Chapter 4: The Trial
The Hero of Oakvale recieved word of from the Guildmaster that the mayor of Bowerstone requested the Guildmaster to attend the trial of Anthony versus the Hero Guild to defend the Guild, so the Hero was packing to return to his former home to see how his old master was doing. "Daddy?" asked Sara the Hero's daughter, "When will you be back?" The Hero than stoped packing and looked at his duaghter with a smile "My sweet Sara" he said as he picked her up, "You ask as if we will never see eachother again." than the Hero's wife came in and saw the two, "Your father, Sara." Lily said "Has endured worse than this. He will return." Then the Hero put down his duaghter and closed his bag. He made his way to the door with his wife behind him. She turned the Hero around and hugged the Hero as she whispered "I love you with every beat of my heart." Than kissed him. After they're lips retracted from eachother, the Hero looked at his wife for the longest time, than he made his way across the bridge over Oakvale, than down the hill to the Cullis Gate, he didn't even look back.
Hero's Guild
"Guildmaster!" shouted one of the students of the Guild, who made his way to the will training area "The Hero of Oakvale has arrived." The old Guildmaster looked at the Hero in training, "Thank you." he said to Charles and than the Guildmaster made his way to the Cullis Gate to greet his old friend. He made his way past the crowd who cheered for the Hero. "My old friend." the Guildmaster said. Then the Hero let out a big smile and responded with, "Well I'm not as old as you." They both laughed and shook eachothers hand then the Hero gave his luggage to one of the servants. Then they made their way to the creek. "So boy, you have heard of Anthony of Oakvale and why he has brought his case to the mayor?" asked the Guildmaster. It didn't bother the Hero that his old master still called him boy after all these years of knowing eachother, he just responded to his question. "Yes I have. He's doing this because he lost his son in a failed bandit raid on Oakvale. He seems to blame me for this." "Tell me Hero." said the Guildmaster "Was this raid lead by your former student?" Then they made their way past the tree where three students practiced their sword technique. The Hero then stoped and looked down in shame, "Yes master." Then they continued down the path to the creek. The Guildmaster looked at the Hero who was still looking shameful, and than he said "Hero my favorite place to be in all of Albion is Oakfield." The Hero than looked up at his master in confusion. Has he forgotten what they were talking about, or the trial that could start any day now. Than he realized the only time he calls him Hero is when he is saying something important. Than they reached the creek and than the Guildmaster made his way to the Demon Door at the end of the rocky trail. Than he stoped in front of it and said "You can usaully find peace in the most unlikly places Hero." The Hero was gonna ask what he was talking about until Charles shouted, "Guildmaster the mayor of Bowerstone says it's time." Than the old master looked at the Hero and asked "Boy will you accompany me to the trail? Together we can make Anthony see reason and put this matter behind us." The Hero than stood proud as he answered "Yes."
Oakvale
Anthony was planning what to say at the trial at his home until he heard a knock at the door. He opened it to see William the owner of the Gravestone Scriber. "Anthony. The gravestone was ready for ye. That'll be 40 gold pieces." Suddenly Pete came to the door, "I'll pay for it Anthony." then he handed the store owner the money. The store owner didn't bother to count the money he just put it in his pocket. "Well" William said "The gravestone is at my store, so you'll have to come by." and he made his way to his shop. Anthony and Pete grabbed their coats and made their way to the shop as well. They entered the shop and found Garth's gravestone in the middle of the shop. They bent down and picked it up and left the shop. As they headed towards the graveyard they noticed some of the towns people followed them. Than they made their way past the pub and some of the men inside stood up from their tables and helped with the gravestone. And as they pasted the houses on the way to the graveyard, more towns folk came from their homes and followed them to the graveyard, Lizzy was one of the many faces in the crowd of mourners. They made it to the graveyard and put the headstone in place, and then they all bowed their heads in respect for the deceased. Pete than put his hand on Anthony and said "Maybe you should say something." Anthony then stood in front of the sad crowdand began to speak. "My son Garth was a good man. He never caused anybody any harm. He lived a peaceful life away from war, battle, and politics. He ran a gift shop, something to make people happy. He always thought of others. And yet he meet with a most cruel fate, an arrow through his giving heart. I was..." holds back a tear. "I was with him in his final moments. I was with him the day they..." cries "I'm gonna miss him so much." Anthony than laid his head on his sons gravestone and he just let his emotions go. All his anger and hate for the Hero's Guild went away. Then he noticed everybody else crying. He noticed the mothers holding their children as they cried, the fathers held the mothers as they stayed strong for the family. Than Garth wiped away his tears and stood up as he saw a messenger at the entrance of the graveyard. "I promise you good people of Oakvale." Anthony said "I will have justice for Garth's death if not for me than for you." and he walked to the messenger and grabed the letter, he knew it was for him, for only the mayor of Bowerstone had that kind of rare paper that had the message written on it. He read and called his brother. "Pete come here." Pete worked his way passed the crowd to his brother. "It is time my brother." Anthony said. Than Lizzy came to her grandfathers side and listened. "Today we'll pack and leave tommorow." Lizzy tugged on her grandfathers pants, to get his attention. He looked at his grandaughter with his old eyes and asked "What is it sweetheart?" and she responded, "Please grandfather don't do this. Your working to hard on this, you don't eat, you hardly sleep, its not healthy." Then the grandfather bent down and hugged his grandaughter and whispered, "But it is necessary." than he let her go, and made his way to his house.
