Knowing the corridors of Death's manor by heart, Tisiphone and Megaera dragged Opiter and Agrippa forward by force. Terrified at the thought of being humiliated once again, the two men obeyed without protest. Behind them, Darfredon and Quintus followed closely, until they reached the Hall of Judgment.
The hall had been built at the very beginning of Death's reign, when the village of Charognard was founded. Once frequently used, it had become far rarer in modern times. Yet the moment one stepped inside, the horror of its past could still be felt: every stone seemed to retain the memory of the sentences pronounced within these walls. The room was neither too large nor too small, offering a perfect balance—spacious enough to welcome all guests, and even a dozen more, without losing its oppressive atmosphere. On the floor, dark stains of dried blood were embedded in the cement, indelible witnesses to ancient punishments.
Once inside, the two Erinyes took their places on two of the sixteen chairs arranged in a circle. Seeing Opiter and Agrippa approach the seats, Megaera intervened sharply.
- No, no… you stay on the floor. Like good little dogs.
Tisiphone added, a cruel smile on her lips.
- Even better: you'll sit right in front of us. That way, if our little dogs misbehave, we can correct them easily.
Resigned, Opiter and Agrippa sat on the ground. Not out of obedience, but to avoid making their situation worse. Agrippa, seated facing Tisiphone, watched helplessly as the young woman casually placed both of her legs on his shoulders like a footrest, shamelessly testing the unfortunate man's patience.
As for Darfredon, he calmly chose a chair and sat down, observing the scene without intervening. Quintus remained standing by the door; he knew that what was about to happen here was meant to remain private.
Meanwhile, Marcus and Alecto were making their way toward Reaper's chambers, where Death was.
When they reached the child's bedroom, the door slowly opened. From within the shadows, a small trembling voice rose.
- Who are all those people, Daddy? They scare me with their stares. Why aren't they moving… why are they just watching us? They really scare me…
Death turned his gaze toward the half-darkened room. The light filtered in, revealing the silhouettes of Marcus and Alecto. He understood then that his daughter—just like him—was beginning to perceive the fourth wall. He gently stroked her hair to reassure her.
- Don't pay attention to them, he whispered softly. They are only spectators. They won't hurt you.
- But Daddy… why are they watching us? We didn't do anything…
- I'll explain everything to you tomorrow morning, I promise. And don't worry: when I leave this room, they will disappear with me. Alecto will stay with you… and I'm sure she'll tell you the story of your mother.
At these words, Death gestured for Alecto to step closer. The young red-haired woman knelt down, picked up Reaper's stone doll, placed it gently back into her hands, then softly brushed Death's shoulder to let him know he could leave. But before he stood up, the little girl dared to ask one last question.
- Can you tell them to stop watching us?
Death lowered his eyes and replied in a calm voice, heavy with weariness.
- Unfortunately, my dear Reaper… I have no control over them.
She was about to insist, but Alecto placed a delicate finger on her lips.
- Shh… stop asking questions. You'll have all your answers tomorrow. For now, say good night to your father.
Terrified but obedient, the little girl looked at her father near the door and whispered:
- Good night, Daddy… I love you.
- I love you too, my dear daughter. I love you.
Death remained still for a few seconds, silent. Then he waited to hear the name of his ex-wife—Alexandria—spoken by Alecto. At that single word, painful memories rose within him… images he forbids you to see, for he prevents you from reading his mind.
Without another word, he gently closed the door, leaving Reaper alone with the young Erinys. Then he slightly turned his gaze toward you, invisible spectators, and let a few icy words fall.
- If you want to know more about Alexandria, search for it yourselves. Expect nothing from me. Not here… nor in any of my novels.
Marcus heard these words. To him, they seemed strange: Death was speaking into the void. But the old guard dared not question it and merely murmured:
- Sorry…
Death raised a hand to silence him and replied in a firm voice:
- Marcus… just accompany me to the Hall of Judgment.
- Yes, master.
The two men headed toward the Hall of Judgment. Walking a few steps behind him, Marcus felt the hatred burning in Death's stride. But he dared not say a word.
