The Prodigan Woman ch 11: A Horrible Past, A Unwanted Meeting (Patreon)

Molly stood before the wooden podium, unable to meet the gaze of the judges adorned in pristine white robes. The weight of embarrassment engulfed her, surpassing even the humiliation of her past encounters with Prodigan patrols. In this solemn courtroom, her transgressions were laid bare, her shame exposed for all to see.

Though only twelve judges were visible to her, Molly knew that behind them stood a larger council of twenty, with an additional panel of ten ordinary Prodigan citizens summoned to pass judgment on her actions. Each individual present had witnessed her deeds, leaving her with little doubt about the inevitable verdict.

Tears threatened to betray her composure as she admitted, "No, I do not deserve a second chance."

The courtroom fell into a heavy silence after Molly's admission, the air thick with tension and anticipation. The judges exchanged looks amongst themselves, some nodding in agreement with her statement while others frowned in disapproval.

"Interesting answer," one of the judges finally spoke up, breaking the stillness in the room. "You wouldn't be the only one that would condemn your actions."

As the patrolman placed the silver box onto the small platform, murmurs rippled through the courtroom. Molly couldn't help but voice her confusion, her eyes darting between the judges and the mysterious box.

"It is what it has always been," one judge stated cryptically.

"Truth," another affirmed.

With a sense of anticipation hanging in the air, a judge clicked a button, causing the box to open before Molly's eyes. She leaned forward, her heart pounding in her chest, only to find emptiness within.

"Huh?" Molly's voice trembled with bewilderment.

The judge above her spoke again, "Confusion, perhaps? Let us illuminate this matter."

The judge snapped his fingers once more, and a huge screen lowered from above the court. The screen flickered to life, revealing a young unconscious boy who appeared to be around the age of 10. Molly's heart sank as she recognized him as a small Lilliputian, the same race she had been accused of mistreating.

"Who..." Molly started to ask, her voice filled with horror and realization as she connected the dots. The boy in front of her had been in the silver box that was placed on the platform, a victim of her thoughtless actions.

As the Lilliputian boy stirred and his voice resonated throughout the courtroom, Molly's unease intensified. She exchanged glances with the judges, sensing a shift in the proceedings.

"Where am I?" the boy's bewildered voice reverberated, amplified by the speakers in the room.

"We welcome you, young man," a judge greeted him, his tone solemn yet welcoming.

Startled, the boy turned his gaze towards the judges, his eyes widening with realization.

"We welcome you to the halls of justice."

***

Travis's last memory was of witnessing his world crumble around him, a world crafted by the Goddess Molly. With a single step, she brought about its end, showing no mercy as everything he knew was reduced to chaos.

Amidst the turmoil, Travis ran for his life, his mother pulling him along. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he called out to her, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

"We'll make it out of this!" his mother's reassurance barely reached his ears amidst the cacophony of screams and howling winds.

As they fled, a powerful gust swept through the city, hurling people into the air like rag dolls. Travis and his mother sought refuge on the ground, narrowly avoiding a speeding car launched towards them.

Lying on the ground, Travis gazed up at the darkened sky, feeling the warmth of his mother's presence amidst the chaos that enveloped them.

Travis felt the ground shake beneath him as he looked up and saw the enormous foot belonging to the goddess Molly descending upon the city. The weight of her presence was suffocating, and he knew that his life was about to come to a sudden and violent end.

As rubble fell from the crevices of her foot and buildings were blown away by the force of her movements, Travis closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable. The air around him trembled with power, and he could feel the ground beneath him begin to rumble in anticipation of the impending destruction.

Travis's eyes snapped open as he felt a sudden surge of momentum propelling him away from the chaos. Confusion flooded his mind as he beheld his mother's smiling face, her lips moving in words drowned out by the roaring wind.

"Mom!" he cried out, his voice barely audible over the cacophony surrounding them.

As Travis tumbled through the air, he glanced back to witness the devastating impact of the goddess Molly's foot upon the city. An explosion of unimaginable power rippled through the air, deafening him with its force. His senses overwhelmed, Travis felt his eardrums burst as the shockwaves reverberated through his body, signaling the irrevocable transformation of the world he once knew.

As Travis lay on the ground, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and pain, exhaustion overtook him. His eyelids grew heavy, his body aching from the ordeal he had just endured.

"Mom," his last coherent thought echoed in his mind before darkness enveloped him completely.

***

Travis's surroundings seemed surreal as he took in the vast expanse of the halls of justice, his gaze drawn upward to the towering figures seated behind colossal podiums.

"Do not fear, little one," a judge's reassuring voice resonated through the chamber. "We have summoned you here to hear your testimony regarding this woman."

Travis strained to focus on the judge's finger, which appeared blurry from the distance. With a sense of trepidation, he turned to follow the judge's gesture, only to be confronted with a sight that filled him with shock and fury.

"You..." His voice trembled with anger and hatred as he confronted the woman who had brought destruction upon his world. "You monster!" he accused, his fists clenched and teeth gritted in fury.

Travis's eyes locked onto the Prodigan woman standing behind the imposing podium, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and defiance. He recognized her all too well, the embodiment of power and destruction.

"We meet again, goddess," he declared, his voice tinged with a blend of contempt.