Disclaimer: Jim'Van khong co tro choi World of Warcraft hay chuyen nao WoW ca. Gia Jim'Van co WoW, thi Jim'Van khong viet fanfiction. Co dung khong?
Author: OK, OK, so it looks like this may be a longer part of the story than I thought. So sue me. I'll have the rest up and running as soon as I can. Not only am I doing university languages now, but editing for a news site too. But I couldn't be happier since the conspiring bureaucrats of modern expat business haven't stopped me from living and working here. I'd say, dear ficcies, a happy man writes better fics, eh?
Anyway, in this chapter, Treike's trial begins, and the nature of his so-called crime finally becomes clear.
Oh, and the character of Alaric Jadefern is a fanfic creation of Talia Mirai, used with her permission.
Next chapter, it may go to a flashback scene. On with the fic!
Chapter 4: The Trial Begins
There was already a large crowd gathered beneath the ancients by the time they arrived. In accordance with night elf tradition, a large circle had been chalked into the ground before the great tree in which the bank of Darnassus rested. The inner circles had been chalked in a specific pattern to represent the face of Elune herself. Not common white chalk, but a silvery herbal powder concocted to catch the beams of the night's full moon and respond with a gentle glow.
A large, wooden dais had been planted – or grown - before the trees and the waiting crowd of humans, night elves, dwarves, and even a few gnomes and draenei sat watching. Leaves drifted down silently to land in the lake, mixing with the croaking of frogs and the chirping of crickets in the night.
Every tree, animal, and spirit present was completely unaware their peaceful nocturnal orchestra was about to be irreparably disturbed.
As was customary in night elf society, crowds were allowed to witness legal proceedings as a public reminder of what law and society stood for. Trials were common enough in the society, and specific times for certain cases were often scheduled at convenient times to allow the public easy viewing...when the rulers decided the public should see it.
This evening was one such trial.
A loud horn suddenly sounded from the Cenarion Enclave and, with the rustling of feet and the murmur of intrigued populace, the crowd shuffled aside to allow a marching crowd access to the dais across the lake bridge from the Enclave.
Heading the detachment was a stocky, broad-shouldered druid. His head was marked with antlers, one of them nicked and broken upon its root. His face was marked, significantly, with glowing golden eyes, set deeply into thick-lidded sockets, and a short, fuzzy beard marked on either side with beaded braids. The golden eyes gave an aura of unflappable and eternal calm that only one blessed by the Dream could bear. Bone ornaments rattled in a necklace around his neck. Strangely, this druid barely looked out of his younger years, but the flowing ceremonial robes he wore indicated he had a high standing amongst the Cenarion Circle.
He and the following escort from the enclave stepped up to the dais, and the leader turned a precise, forty-five degree angle and stepped into the smaller, chalked circle to the right.
The Retribution. He was the prosecutor.
He stood in the circle with his arms folded, to wait for the next procession.
Barely a moment later, another horn sounded, and another procession marched up from the enclave, this time headed by Silvanna and Treike, the latter, as tradition dictated, with his wrists in chains.
Silvanna stepped up to the larger circle on the left side of the dais, and knelt on the stones for a long trial, while Treike himself stepped up to stand in the centre before the raised dais.
Immediately, a murmur rose up from the crowds. There were accusing looks and finger-pointing, and there were bewildered mutterings and one or two cries of recognition.
As Treike slowly looked around at the crowd, trying to keep his heart from starting to pound, he spied Lady Tyrande sitting on a raised sedan chair in the distance before the Temple of the Moon. A young priestess was talking to her urgently from the pathway below.
As he turned to his right, he caught the eye of the prosecutor. The druid regarded him with a stare of neither sympathy nor hostility. He wasn't familiar.
Treike could tell the odds were already against him.
At that moment, a third, final horn was sounded and a human woman appeared seemingly from nowhere behind the dais sitting at an ornate wooden table. A bell and a gavel rested before her. The woman appeared slender and her face was strangely ageless as humans went. But the gray hair and hard unflinching gaze belied the fact that she was neither a young woman nor a compassionate one.
