It had been a while since Cter saw so many humans at once.

Last time was when she was welcomed with fanfare and cake at Fenkeep Castle. She had a similar feeling when surrounded by the expensive clothing and the air of nobility wafting all around her about how it had been a while. At Fenkeep Castle she was welcomed as someone to be revered though.

"By the power and trust bestowed upon me by the Royal Line of Xoff, I hereby declare this court open!"

In the court room of Noitaidarr Castle, the reverberation of the heavy gavel against the rafter-heightened ceiling reminded Cter further of the fireworks and small orchestra that welcomed her at Fenkeep Castle. Just as loud and just as instant a silencer of the murmurs and talking between the humans who's full attention were on the Monster Mage of the hour.

"The Royal Councilors of Jarasevo Castle will present their case against the Field General's testimony of the events at Clinic Hill for the court to decide whether or not the actions taken by Dr. Sallus and the Royal Guard of Jarasevo Castle was within the Agreement of Clinic Hill sectioned under Foreign Cooperation, section twelve, subsection thirty two."

With any hope, the questions asked at Noitaidarr would be more informed and understanding than the questions posed at Fenkeep.

"Opening up to the prosecution is the floor upon which to state your initial claim," the black-clad human acting as the Speaker for the Court finished with a following exhale from where he stood between the two tables of the prosecution and defendants. He glanced a neutral eye through his thick wig at Sir Gerson while folding together the large scroll he had been reading from. "You may take the floor now, Hammer of the Monsters." His accent changed as he addressed Sir Gerson.

Hundreds of eyes from all around and all above Sir Gerson descended upon him as he scooted his shell-bent chair back and stood up. His height stayed just the same as it had been with him sitting, yet the humans onlookers up in the balconies jutted out from the upper floor as if themselves peering with craned neck the same as the humans that sat in the ornate benches. Dresses, suits, ponchos, all in expensive colors, rustled as their human wearers leaned forward carefully as to see, but not draw attention from the Leader of the Royal Guard of Jarasevo.

With his green heels clicked together, Sir Gerson inhaled as he moved his hands behind his large shell. When they came together it was as if an overwhelming wave of authority and command expelled from him like a powerful, magical gust. It was as if the entire court room shifted to lean away from him to give him the room his presence demanded and filled.

"Speaker of the Noitaidarr Court, humans and monsters of Xoff and Hjearta from all walks of life, the Royal Councilors of Jarasevo feel that the Field General's statement about the events at Clinic Hill have been misunderstood. We have challenged his claims not out of a sense of him being in the wrong, but out of a sense that we believe that this misunderstanding might pave a path of fear and worry between humans and monsters. It is telling that what happened at Clinic Hill is of such gravity that even humans have come to imagine the worst. Spurred-on by the tragedy of the plague which has gripped this country, the tragedy at Clinic Hill might become a catalyst for the dismantling of the peaceful relationship between humans and monsters that has lasted for longer than any written record can detest. The Royal Councilors of Jarasevo are not here to accuse, but to explain. State your questions, and we shall answer them to the best of our abilities. Thank you, and may it please the court what I have detailed for it."

The silence that lasted for the sparse moment it took for Sir Gerson to turn his head back to the Speaker of the Court was thicker than anything Cter had felt in her entire life. Even if the moment was sparse, it lasted for long enough that she could sense the air that descended down from the onlookers' balcony. Meek in Sir Gerson's presence, the air was cold and retracted, like a child that could not read or write attending a literary analysis class at Soul's School. Or a Whimsun playing rugby. Or a Vulkin making ice puns.

It had the few hairs remaining between the carvings on Cter's left arm stand up and push against her inert sleeve.

Not due to the chills that descended from the human audience up in the ornate balconies though.

What had Cter tensing up was the stark contrast between the chills from above and the torrid mustering that shone from the defendants' side of the court room. It burned like someone was blowing coldly on Cter's arm while in a sauna, tingling like a thousand needles on her arm. She glanced over to see, but was interrupted by the Speaker of the Court taking tone again.

"The floor has been willfully given away by the prosecution to the defendants." The Speaker turned his wig and himself to the Field General sat rigidly, yet boiling within. "You may take the floor now, Field General."

