We arrived in a city, or more precisely, we were invited. Before planning the trip, my teacher received many invitations from various rulers. A king, a queen, and nobles.
The first place we visited was the residence of a ruler or governor. He lived and led a fairly prosperous city.
As soon as we arrived at the city gate, our carriage wasn't even stopped, as if the guards knew who owned this carriage.
"Teacher, we're not stopping?" I said after seeing our carriage continue on.
The city soldiers instead escorted us toward the residence of the ruler, or governor, of this city.
"No need, they were already told of our arrival by their leader," she answered.
I looked around as our carriage moved on the city streets, escorted by mounted soldiers.
I saw many people on the city streets, but there was something strange. Their faces were flat, as if they were neither happy nor miserable.
Feeling it was strange, I tried to ask, but even before I could call her "Teacher" she spoke up.
"Well, you caught the essence of what is happening in this city, and that is why their leader invited us."
"Why did he invite us?" I asked.
"I don't know what for."
Our carriage finally arrived at a house. I guess calling it a house isn't quite right, given its size and magnificence.
My teacher and I got out of the carriage. Outside, several servants welcomed us, bowing respectfully.
This is a mansion or a grand house, I thought, staring up at the peak of the mansion. The gardens were vast, there was a fountain and a structure... I don't know its name, but I definitely thought it was a place for drinking tea.
The servants then invited us in.
"Please come in, our master is waiting inside."
We were guided in by the servants. The inside was just as stunning as the outside. There were various decorations, from statues to handicrafts like vases, and many paintings.
They directed us to a large room. In the middle of the room were sofas that looked very plush, with a table in the center.
There was a middle-aged man in flashy clothes. They looked very expensive to me, complete with accoutrements like medals.
"Please," the servant then left, leaving us and the man in the middle of the room. The man stood in the center and stepped toward us at the door.
"I have been greatly anticipating your arrival, Madam," said the man. He shook my teacher's hand.
"I am the owner of this mansion, as well as the governor of this city," he said, introducing himself.
The man continued before my teacher could respond.
"You don't need to introduce yourself, because who doesn't know you in this country. On the other hand, I just want to know with whom you are traveling."
The man looked at me, and I introduced myself, "I am a student," I answered briefly.
"Wow... how lucky you are. To be the student of someone as great as your teacher. Alright, please sit wherever you like."
We then sat; I sat next to my teacher. In front of us was a table with beautiful carvings, and gemstones decorating it. Across from us, the man, or governor, sat alone.
My teacher began, reaching for her pocket. She took out a cigarette and lit it.
"So what is wrong with this city."
She asked without pleasantries, straight to the heart of the matter, as if she knew what the governor's purpose was in inviting us.
The governor's face turned pale.
Hahaha... take that. How does it feel to have your mind read? Hahaha... I'm not alone, thank you, Governor. Please keep me company.
My teacher glared at me. I knew what she meant. "Sorry..." I said quietly.
I really didn't mean to mock or anything. I just felt happy because someone else was feeling the same way I did.
The governor then spoke up, "I don't know where to start, but please, Madam," he pleaded. "My people are suffering greatly, they are haunted by the coffin ghost," his face became even more frightened.
"Hoo... The coffin ghost?" said my teacher. Her expression was that of someone who had heard another name for something she already knew.
"Well... that ghost not only drives my people mad, but it can also kill."
"A ghost..." said my teacher. She smoked her cigarette and blew out the smoke. "Why not ask an exorcist, or a priest?" asked my teacher.
The governor lowered his head, as if feeling regretful. "I have done so, but the two people I called disappeared and were found dead," answered the governor.
My teacher then rose from the sofa and walked to the side of the room. A painting was displayed on the wall in front of her.
"You have interesting taste in art," said my teacher, who was staring at a painting of a woman on the room's wall.
The painting was displayed magnificently in the room. There was not just one, but many similar ones, but with different women in the paintings.
"Those three are my daughters," said the governor, referring to the three grand paintings on the wall.
So all three were paintings of his three daughters. Out of curiosity, I asked.
"What's wrong with their faces?" I asked.
The governor lowered his head. "They were born ugly," he answered in a small voice.