She was one of the Alliance's most skilled and venerable judges. Rubella Irwen, born and raised in a noble family and educated in every facet of law. War crime court record greater than any other judge in Stormwind. Convicted and acquitted hundreds of Alliance warriors of war crimes, as well as mediating the charges and sentences against dozens of captured Horde officers.
Despite this, there were more than a few confused and discontented murmurs amongst the primarily-night-elf crowd who felt it was improper to have one of their citizens tried by a human in their own capital. This, unsurprisingly, was followed by the protests of the humans and dwarves who recognised her. The murmur gradually died down after a moment as the news spread.
And stopped altogether as she stood, raised the gavel and smacked it sharply on the table.
Despite the fact that the 'courtroom' was in fact out of doors at night, and the fact that the public gallery must have spanned the whole length of the inner circle of the Darnassian lake, the sharp bang reverberated in the ears of every being present.
Rubella then spoke up in her strong, precise voice, which had also been magically amplified.
"I call this court to order by the authority of His Majesty, King Varian Wrynn of Stormwind, and of Lady Tyrande Whisperwind of Darnassus!"
Immediately, there was a hushing sound as many shushed their comrades to listen in.
She spoke again, her voice not betraying the fact that she was mostly unfamiliar with night elf ceremony.
"With the Blessing of Elune, here this night under her pale stare, we will commence with the dispension of justice to the Whisper."
There was a pleased muttering and a few appreciative smiles amongst the night elves for a moment before she spoke again.
"Is the accused present?"
When Treike spoke, he found his voice too had been amplified by the circle upon the ground on which he stood.
"Kaltreike Shadowfury is present and able, Revered Magister."
Rubella cleared her throat. "Please address me as 'Your Honor', Lord Shadowfury. Members of the Alliance do not address the human judge as 'Revered.' Is the prosecution present?"
The druid spoke up in a calm, deep voice. "Alaric Jadefern is present, Your Honor."
Not a familiar name. Who was he?
"Is the defense present?"
Silvanna. "The defense is present and willing, Your Honor."
"Very well. Lord Shadowfury, you are charged this night as a war druid of high treason. Charges against you include negligence of duty, misuse of resources, insubordination, abuse of command, and mass murder. Possible convictions amount to execution. How do you plead to these charges?"
Treike looked down at the stones sunken into the earth before the dais. There was nothing for it.
"Not guilty, Your Honor."
Rubella Irwen leaned back slightly in her chair. She fixed Treike with a steely gaze. "You understand there are witnesses and evidence to disprove this plea, Kaltreike Shadowfury?"
Treike nodded. "Yes, Your Honor."
At the news there was obviously going to be a long list of proceedings following, the crowd around the lake seemed to thin. Some were leaving to return to the city. Others huddled closer as the amplification of the Circle's voices fell slowly for the beginning of the examination.
Treike spared another glance around, but was slightly perplexed not to see Fandral Staghelm or Mathrengyl Bearwalker anywhere in sight. What was going on? He was certain he would have seen either of them.
Irwen spoke again. "Very well. An overview of the events of this case concerns please, Lady Ravenoak."
Huntress Ravenoak, appearing none too pleased at having been selected to carry out this duty, stepped up to the dais and handed a thick, rolled parchment to Magister Irwen, who unrolled it and began to read.
"The accused is confirmed to have assumed command of a detachment of Alliance warriors roughly three years ago in the Netherstorm of Outland. Heavy meteorological and disturbance in the region and time between delivery of information makes exact date impossible to deduce."
"The accused, according to witness accounts and standing messages from superior officers in the region, disobeyed orders to attack patrols under the command of the Horde, went missing in action with his detachment for roughly a period of four days to a week, committed an unthinkable act by directly supplying the Horde enemy in the region with valuable Alliance commodities, and returned to storm and destroy the Alliance encampment from whence his questionable activities began."
At this, an instant murmur ran through the crowd. There were even one or two cries of outrage and immediate screams for vengeance. Magister Irwen banged down her gavel smartly to stall the commotion before beginning.
"Several items are worthy of prominence in this account: the accused Kaltreike Shadowfury was seen to have directly consorted with the Horde commander face-to-face, the Alliance encampment, nicknamed 'Netherborne', was a druidic-grown night elf settlement containing no few number of the druids' Cenarion Circle..."
