The doors were opened for Zeriel and he stepped inside. The guards took his soaked coat from him then directed him down the main hallway to the courtroom. Before he entered, Zeriel shook the water from his drenched wings as best as he could then tried to fix his hair. This was it. Everything relied on his testimony.
Zeriel stepped into the black marble of the courtroom and approached the vaulted desks of the four judges of Ilyan and the head judge himself who sat behind a wooden pulpit in his black robes and red stole. He stood there and respectfully bowed to them before making eye contact with the familiar and unfamiliar faces alike. On either side of the head judge, he noticed an elderly priest in the pale yellow of the old paladins, High Priest Corin in all red, a pudgy priest who looked to be more at home in a tavern than a temple, and Prince Averin in his full plate armor. So these were the chosen judges for military trials involving paladins. These judges could either help or hurt his cause . . . and he wasn't entirely sure which would be the case.
Once the heavy wooden doors were closed, the head judge tapped his gavel on the pulpit and leaned forward into the haze of orange mage-glow that illuminated the entire room. "Fallen Angel Zeriel, will you give the court a full report of the happenings in the Wolfekin fort known as the Wolf's Den as they occurred two months ago?"
"I will."
"Do you swear to give true and binding information without deceit or lies in the name of justice?"
He didn't have much of a choice. "I swear it."
"Very well. Fallen Angel Zeriel, some of us will now ask you a series of questions. We expect full and complete answers. If you do not understand one, you may ask us to rephrase the question until you feel one hundred percent confident in your ability to answer them. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
The elderly priest in yellow was the first to ask a question, his frail voice barely audible over the torrential rain beating against the stained glass windows lining the outer wall. "Fallen Angel Zeriel, is it true that you were under the direct command of Paladin Lieutenant Jaylen Amalas Corrifus during the events that occurred at the Wolfekin-controlled fort?"
"That is correct."
"And is it true that while you and the small group of red paladins and angels infiltrated the fort, you were faced with an army of undead that had been summoned by a necromancer?"
"Yes, that is true."
"Have you, at any time, tried to corrupt Jaylen Corrifus's soul?" The priest asked.
"Never."
The priest nodded his head thoughtfully. "My prince, it is your turn."
Prince Averin leaned back in his chair as he casually flipped through the stack of papers on the table in front of him. "Can you give us an exact account of the combat that occurred between Squad Eight and the enemy forces?"
"Paladin Liam Ulverin initiated the main event of combat after the death of the Wolfekin general at the hands of Paladin Trevor Treylan. Liam Ulverin's smoke bomb went off and provided a distraction. From there, I entered the fight, going straight for the elven necromancer. I believed that he was the greatest threat and if any of our allies fell in battle, they would have the terrible fate of being thralls to the elf's dark magic. Shortly after that, the other angels approached the fort and fired their arrows over the area, hitting both Fallen Angel Axaniel and the necromancer Sulstair multiple times. However, the two enemies did not fall there. They continued to fight as Paladin Disciplinary General Riz led the other members of Requiem Squad into the fort. At that point, every member was equally engaged in the fighting."
Prince Averin nodded his head. "And what of Jaylen Corrifus? Did he fight as well?"
Zeriel placed his hand over his heart. "With every fiber of his being. He fought courageously. I only broke off his brave engagement of the enemy once it was all too clear that we had lost. It was I who forced him to abandon the fight, much to his dismay. I fully believe that my paladin would have given his life as well in that fort if I hadn't carried him out of there."
The head judge held up a silver amulet with a large pale blue topaz in the middle. One of Jaylen's soul segments lightly glowed in the middle of the stone. "Then how do you explain the events recorded on this amulet? Do you even know anything about this amulet?"
"I know of its existence, yes."
"And have you watched what is recorded on here?"
"I have not."
"Then I will now allow you to view its contents." The head judge handed the amulet to the guard.
Zeriel took the amulet from the guard and flicked his fingertip over the gemstone and watched as the images came to life. It was undeniable. He had been caught in his lies. He stopped the recording then handed it back to the guard. "I have watched it."
"It clearly shows decisive inaction on Lieutenant Corrifus's part throughout the duration of the battle. Do you deny that?"
"Faced with that kind of evidence, how could I?" Zeriel asked. "No, I do not deny what is shown on that amulet."
"Then please humor the court and tell us how you can both acknowledge the truth recorded on the amulet and still claim that Lieutenant Corrifus did everything he could for the other members of his squad who were under his command."
"I fully believe that Jaylen did everything he could. Mentally, he was not completely aware of the situation that unfolded around him. I also believe, in his mind, that he was fighting bravely as he had been trained to do. What that section of the amulet's recording does not show is how he attempted to steal the Wolfekin general's documents and maps as well as the light magic barrier that he had summoned to defend himself and anyone who could enter that barrier. Not all paladins simply throw themselves mindlessly into one on one combat. He was using his defensive spells, clearly with the favor of Sola on his behalf."
"Is that true, High Priest Corin?" The head judge asked. "Can a paladin not use light magic without the favor of Sola?"
