Author's note- Heya readers! Hmmm, I'm in a bit of a predicament. I have to figure out how to …....wait, maybe I shouldn't say that here. Either way, know that I am at crossroads. And I have to choose a path blindfolded, but I have an idea what is in that direction. Things are going to start to get complicated here, Review!
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Chapter 7- Trial
Year 14, Day 166
By the time Rayde woke, it was late evening. The setting sun cast an golden-orange glow to his room. Rayde stood up and stretched, easing his arms and legs. Rayde then walked downstairs. The only person in the room was Kale. Kale looked at his son for a moment, then walked into the kitchen. Rayde walked into the kitchen and asked, "Any news?" Kale stopped what he was doing and said, "We were able to get the body out of there, but we cant do anything about the crystal. We cant get rid of it, we cant even scratch it. Whatever it is, it's very strong. Not many people know about Brute, but my guess is that by the end of the week, almost everyone will know. No one knows of what you did. That isn't the biggest issue however." Kale's face darkened as he then said, "Brute's parents are not pleased. They have been notified of the situation, but not how he died. Brute's father, Check, is personally investigating the death. He has a personal feud with the Wolf Spirit, and he knows it resides within you. I wouldn't put it past him to blame you."
Rayde looked at his father and said, "And what if he does blame me, will anyone believe him?" Kale sighed and said, "It doesn't matter whether or not anyone believes him. The Wolf Spirit is known, even among most of the children. But not many know that it resides in you. We don't know what you can do, and that is the problem. If Check decides to blame you, it would be easy for him to tell everyone about you and the Wolf Spirit. If all know of this, it would be impossible to stop them if they took matters into their own hands."
Rayde nodded and said, "So regardless, the people will try to kill me, or get rid of me, all due to fear of what happened 13 years ago." Kale nodded in response. Rayde thought for a second and asked, "So what do we do?" Kale shrugged and said, "All we can do is wait. If Check starts accusing you, there will likely be a trial held. In that case, you have to claim your innocence. Galdevorm will likely be a witness. And the verdict will decide what we are going to do next."
Rayde nodded, thinking about what he can do. Rayde then thought of something, "What about Lace?" Kale smiled slightly and said, "She has been notified, although she was stunned, she wasn't depressed. I was able to tell her what you told me. I know she can keep a secret, she now knows of the Wolf Spirit. She believes you are not to blame, and she said that she will support you no matter what." Rayde nodded. Kale stared at him and said, "You two seem close. Are you together?" Rayde sighed and said, "If you must know, we kissed last night." Kale smiled and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have intruded into your personal business. I'll keep to myself from now on." Rayde nodded silently.
Kale looked at Rayde and said, "The worst situation is that the city will turn against you. I want you to be prepared to leave Narris. Galdevorm has made arrangements in case that were to happen. Don't worry, I wont let anything happen to you. As long as I am your father, they will not get to you without a fight." Rayde thought of something and said, "Don't you have influence over decisions like this?" Kale sighed and said, "Only in the court. Even then, not very much. Check is the biggest worry, if he decides to get a big mouth, then we may have to evacuate you. There are still others that don't blame you."
Rayde nodded and said, "Thats good to know. We might need as many allies as we can get."
Year 14, Day 174
Over the next few days, Rayde kept as quite as he could. He definitely didn't want to attract attention. Kale has been getting Rayde's school work and notes. Lace also visits him now and then. Only twice in the past days. They are close now, and have agreed to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Rayde hasn't tried to control the crystal power again, even though he is very curious.
Today has put Rayde on edge, Kale was suddenly and out of nowhere called to the council. Rayde was waiting for him to return to learn the news. It was about noon when he came back. Kale had a grim look on his face. Kale looked at Rayde and said, "Get dressed, your being called to trial. Check will ask the questions." Rayde nodded and walked upstairs.
Rayde put on his more formal clothes. A gray dress shirt and black dress pants. Kale opened the door and said, "I want you to pack some clothes in a suitcase." Rayde nodded as he caught his meaning, and pulled the suitcase out from under his bed. Rayde then packed as many clothes and a blanket into the suitcase. Rayde then walked down to the living room and set the suitcase down on the couch. Kale was standing at the door. Kale looked at Rayde and said, "I can't be at the trial. Thats why I told you to pack. If the worse comes to pass, you will have to leave Narris." Rayde looked at his father in surprise and said, "Are you serious? I thought that was only if he told everyone about the Wolf Spirit!" Kale sighed and said, "The verdict of the trial will be held public, Check will announce it to everyone in the city. The transport systems on the bridge have been stopped for today, that is how you will escape. I have the key to start it. You will have to leave with Galdevorm, he will take care of you until you are old enough to care for yourself, or Narris becomes safe again. Lets just hope the council will see to your favor."
