The sound of a closing book shortly followed that of the lock to Logan’s cell being turned, a friendly figure entering his detention chamber.

“Good morning, Logan”, Laurent spoke as he sat at the table, placing a tall stack of papers and books next to him.

Logan pulled out his chair and plopped into it, “Is it? Hard to tell in here.” Logan looked over the walls, nary a window or a bar to look through, just two torches. A red one for light, and a blue one for temperature control. Their enchanted bases allowed for their spellforce to work unimpeded within the room.

“I’ve been granted notations of evidence for today’s hearing. Do you mind if we go over it together?”

“Sure. Let’s see how far Quayvan went to frame me.”

“Quite”, Laurent started as he slid over a few drawings, “These are Bowen daggers, similar to yours, yes?”

Logan scanned the images, daggers sticking out of bodies or terrain alongside some seemingly in protective cases to be shown in the court.

“They are, but those aren’t hard to buy.”

“I took the liberty of talking with the merchants you mentioned and got written oaths for your purchases.”

“It would be called an affidavit, but I suppose that word doesn’t exist here”, Logan thought to himself. “Does it line up with what I was apprehended with?”

“That they do, even the weakened ones from demon spit. There are a few extra than what’s noted. You don’t have any smithing experience, do you?”

“None. I have only made clothing and trinkets.”

“Anyone close to you with smithing as a hobby?”

“One, but she hasn’t given me anything. She also isn’t Bowen.”

“It would be hard to replicate another’s craft, yes. Now, the next.”

The pair talked and referred to many pieces of evidence. Logan would have laughed or smiled at so many of them if things didn’t look as bleak as they did.

Quayvan had gone to many lengths to paint himself as the victim, as well as the hero the vampires needed right now.

However, outside of just having a tower of bleakness against Logan, the evidence also revealed something more. Quayvan knew things about Logan that it would be hard, if not impossible, to know.

Logan hadn’t told many about his regenerative powers, nor his time in Tinte, but Quayvan had planted evidence or made points that dove deep into the Spellthief’s trodden path.

How did he know so much? But also, it looked to be a mass of tiptoes around certain parts of Logan. It appeared that Quayvan knew of Logan’s powers beforehand, his mention and use of Spell Absorption in the fight revealed that already, but the vampire had nothing relating to that in these papers.

Logan had planned to play it off as some sort of trinket or artefact, such as Cassius’s sword, or even being able to dispel magic. But what did it mean to Quayvan?

If the vampire knew of this beforehand and set up so much evidence, why not divulge those?

One conclusion was that Logan being an Oracle, or more apt a PC, would help his case for being innocent. Logan could disclose this himself, but that could also be an aim, to force Logan’s hand in his reveal.

There were pros and cons for using this clutch. Oracles were all but idolized in any writing surrounding them. If Logan announced he was one, the courts would become heavily biased for him. But, he’d lose his anonymity and some of the power gained through subterfuge. There was also the issue of more traitors targeting him.

Logan had little worry that this would lead to other PCs of the below finding him, it seemed like they had already and were biding their time. Quayvan could even be on their side, though paradoxically with his name-calling Logan an alien.

Logan snapped out of his thinking when Laurent asked another question, “Are you willing to give up some blood for analysis? It’ll help to correlate to stains at the scenes.”

“What channels would it go through?” Logan asked hesitantly.

Laurent flipped through a few pages as he answered, “Some noble researchers will conduct some tests, as well as on-site Devouts. In total, four vials.”

Logan took a few seconds to think it over before replying, “No.”

“Very well”, Laurent accepted as he put away some pages, “Adoption papers?”

Logan shook his head.

“You’re noted as a vagabond. With no information about your hometown or place of birth, that usually occurs after destroyed villages, adoption, then running from your new home.”

“My past is private.”

Laurent paused for a moment, thinking about his response. “I won’t pry. This will just make our responses a bit restricted. Is there anything you can tell me?”

“I come from the south.”

“Your records state the same. Not as far as Sabaton?”

“No.”

“Very well. Three months of adventuring and hunting, rank 16. That’s close to an average of a rank a week. You signed on stating you travelled with magi before signing up at a hall, so we can discount that first rank as being too close to the second.”

“That’d be mostly correct.”

“A Wizard has the most spells to cast per day, so not insane to think about.”

Logan smiled slightly, “Heard that a few times.”

“We’ll be having witnesses and testimonies tomorrow. Do you have any people you’d like to call on?”

“There’s a few.”

After the preparations for the first day of hearings were complete, Logan and Laurent left the detention cell with Logan’s hands in the cement gauntlets again.

Being escorted through long hallways, the pair entered a large courtroom, the walls lacking windows but adorned with multi-coloured flames that made the room much more comfortable than it seemed.

Logan got a headcount of just over a hundred people in the room, sat atop tiers of pews and separated counters dotted around the dome-like chamber. A tall counter was found at the furthest end where the judges sat, two counters looking towards the centre of the room on either side.

While the judges were higher up, Logan was able to read their plaques and get a good feel for each of them.

Sanwrence, the male gashriek vampire, whom he had met earlier. Jone, the female human vampire, who had accompanied Sanwrence.

Margit, another female human vampire, though seemingly younger with a dash of disdain as she looked at Logan. By her was Tristint, a male gashriek, who hid his hatred better than the last but had more emotion in his white sclera.

Ryanarr, a male human, was more absorbed in reading over notes. Grador, a saeben, looked rather regal in his adornments. Pwrose, a saebree, sat next to the former just as formally.