At that, there were more angry mutterings, and Treike could see that the prosecutor, Alaric Jadefern, had set his jaw.
"...and finally that the accused left the scene of these crimes with a select few companions following this betrayal...unmolested and unperturbed by a large Horde detachment in the immediate area."
This time the murmur rose to a cacophony of shouts of outrage and screamed demands for vigilante justice right there and then, and – Treike's heart sank – not only were the night elves, dwarves and humans screaming, but also the draenei and gnomes, the most patient creatures he had ever known.
Irwen banged her gavel twice more, and shouted for order, her voice returning to its prior volume at a magical word of command.
She fixed him with another hard glare. "Evidence is overwhelming, Kaltreike Shadowfury, and throughout this recitation, I have seen no furious denial and even any visible distress on your part. You are either foolish, or you must have some amazing circumstances to share if you can claim you did not commit this list of crimes."
Treike slowly nodded.
Magister Irwen cleared her throat again. "Very well, the prosecution may begin the proposal for guilt."
The prosecutor, Alaric Jadefern, began to speak slowly in a lowered volume. "The prosecution recommends a sentence of execution. Evidence listed is given in two forms: witness testimony, and battleground records."
A quick signal, and a young priestess ran up to him carrying a handful of documents he accepted and dismissed her. "These are the records chronicling the battle on all fronts in the Netherstorm. The reports detail the events leading up to the fall of Netherborne. Netherborne's records themselves were lost in the rubble, but the other Alliance commanders detailed the events quite thoroughly from the surrounding areas."
Magister Irwen gave a short nod. "Very well, if the defense has no objection, we will accept these records as evidence."
Silvanna slowly shook her head and spoke. "The defense has no objections, Your Honor."
Irwen received the documents from Jadefern via a courier and spread them out on her makeshift desk.
After a moment, she spoke again. "These documents are written in Common in accordance with Alliance High command regulations. The defense and I will review them as the case progresses. Alaric Jadefern, you may call your first witness to the stand."
Jadefern cleared his throat. "The prosecution, at first, wishes to call a witness to the stand to testify to Lord Shadowfury's activities closer to home, Your Honor."
On cue, Silvanna stood and raised an objection. "I protest against this! Kaltreike Shadowfury's activities in Darnassus, or even all of Azeroth, have no bearing on this case!"
Jadefern quickly cut in again, showing his first note of emotion in the trial. "Lady Silvanna Evernight! I am aware that his activities in the past have no bearing on the current unfortunate charges he may face, but I feel the court will be better able to understand Lord Shadowfury's possible motivations and character from this testimony."
"If you seek to undermine this court's neutrality in this crime, Lord Jadefern..."
Irwen interrupted. "The judge concedes the prosecution's point. This court should know more of the defendant's background to attempt to better understand his present situation for better or worse. Fear not, Lady Silvanna, for you also will have the chance to present witnesses when your turn comes. Lord Jadefern, you may bring in your witness."
This can't be good, Treike thought.
At another signal from Jadefern, another young night elf emerged from the crowd, escorted by a sentinel, and made her way to the circle to stand behind Treike. He looked at her.
It was Letta Shadowfury. His cousin.
She was different from the last time he had seen her. She had always been carefree, bubbly, and full of life, her charm far overriding the stigma of her family name, but now her face looked drawn and frowning. Her light green hair was shorter as well, and she was wearing a simple white robe instead of her usual eye-watering cascade of bright colors. Treike smirked inside despite himself as he deduced a reluctant employment or mate.
As she stepped into the smallest circle in the moon-face behind him, Irwen spoke.
"Witness, please state your name and profession."
Letta slowly spoke in her high, slightly nasal voice. "I am Letta Shadowfury, Your Honor, mate to Baeran Bearmantle and charter-keeper of the Weaver's Guild."
I knew it. Treike wondered just what else about his erstwhile cousin had changed.
At the stares of so many present, Letta visibly swallowed and added "I am cousin to the accused...though we have not had much contact for a long while..."
Jadefern spoke up. "As per my request for you to testify, I believe there is a certain reason for this, Revered Lady Letta?" he asked, deliberately omitting the hated family name.
Letta slowly nodded.
