, both satisfaction and disappointment could be seen on the faces of the people. Bassam...he didn't know what to think of it. Everyone who could see him in those last minutes of the judgement, and after, could only assume he wasn't completely clear with himself, on how he really felt about this.
Was he feeling some remorse? Was he satisfied? Or was he simply disappointed he couldn't make him suffer even more? No-one could tell for sure, but it didn't even matter, since everyone would now move on, carry on with their existence, the merciless killings, the razing and the pillaging, waiting for the chance where they would condemn another one they found guilty, perhaps someone they used to call "brother", yet again, for that's exactly how human kind is, rinse and repeat.
As the crowd left the scene, Hussaini remained behind staring down on the beheaded corpse without any significant movement, right until Jediah Bayne approached him.
"Honored One, what should we do with the remains?"- Jediah asked submissively.
Bassam Hussaini sighed and looked upon it one last time - "Hmpf. Dump it out of the airlock. Like I care."
Then he slowly left for his room, refusing to look back.
*He takes the corpse of Adrian with him, then heads to the sun... He drops the pod into the sun and grabs his Ibanez JS*
"Adrian, this is for you, fallen brother"
*He starts to play a solo... full of feeling... after finishing his improvisation, he plays some songs and sings from time to time*
"After a while your bullets don't even cause me pain, still running in the middle of your rain"
*After the end of the song, he heads to an unknown destination, to contain his pain a bit...*
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