55 - Fourfold Court
“Lord Barrister,” Azbekt croaked.
The minotaur was huge on a scale Joe’s mind had a hard time accepting. It was one thing to see giant beings in movies; having them standing right over you was a whole ‘nother thing.
The Lord Barrister’s head was at least eight feet off the ground, with his twin jutting horns adding another yard of height. The hoof closest to Joe would have covered the majority of his chest. Joe doubted he could even lift the heavy crimson chestpiece the colossus wore. The plate mail suit was adorned with the symbol of weighing scales, as well as almost a dozen golden stars that were clearly some form of rank.
“All here heard this man proclaim a Fourfold Court, champion. You would deny Ekwiti her due?” the massive creature seethed.
“Please, your honor. This filth seeks to muddy waters it knows nothing about,” the dwarf groveled, looking up at the titanic armored form looming over him. “You and the faithful of Glauri and Onhur need not concern yourselves with this matter. He will recant his request in a matter of moments.”
“Recant? RECANT!?” the taurian war-priest roared. “He has made his declaration here before the Hundred Gods. There is no recanting!”
“Yes, of course. Of course,” the red-skin dwarf stammered. “The Hall of the Celestial Throne is just ahead, your lordship,” the faltering Phealtian suggested, pointing at the austere gray and gold church he had been dragging Joe toward. “Let us finish the journey there and then gather the other two courts to join us.”
“That won’t be necessary, myrmidon,” a regal voice interrupted. They all turned to see a matronly human woman dressed in an impeccable velvet dress with a mantel of gold cloth around her shoulders. Her gray head of hair was tied into an elaborate bun with jeweled chain accents. Just a step behind the gentlewoman was the welcome sight of a very smug-looking Hah’roo. “We have three officers of the four courts here now. As the declaration was made before all these ministers of the Hundred Gods, it is only fitting they be our witnesses.”
The minotaur's anger was immediately reined in, and he tipped his great horned head to the woman in a courtly fashion. “Marchess Randeau,” his deep voice uttered in greeting.
“Lord Barrister Theodanis,” she replied with a small curtseying dip. “If that is amenable to you, m’lord. You are the ranking member here, after all. The choice of venue is yours.” She spoke those last words with a heavy emphasis and a side-eyed look at Azbekt, making it quite clear that the dwarf was no longer in charge of Joe’s fate.
“I think it’s a capital idea m’lady. What say you, …” the minotaur started to ask. His face fell into a scowl as he failed to get anything more than one word from his [Identify], “… Joe? Would you have your case heard here and now, before the servant of the gods, both high and low? Or would you prefer a formal trial in the Hall of Phealti?”
“Here’s good!” Joe blurted vehemently. The last thing he wanted was to get dragged into the lair of Azbekt’s fanatical order.
“Very well, then we just need one more to complete us.” Theodanis rumbled. Looking out over the throng of clergyfolk, the minotaur searched for a few seconds until he spotted what he was seeking. Stretching out an arm as long as Joe was tall, the Lord Barrister pointed. “You there, lass. Come and join us.”
From somewhere behind the wall of bodies surrounding the group, Joe heard a meek voice squeak, “Me, your lordship?”
“Yes, priestess. Onhur needs a voice among us. As Telemont Square seemed oddly bereft of your brothers and sisters, I think Oathkeeper wishes you to be his emissary.”
The crowd parted, and a young fox woman in her late teens slipped through the gap. She was wearing a brown friar’s robe but Joe could hear the rustling of chainmail coming from her as she closed the distance. As she approached, he could see the chain shirt peeking out from the edges of her coarsely woven robe. A blue priestly stole marked with white runes hung from the young woman’s shoulders. Her thick russet tail with its white tip flicked rapidly back and forth, mirroring her anxiously wringing hands.
“But your lordship. I am just an acolyte. I can’t …”
“Have you given your oath to Onhur, sister?” Lady Randeau asked gently.
“Yes, but …”
“Then, you are as worthy as I, the myrmidon, or even the Lord Barrister himself. Just do your best, dear, and I’m sure you shall acquit yourself with honor.”
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Behind the noblewoman, Joe saw Hah’roo, beaming a bright smile while discreetly pointing at the Marchess and throwing him a thumbs up. Whomever this woman was, she clearly had the rope-dancers seal of approval.
“Then it is settled,” the taurian declared. “Let us begin. Let this Fourfold Court commence. I, the Lord Barrister of Ekwiti, the Bringer of Justice, swear this quadrunal shall be fair.”
Taking up the cadence of the oaths, the noble lady spoke next. “I am the Marchess Amaya Randeau, Bishop of Glauri, the Goddess of Law and the Virtuous Rule. Our verdict shall be incontestable.”
