"Belloraphon Pallas, you stand accused of inciting war and violating the ancient borders set down by Emporer Ouroboros to keep the peace of the planet. Your greed and pride have led to the deaths of thousands."
Imperial ajudicator Mu said pulling a large book out from a case he had beside him at his podium.
"In this book contains the names of all those known to have perished in direct connection to the war that you started. Each life is a story, some a son, a daughter, father, mother, brother, sister; all dead thanks to you." He continued.
Sorin watched from the entrance of the room in the rafters way up high where he blended into the shadows. There were a few of those in attendance that sensed something odd, including the adjudicators security detail, where he was which Sorin attributed to a sensory ability, but like with most of the population, they will ignore something that could be inconvenient, not a threat, or cause conflict...which is what Sorin was banking on to be left alone to watch the trial of the duke and his subordinates.
Most of the lesser nobility under the duke and the military officers had been executed slowly for crimes against the people. Sorin didn't really like seeing the brutality of the execution, and that uncomfortability was the point. It sent a very clear message of what happens when people commit war crimes and do heinous acts that go too far outside the scope of war.
"As is the right of all those accused, do you have anything to say in defense?" Mu asked.
Duke Palas looked up and with a glint in his eye, spoke.
"My champion has statements from some of my men that house Aegis made a compact with the infernal. Before my arrest, we had our evidence consolidated to include a memory orb to confirm their memory. We also accuse them of violation of honor. Under a flag of peace, they struck the force they entreated with."
The Mu's eyebrows rose slightly.
"Demonic compacts would be a reason to incite war, but was this discovery made before or after you had struck." He asked.
A man dressed in fine clothes stepped forward. "Adjudicator, I am the aforementioned champion of Duke Belloraphon and we have sworn statements from those saying this was the case before the war and was the purpose for it." He said as he handed the sealed papers to the court attendant who handed them to the Ajudicator.
After approximately ten minutes of silence as Mu read through, he looked at Duke Phorcys Aegis.
"These appear to be legitimate. How do you respond to these accusations?" He asked.
Duke Aegis responded instantly with bewilderment. "I completely deny it. We have, at no time made any agreement with any of the infernal and invite the Imperial court to investigate at their leisure." He responded.
Mu nodded before taking the presented memory orb and put it into a projector for the trial viewing.
It was from the perspective of a soldier who was clearly running.
"It's coming for you, run faster." A sinister voice could he heard as the man whimpered in terror. As the man crested the right after the first man to reach the top, he was coated in a spray of blood and viscera. There was an audible gasp from the audience in attendance then absolute silence as the view panned up to the trees and the monster standing before the forest in all its horror.
It's face caught fire showing a maleficent visage of cruelty.
"Pitiful mortals.....I will give you one chance to save your pathetic lives...." The same raspy sinister voice from earlier spoke as if from everywhere at once.
"You will throw down your weapons.....turn around....and walk the direction you came until you find Aegis forces.....and surrender." It continued.
As always, there is always one who had some courage left that had began shouting at the terror. The monster raised a hand, and lighting flashed forward with the accompanying thunder, striking man and those in his direct vicinity.
"Take lesson...foolishness leads to destruction....last chance." It said again. There was no hesitation as the men and the one whose view this memory was taken from turned and fled. The memory faded and all in attendance took a shakey inhale as if they had all been holding their breath.
"The entity doesn't look like any of the known infernal we have seen, but that doesn't mean it hasn't assumed a new form per a contract. Who was the commander in this area that apprehended these men as prisoners of war?" Mu asked.
"Commander Euryale Aegis." The Pallas champion spoke coldly.
"Euryale Aegis! Step forward!" The adjudicator commanded loudly.
There was muttering and whispering as the woman rose gracefully in a gown of her houses colors, looking nothing like the warrior she had to become. Black hair flowing with two small twin braids wrapping around her head in the form of a crown with her circlet placed into it. Her red eyes faced forward unflinching as she stepped to the court platform.
She gave the required bow to the adjudicator as is required of those entering the trial toward the one working in the authority of the Emperor.
"This monster's actions sent men to your camp. On top of that you are the commander in question who is accused of violating the laws of honor. What do you have to say in your defense?" Mu intoned.
"Adjudicator Mu, not only was the monster shown, not a demon, but was a former subordinate of mine. I released him from my command weeks earlier to do as he pleased. That being said, the sworn statements are false because this individual was not even on planet at the beginning of the war, but was believed to be in the aether ore mines." She said.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
"Is this individual present here today?" Mu asked.
Euryale turned and looked directly at Sorin in his perch.
"He is adjudicator." She replied.
"What is his name for the record?"
"Sorin Ekart." She replied.
"Sorin Ekart! Step forward!"
- Sorin -
Sorin rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be a part of this crap any more than his actions in the fighting. He shouldn't have come in hindsight and there was no way, he could leave, now that knuckle head Euryale named dropped.
Oh, she and him were going to have a conversation about snitching.
He rose from the beam and dropped to the floor as people cleared a path to the platform.
He walked up next to Euryale and glared at her causing her to flinch a bit. He could see the apology already on her face, but he was still going to chew her out later.
He looked at the adjudicator and waited.
"Are you not familiar with the rules of this proceeding?" The adjudicator asked irritated by his lack of action.
"No. I'm not from around here sir." He replied.
"Very well, we will note that it is a matter of ignorance that can be remedied. When you approach one working under the authority of the Emporer, you bow otherwise it is taken as a challenge to the Emporer and considered treason." He replied causing two of his guards to step forward hands on weapons.
Sorin at a glance and out of habit, looked at their aether system and breathed out a sigh. There was no winning this battle. They were all at least Tier 25 and above.
"I apologize for my ignorance sir." Sorin said as he gave a bow that was like the one he saw Euryale give.
He stood back and waiting seeing the guards step back at a nod from the adjudicator.
"For the record, you are named as the monster in the memory orb, but you look very different standing before me, nothing like what we witnessed, are you in fact the being seen in the memory?" Mu asked.
"Yes, I am that monster." He replied quickly and clearly.
"Explain." Mu responded.
"My path allows me to manipulate metal and it was a simple matter to encase my body in metal and change my form to the one you saw." Sorin replied.
"That doesn't explain, the forest of bodies made from their mutilated bodies, blood, and ice. It also doesn't explain the fire and the lightning. Are you going to tell us that, that is also part of your path?" The adjudicator said with a smirk.
"I am going to tell you that." Sorin replied eyebrows raising a bit in amusement.
"That would make you an elementalist at less than tier 20 based on what our readers have informed me of on your way up. I find that extremely hard to believe as you lack the power for that level of understanding of paths." Mu said with disbelief in his voice.
"No disrespect sir, the evidence is before you that I did these things." Sorin said in reply causing whispers and mutterings to start in the audience with amused smiles.
"Very well, let's put this part of the trial to rest. Can you re-assume the form, conjure fire, ice, and electricity for us?" Mu said sitting back in his chair.
Without any movement and looking directly at the adjudicator, Sorin brought his liquid metal armor up ans over, increasing height, lengthening his arms, forming the wolf-like appearance, then caused an orb of ice and fire to swirl around him with electricity arching to the ground harmlessly.
Sorin wished he could have gotten a picture of the face of the adjudicator because it was nothing but embarrassed suprise and Euryale was looking him over like some sort of prize. She was a young woman and he was putting on a show. He couldnt blame her, but he wouldn't give any signal or attention beyond what is professional.
"Very well. I accept this as proof that the aforementioned monster thought to be a demon is not and unless there is any other evidence, I will set that to the side as refuted?" The adjudicator asked only to get silence in return.
"Now, you did claim that you had started this war due to consorting with the demonic. Is there anything else?" Came the next question.
"Only our sworn statements Adjudicator." The Pallas champion said.
"As they are sworn statements, a full investigation into house Aegis will be launched." The adjudicator said causing smirks to break out on the faces of Belloraphon and those behind him on his side, but then were cut short by the next sentence.
"As well as a full investigation into the ones who swore these statements and why members of house Pallas were spying." Mu said after seeing their reaction.
"Now, on to the matter of honor. Euryale Aegis, witnesses claim that under a banner of peace you struck at your enemy. What say you in your defense?"
Euryale stood tall and without emotion spoke.
"I did no such thing adjudicator. The one who attacked was of a third party not connected with my own men. While I was meeting with the enemy commander, their force was decimated. I did not attack as they went back to check on their forces, but waited as honor demands for the banner to expire. Once it had, then and only then, did we march on the enemy and take them." She narrated.
"Seems rather convenient that it happened that way. Claims say that the third party was the same Sorin Ekart that stands beside you now. Was he released from your service before or after the event in question?" Mu asked.
"Before Adjudicator. Neither I, nor any of my men had given or could give command to Sorin Ekart to do what he did. He acted on his own accord." She said matter of factly.
"That's quite the tale, but do you have evidence to back up your claim?" Mu asked.
"I do adjudicator." Sorin spoke this time reaching slowly into his shirt pulling out a metal tube. He unsealed it and handed it to the guard who gave it to the adjudicator.
After reading the properly notorized and sealed document, he rolled it back up and returned it to it's tube and back to Sorin.
"According to official documentation completed before the attack, Sorin did act as a third party, but one must ask why?"
"Simply, the war itself has gotten between me and my ability to get home. I had a prior agreement with Euryale Aegis to assist me in getting home. However, upon my arrival she was mired in a war that had been going on for the better part of a few years. I did not have time for that. So I requested of her that she releases me from her and allow me to do as I wish. She agreed and we are here sir." Sorin explained.
"Hmmm. Very well, this matter is settled and house Aegis is not guilty of breaching the banner of peace." The adjudicator decreed while closing the ornate file he had in front of him.
"At this time - " Mu was about to continue when he was interrupted.
"Adjudicator, there is the matter of path destruction we have not addressed." The champion said.
"Do you know who did it?" Mu asked.
"We believe it is Sorin Ekart." The champion stated.
"I didn't ask what you believe, I asked what you KNOW. If you are going to blame someone then you had better bring evidence. What evidence do you have?" Mu asked impatiently.
"I saw him adjudicator! I saw that mask he wears and felt as my core and channels collapsed like glass!" Belloraphon pleaded in anger.
"Is this true?" Mu said looking at Sorin Ekart.
"No adjudicator. I wasn't there." Sorin lied casually.
"He lies!" Belloraphon shouted.
"Evidence? Unless you can produce another who saw him or some sort of evidence it's hearsay and can't be proven one way or another." Mu said tiredly.
Belloraphon flashed a look of pure hatred at Sorin who showed him as much regard as a boot would an ant, which made him even more furious.
"Now! I declare this case to be in hiatus until the investigation is complete. Duke Belloraphon, as the perceived violator of the law, will be remanded into Imperial custody until the completion of the investigation, which if the said investigation finds that his claims were erroneous; will be summarily executed for crimes against the crown and it's people. Adjourned."