The Trial: Journey's End

Written by: AtheistBasementDragon

Edited by: The Usual Gang of Drunken Perverted Idiots

Chapter 26: Services Rendered

AN: Tell you what... 100 reviews... and I'll post the next chapter early. You who have read 'God Rising' know how this works. ;) This may be my last full Overlord story other than finishing my existing work, I'd like to end it with a bang. Incidentally... my first estimate for this one was 30,000 or so words and it was due to be short. I was wrong again. :D

...Menowa...

Raymond followed Pandora's Actor with patience and silence as he contemplated what the being had said. They were halfway from Kirakira Prison to the capital when he finally said anything. Pandora's Actor sat across from him with arms folded over his chest and looked idly out the window of the fantastic royal carriage, he seemed little inclined to speak.

The former Cardinal felt little differently for most of the ride, and looked out the other window. "Do you really think she'll fight for the minotaurs where they've shoved her?"

"Ja." Pandora's Actor said flatly. "Have you not met her?" He asked flatly.

Raymond didn't let that pass. "Yes. It seems more likely she'd kill the ones who strove to use her like that."

Pandora's Actor turned his blank face on the Cardinal.

"In other conditions, she might, but she was ordered to behave while in Minotaur Kingdom custody. There is no order she would not follow, if it came from our Lord." He said calmly, with a hint of reproof in his voice.

"Behaving... I suppose it counts as behaving but... it amazes me that they'd be so stupid. You can't make a slave warrior out of... 'that' and expect it to end well." Raymond responded bluntly and crossed his own arms as if defying Pandora's Actor to disagree.

The blank face seemed almost 'respectful' at Raymond's answer. "They may be desperate, you must know the poverty here, the Beastmen have been tormenting this kingdom for centuries. They are a broken people, Mu'Fidelius has been trading lives to Devor, for days of continued independence, more or less."

"How do you know so much about this?" Raymond asked with a sudden curiosity.

"It is our business to know the world we live in, every guardian, even Lady Shalltear, could give a complete rundown on the state and nature of the politics of the nations beyond our borders. The Devor and their allies are 'the' great threat in the center of the continent... at least to the nations around them."

Raymond frowned deeply, "I thought we in the Theocracy were thorough, you put us to shame."

Pandora's Actor politely nodded and leaned back in his seat. "Knowledge is the greatest weapon of war and politics, mein Vater in his wisdom, required us to know all of what we would possibly need."

"Alright, but... focusing on the moment, what's next for me?" Raymond asked as he turned his mind to the present.

Pandora's Actor slowly raised a finger and held it an inch from Raymond's nose, and the eyes of the cardinal looked fixed down at the white gloved fingertip. The agent of the Sorcerer King spoke with gravity and seriousness, all sense of drama was gone, leaving only the sincerity of the absolute. "You tell all, you leave nothing out. The way half elven children were sold by their fathers or used as leverage against the mothers who were forced to carry them. The way they were used as tools, like Zesshi Zetsumei..."

Raymond winced and clenched his fists, while Pandora's Actor went on. "Only to be cast aside, you detail every mission you ever went on, approved, or had knowledge of that would give your country an edge. You confess, Raymond Zarg Larrenson, to what your country did, everything from the burnings to the auction blocks. To its own people, to nonhumans, you make them sick, you make them disgusted, you make sure that they know, to the very core of their being... why General Baraja 'broke' as she did. You make them crave to emulate her, and glad she did all that she did. I know my counterparts have something planned to destroy her out there, though even I cannot know what, but I want them to fail. You may be my best chance at that."

"I see. Seems strange to be expected to save the life of the one who ignored me when I begged for her mercy." Raymond said coldly.

"Perhaps, but I remind you Cardinal, that the reason you are only asked to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, is because the truth is the best way to acquit her of the charges laid against her, for refusing to grant you the mercy you asked for."

Raymond stroked his beard thoughtfully, "I still can't believe all this, it's been a few years now, and it still seems unreal. Berenice, Ginedine, Maximillian, Yvon, Necran, Dominic... all gone. I hope Nua and the children are doing well."

"Ja, ze kinder were mostly reunited with their parents, for the rest a special building was constructed to allow the ones you and your fellow cardinals rescued to remain together when their parents could not be found. Those parents who were found, were hired as staff to care for the rest. Neia and her wife funded it out of their own pockets." Pandora's Actor remarked, adding the final sentence as if he were offering a rebuke.

"I... find that hard to believe. That the woman who could drown and burn and smash cities, who could wreak such havoc that she was compared to the very demon that destroyed her country... was capable of that?" Raymond asked rhetorically.

"No one is all one piece, Cardinal Raymond. Even Dominic loved one or two, and believed himself righteous. Even Remedios believed she was fighting for humanity. In the end, she did what she thought was necessary, and if Neia lost herself in rage at the moment, well how many times can you poke a dragon before you lose the right to complain if it devours you in an instant of fury?" Pandora's Actor asked rhetorically.