High Priest Corin took a drink from his golden chalice. "That is correct, though I am skeptical of Jaylen's intentions in summoning that barrier, if it did indeed exist. Trust me. I am not holding anything from his past against him because King Talyn has pardoned him of his blasphemous ways. However, it is my opinion that Jaylen Corrifus cannot be trusted."
"But if it wasn't for this amulet, we would be inclined to believe Zeriel's story one hundred percent without question. We need to fully evaluate the circumstances and even ask ourselves if we can fully trust the validity of this amulet."
"It was given to Jaylen by Archangel Carvael himself!"
"Then what would you suggest we do about Lieutenant Corrifus?" The head judge asked. "No more playing around, no beating around the bush. If you have a sentence or punishment in mind, then let's have it all out on the table for discussion."
"I believe that Corrifus deserves nothing less than an immediate execution."
The priest in yellow shook his head. "No, no, no. I cannot second that. If we change the rules now for this case simply because we have a possible recording of the events, then we will have to change these proceedings for every other case like this. We must maintain a constant and unchanging face of justice. We have the sworn testimony of an angel, for Sola's sake. Is that not enough to have Corrifus released into his custody?"
"So are we to vote on the issue of completely throwing out the recorded evidence?" The pudgy priest asked.
The elderly priest held up his hand. "I second this vote."
"Then with a show of hands, who votes for dismissing the evidence on the amulet?" The head judge asked.
Zeriel watched three of the five raise their hands.
"Very well. The evidence recorded on the amulet will no longer be admissible in the court and it will have zero influence on the court's decisions regarding the fate of Lieutenant Corrifus. Now, we move on to the sentencing phase."
High Priest Corin was the first one to speak. "As with any case of heresy against the Holy Order or the church, I will continue to exercise my right to call for an execution of the heretic, no
matter the circumstances surrounding his questionable survival in the face of every other member of his squad being slaughtered. And please don't waste my time talking about how this has happened six times before with Squad Eight. Superstition is the enemy of faith."
"With all due respect, High Priest Corin, shouldn't the death penalty be removed now, seeing as we have no witnesses to testify to Corrifus's misconduct?" The older priest asked.
"Then what would you do in this case?" The other priest asked. "Let's discuss these possibilities."
High Priest Corin's face turned red. "Absolutely not! Fallen Angel Zeriel lied on record to the court. You all heard his lies. This is unacceptable, even for an angel."
"Zeriel is the son of Archangel Carvael."
"I don't care if he is Sola herself. He swore to tell the truth in this courtroom. You all know the penalties for perjury in this court. We obviously are not able to impose a sentence on an angel, so his lies will fall on Corrifus's shoulders as well."
The head judge tapped his bony fingers on the pulpit. "If that is the case, then the death penalty should be put back on the table for discussion."
Prince Averin groaned as he cracked his knuckles. "I agree . . . reluctantly. But the law is the law. I don't know about all of this clergy stuff. I'm a simple military man. However, I do know that desertion is a very serious crime as well."
"One that the military would punish with execution?" The head judge asked.
"Absolutely. But-"
"Then it has been decided."
Prince Averin stood up and slammed his fist on the desk. "I am not finished! How can we justify handing down a sentence to someone who cannot understand what they've done wrong? Everyone in this court has had the chance to speak with, test, and evaluate Jaylen's mental state since the battle. If I am not mistaken, you each handed in a full report stating the same conclusions. Jaylen Corrifus is in no condition to be facing any sort of punishment. He wouldn't be affected by it at all. He won't understand what is happening and why."
High Priest Corin waved his hand dismissively. "You are only condoning his behavior because he is your cousin."
"I am not condoning anything. Our blood ties have no standing here. You know that. After what his father did-"
"Doran Corrifus's name is not to be spoken in this room. Is that clear?" High Priest Corin asked angrily.
"You are in no authority to give me orders, priest. Doran Corrifus was a very brave fighter in the Eight Night War. Before his untimely death, he fought with as much bravery and ferocity as any of my soldiers. If need be, I will have my father pass judgment instead of you."
"This is a church matter, not a political one."
"Are you claiming that the throne of Vilyron is purely secular?" Prince Averin asked. "You sir, are horribly mistaken. King Talyn can disband the church at any point, whenever he deems it necessary. Do not insult any member of my family, or you will be out of a job and exiled from this country."
"You would threaten the head of the church?" High Priest Corin asked, growing more and more furious.
"Yes, I would. The crown governs everything in this country. That includes faith."
"You couldn't even touch the church!"
"Is that a challenge, priest?" Prince Averin threw his papers onto the floor. "Where would your precious Holy Order be without the supplies, weapons, and training that the Vilyron military gives to your paladins for free? Not to mention the funding we pour into the church just to keep the peasants subdued."
"Is that what you are reducing the church to, prince? A way to subdue and entertain the masses?"
"Absolutely."
Zeriel moaned as he struggled to stay upright with the help of his cane.
The judges stopped their bickering and Prince Averin sat down again. The priest in yellow sighed and rubbed his eyes. "We can all agree on one thing. Jaylen Corrifus is no longer in any state to be in combat. If I am speaking completely candidly, then I believe it isn't out of the question to say that Jaylen Corrifus isn't in any mental state to live a normal life. He has been traumatized beyond repair."
