Chapter Twenty-nine
Burmecia; Burmecian Castle; Noon
"Damn it, I'm hungry," Amarant grumbled angrily. "When is he going to let us out?"
"He's going to let you go when he brings me to my doom," Freya replied, staring out at the smog in the Burmecian sky. "I hope that smoke clears."
"Why? It gives your city a nice city look," Amarant said.
"No, it makes it look disgusting," Freya replied, turning away from the window. She sighed. "I just want to get it over with."
"Get what over with?"
"The trial."
As if hearing her wish, the door to the room Amarant and Freya had been locked in opened. The guard that entered seemed confused to see Meander missing. He looked down at Amarant and Freya, and motioned for them to rise. Amarant and Freya obeyed.
"Today is the trial," the guard said in a slightly nervous voice, as if he thought Amarant and Freya might attack him at any minute. "Freya shall be escorted to the courtroom, Amarant shall be escorted back to the inn. Please follow me outside."
Amarant and Freya glanced at each other as the guard left.
"They trust us?" Freya asked quietly.
"Must have an eidolon with them," Amarant replied softly.
The two quietly exited the room, only to find six guards in the hall. Quickly the two stopped moving as the guards cast them warning glances. Apparently some of the guards were getting bolder. Two of the guards headed off. Meanwhile, Amarant leaned casually against the wall while Freya sighed softly. The remaining guards watched them suspiciously, clearly not letting them get out of their site. Amarant wasn't paying attention, however. He was staring at Freya, who had taken a seat on the floor and was staring at the ground.
No care on her wounds seemed to have taken a very nasty toll already. The left side of her face was black and red, not to mention shiny and clearly painful. Her left eye was only half-opened, being that the eyelid was almost completely fried away and therefore painful to keep all the way open or all the way closed. From what Amarant could see, however, the lens of Freya's left eye had developed a whitish color. If the fire had gotten any worse, she would've gone blind in that eye. No doubt it was hard enough to see anyway. Furthermore Freya's hair was burned severely, leaving it at odd, uneven lengths and with blackish ends. Her once white nails were black, while her hands and arms were near raw just like her face. Her clothes were tattered, and her tail was shorter than usual.
And to think it's not over yet, Amarant thought grimly. Your life must really suck, Freya.
And indeed, it felt like it did for Freya. Her face was not only black and raw, but it hurt badly. The vision of her left eye was blurry, while her right eye was fine, making focusing on objects difficult and confusing. Her tail ached from having the tip burned off. Her hands tingled irritably, and it hurt to touch things. Her arms ached as well, and moving them hurt. She felt horrible, as she smelled like smoke and hurt constantly.
"Excuse me," a guard said as he appeared in the hallway.
Freya and Amarant looked over at him calmly.
"The courtroom is ready, as are the escorts. These three will lead you out," The guard said, facing Amarant. "And I will lead you to the courtroom, Freya."
Freya and Amarant looked at each other. Freya made a desperate attempt to focus right on Amarant, but regardless of her tries Amarant came out half-fuzzy, half-clear. Amarant's eyes held a look of sympathy as he noticed her troubles. Though Freya didn't show it, she was surprised by his look.
"Don't kill the escorts," Freya muttered softly.
"Damn," Amarant replied. "Good luck. You'll need it."
"Unfortunately I don't think it'll help me," Freya replied quietly.
Freya walked over to her own escort who nodded and motioned for her to follow.
"I'm sorry about all this," the guard said, staring at the ground. "It's all one big mess."
"It's all right. It's not your fault," Freya muttered.
"It sucks being a guard, especially one of the royal guards. Having to follow Ebon's orders... Jeez, I'm sorry," the guard said with a sigh. "Maybe things will go well."
Freya wished she could believe him, but she knew that such hopes were false. Everything had gone downhill. Freya was stuck in a pit that she couldn't climb out of, and there was no proper help.
Amarant had decided to obey Freya; he wouldn't knock out the guards, no matter how much he wanted to. As they stepped through the gate separating the Royal Grounds from the main city, however, it became clear that someone else thought otherwise. Within a few seconds a blur soared outward, and soon all three escorts were on the ground, unconscious. Meander stood over them, rubbing his hands while observing his handiwork.
"Freya's going to kill you," Amarant grunted.
"They're fine," Meander said, observing the guards. "Nothing bad. They'll wake up soon."
"Then let's get moving. Why didn't you come sooner?" Amarant said, swiftly heading out the gate and toward the main city.
"Information kept coming in. Movement near Gizumaluke's Grotto has been reported," Meander replied.
"Does it look like I care?" Amarant growled.
"You should. People feel that this movement belongs to Fratley," Meander called.
Amarant stopped dead in his tracks as he looked over at Meander.
"Fratley is in a coma!" Amarant growled.
"Who said he couldn't get out of it?" Meander asked.
Amarant stood still, watching Meander for any signs of doubt. He then sighed.
"When do you think they'll get here?" Amarant asked.
"Unfortunately, not until a few days," Meander replied.
Amarant sighed. "Great. That's just God-damn terrific. Whenever we need Fratley, he's never there."