I felt guilty for asking that. "Sorry," I said.
"It's okay, I don't mind. Because I am sure they are already at peace in the afterlife."
Hearing his words, I spontaneously said, "Hey, wait, they're already..." I stopped because my teacher looked at me as if to say that was enough.
"Yes, they died five years ago by suicide," the governor's eyes were now filled with tears.
"They killed themselves because I forbade them from dealing directly with the public," He held his head with both hands.
"Even though they were very confident, I was very worried about the possibility of someone hurting their feelings, and making them lose their confidence," said the governor.
"Enough, Governor," my teacher interrupted, probably not wanting the governor to keep digging deeper into his painful memories.
"I will do something about the ghost," she then walked and sat back on the sofa, "but I want you and some of your people to help."
"Thank you, Madam," the governor lifted his head. "I will do anything for that," said the governor.
"Well that's good, but you don't need to do anything," my teacher extinguished her cigarette in the ashtray on the table.
"You just need to accept and regret it."
"Tonight in the town square, bring some of your people with you." My teacher then pulled me away from the room.
The governor lowered his head, and a servant behind the door opened it, escorting us both to the mansion's exit.
"Where are we going? And what are we going to do for him?" I asked.
"We're going into the city, getting rooms at an inn and resting," she answered casually, as if we were on an excursion.
When we arrived at an inn by carriage, my teacher and I ordered two rooms. But strangely, the inn was very quiet; there were only a few patrons there.
We then went into our respective rooms, rested, and waited for night to fall.
There was a knock on the door. I opened it and saw her figure in casual clothes.
"Let's go find a bathhouse," said my teacher. "Oh yeah, don't forget to bring the book."
I got ready, then we walked out looking for a public bathhouse. It was rare to see my teacher dressed casually like this. She usually always wore her Chronicler robes.
Seeing her like this, it felt like seeing an ordinary woman. Without her brutal physical strength, her extraordinary magical energy, and her magnificent clothes. She looked like an ordinary woman.
We arrived at the public bathhouse. It was quiet, only an old woman guarding the cashier's desk.
"For two people, ma'am."
My teacher handled the payment.
I went in first behind the curtain. Behind it, a large pool with a fountain statue was visible.
This is amazing. Is this what it feels like to bathe like a noble? I thought. This is my first experience, because I always bathe with a barrel or a small pond, hahaha.
"A noble's bath is far more magnificent than this. And you know why this bathhouse is so quiet?"
My teacher entered. She stood in front of the curtain without a stitch of clothing on, and damn, her breasts were huge.
"I don't know," I said, covering my own chest.
She stepped in, soaking in the pool.
"It's because it's expensive, hahaha..." she said.
That's not funny, really.
Then she looked at me outside the pool, still wrapped in my towel.
"What's wrong, get in the pool," she asked.
I got into the pool, still wrapped in the towel. I am sometimes curious about her. She is beautiful, has a great body, and is also very strong, both physically and magically.
Not only strong physically and magically, her mental fortitude is also highly trained.
I can't imagine her losing at anything. Except maybe a 'no smoking for a day' contest, hahaha.
I moved closer and asked, "Teacher, so what are we going to do for the governor later?"
She answered, "Nothing. We're just going to watch." Then she asked me to, "Get the book and open page 004."
I got out of the pool and took the book from under my pile of clothes.
Even though it looks very fragile, this book is actually very strong. Just look, I brought it near the pool and the water couldn't even damage it.
I opened page 004 as instructed.
APPELLATION: The Iron Maiden
TITLE / EPITHET: The Mirror Prison, The Coffin of Sins, The Inevitable Iron Maiden
CLASSIFICATION:
* Primer: Legendary
* Status: Active
* Scale: Global
* Level: Bound
ORIGIN: It is not a created entity, but a natural law born alongside the first lie. When the first consciousness chose to betray the truth, the universe created an equal and opposite consequence: an absolute and inescapable prison. The Iron Maiden is reality's immune response to sin; a predatory causal principle that became semi-conscious.
FORM / ESSENCE: Its essence is the Law of Conceptual Justice. It has no true form. Its "body" is the prison it manifests, an iron sarcophagus always custom-made for its victim. It is the concept of punishment made real.
