Allocution

The trial continued for two days. After much back-and-forth, the attorneys agreed that the psych defense wouldn't work. Seeing the logic of not drawing this out, the defense agreed to a plea that would put Camila in prison for a long time. In exchange, she would have to give an account of her deeds and change her plea to guilty.

After the deal was accepted, all parties returned to the courtroom to hear what Camila had to say.

"This is an unusual situation compared to the system of justice we had in place before the integration, but we must adapt to the times as they change. I feel that this is a fair method for handing out the punishment for crimes committed here in the guild." Judge Tim began after they had resumed. "While under normal circumstances, the jury would be dismissed, I feel without the proper witnesses present that the precedent for this case would not be properly met."

Tim turned from the defense to the prosecutor, to the jury, and finally to Tom. All in attendance agreed to the idea.

"Then, without further ado, Ms. Camila, please allocute for those present the events that led up to the crime and your recollection of the crime itself."

Camila stood from the defense table and looked around the room at all the faces that were now staring at her.

"Um, I had been lonely for some time and felt like I was not noticed by most people. When Jared came into the cafeteria, he treated me so nicely. We hung out with some of the other cafeteria workers and had gotten pretty close. Then, one day, he came in with Terri, and they shared that they were dating now. I felt like all the wind had been knocked out of me because I was planning to ask Jared out.

I tried to talk to him about it, but he blew me off. Said I was a really good friend and that he didn't think of me that way. I would see them so happy all the time and felt cheated. I deserve that kind of happiness, and no one will even look at me. So, I cornered him after one of his scavenging expeditions in the garage. It's pretty private there because most of the people in the guild don't go out there.

I asked him why he didn't see me that way. Was there something wrong with me? He called me crazy. Said no one would ever want to go out with me if I acted all psycho. I got so mad. I just lost it. I pulled a knife out of my inventory that I keep for protection, and when he turned back to his truck to get something out of the back, I stabbed him.

He screamed and called me a bitch. So, I stabbed him again, and again, and again. There was so much blood. I panicked. I didn't know what to do next. He was starting to gasp, and then he stopped breathing. I dragged his body to the other side of his vehicle, tied him up with some of the kitchen twine, and went to get some trash bags. When I came back, he was trying to crawl away. I guess I lost control because I jumped on him and started hacking at his neck.

Then, when he stopped moving, I cut him up and stuck him in the trash bags that I left by the incineration station." Camila finally finished her statement and sat back down.

"Thank you, Ms. Camila. Are the people happy with the allocution?" Judge Tim asked.

"We are, your honor," The prosecutor, a man named Patrick, replied.

"And Guild Leader Tom, are you satisfied?" Judge Tim turned and asked.

"I am your honor," Tom said.

"Then, due to the violent nature of the crime and the undercutting of the sense of safety, we have been striving to build here at Vanguard, I find the defendant guilty and sentence you to fifteen years imprisonment. Court is adjourned." Judge Tim declared as he banged a small wooden gavel on his desk.

The jury was the first to leave the courtroom. Some looked at Camila with disdain for having dared commit such a crime in their safe place, while others seemed to pity her for having felt rejected and alone. Tom felt pity for her—not for what she did—that was inexcusable. Rather, he pitied her for feeling she was alone in a place with so many people. He had felt that way before, but he had his friends to keep him company—Jerky as well now. What would he have done in that situation?

Not murder, he told himself, but there had to be a way to help people who felt this way.

"Hey, Derek," Tom called to his friend.

"No," Derek replied.

"What?" Tom asked.

"No, you can't help her. And no, you can't try to fix other people feeling this way." Derek said firmly.

"How the hell do you do that?" Tom asked, genuinely shocked.

"You're like an open book, Tom. Always ready to help anyone in distress. You have too many other things to worry about. Brian is working on it with Sarah." Derek replied.

"So, it is being looked into?" Tom asked.

"Of course it is. We can't let something like this go unaddressed. But you're not looking into it. You're distracted enough as it is. We still have an invasion to prepare for, and I think you've been lacking in your training." Derek looked him dead in the eyes with his accusation.

"Oh! That reminds me, I need to get some summoning done. I think I'm going to keep some of the Mastadonians around to help with training."

