FULL NOVELXO Chapter Thread of compassion (aurora’s pov)
As I stood beside Greed, witnessing the souls brought before him for judgment, one particular presence caught my attention—a young girl, no older than six or seven. Her innocence seemed out of place in this realm of reckoning, and I instinctively reached out to stop Greed, my voice a gentle plea amidst the weight of his duties.
"Wait," I said, my eyes shifting between him and the girl. "Why is she here? What could a young child like her have done to deserve this?"
Greed's gaze turned towards the girl, and then back to me, his expression bearing the weight of knowledge and experience. "She exploited her friend," he explained, his voice tinged with the grim understanding of human desires gone astray.
I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief. "Exploited her friend? But... there must be a reason—a circumstance that led her to make such a choice."
Greed's gaze held a mixture of acceptance and detachment. "There is always a reason," he conceded, his voice carrying the weight of countless judgments passed. "But here, in this realm, reasons often become secondary to the choices themselves."
I felt a pang of compassion for the young girl, a recognition that life's complexities could often lead individuals down unforeseen paths. "Still," I persisted, my voice steady with conviction, "perhaps there's more to her story than meets the eye. Maybe there's a way to understand, to show compassion."
Greed's response held a sense of finality, a reminder of the harsh realities that dictated his role. "In this realm, compassion often takes a back seat to justice," he stated, his gaze turning back to the souls before us.
Yet, as I looked upon the souls waiting for judgment, I couldn't help but feel a tug of empathy—a recognition that each story was a unique tapestry woven from the threads of human desires and experiences. Even as Greed carried out his duties, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to influence these fates, to shed light on the complexities that drove individuals to make the choices they did.