APPEARANCE & PERCEPTION: You will never see it coming. You will feel judged. Its presence is preceded by a creeping sense of claustrophobia even in open spaces. The faint creak of old iron hinges can be heard, even when no door is nearby. Sometimes, your reflection in water or glass will briefly appear trapped behind iron bars. Its physical manifestation is the final stage: a beautiful yet terrifying iron coffin, carved with reliefs that mock the victim's face and sins, appearing from the shadows before slamming itself shut.
DOMAIN & INFLUENCE: Its domain is consequence and confinement. Its power is to create the perfect metaphysical prison, where the "spikes" inside are not iron, but the victim's own sins turned against them.
* A liar will be pierced by every lie they ever told, manifesting as endless whispers that drive them mad.
* A tyrant will be forced to feel the suffering of every person they ever oppressed, simultaneously and eternally.
* A power-hungry mage will be sealed in a cell where their own magic is endlessly reflected back at them. Its prison does not kill the body; it interns the soul in a personal hell built from their own life.
VULNERABILITIES & COUNTERMEASURES: It is a law, not a monster, and is bound by its own rules.
* Only Targets the Guilty: It is utterly powerless against someone with a truly pure heart or those who have performed sincere and total atonement. It cannot act out of malice or whim; it is a slave to its own purpose.
* Sincere Forgiveness: Its prison is powered by guilt and consequence. An act of true, selfless forgiveness from someone who was wronged by the victim can "dull" the metaphysical spikes and create a crack to escape. The key to exit is not held by the condemned, but by those they have hurt.
* The Paradox of Acceptance: Its purpose is to punish and cause suffering. If a victim truly and without regret accepts their confinement as a just punishment, it creates a paradox. If there is no suffering, its purpose fails, which can weaken its manifestation.
ECHOES IN HISTORY & MYTH: In many cultures, there are legends of the "Faceless Judge" or the "Shadow Court." It is said that a criminal who escapes all human law will eventually find themselves before this court. There is no judge or jury, only an empty chair. As the accused sits, their crimes become real, forming an iron coffin around them which then sinks into the earth, vanishing forever.
WHISPERS & FRAGMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE:
* "Don't run from your shadow; it might be learning how to build your prison."
* "It is said that inside every Iron Maiden is absolute silence, as its victims are too busy listening to the echoes of their own sins."
* "The key isn't inside. The key is the forgiveness you never asked for."
Scribe's Note: Writing about this entity feels cold and sharp. Unlike other anomalies that are random or cosmic, this one feels... personal. It is a mirror to the darkest parts of ourselves. The fear it inspires is not of meeting a monster, but that the monster might be fair. As I wrote this, I couldn't help but wonder which small lie, or which broken promise, will one day become the first spike in my own coffin.
I finished reading it. "What does this mean, Teacher?" I asked.
"That is the 'coffin ghost' the governor mentioned," she answered. She was very relaxed and calm in the pool.
Leaning on the edge of the pool with her legs straight, her eyes closed as she answered.
As I looked at her, I felt very annoyed. Not because of her relaxed attitude, but because her large breasts were floating like her own natural buoys.
I approached and reflexively slapped one of them. My teacher was startled, like a bird falling into the water.
She tried to fix her position. Rising and standing, "What's wrong?" She pinched both my cheeks with both her hands.
Meanwhile, I turned my face away, refusing to look directly at the two large objects in front of me.
After playing around enough in the pool, we both finished drying our bodies with towels.
"If that ghost is in the book, can't we help them, Teacher?"
"No, that's not our business."
We then returned to the inn. Arriving there, my teacher asked me to go to her room.
"You brought the book?"
"Yes, I brought the book," I answered, showing the book in my hand.
Then my teacher ordered me to open page 004 again. This time, she emphasized the vulnerabilities and countermeasures.
VULNERABILITIES & COUNTERMEASURES: It is a law, not a monster, and is bound by its own rules.
* Only Targets the Guilty: It is utterly powerless against someone with a truly pure heart or those who have performed sincere and total atonement. It cannot act out of malice or whim; it is a slave to its own purpose.
