The trial begin... and the guest of honor hasn't arrived yet.... Something happened, and later, when people talked about it, they exaggerated to the moon.... But what truly happened was simple... Let's not kill the fun.
From thin air people appeared, suddenly standing on every roof... on the buildings shaping the circle... and then... Blasphemy's minions, who were surrounding the circle of the persecuted, opened a narrow path... a road for someone to pierce through, with his people behind him...
The difference was clear—Blasphemy's people dressed in black, dark and scary... while this man's followers wore red hoods with large capes... something fancier, more regal. He pierced through... and stopped in front of Blasphemy.
Blasphemy: the whistle
Whistle: don't forget... "of death," Blasphemy.
Blasphemy turned toward the only empty building in the circle.... and said: Your Majesty, may I ask you to expel him from here?
Inside that building sat one person—His Majesty—with his entourage... servants... expendable women... and one of Blasphemy's minions, who would act as the human speaker.
The minion repeated Blasphemy's words, but in Blasphemy's own voice... which startled His Majesty. He muttered something about the devil's work... then said: Why? I want to know his purpose for visiting.
Whistle bowed when he heard His Majesty's voice... thinking His Majesty was speaking to him directly, from nearby. But when he raised his head and saw only a minion's mouth moving... he froze, then asked: Where's His Majesty?
Blasphemy said: He is up there.
Whistle was stunned for a moment... Did you work for the devil? he said. I didn't know you were that scary... you live up to your reputation.
Blasphemy: Answer His Majesty's question.
Whistle didn't understand how this trick worked, but he spoke: I saw Your Majesty waiting, so I came here to entertain you. All of this crowd can't go home from one trial, am I right? I came with guilty people from my region, to judge them... and I ask your permission to host this, until the main event comes... after that, I will leave it to Blasphemy.
His Majesty grew more confused... for now, from the mouth of Blasphemy's minion, came Whistle's voice. First I thought it was normal, His Majesty thought, like maybe it's possible to imitate a voice you hear often... but Whistle never comes here... how does this trick work? Blasphemy becomes scarier every time I see him...
Finally, His Majesty said: You may proceed, Whistle.
Blasphemy stepped back and watched.
Whistle: That's weird... how do you do that?
Blasphemy: As you wish, Your Honor.
Then blasphemy took all his people, who had been standing before the circle, and moved them into the empty space that stretched from the circle to the Judge's building. They took the right side, on the left of the building, facing the first right street....
Because on the second right street, on the opposite side of the Judge's building... a row of chained people appeared, led by Whistle's men... They were of all ages... many looked no older than 10, 15, maybe 20... not more. And one among them was extremely old, so weak he couldn't stand... he was pushed forward on a wheelchair....
Whistle began the opening with, "Hello everybody and—"
He stopped. His voice echoed from every corner of the square.
He turned, stunned, staring at Blasphemy. He mouthed: How…?
Blasphemy's answer was cold: "Death. Are you scared?"
Whistle, out of pride, brushed it off. Just a trick, he told himself, then continued:
"I am the Whistle of Death."
He gave a short, sharp whistle, then said:
"If you hear it inside your home… consider yourself already dead. But you are lucky enough to hear it and still live. Ladies and gentlemen… let the fun begin."
The successor of Whistle stepped forward and declared, backwards tongue rolling off his lips:
"I eralced erofeb doG taht ew lliw eb riaf dna tsuj… nI eht eman fo eht eurt doG ohw seod ton deen a ecalp ot niatnoc miH, ron a emit… roN seod eH deen eht yks evoba miH, ron eht dnuorg htaeneb miH. eH sdnats enola, gnieb siH nwo… gnihtyrevE sdneped no miH, dna eH si tnednepedni… ehT ylno enO dna eht hturT. doG si eht yaw… dnA eht yaw si ot doG."
When he finished, every voice in the square answered:
"We bear witness."
Whistle's people brought out the first subject
... The youngest of the group.
He placed his foot on the first step of the narrow stair.
The wood creaked as he climbed, each step raising him higher above the crowd. At the top, he reached the small round platform, barely wide enough for one person. A railing circled it, enclosing him alone in the circle, exposed to every watching eye.
He lifted his head toward the judge—
A stone flew.
"Don't you dare look up!" someone shouted.
The rock split his forehead. Blood ran down his face. The boy cried in silence.
Blasphemy saw it and left his people, moving to meet Whistle at the base of the stairs.
"Whistle," he said, "he's just a child. He's already terrified. You don't want him dead before the punishment."
Whistle sighed. "I thought you cared about him… but you're right. No more of this. Can I ask you a favor?"
Blasphemy narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"
Whistle: "Can one of your minions transmit whatever I say—whisper it only into the judge's ear?"
Blasphemy nodded. "Fine." He pointed to a woman. "Speak only to her. She will carry your voice to whoever sits with the judge."
"Alright," Whistle said. "But tell me… how do you do it?"
Blasphemy: "Do what?"
Whistle: "Make your people transmit a voice from one person mouth to another's… in the exact same voice That person spoke with? "
Blasphemy gave him a half-smile. "Maybe you live in the wrong time." Then he turned, returning to stand with his people....