Silently, the Field General stood up with his strong hands braced on the defendants' table. By all accounts it should have creaked under the pressure he put on it, yet strangely it didn't, as if the table was holding out stronger for him. His length stood up was that far taller than Sir Gerson's was. His arms at his sides, only briefly glimpsed as his large, baroque poncho swayed with each large, confident step. His presence was not too similar to Sir Gerson's, but it captivated just as much. He walked with a hero's steps, and all agreed that it was such.

Even the monsters.

While Cter had her...reservations about the Field General as per Sarbor's telling of the events that proceeded the night at Clinic Hill, she saw in how he walked that he was doing it for his country and people, and for nothing else. The monsters were the villains as things stood, and it was up to the Royal Councilors to turn that villainy into tragedy. At the same time they could not make the Field General the villain. He still needed to remain a hero for the people of Xoff.

If they were to rise strong once more after the decimation that the plague brought upon them then they needed a hero to look up towards. A restored politcal balance needed Xoff as a human counterweight to Hjearta so that Monster Country could be the impartial mediator to human affairs.

There was something else Cter felt too when she observed the Field General walk himself over to the middle of the courtroom floor. Something unrefined in his refined posture, clothing, and demeanor. A stain that he wasn't the slightest aware of.

It only took Cter a glance over to Rasliela sitting in the shadow of her wide-brimmed hat for the Monster Mage to understand. "The Field General has an aura," she said quietly behind her flatly folded hands over her mouth to hide that she was speaking.

"Yes, he does. If it's not just me noticing it then there is definitely something within him," acknowledged Kry with an accompanying nod from Kurant. "Seems like we didn't catch that he had one beforehand."

If anything it was an opportunity for Cter to read the hero better. To find the nuances that the history books would gloss over or fail to notice that he had. To achieve that she would have to extend her aura towards him though which would make it obvious that she was prodding at him should anyone be observing his aura too.

Like perhaps the Royal Mage of Noitaidarr Castle sitting at the defendants' table?

Damn…

Already Cter was starting to feel a headache developing and the trial had yet to properly begin!

"Speaker of the Noitaidarr Court, humans and monsters of Monster Country and Hjearta from all walks of life, as the commanding officer first on site following the event at Clinic Hill and with testimony from the last surviving doctor employed at Clinic Hill, I have told the truth and nothing but the truth. The account I gave was the most comprehensive at the time, due in large part to Dr. Sarbor's escape with the unconscious body of Cter, the Fourth Monster Mage. This trial would not have been necessary had we been allowed to let her give her own testimony back then. It would have informed me to give a more accurate report of the events to the council here in Noitaidarr Castle. If the monsters believe that I am mistaken than it is them who made me mistaken by taking away from me someone who could have told the truth that they claim I have mistaken myself from. State your questions, and I shall answer them to the best of my abilities. Thank you, and may it please the court what I have detailed."

The balconies blinked as one and turned their slightly furrowed eyes to the prosecutors' table where Cter and her colleagues sat. Even the few monsters that were present stared with the exact same furrow to their colorful and differently shaped brows. Cter tried to find the Hjearta humans that had greeted her at Fenkeep Castle to gauge if they too were staring at her with the unison look of disappointment, yet she did not find any among the human crowd. All the eyes were the same to her. All looking down at her from so far, far above.

In that moment she was more monster than she had ever been before.

"The court floor has now been taken and willingly given up by both sides, showing that there is determination from both tables that they believe their cause to be fair and just, and that they believe that the other side is equally fair and just, which has necessitated this court to be summoned." The Speaker looked to the defendants table. "Are there any objections you would like to add before we continue?"

Sir Gerson shook his head. "There are none, Speaker."

The Field General shook his head as well when the Speaker looked to him. "There are none here either, Speaker. If I may–"

The Speaker raised his hand sternly. "Only answer what is asked, Field General."

A small hiccup raced through the Field General. "Yes." He bowed his head. "My apologies. No objections, Speaker."

"Then let us begin the hearing."

With his arms stacked underneath his black poncho, the Speaker made his way to the opposite side of the court floor where he ascended up a large, wooden podium and sat down among two stacks of parchments. Next to the podium stood an idle, winged monster with a large book in its arms.

No other sounds were present as the Speaker leafed through the stacks of parchments, filling the room with more and more suspense with each shuffle of the dry papers. His beady eyes traveled loose and easy across the many parchments, settling after a full minute on one of the parchments which he brought up to the sunlight beaming in through one of the opened, large windows.