"And what is that, witness?" Magister Irwen asked in a neutral tone. "Please testify for us to the court."
Letta sounded slightly nervous and she spoke hurriedly (obviously a pre-prepared testimony she had made with prosecutor Jadefern).
"Kaltreike Shadowfury and I were friends as children - I remember he used to protect me from bullies and give me many treats whenever he visited my mother and father and I. But after he joined the Cenarion Circle, we drifted apart. I became a weaver girl, and during those next years I heard nothing from him. However, when he returned to our village, I barely knew him."
"How is that, witness?" Jadefern asked slowly.
"He was extremely...unstable," Letta said nervously. "Treike had changed. He looked excited and angry all the time. He looked spoke and acted like he felt like fighting the Burning Legion itself...all by himself."
Treike snorted lightly under his breath. We were all young and foolish once.
Jadefern cleared his throat. "It sounds like he was indeed volatile, witness...can you perhaps tell us if he performed any...questionable actions during this time?"
Treike felt his stomach clench. Here it comes...
Letta slowly nodded. "Yes, Lord Jadefern...after a short while...he challenged Lord Malfurion Stormrage to a duel for leadership of the Cenarion Circle."
There was an immediate gasp from the crowd and newer, louder cries of outrage from all of the night elves, and even several other members of the Alliance races joined in. Treike could see Silvanna swallow as her fears about Letta's testimony were confirmed.
"Order!" Even Magister Irwen looked a little bewildered. "I take it the defendant lost this challenge?"
"Of course!" Alaric Jadefern exclaimed before Letta could say anything. He sounded slightly ruffled that the magister might even have thought of the other possibility.
She gave him a brief glare. "The witness will continue her testimony."
Letta slowly went on. Treike did not look at her. He knew any action from him would be restrained...not that he really wanted to do anything. Letta's words were true. He had indeed stupidly issued such a challenge to Arch Druid Stormrage in the past. Being young and foolish, he had taken his defeat rather badly. Stormrage had calmly advised him if he wished to become more powerful, he should seek a higher purpose than his own ambition.
Naturally, the Cenarion Circle had attempted to exile him for impertinence, but Malfurion and Tyrande had testified to his innocence and let him go free.
He suddenly noticed he had not been paying attention. Letta was obviously coming to the end of her testimony.
"Since his return from Outland..." Letta said, the name sounding strange on her quavering tongue. "...I only saw him once. He retrieved all of his family's property and gold before wishing me farewell and leaving Darnassus. By that time, he had changed yet again. He was so...cold, so empty. There was no more spirit...no more ambition...it was like nothing was inside him."
There were immediate mutterings amongst the crowd. Treike did not blame them.
"Ah...ahem. That is all." Letta said as Jadefern gave her a meaningful glance.
Irwen spoke again. "Thank you, witness. You have indeed given us a clearer notion of the accused."
In some ways at least, Treikethought.
"Lady Silvanna, you may cross-examine the witness."
Silvanna rose again. "Thank you, Magister Irwen. Lady Letta Shadowfury...thank you for a start, for agreeing to testify. I understand it must be difficult for you to be here for this."
Letta blinked, and then said "Yes, ah, thank you, Lady Silvanna. I admit this is indeed a little difficult..."
Silvanna leaned forward slightly. "Yes...let this court not attempt to hide the truth. The name Shadowfury must be difficult to bear at many times, especially when giving a testimony of an alleged war criminal by the same name..."
At that, Letta blinked again, and then started as Silvanna's double-meaning hit. Her eyes misted slightly.
"I object, Your Honor!" Jadefern interjected. "The defense is attempting to unsettle the witness!"
Irwen leaned back. "Agreed. Lady Silvanna, either make the point of this line of questioning, or desist from antagonizing the witness."
Silvanna nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. My apologies."
She cleared her throat. "Lady Shadowfury, you have mentioned that you were startled by the change in your cousin after he returned from the Emerald Dream. Tell me, did you see him often at that time?"
Letta shook her head. "No, very seldom."
Silvanna made a pyramid with her fingertips and gazed at Letta steadily. "How often, would you say?"
Letta hesitated. "I would say, maybe once every couple of years."
"And yet, you were familiar with the fact that he challenged Shan'do Stormrage?"
