Grey Nirmala
The crawling night sky made the desert seem invisible. Nothing to be afraid of when there was only darkness shrouding you.
When we got back to the camp, every corner of the zone was crawling with soldiers. Dozens of military vehicles surrounded the camp, the students spread amidst them.
"This looks unavoidably bad," said Hachiko tightly.
I frowned and gazed down at my hips, the armour was shredded by Ei, for the behalf though, it helped Serp to find a small spot on my armor to rest as a spider.
I lifted my eyes up glancing around the camp wearily. Professor Marva leaned closer to my ear and whispered:
"Do whatever they say. Don`t try to act all-snooty."
I pushed her face away with a scuffle and glared at Rika. The Marshal of Fear remained silent, avoiding my gaze she lingered at the sight before us with a vague expression. Then walking away like nothing was wrong.
"How did they arrive here so quickly?" Marva asked, turning to Caldrim.
Caldrim sighed deeply, the drag in his breaths were clear.
"There is a reason why King Orinn built the shadowWheels," he said. "What kind of a teacher are you?"
He slapped Marva`s head softly. Marva bit the inside of her cheek, backing down as she walked over her students, asking them if they were okay. In the meantime Eleusis stood over me with a stone face.
"There are four marshals present here. Hm, never in my life have I seen a kid like you." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "You—Grey Nirmala, Fate`s Masterpiece, have my respect and honour."
I cocked my head at him.
"Should I be delighted? You sound more disappointed than proud."
Eleusis turned around to watch the many Awakened warriors covering the camp.
"This was supposed to be an educational and fun trip. Not bloodshed." His eyes narrowed to a division of soldiers. "Fuck the nobles and fuck the king."
I followed his gaze and spotted the soldiers he cursed so much. A red vampire signature was on all of their black armors. In their chest, shoulder and helms. They all had small daggers in their waist resting close. The sigil of Great House Sangius.
"Why bother to show your sigil?" I asked.
Eleusis chuckled.
"Each Great House has a sigil that drives from their cause of ascension to becoming a Great House. Like Great House Legia`s sigil is a lightning bolt."
I crossed my arms.
"How many Great Houses are there throughout the Dream Realm?"
He scratched his chin. "I don`t know, there are many Great Houses. Although only twelve of them became sacred amongst many."
I removed my damaged mask and absorbed it back to the Rune of Creation. I passed Eleusis and walked closer to where my friends were sitting and watching as the Awakened soldiers secured the place. They were sitting above chairs made out of pure sand manipulation. Ulma was leaning her head on Kai`s shoulder, barely keeping her eyes open. Kai looked exhausted as well. Beside them Bloom was resting her chin on her hands, eyes unfocused. Damien and Pixie were both staring directly at me, he whispered something to her ear and Pixie merely rolled her eyes. Gail and Carnus were behind, standing upright with unhappy faces as they quietly watched the warriors nestle themselves.
When Ulma finally noticed me she jolted up causing Kai to open his eyes dizzily.
"Grey!" Ulma yelled blissfully.
"Huh? What in Tarn`s horns?" Kai mumbled, his eyes trying to focus on the reason for the sudden vim.
Bloom glanced at my direction then looked away with a tired scoff. Ulma stood up and came face to face with me. She sulked and knit her brows together.
"You seem badly hurt. What in the dick of Tarn happened to you?"
Kai held himself next to Ulma, crossing his arms, he examined my body with his mattery eyes.
"Were those earthquakes happening because of you?" He looked around baffled. "This is all so stupid."
I stepped back just enough to hold my ground from their questions. Pixie stood up abruptly behind them.
"What the fuck did you do to swell the camp with dozens of shadowWheels in just mere a hour."
She brushed sand off her clothes.
"Whatever the reason, four marshals are here to either arrest or bring you to King Orinn."
I furrowed my brows,
"That won`t happen."
Looking back with the corner of my eye, I watched as the four marshals walking around the camp area with near to no worry.
"They might cause trouble. It's best to just do as they say," said Pixie. Her voice was more annoyed than concerned.
Damien confirmed her with a nod of his head.