Seven judges whose eyes rolled over Logan, the court, and then over Quayvan who was on the opposite counter to Logan’s. The vampire traitor had his arm regrown, along with the smug look on his face that spoke of his victory being assured.

Logan had many words for Quayvan in his own head, and knew to keep them there. Quayvan and Logan had a staring match that felt like it lasted an eternity, broken only by a hand on Logan’s shoulder to motion him to sit at his side’s counter.

“This court is now in session”, Sanwrence began, “the judges for this case will be…” the elder vampire listed those next to him before continuing, “This case will be to ascertain the dispute between Hunter Logan Hall, referred to by many as the ‘Phasing Hunter’, versus Quayvan, no such pseudonym or alternate name standing. Is this correct?”

“Yes, your honour”, Laurent answered.

“Yes, your honour”, the opposing defence master replied, a middle-aged man whose stack of papers next to him did little to hide the discolouration of his hair, obviously having undergone magic to restore his hairline.

“We shall hear the opening of Mr Hall’s side first.”

“Your Honour, and members of the jury”, Laurent addressed the close to one hundred members, “I appear as the Defence Master for Logan Hall, the opposing Defence Master, Vayne Alric, appears for Quayvan.” Laurent lined out Logan’s side before ending with, “That is when Logan Hall called for a challenge of court. Accusing Quayvan of simulating his fault, and assault at the location both were found by several magi.”

The opposing DM stood, “As my opponent has clearly laid out, my client, Quayvan was accused. His opposing claim is that Logan was the one to initiate the assault, and even ingratiated himself within Gauntlet to tear it down as a spy…”

With the case evenly discussed and placed before the viewers, both Logan and Quayvan were called to the centre to undergo the usual truth circle test.

“Logan, is your side’s claim correct to your knowledge?” Sanwrence asked.

“Yes, your Honour”, Logan replied confidently.

A nearby mage looked up at the judges and shook their head slightly, “The circle has no effect.”

Quayvan then did the same, “Yes, your Honour.”

Which was replied with the same response.

“As was theorised, both parties are immune to the effects of lesser truth magic.”

Jone then cut in, “Due to missing members from the Magi Tower association, we are unable to take advantage of greater magics and rituals. Thus once a side has been deemed truthful, time will be set aside for a later renewal.”

Quayvan stood with raised cemented hands, a wave from Sanwrence allowing his announcement, “Has my request to provide my own form of truth magic been accepted?”

Ryanarr, the saeben, replied, “As is law, neither side may produce their own spellcasters for magics. Regardless of your position, we have declined the request.”

Quayvan shrugged slightly, obviously not relying too much on getting more points in his favour. No doubt it was someone who would have lied on his behalf, having the spell only work to allow Quayvan to say what he wanted and force Logan to lie.

More time passed as the beginning parts of evidence were displayed, affidavits on Logan’s side disputing many of them, while others were just his word.

“Logan bought these silvered daggers on such a date, not making sure of normal ledger techniques, it was hidden before a confession was taken from the merchant in question”, Vayne put forward.

“The date mentioned would have been impossible, as the affidavit of two guards shows Logan was elsewhere. Truth magic has already been used on the two guards as well”, Laurent countered.

“Has truth magic been used on this merchant?” Ryanarr asked.

“The merchant declined the use of one. Claiming past trauma as a reason.”

“Then we will have to side with the more honourable guards and their truthful words”, Ryanarr declared.

The first day ended after a long and drawn-out experience. Quayvan was heavy-handed, but seemingly loose when it came to affidavits and truth magic. He couldn’t make too much use of the latter, as many people he talked to were lying, Logan knew it.

There were a few people who had apparent truth magic used on them, but they had since gone on long journeys from the capital or had died after the fact. So it couldn’t be followed up. A couple had “truth magic” cast on them and via casters who were accepted into the court’s records, but it seemed only so many got to the people that Quayvan wanted.

At least it wouldn’t be a landslide, Laurent had drawn up some sizeable defences in Logan’s favour. All through the session, the vampire was calm and collected. In opposition, Vayne seemingly was sweating buckets any time something he brought up was questioned. Quayvan’s face revealed annoyance towards his DM.

Quayvan’s plans weren’t concrete, nor were his resources infinite. The scales were tipped, but not fallen over.

Logan racked over the information in his head, trying to pinpoint his foe’s aim as well as those who backed him. The only thing that made sense was that Quayvan was a partnered NPC, like Marcus was for Logan.

Draining Logan’s resources to make the fight in their favour was a good enough plan, especially after several days of casting more spells than usual. However, the end result being incarceration could be placed side-by-side with that plan. If Logan was locked away, he couldn’t complete his quests.

All attempts at killing Logan to this point had failed, the closest being a lucky hit from a bandit back at the inn that met the midway point of Gauntlet and Tinte, and of course the frosty giants of the cavern.

If Logan was fully fresh, he was sure he could have beaten Quayvan, who was seemingly near his peak. It would have been a cakewalk if Marcus was there. But could Logan really keep up his pace with Marcus in tow, clearing out larger bandit locales?

Logan hadn’t even thought about Marcus being left out of the more recent hunts. It was just that recently the pair had been doing different things. The Devout was quite focused on his training, bragging about a new fighting style he was developing. With this new development, it would probably be better to stick closer to one another, if this was going to keep happening.

“Have you heard back from your investigators?” Laurent asked.

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