"Amen to that. If it weren't for the fact that when he is there, he's helpful, I'd say Freya doesn't deserve him," Meander grunted. "Come on, let's go report to Puck. He may be aggravating, but he's helpful."
Meander headed off toward the entrance to the secret underground passage. With a snort, and a final glance toward the castle, Amarant began to swiftly follow.
Freya had been in the courtroom before. When a trial was held, all Dragon Warriors had to be present. Freya had gotten to stand in the grand balcony that held the Dragon Warriors. But now that she was the criminal, she got to sit at the very end of the courtroom, in the small balcony that held only a single chair. Ebon was about 25 feet away from her, sitting in a nice, comfortable chair and seeming to try and organize his thoughts. In the far corner of the room, a small group of silent citizens had gathered. They were there to watch, not react.
Freya sighed softly as she put her arms on the balcony's rail. Putting her head on her arms, she quickly noted that in this trial, there would be no jury. A jury was completely optional, and usually when a jury wasn't present, it meant that the criminal either had a good yet deceiving relationship with the people, or that the criminal wasn't really guilty, but the king wanted them locked up anyway. Usually in the second case, Dragon Warriors swiftly overrode the king's attempts at imprisonment.
But in Freya's case, only one Dragon Warrior was still around to even question the king. He was staring at the Ebon, his orange and yellow eyes unusually hard with anger. He looked serious rather than insane and carefree. It was Aireff, and Freya could see that he might actually be useful. Regardless, her spirits were still down. One Dragon Warrior couldn't override a king's actions, though he can try to make him change his mind.
Freya knew that trying to change Ebon's mind was like trying to fly without wings – It was impossible.
Hours seemed to pass, though Freya knew it was only ten minutes, before suddenly a bell sounded from afar. The trial would begin. Freya watched Ebon quietly as he seemed to prepare himself. He seemed very smug.
Ha. That's right, try to intimidate me, Freya thought bitterly.
"Today we are here to witness the trial of Freya Crescent, who has been brought her on many conditions," Ebon said with a powerful voice. Freya only stared at him. "Condition One, returning after being banned."
Well, Freya could find nothing to argue that one. She had been banned, and you weren't supposed to return. Aireff, however, seemed to have a different idea.
"Sir, the reason for her being banned are?" Aireff asked.
Ebon's eyes narrowed. He then sighed.
"The conditions for the ban are as follow: failure to do her duty as a Dragon Warrior, and not having enough skill for it. These two conditions also fit with this trial," Ebon said in an aggravated voice.
"I object to conditions," Freya suddenly said clearly, rising onto her feet. "The first condition is not right because I had been kidnapped and therefore unable to perform any duties. The second condition is a lie. I have the skill."
Ebon looked at Freya with startled surprise. Freya only returned the look with powerful eyes. She could tell that Ebon had not expected her to fight back. Quickly, however, Ebon brought himself back together.
"If you had the skill, you would not have been kidnapped," Ebon growled.
"He is immune to physical attacks, and I know no magic," Freya declared.
"Then you should've had scrolls to carry with you. Dragon Warriors are supposed to be prepared for all situations. You were not. We shall now carry on," Ebon snapped.
Freya stared at Ebon with shock. Her eyes then narrowed. That wasn't a rule of the Dragon Warriors! It was expected, but it was not required. Still, it was too late to point that out. The next condition was already flowing from Ebon's mouth.
"Condition Four, since the conditions for the ban are also conditions two and three, is being a danger to the citizens of Burmecia," Ebon said.
"How so?" Freya spat. "I've done nothing to them!"
"Each time you are in the city, attacks come. Citizens are getting hurt. You lead our enemies to us," Ebon explained.
"I do not! The only reason they get attacked is because they are unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Freya growled.
"If you had stayed out when banned, this wouldn't be a concern. MOVING ON," Ebon shouted the last two words.
"Not moving on," Aireff shouted louder, causing even Ebon to be shocked. "Conditions for the ban are not standard. There is no specific rule that Dragon Warriors must always be prepared. It's expected, but not standard. Furthermore Freya was doing fine with her duties as a Dragon Warrior. It was one incident, Ebon! A single one. Furthermore, how can you say she hasn't been doing her conditions when she helped save Gaia only a year before? Your conditions are lies, Ebon. Therefore, conditions being not standard, conditions are not counted, and ban is lifted."
Everyone stared at Aireff with shock, including Ebon. Freya looked over at Aireff with great relief and shock. Aireff looked over at her in return, and Freya could tell by his face that it wasn't over yet. They still had one condition to prove untrue – It was the hardest one.
"Fine then," Ebon spat. "Conditions one through four are not valid. Condition Five is an assault on the king."
"I admit that I did nearly assault you. But you were not my target! I was going to attack Julius, when he teleported, and you just happened to be right behind him!" Freya spat.
"I was making sure the fire wouldn't spread," Ebon growled.
"Without getting help? By standing right behind the enemy and not bothering to get help to attack him? Your behavior needs explaining, Ebon. I think you're trying to kill me," Freya snapped.