The manacle-wielding bully was next. “I am Azbekt Vanderaxe, Champion of Phealti, Scourge of Unhallowed Insurgents. I swear all within this proceeding shall be proper.”
Joe’s heart went out to the kitsune-youth. She looked completely terrified. “Um. I am Mazsy Eskamoon. Acolyte of Ohnur, the Keeper of Oaths and Truths. Um. I swear to …” A look of panic crossed her face until Lady Randeau leaned over and whispered beside her tall, pointed ears. “I swear that no falsehood shall be unchallenged and no pledge forsworn,” Mazsy finished, throwing a grateful look to the Marchess.
Joe couldn’t help but take a quick peek at just who would be deciding his future.
Theodanis: Minotaur: Templar of the Righteous / Red Judge / Cardinal of Ekwiti 76
Amaya Randeau: Human: Seal-Bearer / Crownsworn / Theocrat 50
Azbekt VanderAxe: Dwarf: Crusader / Myrmidon / Champion 34
Mazsy Eskamoon: Kitsune: Priestess 9
Your skill [Identify] has increased to rank 15
The progression was what he assumed it would be from the Lord Barrister down to the young acolyte in order. What he was surprised by was the range. Lord Theodanis was an actual cardinal and almost ten times Joe’s level, while the young acolyte was just a single level higher than he was. At least Joe had one peer in this trial.
“Sir Vanderaxe, I assume you will be amenable to declaring the charges against this man for us?”
“It would be my honor, m’lord” the myrmidon replied. The dwarf cleared his throat and began to orate. “Six days ago, Sir Groven Suttrel of Crowfield, esquire to the House of Amberwroth, Knight of the realm of Duskrug, and laureate of Phealti, witnessed this vagabond walking from the tainted swamps of Brandy Mere, home of witchery and a Feyland crossroad. This wandering stray was, and still remains, cloaked in an aura of deception and obfuscation. See for yourselves how it shields itself from honest assessment.”
Joe had blocked the notifications that informed him of assessments, but the sheer number of appraisals that were suddenly directed at him caused a small tingle to pass through his body. He couldn’t help but squirm from the sensation of such overwhelming scrutiny.
“Thankfully, the God of Order is not so easily thwarted,” Azbezt proclaimed. “Through Phealti’s [Vigilance], the noble knight was able to perceive the taint of the Feylands on this evasive gangrel. It was obvious to the nobleman this creature was an agent of the vile courts beyond the Veil.
“His conclusion was proven accurate just hours later,” the dwarf continued, “When presented with a rightful challenge for its presence among the good folk of Crowfield, this outlander attempted to ferment a riot against Sir Groven. In the course of questioning the suspect, the dissident openly mocked the knight, ignoring his superior station. It was chastised for its impertinence. Rather than accept its righteous punishment, it used bewitchments to draw the peasantry together to form a mob. The deluded souls were nearly swayed into open rebellion against the Duke and his rule.”
“This was not the end of its intrusion. The outlander attempted to use the Hand of Fate to invade the knight’s very essence. Forestalled from slaying the abomination, Sir Groven was forced to withdraw. He had to leave the turmoil the insurgent had wrought and retreat rather than let the thief infiltrate the lineage of his noble family or the sanctity of our holy order.”
“Deceit, contempt, impropriation, breach or order, flight from justice, sedition. These are just the acts this creature performed within a day of its detection. Who knows what further damage to the realm it has inflicted? Where else has it weakened our sense of order at a time when we need it most? The Red Army lurks just upon the Karabast Highlands, waiting to pounce on our fair realm. We cannot afford to let aliens such as this further rend the lawful nature of our kingdom.”
‘Good grief,’ Joe thought. ‘How the hell did being a little mouthy turn into that? And what the heck was that bit about stealing from Grover? That didn’t happen?’
Joe parsed through Azbekt’s skewed depiction of the facts and locked onto the word lineage.
‘Hey Hawking, when I was unconscious from Sir Groven’s punch, did [Anyone] activate without my knowing it?’
Negative, though you have been awarded an additional use of the ability regardless of its cooldown due to a debt incurred by Groven Suttrel. Newcomers are awarded a period of amnesty. His breach of that allowment invoked compensation. Access to one of his ancestral or ecclesiastical traits seemed fitting, given the parties involved.
‘When did this happen? I didn’t see anything about this.’
You were indisposed at the time. By the time you began to check your notifications, Groven Suttrel was no longer within range of your [Anyone] trait. Should you come into proximity of Groven Suttrel again, the notifications will be reissued.
‘I’m not so sure I want it. Won’t that just piss him and his people off more?’
I suggest you worry about that in the future, Joe, and pay attention now.
‘Right! Thanks.’
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