My frown deepened as I fully turned around.
"This is unfortunate, don`t you have a plan?" Hachiko mumbled inside my head.
I ignored my companion, trying to find the smallest bourne of aspiration to do. This is boring, most definitely annoying.
Leaving behind my friends as I gave my steps toward the four marshals. Rika was grimacing while the other three were talking to one another. All Converters with powerful connections to aether. A squad of the strongest. A group of idiots.
Shrouded in long dark locks, with deep purple eyes and a smooth yet stoic face, Mass, the Marshal of Shadows, stood strong and tall. Next to him was Dina, the Marshal of Blood. She looked demanding and bloodlust. Young and beautiful. Her orange hair swayed in the warm wind, fierce turquoise eyes that cut through the place and a body that is both desirable and strong. Teeth keen and scary. All of the marshals aside from Rika wore matching war-armors. Blue cloaks on top of white armor, lightning bolts in their shoulders and chest.
"Was sending all of us necessary?" Dina asked with a bore bored tune. "A single boy cannot be that much of a threat. He was not even that strong during his time in Magna Tempestas. Killing him would be delicious though."
"Can we please stop being so ruthless, please." the final marshal uttered.
His name was Ark, Marshal of Flames. He had short scarlet hair and dark brown eyes that looked more like prey than a predator. He was also shorter and smaller compared to the other three marshals.
"Drop the innocence and act rational for a second, Ark," said Mass. Then turned to look at Dina. "Lord Orinn commanded us to bring him in peace, not with a crusade."
The Flame Marshal sighed contentedly and looked down. Then the Marshal of Blood tilted her head at Rika.
"Is little Astrid okay? Hm, poor little boy. Fate`s Masterpiece is stronger than he looks, eh?"
Mass raised his chin.
"He has two concept runes, of course he would be a strong brat. Yet fortune is on our side, the Alchemists are researching the Destruction rune. The academy must be nigh to be victorious."
Dina held her cheeks, flushing red.
"Mmm, imagine drinking his youth and lifeful blood. I can`t wait to kill him. Oh, how shameless I am."
Rika scowled slightly.
"We are not here to take his life," she said, unamused by her unhinged comrade.
As I walked closer and closer, I felt their pressuring aura pulling me toward them. Clenching my teeth I squeezed my fists.
"The orange one looks pretty damned," Hachiko said, feeling a sense of trepidation.
"Well, it is obvious enough." I mocked my poor, incorporeal companion.
Hachiko as a counterattack sent me a memory. A memory of me getting my ass beaten by Astrid. I scoffed and ignored his taunt. Walking closer and closer at the four marshals until they finally noticed my presence. Dina was the first to regard me. Following her was Mass then Ark. Rika still had not looked at me, she was avoiding me. And I hated her for that.
"Fate`s Masterpiece!" Dina shouted ravenously. "You look much more mature than you were on Magna Tempestas. Look much more delicious."
Aether gathered around her hand. The golden particles shifted to the color of dark red as they flickered in her palm. The aether began to take shape in her hand, the form of a red trident, Blood Syphon. Mass raised a hand up in the air, pausing the coming storm.
"Fate`s Masterpiece, you have the audacity to stand before four Converters?"
Mass walked further, Ark and Dina followed behind, moving to surround me. Mass`s hand weaved in the air, summoning his Awakened Weapon. A dark sickle materialized in his left, the Shadow Claw. Behind me, Ark shoved his burning maul, Flame Sister across his shoulder. Rika`s gaze lingered for a second before Dina leaned her head back and chuckled.
"Come on Fear, won`t you join the fun?"
Rika stabbed his nails deep into his palm before summoning her own Awakened Weapon, Fear Bringer. A purple blade, thin and long, like a needle.
Mass raised his sickle to his head.
"Surrender, the Dream King demands it."
I tilted my head, raising my shoulders and arched my brows.
"And what happens if I don`t?"
Dina charmed in heatedly:
"Then House Sangius will send their assassins to take your life. Wouldn`t want that, would you?"