Freya's words caused Aireff to stiffen, while the citizens began to mutter amongst themselves. Ebon's eyes narrowed while he took in a deep, angry breath. Freya knew she had gotten everyone's attention quickly. Aireff looked over at Freya with a concerned look on his face. Freya returned it with a semi-confident, semi-exhausted look. She wanted to get out of the courtroom, but she wanted to get out of it with success.
Ebon wasn't going to allow it.
"You have no supporting evidence to prove I am against you," Ebon snarled.
"The trial," Freya spat. "That's my evidence, along with the behavior many witnessed."
"Many witnessed you charging for me," Ebon snapped, stunning Freya.
"Not necessarily," Aireff called over the mutterings that arose. "Maybe more witnessed you right at the house when it was ablaze. No one witnessed you calling for help. Freya brings up a good fight, Ebon."
There were nods and mutters of agreement from the nervous group of citizens. Freya looked over at Aireff with uttermost shock and relief. It seemed that he would be useful after all.
"The blue fire was immune to water," Ebon declared. "That was what I was checking. When a fire is immune to water, there is nothing you can do but let it burn out. It was also too dangerous to send someone after Freya. There is the reason for my actions."
Aireff lowered her gaze, clearing thinking furiously. Freya also tried to think of something, but in the end, she came out blank. You couldn't get enough dirt to extinguish the fire on her house, so she couldn't bring up that. Clearly Aireff had come up blank as well, because Freya saw his lips move in a silent curse. It had looked like they weren't going to win.
Now, suddenly, Aireff and Freya both fell silent.
"The evidence is against you." Ebon continued, clearly pleased with Aireff and Freya's silence. "The Dragon Warrior finds little to support you, as do you. With all evidence against you, you are proven guilty of one condition – a serious one -- faced before you."
Freya opened her mouth to speak, only to find Ebon wasn't finished.
"The punishment of this condition is either lifetime in prison or death," Ebon continued.
Freya felt a lump in her throat and a knot in her stomach. Ebon was being fair with the conditions – that one was right. Why couldn't they have proved that one? It was all too much at that moment. Freya had a funny feeling death was coming for her.
"You are sentenced to a lifetime in prison, unless more evidence comes to give you death," Ebon said in a powerful voice. "You have three days to give evidence for your cause. Trial ended."
Ebon turned around and left the room. Aireff slammed his fist into the railing. The citizens filed out of the room, still muttering. Freya stood rooted to her spot, staring ahead at nothing. The trial had passed by so quickly, the end so fast, she could barely believe it.
But when it came to her, she immediately ran out of the courtroom, leaving Aireff alone.
"You can't be serious!" Amarant declared when he heard Freya's story.
Amarant, Meander, Eiko, Dominic, Puck, and Anita had gathered in the underground hall. An exhausted and extremely aggravated Freya had told the results of the courtroom. Amarant's outraged cry seemed to be mirrored on everyone's faces.
"I'm serious," Freya muttered.
"But he can't do that! He has to give at least two weeks for you to find evidence," Anita exclaimed.
"Not Ebon," Meander hissed under his breath.
"This is bullshit," Amarant spat. "But I guess at least we have a good reason to kill this guy."
Freya stared at the table briefly, then looked up back up at Amarant, who returned the stare.
"You can't deny it," Amarant grunted, leaning against the wall.
"All right, all right! I admit, this is just about a good time to get rid of him. I just want to know how you plan to do it," Freya snapped.
"Gee, I wonder? We just go in and kill him, maybe?" Amarant asked sarcastically.
"And how do you expect to do that so easily? Amarant, you are forgetting a few details. One, Ebon is king, so he'll be guarded. Despite how much the city probably hates him by now, the guards honestly have no choice to protect them unless, if Ebon isn't killed, they want to be dead next. Two, Ebon is a warrior. He knows how to fight, and I'm sure he will not just sit back and let us kill him. Finally, Ebon is clearly together with the COL, which means if we attack, we're all dead."
"So you're saying that we should wait?" Amarant spat.
"We have three days, Amarant!" Freya replied. "We can kill him tomorrow, or the next day! I'm just not in the mood to try and attack him right now."
Amarant opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it. He sighed angrily and shook his head.
"All right, fine, we'll wait," Amarant spat.
"Good for you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to make an attempt to appear civilized, and sleep in the inn – It's a lot more comfortable than sleeping underground anyway. Good bye," Freya said.
Freya rose to her feet and left the room quietly. Amarant watched her leave, then rose.
"I don't care what any of you or Freya says," Amarant growled. "I'm following her, because something is not right with this situation."
He then left without another word.
Amarant couldn't have been more right. Things couldn't have been more wrong with the situation.
The innkeeper had been kind enough to give Freya permission to spend the night at the inn. A night was all Freya needed. She fell asleep quickly, not noticing Amarant. She knew that when night came, things would become insane. And indeed, they did. For soon, a crash woke Freya up. She leapt out of bed, eyes still adjusting to eternal darkness.
"Surrender," Ebon's cold voice spat. "We're taking you with us."