"Would the prosecution please bring in their first witness?"

Sarbor.

The doctor, clad in his Clinic Hill felt suit despite the hot temperature, stood up from the wooden bench behind the prosecutors' table, tugged straight the folds which had formed on his suit while sitting, and walked to the middle of the court floor between the two tables. As he did, a faint motion lifted the wide-brimmed hat casting a deep shadow over both Rasliela and half of the defendant's table. The Royal Mage within the shadow had noticed something about Sarbor.

The same something that Cter had noticed about Sarbor. Once more she could tell that Rasliela was giving her a look from underneath the green hat. Something was brewing underneath that brim, but if it was from the Royal Mage of Noitaidarr Castle or if it was the General of Noitaidarr brewing Cter could not discern. Rasliela whispered for a few seconds to the Field General who folded slightly his rough forehead.

Once in the middle of the court room floor Sarbor bowed deeply to the wooden podium. "I am the prosecutions' first witness, Speaker."

With a nod of his wig, the Speaker summoned the winged monster who flew forth a heavy book for Sarbor to place his hand on. "State your full name and the Court Oath, please." There was a lack of emotion in the Speaker's voice, but it felt right that he did not have any. He was there to make sure the court proceeded smoothly, after all. No emotion meant no sides taken. In a way he had abandoned his humanity like the Monster Mages had done, but in an even more drastic way.

Cter still had her emotions while being a monster, yet the Speaker had none while being a human. She felt respect towards the man for being able to put aside all that he was for the sake of true justice. It reminded Cter of Huvett and Huvtvao in how much the Speaker had put aside for his position.

It began to dawn on her how serious the trial really was. She knew that it was, but she hadn't felt how serious it was until hearing the Speaker. Seeing how Sarbor stood just as empty of emotion as the Speaker's voice was had her inhaling a quick, shocked breath. It took all her strength not to reach out to Sarbor's unwanted aura to make sure that he was feeling well. Rasliela would not be able to sense it deeper than only acknowledging its existence due to how weak it was, but that did not mean that she was not willing to try.

And if she did, then Cter was already playing to lose by not trying to read what the Field General was feeling through his aura.

Her sleeved hand clutched hard, stretching the embroidered Delta Rune on the back of her hand.

"Sarbor Fech, former apprentice of Dr. Sallus."

"Do you consider your apprenticeship with the late Dr. Sallus that important, Dr. Fech?" the Speaker asked while pointing neutrally towards the big book Sarbor held his hand on. The gentle rocking up and down from the monster holding the book for him flapping its wings had Sarbor's arm moving up and down just the same as if breathing deeply. "Are you willing that the law sees you as not your own person, but as the former apprentice of Dr. Sallus?"

Sarbor nodded without hesitation.

"Very well," noted the Speaker without any judgment. "Dr. Fech, former apprentice of Dr. Sallus, you may proceed with the Court Oath."

The winged monster sank a bit as Sarbor added more weight onto the already heavy book. He cleared his throat. "I swear on my name and my life that I will tell naught but the truth as is my duty as a witness. Should I not, I acknowledge that I will be banished from this land that I call home, never to be allowed to returned. It is with this fear in my heart that I will answer truthfully."

A grim oath, but understandably so.

Perhaps in the future it would be quicker and more trustworthy to make a temporary Cooperative Connection to detect any, if all, lies in the court room. It would have been an easy thing for Cter to teach. She could have done it right there and then. She did not offer up the idea though, considering the reason of the trial.

"Thank you, Dr. Fech, former apprentice of Dr. Sallus." The Speaker nodded for the flying monster to return to the side of the wooden podium before motioning for Sarbor to turn around and face the court as a sworn-in witness. "The prosecution may begin now."

Sir Gerson's chair once again squeaked against the hard, mosaic floor as he stood up with an accompanying bow. "Thank you, Speaker." His hands sought their usual refuge behind his large shell, and with slow, gentle steps he approached Sarbor. "You were present at Clinic Hill at the time of the event this trial is set to settle, correct?"

"Yes," Sarbor answered while looking straight ahead while the green turtle approached him. "I was there for months before the event and throughout the event bar an hour or two of me trying to signal for help from the small band of Xoff soldiers stationed at the base of the military road up Clinic Hill."