When they reached the massive doors, Death cast a stern glance at Marcus and Quintus, already standing guard. He addressed them sharply.
- Stay here, in front of the door. Make sure no one enters.
- Yes, Master Crassus, the two men replied in unison.
Without another word, Death entered the Hall of Judgment. His gaze swept across the room: Darfredon, Megaera, and Tisiphone were each seated on a chair. At their feet, kneeling like obedient dogs, Agrippa and Opiter remained silent. But their silence was only a mask—Death sensed fear rising within them like suffocating smoke.
He stared at them, then spoke in a thunderous voice.
- YOU KNOW THE LAWS OF CHAROGNARDS! SO WHY DID YOU DARE TO CHALLENGE MY CHAMPION WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?
- We… we just wanted to—
Agrippa began, before Opiter—less terrified than his brother-in-arms—cut him off.
- Shut up, Agrippa!
Faced with this insolence and his attempt to conceal the truth, Death seized Opiter by the throat and lifted him effortlessly. The man was suspended before him, forced to face his true form.
Crassus's flesh dissolved like an illusion. Death revealed his real nature: a decayed human skull, covered in strips of rotting flesh where countless maggots writhed. In his eye sockets, two gray eyes gleamed with an icy brilliance, like bottomless abysses.
Horrified, Opiter felt himself being pulled in. His mind faltered, dragged into a trance where time lost all meaning. Death's gaze chained him in place, as if his soul had been nailed inside an invisible prison.
Then the visions came.
He relived each of his deepest fears—but not only those. He was hurled back through his own life, forced to feel every humiliation, every pain, every loss. The cries of a child echoed in his ears—his own—stifled in the darkness of a night when no one came to comfort him. He saw again the beatings, the mockery, the freezing loneliness where he had begged to be seen as something more.
Each memory struck with doubled cruelty. His flesh seemed to suffer old wounds anew; his heart shattered again under past betrayals. And worse still—Death made him feel not only his own pain, but also the pain he had inflicted on others: the screams of his victims, the shame of his abuses of power, the despair of those he had crushed just to feel strong.
Death's true voice echoed through the nightmare—deep, cavernous, saturated with an energy that tore his soul apart strand by strand.
- DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, OPITER?
- Let go… let go of me, you filthy monster… I… I have nothing… nothing to tell you!
- Very well. I release you.
Death opened his hand. Opiter collapsed onto the floor, trembling, unable to support his own weight. The two Erinyes burst out laughing at the sight, amused by the terror that had drained every ounce of strength from the man.
Agrippa, worried, slipped free from Tisiphone's legs. She let him go without a word—not out of mercy, but because even she seemed restrained by Death's presence. Still, a faint, complicit smile touched her lips, as if silently encouraging her sister in this humiliation. Agrippa stepped closer and whispered hesitantly.
- Are you… are you alright, Opiter?
Death cut him off, his icy gaze fixed on the man sprawled on the floor.
- Your friend is fine. He has simply seen my true face. So, Opiter… do you wish to add anything? Or would you prefer that I plunge you back into it?
Terrified by what he had just witnessed—and by the sensation of his life slipping away for a brief moment—Opiter answered in a broken voice.
- What… what kind of monster are you?
- You still do not understand…
Death growled, his voice rumbling like muffled thunder.
He reached out toward Opiter once more. At that single gesture, the man screamed and burst into tears, begging through sobs.
- NO… NO! I… I'll talk! I'll talk!
- THEN OBEY ME AND TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO HEAR!
- Yes… yes, we attacked your champion… because he… he was too insulting toward us. And… and you… you promised us he would apologize after his first fight. But… but when we saw that he refused, that he became even more insulting… we decided to… to do justice ourselves. We dragged him into a corner to force him to bend… and to remind him who the real masters were.
The Erinyes exchanged a glance, struggling to hold back their laughter at the man's pathetic stammering. But once he finished, they both burst out laughing, their voices echoing through the chamber like a sentence being passed.
Megaera spoke, a cruel smile stretching her lips.
- Did you hear that, Tisiphone? He attacked him simply because he refused to bow to their whim… how pitiful! You men are all the same. When someone resists you, you try to break them to make them submit. But the moment you're treated the same way… you cry like cowardly children.