Letta paused again. "The whole community was aware. Word was brought to us."
Silvanna's eyes lit up. "You did not witness the challenge yourself?"
Jadefern raised an objection before she could answer. "Your Honor, the truth of this challenge is easily verifiable without Lady Shadowfury having witnessed it! The defense's question is quite pointless."
In control, isn't he? This is not going well.
Silvanna shook her head. "The defense withdraws the question, your Honor. Rather, Lady Shadowfury, I would like to ask you if that volatile attitude which challenged the revered Shan'do was the same one you saw when he was headed to Outland?"
Letta shook her head. "No, when I met him after the Dark Portal reopened, he was different. Very quiet, and very nervous. I knew he was worried about the Burning Legion's return..."
Silvanna interrupted. "You did not mention such a meeting, Letta."
She shook her head. "It did not seem so important, Lady Silvanna."
Magister Irwen then spoke. "The differences in Lord Shadowfury from the time before and following the alleged crimes must not be omitted in this case, Lady Letta Shadowfury. Please do not omit such details again."
Silvanna then shook her head. "There is no need, Your Honor. I have no further questions. Now, may we proceed?"
Magister Irwen leaned back before answering. There was no doubt in Treike's mind that she already knew how long a night this was going to be. "Very well. In accordance with night elf tradition, 'May Elune smile upon you, Lady Letta Shadowfury.'"
"The Revered Magister Irwen is too kind," Letta murmured before turning and leaving in a hurry. Treike did not blame her.
Magister Irwen cleared her throat. "From what we have seen and heard, it seems that Lord Shadowfury has always been serving his own interests primarily. Alliance war druid or not, it seems he has always sought his own prestige and glory. Does it seem so unbelievable he would turn on his comrades the instant a change of sides suited him?"
There was a general murmur of agreement from the audience, but Silvanna spoke up quickly.
"This proves nothing of the charges against him, Your Honor. I must insist the prosecution only submit witness accounts related to the matter at hand from now on!"
"Order," she decreed solemnly. "I am not insinuating we should declare a verdict merely from this account, Lady Evernight. I do agree to your point. Revered Lord Jadefern, there will only be witness accounts as related to the Outland disaster for the remainder of this trial."
The druid bowed. "As you wish, Your Honor. The prosecution would like to call the Alliance General in command of the doomed Netherstorm campaign, Lord Wolfrik Ironheart."
The dwarf general. If anyone could try to prove him guilty, he could.
The dwarf lumbered out of the crowd. He looked exactly like Treike remembered him. Same tight no-nonsense expression, same braided black beard, same burnished warriors' armor, same contemptful expression. Coupled with the large axe he still carried despite the guards' protests.
Glaring at Treike, who simply remained staring at him with his neck turned, the general stepped into the witness's circle.
"Would the witness state his name and profession?" Irwen asked perfunctorily.
The dwarf general slowly spoke. "37th Alliance General Wolfrik Ironheart of Ironforge, Yer Honor. And I'll do anythin' ta see tha' this traitorous piec'a slime loses his head fer this betrayal!" There was an immediate crescendo of agreement and cheering from the watching Alliance warriors.
Treike caught Silvanna's glare and knew she was already formulating a plan to call him up on that remark.
Irwen banged down her gavel. "Order! General Ironheart, I understand your disposition towards the accused, but please refrain from such remarks. A witness must not be declared hostile."
The dwarf muttered something so lowly the circle didn't amplify it, but Treike could probably guess what he'd said.
"Very well. The witness may begin his testimony as to the events that befell the night elf settlement of Netherborne in the Netherstorm campaign three years ago."
The dwarf cleared his throat loudly and with a tone that told everyone present to sit down and grab a tankard. Treike groaned under his breath. He knew how much dwarves loved to spin a yarn.
"It was one of our first major expansions, Yer Honor. Very shortly after the breakthrough into Outland. One of our parties managed ta carve a way through the Blade's Edge Mountains ta the Netherstorm. Of course, Kael'thas Sunstrider gave us a warm welcome, ya see..."
There was an angry muttering amongst the crowds. No-one wanted to hear that name.