Ark stepped closer, lifting his maul he spoke in a chill:
"Surrander to the Supreme Council and you will be judged with just. If not, House Sangius will do whatever it can to rip your heart."
I turned my head at Rika. She was away, not daring to move.
"My lord father is not happy to be informed that his heir to the Bloodbound is on the brink of death."
My lips curled down.
"Why is Great House Sangius still considered a 'Sacred' while their city is in the dominion of Storm City?" I crossed my arms. "Ah, what was your father`s name? Right. Grand Lord Cyrus Sangius. Does he believe he can kill me? How many more does? How many more will fail?"
I stood at my place, my eyes darting around each of the four marshals. Then in a surprising twist I glanced at the shadowWheels. They were completely black, no tires, only tiny crystals beneath. Large and armored.
Mass pulled out small, blue crystals from a hidden pocket of his shining armor. He dropped them all to the ground.
"These will block the Paths of Orca. Now, Grey Nirmala, Descendant of Destruction, stand down and surrender or there will be a mass of a mess."
Hachiko giggled.
"Hehe, did you get it?"
I sighed theatrically. Raised my hands, palms open. Lowering my head I sneered at the marshal.
"Orinn made a smart move by sending all of his four marshals to capture me. Tell me, did he also send the Crimson Moon Hunters, no?"
Mass shook his head firmly while Ark moved behind me and pulled out a handcuff made out of gold iron. I dropped my hands behind, letting him shackle me like I was some kind of a dog.
"The gates you created while trespassing to Dream Realm will be used for invading Green Realm. You did us quite a favor," Mass added.
"Oh, yes! It will be a feast to slaughter the People of Destruction. I can`t wait."
As I was getting pushed by Ark, I glared at Dina. She would be the one I kill first amongst these four. That, I promise.
My friends and professors and enemies all watched as the four marshals brought me inside a smaller variant of a shadowWheel. I could see Ulma`s fear, Kai`s grim, Bloom`s sorrow and Pixie`s hate. Oswin was there too, he was staring at Ark intensely. Caldrim was silent to his core. He looked disappointed at me. I was here, in this state because of his own desire to damage House Sangius.
I sat down on the far back of the shadowWheel. Rika sat down next to me, watching me bushed. The other three marshals were outside, they were going to fly through the way.
I shrugged at her.
"You look like a disaster. Why? Is Astrid still in his beauty sleep?"
Rika dismissed her weapon and looked through the window of the shadowWheel.
"I can slit your throat here and now. And not a single soul would know until we arrive at Storm City`s gates."
I raised my cuffed hands.
"But you won't."
Rika`s hands twitched.
"Everyone has a part to play. Mine is to be your travel companion."
"Eh, I already have one. And trust me, he never shuts up."
Rika clenched her teeth.
"Are you not scared of what`s going to happen to your realm? Do you think Lord Orinn will stop?"
I leaned back on my uncomfortable seat. A man sat down on the front seat and connected his fingers to little holes inside the control panel, where there would be a steering wheel normally in Green Realm.
"Orinn will die. There is nothing I should dread about. When I kill Orinn in the peaks of the Mountain of Destiny, all of the People of Death will watch and awe it. And when their king finally falls, there will be only chaos in the Dream Realm."
Rika, to the opposite of me leaned forward, clasping her hands in her lap.
"My lord father was not present at the gala. When I gave him the news of Astrid`s failure and state, he immediately gathered all the troops of House Sangius."
The Crimson Moon shone through the vehicle. We began to move, the shadowWheel started to float in the air as we bursted. These alien tanks were faster than I had imagined. Moving through the wind and sky like a chopper.
"Most of the Great Houses should be in Storm City. They`ll either watch your trial or just leave."
I glanced at her.
"Yes, yes.When will my trial happen? Today, tomorrow or—"
"Two days later." Rika`s voice was strangely reluctant.
I watched her crumble firmly. In the quiet of the night she whispered:
"The Old Empire from the new, may those who live be more. One may could, thee a hero. The aureate of life, darkness of demise. Lord of all that is gold, may thine death be for bless. The King listened, the Gloam voices. Blood of my blood. There will always be a drought. A thousand year of voyage under the moon of crimson. Shall see all in the path of immortality and beget."