Freya watched him coldly. Two guards came from behind Ebon. Freya could see the ropes now that her eyes were adjusted. She could see Ebon's look of triumph. But she could also see Amarant's dark eyes glittering in the moonlight. He was watching, waiting.
The two guards approached, and that was when Freya suddenly kicked outward. She nailed one guard in the chest, and he fell. Amarant rushed forward and punched Ebon. Ebon leapt backward with surprising dexterity and took two scrolls out of his pocket. Freya was too busy struggling with a guard, who didn't seem surprised by her sudden attack, to notice. It was, after all, normal for prisoners to go rather insane when they were supposed to be taken away.
Freya heard someone muttering ancient words under their breath. She leapt away from the guard and to her feet, just in time to see Ebon hold up a scroll. A black haze, though hard to see in the dark, whizzed from the now charred scroll and slammed into Freya's face. She silently fell the ground, face a contorted mess of crazy pain. She heard Amarant knock someone over.
Freya rose to her feet and opened her eyes, only to find she saw darkness. She couldn't see anything. Ebon had blinded her. Strangely calm, Freya took a deep breath and listened. She heard a rush of air, and punched for it. She hit furred flesh and someone fell. Amarant only watched with surprise as Freya still nailed a guard despite being blind. It took him a few seconds, however, to realize that Ebon was muttering ancient words again.
Amarant turned to Ebon just as the black haze left the scroll. This time, Amarant was hit. Freya heard him hit the ground while she kicked a guard in the stomach. She then heard Amarant curse, and figured he must've been blinded as well.
It was about the most unfair battle Freya had ever been in. Regardless, Freya rushed forward in a tackle. She slammed into Ebon (she knew it was him by the thick clothing), and felt him back up. She then felt a fist slam into her face. She fell backwards and into someone – another guard. She kicked herself upward, whipped around, and punched the guard in the stomach. She then heard someone attack Ebon from behind.
It was a crazy mess, but Freya could hear someone leave the room. Thinking it was a retreat, Freya punched at a guard. Her fist was grabbed, and she was flipped to the ground before she could react. Freya almost yelped as her arm was twisted.
Amarant, meanwhile, had backed against a wall and was searching for anti-curse herbs. He needed them at that point; he could tell that the guards were finally overpowering Freya, judging by the constant "thuds" he heard. He heard no clangs from the guards' armor.
Indeed, Freya was losing. She did, however, manage to rise and kick outward. She nailed both guards with a foot to the chest, and they both fell with a crash. Freya backed up, not knowing she was heading toward the door leading out of the room. She had no clue Ebon was behind her.
Amarant finally found the herbs and ate them. The haze in front of his eyes disappeared, but he couldn't find Freya.
That was when he heard a strange sound – a sound of something moving within the air. Then there was a blinding flash that sent Amarant into the wall, though the energy had not been attacking him. He steadied himself, then looked to where the flash had come from. He stared with surprise.
Freya was lying on the ground, appearing unharmed (or at least not recently harmed), yet something was still wrong. Her eyes were closed, and her body still. For a panicked second, Amarant thought she was dead, but then he saw her chest move slightly. She was unconscious, but Amarant was at a loss at what could've done it. A blinding flash of light couldn't knock out a blind person, right?
Amarant looked up, and saw Ebon with his hand spread out, a yellow haze of energy gathering in his hand. Amarant stood still stupidly, blinking from the bright light. He then figured it out quickly. A spell! What type of spell, Amarant didn't know, but it was a spell.
"You damn cheater," Amarant spat angrily.
Amarant wanted to go after Ebon, but the guards were already at them. He drew his claws and slashed on in the chest, making streaks across the metal. The sound made both guards screech to a temporary stop, their ears too sensitive for the loud noise. Amarant took this opportunity to slash the throat of one guard and to knock over the other.
Since she's unconscious, I can kill them now, Amarant thought grimly. I'll leave one alive, though.
The living guard rose to his feet and charged for Amarant. Amarant blocked the charge. He then shoved the guard back. The guard slammed into the wall. Right at the same time, Amarant felt a rush of air, and he heard the distinct sound.
He couldn't react in time. The yellow energy ball slammed into Amarant and sent him toppling to the ground. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
Ebon looked down at Amarant, who was unconscious, yet unharmed. He then couldn't help but chuckle softly as he powered up another yellow haze for fun. He'd forgotten about that Dragon ability... Most of the Dragon Warriors had. A harmless spell, specifically used to knock out for 48 hours or more, depending on the strength of the spell. Allowing the yellow haze to vanish, Ebon looked over at the guards. One was dead, while the other was alive and scared. Ebon looked over at Freya. She had not moved.
"Take her to the dungeon and lock her up," Ebon growled at the guard before leaving.
The guard wasted no time obeying.
---- Rewrote the chapter because Robshi pointed out a few avoidable problems (thanks Robshi!) Okay, so now everything makes a little more sense.
I'm in the mood to update, but my computer's being screwy, so don't expect updates from other stories yet (I haven't even started the other chapter of Let Fear Propel You Forward yet)
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix.