The general went on. "This was befer the naaru an' the Scryers. We dinnae know better than to believe tha Horde blood elves in tha area were under Sunstrider. I'm afraid our fragile little truce with tha Horde, ah, sorta 'disintegrated' after we came under fire from Sunhawks."
There was a rumble. Treike snorted. It had "disintegrated" alright, if you could call a series of unprovoked ambushes on Horde forces a disintegration.
"I was headquartered at our first encampment, before the goblins and tha ethereals arrived, Yer Honor. We permitted the Cenarion Circle druids under our command to grow Netherborne near the Blade's Edge Mountains...as long as they kepta few Alliance soldiers there fer protection and fer medical treatment. Me records say clearly tha' Kaltray-kay Shaddafury here was one of tha' druids stationed a' Netherborne."
"We heard alla sudden tha' the Horde had also established a base near Netherborne. Storm's Rage, Fury of the Tempest or somethin'. Well, naturally, we wasted no time sendin' a garrison to Netherborne to help out."
Garrison, Treike thought, remembering the attack plans on Tempest Rage the supposed 'garrison' had wasted no time drawing up.
"Afta a few days, we received a report sayin' the battle agains' the Horde was going well and they'd been pushed back ta their own settlement. They requested more supplies to continue the siege and expected the Horde ter fall in days! It woulda been a grand victory fer the Alliance fer certain!"
There was a rumble of approval from the audience.
"But...but afta a while we stopped gettin' reports...and then it all went wrong! When we dispatched messengers, they dinna return, and afta' a while, we decided ta summon a rogue to check out tha battle. The rogue tol' us there was no battle at the Horde settlement. Tempest Rage, curse the luck, was still standin' and our soldiers were all dead. The supplies were missin' too!"
There was a predictable groan among the audience. They had all loved the story, though it obviously would have ended disappointingly for them since the Horde base of Tempest Rage still stood in the Netherstorm to this day.
"We didnae understand how it coulda happened. Tha Horde were almos' dead and gone by tha' time they retreated ta their base. They never coulda destroyed a force that big without help." The general's craggy face then twisted in revulsion. "An'...o' course the cursed Horde are savages, especially those damned undead...but, but even they wouldna done what we found."
He spat in disgust. "The bodies o' the Alliance warriors had been ravaged, mutilated. Poor bastards, they were proud warriors...shouldna died like that. Looked like somma the poor devils had been hacked ter death."
Another murmur.
"Anyway, we foun' Netherborne a smokin' ruin when we sent another garrison. The whole tree had been almos' literally ripped outta the damned floating rock and left ta burn. By tha time we got there, there was nothin' left ta save. Almos' all of the night elves there were in the same condition as the army outside Tempest Rage."
He sighed. "The accused was one of tha few survivors we found. But...he refused to return with the others to our encampment. He just...transformed into a cat and vanished. One o' the other survivors, a night elf boy...he tol' us tha' that druid, Kaltray-k Shaddafury, was the one who killed 'em all."
Treike could feel his glare on the back of his head. There was an immediate growl from the watching audience.
"At first, Yer Honor, I shrugged the kid's accusation off. There was no way one single druid coulda taken out a whole battalion of Alliance soldiers as well as uproot all o' Netherborne, but...after some investigation, we foun' out where our supplies had gone. The Horde had 'em, and when we went through the waste crates they threw out...tha evidence suggested the cargo had been taken without a fight...and when we captured a Horde outrunner, the orc eventually squealed a traitor, a night elf, had delivered it to 'em, an' babbled some nonsense about demons an' such until we smacked him with the axe to shut him up."
"It didnae help that the otha' survivors just suddenly vanished too, and they were only found much later here in Azeroth...afta a while I decided to question tha' boy again. When we found him, he had some time to calm down...he told us the druids had been havin' some party or festival or some such...and then the accused returned with a few others he couldna have identified, and they tore tha whole place apart..."
"I began to believe the accused had betrayed the Alliance and collaborated with tha Horde to massacre the druids of Netherborne, Your Honor."
As the angry dwarf finished his story, Treike could hear the spiteful hissing and growling from the audience and he was sure more than a few were stroking their weapons.
