The Trial of Life.

He was half-blind when he was taken out from his cell in the early hours of morning. Blood dripped from his head and entered his eyes. His head felt light, and he could not walk straight.

But he could not stop, no matter how painful walking was. For guards would poke him on his bare back with their swords if he did.

“Isekai my feet…” he muttered. “This isn’t what I saw in light novels… this is… a hell without fire…”

He didn’t know when his mind started blanking out, but all he could think were curses about this world. He was supposed to attend his friends wedding, have fun, party and enjoy a day of life. Now, he had to run from ghosts, and now humans.

Truly, humans are more terrifying than monsters. If he were given the option to live with mankind or the spirits, he would have happily go and have a staring match with the looker.

He saw himself without thoughts. Guards were locking his arms and legs with iron chains which weighted far more than his body.

He fell down.

His bloody eyes cleared up a bit as he saw sunlights shining on his eyes. He could now see everything a bit more.

In front of him stood three towers, engraved with art and history. To his left and right were rows of watchers and behind him was another three towers.

His neck hurt looking up at them.

“STAND UP!!!” One of the guards kicked Hitsuki. “DON’T DISGRACE YOURSELF IN FRONT OF THE ROYAL COURT!!!”

They picked him up along with the chains and threw him in the middle of the courtroom.

But for Hitsuki, it looked more like an execution center than a courtroom.

He stood in front of people he didn’t know, like a peasant. While they watched him from above, some disgusted, some grinning.

“KEEP WALKING!!” The guards now pushed him forward with a long spear. Blood spewed from their tiniest poke.

Hitsuki kept walking, with each step hurting his soles. His ankles were hurting, for who knows how many times they have dislocated them?

But just then, he felt something soft underneath his feet. It felt, calming. Comfortable. It was soft, like grass.

He looked down. Indeed it was grass. But not what he expected…

It was red, like blood.

In an instant, he flew up in the sky. Gravity betrayed him, and the sky was pulling him with unbearable force.

The heavy shackles clanked like toys. They were the only things that kept him from getting crushed by the ceiling.

The chains broke his wrists and ankles from the pressure. Blood gushed out as a bone broke free out of his skin. The blood flowed down his palm and onto the blood-red grass.

He now knew why the anti-gravity soil was red…

“Arghhhh… AHHHHH!!!!” He screamed in pain. For that was all he could do. None of the gazes were helpful. It only hurt him.

He saw their faces, radiating disgust. Especially the chief justice. She sat on the topmost pillar of them all, looking down on him.

“The first court proceedings will commence right now…” she grinned.

*****

The voices around him blurred out, for he didn’t care anymore. His pain overran his thoughts. But amidst all that, he still searched for one person who might believe him. But he found no luck.

His book and watch lay in front of the spectators, looking it with objective eyes. He knew, all they wanted is to sell those, for those artifacts looked valuable.

“Now” The chief justice rang a bell that stood before her. “How would you defend yourself?”

Her voice was calm.

“@ $% $%#&@!” he replied.

All of them watched as if they heard a curse being called on them.

“Such treachery!!” Some of them yelled.

“Is he trying to kill us through words!!”

“He is a vampire soo…”

Low mumbles and high yelling filled the room.

“@ $% $%#&@!” Hitsuki said again.

None of them knew, but they knew Hitsuki uttered the same words. It solidified their views on him cursing on them.

In a moment, hands raised in the air. The spectators’ hands had voting ballots.

For them, he looked exactly like a vampire. Though their intentions were flawed, they were scared too. For, none of them had seen one with their own eyes.

When fear and greed walks in the same path, they tend to be very good friends. For, their intentions align…

“All votes agree on execution!” The chief justice grinned. This was the plan all along. They just wanted him dead.

He closed his eyes. It all ended before it even started.

Thats when he heard.

A creak on the door. Followed by subtle yelling muffled by the door.

Then the giant door forced open. And out came Princess Hanahoshi, her arms crossed out.

“This is your doing, isn’t it, sister?” Hanahoshi looked at the chief justice, her eye brows creased.