by Spoor, Garry
Who was she kidding, she could never take that road, but if the opportunity presented itself, when it presented itself, she would put as much distance between the guild and herself as she could.
She rose from the cot and held her arms out as they placed the shackles on her wrists.
“Is that really necessary?” Master Adams asked the guard.
“Just following orders sir.” The guard replied.
Was there a note of regret in the guard’s voice?
“What now?” She asked.
“Since the crown has dropped all changes against you, you will be taken to council chamber where the Master of Law will hear your case.”
“Wonderful.”
“Master Keel is a fair man Kile, he has already reviewed the evidence and he will listen to both sides of the case before he makes his decision.”
Has he already made it she wondered?
She followed Master Adams down the hall through the double doors and back up the stairs that she had descended nearly a week ago. One would think that if they had wanted her so badly they wouldn’t have left her waiting in her cell for so long. They led her down a second hall and then a third as Master Adams rambled on about legal procedures and what to expect during the trial, but she only heard about half of it and the half she heard she understood little and cared nothing. Let them have their trial, let them feel as if they are in charge. She wasn’t planning on staying around much longer anyway.
They stopped when they reached a small door. The guards took their place on either side as Master Adams reached for the handle.
“Are you ready?” He asked her again.
“If I say no, can we go back to my cell?”
Master Adams forced a smile as he pulled open the door and ushered her through.
The room was not what she thought it would be. When he said they would hear the trail in the council chambers, she figured a small room with a single desk and an old man sitting behind it waiting to pass sentence. This wasn’t a chamber, this was an amphitheater.
It may have been dark, but she could feel the space opening around her, wider and higher than she thought possible. Rows upon rows of seats that surrounded her were filled with eager whispering spectators. Before her a long table set above the floor with not one, but seven old men in black hooded robes waiting to pass judgment. A smaller table sat down on the main floor with two chairs, Master Adams directed her to one of them.
From her seat on the floor she felt as if she was at the bottom of a deep pit, the walls of which were lined with eyes staring down at her. Before her the seven hooded men sat, but they were speaking with one another, as if her presences there meant nothing, and they were already discussing what to do with her. She could barely make out their faces under the hoods and the dim light of the glowing orbs that rested on the table didn’t help very much.
Whatever their argument was about it had reached its boiling point as the black robed man sitting in the center of the group slammed a fist sized crystal globe down onto a hard wooden block. The sharp sound was heard above the noise as it echoed through the chamber and the room fell silent. He waited until the other men found their seats.
“This trial will now come to order.” The man said as he set the globe aside, drew back his hood and picked up his papers. He looked old as he leaned forward into the light of the orb although his hair and his beard were as black as pitch and bore no sign of graying. It was in the tired lines around his eyes that told his age. He didn’t shout or raise his voice but she could hear every word he said as if he had been sitting right beside her.
“Will the accused stand?”
Master Adams motioned for her to stand up and although she really couldn’t see the point of it, she would play along for the time being as she got to her feet.
“As the members of this council are no doubt aware, the Crown has dropped all charges against the accused, although that does not clear her from those charges that have been brought against her by the Guild and by the Tower.” He said addressing the spectators first before turning those tired eyes onto her.
“Miss Veller, you are being charged with no less than seventy three violations of the Hunter’s Code of conduct, not the least of which the direct involvement in the death or disappearance of thirty six known hunters, as well as the abduction and possible death of one Emara Lon of the Mystic’s Tower. How do you plead?”
“Master Keel, I wish the violations against my client to be read for the record as well as the names of each missing hunter listed.” Master Adams replied as he rose from his chair to stand beside her.
“Are you serious?” A dissenting voice called from the far right hand side of the table as one of the black robed men rose from his seat.
“Master Drain, mind you place.” Keel replied.
“Sir, I mean no disrespect, but in light of the current events, I do not see where a list of this nature needs to be read out when it is common knowledge to all. Are we to spend the next several days squabbling over each little matter when the real issue is so much greater?” Drain asked.
“Although Guild Councilman Drain is here strictly as an observer, I do have to agree with his assessment of the situation.” Another robed figure on the left side of the Law Master called out. “The violations have already been entered into her record, I think that should suffice.”
“As you say sir.” Master Adams replied “but it is my understanding that many of those, so called, violations, occurred after Miss Veller had her hunter certification revoked, and therefore should not be held to a code that did not pertain to her at that time.”
“If I may Master Keel.”
Yet another robed figured rose from his chair, this one was also from the left side of the table.
“Precede Master Rain.”
“There is some merit in what Master Adams has to say, and it seems rather counterproductive to seek a ruling on each of the violation if those violations were carried out in the name of justice. I feel that we should not deviate from the matter at hand.”
“Agreed.” Keel replied after he shuffled through is papers once more. It appeared to be more of a nervous habit than anything else. “The violations shall not be read but shall not be a part of this hearing at this time and will be held over upon its conclusion. Is this acceptable Master Adams?”