Bowerstone North
The mayor of Bowerstone North was the first person to greet the two Hero's "Welcome to Bowerstone." mayor Fairfax said as the doors behind them closed. "I am the mayor of this peaceful town." The Hero of Oakvale recognized the mayor when he was young and the man was trying to run as mayor after the Hero showed everyone the evidence that Lady Grey killed her sister. "Thank you mayor for the friendly greeting." the Guildmaster sayed to the mayor. They walked towards the entrance of Bowerstone North, and on the way the mayor explaned the plan to lower crime through out Bowerstone and how he hopes that other towns will take an example of his plan and maybe they'll follow the same plans to lower crime in their area. They entered the big doors to Bowerstone North and the mayor lead the two Hero's to their room in the Inn. "Get some rest." The mayor said, "I sent word to Anthony of the trial 5 days ago so he should arrive any day." and the mayor closed the door to their room. Then the head guard ran up to the mayor "Excuse me sir" he said as he was catching his breath, "but the other guy in the trial case thingy has just arrived in Bowerstone." "Thank you." the mayor said than he made his way to Bowerstone. "Excuse me are any of you Anthony?" the mayor asked the two men. "I'm Anthony sir." he responded. The mayor knew the two men have never been to Bowerstone by their confussion. "Than I shall accompany you two to your room." Than they started walking towards Bowerstone North. The mayor lead the way. "I must admit I've never had a case versus the Guild, so it came to my surprise when I first read it." the mayor said as they walked into Bowerstone North. "Now here is your room. Now the trial will begin tommorow at midday, do not be late." As the mayor left, the two brothers unpacked and were trying to decide what to wear for tommorow.
The trial of Anthony versus the Hero's guild was about to begin in the courtyard of Bowwerstone North, and people from all over Albion was attending the trial. Many of them rooted for Anthony, while others were on the Guild's side. The two Hero's dressed up for the big occasion. The Hero of Oakvale wore a white short sleeved shirt under his mages robes. His long silver hair was tied in a pnoytail to keep it from distracting him. His pants were made by his wife and daughter, it was black with a golden button. The Guildmaster wore a long robe that went down to his ankles. It was a dark purple robe with the Guild's seal pinned to his left chest. After they finished the two Hero's headed towads the courtyard where they took their seats in the front row. The two brothers bought the nicest outfits in Oakvale. Anthony had to raise the prices in the shop to afford both of them though. Anthony wore a black brown jacket and a white gentlemens shirt that went past the sleeves of his jacket, and his pants matched his jacket perfectly. Pete wore a black jacket with a white gentlemens shirt that went past the sleeve, and they couldn't afford the pants so he just wore some holy pants. After they finished the two brothers headed towards the courtyard where they took their seats in the front row. The head guard than came out through a door and stood in front of everyone in the courtyard. "ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE MAYOR FAIRFAX AS HE ENTERS THE COURTYARD." The mayor then comes out and takes his seat on the bench. The head gaurd walks towards the four, "Now all of you raise your right hand." The two Hero's and the two brothers raise their right hand. "Now in front of Avo, I, the mayor, and all of these people, do you swear to speak nothing but the truth in this case of Anthony versus the Hero's Guild." The four than swore, and the head guard then continues. "You may all be seated than." than walks to the mayors bench for protection. The mayor then gets the trial going. "Anthony Lore, your here to close the Hero's Guild and to disband all magic users in the land of Albion, is this correct?" "Yes mayor." Anthony answered. Pete than looked at Anthony in confusion. He doesn't remember Anthony wanting to get rid of all magic users. Then the mayor than talked to both parties of the case, "Ok before we get this under way I want the four of you to understand that when one person is speaking, then thats the only person speaking. Now lets get going, Anthony lets start with