Rayde nodded and started to walk outside. There was a small group of guards to escort him. Rayde looked at his father, Kale nodded and said, "Good luck." Rayde nodded and left with the escort. It took then about 30 minutes to reach the tower, where the trial would be held. There was a large crowd of people waiting outside the building, it looked like the majority of the city. It was almost unnerving to walk through the crowd, everyone cast him an unsure glance, some a friendly face. Once Rayde was inside, he was lead into a long corridor.
The inside of the tower was made of a basic stone. The floors were smooth and glazed, the walls held pictures of important political figures in Narris's history. Rayde was lead to a large door made of red wood. The inside of the courtroom was dark and depressing. Black stone lined the walls, and lanterns were placed on the walls, giving the room a dark glow. The only source of the outside was a large window in the back. The room was lit well enough to see everyone in it though. There was a small set of benches that held the 14 members of the council. There was also an assortment of seats for witnesses. In the center, there was a desk and a chair. That is where Rayde would sit.
It wasn't until after Rayde walked into the room did he notice two people, Check and Galdevorm. Check looked much like Brute, square shouldered, muscular, and brown hair and eyes. Galdevorm was standing next to the council as a guard. Check was the prosecutor. Rayde sat down in the chair and waited for the trial to begin. Check looked around and said, "We will now begin. First you will have to do a few things before the trial starts. Stand up Draye, and place a hand over your heart." Rayde stood up and did so. Check then said, "Do you swear to tell the truth by your name, family, heart, and pride?" Rayde swore that he would. Check then said, "Do you swear not to lie to me, the council, and the witnesses to this trial?" Rayde swore that he would. Check then said, "And do you also swear to take the punishment as the council demands?" Rayde swore that he would.
Check then said, "Then you may be seated." Rayde nodded and sat down. Check cleared his throat and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we will now commence the trial. The charges on Draye, is the murder of Brut. How do you plead?" Rayde then said, "I plead innocent." Check frowned and continued, "I am aware that you had a feud with Brut ever since you were young, correct?" Rayde indicated that it was so. "I am aware that you threatened to kill Brut the night he was with Lace, correct?" Rayde nodded and said, "I only said that because-" Rayde was interrupted by Check saying, "And its just coincidential that he would be killed a few days after-" Galdevorm cut of Check by saying, "The boy was in the middle of a sentence. For this to be a fair trial, we must hear his side of the story."
Check shot a dangerous glance at Galdevorm, but Galdevorm held the same face. Check then said, "Very well, continue Draye." Rayde nodded and said, "That night, as I was coming home from Galdevorm's training, I saw Brut at Lace's house. I could see through the window. Brut had her pinned to the bed, and a knife in his hand. He looked at me and shut the blinds. I went inside and got him away from her. I was enraged at seeing this and I threatened him after throwing him to the street." Check sighed and said, "You have no witness to prove that." Galdevorm cleared his throat and said, "As a matter of fact, we do."
Just then, the doors burst open, showing Lace walking in. Lace walked in silently and sat down next to Rayde. "I will act as a witness." Lace said. Check glared at her and said, "Fine, state what happened on the night that Draye claims that Brut had you pinned to the bed." Lace nodded and recounted the details perfectly, almost exactly as Rayde said it, only more detailed. When she finished, Check nodded and said, "You say that Draye moved at a very fast, faster than normal?" Lace nodded in response. Check then said, "Very well, you may go." Lace nodded and walked out of the room, not even looking back at all.
Check then said, "I will get to my point now. Draye, are you aware of something called the Wolf Spirit?" Rayde nodded and said, "I was told recently about it." Check smiled and said, "Are you aware of where it is now?" Rayde nodded and said, "It resides within me, but as I said before. I didn't know of this until recently." Check was startled that Rayde said that out loud. The council was stagnant, while the witnesses were stunned. Rayde looked at Check's startled face, You weren't expecting that were you?
Check then said, "My reason for calling you here is an extreme worry to the city. We are aware that you were there the moment that Brut was killed. There was no one else that could have done it. What do you have to say to that?" Check smiled as he said this.
Rayde frowned and thought, He wants me to lie. Rayde cleared his throat and said, "I can't really explain what happened, but I can explain the events leading to it. That evening, after I walked Lace home, I stopped at the courtyard just to admire the evening. That is when Brute attacked me, he had a knife. My shoulder was injured at the time, and he used that to his advantage to cripple me for the moment. Brute charged at me, and I felt a strange power surge through me. All I did was fling up my arms to protect myself, that is when the crystal came out of the ground. I didn't know what I had done, only that it happened. I wasn't planning on killing him, I never have. But what happened was an accident, I didn't know that was possible as I was told after that the Wolf Spirit was housed within me. Know this though, I had no reason to kill Brute, I only wanted him away from Lace. I tried to defend myself, but killed someone in the process. The worst part is, I have no idea how this is possible. That is all I have to say." Rayde then sat down and stared at Check's startled face. I'm not as stupid as you think.