I harked her silent poem. "The Old Empire," she said. During the rule of the old times and the revolution that happened because of it. I don`t know much about it, only the parts I learned in Aetherim Academy. And that just contains the basic aether research about the old era.
The shadowWheels were fast, very fast. We passed the Shadow Desert and the Vremya River in just mere dust of thirty minutes.
Rika was not a fun travel companion. She was silent, focused outside, there was a coldness that I could not figure.
"There he is. There is the Grey that cares." Hachiko giggled. "I am here to talk, hm. You did not forget that reality, I hope."
I weaved my hand in the air with a chuckle.
"I`m bored, okay? And I still have no info about how my trial will go."
My brain began to itch. It itched so much that I physically tried to rub it.
"Calm down, you bastard," hissed Hachiko. "I am just trying to recompost your dirty mind."
A tight smile curled in my lips.
"And why should you do that? I don`t want your piss all over my brain."
Hachiko howled violently, pushing my thoughts with his own.
"What are you doing?" Rika glared at me.
I silenced Hachiko. Holding the urge to list my annoyance, I clicked my tongue.
"What happened to the Old Empire for it to fall?"
Rika frowned,
"Where did that come from?"
"I want to know."
Rika exhaled the hatred she held for me and began her good old lecture. I like history.
"When Emperor Sejanus the Brutal ordered the assassination of the Prince of Nexus, Cregan Lucanica in 632 AS. That is how the putrefaction started. And with the fall of the Old Empire led to the birth of the new age, the Age of Fracture."
I lingered to Hachiko but he was silent, not responding to my nudging.
"And when was the divinity spell discovered?"
"Right in the fall of the ferocious reign of the Gloam-Queen in 391 AS. The Age of Night ended with the rise of the Old Empire, the Age of Fyre."
I blew the frustration.
"And whose she? Another Awakened?"
Rika rested her hand on her cheek, looking out.
"No one knows. The Gloams, they were said to be 'more taller than men. More stronger than a beast. More smarter than a crow'."
I looked up at the utter dark ceiling of the shadowWheel. The "Age of Night"... The history of Green Realm is much more grounded than Dream Realm. Yet it is more wild.
"When will we arrive back in Storm City? A day? Hour?"
"In ten minutes," she confirmed firmly.
My eyes widened at the speed of the vehicle.
"These are really fast, why not use them to destroy the other Great Houses?"
Rika narrowed her brows.
"You ask too much. You were better when you acted like some... edgy teen."
I grinned.
"What could I say, I have an appetite to know more. Like a snake waiting to be fed."
Rika brushed her fingers at one another.
"Why did you Awaken then?" she asked, voice rising. "Even you must have a reason after all, yes?"
I paused, paling over myself, my smirk vanishing without leaving a trace behind. I glanced at the Rune of Destruction, inhaling all of its pressure on me. Of how the rune changes my thoughts.
"I lost someone," I whispered, my voice even. "She was kind and gentle. Small but ambitious. She had strong dreams yet such a feeble presence. Helping all that there is, but inside a small pond. And when she finally swam to a big ocean, the ocean swallowed her. Her voice was forgotten. Her meaning had deceased. Only a handful were brave enough to remember her. And only one was miserable enough to accord her."
Rika stared at my hands.
"What was she, your lover?"
I shook my head leisurely.
"No, not lover. But the one I would consider a best friend." A small smile touched my face. "I was lucky enough to have her, she was not."
Rika looked at my eyes, my hair, my ears and nose.
"You will not survive," she said with a deadpan voice.
"Woah, thanks for the support."
Rika`s sighed and sighed and only sighed for an entire minute straight. Then, she spoke again:
"If you survive this trial then you will just get killed by Orinn. And we both know you can`t win this trial either."
She turned her head to look closely at the driver, and the guy standing next to him. Lowering her voice, she whispered:
"If you want to win this trial, you have only and only three choices. You can either demand a trial by ordeal and endure intense physical and mental tests or you can demand a trial counselor to get your ass out of the mess or... You can demand a trial by combat and choose a champion. There is no other way you can win the trial."
