When the Fourth Toll Sounds
She, the Judge of All the Lands, delivers the "ultimate justice" as “they” perform judgement on those who have transgressed the laws. The condemned shall hear the ringing of a bell. Once, it tolls. Twice, it tolls. Thrice, it tolls. They shall never hear the fourth toll. Those who are guilty can only pray they do not find themselves hearing the ringing of a bell on the day of judgement. In her grand performance, only she remains for the curtain call, for when the Bell tolls and the body fails, there is but one escape.
On the first toll, their form shall be deprived of strength. On the second toll, they shall feel excruciating misery, on the third toll, their extremities shall no longer obey their commands, and on the final toll, they shall experience judgement. Fate is set in stone, for her and those she judges, yet the blade falls softer as the will degrades. Resolve is steeled, yet steel rusts.
As the Judge, she bears witness to all 4 chimes. Always she must see. Once. Always she must follow. Twice. Never can she avert her gaze. Thrice. Never can she feel. Yet, she must witness the Fourth.For all the justice she claims to exact, the laws she enforces are unknown even to her. Following blindly and mercilessly delivering punishment, thus is she: the cruel executioner. She, enforcer of these "laws", not the arbiter, nor the ordainer, for she is no true “judge”, only an executioner with a duty to the unknown, a loyalty to the faceless.
As the Bell tolls, the executioner gazes upon the body of her dearest, powerless to stop their demise. Once. Still she must watch. Twice. Still she must follow. Thrice. Still she cannot turn away. For the fourth, still must she witness. “Where does this accursed bell lie, from where does it toll from?” She asked herself. Yet, there was no reply. As the Bell tolled yet again. Once. Twice. Thrice.
The Bell tolled for the final time. Yet now, there remained no Judge to witness it,
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128,598 Literary Works • 671,490 Reviews
Hello there, human! I'm reviewing using the YWS S'more Method today!
Shalt we commence with the wretched S’more?
Top Graham Cracker - This Judge has to go by the bell and execute people away. She cannot change this, it is what must be followed no matter what, to the very end.
Slightly Burnt Marshmallow - I have no recommendations to make as of right now, but if you would like to edit this, then you may.
Chocolate Bar - I like how you describe her as being a Judge and yet a mere executioner. It’s like the world decided that she has this power but even she doesn’t feel all that strong in her life. The laws are what bind her and she has to follow them no matter what, even if it hurts her. Especially if it hurts her. I also like that the source of the bell is never found, it feels like something omnipotent, out of the world’s control. And because of how trying it is for, she cannot bear it and disappears!
Closing Graham Cracker - Overall, a lovely story about being bound to a bell and having to go on with the duty that hurts the most but is said to be needed. I enjoyed reading this and if you ever want to add more to this story then I’ll be sure to read it!
I wish you a fantastic day/night!
Aww thanks! She has the power to enforce, but, though people think she has the power to make judgements, she does not. She simply does what she has to, regardless of how she truly feels about it.
Yw! :>
I find it certainly interesting that she is called a judge but not actually a judge. Is it like the title that she holds given to her by the people while she herself isn't TRULY a judge? It's a tad confusing. I do like that the first paragraph is strength, the second weakness, the third misery, the fourth loss of control, and the 5th judgement. It's a cool structure! Also, the repition of the 4 tolls in each paragraph with her having to witness the fourth each time but then not being able to witness it for the last 4th toll(as she died lol) is also pretty cool(but could be annoying to some)
TYSM, I did kinda hint at that in the description of the piece but I'm glad you got that! I probably did it kind of badly with the little bits each signifying the stages of each toll of the bell but if someone got it, that's good enough for me. Thanks for the review!
Good morning and welcome!
This story feels like it has a lot of layers, like a poem.
I like the imagery of the bell!
That said, I feel like, especially in the phrasings, you repeat yourself to a slightly irritating degree.
I also feel like I never really understood what kind of laws are enforced, not rly helped that the Judge of All the Lands herself also doesn’t seem to understand the laws? If she’s not the judge but only the executioner, isn’t her job description kinda wrong? =D
I do like all the titles she seems to possess =D
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Thanks for the review but yeahhhhhh I'm not the best at writing lol. From the way I wrote it, her title as "judge" is given to her by the people, yet she is not the true judge. She is forced to follow and execute for reasons she doesn't know. As for the "laws" they kinda are meant to be unknown(your criticism is MUCH appreciated TYSMMMMM)