Chapter Thirty-Three: Trial of the Heart
Will Vandom was uneasy. Ever since she had been hijacked by Avani last fall, she had reoccurring restless dreams and nightmares of various topics. About leaving Matt and her family, being forced to reassign the Heart, being alone, being defeated and subjected to a tyrannical fate, being deprived of her life as she had known it, etc...
Tonight was different. Somewhat new.
Tonight, over a year later, as all events and changes had fallen where they may as if in a ludicrous film stripe, and even more ludicrous composition, Will's nightmare was about what had taken place the previous day.
About her brother, whose life she had needed to save.
Her brother who had greatly participated in the destruction of her life.
A betrayal she'd never forget. Never fully forgive. Never shake off of...
And still, when his life was at risk presumably because of the Heart of Kandrakar at that, she couldn't stay indifferent.
William was a villainous broken boy but he was just 13. She was his bigger sister, she was twice his age. She had to be the bigger person, no matter how hard it was.
"No!"- she screamed when the main Thaumaturge's magic enveloped her brother.
William who had been her secret enemy all along. Her own brother had destroyed her life like no one else ever.
That didn't mean that she wanted him dead though. Or possessed by ancient Earth magic or influenced by it even more, or whatever the Triade of wizards were doing.
They demanded the Heart. She was so sick of people trying to get the Heart from her, through violence or deceit. She had been at it for over 12 years now. She had enough.
"Is this what you want? Is this what you fucking want?"- Will stood up from the spot she had been thrown at.
(...)
"I guess that's a good thing, I don't know?"- Will shrugged and tried to smile it off. Elyon smiled back and Phobos was elated. Matt was giving her a smile of reassurance and even her friends, in their uncertainty, seemed willing to think of it that way.
But not Nerissa. She looked mortified and despite all her years of perfect acting, she seemed unable to conceal it.
"I know that it sounds scary,"- Will insisted, now more focused on the sorceress than on anyone else. "But I can make this a positive thing, no matter how it sounds. I... I think that we have enough trust between us to avoid this becoming a problem,"
"Of course,"- Phobos interjected again. "Of course, you can do it. If there's anyone capable it's you,"- he said truthfully, his triumph and excitement touching and kinda scaring her at the same time. Will gulped her conflicted emotions down and stared at the man as he went on:
"The Nymph awakening is a boon, a boon to you, Wilhelmina. The bond and ever-growing magical might that you will have from now on might be like nothing anyone, not even Kandrakar has seen so developed in all their centuries. If it serves you like it did today there could be no need for Kandrakar at all,"
"What is that supposed to mean?"- Cornelia asked uneasily, a frightened Hay Lin holding to her hand, right as that last ominous ring to the prince's statement had overwhelmed them all into unnaturally long and tense silence.
"He is being a dramatic asshole as usual,"- Matt bared his teeth before Phobos could reply. "Get out of her hair, Phobos! This is not the place nor the time,"
"We, maybe we all need some rest, right?"- Elyon interfered. She had her hands on William's shoulders in an older sister-manner as he was still shaken and nearly perplexed after what had happened in the mall, but her eyes were on the two men.
Phobos and Matt. Entangled in a hateful glare-duel over Will between them. The Earth regent was slowly returning to his anger. As if Phobos hadn't started enough shit already that day, now he was being a cheerleader for the Nymph?
He hated to see his excitement over what Will had just done. His hype. Yeah, she had almost given the Heart to a triad of century-old-relic hunters who had stolen a grand amount of magic in their time. And yeah, the Heart had instead destroyed them, choosing her, supposedly because the Nymph inside of it was in a process of "awakening" whatever that was, so what? Matt frowned. Whatever Phobos' agitation and fascination with that was, it wasn't for good. One look over at Nerissa confirmed it for him.
Will could also read it on her face and she tried to talk to her about it again but the brunette cut her off:
"Nerissa, why are you-"
"I still have the Hales over, I better rejoin them. And you go home too,"- the ex-guardian pursed her lips in an attempt to reclaim her composure but Will had already sensed her serious unrest and it unsettled her as well. Probably a great part of why she was reliving this in her dreams again.
"It's been a long day."- Nerissa declared, fixing her hair without there being any need for it.
That was an understatement. After the mall battle, Irma's frantic calls had them all by her side as she was going crazy over what had transpired in front of her parents' house. Martin, driven to his edge by her giving him the cold shoulder, had stabbed Chris and then fled. None of them knew what to say to comfort the Latina. Sure, Cornelia healed Chris immediately and he was fine but Irma wasn't.
What had happened truly bothered her on a new level. An end had been put to her love story with the troubled young man. This time for good. Forever. And it couldn't have been uglier and more traumatic.
But as guardians, they were more or less used to dramatic twists and turns. It didn't mean that it wasn't hard, especially when something so personal happened to one of them. But at the same time, every personal tragedy was a shared one, and just like each time something horrific happened to one of them, the other four were there to lessen her pain and help her heal and move on faster. That's what happened with Irma and what seemed to be the ultimate end to her Martin era. Just like they had all been there for Cornelia during her sister's villain downfall. Like they had been together even during Will's vanishing the previous year...