I arched my brow,
"And why are you helping me? I am the reason why Astrid is in a coma. And you are the reason I am even in this position."
Rika`s eyes fell down, her mouth twitched a couple of times, trying to ponder what to say or do. She rested her eyes, lips curling down as tears began to form under her eyes.
"Be-Because I need you to stop him. I need you to stop Orinn, once and for all."
There was an uncomfortable silence lingering between us. I had no idea of what I should say to her in response. I couldn`t comprehend the words she meant. Orinn`s own daughter hated him, his people disliked him. The other Great Houses despise him. And now, even one of his strongest top warriors wants to stop him. This can`t be. I despise Orinn, that is no secret. But, there had to be a time where even Orinn was a good man. It had to be.
"Did... Did you not pledge your death to Orinn? You swore an oath to protect the Dream King no matter the cost."
"I know that," she hissed. "I know..." A single tear fell down her scarlet eye. "But I can`t just let him do what he wants to Dream Realm. He will kill my family, hurt them to achieve what he wants. I cannot let my family suffer. I do everything for them. And I`ll do it again a thousand times over. I will not sell my family for a man who has no care for them. What is loyalty if you put someone else beyond your own blood? What would a mere oath matter then?"
I gritted my teeth. Finding every cause I should be mad at her. At all those hypocrites begirding me. None of these idiots are trying to be what they need to be.
"What are you expecting then? My pity? I am lost in this shit hole. And for my luck, everyone here was waiting for me. What would any of you do then? If I had not fallen to the Dream Realm, what oath would you be talking about? I am no savoir, I am not a god. I don`t have the power to do everything you all ask. And do you think I will? Why would I give even the faintest of my attention to you? You are an Awakened, open your eyes and see what you`ve done!" My voice risen with fury. "If I die, then what will become of you? Everyone keeps begging for me to change their lives. I will not have it. I eat what you eat. I drink what you drink. I get no more rest than you. And I will not let any of you be dependent on me. That is my word. This is not my realm to defend. You are not my responsibility. Stand up and fight for it yourselves."
The lingering of our stare continued until we arrived at our sad, bitter destination. Rika had gone silent. She led me as I stepped out of the shadowWheel and glanced all around. We had arrived directly at the foot of the Jinsad Court. It is larger than I imagined. Four black marble pillars holding up the building. There is a blue stairway leading up to the entrance of the courthouse. The building itself is a masterpiece alone. The black fades little by little as the building`s height increases, taking its place soft white instead. The Jinsad Court looked ancient, like an image of the history reflecting back.
Rika and the other marshals stood next to me while being also surrounded by many soldiers of House Sangius. The Sun began to shine its light, the rise of the beautiful star.
I was escorted to the inside. The entire structure was built for this massive courtroom. The interior was all ancient marble. White and gold. Portraits of the past judges which were called "kadi" were hung on the walls. Moreover, there were many portraits of Pillar Tarn on most high walls. Worshiping Death like it would make them beyond life.
What could I say? My ancestors architectured an entire sculpture of Pillar of Life. There was solely one entire room inside, aside from dark stairs that were going down deep into the underground. And the closed door for what looked like a small room.
"Move, brat," Mass growled, pushing me roughly.
Stumbling to the giant gates of the courtroom, I glared at the Shadow Marshal, though now it seemeth I had a very, very larger problem ahead me. The courtroom was truly and utterly enormous. Even if there were no one inside the court yet, there were hundreds, perhaps thousands of seats for the audience. There were prominently half a thousand left, half of a thousand right for them to sit and watch. The room was mostly designed in white walls with many different runic patterns on them. In the center was a small gray wooden fence for the defendant to stand. The same fence in the color of white for the witness to stand left to the defendant`s fence just a little ahead. And beyond it were three high court panels,equal in height, each representing a kadi. And above the court panels hung a massive portrait of the Pillar of Death. It was Tarn`s entire body made into a drawing. His long, hoar hair and purplish skin. Two crimson horns and dark or orange eyes whatever. He was sitting in a giant throne made entirely out of skulls of different species. The gaze of the primordial god was staring right into the defendant. What an inglorious way of design.