Burmecia; Burmecian Castle; Noon
"Damn it, I'm hungry," Amarant grumbled angrily. "When is he going to let us out?"
"He's going to let you go when he brings me to my doom," Freya replied, staring out at the smog in the Burmecian sky. "I hope that smoke clears."
"Why? It gives your city a nice city look," Amarant said.
"No, it makes it look disgusting," Freya replied, turning away from the window. She sighed. "I just want to get it over with."
"Get what over with?"
"The trial."
As if hearing her wish, the door to the room Amarant and Freya had been locked in opened. The guard that entered seemed confused to see Meander missing. He looked down at Amarant and Freya, and motioned for them to rise. Amarant and Freya obeyed.
"Today is the trial," the guard said in a slightly nervous voice, as if he thought Amarant and Freya might attack him at any minute. "Freya shall be escorted to the courtroom, Amarant shall be escorted back to the inn. Please follow me outside."
Amarant and Freya glanced at each other as the guard left.
"They trust us?" Freya asked quietly.
"Must have an eidolon with them," Amarant replied softly.
The two quietly exited the room, only to find six guards in the hall. Quickly the two stopped moving as the guards cast them warning glances. Apparently some of the guards were getting bolder. Two of the guards headed off. Meanwhile, Amarant leaned casually against the wall while Freya sighed softly. The remaining guards watched them suspiciously, clearly not letting them get out of their site. Amarant wasn't paying attention, however. He was staring at Freya, who had taken a seat on the floor and was staring at the ground.
No care on her wounds seemed to have taken a very nasty toll already. The left side of her face was black and red, not to mention shiny and clearly painful. Her left eye was only half-opened, being that the eyelid was almost completely fried away and therefore painful to keep all the way open or all the way closed. From what Amarant could see, however, the lens of Freya's left eye had developed a whitish color. If the fire had gotten any worse, she would've gone blind in that eye. No doubt it was hard enough to see anyway. Furthermore Freya's hair was burned severely, leaving it at odd, uneven lengths and with blackish ends. Her once white nails were black, while her hands and arms were near raw just like her face. Her clothes were tattered, and her tail was shorter than usual.
And to think it's not over yet, Amarant thought grimly. Your life must really suck, Freya.
And indeed, it felt like it did for Freya. Her face was not only black and raw, but it hurt badly. The vision of her left eye was blurry, while her right eye was fine, making focusing on objects difficult and confusing. Her tail ached from having the tip burned off. Her hands tingled irritably, and it hurt to touch things. Her arms ached as well, and moving them hurt. She felt horrible, as she smelled like smoke and hurt constantly.
"Excuse me," a guard said as he appeared in the hallway.
Freya and Amarant looked over at him calmly.
"The courtroom is ready, as are the escorts. These three will lead you out," The guard said, facing Amarant. "And I will lead you to the courtroom, Freya."
Freya and Amarant looked at each other. Freya made a desperate attempt to focus right on Amarant, but regardless of her tries Amarant came out half-fuzzy, half-clear. Amarant's eyes held a look of sympathy as he noticed her troubles. Though Freya didn't show it, she was surprised by his look.
"Don't kill the escorts," Freya muttered softly.
"Damn," Amarant replied. "Good luck. You'll need it."
"Unfortunately I don't think it'll help me," Freya replied quietly.
Freya walked over to her own escort who nodded and motioned for her to follow.
"I'm sorry about all this," the guard said, staring at the ground. "It's all one big mess."
"It's all right. It's not your fault," Freya muttered.
"It sucks being a guard, especially one of the royal guards. Having to follow Ebon's orders... Jeez, I'm sorry," the guard said with a sigh. "Maybe things will go well."
Freya wished she could believe him, but she knew that such hopes were false. Everything had gone downhill. Freya was stuck in a pit that she couldn't climb out of, and there was no proper help.
Amarant had decided to obey Freya; he wouldn't knock out the guards, no matter how much he wanted to. As they stepped through the gate separating the Royal Grounds from the main city, however, it became clear that someone else thought otherwise. Within a few seconds a blur soared outward, and soon all three escorts were on the ground, unconscious. Meander stood over them, rubbing his hands while observing his handiwork.
"Freya's going to kill you," Amarant grunted.
"They're fine," Meander said, observing the guards. "Nothing bad. They'll wake up soon."
"Then let's get moving. Why didn't you come sooner?" Amarant said, swiftly heading out the gate and toward the main city.
"Information kept coming in. Movement near Gizumaluke's Grotto has been reported," Meander replied.
"Does it look like I care?" Amarant growled.
"You should. People feel that this movement belongs to Fratley," Meander called.
Amarant stopped dead in his tracks as he looked over at Meander.
"Fratley is in a coma!" Amarant growled.
"Who said he couldn't get out of it?" Meander asked.
Amarant stood still, watching Meander for any signs of doubt. He then sighed.
"When do you think they'll get here?" Amarant asked.
"Unfortunately, not until a few days," Meander replied.
Amarant sighed. "Great. That's just God-damn terrific. Whenever we need Fratley, he's never there."
