Chapter 1.14:

I let out another cough and made my way back to block the exit to the hallway.

Lord Yorica shook his head. “I’m sorry it had to come to this, child.” He held out his hand and a small blue mana ball started condensing an inch from his outstretched palm. The room started to feel colder. “Forgive me.” He said with his eyes closed. The blue mana formed a spear of ice which he then launched in my direction.

It was like watching everything slow down. I couldn’t move my body to move away.

This is how I die.

From out of nowhere, a wave of fire intercepted the spear of ice and melted off the sharp tip. The now blunted spear hit me straight in the chest and I doubled over.

When I could look back up, I saw Lady Mina standing upright. A sword made out of fire was in her right hand.

“Stand down, Lord Yorica.” Lady Mina commanded.

I glanced over and the noble had a sword in his hand. My sword.

This son of a bitch.

I glared at him. He aimed the sword between Lady Mina and me, unsure of the more immediate threat.

“I won’t ask again. I doubt you’re faster than your daughter.” Lady Mina said forcefully. She took her stance and held the sword made out of flames with both hands.

Lord Yorica yelped. “Y-you wouldn’t dare!” The sword in his hand started shaking.

Lady Mina’s sword only grew brighter. The room started to feel dry and the heat was getting unbearable.

That seemed to have conveyed Lady Mina’s intent clearly and it made Lord Yorica drop the sword. He held up his hands in defeat. “Don’t hurt me!” He whimpered.

I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed my arms. That’s when a hand suddenly pulled me backwards into the hallway.

“Woah!” I yelled. I started flailing my arms, trying to fight back against the unseen assailant.

“Relax, little bro.” A familiar voice chastised me.

Paul?

I stopped flailing and turned around to see my brother with several armed North Haven guards behind him.

“Praise the Creator.” I sighed in relief as I hugged him. I felt all the fight leave me and exhaustion seeped in. My legs felt wobbly and Paul supported me.

It took about an hour for the guards to sort everything out and to put both Lord Yorica and the old man in chains, as well as provide first aid to everyone who got hurt.

“How dare you?! I’m innocent! I’m a noble of this city. Some of you wouldn’t even have this post without me!” Lord Yorica screamed incoherently. The old man, on the other hand, looked completely defeated. He remained quiet all throughout.

Some of the guards looked visibly uncomfortable at the situation but stood their ground.

Paul and I were supporting Abram who looked worse for wear.

Lady Vanya had recovered and was keeping watch near the captured men.

Lady Mina was standing to the side, the sword I gave her was back in its scabbard and tied to her belt. She looked drained and had her eyes closed.

“What’s the meaning of this?” A voice boomed from outside the room.

We all turned in that direction, and the guards immediately saluted. Lord Rudrick Helm had just entered. The past few years did little to change his appearance. He still had his usual stout stature and neatly combed black hair.

One of the guards who looked like the captain approached and made a report. He handed the City Lord a rolled up parchment and whispered into his ears.

Lord Helm looked aghast by whatever the captain told him. He immediately unfurled the scroll in his hand and read through it furiously.

“Yorica, how dare you invite the Brotherhood into my city?” Lord Helm growled.

The chained noble could do nothing but avert his gaze. He looked absolutely pathetic under the City Lord’s glare.

“It was for North Haven, my lord! It’s no secret that the Valeras have been acting suspiciously. I-I was acting as your humble servant!” Lord Yorica groveled, his face planted on the ground.

“You dare implicate me in your foolishness?!” Lord Helm demanded. He drew his sword and all of us reacted to try to stop him.

Lord Yorica flung himself backwards as far away as possible. “Mercy! Mercy, my lord!”

“My lord, please.” Abram interjected, taking a step forward with a limp. “I don’t think shedding blood will solve anything. None of us were harmed.”

“This has nothing to with you, Abram.” Lord Helm spat out in fury. “This has to do with one of my men inviting scum into my domain.”

“I think it has everything to do with them, Rudrick.” A measured voice spoke up. Lord Chase arrived with his own guards and Lily.

“Stay out of this Chase. What I do with criminals in my city is my business.” Lord Helm replied menacingly.

“When the victims are my daughter and my retainers, you can best believe that I ‘will not stay out of it.’” Lord Chase answered coolly. “I think I’ve been brought up to speed on most everything that happened here. Besides, your own city laws only punish consorting with the Brotherhood with exile. Not death. Are you above your own laws?”

“Laws can be changed.” Lord Helm bit back.

“Yes. But not to change the punishment of crimes already committed. The King grants no one the power to enact ex post facto laws.” Lord Chase continued to retort in a calm manner.

This gave Lord Helm some pause.

“And…” Lord Chase continued. “I believe the crimes of theft, assault, and attempted murder, while altogether punishable by death, must be prosecuted at the instance of the victims, am I right?”

Lord Helm threw him a dirty look but continued to hold his tongue.

“Do any of you want them to be punished by death?” Lord Chase addressed us.

Everyone looked at me.

Huh? Why me?

