Three massive individuals brought Kalstras in. Each of them wore a thick steel chestplate marked with the kingdom’s winged crest, and carried halberds larger than usual. Tucked under their shoulder guard a cape marked with an emblem of crossed claws.

Murmurs spread among the observers.

They knelt before the court. Their gloved fists echoed through the hall as they struck the ground in unison. Red plumed helmets obstructed their faces.

“Beylan Stoneclaw, please stand. As acting captain of the third division of royal guards tasked with the protection of the royal family on their travels, you are to be held partially responsible should this court find Kalstras Ywenir guilty of breaking Answrath’s Law. Should this court and its members find you in contempt of justice, by lying, exaggerating, or stretching truths, you will be punished. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Chief Councillor.”

“Please bring out your claws and repeat after me. I swear, in the name of our benevolent god, Bel’ekah, The Great Hunter, and upon these gifts he has bestowed, I will tell no lie within the court. I will speak the truth and only the truth. Should I break this oath, I beg thee, Bel’ekah, cast me out as Colorless.”

The distance between the floor and seats was huge but he could clearly see the captain’s huge claws. Kalstras’s shackles and chains were removed and he took the same oath. The other two captains were dismissed.

“On the first week and third day of this month, there was an attack by a group of Corrupted on the Loftus Manor. Where were you during this incident? ”

“I was in my room, writing a letter,” Kalstras answered.

“And you lost track of His Highness?” another councilman asked.

“...Yes. It happened suddenly. We rushed to his room but he was nowhere to be found.”

People in the stands broke into a whisper.

“While your actions were negligent, that is not why you are here today. You, your fellow guardsman, and His Highness’s caretaker, all state you went looking for him. You, alone, ran into the woods and did battle with a Corrupted. Tell us about what occurred next.”

“When I arrived at the scene, the Corrupted had knocked the young Loftus daughter unconscious and pinned His Highness to the ground. I protected the two of them to the best of my ability and attempted to hold out until reinforcements came. However, I was knocked unconscious for a moment.”

“When I came to, His Highness was in danger so I used my blessings and defeated the Corrupted,” Kalstras said.

His words triggered a commotion among the observers. Even the members of the council and Overlords were speaking with the people next to them. Kieran turned to Alexandra but she stared ahead with an icy gaze. The noise gradually died down and the Chief Councillor continued.

“You know the law. A member of the royal guard shall not unleash his gifts in the presence of a member of the royal family unless they are accompanying the royal family member to war against another country. Were you accompanying His Highness to war?”

“No, Chief Councillor.”

“Should a royal guard bring out his gifts in front of a member of the royal family outside of war, it must be because of the following reasons: He has been given explicit permission from the king beforehand. Were you given permission by His Majesty?”

“No.”

“He has been given explicit permission from the royal family member he is protecting. Did His Highness give you permission?”

“No, Chief Councillor.”

“Then why did you break the taboo?”

Kalstras took a quick breath, “I did so to protect His Highness in accordance with the third exception: A royal guard may unleash their gifts in the presence of the royal family, without their explicit consent, only if the action would prevent serious bodily harm or death to the charge.”

Mixed responses were drawn from the crowd. Some seemed to sympathie.

“Of course he did it to protect His Highness.”

“It was a reasonable response. The Corrupted are horrible.”

While others were not as kind and even dismissive.

“Regardless, this trial must continue."

“Anyone can claim the third reason.”

“I don’t believe it."

“Even the previous generations claimed the third exception was too generous. We will not stand for another traitor.”

Faced with this disruption, the Chief Councillor slammed his palm against the wooden desk in front of him. The hall once quieted in response.

“Kalstras Ywenir, you claim the third exception?”

“Yes, I do.”

The four Overlords scoffed.

The furthest Overlord to Kalstras’ right, a stern-jawed man with asymmetrical hair length, the left side in some mess of a buzz cut and the right side, straight and tied in a short ponytail, spoke. “Against a single Corrupted? You expect this court to be fooled!? Or are you so weak you cannot hold your own against those mindless entities? Even with your gifts, the prince was heavily injured.”

He didn’t respond. His voice wouldn’t reach had he decided to. The observers, who had been split before, were now in an uproar. Nearly everyone he could see in the chamber called for his punishment.

“I have known Kalstras for two years,” Beylan said, “And in that time I have never known him to lie nor have I known him as weak. If he broke Answrath’s Law then the situation must have been dire. He also reported to me that the Corrupted he faced was unusual. He claims it was in its metamorphosis phase.”

“Is this true?” asked the Chief Councillor.

“Yes,” Kalstras said. With Beylan at his side he inched forward. “I’ve studied the Corrupted before I became a royal guard and it matches what I learned.”

The Chief Councillor stroked his long gray beard; the creases in his forehead deepened. He shifted in his chair, straightening his slightly hunched back. Without his interference, the noise from the courts’ attendees rose again. He continued pondering the statement when another one of the councilmen spoke up.

“From the reports of the Loftus Family, the ritual was done not more than a week before the attack. In that small amount of time it would be nigh impossible for a Corrupted to reach metamorphosis. Villagers who witnessed the bizarre animal killings also corroborated the Loftus’ information.”

The councilman was difficult to see from Kieran’s position.