A chilling silence followed. Then Death, who had remained seated in the shadows, straightened slightly. His gray eyes flared, and his voice echoed through the chamber, heavy with authority.
- I must admit, Megaera, you are right. And thanks to you, I have found the perfect punishment for our two friends.
The Erinyes' gazes froze at once. Even they—accustomed to suffering and blood—fell silent in the face of their master's decision. Death then turned his eyes toward the two traitors and added in an implacable tone.
- Agrippa. Opiter. You shall be rewarded… for you will face my champion during the next Grand Games, in the great arena of Rome. Tell me, Darfredon… do you accept to crush these two maggots for me?
- With pleasure… wahahaha!
Darfredon replied, his carnivorous laughter ringing out like a promise of death.
Agrippa, foolishly relieved, dared to exhale.
- Thank you, Master Crassus… you will not regret giving us a second chance.
A macabre grin twisted Death's face.
- A second chance? Hahaha… poor fools. This is not a favor I grant you, but a sentence. My champion will crush you both. And do not believe you will enjoy freedom until then… You will be closely watched by Tisiphone. She will be your jailer—and believe me, she will be merciless with men like you.
At these words, Tisiphone's eyes widened with excitement. She leaned forward slightly, her cruel smile revealing her delight.
- Hehehe… finally, two new toys to pass the time. I will know how to prepare them for their death, my lord.
Megaera crossed her arms, feigning offense.
- Hey… that's not fair. Those good little doggies—I was planning to train them myself.
Tisiphone chuckled, her eyes gleaming with a predatory light.
- Don't worry, sister. I'll share my two new doggies… provided we go a little further in their training.
At those words, a heavy silence fell. The two condemned men froze. They knew Megaera was already cruel in her judgments—but Tisiphone went further… far further. The idea that she might turn their humiliation into even more intimate trials made their blood run cold. Trembling, they dared not protest. Finally, Agrippa risked a whisper, his voice shattered.
- Mercy, Master Crassus… don't leave us with them…
Megaera stepped closer, her wicked smile stretching her lips like a blade. She placed a finger under Agrippa's chin and whispered:
- What? You don't like playing with girls? But boys like girls… don't they, little sister?
Tisiphone burst into a cold laugh.
- You're right, big sister. But this dog deserves an immediate correction.
Suddenly, she lifted her leg and crushed Agrippa's head against the floor, her heel pressing down mercilessly. Then, in a sharp, commanding voice, she ordered:
- Opiter! Set an example for your friend. Thank Death for leaving you with us.
Opiter obeyed, his gaze lowered. His voice trembled.
- Th… thank you, Death… for leaving us with these… magnificent women…
Megaera chuckled softly.
- Oh, what a good dog. He knows how to flatter his mistresses.
With a rough motion, Tisiphone grabbed Agrippa by the hair and yanked him to his feet.
- Come on, vermin… you too. On your feet. You still have a lot to learn.
The two Erinyes left the chamber, dragging their new "toys" behind them, sadistic smiles carved across their faces. In their wake, the two men stumbled forward, trembling, humiliated down to their very souls, unable to imagine what new torments awaited them.
Death, impassive, let them go without intervening. He kept a low profile, allowing his shadowy sisters to dispose of their victims as they pleased.
Once the Erinyes had disappeared with their prey, Death slowly rose and headed for the exit. Darfredon followed close behind.
Near the doorway, Death stopped abruptly and addressed Marcus in a glacial tone.
- Marcus, escort my champion back to his chambers.
- Yes, Sir Crassus, the old guard replied.
Darfredon nodded, ready to leave the room. But just before crossing the threshold, Death added in a murmur heavy with meaning:
- Ah… and I almost forgot. Give Penemue my regards… from me.
Darfredon froze. His gaze darkened, his step faltered.
How could Death know? He hadn't even thought of her since their last encounter.
The mystery grew like a shadow in his mind, poisoning him with doubt and unease. Disturbed, he followed Marcus back to his chamber, haunted by Death's words echoing in his thoughts like a looming enigma.