Silence fills in the air as soon as Will finishes his sentence but was quickly broken by the saint judge.
"Sorry, did I not make it clear? I asked do you want her mind to be erased or executed?"
"I heard you as clear as day your honor, and my answer is she will not be executed nor have her mind erased,"
"That is not a choice,"
"Though it's mine, fret not, I do not speak purely out of what we desire, for I have proof that she is innocent,"
"And what proof do you have?"
"Give us the holy relic, and we shall test that out,"
The saint judge asked one of the priest standing right next to him to bring out the holy relic used by Caelus in the elf's house.
"Go on then, try it,"
Will stepped behind Tara and apologizes to her for what he is going to do later.
"I'm sorry, but try to bear it,"
Will whispered into Tara's ear as the priest handing the holy relic also handed a dagger for Will to cut Tara's skin. Will did a light slash that doesn't hurt her on the palm and retrieve her blood. He then poured the blood into a tube he brought with and then poured it into the holy relic. Slowly, the result returned and it turned blue, showing that Tara is completely innocent and clean.
"T-that's not possible!"
Caelus walked forward and places his hand on the railing where the saint judge is sitting.
"But we had proved it,"
"You must've did something, maybe that tube!"
"Check it if you want,"
Will gave thew tube to the priest who handed him the holy relic.
"T-then you must've used your blood on the relic to save her!"
"My blood? Sure, I shall test my blood,"
Raye took a step back, shielding Al and Amethia from whatever is happening. Will put his blood inside a tube and poured it into the holy relic. He made sure that everyone is seeing it. He then poured the blood into the holy relic and slowly, it turned red.
"HE IS A BLACK MAGIC PRACTICER!"
"EXECUTE THIS MAN IN AN INSTANCE!"
The crowd roared as Caelus was surprised by this. Despite the commotion, the saint judge stayed calm and questioned Will.
"Well then, Will Beuratt, why go so far to save a child?"
"She was a victim and does not deserve such penalty,"
"We gave to options, execution or memory erasure, why not chose the memory erasure?"
"Fool, you now saw me as a black magic practicer, don't you know that erasing one's memory is considered a forbidden magic for it alter someone's memory?"
"Yes, Will Beuratt, but memory erasure is also the only forbidden magic that we were allowed to use for the better of the world, don't you know that those who had their blood corrupted will hunger for more destruction through black magic? Hence, erasing one mind will make them forget what they did or even remembering how to cast black magic, they may still have that hunger but we will try to help them ease it and slowly get used to it,"
"But is that so? I supposed this has happened many times does it? Where people practice black magic and given these two options, not knowing that both just leads to death and suffer, memory erasure may sound tempting, but there is a reason why it's still considered a forbidden magic where only high priest or saint could use it, memory erasure not only erases one part of a memory, but also have the very high chance to confirm of erasing every others too, so basically you have no will of living while you are in a state of mental suffering and identity loss, might as well choose death which could end your suffering instantly,"
Will then looked at the saint judge dead in the eyes and spoke in a dead, cold tone.
"Memory is an important part of someone to the point that it shaped your identity, erasing one memory means losing a life, and Tara shall not has her memory erased nor knocking on death's door,"
"So you're saying that you will be dying on her behalf?"
"If that's what could save her,"
The saint judge thought for a while and discuses with Caelus which leads to the final verdict.
"Very well, since you have proven her innocence and by sacrificing you, you shall atone for your sin,"
"..., I think you got it wrong,"
The saint judge and the priests and priestesses all have a confused look on their face. Will smirk and shadow formed below his feet. He pushes Tara behind and Raye quickly grabbed her and the Everlight and Amethia retreated to the entrance hallway. The shadow below Will's feet then grew larger and formed a sphere that covers the whole room of the court just before the entrance hallway where the Everlight and Amethia stood.
"I think you misunderstood, I won't be dying since it is not I that commit such act,"
"W-what are you doing Will Beuratt?"
The saint judge asked Will but he didn't answer but instead asked another question.
"Do you want to live?"
This few words brought fear among the priests and priestesses. Who is this guy? How powerful is the SUN cult? Questions rose among them but Will somehow manages to hear those thoughts.
"I am not a SUN Cultist, I am someone you never thought of hearing,"
"Tell us, what name could bring us more fear than the SUN Cult?"
Caelus questioned Will and he replied with a devilish grin.
"I am the one who was said that betrayed the world, I am the one who humanity despises, I am who you guys claimed as the forsaken one,"
The priests and priestesses still were confused. They had never heard such person though only the saint judge was the first to react after hearing the 'forsaken one'. For there is only one who humanity claimed as that, and it is the Shadow Sage himself.
"I am, the Shadow Sage among the dark sages,"