Resident Evil 7 [AU]

Outcasts - Preview

As they entered the normally empty clearing it was packed full of people hanging around in front of the stage, where guards were standing at attention along the edges with their staffs and shields.

There were two posts in the stage and chains hanging from them, Alliot could just about make out the firewood pile they had been seen carrying on one side of the stage. "I hope they burn the outcast", Dray hissed as Alliot stood next to him in the crowd. "Why pray for someone else's death?", Alliot asked he hated any form of execution guilty, innocent or magic deaths. He would have happily have left, back to the university to avoid watching this if he wasn't with Dray.

"Because he's an outcast", Dray replied turning to face Alliot, he had only anger and hate in his eyes, "they deserve to die. They kill innocent people daily. The guards are only doing their job, Alliot". Alliot fell silent as the massive main doors to the guard headquarters opened. two guards were dragging a limp body out of the building, with two bring up the rear. Dray and everyone else cheered as they pulled the man up on to the stage and bound his hands in the chains that hung from the posts.

The outcast was on his knees with his arms in the air as he leaned forward on the chains. He was only wearing trousers, no boots, no shirt nothing. On his bare chest and for everyone to see was the outcasts mark on his chest. Alliot watched carefully as guards started to move the firewood over to him and place it around him. A captain walked up on to the stage and shouted out to the crowd.

"Citizens of Sowilo!" He shouted out as he raised his hands to silence the crowd. Once everyone was quiet he carried on. "This outcast was apprehended last night. He was noticed for stealing from a house not far from here" the captain called and Alliot had to listen as the outcast hissed out, "that's a lie".

No one seemed to be paying him any attention and he sounded like he was in serious pain already. "We caught him trying to escape through the market with another outcast. We managed to corner him and bring him in for questioning. Unfortunately, the other outcast was not found. But this one we will burn to ashes!". The captain raised his fist as he shouted the last part and the crowd cheered for him.

"We will not be plagued by outcasts and their tricks and magic any longer" he called, Alliot felt uncomfortable as he watched the captain get handed a lit torch. "We will rid this city of this vermin. We will rid it of any magic. We will protect this kingdom and it's people from monsters like them".

Alliot could hear the crowd going nuts for the outcast to burn. Alliot looked around so he didn't have to watch as the captain rallied the crowd before he set the man up in a blaze. Everyone was waiting to see him burn to death. Alliot was the only one not interested in watching him die. Slowly Alliot found his attention drifting back to the stage and the captain who was still rallying the crowd, as he waved the torch around.

"Today! we will watch this outcast get what he deserves!", the captain shouted and the crowd cheered as he turned to face the chained outcast. The outcast looked up at that moment. Alliot watched as he began to struggle violently to escape the chains. "I've done nothing wrong!", he shouted out, "we are still citizens of Sowilo! We aren't monsters, we are people. Who wants to live!".

Alliot felt his heart tighten in his chest as he watched the captain get closer to the outcast. Everyone was shouting, "burn him", "kill him". Dray was shouting with them for this man to die. The captain knelt down and seem to say something to the outcast before he stood up and held the torch above his head. Alliot shook his head as he watched the captain drop the torch down on to the firewood that surrounded the outcast.

The wood caught a light almost instantly. It must have been covered in oil for it to go up so fast. The man screamed out in pain as the fire licked at his skin, burning him alive. The crowd was in a frenzy as they watched him become engulphed in flames. Alliot couldn't stand there anymore, "I can't watch this" Alliot told Dray, he didn't know if he could hear him over the roaring crowd. But Alliot didn't hang around to see if he did. Pushing his way through the people, Alliot made for the edge of the market.