Magister Irwen spoke sharply. "Order! Indeed, this is a very grim testimony, General Ironheart. You say most survivors you found evaded custody? Such an action would make no sense to loyal Alliance warriors. All the same, your prisoner's testimony and this night elf child you mentioned are the only evidence you bear to implicate Kaltreike Shadowfury in this alleged treason and mass murder?"
The general spat and nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid night elf tradition donna allow children to testify, Yer Honor..."
"Yes," Irwen cut across his speech. "I am aware of that. I assume the officers under your command can support this testimony? And the prisoner of war you mentioned?"
"Aye, Yer Honor, that they can," he nodded again. "Except...tha' prisoner...ya see, he...er..."
"No, Your Honor," Alaric Jadefern spoke up. "Unfortunately, that particular Horde prisoner, Garok, his name was, went mad in internment not too long ago, and threw himself off the edge of a cliff."
Irwen sighed. "Regrettable," she said perfunctorily.
Indeed, Treike thought. That particular testimony might have worked out well for him.
She cleared her throat. "Very well, Silvanna, you may begin your cross-examination."
"General," Silvanna began solemnly. "You came to believe the accused was responsible for the destruction of Netherborne and the Alliance forces from witness accounts. Did either of these witnesses actually see the accused perform these deeds?"
The general shook his head. "Not the orc, bu' tha' boy did...certainly."
Silvanna probed. "Can you remember exactly what the boy said?"
The dwarf appeared to ponder for a moment, scratching his head before finally shaking it again. "Cannae recall all the details, bu' it is written down somewhere. Prob'ly in the records."
Jadefern immediately raised an objection. "I have the transcript of the boy's account here, Lady Silvanna, as recorded by the General himself in the war journal. Would you like to hear it?"
She nodded. "Your Honor?"
Irwen nodded. "Yes, I believe we should hear this. You may proceed, prosecutor."
The druid began to read. "Ahem... 'Nobody saw it coming. I had fallen asleep in the upper trunk of Netherborne waiting for my father to return. I had no choice but to go with him to Outland as I had no family. I assumed he was with the other druids below when it happened. The shouts and gleeful chanting were getting louder, and I began to think they were feasting. I was about to go down and satisfy my own stomach when I suddenly heard an explosion. I leapt from my bed and ran to the window. At first, I thought it must have been the fel orcs because I could see a swathe of red-skinned bodies below. But when I looked more closely, I could see the druids were all wearing red, and another, a night elf wearing a long black cloak and carrying a horned staff, was invoking the wrath of nature upon them. There were others too...Alliance warriors, humans, and a couple of draenei, were slaughtering the druids.'
'I began to fear for myself and for my father...he could have been down there under attack. I panicked and ran for the stairs, but...that was when it happened. I heard an enormous crack, and the room shifted and started to groan. I knew the tree was about to fall over and ran back to the bed to wrap myself in a blanket. The room fell over and I was thrown through the air.'
'When I woke up, a druid, he said his name was Treike, was standing over me. When I looked over, I saw Netherborne in pieces on the ground...and...the other elves, they were in pieces too. My leg hurt and I couldn't stand. He told me not to move and healed my leg with his powers. I thanked him, and then I asked him what had happened, and if he had seen my father. Had the traitors gone?'
'He didn't answer me at first, and looked at the dead druids near us, and then he told me, yes, the traitors were gone, and it was over. He didn't look too good, almost sick, and I could see he was wounded. He told me he was sorry about my father, and then I knew my father was gone. I started to cry, and he picked me up and gave me to one of the survivors, a night elf woman. She looked just as grim as he did.'
'But...then I noticed something. When the druid, Kaltreike Shadowfury, turned away from me...I saw he was wearing a cloak, the same color as the attacker I had seen from up in the tree. I almost screamed when he picked up a horned staff from the ground.'
'I didn't say anything after that. I didn't see Kaltreike for a while. He left somewhere. I overheard him talking about some supplies with his companions before he vanished. By the time he was back, I was sure he had been the attacker, but I didn't say anything because I thought he might kill me.'
'When an Alliance patrol arrived, he told us all to go to them, and I quickly swallowed my fear and ran to the closest human in armor I could see and pointed back at Kaltreike. I screamed 'he did it'!'
