The police van pulled over slowly, heavy wheels crunching against the uneven surface. Every corner of the palace, inside and outside was crowded with people to see the historic moment.
"I'm Kang Sora, reporting from central area of Royal Palace, Royal Ground. Right now, a lot of people have gathered to witness the execution of main culprit behind the chaos erupted in the kingdom."
The camera shifted to capture the sight of police officers dragging the man by his shackled arms, his head and shoulder were covered in heavy black cloth.
"The culprit is being brought in, responsible for three incidents that tore our kingdom apart."
The man's body was hunched, but even covered, the very sight of him was enough to ignite the crowd's fury.
"Monster!" someone screamed.
"Blood on your hands!" another voice tore out.
They cursed, screaming for him to die. Police officers were struggling to hold the people. The anger they hold as their eyes filled with sorrow and pain for those who lost their lives. They were these people's families.
"Viewers watching live, this is a moment of reckoning. Justice will be delivered under the eyes of the royal family."
The crystal lens of cameras flickered as they captured every trembling face, clenched fist in the crowd. The crowd hold people of almost every age group. A young boy who lost his family, young parents who lost their children, old woman who lost her only son.
Everyone present there were the ones who had lost their loved ones. Their eyes hold pain, sorrow and rage.
The first egg flew before the police could react and splattered across the police's shield. A second followed right after hitting the culprit's back. That stimulated the chaos. Tomatoes, trash, curses, everything was hurled forward.
It was becoming impossible to even pass through. "Keep moving! Don't stop!' One of the officer ordered.
They shoved the culprit forward, pushing through the crowd with force.
"Watching the situation, officers are struggling to get passed through the crowd's fury."
"You can see the man responsible for taking the precious lives of innocent people being dragged forward to face justice."
The culprit stumbled, nearly falling to his knees. Reporters shouted through the chaos as they hurried and surrounded the man.
"What was the reason that you hurt innocent people?"
"Didn't you feel any remorse of your doings? You hurt innocent people that never did anything wrong to you"
"What about your family? You never thought how they would have felt after coming to know what you had-"
Police officers pushed the reporters away, dragging the man. Somehow, they were able to get out of the crowd and passed the boundary where territory of Royal's start.
Royal Guards quickly ran blocking the way so the reporters and anyone from commoners wouldn't able to cross the boundary.
At some distance, royal gates loomed. Tall and craved with crystals of mana stones that gleamed, the symbol that shined with power. The main part of the crest was the Griffin made of dark and shining metal armour. It looked like a battle machine that had bright green lines running through the armour.
The wings were not feathers, but layers of clear crystals and starlight. The Griffin hold the star bloom in claw, perfectly round crystal, bright purple in the centre, surrounded by metal leaves.
The gates creaked open.
For a brief moment, everything slowed down. The screaming of crowd dulled as officers dragged the culprit inside. Reporters from some famous news channels were already given permission to enter the Royal Ground for live streaming of the whole execution.
"Hang him! Hang him! Hang him!"
"The culprit has entered the royal grounds," reporter's voice carried through live stream. "He will now be taken to execution platform, where the royal family is expected to arrive."
The curses and harsh words did not stop. People shoved against the barricades, faces twisted with fury. Their screams echoed even as the gates began to close. With the thud, the gates closed as air shifted and became more intense.
The whole occasion was being broadcasted live, public watching through the screens made of mana crystals. Those who couldn't see the execution, were being shown through the screen in the air.
The kingdom was watching.
The whole world was watching.
The clicks from cameras, mounted at every angle. The officers did not stop and forced the man towards the stage where his life would end.
At the entrance of the Royal Palace, the stage for the Royal Family was set. Upon the platform, polished marble, gold glided, five chairs were placed. The central two, grand and royal, imposing in purple and gold, were for the King Kang Yuhan and Queen Kang Minah. To the right of King, a chair in simple blue and gold for The Prince Kang Yujin and to the left of Queen, two for the Princesses Kang Yuna and Kang Yuri.
The Royal Family had yet to arrive.
To the right of Royal Ground, reporters and cameramen were streaming everything. The officers held their formation and thrusted the culprit to the stage and forced to his knees. He grunted beneath the cloth, muffled curses spilling from his mouth, but the officers ignored him.
Behind the man was the execution stage stood tall. The platform raised on blackened wood strengthened with polished steel beams. A single rope hanging from the beam, the noose swung slowly.
The officers move behind the culprit, taking off the black cloth off his face, revealing his face to the world.
The moment the man's face was shown, everyone was silent before anger erupt in them. The whole country, those outside the Royal Palace, those watching behind the screens.
The officers stepped back forming a half circle around him, shields still raised, waiting.
Waiting for the Royal Family.
"Bring him down!" someone shouted outside, the voice piercing even through the wards.
"You don't deserve mercy!" another voice echoed.
The man shifted uncomfortably on his knees. His breath rasped, uneven from the embarrassment. Every word thrown at him, every glared that shown the anger towards him, made him feel guilty. Guilty for the things he had not done.
The man had black hair that had turned a little dull. The dark circles under his eyes, wrinkles on his face, chapped lips that trembled. His dull black eyes that hold the pain didn't dared to look up, scared of the expressions on others.
His eyes teary, tears threatening to fell but hold it in. The man looked like he was in his mid forties. His lips opened a little then closed wanting to say something. He wanted to shout at them that he was not the one behind this.
That he was not the who killed them.
But, he couldn't. Not when the Royal Family had finally arrived.