"Please give a recollection of the event starting from the arrival of the Monster Mages at Clinic Village." Sir Gerson turned his head to the side for second. "Take as much time as you want." He walked to the side he was looking towards and grabbed a stacked chair which he carried back to Sarbor. "And as much time as you need." The Speaker allowed the chair as Sarbor turned to confirm if it was okay should he need to sit down, and began telling once more about the days leading up to the fusion.

"We up on Clinic Hill did not know at first when the Monster Mages Sund and Cter had arrived."

"We?" the Speaker asked to clarify.

"The doctors and nurses working at Clinic Hill, including Dr. Sallus."

"Continue."

"At first we did not know that the Monster Mages had arrived since they did not try and contact us for a couple of days citing concerns about being foreign officers arriving at a plague-struck Xoff at the one place that could be find a cure, if any existed. The citing was from a letter we received that was sent via magic up Clinic Hill from Sund and Cter."

"Yes."

Yes? Yes, how?

The Speaker shuffled forth a burnt-crusted scroll from deep within his stacks of parchments. "I have it here." Carefully he unfolded it and showed it to the court room. "Would the Monster Mage Cter please come up and confirm that this is indeed the letter that Sarbor is referring too?"

They...they found it? In all of the destruction and colorful fire they found the letter? It survived? But how? There was nothing left of Dr. Sallus' house! It was in rubble and flames and–

"Take a breath," said Kurant steadily with a secure grip on Cter's hand. Her eyes were steeled. "This is good that they have found it."

Y...Yes. Yes, it was good. It meant that there was proof of Sarbor's testimony.

It was...good...

Cter's chair creaked louder than Sir Gerson's did as she stood up. "Singe my soul," she cursed under her breath.

The walk up to the wooden podium was long to Cter. It was just ten or so steps, but they felt so many more to Cter, and so much longer. Each one she took out of the many it was as if she was about to trip and embarrass herself, causing her walk to be stiff an unnatural. Once she finally managed up to the podium and was handed the burnt parchment her tensed stiffness disappeared with a startled gasp.

"Is this the letter that Dr. Fech referred to, Monster Mage?"

The magic on it…

"Monster Mage?"

Cter hadn't felt that magic ever since…

"Monster Mage?"

It still lingered? After all this time? It still was present?

"Monster Mage."

The dust of–

"Monster Mage!"

With another startled gasp, Cter whipped her head up to the Speaker looking at her intently from atop the podium. His lean on his arm was impatient, and he held eye contact for long enough to be sure that he had Cter's full and absolute attention.

"Is this the parchment you wrote that Dr. Fech referred to?"

He wasn't going to ask again, that was abundantly clear.

"Y-Yes," managed Cter after a harsh gulp. "Yes it is, Speaker. This is the letter I wrote."

"Thank you." The Speaker's annoyance drained throughout the length of his thanks. "Please return to your seat."

Cter's braid collected like a bird nest inside her robe's hood as she turned her heavy expression around back to walk the long walk she had mired through. On the way back though she did not realize the many eyes and poorly hidden whispers about her. All she did know and feel was the way the dust-mixed-charring on her sleeved fingers felt like rubbing salt into a fresh wound. She could feel the lingering magic that had overwhelmed her so. It was weak. So, so weak. For everyone else it was inert as Cter's sleeve was, but to her it had her soul churn in fear, turning her skin pale and her breath ghastly. Kry and Kurant watched her with worried looks as she sat down back in her chair.

The weight of the trial would not stop increasing, would it? It was not something that Cter could prepare for. Never something she could have sat through like she needed, with full attention and tongue unbitten.

"I can still feel it," she said quietly underneath Sarbor continuing his testimony. "It's not alive, but I can still feel it."

Like salt.

"Then we got word that the Monster Mage Sund had fallen ill. I was asked by Dr. Sallus to travel down to Clinic Village to assess his situation. I hadn't been down there in months. Even if I had closed the eyes on the humans that lived there I could never have expected the silence that haunted the village. It was loud enough that I understood immediately what had happened to the Monster Mage."

In a wound.

"He had succumbed to the plague."

Reopened wide and deep.

"Yet still, he lived."

To be stabbed at with hot irons.

"And that I will never understand. That I will never want to understand."