Before Check could answer, one of the council members said, "We have decided to discuss the verdict." Check looked at them and nodded. Rayde stood up and followed the guards out to the front doors. Once they were outside, they had to wait for the council to make a decision. It took them about 2 hours to come out. One of the council members handed a piece of paper to Check. Check read it and looked at the crowd. Check then said as loud as he could, "The council has found the defendant guilty, for the crime of murder of Brut. The punishment, I will make myself." Check then crumpled up the paper and said, "Open your eyes, the gem still stands in the courtyard. No normal human could have made it. I want the city to know this, DRAYE HOLDS THE WOLF SPIRIT WITHIN HIS BODY! TAKE UP ARMS AND LETS BE RID OF THIS ABBOMINATION!!!
The crowd was startled for a second. When one person stepped towards Rayde, others followed. Some of them drawing swords. Rayde tried to back away, but was stopped by the guards. Rayde then noticed that Galdevorm ran in front of Rayde, Galdevorm was wearing some kind of mask over his mouth. He quickly thrusted a similar mask at Rayde's face and threw a series of pellets at the ground. The area was almost instantly covered in smoke. Rayde held the mask over his mouth. Galdevorm grabbed Rayde by the wrist and ran off. Galdevorm then said, "We must get to the bridge. To the rooftops, lets see how much you practiced." Rayde nodded and followed Galdevorm. Galdevorm found a small ledge that he could vault off of to get to the roofs, Rayde quickly followed.
Galdevorm and Rayde were running as fast as they could to get to the bridge. Rayde matched Galdevorm when it came to running on the rooftops. It took them about 30 minutes of solid sprinting, jumping, vaulting, climbing, and wall running to get there. Rayde noticed that Kale was already at the bridge, a covered coach sitting there waiting for them. Rayde stopped a few feet in front of his father and stopped to catch his breath, as did Galdevorm. When Rayde could breath well again, he looked up a Kale and said, "Check took matters into his own hands. He has the whole city after me." Kale nodded and said darkly, "Then you have to leave. I'm sorry it had to be this way, but we have no choice."
Rayde nodded and said, "I'll find a way to prove that I am not an enemy, I swear it." Kale shook his head and said, "Right now, you need to worry about getting out of here. Get in the coach...... Goodbye Draye, I never could have asked for a better son." Rayde hugged his father and said, "And I couldn't have asked for a better father. I don't blame you for anything that has happened to me. I love you dad." Kale hugged his son and said, "I love you too. Take care of yourself you hear?" Rayde nodded and turned to get on the coach. Kale stopped him by saying, "Wait a second, I have something for you." Kale then pulled out something wrapped in cloth, it was about 4 feet long, and not very thick. Kale handed it to Rayde and said, "Use it when you have to." Rayde nodded and stepped in the coach.
Just as Rayde put a foot I the coach, he heard a faint voice call out, "Wait for me!" Rayde looked towards the city and saw Lace running towards them, carrying a suitcase about as big as Rayde's. Rayde ran out to Lace and said, "What are you doing here?" Lace smiled and said, "What do you think, I'm going with you." Rayde shook his head and said, "You....you can't. What about your parents?" Lace smiled and said, "They said its my decision, my mind is made up, you're stuck with me." Instead of arguing, Rayde turned to Galdevorm and said, "What do you think?" Galdevorm shrugged and said, "I don't mind. It is her choice." Rayde sighed and said, "Fine, you can come with us." Lace then hugged Rayde and said, "Then lets get going." Rayde, Lace, and Galdevorm then got in the coach. Rayde looked back at his father one last time and said, "I promise I will come back. I will find a way to get rid of this Wolf Spirit."
Kale smiled and said, "Take care." Kale then walked over to a console that had a key slot and a few buttons. Kale inserted the key and turned it. Kale then pushed a red button, causing the coach to take off down the massive bridge very quickly. Rayde sat back down in the coach and rested his head on his hands. Rayde felt tears coming to his eyes, he was leaving the only place that he could call home, he had to leave everything behind, or die. Lace wrapped her arms around Rayde to comfort him, while Galdevorm watched them. Galdevorm then looked outside, not knowing what is to come for the three of them.
RAH SON YAH!!!! Whew! That was longer than expected. But there we go, start of major events. Review!