That left Raymond feeling thoughtful. "I can never really forgive her... but... I understand your point. Put that way, I suppose I must see her in a different light. The way she spoke of that dead girl, the one who died in Wenmark, if someone did that to Nua... I might become like the General myself. In a way, I pity her. Speaking of... if it is not too much to ask, do you know anything of Nua?"

"She went west to Hoburns to study for the priesthood, she chose to follow the faith that fought for her freedom." There was no rebuke in Pandora's Actor's tone, only passive indifference as if he were speaking of the weather, but to Raymond it was a ray of sunshine bursting through gray clouds.

He sighed with relief, "I'm glad she did well, I admit, I envy her now. But after so long confined to one city, she deserves to be free to see everything. I do hope I can see her again one day."

They rode on in a more amicable silence until they rolled up to the great pavilion, and Raymond held up his wrists and had them secured in chains. Given his passivity, it was more symbolic than anything else, but he knew better than to argue.

They got out of the carriage under the bright sun, and Raymond glanced around for the brief moment that he had. There was a huge commotion of labor not far away, minotaurs were working double quick to unload materials, sanding wood, cutting stone, hammers went up and down, one entire building had been reduced to a destroyed heap, while another was rapidly falling.

"The first temple to my god in the Minotaur Kingdom. A new priest arrived recently, followed the instructors you met in Kirakira Prison." Pandora's Actor explained, and then taking Raymond's right shoulder, he gently guided the last Cardinal away from the curious chaos, and toward the entrance.

"How long will I be up there on the stand?" Raymond asked as they descended the steps.

"Days. Weeks. It falls to you, how long will it take you to tell them everything?" Pandora's Actor asked casually.

Raymond swallowed, "I hope they have water, I'm going to need it, this will take awhile."

Pandora's Actor sat at the table... replaced since Neia's episode, and both Demiurge and Vanysa took their seats, while Raymond sat on the long stone seating between two large, armed minotaurs, and Albedo entered to seat herself beside Pandora's Actor.

A moment later, the rest of the officials entered, their faces still hidden and disguised, the adjudicator took his seat, followed by all others.

When all were prepared, Albedo stood, "I ask the court's indulgence, and permit my client to be absent for some time, due to the previous incident, following her recovery, she was taken out of Kirakira Prison, and relocated to the custody of the Fortress of Last Home, presumably at the behest of some who felt anxious about her being near at hand for 'difficult' testimony. As today we will be calling forth Cardinal Raymond, last ruler of the Slane Theocracy, we believed it best that she be kept away from here until after he has had his say."

"Objections?" The adjudicator looked over to where Demiurge and Vanysa sat, the two traded seemingly innocent looks, before the archdevil stood up.

"None, she isn't necessary for this." Demiurge replied as he pushed his glasses up against his crystalline eyes, and then reseated himself.

There was an audible exhale of relief from around the court.

"Proceed." The adjudicator said.

"I call Cardinal Raymond Zarg Larrenson to the stand." Albedo said confidently, and the cardinal stood, every step felt like he was weighed down with armor made of lead.

Yet on he went, the low footfalls echoed around the pavilion from one side to the other until he went to the replacement podium, this one made of black stone, and after making his oath, he, prompted by Lady Albedo... began to tell his story.

He spoke relentlessly, pausing only to drink water and once to relieve himself, he revealed the five hundred year plan that would ultimately have resulted in breeding the elves out of existence in the south, then repeating the process on the dark elves in the Northwest and the forging of a genocidal alliance with the Roble Holy Kingdom that would have exterminated the entirety of the demihuman populations in the Abelion Hills. He revealed their plans to use Wenmark as a model for the use of nonhuman labor followed by gradual extermination.

All of this was punctuated by the occasional question...

"How did your nation plan on ensuring that the Roble Holy Kingdom would favor such an alliance?" Albedo asked curiously.

"Well any long term plan requires room for adjustment, but most models suggested that our Agante could either manipulate them into starting a war and then offering our assistance, or manipulate the demihumans into invading through a disguised proxy, and then we could swoop in as saviors. Anything of the Holy Kingdom that survived, could easily be occupied and added to the fold. One model included forging an alliance with the dark elves to go west, and then using them as fodder to weaken them before enslaving whatever was left and then working them to death rebuilding whatever of the Holy Kingdom that was destroyed." Raymond replied matter of factly.

'Hmpf, five hundred year plan... pathetic when my Lord can plan for twenty thousand.' Demiurge thought contemptuously, though he noted one or two interesting innovations when Raymond learned more details of the plan to unite Re-Estize with Baharuth to create an invincible northern wall of humanity as a buffer state against Argland.

It went on this way... for three straight days, before Pandora's Actor received an unexpected message.

Given what he knew, it had been no surprise on the first day when he got a message from Neia. 'You want 'your' equipment?' Pandora's Actor listened to the message and answered, 'I would be happy to provide it, but... oh it is that bad, is it? I see... so essentially you're a slave warrior while a prisoner in that fortress, I feared that might be the case after what Mu'Ulm said. I will provide it promptly, I need only excuse myself from court while Raymond testifies.'

