by Za1d3
“You dare lie in front of everyone?! The audacity!” a well-dressed man in his 40’s shouted at Kaidus. Anger in his voice, and sparking whispers amongst the audience.
“ENOUGH! Mister Heldeins, you will sit back down and hold your tongue!” The judge in the middle cried out, silencing the man—along with the room.
“And what was it they were doing?” The judge inquired.
“They were doing to someone, what I did to them.” Kaidus replied, his calm tone was gone. His words were filled with venom, as he turned glared at the man who spoke out of turn
The parents of the victims straightened up in their seats. They knew their sons were far from the stalwart images they had painted earlier.
“They were assaulting someone?” the judge asked.
“Yes Madam.” Kaidus replied, turning back to the judge. His dark eyes not showing an ounce of dishonesty.
The judges’ eyes perked up in curiosity. They had not heard of another victim.
“Who is this someone?” The judge added, as she watched Kaidus closely.
“I will not divulge that information. It would be better to ask the “victim” over there.” He replied, gesturing to the scared young man sitting on the other side.
“Young man. What is the boy talking about?” The head judge in the middle turned to ask the older boy.
“PROPOSTEROUS!” the same angry man shouted. “Six guards were there at the scene! Not a single one of them saw another person!”
“I am not asking you!” the judge shot an angry glare at the man. “One more outburst, and you will forfeit any further chances of disputing your claims!”
“YOU CAN’T BE-” the man started shouting again, but with a quick incantation from the judge, the man’s mouth locked up—unable to speak further.
“What is the boy talking about?” The judge looked at the cowering young man, and asked again.
“I-I-We…” The boy was tearing up, fear gripped him. He was unable to reply. The visage of his friend’s father attempting to shout, brought back the memories of what the child had done to them.
“He is in no position to answer. I will have to ask you to answer in his stead.” The judge spoke, returning to Kaidus.
“…” Kaidus was contemplating about whether or not to reveal the identity of the girl.
“It was a child… They were assaulting a young child.” Kaidus finally answered.
“My Ashis would never do such a thing!” a women yelled out.
“Such drivel! My son would never harm a child!” the parents started yelling together, in congruity.
“SILENCE!” another judge bellowed. His voice infused with mana—thundering through the room, silencing everyone. “Mister Heldeins brings up a good point. Where was this child when the guards came to help?” He asked Kaidus.
“I did not want to leave her with them, so I helped her home myself.” Kaidus replied.
More silent chatter from the audience at the mention of “her”.
“Her?” The judges’ face darkened. The pieces were coming together in this farce of a trial. They had only been briefed that a young mage viciously attacked four boys in self-defense. Nothing about the mage being such a young boy, that he was saving someone, or that the true victim was a little girl.
“And just how did you manage to help this girl, who you claimed was beaten so badly, home? Surely someone would have noticed her condition.” The head female judge asked. With the revelation of the girl, there was something else in the judge’s eyes. Perhaps a look of understanding, of sympathy.
“I healed her.” Kaidus openly stated, seeing no way out of the question. The hall flew into an uproar.
Healing magic was the highest order of magic, far beyond that of the other nine elements. It is not an element, but originates directly from the casters themselves. It was the epitome of a truly powerful magician; one who has complete mastery of their mana, and can bend it to their will.
Healing magic could heal injuries as horrific as severed limbs to things as simple as scratches. As long as the body was whole—or could be made whole again, it could heal it. The only known exceptions were: death, destroyed body parts, and using it to heal others.
It was, the most coveted of all skills. There are currently less than ten mages in the world who could heal themselves. While there are mages who dabbled in healing, they were nothing more but common doctors who set bones and stopped internal bleeding with magic. True healing magic was the recovery of broken bones, the nullification of pain, and reinvigoration of one’s own body to a comfortable state of wellbeing.
The judges were whispering to themselves at the revelation.
Another person with healing magic had appeared in Ferrent. Not only is the user a child, his healing magic was not restricted to only himself. Someone who was overturning the laws of magic was in front of their eyes.
In the uproar, the door to the trial room opened. The people in the audience stopped chattering, and turned to look. The audience split down the middle, allowing those that had just entered to proceed to the front.
A young girl in a beautiful black dress walked forward. She walked with a stride that exhibited fear and hesitation, but her eyes shone with resolve and determination.
Behind her were two large men carrying a young man. Two well-dressed people, a man and woman, followed after.
“Celene?” Kaidus asked, as the young girl reached the front of the room.
“H-hello Kaidus.” she spoke, trying to give him a smile. Her actions belying the resolve in her eyes.
The parents of the “victims” turned pale at the intruders.
Chapter 28 – Celene
She was running.
Chased by a creature that threatened to consume her.
She ran as fast as she could, screaming for help, only to realize that there was nothing but darkness all around her.
Her legs gave out as she ran out of strength, the monster opened its jaws to swallow her whole. Suddenly, a wall of light rushed forth from behind her, destroying the monster and shattering the darkness.