“Uh… Shouldn’t we let Lady Mina decide? She’s the main victim right?” I asked in confusion.

Paul shook his head. “No, Adi. She wasn’t the one they tried to kill. Theft and assault are only punishable by fines. It’s the attempted murder that brings the penalty up to death. A life for a life.”

“I-I don’t know.” I looked down at my hands, then towards the old man whose sight I had taken forever. An immense guilt welled up within me. I looked helplessly at Abram. “Dad, what do you think?”

Abram also looked lost. “I’m absolutely furious that the thought even crossed their minds to off you.” He turned to the two chained men who were only looking down. “But I don’t believe in repaying a wrong with a greater wrong, son.”

“Me too.” I concurred. “Lady Mina? What about you?”

“I… I will respect whatever you decide, Adi. Yours was the greater affront.” Lady Mina replied with a blank face.

I nodded at her. “Lord Chase, is it possible to just ask for imprisonment?”

Lord Chase looked taken aback but he let out a smile. “Why, yes, it so happens that the victims can ask for leniency on behalf of their perpetrators. I’m sure the Inquisitor General would have no problem with that request.”

Lord Helm looked absolutely furious. His face had gone full red. “Fine. But I will exercise my authority as a City Lord, here and now.” He turned to Lord Yorica. “Walter Yorica, you are hereby stripped of your nobility for conspiring with an insurrectionist organization, disrupting public order, and for committing major crimes in North Haven.”

“Rudrick.” Lord Chase started.

Lord Helm gave him a look. “One more word Chase, and I will have you thrown out of my city. Do not test me. The criminal justice system follows the laws of the King but the City Lord has absolute discretion in the administration of all city nobles residing in their domain.”

Lord Chase held up his hands in surrender, while the former Lord Yorica was just sobbing non-stop.

“Take them to the Inquisitor for their indictment.” Lord Helm commanded the captain. The two men were escorted out and Lord Helm followed suit without another word.

Once they were gone, Lord Chase went over to Lady Mina and hugged her. “Are you alright?” He asked.

“I’m fine, dad. Really.” Lady Mina replied.

Lily had already started healing Abram, while Paul, Lady Vanya, and I were just standing in the corner.

After some time, Lady Mina approached me and held out her hand. “Thank you.” She said quietly.

“For what?” I asked.

“For trying to stop them. That was very brave.” Lady Mina replied while taking my hand in hers and shaking it.

“I-it was nothing!” I answered, quickly extricating my hands after seeing Lord Chase narrow his eyes at me.

“One hell of a birthday, though huh?” Paul joked.

Lady Mina was a bit shocked but then she started to laugh. The three of us followed after.

Chapter 1.15-Interlude:

“Master Guy Leery?” An old soldier greeted me as I alighted from the carriage.

“Aye.” I answered. “Colonel Hayes, I presume from the letter?” I removed my cap to greet the ranking officer.

“I’m sorry we’re not meeting under better circumstances.” The colonel remarked. “This way please.”

Colonel Hayes brought me pass the processing station in South End where lines of people were being checked thoroughly.

Inside the city limits, everything seemed quite normal.

Different from what I expected. Thought it would be more of a hell hole.

There were some families walking down the streets and some merchant stalls in the corners. Very few soldiers could be seen.

Colonel Hayes led me to a decorated carriage.

We barreled through the streets towards the southern gate. The further south we got, the less residents we saw and the more soldiers we started seeing flitting to and from the buildings.

The South Gate itself was more of a massive defensive tower with barricades and trebuchets lining the walls. Left to right, the city walls in the south were lined with smaller towers with some heavy artillery on top.

We stopped a few meters away from the barbed fences that had soldiers flanking both sides.

They saluted Colonel Hayes as we passed. I followed him in silence.

Inside the massive edifice was several hallways and soldiers’ quarters. Colonel Hayes went straight and alighted the first flight of stairs we saw.

Eventually we entered a small room that was barely the size of the carriage we took getting here. Inside was a lone bed that had a silver urn resting on it beside an overstuffed bag.

Colonel Hayes gestured for me to enter the room first. He lingered outside.

“Lieutenant-Colonel Leery was my second-in-command. One of the bravest men I’ve ever met. He died saving his platoon from a horde of sand crawlers in the fifth quadrant.” Colonel Hayes explained with a hint of emotion in his voice. “He asked me to give this to you if something ever happened to him.” He brought out a small ceremonial sword, barely longer than a dagger.

“Aye, it was his grandfather’s artifact.” I replied, taking the sword.

“I… I’m truly sorry for your loss. We all mourn his passing.” Colonel Hayes said with trepidation.

I only gave him a nod.

“I’ll give you some privacy. The carriage downstairs will be waiting for you. Take as much time as you need.” Colonel Hayes added. He closed the door and I was left in the room with my son’s ashes.

I stood at the entrance for a while.

I slowly made my way to the bed and sat down.

“Stupid. Stupid boy.” I rebuked the silent urn.

I pulled down my cap and hot tears streaked my face.

-End of Chapter 1-