'The humans thought I was upset and tried to calm me down. The dwarf in charge demanded to know what had happened, but...this is the strange part, the druid in the black cloak shook his head, transformed into cat form and vanished.'"
A somber mood had descended on the area. Treike knew Silvanna would already have a counter-argument ready.
"This does not prove it was in fact the accused who did this, Honored General, nor if it were, if his actions were a mass murder..."
"Objection! Lady Silvanna...what else could it possibly have been...providing it was in fact the accused who performed the slaughter the boy witnessed?" Jadefern said, smiling and spreading his hands.
Irwen pounded her gavel for another silencing thunderclap as the audience shouted its support for Jadefern. "Order! Prosecutor Jadefern, resume your silence on rhetorical questioning. Lady Silvanna, continue your cross-examination...and please come to your point."
Silvanna bowed. "Certainly, Your Honor. Honored Ironheart, how did you deal with the boy who gave this account and the other survivors following your dispatch?"
The dwarf general frowned as he went back through his memory. "Tha' boy was deemed unstable and in severe trauma, an' we handed him o'er to a healer when we got back, lady. An' the others, well, we placed 'em under guard and tried to question 'em...but..." he paused and stroked his beard. "This is realla strange...mos' of 'em didnae wanna talk...they would on'y say they saw demons..."
"Demons?" Silvanna asked. Her voice remained neutral, but to the astute listener it was now much louder. "Please elaborate, General. I believe your orc prisoner said something similar..."
The dwarf shook his head. "I didnae hear too much about it. I pu' it down to trauma...it was the kinda nonsense you hear from people who've gone roun' the twist. Groans, babbling, the odd scream or two. Bu' they said...there had been demons at Netherborne."
Silvanna clucked her tongue loudly. "Your Honor, I find it curious this particular aspect of the incident has not yet been revealed or discussed."
"Are you insinuating, Lady Silvanna Evernight..." Irwen asked slowly. "That the accused was not in any way responsible for the massacre at Netherborne? That it was the work of the Burning Legion?"
"It cannae have been, Your Honor!" Ironheart interjected hotly. "My troops were holdin' tha Legion a' their forge camp. There's no way it coulda been them!"
"Not them perhaps, General..." Silvanna said. "But maybe their agents, their creations?"
Jadefern objected. "Lady Silvanna, that is nothing more than conjecture! The witness accounts have stated it was clearly Shadowfury and a group of followers who carried out the massacre! Moreover, if the Burning Legion or their underlings had performed the massacre, the land would have been blighted as well as destroyed. And no accounts say as such."
Silvanna responded immediately. "And yet we have seen no conclusive evidence that it was indeed Kaltreike Shadowfury who performed this act of treachery, nor the circumstances under which the massacre was performed, Lord Jadefern. For all we know, the murdering druid may have been killing invaders, not night elves, or even acting in self-defense."
Jadefern's lips parted and he bared his teeth, seeming to lose his composure finally. "I assume you have some evidence to support these wild theories, Lady Silvanna?"
She did not rise to the bait. "As I said, you have as of yet provided no conclusive evidence the traitor was the accused, Revered Jadefern."
The prosecutor's annoyance suddenly slipped from his face as quickly as it came. On the contrary, he was now smiling mildly.
Treike suddenly felt like that smile had punched him in the gut. This could only mean he did in fact have some evidence.
"Order!" Rubella Irwen had apparently decided she had let their game of ball-toss go on long enough. "Lady Silvanna, at the moment, you can't provide anything but theories, as the prosecution has stated. And Lord Jadefern, I agree the time has come for decisive evidence. Please reveal to the court an exhibit...or another testimony, that can prove the accused guilty 'beyond reasonable doubt!'"
There was another hubbub, but this time it was Jadefern who raised his hand and signalled for silence. Once it died down in anticipation, he turned and beckoned to a black-hooded figure behind him. The human nodded and approached.
"Members of the court," Jadefern began. "I have called for a necromancer to commune with the spirits of the dead. Do you have any objection to a communal testimony from a Netherborne spirit, Your Honor?"
There was an immediate gasp from the crowd, Silvanna's eyes widened before hardening, and Irwen looked disturbed.
Author: Next part up soon, I hope. Love you all, readers!