"Amen to that. If it weren't for the fact that when he is there, he's helpful, I'd say Freya doesn't deserve him," Meander grunted. "Come on, let's go report to Puck. He may be aggravating, but he's helpful."
Meander headed off toward the entrance to the secret underground passage. With a snort, and a final glance toward the castle, Amarant began to swiftly follow.
Freya had been in the courtroom before. When a trial was held, all Dragon Warriors had to be present. Freya had gotten to stand in the grand balcony that held the Dragon Warriors. But now that she was the criminal, she got to sit at the very end of the courtroom, in the small balcony that held only a single chair. Ebon was about 25 feet away from her, sitting in a nice, comfortable chair and seeming to try and organize his thoughts. In the far corner of the room, a small group of silent citizens had gathered. They were there to watch, not react.
Freya sighed softly as she put her arms on the balcony's rail. Putting her head on her arms, she quickly noted that in this trial, there would be no jury. A jury was completely optional, and usually when a jury wasn't present, it meant that the criminal either had a good yet deceiving relationship with the people, or that the criminal wasn't really guilty, but the king wanted them locked up anyway. Usually in the second case, Dragon Warriors swiftly overrode the king's attempts at imprisonment.
But in Freya's case, only one Dragon Warrior was still around to even question the king. He was staring at the Ebon, his orange and yellow eyes unusually hard with anger. He looked serious rather than insane and carefree. It was Aireff, and Freya could see that he might actually be useful. Regardless, her spirits were still down. One Dragon Warrior couldn't override a king's actions, though he can try to make him change his mind.
Freya knew that trying to change Ebon's mind was like trying to fly without wings – It was impossible.
Hours seemed to pass, though Freya knew it was only ten minutes, before suddenly a bell sounded from afar. The trial would begin. Freya watched Ebon quietly as he seemed to prepare himself. He seemed very smug.
Ha. That's right, try to intimidate me, Freya thought bitterly.
"Today we are here to witness the trial of Freya Crescent, who has been brought her on many conditions," Ebon said with a powerful voice. Freya only stared at him. "Condition One, returning after being banned."
Well, Freya could find nothing to argue that one. She had been banned, and you weren't supposed to return. Aireff, however, seemed to have a different idea.
"Sir, the reason for her being banned are?" Aireff asked.
Ebon's eyes narrowed. He then sighed.
"The conditions for the ban are as follow: failure to do her duty as a Dragon Warrior, and not having enough skill for it. These two conditions also fit with this trial," Ebon said in an aggravated voice.
"I object to conditions," Freya suddenly said clearly, rising onto her feet. "The first condition is not right because I had been kidnapped and therefore unable to perform any duties. The second condition is a lie. I have the skill."
Ebon looked at Freya with startled surprise. Freya only returned the look with powerful eyes. She could tell that Ebon had not expected her to fight back. Quickly, however, Ebon brought himself back together.
"If you had the skill, you would not have been kidnapped," Ebon growled.
"He is immune to physical attacks, and I know no magic," Freya declared.
"Then you should've had scrolls to carry with you. Dragon Warriors are supposed to be prepared for all situations. You were not. We shall now carry on," Ebon snapped.
Freya stared at Ebon with shock. Her eyes then narrowed. That wasn't a rule of the Dragon Warriors! It was expected, but it was not required. Still, it was too late to point that out. The next condition was already flowing from Ebon's mouth.
"Condition Four, since the conditions for the ban are also conditions two and three, is being a danger to the citizens of Burmecia," Ebon said.
"How so?" Freya spat. "I've done nothing to them!"
"Each time you are in the city, attacks come. Citizens are getting hurt. You lead our enemies to us," Ebon explained.
"I do not! The only reason they get attacked is because they are unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Freya growled.
"If you had stayed out when banned, this wouldn't be a concern. MOVING ON," Ebon shouted the last two words.
"Not moving on," Aireff shouted louder, causing even Ebon to be shocked. "Conditions for the ban are not standard. There is no specific rule that Dragon Warriors must always be prepared. It's expected, but not standard. Furthermore Freya was doing fine with her duties as a Dragon Warrior. It was one incident, Ebon! A single one. Furthermore, how can you say she hasn't been doing her conditions when she helped save Gaia only a year before? Your conditions are lies, Ebon. Therefore, conditions being not standard, conditions are not counted, and ban is lifted."
Everyone stared at Aireff with shock, including Ebon. Freya looked over at Aireff with great relief and shock. Aireff looked over at her in return, and Freya could tell by his face that it wasn't over yet. They still had one condition to prove untrue – It was the hardest one.
"Fine then," Ebon spat. "Conditions one through four are not valid. Condition Five is an assault on the king."
"I admit that I did nearly assault you. But you were not my target! I was going to attack Julius, when he teleported, and you just happened to be right behind him!" Freya spat.
"I was making sure the fire wouldn't spread," Ebon growled.
"Without getting help? By standing right behind the enemy and not bothering to get help to attack him? Your behavior needs explaining, Ebon. I think you're trying to kill me," Freya snapped.
