>>5206385"To me there is nothing more satisfying than to see the moment the metaphorical scales of JUSTICE begin to 'tip'. When the mountain karma built by a lifetime of murder and sins reaches critical mass to set off that avalanche of retribution. When I finally get to play the merciless Executioner after paying my obligations as the fair judge and impartial jury. This is why you find me wandering the wastes playing Judge Dredd instead of playing Battle Royale like many others. I play the long game. I will bide my time and wait until the final case is closed, then I will gather all evidence and enact my judgement on the world."
"As for the Defiant, I'm happy for her existence. In fact, I am envious of her ability to stay true to her principles and keep herself fairly clean of sin. She's a miracle in this world. A true innocent soul in a world of the damned. And by that reasoning, the Defiant will have no motive to quarrel with me if I stand aside and let her pass. What I do plan on however is to visit her in-person and test her principles at least once before I step aside."
"But then again, despite the Defiant's well-intentions and humble goal, there's always a catch. If or when the Defiant falls, I intend to be there to deliver my verdict. It's a simply a matter of waiting to be in the right place at the right time, to see that scale of TRUE JUSTICE begin to tip out of alignment for the Defiant."
Sathriel's smile faded...but just so as her sense of professional restraint rose up again to balance her humor with a wistful sigh.
"It will be interesting to see what happens then. And if she does somehow make it to the top? Well, lets just say, she will need people like me in the aftermath. There will be scum who would rather go along with the Defiant while nursing festering crimes in the dark. There will be scum who will take advantage of the world of opportunity that follows in her wake. There will be surviving scum so spiteful who will do anything to taint and corrupt the garden of eden the Defiant so wishes to cultivate for those she wants to benefit. And so she will need people like me. Scum like me, who work in the dark and dirty their hands so the other innocents can be kept clean."
"Then why am I still alive?" Susan asked painfully. "Why am I still here? Just to suffer through your goddamn bipolar whimsy?"
"Because I am a fair and merciful judge." answered Sathriel. "I may have declared my verdict on your guilt in the many crimes you and your war band have committed in the past, but your sentence in this current case won't be decided by me."
"Then who?" Susan demanded, straining against the arcane restraints. "The mayor of that hamlet?"
Sathriel raised her hand and snapped her fingers. A small circle of gold runes that had been carved into the fleshy ground coagulated and scabbed over, the fleeting magicks revealing a familiar figure behind the hidden veil.
(cont.)