However the message Pandora's Actor received on the third day... was unexpected. 'A guide? Yes I can provide you a guide, I know one in Kirakira prison who is from that region, and providing him with equipment will take no time at all. Very well, I will call for a brief recess and have someone brought to you soon.'

And within the hour, Pandora's Actor found himself standing in front of warden Mu'Ka. "You want me to let one of my prisoners 'go'? You can't be serious?" The big warden replied bluntly.

"I am quite serious, I will take responsibility, and he is not going 'free' it is only a parole, for a short time, long enough to render a service to your kingdom."

"Why should I believe you?" Mu'Ka asked and folded his arms defiantly in front of himself.

"Because this is 'her' request. I do not know the details, but meine sister does not lie, not on matters like this. She is more likely to grind your snout in the truth than anything else." Pandora's Actor replied with a snort.

Mu'ka was quiet for a moment as he thought about Neia's promise to leave the place better than she found it. From his office, he heard the vague echoes of elven instructors calling out orders... orders that prisoners were following. "I am authorized to grant one 'special parole' per year, I have been here for a number of years though, and never once used it. I'll do it, just this once, for 'one'. I expect him to be returned in one week's time, or I expect his 'corpse' to be."

Mu'Ka then reached into the drawer of his desk and withdrew a dust covered box that held a stack of wooden cards. He held the card out to Pandora's Actor, on it was carved an ax, on the other side, the symbol of the royal house. It was a simple, crude carving that had been burned into place very carefully to ensure it stood out.

"The symbol of our strength, an ax, and the royal house, who guarantees it. Go, get the prisoner, and then get out. I've had quite enough disruption since you people arrived in here, and I need a break." Mu'Ka added, and slumped back in his chair as if exhausted.

Pandora's Actor didn't argue, he simply went to the guard, had Mu'Ulm brought to the entrance where he waited for the behemoth.

"You? You were here for the human... Raymond. What do you want with me? And why am I at the entrance? And why isn't 'she' back yet? And why do I think most of those things are probably related?" Mu'Ulm asked hastily.

Though Pandora's Actor had no face to speak of, the emotional sense that one drew from him was unmistakable.

"You are from the eastern part of your kingdom? You know the way? The paths, the roads?" Pandora's Actor asked in a forceful tone with his hands folded formally behind his back.

"It's been many years, but yes, I know it still." Mu'Ulm replied as he looked down at the slender, manlike being in the 'loud' green and black clothing with its shining silver buttons.

"Good. Then there are only two questions." Pandora's Actor slowly, dramatically, raised one hand as he drew it from behind his back and pointed up to the giant minotaur warrior. "Are you willing to help Neia Baraja, and are you willing to fight if you must, with... proper equipment, gifted at her will for your use."

"Outside of here? Inside here? Either will do. As I said to her when she spared my life, 'I am her minotaur.' Give me what I need, and let's go." Mu'Ulm said resolutely.

Within minutes he found himself holding an oversized round shield that felt solid as a mountain and light as a feather. It's burnished metal cast off light, and faint symbols glowed around the edge. His body was well protected, but he looked hesitantly down at his bare legs.

"Fear not. That is probability armor." Pandora's Actor explained, "It plays with luck and chance, it means there is an insanely high chance that any blows or arrows flung to you, will either miss entirely, or hit your armor, and miss those more vulnerable legs. I noticed that minotaurs tend to wear very little, you need no boots, your women wear only the slit leg fronts and backs, and only cross wrap their breasts, and you men wear even less than they in total fabric. This should be in keeping with your personal comfort, while still protecting you... and this..." Pandora's Actor held out an ax.

Mu'Ulm looked at it with his jaw parted, it was all white, save for the black grip and a black wrist strap that would keep it secured to his hand, "This should assist you in ending any lives you need to."

"A white blade... it was said that when Kiril first came among us, he carried an ax like this."

"It is enchanted for greater bleeding damage, sharpness, and..." Pandora's Actor laughed dramatically and drew from a pocket dimension a single block of orichalcum.

"Hit it." Pandora's Actor said, and tossed it in front of Mu'Ulm at shoulder level.

Instinctively, he swung the ax and cleaved the metal ingot in two like it wasn't there.

The minotaur looked at the ax, and down at the ground where the two halves of the ingot sat in defiance of what Mu'Ulm thought to be possible.

"Only Kiril's Ax could do this... how...?" Mu'Ulm felt the stirrings of religious wonder enter his voice that he had not felt since he was a young bull listening to bardic stories of the unification of his people.

"I am a creation of the one god, I guard and keep his treasures, I do not know where he gets them all. Perhaps Kiril was one of his own, perhaps he was a rival or a friend... my master is an ancient undead, who can say what memories he keeps for himself?" Pandora's Actor spread his arms open as if to ask who could possibly answer the unanswerable.

"Now... we go." He said, and the gate opened, and through it, they stepped.