Chapter Text
Yuder Aile never thought his life would end this way.
Up until this point he lived a pretty mediocre life- he had lived with his grandfather until the man passed when he was thirteen. From there he proceeded to work part time jobs to get through school and try to make a living.
He would wake up, work out, eat his one meal for the day, go to school, go to work then sleep.
It had been like that for seven years.
Outside of that he had little time to do anything. Yuder didn't have friends, didn't have any hobbies outside of his workouts or anything- the only exception was a novel he had been reading online ever since he was fifteen:
Turning.
It was about a man named Yudrein, one that had become the Commander of a powerful group and tried to do his best in an oppressive world. The Emperor treated him like a dog, he manifested as an omega and even after the hurdles and losses thrown his way he managed to make the Calvary thrive.
It was a story that gave Yuder a feeling of connection. He couldn't completely understand Yudrein, but they went through struggle after struggle.
Even though he was a character, he was one that had filled in a void Yuder didn't even know he'd had in his life.
Now, at the age of twenty, he felt mixed feelings knowing the final chapter was coming out. It had been announced this would be it, and things were looking grim. Some fans were upset that the story had yet to detail his life in the Calvary before becoming Commander, others cried out that there couldn't be a bad end. Yuder had even seen some fangirls in the comments complaining about no confirmation on who the previous Commander, Kishiar la Orr, had been to Yudrein.
For a small character that rarely showed up and was killed off near the beginning of the story he led some of the biggest controversy. There were hints of there being an intimate relationship between the two, but the only thing that was factual was Kishiar being the previous Commander and that Yudrein was ordered to assassinate him.
While most people were upset at the aspects of plot points being left up to the imagination, Yuder felt the most sorrow at not being able to read about the monsters or combat scenes. He had clung onto all the information he could whenever Yudrein went into battle- from discoveries of new species to improvement in his battle tactics.
Really, who would he have once he read the final chapter that would be uploaded any second now?
Yuder held his phone close to his chest, the cracked screen barely holding onto life as he stood and waited for the next train. He'd just finished school and it would be during this small pace of time between here and his job that he would read the next update.
Only, today would be the final update.
Like every chapter Yuder went through his ritual of refreshing the page, his dark gaze locked on the dim screen.
Then, after his fourth refresh the final chapter was there.
Yuder hesitated clicking on it, his thumb hovering over the link until he caved and loaded it up.
…
"Listen, criminal Yudrein Aile."
An otherworldly voice echoed above his head.
"You are a criminal who forgot your duties and responsibilities as the commander of the cavalry, and dared to conspire with an absurd claim that you acted for the sake of the world. You trespassed into the forbidden sanctuary, attempting to steal the World Sphere. Do you acknowledge your involvement in the assassination of Duke of Peletta nine years ago, the destruction of the Pearl Tower seven years ago, the Red Field Rebellion five years ago, and countless other incidents that cannot be enumerated? When the truth was revealed, you shamelessly attempted to flee by joining forces with other countries."
Yudrein smirked bitterly to himself. The litany of accusations made him sound like a great criminal to be remembered in history.
…
For years, Yudrein had wandered the world, trying to find someone who would truly listen and believe him. Many signs indicated that something bad was about to happen in this world.
Even Yudrein couldn't fathom the magnitude of what was slowly approaching, but no one would listen to him.
Yudrein, with his eccentric and sharp personality, had no family or connections and kept drifting from place to place. He was deemed mad and completely isolated.
Even now, he was alone.
If only he had gone when the neighboring empire had beckoned, perhaps he wouldn't have ended up like this. With his remaining eye, Yudrein looked towards the imperial throne on the distant platform.
The emperor's seat was empty in his blurred vision. The emperor, who once whispered that he relied only on Yudrein instead of his ministers, and ordered many tasks that couldn't be handled publicly, had turned his back on Yudrein after his arrest.
…
In retrospect, he had lost too much under the pretense of serving the greater good. He thought he would have no regrets even when facing death, but standing before it, he felt otherwise. Many things swirled chaotically in his mind.
The stubbornness and pride that had sustained him.
The countless tasks he still had to do.
The unanswered questions.
Those who had departed before him.
The future after his disappearance.
And… the face of someone he had forcibly suppressed all this time.
"…"
“There had never been anyone as wicked as this criminal in history. Despite committing a heinous crime of attempting to use the emperor's trust and the entire empire for his benefit, the criminal showed no remorse. The emperor had fallen ill from the shock of elevating someone who knew neither honor nor responsibility to a position they did not deserve. Thus, a fitting punishment for the weight of his crimes was death, and today, at this very spot, he would be executed by beheading. Long live the emperor's eternal blessings! That is all!"
The story went in the direction he thought it would. The author had warned from the very beginning that this would be a story that didn't offer comfort, that it wasn't for those weak in the heart. Perhaps they hadn't anticipated for it to grow as much as it had over the years but it appeared they would remain true to the roots they'd promised when first planting the seed that was this story.
Yuder slightly bit down on the inside of his cheek as he read on.
A cheer rang out as flower petals filled the air. Yudrein was dragged by the soldiers and raised onto the high altar.
Atop the altar, specially constructed for the execution of the high criminal, a massive guillotine with a gleaming blue blade was positioned so that everyone could witness the beheading.
Due to the prolonged torture, Yudrein's battered body slumped weakly beneath the blade. The unfamiliar pain, which he rarely felt while surrounded by the ever-obedient energy before the destruction of the mana hole, became unbearable to breathe. Yudrein gasped for air as his vision blurred.
Ordinarily, criminals sentenced to death were given an opportunity to leave last words, but of course, Yudrein was not granted such a chance. Yudrein looked up at the sky, which was so blue that it stung his eyes.
“Hey, where do you think you're going?!”
“No, let go of me-!”
Suddenly the sound of a man and woman yelling out cut through, the voices Yuder immediately recognized as a couple that frequently rode the same train as him. He'd tried to help many times, but after being told to mind his own business he had eventually stopped reaching out when they began to fight.
It was strange. He should have felt bitter enough to cry tears of blood, but he didn't feel all that bad. The thought of soon being liberated from all these tedious affairs was even somewhat refreshing.
Indeed, what could be more ridiculous than worrying about the future when one was about to die and vanish?
Perhaps he should've paid attention this time.
The sound of the train’s approach started as a whisper, then rapidly grew. The voices of the couple threatened to cut through his concentration but Yuder continued reading, for he saw in the bottom right corner that he was basically at the end.
It was when he had read the final words yet hadn't comprehended them that it happened.
Yuder felt a force hit him from behind, the momentum making him stumble. He tried to turn around and grab onto something since he was pushed past the safety line of the platform, but all he saw was the couple who had suddenly stopped fighting and stared at him in shock and horror.
It was they, not Yudrein, who had ignored the bloodstained warning.
He’d ignored the safety signs of remaining vigilant and aware of his surroundings. Now, he couldn't be more aware as his feet were in the air, his back facing the tracks as he instinctively continued to reach out.
Ah, right. The truth was that he had been tired all along...
As he fell his area of sight soon became consumed by the open sky above. Has it always been so blue? The final words he read echoed in his mind as everything moved in slow motion.
The moment he realized this, the blade fell from above.
The bright lights of the train cut through the view of the sky, his phone slipping from his other hand. The device landed on the rail and lost its long battle.
Someone screamed.
…Then everything went black.
Death was neither sweet nor painful.