“Yes sir, quite acceptable.”
“Then if that is all, how does your client plead.”
“Not guilty sir.”
Master Keel began to converse with the two men on either side of him as Master Adams took his seat. He reached over and pulled Kile back into hers.
“What the hell was that all about?” She asked.
“It simply means that the rules that you broke while you were on the run will not be used in this trial.”
“Is that all, couldn’t they have just said that?”
The crystal globe was struck on the block three more times as Keel spoke up.
“At this time we shall hear from mystic Talormor.”
A dark man with a long narrow face cloaked in light blue robes slowly rose up from his chair on the left side of the stage.
“Thank-you sir.” He said with a slight bow toward Master Keel then turned to the specters. “The mystic tower has been without a Magus for the last twenty six years, after the untimely death of Magus Curci. As you may not know, every so many years a mystic is born who is touched by all eight of the spheres, Emara Lon was such a mystic. It is the custom to prepare this mystic to become the next Magus. Whether her abducting was to cripple the tower, for whatever reason, or an act against her directly, we do not know. What we do know is that such a loss could set the tower astray without guidance. Therefore it is imperative that we know for certain the condition of Mystic Lon.
“It is our belief at this time that she…”
Before the mystic could finish his statement, there was a crackling in the air as dancing blue sparks filled the chamber followed by a flash of bright light a
nd what sounded like a clap of thunder. Kile was sure she had just been struck by lighting as her chair toppled over backwards. For one brief moment the entire amphitheater was lit up and then just as suddenly cast into total darkness. People began shouting and few began throwing curses. The clattering of the guards drowned out the rest of voices as they moved from their places along the walls in a vain attempt to regain order. Kile could see nothing, and her first thought was that she had been struck blind by the light, but when the camber candles reignited brighter than before and looking up from her place on the floor she saw, standing on her table, the last person she thought she would see.
“Hey, Kile girl.”
“Alex? What are you doing here?”
“I hitched a ride.” He said jerking a thumb toward the woman in the brightly colored robes behind him as he jumped down from the table to help Kile up.
The last time she had seen Alex Bartlow was back at the academy on the day of graduation. The small boy was the first to reach out to her as a friend although he could be, and usually was, rather annoying. Something like the younger brother she never wanted. He hadn’t really changed much since those days, save for the mustache he now sported on his upper lip. The facial hair just didn’t suit his boyish face. It didn’t so much as make him look older as it made him look creepy.
“Not bad, At least I was closer this time Al.” The young woman in the multicolored robes laughed.
Kile looked at the young woman who was still standing on the table surveying the room, and although her hood was drawn down over her face, she was not difficult to recognize.
“Emara.” She shouted. “What the hell is going on, and where in all of Aru have you been?”
By now the guards were as surprised to see the colorful young mystic appear within their midst as everyone else in the amphitheater was, and could only stand and watch to see what was gong to happen next. Only mystic Talormor dare to approach.
“Miss Lon, what is the meaning of this? Where have you been?”
“Oh don’t get your robes in a twist.” She said dismissing the old mystic’s ire with a wave of her hand as Alex helped her down from the table.
“Do you realize the tower had been searching for you for the last two cycles? I ask again, where have you been?”
“If you must know I was on vacation… in Baxter’s Bay.”
“I will have order.” Keel demanded as he slammed the globe down on the table brining the chaos under a little more control, although there were still low levels of mumblings among the spectators.
“Mystic Talormor, am I to believe that this young woman is the same Emara Lon that Hunter Veller is being accused of abducting?”
“I’m afraid it is sir.” The Mystic replied a bit nervously.
“Abducted… who me…, I haven’t been abducted in over a month, and definitely not by Kile, in-fact if it wasn’t for her I’d probably still be a prisoner.” Emara replied.
“A prisoner? Of whom?” Keel asked
“Oh, some guy that calls himself… oh, what was it again? Crowshade or something like.”
“Ravenshadow.” Kile corrected her.
“Kile.” Emara exclaimed, noticing her for the first time as she quickly turned around, her multi-colored robes billowing out around her like a drunken rainbow. “There you are… I have been looking all over for you. You look… terrible. Do you always look so… well… unkempt? I mean, I thought it was because the last time you were a prisoner that you let yourself go, but now… you really should do something with your hair. I know a wonderful incantation that could straighten that out and turn you into a blonde in no time.”
“Emara, what happened to you, where have you been all this time? You were supposed to go back to the tower when we parted.”
“Yeah, funny thing that. I kind of… well… missed my mark. I ended up in Baxter’s Bay so I figured… while I was there I’d take a little rest, maybe do a little shopping, visit the spas, you know, I wasn't in a rush to get back to my studies… and then I met Al.” She said as she gave Alex a rather sappy smile.
