Finally.
It was over.
Years and years of tyranny, at last brought to an end.
Lily pulled out her sword from the fallen dark lord’s body. It was smeared with blood, matching that which was slowly spreading on the floor, the corpse at the center of the bloody puddle. So many times had she hesitated. Was this right? Would she, by killing the one she hated so much, really be any better?
But no matter how many times she thought it over, the answer was always the same.
He needed to die. He was nothing but evil, not worthy of continued life in this world. The only thing that could be saved by sparing him was Lily’s own sense of morality, while there was plenty to lose if she let him live, plenty of risks there was no need to take.
But with this, it was finally over.
Forever.
The tragedy that had befallen Lily’s own village would never happen again. No more crying, no more unneeded deaths, no more suffering and despair.
Or so she had thought.
Lily had been looking forward to seeing people’s reactions to the good news on her way back home. Seeing people smile, rejoice, be happy to be free from their oppression.
What she got was the exact opposite.
As she ventured into the town square of one of the largest towns in the area, what greeted Lily was neither smiles nor happiness. There was barely anyone outside, but the few people she did meet told the story well enough.
Sobbing. Crying, cries for help. Fear. Insecurity.
Instead of being happy about their freedom from their oppressor, celebrating his demise, they were crying.
Blaming her. Not directly — no one knew who had done it. But these people… their view of things was entirely different to what Lily had been told. Entirely the opposite to what she had been told that one day so many years ago.
He was benevolent.
He was strict and harsh, but ultimately fair.
He wasn’t afraid to take the blame if things went wrong.
He was a dear friend, a just ruler, or like a friendly neighbour, a wise old…