“It’s alright. Everything is okay.” A voice coiled around her. Like a warm blanket in the coldness of night, it warmed and comforted her—protected her.
She turned around, and in front of her was a familiar boy. A gentle smile on his face, with an outstretched arm.
She extended her own shaking hand, and reached for the hand.
Celene woke up. It was just another dream.
Ever since the incident, she had been having nightmares. Although each nightmare was different, they always ended the same way. A bright light, and the same boy extending his hand out to her. As soon as she reach her own hand out to grab his, she would instantly wake up with tears flowing down her cheeks.
It has already been nine days since the attack, and the incident had traumatized her to the point where she refused to step outside of the house. Her parents had constantly asked her what was wrong, but she did not know how to explain it.
Her memories of the attack was real. The pain was definitely real. The four boys who attacked her were also very real. The only questions that troubled her was: how did she get out of there, and how come there was no pain or injuries. It was something she couldn’t explain. Everything pointed back to the mysterious boy who saved her.
She got up out of bed. Slipping out of her nightgown, she put on something more appropriate. She went to the washroom—to wash her face and comb her hair, before going downstairs for breakfast.
Like many of the houses in the Dryva district, the Valnur house is two stories tall. There were eleven rooms upstairs, and five rooms downstairs—where the helps live. Also located on the first floor, are: a meeting room for business, the kitchen in the southern corner of the house, and a large living area for entertaining guests and relaxing. There was even a small backyard with a garden.
As Celene descended the stairs, she could hear her father talking to someone.
“…es, the same
attack in the shopping district.” A man spoke.
Celene stopped in her track, and quietly listened.
“And they’ve found who did it?” Joral Valnur, her father asked.
“Yes sir.”
“… I hate to say it, but those boys deserved what they got for what they did to my son.” Joral spoke, his voice unsympathetic.
“It looks like the trial is in a couple days on the 34th. It is to be a public trial. Should I make time for you to go?” the man asked.
“Hmm…. No. I may do something unforgivable if I see those thugs again. If someone has given them a thrashing, then I thank those who did it. I say, let them all kill each other so that better people may live in peace.” Joral replied, indifferent about the trial.
“Yes, master Joral.” The man replied.
“That aside, have you found a suitable teacher for…”
Celene’s mind drifted off from the new topic. She was trying to piece together what she just heard. ‘An attack? Surely it can’t be the same one…’ she thought to herself.
“D-Daddy, what were you and Linus talking about?” she meekly asked her father at breakfast.
“Hm? What did you hear?” Her father looked at her quizzically.
“I… I heard you guys talking e-earlier. I was just c-curious.” She answered.
“It is nothing for you to worry about dear.” Her father replied, as he somberly looked towards the broken young man sitting on a nearby chair—being spoon fed by his mother.
“… Okay…” She obediently complied.
After Breakfast, she went to look for Linus—the head servant.
“Little Celene, what is it?” Linus asked with a smile, as she called out to him in the garden.
Linus was a greying old man—even older than her father, and has been with the Valnur house ever since her father was a boy. Though he treats her father formally as the head of the house, he treated Naran and her casually and often played with them. Both she and her brother loved him dearly.
“U-uncle Linus… I-… I have something to ask.” She wasn’t sure how she would go about this.
“What is it?” Linus lowered his right eyebrows curiously, trying to get a reaction out of the girl.
“Can… can you tell me what you and daddy were talking about this morning?” she requested.
“Hmm… about getting you a home teacher because you won’t go to school?” Linus asked.
“N-no. I think it was about something that… that h-happened in the shopping district.” She barely managed to answer coherently.
“Ah, that.” Celene could see Linus knew what she was talking about. “Just some ruffians attacking each other. You shouldn’t worry about it little one.” Linus told her, as he patted her head.
“P-please?” she asked, her eyes begging for the answer.
Seeing her pleading, Linus gave up.
“Hmmm… You didn’t hear it from me okay?” Linus told her, a smile on his face.
“Uhn!” She nodded.
“You remember the mean boys who attacked your brother Naran?” Linus questioned. Celene nodded. “Someone attacked them in the shopping district a while ago.” Linus added.
“D-did they find who did it?” Celene asked, trying to hide her involvement.
“They did. I was telling your father this morning that they have found the one responsible.” Linus answered, looking at her curiously. “Why are you so interested in this unsavory topic?” Linus inquired.
“Ah… um… no reason. Thanks Linus.” She lied, quickly running away before Linus started asking questions.
She did not know what happened to the boys, but she had a feeling she knew who the “attacker” was. She remembered the young boy who brought her home, and frequently appears in her dreams.
‘What did he do? What if he’s in trouble?’ she was afraid for the young boy. She had no idea how he got her out of the situation, but if such a thing did happen to the four boys, then there was no way the attacker was going to get away. She prayed for the boy to be innocent.
Two days went by, and more details of the trial came to light. Her fears came true. The perpetrator was not another group of malicious boys, but a single person, a boy. Also that the trial would be overseen by mages of the Mystiks guild.