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"You can do that?"

"Sure can! I asked Azroc about it because Bron has been so helpful. I figured the others could do the same with their respective classes."

"Great, then hop to it," Derek smiled at him and turned to leave.

"Dammit, he's right. I need to get moving on this." Tom thought to himself.

"So, how many will you keep?" Maria asked.

"Probably all of them. Means giving up some mana, but if they can be here permanently, then I don't have to keep summoning them. And the training they can give will more than make up for my small detriment." Tom replied.

"A reasonable assumption. Provided you don't need a big spell suddenly." Maria said.

"I only have one really big one, and I can use it, just not power it as much,"

"You are more of a physical fighter, aren't you?"

"Usually. And some of their training might make me a better one."

Tom left the courtroom after all the others. Moving to the elevators, he went up to his room and looked at the permanent summoning circle. Memories of Azroc made him feel a sense of ease. He liked the crotchety old patron. He might be rough around the edges, but Tom had seen his softer side. Not thinking about it any longer, Tom began casting his summon demonic creature spell. Bron was the first to appear from the circle.

"I don't see any enemies, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Bron asked him.

"If you have the ability to, would you be willing to stay here with us and help us train? It doesn't have to be permanent, but I have the ability to keep you here with us. I don't want to just do it without asking you, though." Tom asked the large Mastadonian.

"An interesting proposition. What brought this about?" Bron asked.

"Well, I, for one, enjoy your company. But I do have an ulterior motive in that it would be very helpful to have you helping train us without needing to be resummoned."

"Very well. I want to make sure that this would be the proper place for me. I, too, have enjoyed your company compared to others who have summoned me for mere sacrifice or desperate decoy plan."

"Wait, they sacrificed you? You died?!" Tom asked incredulously.

"Indeed. I can die. One of the benefits of my pact with a dark god was that I can be killed and will be able to be summoned again. Though it takes a toll on me, and I cannot be summoned for a day after the death." Bron replied. "Though I typically don't tell people this because it makes them see me as expendable."

"I will admit, it does bring those thoughts to mind. But I would never put someone in harm's way willingly, knowing they would die unless I had no other choice."

"I know you wouldn't. That's the only reason I said something."

"Knowing what you do, will you stay?" Tom looked at Bron with expectant hope.

"I will. I have found a fondness for this place and for you that I have not felt in a very long time." Bron replied, smiling behind his trunk.

"Yes! Thank you!" Tom hopped around excitedly as he looked through the information in his display for the ritual.

As he spoke the words aloud, a beam of energy formed between himself and Bron. It was a bluish-green-colored energy that made Tom think of life itself with the way it radiated and shone with a brilliance that filled him with hope. Finishing the incantation, Tom pulled a dagger from his inventory and pricked the end of his finger. A single droplet of crimson blood pooled from the wound.

The single droplet began to float up from his extended finger into a perfect sphere. It reminded Tom of the videos that he had seen of astronauts drinking water in space. Light from the beam lit up only one side of the red sphere and Tom briefly felt like he could see the universe inside that one small drop of life.

Floating away from him, the droplet moved closer to the beam until it touched the edge of the light, and the beam turned red instantly. Sigils floated in the air glowing crimson around Bron as the ritual continued. Tom felt a drop in his mana, and his head swam slightly from the release of power. Then, the light left Tom and flowed into Bron before winking out.

The dark coloration that had been on Bron's skin began to recede, leaving him a typical gray color that he was used to associating with elephants.

"You changed colors?" Tom asked.

"The darkness was from the last one who bound me. He was an evil man, and I was glad to be rid of him when he perished." Bron said.

"He...turned you black?" Tom asked, snickering slightly.

"We take on properties of those we serve. That is why I willingly agree to be bound to you." Bron replied, slightly confused by Tom's amusement.

"Sorry. I'm glad you were willing. Now, the others. I want to summon some of them as well. Do you think they will stay?"

"I'm sure some will. I don't know how many. They have not known you as well as I do."

"Do you know them?"

"Yes. They're my comrades. We came from the same tribe. But that is a story for another time. I know their hearts and can say that some will choose to stay. The others may not, but they can be summoned."

"Alright, let's get started then,"