Zeriel cleared his throat. "Excuse me, honorable judges. May I ask a question?"
"Go ahead."
"How bad off is he? For the past two months, I haven't had a chance to speak with Jaylen or even see him."
The head judge opened a folder in front of him. "Not many people have been able to see him because he has been on suicide watch."
"This entire time?"
"Yes. He cannot speak. He cannot respond in any way to any kind of stimulus. The only thing he has done was try to use anything in his room to kill himself. He hasn't spoken a single word this entire time. We've been force-feeding him nutrients to keep him alive. Jaylen spends every hour of the day and night secured to a bed by leather straps around his arms, legs, and chest to ensure that he doesn't commit suicide."
"What about the injuries he sustained from when I fell out of the sky into the forest and those trees fell on top of us?" Zeriel asked.
"He suffered a broken leg, arm, and some cracked ribs as well as a head injury that very well could be contributing to his altered behavior. Multiple healers have observed him and they have all confirmed that he has suffered severe brain damage that may or may not be curable. Which is why I believe that a fitting punishment in his case would be immediate discharge from the Holy Order and to have him released into the custody of Fallen Angel Zeriel who will be solely responsible for Jaylen's mental and physical health. It is becoming far too expensive to keep him here. Any further punishments will be ineffective because Jaylen Corrifus is unable to learn anything in his state."
The younger priest yawned. "So we would, in essence, be forcing Jaylen into slavery under the ownership of his own angel? Isn't that cruel?"
"Cruel?" The head judge asked. "No. I think that both the paladin and the angel can learn from this situation. This will teach Fallen Angel Zeriel to be responsible for someone who cannot help themselves."
"Then we will be forced to discuss the lineage of the royal family, will we not?" High Priest Corin asked. "Do we want a brain-dead suicidal heretic to be in line for the throne?"
The head judge scoffed. "He is seventh in line. He might as well not have any potential stake in it at all."
Prince Averin shrugged his shoulders. "I agree. Let him go with at least some scrap of dignity. If Sola herself can still find him worthy of light magic, then there must be something valuable with his soul. Let Zeriel figure out what that is."
High Priest Corin sent a cold glare his way. "So are you saying that the best course of action here is to let a worthless life go free?"
"If he's worthless, then what do you get out of killing him? Wouldn't you rather save the death penalty for a rapist or a murderer whose public execution would be beneficial to society instead of forcing them to watch a defenseless boy who has lost his mind be killed without mercy? That is how the common people will view this. Jaylen's execution at this point in time will only cause more upset, which is something we definitely don't need during wartime. Even wasting time arguing about Jaylen is detrimental to this war. I should be out there leading my troops instead of here discussing issues that shouldn't be issues in the first place. Give Jaylen to Zeriel and let them leave. No other course of action even remotely makes sense."
"We shall now take a vote." The head judge announced. "Who here believes that Jaylen Corrifus should hang for his crimes?"
Only the high priest raised his hand.
"And who believes that Jaylen Corrifus should be immediately removed from his service to the Holy Order and released into the custody of his caretaker and now owner, Fallen Angel Zeriel?"
The rest of the judges raised their hands.
"Then it is settled." The head judge slammed his gavel on the wooden pulpit. "Jaylen Corrifus is hereby stripped of his military and clerical titles along with all the authority and privileges associated with those titles. From this moment on, Jaylen Amalas Corrifus will
no longer be viewed as a free citizen, but as an indentured slave to Fallen Angel Zeriel. His physical and mental upkeep will fall solely on the shoulders of Zeriel for the remainder of his life, no matter how long or short that may be. Fallen Angel Zeriel, do you have any questions, concerns, or wish to file an appeal with the court?"
Zeriel breathed a tentative sigh of relief. "No, Your Honor. I agree with the sentence."
"Then the sentence of the court will stand. Without any appeals, the sentence is eternally binding and will be enacted immediately. Fallen Angel Zeriel, the guards will escort you to Jaylen's room where he will be released along with any belongings into your ownership. You are dismissed."
Chapter 10
Zeriel had never been so nervous to step into a room where he knew his young paladin was. His heart raced and his palms sweated as he tried his hardest to calm himself. Being on edge was only going to make this entire process more difficult for both of them. Truth be told, Zeriel didn't know what he was going to find on the other side of the door, but he kept telling himself that whatever he found was still the Jaylen he knew and loved from before this entire fiasco. With one more deep breath, Zeriel pushed the door open and stepped into the brightly-lit room.
A scantily clothed Jaylen was motionless on the bed in the middle of the bleak room. His arms and legs were strapped down tightly and the thick one across his chest ensured that he couldn't move. He wore only a threadbare cotton shirt that barely covered his thighs. A thin wooden tube like the one General Riz had used was secured in his throat with a funnel and bound with twine around the back of Jaylen's head so it wouldn't fall out. A thick black blindfold was tied around his eyes. The only sound in the room was the boy's light raspy breathing. He had even grown a short beard from two months of poor grooming.
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