you." Anthony than stood up. "Thank you mayor. As you and everybody here is aware of is that the Guild trains people to use their power for whatever they wish to use it for. Now that the Hero of Oakvale has ridden Albion of trolls, hobbes, bandits, pirates, nymphs, and other sorts of evil, the Hero's of the Guild now have nothing to use their power against. So what'll happen in the near future if we the people of Albion don't do something about the Guild now? They will turn us for their own sport. They will make the people of Albion slaves like Jack of Blades tried with the Court thousands of years ago. And not to long ago Maze, one of the Guild's 'Hero's' worked with Jack of Blades and nearly destroyed Hook Coast. And the very Guild they protect was founded by a bandit and was used to house his mercenaries. And the Hero that recently attacked Oakvale and killed my son was trained at the Guild by the Hero of Oakvale. So please your honor see reason, close the Guild for the people of Albion. Thank you that is all I have to say." He then takes a seat. The mayor than writes some notes and asks the Guildmaster to plead his case. The guildmaster than stands and pleads his case. "Your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the court. I do not deny any of the statements made by Mr. Lore. But out of the Guild that Mr. Lore speaks of comes greater good, the big gentleman on my left is living proof of that. He had a choice of great power and the right thing and he chose the right thing. He chose not to kill his sister over the sword of Aeons. He stoped Jack of Blades reincarnation by himself. He has taken out all of the monsters in Albion in only four years and he recently stoped a raid on the town of Oakvale by himself. Now it is a sad day when a father witnesses his sons death, but no one else was hurt. Anthony's son will be missed and he wont be forgotten, but the Guild is not to blame here. The man to blame is dead, he died on the beach Anthony's son died on, hes the only man to blame for this. Thank you your honor." The mayor than writes more notes and looks up at the people in the courtyard and says. "We will all take an hour break for me to decide this matter." Then the mayor stands for about three seconds and clears his throut at the head guard. The head guard didn't get it the first but the second time he looked towards the judge and asked "What?" then the head guard relizes whats wrong and stands up. "Oh right. ALL RISE AS THE HONORABLE MAYOR OF BOWERSTONE LEAVES THE COURTYARD." Than the mayor leaves and the head guard sits in his chair and sleeps. Everybody else went home ,or went to the pub for an hour, and two parties went to their rooms.
The hour was up and it was time for the closing part of this case. Everybody was in their seats, and there were even more people this time. The mayor than walked out and saw that the head guard was still sleeping, so he walked over to him and got close to his ear. "WAKE UP!" Then the head guard stood up immediatly and said "I swear I didn't know he was a man." Then he realized that the mayor was standing over him. "Oh. ALL RISE AS THE MAYOR OF BOWERSTONE TAKES HIS SEAT IN HIS BENCH. And may I ask everyone to keep their mouths shut about what I just said. BE SEATED." The mayor then began to speak. "As much as I am sorry for what you lost, the Hero's Guild is in no way to blame for this. The Guild has no doubt created some of Albion's greatest villians but it has also stoped those same villians. I can't shut down the Guild for one fathers pain over his sons death. There for Anthony your case to shut down the Hero's Guild is denied." As soon as Anthony heard those words he felt as if he was shot in the heart by the sharpest arrow. The mayor than continued, "This court is now ajurned." And he stood up and the head guard finally knew what to do. "ALL RISE AS THE MAYOR LEAVES THE COURTYARD." The mayor leaves and the head guard followed. The two Hero's headed towards their room for their bags. The two brothers stayed in the courtyard. "I don't know what I did wrong." Anthony said "Did I not speak loud enough? How could I have lost when I felt so right?" The two brothers than hugged eachother. "Don't worry brother." Pete said "We'll find some way to bring down the Guild." Then the two brothers let go of eachother and headed towards their room to grab their bags and head home.