Freya's words caused Aireff to stiffen, while the citizens began to mutter amongst themselves. Ebon's eyes narrowed while he took in a deep, angry breath. Freya knew she had gotten everyone's attention quickly. Aireff looked over at Freya with a concerned look on his face. Freya returned it with a semi-confident, semi-exhausted look. She wanted to get out of the courtroom, but she wanted to get out of it with success.
Ebon wasn't going to allow it.
"You have no supporting evidence to prove I am against you," Ebon snarled.
"The trial," Freya spat. "That's my evidence, along with the behavior many witnessed."
"Many witnessed you charging for me," Ebon snapped, stunning Freya.
"Not necessarily," Aireff called over the mutterings that arose. "Maybe more witnessed you right at the house when it was ablaze. No one witnessed you calling for help. Freya brings up a good fight, Ebon."
There were nods and mutters of agreement from the nervous group of citizens. Freya looked over at Aireff with uttermost shock and relief. It seemed that he would be useful after all.
"The blue fire was immune to water," Ebon declared. "That was what I was checking. When a fire is immune to water, there is nothing you can do but let it burn out. It was also too dangerous to send someone after Freya. There is the reason for my actions."
Aireff lowered her gaze, clearing thinking furiously. Freya also tried to think of something, but in the end, she came out blank. You couldn't get enough dirt to extinguish the fire on her house, so she couldn't bring up that. Clearly Aireff had come up blank as well, because Freya saw his lips move in a silent curse. It had looked like they weren't going to win.
Now, suddenly, Aireff and Freya both fell silent.
"The evidence is against you." Ebon continued, clearly pleased with Aireff and Freya's silence. "The Dragon Warrior finds little to support you, as do you. With all evidence against you, you are proven guilty of one condition – a serious one -- faced before you."
Freya opened her mouth to speak, only to find Ebon wasn't finished.
"The punishment of this condition is either lifetime in prison or death," Ebon continued.
Freya felt a lump in her throat and a knot in her stomach. Ebon was being fair with the conditions – that one was right. Why couldn't they have proved that one? It was all too much at that moment. Freya had a funny feeling death was coming for her.
"You are sentenced to a lifetime in prison, unless more evidence comes to give you death," Ebon said in a powerful voice. "You have three days to give evidence for your cause. Trial ended."
Ebon turned around and left the room. Aireff slammed his fist into the railing. The citizens filed out of the room, still muttering. Freya stood rooted to her spot, staring ahead at nothing. The trial had passed by so quickly, the end so fast, she could barely believe it.
But when it came to her, she immediately ran out of the courtroom, leaving Aireff alone.
"You can't be serious!" Amarant declared when he heard Freya's story.
Amarant, Meander, Eiko, Dominic, Puck, and Anita had gathered in the underground hall. An exhausted and extremely aggravated Freya had told the results of the courtroom. Amarant's outraged cry seemed to be mirrored on everyone's faces.
"I'm serious," Freya muttered.
"But he can't do that! He has to give at least two weeks for you to find evidence," Anita exclaimed.
"Not Ebon," Meander hissed under his breath.
"This is bullshit," Amarant spat. "But I guess at least we have a good reason to kill this guy."
Freya stared at the table briefly, then looked up back up at Amarant, who returned the stare.
"You can't deny it," Amarant grunted, leaning against the wall.
"All right, all right! I admit, this is just about a good time to get rid of him. I just want to know how you plan to do it," Freya snapped.
"Gee, I wonder? We just go in and kill him, maybe?" Amarant asked sarcastically.
"And how do you expect to do that so easily? Amarant, you are forgetting a few details. One, Ebon is king, so he'll be guarded. Despite how much the city probably hates him by now, the guards honestly have no choice to protect them unless, if Ebon isn't killed, they want to be dead next. Two, Ebon is a warrior. He knows how to fight, and I'm sure he will not just sit back and let us kill him. Finally, Ebon is clearly together with the COL, which means if we attack, we're all dead."
"So you're saying that we should wait?" Amarant spat.
"We have three days, Amarant!" Freya replied. "We can kill him tomorrow, or the next day! I'm just not in the mood to try and attack him right now."
Amarant opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it. He sighed angrily and shook his head.
"All right, fine, we'll wait," Amarant spat.
"Good for you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to make an attempt to appear civilized, and sleep in the inn – It's a lot more comfortable than sleeping underground anyway. Good bye," Freya said.
Freya rose to her feet and left the room quietly. Amarant watched her leave, then rose.
"I don't care what any of you or Freya says," Amarant growled. "I'm following her, because something is not right with this situation."
He then left without another word.
Amarant couldn't have been more right. Things couldn't have been more wrong with the situation.
The innkeeper had been kind enough to give Freya permission to spend the night at the inn. A night was all Freya needed. She fell asleep quickly, not noticing Amarant. She knew that when night came, things would become insane. And indeed, they did. For soon, a crash woke Freya up. She leapt out of bed, eyes still adjusting to eternal darkness.
"Surrender," Ebon's cold voice spat. "We're taking you with us."