“Wait, you have been lounging around in Baxter’s Bay all this time. Do you realize they thought I kidnapped you, that I possible killed you?”
“Well… no… I didn’t know, not until Al told me.”
“Al?”
“Yeah, Emara and I met up at the Flounder when I was making my deliveries. I didn’t realize she was the same Emara you kidnapped.”
“I didn’t’ kidnap anyone.” Kile shouted as she threw her hands up in the air.
“Why are you always in shackles?” Emara asked.
“I don’t know… they always seem to go with my attire.”
“Well… that’s true.” She replied as she looked Kile over. “Although it is a sight better than those uhyre rags, still… you should have a bit more pride in your appearance.”
“Em… I think Kile’s been arrested.” Alex added.
“Arrested?” Emara said, repeating the word a few times before it finally sunk in. “Oh… oh I get it. Why have you been arrested, what did you do.”
“For starters I supposedly kidnapped you.”
“Oh well, we know that didn’t happen.” Emara said joyfully as she nearly skipped around the table and with a touch of her finger and a simple word, the shackles broke off, freeing Kile’s wrists. She noticed the guards didn’t exactly appreciate this as they started to move forward.
“I don’t think you should have done that.” Kile replied.
“Why, the last time you wanted me to remove your shackles, and this time I did it without burning you, or squeezing your wrists. You see, I told you I could do it if I wasn’t rushed.”
“Yeah, that was then, this is now, entirely different situation.”
“Well, I can’t very well put them back on now can I? I haven’t really learned that one yet.”
“This is an outrage.” Drain shouted as he rose from his seat. “This is a mockery of the court. She has released the prisoner.”
“Miss Lon.” Talormor shouted as he nearly flew, and probably did, across the floor to finally come up beside her. “You cannot just release a prisoner during a trial.”
“Oh please.” She replied dismissively. “Kile didn’t do anything wrong. It was all that Crowshade… person.”
“Ravenshadow.” Kile corrected her again.
“Crowshade, Ravenshadow, same difference. You remember him, the guy in the drab clothing.”
“Well yeah, I remember him, but they don’t believe he existed.”
“That is not the point, you don’t just release prisoners.” Talormor shouted. He seemed to always be shouting.
“But is she a prisoner?” Master Adams asked, now coming to his sense after seeing the exchange between the two girls. He set his chair upright, placed his papers back on his table and fixed his glasses.
“We know the crown has dropped all charges against her, and I imagine Mystic Talormor that the Tower will do the same now that we know Miss Lon was never abducted, or at least not by Veller.”
“Is this true Miss Lon.” Keel asked from his place on the podium, although now he was standing too. “Are you claiming you were never abducted by Miss Veller?”
“What? Oh come on, do I look like a simpleton?” Emara asked.
Kile couldn’t help but notice that Talormor wanted so desperately to answer that question, but bit his tongue.
“Kile was already imprisoned for several days before I was even captured, there was no way she could have had anything to do with it. As I said already, if it wasn’t for her, I’d probably still be there.”
“Law Master Keel.” Talormor turned to address the bench. “Under this new light of evidence, it is my belief that the Tower has no choice but to drop all charges against the Hunter Kile Veller.”
“So be it, it will be noted.” Keel remarked.
“I object.” Drain shouted again, jumping to his feet. “This is an outrage. I demand order.”
“Th
is is my court Guild Councilmen Drain, do not forget it.”
“My apologies Law Master, but the guild has not dropped the charges against Veller. She is still on trial for the deaths and disappearances of nearly twenty eight hunters.”
“I find it difficult to believe that Miss Veller could have been responsible for those disappearances when she herself had been captured and imprisoned at the time, and may have, in fact, been one of those hunters that had disappeared.” Master Adams quickly replied.
“The Tower may take the word of this child as a legitimate piece of evidence, but I… I mean the guild does not. How can we be sure? She says she spent the last few weeks in Baxter’s Bay, and had no knowledge of the fact that she had been reported missing by the same tower that believe her to be the next Magus. I find this hard to believe, and if we can’t believe her account of the past few weeks, how are we to believe her testimony that Veller was indeed imprisoned?”
“It is a fair question Hunter Adams.” Keel replied. “The Tower does not answer to the guild nor to the crown and if they wish to drop their charges based upon this girl’s testimony, that is their right, but it does not change the fact that Hunter Veller is still facing charges set by the guild.”
“But sir, surely you can see by Mystic Lon’s testimony that these charges are baseless.”
“Not without sufficient proof.”
“But then what proof has the guild shown to substantiate these charges.”
“We have been over this Master Adams.” Keel replied as he took his seat behind the bench. He looked a lot more tired than he had before he started this hearing as he ran his hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair.
“Mystic Lon. Do you have any other evidence that supports your claim that you were imprisoned by this, so called, Ravenshadow and that Hunter Veller was with you at that time.” Keel asked as he turned his attention toward Emara.
“Evidence?” She asked.
