The circular hall at the heart of the facility glowed with dim light, holographic screens shimmering like stars scattered across a moonless night.
Tiflos stood before a massive projection of the Judicial City, his silver eyes tracking the beam of light marking the target's location.
His fingers pressed hard against the edge of the metal table until his knuckles turned white.
The familiar scent of disinfectant and ozone hung heavily in the air—but today it carried something else. Something final, as though fate itself were tightening its threads around this moment.
"Judge Valerius…" Tiflos murmured as he flipped through the physical file stamped TOP SECRET.
"A man of law who placed himself above the law."
Noor sat on a dark crystal chair, studying images of the judge presiding over public trials. Her slender fingers lingered on a photograph of the man smiling proudly as he signed execution orders.
"He looks respectable… clean. Who would've thought all that evil hid behind such a smile?"
Cain entered the hall in absolute silence, carrying an additional file that leaked a faint blue vapor. His steps made no sound against the metal floor—like a ghost moving among the living.
"Appearances deceive," Cain said calmly.
"Valerius sells verdicts to the highest bidder and buries his crimes beneath the cloak of justice."
The room felt cold as a tomb, adorned with statues of ancient Justice. Their stone eyes seemed to follow every movement.
Behind Tiflos, his long shadow stretched across the wall—a silent witness to the transformation taking place deep within him.
"The mission is in the judicial complex," Cain continued, handing them forged security passes bearing false identities.
"Valerius is hosting a celebration at the Silver Sky Tower—twenty years since his appointment."
Tiflos took the card. It felt heavy in his hand, as if it carried the weight of every soul crushed by that judge's rulings.
"Why now?" he asked. "Why this mission?"
"Because he's about to issue a verdict that will free one of the most dangerous war criminals alive," Cain replied, his golden eyes glinting.
"Some lives must be saved before they're destroyed. And sometimes, true justice exists outside the law."
---
The journey to the judicial complex led them through underground tunnels—dark, damp, and narrow. The black vehicle glided through the darkness, its silent engines barely audible. Inside, the only sound was their synchronized breathing and the ticking of the dashboard clock.
Noor stared into the darkened window, seeing her silver eyes reflected in the glass.
"I feel like we're entering a maze with no exit. With every mission, we drift further away from who we are."
Tiflos didn't answer.
Each mission felt like another step toward the abyss. He wondered when he would finally fall in. His hands were clenched on his knees, muscles taut like drawn bowstrings.
When they arrived, the judicial complex was breathtaking. The colossal structure was a masterpiece of white marble and gold. Massive domes gleamed under moonlight, and suspended bridges linked the towers like golden spiderwebs.
But Tiflos saw beyond the beauty.
He saw waves of fear, greed, and corruption crawling through the building like a malignant disease.
"A beautiful place for a filthy pig," Noor whispered, eyeing Valerius's golden portraits lining the walls.
Tiflos felt a lump rise in his throat. The grandeur reminded him of their old palace—of the luxury stolen from them.
"Luxury won't hide the stench of corruption."
Inside, opulence ruled every corner. Crystal chandeliers hung from towering ceilings. Marble staircases spiraled around intricately carved pillars.
Yet all Tiflos could see was blood soaking into white marble.
On a shadowed balcony overlooking the city, Noor stopped and turned to him.
"What's happening to you? You were silent the whole way here… but your eyes are a storm."
Tiflos leaned against the railing, gripping the cold metal.
"Every mission… every step toward killing… it takes something from me. I'm afraid that one day there'll be nothing left. That I'll become a ghost hunting other ghosts."
"We can stop," Noor said softly, her voice carrying a last flicker of hope.
"We can run away. Start over somewhere else."
"Run where?" Tiflos replied bitterly.
"The whole world is a prison. Freedom is an illusion. The only way to survive is to change the system from within."
Silence fell between them, heavy as stone.
They both knew there was no return from this path—only a future wrapped in uncertainty.
---
When the celebration ended, they searched for Valerius and found him in his lavish office. He sat behind an ebony desk, reviewing legal documents, calm and composed—as if he had been expecting them.
"You anticipated me," Valerius said without lifting his eyes.
"But let us talk first. Dialogue is the foundation of civilization."
Tiflos stepped forward, his visual pistol aimed at the judge's head.
"There is no dialogue with corruption. Justice doesn't need words."
Valerius laughed, his deep voice filling the luxurious room.
"Corruption? I'm a practical man. Law is a tool—like any other. The problem with idealists like you is that you don't understand how the real world works."
He began explaining his philosophy, voice confident, arrogant.
"Society needs order. And sometimes, order demands the sacrifice of a few individuals for the greater good."
"You mean for your own benefit," Noor said with disgust.
"Personal interest, public interest—it's all a matter of perspective," Valerius replied.
"What matters is the outcome. And I deliver stability."
As he spoke, Tiflos noticed a framed image on the wall.
A photograph of their old palace.
His heart started pounding.
"Where did you get that picture?"
Valerius glanced at it, smiling.
"Ah… that beautiful palace. A reward for my service to the organization. The crown jewel of my career."
Tiflos froze.
"What do you mean?"
"The case of Agabius… Stargi," Valerius said smugly.
"I was the judge who ordered the confiscation of his property. The organization gifted me the palace for my fair ruling."
Rage boiled through Tiflos's veins.
"You… you're the reason we were left homeless! One of the reasons my father died!"
"Work," Valerius replied coldly.
"Your father had to pay the price for his disobedience. The lesson was necessary."
Tiflos exploded.
"You destroyed my family!"
Sound-waves erupted from his eyes, shattering the windows, hurling books and priceless artifacts across the room. The entire office shook as if struck by an earthquake.
"Angry?" Valerius said as dust fell from the ceiling.
"Pathetic. Anger blinds you."
Noor shouted desperately.
"Tiflos, stop! Don't do this—this is exactly what he wants!"
But Tiflos couldn't hear her.
All he could see was his little brother shivering under a bridge.
His father dying from grief.
His childhood home stolen away.
The memories crashed over him like a tidal wave.
And the ash of justice began to burn.