“I believe these Corrupted to have been devourer types,” he replied. “The abundance of… people allowed them to grow quicker than usual.”

“Oh, now that would certainly make sense,” said someone not from the council or of the four Overlords. A seat down and at the left end of his section, a well groomed bespectacled man eagerly jotted down something in his notes.

“We have heard enough,” the Chief Councillor said, “We will go into deliberation. Everyone is dismissed until then.”

Everyone stood as the council, Overlords, and king left. Beylan took Kalstras off to the side. Conversation revived in the chamber. Kieran leaned toward Alexandra. “What was up with that trial? It didn’t feel very fair.”

“It was not fair,” she said bluntly.

“What’s going to happen to him?” Kieran asked.

“He is the only person blessed with wings in the last fifty years,” she said as if it answered his question. Her eyes narrowed and she continued, “This offense is punishable by death.”

“I’m not going to watch him be executed.”

She quieted him with a hand, “He will not be. Even if all in this room called for his head, none can deny his blessings. They would not waste such a person.”

The doors opened. The council members and Overlords filed in.

They were gone for five minutes max. It’s all rigged and they don’t even care enough to try and hide it.

“Please step forward onto the podium,” the Chief Councillor gestured, “If there are any who wish to speak against or on behalf of Kalstras Ywenir, do so now or forever hold your piece.”

I have to say something.

Right before he moved, a firm hand held him down. The observers were silent as the night.

“Kalstras is among the youngest of the royal guards yet he is also among the ones I respect most,” Beylan said. His voice boomed through the hall. “He is talented, yet humble and diligent. His future is bright and I ask this of the court, please be lenient. I understand the severity of the charge but I firmly believe he acted within the boundaries of a royal guard.”

His impassioned speech seemed to shake the hearts of a few people but not enough for them to help. The Chief Councillor took one sweeping look around the room. “We, the highest court of Kheonyth, find Kalstras Ywenir…”

Kieran closed his eyes and crossed his fingers.

“Guilty of breaking Answrath’s Law. The punishment will be handed down by His Majesty.”

Attention turned to the king. Anticipation gnawed at their minds, spreading out to their bodies. The scholarly fellow with the notebook fiddled with his pen, while another person across the floor couldn’t control their shaking leg. The hand that pressed so firmly upon his shoulder let up.

“May I suggest a punishment,” Kieran said, shooting to his feet.

He was met with astonished silence. One person whispered into the ear of a neighbor and then another. A wave of movement rippled through the crowd. The eyes of the Overlords and council were on him.

“Who is that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Wait, isn’t he the prince?”

“I’ve never seen him before.”

“So that’s the secretive fifth.”

His father’s eyes were hidden under dancing shadows of flickering flames but he still felt his gaze. If he had more time to think, he wouldn’t have said a word.

“Even if he is the prince, what right does he have to interrupt the king?”

“He is too young to attend this court.”

“Your Highness,” one of the councilmen addressed him. “I am afraid you are overstepping your position.”

His voice had cracked when he spoke. Not one person supported him. Maybe it was in his head, the jeers and judging stares, yet blood rushed to his face, heating his cheeks and ears. His diminutive stature faltered. Kieran tore away from the surprised Kalstras as he buckled under mounting pressure.

“His Highness has every right,” Beylan said. “When Answrath’s Law came to being, the one who punished the traitor at the time was Answrath himself, not the king.”

“While that is true,” the youngest of the Overlords said. He looked to be in his mid twenties. He rested his hairless chin on his fist. “Answrath was the crown prince and with his Bloodletting a week away, he held all the power of the king. Were we to discount even those truths, Answrath was well into his fifteenth year as an adult. His Highness here has not yet been Scaled. The importance of this trial cannot be comprehended by one so young.”

Kaal’un Palewing nodded. “Although the young scion of Yathomar and I often disagree, his words hold weight. Should we fail to impart the correct punishment for this crime, suffering will befall more than just the royal family. Can you bear the weight of His Highness’s decision?”

Kalstras’ expression dropped as Beylan bowed and reluctantly retreated from the podium.

The Chief Councillor started. “Your Majesty-”

“Stop,” a voice said.

“Who dares-!?” he froze when he saw the person the voice belonged to. Audible gasps came from each section of the hall.

Alexandra, with the attention of the room, said, “Who better than the young prince himself to punish this offense?”

Silence descended onto the court. Disbelief marred the face of each person but no one was more slack-jawed than Kieran. The council members scrambled to regain their composure. The Overlords regarded her with cautious stares, especially the scion of Yathomar and Kaal’un.

“Can you argue against the words of Overlords Tailstrider and Yathomar?” one of the councilmen asked. Among the people in the room, he was the skinniest by a fair margin.

“Wisdom comes not from age,” she said.

“But he has no-”

“I will vouch for him. If any wish to challenge my wisdom, then speak.”

“…”

There was nothing. Not even crickets.

He wasn’t sure how to look at the red haired woman next to him anymore. She stood there unflinchingly.

His father, the king, leaned back in his chair. “I will allow it.”

“What?”

“Even the king?”

“Of course, it was the Blood Demon.”

With one wave of his hand, they stopped. “Aside from death, what will be his punishment?”

“Have him stripped of his position as a royal guard,” Kieran said as he took a breath. “And make him work under me.”