"Hmm... it only targets the guilty," I murmured.
* Sincere Forgiveness: Its prison is powered by guilt and consequence. An act of true, selfless forgiveness from someone who was wronged by the victim can "dull" the metaphysical spikes and create a crack to escape. The key to exit is not held by the condemned, but by those they have hurt.
"Then there's sincere forgiveness."
"Teacher, I think this isn't entirely a vulnerability or countermeasure."
* The Paradox of Acceptance: Its purpose is to punish and cause suffering. If a victim truly and without regret accepts their confinement as a just punishment, it creates a paradox. If there is no suffering, its purpose fails, which can weaken its manifestation.
"The paradox of acceptance. Well, I'm even more convinced with the third part."
"Yes, you're right. It can't be avoided or countered," she said.
She took a cigarette from her pocket, lit it, and smoked it.
"Because the Iron Maiden is truly the consequence of what we do."
"You can't run from the consequences you cause. You can only accept or be responsible for them."
"What we do is the cause, and what comes after is the effect."
"It's time. Let's go see what will happen."
My teacher and I left the room. It was already late. So as promised, the governor would be arriving at the town square right now.
We both arrived at the town square, where the governor and some of his people had already arrived.
My teacher and I stood in front of our carriage. Seeing us, the governor and his men approached.
"Madam, what's next?" asked the governor.
"We just wai..." Before my teacher finished her sentence, the Governor and his people covered their ears, as if they heard something very loud, while my teacher and I heard nothing.
"It's coming," my teacher realized.
"Don't cover your ears! Open your eyes!" she commanded.
A large iron cage, with the carving of a woman's face on one side, appeared in the sky above the town square.
Could it be... that's the Iron Maiden? I thought, when I saw it floating.
This time, my teacher and I could see it. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I now felt a fear I had never felt before.
"Nobody try to look away, or cover your ears."
The Iron Maiden, or iron cage, slowly lowered itself until it stood and touched the ground.
"You, move forward. Face it," said my teacher.
"Listen, and regret what you have done. Not to justify yourselves, but to take responsibility."
The governor and his people stepped forward, while my teacher pulled me behind her; to hide in the back.
I almost fainted. My body felt weak, and the uncomfortable feeling I felt was unbearable.
"Stay conscious and hide behind me," she commanded.
The Iron Maiden emitted a voice. "Your sin is great, governor," its voice sounded reverberating, as if the voice had no source but was everywhere.
"You destroyed your daughters' confidence, and caused those good souls to be extinguished." The Iron Maiden spoke, referring directly to the governor.
The next words were so resonant: "While you, you heartless people... only judged by looking at their appearance," as if aimed at everyone who set foot on the land where this city stood.
The sound of many footsteps grew closer. The windows and doors of the houses near the town square opened.
I saw so many people coming; windows and doors opened with the sad faces of the residents showing themselves.
All who came were drawn by the Iron Maiden's voice. They came together and lowered their heads. They probably felt and understood what sin they had committed.
"You, who restricted your daughters' paths, and all of you who felt you had the right to judge are the cause of all this." The Iron Maiden's voice read the accusation of the perpetrators' actions against the victims.
"Know your place, and accept this punishment!" The door of the iron cage opened, with a deafening sound and a blinding light from behind it.
My teacher shouted, "Regret what you have done!"
The governor and all the residents present looked at my teacher, then said together in one voice, "We all regret what we have done." They fell weakly after that; some knelt, some fainted on the spot.
Their unified voice caused the Iron Maiden's door to stop opening.
"You regret..." said the Iron Maiden's voice. "Regret is a very commendable thing, but a punishment is still a punishment, even if it will be lightened." The Iron Maiden's manifestation shrank from the size of a house to the size of an adult.
The Iron Maiden's door opened again, although this time it was quite small.
My teacher pulled my hand, and ordered our coachman, "We must leave this city quickly."
We both got into the carriage, while the coachman spurred the horses to run as fast as possible. I looked through the window toward the town square.
"Teacher, what will happen to them and this city?" I asked.
"They will become better," she answered, and lit a cigarette.