I glared at Tarn`s image until two soldiers of Great House Sangius grabbed me by the arm and accompanied me down the dark stairs. The descent was near pitch black. Only a couple of small torches lighten up the way down.
"You two would be terrible at parties, hm?"
The guy on my left clicked his tongue and slammed his fist to my cheek, forcing me to lean on the wall behind. My left side was burning with bloody pain.
"Shut your mouth, you terrorist!" he hissed.
"What? Not fun are you?"
He raised his arm again to hit me but was stopped by the other man in a quick swift.
"He will be on trial soon." He glanced at me. "Lets not ruin his pretty face."
I pushed myself off the wall and walked by myself down the stairs. Not so after, I had reached the many dark cells that looked unpleasant. One of the men led me to the cell on the far end. As I looked around the mostly empty cell, I noticed a movement in the cell next to it.
"Whose that?" I asked tightly.
The less irritating soldier opened the cell while the irritating soldier shoved me inside it. I got tossed to the ground, my shackles making it hard to stand up. A hunting laughter vomited from me.
"What the fuck are laughing about?!" the irritating one growled.
"You guys should`ve seen Astrid`s body. He looks like an aubergine."
Aether swirled around the two men like violent fire.
"You will die for that, Fate`s Masterpiece. Do you think you have any chance of winning the trial?"
"'Trial' my ass. I challenged him to a duel, and he accepted it."
The two soldiers left without saying any more words. I exhaled idiotically, resting myself on my back. Staring at the dark ceiling, I was only a whisper away from cursing Astrid`s entire bloodline.
"Hachiko," I thought. "You there?"
A sensation of wiggling rumbled through my mind. It was Hachiko snorting and growling. Hating and destroying.
"We should have just killed him when we had the chance. You should`ve unleashed the Rune of Destruction."
I narrowed my eyes and frowned slightly.
"Don`t be an idiot. All I have to do is wake Serp and break us out."
Hachiko mumbled his thoughts angrily. Biting my lower lip, I shook my waist, trying to wake her up.
"Phst, Serp. Come on you dreadreaper, wake up."
There was no motion at the first second, although, after the coming next two seconds a small, furry spider crawled out of my pocket. Its big eyes staring directly at mine.
"What the? Change your damn form."
The little spider hopped back from my belly and looked around. The chirping of her ugly mouth was annoying to listen to.
"Hey, come on. What are you waiting for?" I turned my body around and shifted into a sitting position.
Serp scratched his furry head with one of her small legs. It was not long for me to realize that Serp had no ability to transform into a different entity..
"There is no aether for her to use. There is no freedom for her to surrender." a female voice said, there was a bitter edge to her voice.
I turned my head to the voice coming from the cell next to me. I stint my eyes, looking at the messy figure, who had her back turned to me. Her long white hair was dirty, voice crispy.
"L-Lilith?" I jolt. " Why would a princess be in a cage? Did you also attack a Great House Heir?"
A small chuckle spewed from my mouth, yet I still expected an answer from her. A good one for sure.
The utter silence was ample for me to grasp the reason. The weary terrible of all. There is no forth, not any longer.
"How long have you been here?"
Lilith responded only after a minute of gathering her thoughts.
"Not long before you. Maybe an hour? Not even. What's the point of knowing?" She sounded very dead.
"What about the rebellion you had so much faith in? This is no different than Green Realm. Of how the Five crushing an entire land over a rebellion. No wonder why no one dares to oppose them anymore."
"You," she paused, turning to look at me. Her red eyes were redder. More dehydrated. "This is the most awful," she sobbed. "Orinn will kill everyone. All because I was annoyed at my damn brother."
My eyes fell down to my hands.
"Family is the cause of everything, eh? A trauma or a salvation. I had that luck, you didn`t."
Lilith, who was shackled like me, gripped her iron bars.
"There is no more point asking but... When will your trial occur?"
My tongue rolled around inside my mouth. There really was no point in asking.