Freya watched him coldly. Two guards came from behind Ebon. Freya could see the ropes now that her eyes were adjusted. She could see Ebon's look of triumph. But she could also see Amarant's dark eyes glittering in the moonlight. He was watching, waiting.
The two guards approached, and that was when Freya suddenly kicked outward. She nailed one guard in the chest, and he fell. Amarant rushed forward and punched Ebon. Ebon leapt backward with surprising dexterity and took two scrolls out of his pocket. Freya was too busy struggling with a guard, who didn't seem surprised by her sudden attack, to notice. It was, after all, normal for prisoners to go rather insane when they were supposed to be taken away.
Freya heard someone muttering ancient words under their breath. She leapt away from the guard and to her feet, just in time to see Ebon hold up a scroll. A black haze, though hard to see in the dark, whizzed from the now charred scroll and slammed into Freya's face. She silently fell the ground, face a contorted mess of crazy pain. She heard Amarant knock someone over.
Freya rose to her feet and opened her eyes, only to find she saw darkness. She couldn't see anything. Ebon had blinded her. Strangely calm, Freya took a deep breath and listened. She heard a rush of air, and punched for it. She hit furred flesh and someone fell. Amarant only watched with surprise as Freya still nailed a guard despite being blind. It took him a few seconds, however, to realize that Ebon was muttering ancient words again.
Amarant turned to Ebon just as the black haze left the scroll. This time, Amarant was hit. Freya heard him hit the ground while she kicked a guard in the stomach. She then heard Amarant curse, and figured he must've been blinded as well.
It was about the most unfair battle Freya had ever been in. Regardless, Freya rushed forward in a tackle. She slammed into Ebon (she knew it was him by the thick clothing), and felt him back up. She then felt a fist slam into her face. She fell backwards and into someone – another guard. She kicked herself upward, whipped around, and punched the guard in the stomach. She then heard someone attack Ebon from behind.
It was a crazy mess, but Freya could hear someone leave the room. Thinking it was a retreat, Freya punched at a guard. Her fist was grabbed, and she was flipped to the ground before she could react. Freya almost yelped as her arm was twisted.
Amarant, meanwhile, had backed against a wall and was searching for anti-curse herbs. He needed them at that point; he could tell that the guards were finally overpowering Freya, judging by the constant "thuds" he heard. He heard no clangs from the guards' armor.
Indeed, Freya was losing. She did, however, manage to rise and kick outward. She nailed both guards with a foot to the chest, and they both fell with a crash. Freya backed up, not knowing she was heading toward the door leading out of the room. She had no clue Ebon was behind her.
Amarant finally found the herbs and ate them. The haze in front of his eyes disappeared, but he couldn't find Freya.
That was when he heard a strange sound – a sound of something moving within the air. Then there was a blinding flash that sent Amarant into the wall, though the energy had not been attacking him. He steadied himself, then looked to where the flash had come from. He stared with surprise.
Freya was lying on the ground, appearing unharmed (or at least not recently harmed), yet something was still wrong. Her eyes were closed, and her body still. For a panicked second, Amarant thought she was dead, but then he saw her chest move slightly. She was unconscious, but Amarant was at a loss at what could've done it. A blinding flash of light couldn't knock out a blind person, right?
Amarant looked up, and saw Ebon with his hand spread out, a yellow haze of energy gathering in his hand. Amarant stood still stupidly, blinking from the bright light. He then figured it out quickly. A spell! What type of spell, Amarant didn't know, but it was a spell.
"You damn cheater," Amarant spat angrily.
Amarant wanted to go after Ebon, but the guards were already at them. He drew his claws and slashed on in the chest, making streaks across the metal. The sound made both guards screech to a temporary stop, their ears too sensitive for the loud noise. Amarant took this opportunity to slash the throat of one guard and to knock over the other.
Since she's unconscious, I can kill them now, Amarant thought grimly. I'll leave one alive, though.
The living guard rose to his feet and charged for Amarant. Amarant blocked the charge. He then shoved the guard back. The guard slammed into the wall. Right at the same time, Amarant felt a rush of air, and he heard the distinct sound.
He couldn't react in time. The yellow energy ball slammed into Amarant and sent him toppling to the ground. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
Ebon looked down at Amarant, who was unconscious, yet unharmed. He then couldn't help but chuckle softly as he powered up another yellow haze for fun. He'd forgotten about that Dragon ability... Most of the Dragon Warriors had. A harmless spell, specifically used to knock out for 48 hours or more, depending on the strength of the spell. Allowing the yellow haze to vanish, Ebon looked over at the guards. One was dead, while the other was alive and scared. Ebon looked over at Freya. She had not moved.
"Take her to the dungeon and lock her up," Ebon growled at the guard before leaving.
The guard wasted no time obeying.
---- Rewrote the chapter because Robshi pointed out a few avoidable problems (thanks Robshi!) Okay, so now everything makes a little more sense.
I'm in the mood to update, but my computer's being screwy, so don't expect updates from other stories yet (I haven't even started the other chapter of Let Fear Propel You Forward yet)
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix.