Finally, they made it through the gates. The line of people wanting to enter Nifflan seemed to stretch on forever.

Throughout their journey, Tilos had slowly grown numb to not being able to sense through the Weave. It was like he could see, but the world was without color. Dull shades of white, grey, and black surrounded him wherever he looked.

The Aesir guards had stripped them of their armor and weapons, giving them to Fianna to repay their attempted theft of her property. The Aesir guards gave Tilos, Raven, and Hiro simple light brown shirts and pants to wear and wooden sandals to protect their feet. The cloth clothes itched Tilos' skin whenever he moved, but he'd grown used to the sensation. Thankfully they were also allowed to keep their necklaces that demoted them as members of the Trinity Church.

Besides his uncomfortableness, the city of Nifflan was breathtaking. It was like any modern city, with buildings made of stone standing two or more stories. Carved brick lined the streets, paved over with grey cement. His wooden sandals clicked along the surface of the ground.

Aesir people populated the street, moving with purposeful steps towards their desired destinations. Each had bright, colorful eyes, with either a primary or secondary color dominating most of their eyes. Tilos noted grey, white, or black hair on top of each Aesir's head. Making Tilos' brown hair and dark brown eyes, common amongst Ionians, stick out even more. Raven even more so with her red hair and eyes that were two different colors.

Some of the Aesir children stopped and stared at them. They followed close behind them as Tilos' escorts led them through the city. The children dared not to get too close to the border guards. But too curious to turn away and run.

Tilos turned to the Aesir captain, now knowing his name as Helith, "How much further to the courthouse?"

"Not much further. The one we are going to is close by." Helith answered.

Tilos' eyes drifted along the skyline of Nifflan. Not many buildings stood over two stories tall. But the ones that did were magnificent. His eyes stopped at a tall, vast circular coliseum made of black stone and red crystal. The rays of the sun caused the building to twinkle and glitter.

"Ah, the Crystal Coliseum has caught your eye," Helith said beside Tilos.

Tilos nodded his head, "I've never seen one so big. Who built it? And what is it made out of? And"

Helith laughed, "Yithra was the one who designed it, and her construction company built it. As to what material it is made out of, I do not know. You will have to ask a member of Yithra's construction company. You will likely be able to speak with her or one of her employees in the future. They design most of all the Coliseums and fighting areas in Nifflan."

Tilos frowned, and his eyebrows sagged, "What do you mean by that?"

Helith laughed and patted Tilos on the back, "In time, you will find out."

Helith turned left, entering an expansive formal yard with a gigantic building sitting in its center. The rest of the group followed after Helith. Two Statues of Winnifer, the primary goddess of the Al'Dresi, stood guard at the building entrance. Both statues were painted in her likeness. She looked like an average human save for her eyes. Where usually a person would have white in their eyes, Winnifer's were entirely black surrounding her bright rainbow-colored eyes. Her black sclera is a characteristic shared by Winnifer's siblings and all members of the Al dynasty.

The beastmaster and her pet Helgriffs waited outside while the rest of the group entered the building.

Natural light flowed down from the glass ceiling above Tilos' head, illuminating the interior building. Tilos followed the group deeper into the building. Passing scribes caring documents at a brisk pace. Other guards were escorting prisoners, leading them into rooms and closing the doors behind them before Tilos could get a good look inside.

"They must have spent a fortune on this place. And you said that this was just a courthouse?" Hiro asked. When Tilos looked at him, Hiro stared at a glass and gold chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Marveling at its craftsmanship.

"We Aesir take laws and honor seriously," Baligath answered, a male Aesir border guard under Helith's command.

Helith turned and opened a door, revealing a courtroom on the other side. The two border guards with him held open the courtroom doors while Tilos, Raven, and Hiro entered.

Behind a white desk, a woman was sitting elevated above them. Papers stacked high on either side of her. She wore glasses, her eyes stern as they locked onto Tilos. She then shifted her eyes to Raven and then Hiro. The judge had grey hair, wearing it back in a tight ponytail.

Tilos, Raven, and Hiro were guided just in front of the woman's desk. She stared down at them with a glare of authority. Tilos fought down the urge to say something that he might regret later.

Helith bowed, Bolgith and Len did the same just behind him.

"I greet you, Judge Dithra. We have brought you the three Ionians that cross the border illegally," Helith pointed to Tilos, Raven, and Hiro behind him. Helith had switched to speaking Ithrani, the common language spoken between the realms of the Aesir.

"I see." Dithra turned her sharp eyes towards Tilos and his party. She looked them up and down. Her eyes stopped at the Trinity necklaces around each of their necks. "They are members of the Trinity Church. Why didn't you include that in your report."

"I didn't think the information was critical, Judge Dithra. Next time I will not make the same mistake." Helith bowed once more.

Dithra nodded and turned towards the Ionian party. "I have little time to waste with a lengthy trial. I have other important matters to attend to, so I have decided you are guilty."

"You can't do that. You didn't even hear our side," Tilos voiced.

"I don't need to hear anything. I've read more than enough." Dithra then pulled out a rolled-up parchment. She then unrolled it and looked at its contents. "Stealing from Fianna, a deity of the forest." Dithra then sat the parchment back onto her desk. "Your word against a god. Who do you think I would believe?"

Tilos ground his teeth in frustration, "But-"

"No more talking. One more word, and I will extend your punishment. Your list of crimes is crossing the border illegally and attempted burglary of god. You three are to be indentured serfdom for three years. But on account of you three being from the Trinity Church, I will lower it to one year of indentured serfdom." Dithra said as she wrote on three separated pieces of paper simultaneously. The pens floating in the air by themselves.

Tilos couldn't help himself from speaking, "Let me take on the punishment of my friends. It was my idea that got them into this mess."

The floating pens stopped, Dithra turning her sharp eyes back to Tilos, "What did I say about talking. Your indentured servitude will last the full three years now, and you will be gladiators for that time. Helith, get this idiot out of my courtroom before he does something stupid again." Three pieces of paper floated down from Dithra's desk into Helith's hands.

Helith and his subordinates escorted Tilos, Hiro, and Raven out of the courtroom. The door closed silently behind them.

"Great, now we have to be slaves for three years," Raven voices in defeat. She stared at Tilos.

Her glare felt like needles on his skin, "I was trying to do you all a favor and take on your punishments."

Raven's eyes soften, "Sorry, thanks for trying."

Hiro huffed and crossed his arms, "I would have preferred it if you hadn't tried." He smiled, "But I guess I could forgive you just this once."