"Two days later. A bitch said all the big houses would watch me. I`ll have some bastard-filled audience."
Lilith scoffed, letting a tear roll down her eye.
"Maybe that`s for the better. You have a higher chance to secure a champion."
I grimaced, my lips moving in irritation.
"I will not demand a trial by combat. I did nothing wrong. If House Sangius thinks they can accuse me like that, then they are very wrong."
"Don`t blame them. They lost one of their most precious in a street fight. How ironic it is. The outsider and the princess both caged together."
A sneer spread her cheeks.
"There is beauty in chaos. Death comes for us all."
I crossed my arms impatiently.
"There is no way for me to win this trial, right?"
She gently shook her head. Weird enough, perhaps this was the first time I'd seen Lilith with so many different expressions. How glum.
Lilith sighed, sucking the soiled air around us. At the very same time Spider Serp climbed on my knee, nested herself on there.
"Where did you even find a dreadreaper?"
I shrugged.
"Inside one of the pyramids in the Shadow Desert. I may or may not have ruined the place slightly."
Lilith raised her brows, smiling slightly.
"If I recall correctly, last time I checked, they were a national treasure."
"Yeah, the last time I checked, there is no dominion that rules over the Shadow Desert."
Lilith gave me a faint nod and laughed.
"Ah, the good old times. Even if I only fought in the last years of the war, it still was good enough for me to like the desert. Better than the Cursed Isles."
Chukling, I leaned my head back to the wall.
"How old were you back then? Eleven? A little girl?"
Lilith smiled with her teeth.
"I was ten."
I faltered for a moment, accidentally hitting my head on the wall.
"Ten?! Who sends her daughter and princess at war when she is just ten?"
Lilith looked up.
"You know, my father had become the strongest Awakened in the entire Dream Realm at the age of tweny-one."
A crooked smile formed on my lip, raising my aureate brows.
"Why admire him now? Lost the hate?"
Lilith rolled her eyes.
"I hate him, but I also tell the truth about him. He`s my father after all."
"Yeah, like father, like daughter and like son."
Lilith laughed mockingly, there was no humor behind it. Her dingy fingers played with the dirt on the floor.
"Its a shame that there is no aether to see here. I like watching them, they bring me a sort of peace."
I looked around, almost causing Serp to fall from my knee.
"How do you block aether when it is already inside you?"
She turned her gaze to me.
"These cells… or shackles do not block aether, they just suppress it to make aether unable to be used."
I stabbed my fingernails into my ruined armor. "What the hell is the difference?" I thought.
"I don`t want to spend my last two days in a cell with a dramatically sullen princess, a spider and a voice inside my head that doesn`t aid me when I need him the most."
Lilith shoved her lower lip forward.
"Be glad, I have not talked like this for ages."
"Yeah, maybe getting put in a cell helped with that."
Lilith clenched her jaw, looking up, down, left and right.
"Did you devise any plan to help you win the trial?"
"Nah, I`ll let that part be done by the parasite leaving inside my head."
Lilith arched her brow.
"I suppose that is the dragon you fly around with."
I nodded my head in confirmation, grinning funnily.
"You are right to some degree. He is technically my... son? I don`t know. Not much that I care about anyway."
"That bloody Tarn may have helped you then. What was your Pillar`s name? Ah, yes, Pillar Destruction. I always wondered, Grey. How did you fall here?"
I refused to respond to her. At least until I found a reason to speak.
"Let's just say, I made an excuse to kill someone. It was not intentional of course. I mean falling here, not wanting to kill the thing."
Lilith inhaled all her sighs back.
"Good enough, I guess."
The two days passed in an instant of contemplation. At day Lilith and I talked about everyone who would be in the trial to watch or judge me. She explained to me how the juristic system works in Dream Realm and which kadis would most likely hate or love me. And at night I clashed my thoughts with Hachiko`s in order to build a clever plan. Serp listened close, though I wished she had the ability to shift forms. Everytime I woke up, I tried not to accidentally crush the little spider on the dark ground. Ugh, I hate spiders.