‘That boy…a mage…’ She thought about the boy that always appears in her dream.
Her insides warred against each other. A part of her wishes to go to his side, to save him as he had done so for her. Another part gripped her tightly, whispering words of pain and fear into her. She remembered the single instance that it took to show her how terrible the outside world could be.
The fear won. She didn’t dare to step outside.
As the day of the trial approaches, she grew anxious. Her feelings in turmoil, the fear inside her preyed on her trauma, rendering her unable to speak out about what truly happened to anyone.
She feared for the injustice that the trial would bring about. She screamed at herself to be strong, willed herself to be strong, but nothing worked.
————–
She was dreaming again. This time too, she was standing in total darkness. She closed her eyes, waiting.
She waited for the inevitable monstrosity that would come after her. She waited for the light that would undoubtedly save her. For the soothing voice that would reassure her that everything was fine. For the single fleeting smile that always brought her comfort.
She stood in total darkness… nothing happened. No monster, no running, no fear, no voice, no smile, no hand that reached out for her to wake her up.
A deep sadness seeped into her. She curled up and cried in the darkness.
Waking up, Celene was tearing up as usual. Feeling around, her pillow was soaked—she had been crying even in her sleep. The emotion she felt in the dream was still there, tugging at her.
The strange dream cycled through her mind during breakfast. The truth inside of her begged to be freed—to be given voice.
“D-daddy.” She spoke up at the table.
“What is it?”
“Ca-can we go watch the trial today?” she asked, in a low voice.
“No.” Joral promptly refused, without another word or reason.
“But da-”
“No! Celene, we will not go and gawk at the misfortunes of other people.” Her father quickly interrupted her.
“Why do you think I had your brother’s trial a private one? Those boys deserved whatever they got. Same goes for the one who attacked them. We do not need to watch such theatrics.” Joral Valnur spoke, dominating the atmosphere.
… The family ate in silence after the exclamation.
It was nearing afternoon, and the trial would be starting soon.
“Did you see him?” one of the maid asked.
“I did. I can’t believe a young boy like that did such a thing. Wish I could have stayed and watched.” Another replied, as they made their way to the kitchen.
Celene heard as the maids who went out for morning shopping came back. It was time to either choose to do something, or wallow in her own regret if something bad happens to the boy.
She mustered up her courage, and spoke to her father.
“D-Daddy… I…I want to go watch the trial.” Celene told to her father. They were both sitting in the living area.
She had made up her mind. No matter how scared she was, she would do what needed to be done. She would go help the boy.
“Celene. No. I will not hear any more of this.” Joral spoke with irritation in his voice.
“We-we have to go. Daddy, please.” She begged.
“CELENE! What is wrong with you?!” Joral shouted at his daughter.
“What is happening to you two?” His wife came into the living area.
“Mayley! Maybe you can help get this idea of going to watch the trial out of her head!” Joral replied.
Her mother looked at her.
“What is going on honey?” Mayley asked softly.
“Mommy… *sniff* we have to go help him.” She replied, sniffling, as she wiped away the single tear that was making its way down her cheek.
“Honey…” Mayley gave her daughter a hug. “What is wrong?”
“He… *sob* He saved me. They were hurting me, and the boy- *sobbing*” she tried to explain, but tears came out instead.
Joral’s eyes widened at what his daughter just said. “Who? Who was hurting you?!” He shouted angrily. Not at his daughter, but at the unknown assailants.
In her mother’s embrace, Celene slowly calmed down.
“T-the boys- *sniff* the boys who hurt big brother Naran. *sniff*” She replied, still sniffling. Mayley looked to her husband in confusion.
Anger swelled in Joral.
Mayley gently embraced her daughter. “It’s okay honey. Tell us what happened.” She gently persuaded.
Celene recounted what she could remember from that day to her parents. She recalled the pain, her dream, the child, how he had walked her home. She explained why she had been so oppose to going outside, why she was in such a state. The only thing she couldn’t explain to them: was how she and the boy got away, or why the pain disappeared.
Joral angrily got up and walked off after hearing the explanation.
“Joral?” Mayley called to her husband. She could see the anger in his eyes.
Shortly after, two large men came into the Valnur house. They brought Naran out of his room, and the Valnur family got into a carriage and left for the trial.
Reaching the community building, they headed towards the main hall where the trial was in progress. Approaching the door, they could hear loud chattering coming from inside.
Celene opened the door. The audience turned to look at them.
As the Valnur family entered the room, the audience could see the young man that was being carried by two men. They automatically assumed another victim had appeared. Without waiting, the audience made way for the new victim to get to the front.
Celene strolled forward, she knew what she had to do. Behind her were the two men who carried her brother. Bringing up the rear, were her parents.
“Celene?” The young boy standing at the podium turned and spoke her name. He looked exactly like the boy in her dreams. The only difference now, was that his face had a look of confusion.