Silence fell again.

As Luke’s friends huddled against each other in a way for the man in the center to not glare at them, Luke was at the forefront of the group. Tucking in his head like a turtle, he glanced at both sides of the room to notice that no agent stepped out or made a scene, creating a brittle suspense that can only be broken by—

A short-haired agent knocked on the wooden pew two times, knocking on wood. Everyone turned their attention to the blonde-haired agent, with even senators and judges alike looking toward the agent whose eyes were as cold as the Kepputhan glaciers from up north.

(President Reed) Ah, Agent Briggs. “The Wintry Agent”. Have anything to defend or attack Luke’s claims?

Briggs took off his black fedora with his right hand while having his left hand placed firmly on the wood that he stained with his shrill hands. Having his black fedora in his right hand, he dropped it down to his side, followed by pinning his attention on Luke.

(Agent Briggs) Me and my agents were there during the attack on Lagefor. I can confirm that Luke and the others were there in the counterattack.

(President Reed) Are Luke’s claims true? Did he put innocent lives at risk when battling against The Bringer of Death?

Briggs stared right into Luke’s teary-eyed face, moving his black fedora onto his crotch with both of his hands. Piercing his eyes right into Luke’s soul, Briggs felt both of his shoulders being tugged by both Alexandra and Eren.

Not bothering to pay attention to his agents, Briggs also didn’t pay the smug grinned Reed that just watched from on top.

(Agent Briggs) He did take out The Bringer of Death, and the rest of us all managed to defeat the liches and zompires all with luck. The rest of my agents can confirm. But…

The black fedora that he held onto with both of his hands started to scrunch up, its black fabric being wrinkled against his ice-feeling hands. Not only were his hands the only part of his body to be scrunching up, but his eyes also began to turn bloodshot red, as if his entire body was holding back.

But what?

Darkening his eyes, a strand of his hair soon blocked against his right eye, leading to him having a similar side bang as Luke.

(Agent Briggs) I think he’s the one… I know of it.

(President Reed) The one for what?

(Agent Briggs) The ringleader of the infamous cartel group.

Luke took a step back.

His chest, his legs, his arms; they all began to feel the loss of motion and the need for blood.

His breathing fastened, his heart pumping and everything from within his system except for blood went into overdrive. Sweat drenched his chest, and a small amount of body odor escaped from his body as he used his head to slowly look around the courthouse room.

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From the many agents on both sides of the room, they all put their hands back into their suits or pants pockets, their hands hovering over something. To the judges and senators who murmured with themselves, Luke can now hear the clear sayings of the higher-ups from the pews in front of them.

(Judge #1) The Ringerleader of the Los Cerdos de Ojos Negros?

(Judge #2) Well, the reports say that the ringleader has light brown hair.

(Senator #1) So he is the one that we were trying to track down!

(Senator #2) Seems like it. Like they say, a quiet man holds the most secrets.

The whole courthouse room was then filled with noise.

His own thinking being overrun with talk and gossip, Luke cradled his face with his hands. Droplets of sweat dripped down from his face, he hunched his back as he couldn’t dare to look up or to the sides of him. Not even looking back, his neck fought against the very idea of checking his friend’s reactions.

(President Reed) Well, there you have it.

Luke continued to slouch further and further down, letting his knees drop to the cold hard floor. His eyes bugged, his breathing started to intensify as every breath came out a wheeze from his overworked lungs. As his chest continued to let the correct flow of blood underneath his skin, his nerves couldn’t sense the many figures from behind.

Figures that all stared at him, but Luke couldn't turn around.

He didn’t want to.

(Luke’s thoughts) Why is this happening…?

In front of him, Reed took out a pocket watch within his suit’s pocket, opening up the golden canister to read the time it said. Popping the cover back onto the lid, Reed spread out both of his hands wide, making himself bigger than he already was.

As everyone in the room turned their attention to the man in the center, the agents, senators, judges, and the rest of The Dark Angels all saw the display of smugification.

(President Reed) As of this moment, I hereby declare all ten of you, followed by the rest of the missing members and workers who have helped you; to be sinners.

Luna and Hope gently placed both of their hands on both of Luke’s shoulders. Noticing that Luke wasn’t responsive, Hope placed her other hand too to give Luke another nudge.

Luna meanwhile gripped her hold onto Luke’s bony and frail shoulder bone even more, digging her fingers under the bone that did not even startle the poor young man.

(President Reed) For your punishment, you will all be sent to The Dome, a maximum security prison that is twenty miles near the town of City King. As for the time of your sentence, I would suggest a good 50 years in the slammer would do.

Luke slowly lifted his head, while having his knees digging the bottom barrel of the white marbled floor that he sank upon.

His eyes reddened, along with his sniffling nose trying to contain a white liquid that assaulted his throat, he let go of his hands that dug deep into his face. As he still kneeled with both of his knees, he dropped his hands to the ground with his knuckles barely grazing the top ends of the floor.

But he didn’t turn his head, his neck stiffening at the sight that unrattled his playful face.

(President Reed) Do you have any last sayings before I confirm this sentence?

Luke gulped down whatever dried-up saliva sat around his tongue and teeth. Finally receiving the pain from his shoulder that created a stabbing sensation, Luke puckered his lips.

Followed by his head turning to see the tanned beauty to the right of him, her eyes barely containing tears that wanted to escape. And in return, his left eye let out a single tear.

(President Reed) I said do you have any words? I’m giving you one last chance to speak your mind.

Luke turned his head to see Reed smugly grinning at him, his slanted eyes and pushed back short hair all causing him to burn something within himself.

But his legs couldn’t even let himself stand, since his knees were fast asleep under the intense pressure that he conflicted upon only him. Luke grit both ends of his teeth, grinding his enamels together to spark a flame underneath his heart.

(Luke) Why … Why are you doing this?

They dubbed thee unforgiven.

In that instant, Reed made a deadpan face, while he placed the back ends of his palms onto the edges of the wooden pew in front of him. Leaning his closer to Luke, Reed took note of the young man’s light brown hair and skinny-toned body.

(President Reed) You remind me of an impudent fool. A fool that betrayed one of us.

A cataclysmic boom rocked the entire courthouse room.

Followed by a rapid plume of smoke and dust.