And now the shore of the day of my trial. The trial of Fate`s Masterpiece has come.
"Wake up, brat." The irritating soldier from before ordered, opening my cell door eagerly.
I, who was already very awake, stood up, letting Serp slide into my pocket.
"Resteth good, no worries." I said.
Yawning and stretching I pressed a finger on my forehead, pressing it gently.
"Hhh, where did all of it begin? Just because I can`t fucking remember a single night."
"Stop the mumbling and move," he barked.
Before I left, I looked at Lilith`s eager face one last time as she watched me leaving. She muttered something under her breath but I couldn`t figure out exactly what to make of it.
I exited the cell and ascended the stairs, feeling unsure, I turned my head back to look at the soldier.
"You seem nervous? Is escorting a 'terrorist' that important of a job?"
He scowled and pushed me further. "Move," he snapped. When we finally got up, I was inclined to go into the closed gates of the courtroom. The royal guards were standing on each side. Then though, the soldier who was leading me grabbed me by the arm and shoved me into the smaller room on the left I saw earlier. The room was like a toilet but not exactly. Mayhap been used as one.
The idiot forcefully sat me down on a chair to the right and motioned for something or someone behind me. I instantly frowned at the man, but there wasn`t much I could really do aside from kicking his bitch balls.
Two men walked in my left and right, one of them holding a large scissor.
"What`s this? Wil youl torture me? Oh, how cliche."
The soldier shook his head almost right away.
"No, no, no. We`ll just give you makeup, that's all."
I immediately raised my hands.
"Fuck you."
Well, there wasn`t much I could do. Damn him.
One of the men held my cheeks harshly, forcing my head to stay in place. I had no intention of moving it, I had already accepted what was going to come next. And very sorry for what would happen later.
The cutting of my hair occurred fast. It left me with almost no hair. I mean, I still had a lot of hair, but looking down on the many golden hairs on the floor, I knew that I could have easily guessed what I had looked like.
After they were finished, one of them grabbed a mirror from the table nearby and displayed it to me. My beautiful hair was gone like that. My ivory gold hair fell in loose, feathered layers, the uneven strands brushing over my aureate eyes like sunlight caught in silk. But the problem was that it was short. Real short. I had not cut my hair in like two years since I started highschool at Legacy`s Academy. It was utmost annoying. All that was happening to me in the past like two months was annoying. I had spent so much in Magna Tempestas with Arinn that I actually believed for a second I had to be friends with him. I am curious, how long has it been in Green Realm? The same? Lilith once said time flows differently in the realms after there were no gates left. Ugh, I don`t know. Dealing with time is so confusing.
I was lifted from my chair and was escorted to the gates of the courtroom. The two guards on the door stepped back and opened the door at the same time like they were in sync. The irritating soldier pushed me forth, causing me to almost fall down, but I held my ground. And when I finally raised my head, I was welcomed by a sight I would never again witness, I wish at least. So many people who were chatting before I arrived gone silent. The more I got closer to the fence the more the spectator whispered with each other.
There were the three kadis, sitting in their higher seats equally. Down on the ground stood not four but five marshals. The fifth one had short brown hair and keen orange eyes. Her face was firm and stoic. Stance unmoved like stone. Her body tall and strong, eyes focused entirely on me. She was obviously the mother of Kai and Ulma.
Aside from them, there was almost every Great House present. I recognized some of them when I had visited Magna Tempestas during my fight with the Crimson Moon Hunters. Orinn and Arinn were here too, and they were all standing in seats like the rest of the audience. They were all equals here.
The Purple Sun shone through the high glass ceiling as the kadi in the middle striked his gavel on his table.
"Enough! Order in the just," he demanded. He then stood up as did everyone else. I looked around merely to see everyone had obeyed him.
"May Tarn guide the truth," he prayed, then sat back down, as did everyone else. The judge on the left coughed two times before making her proclamation,
"Grey Nirmala, A Tertius, a Descendant of Destruction and the bearer of the Rune of Creation and... Destruction. You stand accused of the crime of terrorism and intended violence toward House Sangius. How do you plead?"