Will, Irma, Cornelia, Taranee, and Hay Lin had always had their breaking points, ups and downs, and many times it had seemed like the end had come. But an end to WITCH cannot be put... And just like the elements all united in one with the Heart, the guardians did as well for over a decade now. Unity and friendship always prevailed. Even if after a good chunk of time passed.
Their misadventures, adversities, and moments of pure joy and bliss were destined to happen, but so were their united souls.
That was what ultimately failed all their enemies in the end, no matter the sacrifices and cost. That was what saved the group and would keep saving them in the future. It was also what evil would try to take away again and again...
Two months later
February, 2022. Heatherfield...
Will sighed and left the bedroom. It was almost noon time. She had woken up hours ago and already had a few errands completed; her nerves strained. It was about a lot of things and all at once, always there, in the back of her mind, but today - it was primarily the first big trial on Kandrakar.
Lillian's trial.
In front of Kandrakar and the Conclave. The first big milestone of a few to come.
The first big battle in an unspoken war that threatened to blow out of proportion and morph into a full-blown and very spoken, daunting war between mystical councils like none of them had even imagined possible. Not even most of the elders themselves...
Caution and careful planning were extremely important now, probably more than ever before. But with Lillian's trial being the first in line, it was an emotional trap as well. A trap they had to jump over, regardless of how touchy the topic was, especially for her and Matt.
Speaking of Matt, she heard the bell. He was here. They had little to no time before having to be on their way.
Will stopped to look at herself in the mirror briefly and sighed. She wore a big-knit, black buttoned-up loose vest and a pair of new traditional Charleston jeans, and her hair - as usual, pretty messy. Longer, messy but still beautiful. It almost reached her middle back now. She did look beautiful; she even gave herself that compliment more often than usual nowadays - despite her messed up life.
The doorbell rang again and she thought why wouldn't he just use his key as she applied some lip gloss.
Why?
Probably because they haven't lived together for a while now. She no longer lived with Phobos too but that was beside the point. Her mess of a personal life eventually resulted in this. Her all alone in the old apartment she and her mom had first lived in together when moving into Heatherfield.
Matt greeted her with a smile nonetheless. He looked handsome and radiant in his red shirt. He was such a golden retriever and it always reminded her how she had hurt him. She had hurt all of them but at this point, dwelling was stupid. So much had happened.
Even if, ironically, that was exactly what they'd live through today, during Lillian's trial.
"Will, we went over this many times, but let's talk the final bullets of our game plan for today?"
Matt's voice anchored her back into reality. She had drifted away for a second there, sitting on the couch with her hot beverage.
Will blinked a few times before she could focus again:
"Yeah... we better do that,"
Lillian Hale had never been more scared in her entire life. In her 20 years, she had already seen and done a lot. And now it was catching up with her. All her misdeeds. All her wrong. The path of darkness she had taken had led her to this - a magical trial in the Fortress of Infinity. One very similar to this trial that had once resulted in a guardian's imprisonment for decades came to her mind.
And now there was a bonus enemy party in the face of the jury.
Whatever could go wrong?
The worst part was that she couldn't see anybody. Not even her sister. She was left all alone in a small room somewhere in the Fortress. To wait to be taken to the Congregation and the Conclave.
Lillian sat in front of the vanity in the very light yet contrasted room and brushed through her long hair. Her long blonde hair coalesced with the white Kandrakarian robe that they wanted her to wear; it wasn't a good look for her. She looked paler and frailer like that. At least they hadn't stopped her from using her stuff for her face and hence she could do her makeup.
But her usual heavy eye makeup? She wasn't sure how would it be perceived let alone look in the current climate.
Lillian couldn't help but think about everything again and again as she brushed and brushed. Then did her makeup - she chose a lighter silvery gray to put over her generous lid space in the end.
She thought about what had transpired and her motivation. Her life. Had she done this to herself? Could've she played differently, better, could she have avoided the tragic end?
No.
The answer was no.
She was sorry about her methods. Somewhat. She wasn't sorry for trying though, and that was the disturbing reality she kept being thrown into every time she contemplated on this.
I'm so screwed, the young Hale thought. I can't even convince myself to be remorseful. How am I going to convince the jury and follow Matt and Will's plan?
"Perhaps you shouldn't, Sweet Heart"
She turned around knowing she wouldn't be able to see him. But she had known he'd be here. She had almost hoped that he'd be here.
"Did you miss me and did you want me to come for your trial?"- the mystic voice of her once mystic 'helper' teased as if having read her thoughts.
Lillian felt a surge of annoyance, fear, and this strange nervousness. Why had she wanted this person to be here when all he had done was screw her over?
He had been a power she had thought her powers had connected her to, to make her reign as Heart of Earth easier, but the truth was different.
He was a deceiver. A devil's advisor. Demonic almost. She knew all that and yet...
"I'm at a final stage here. Maybe I don't care about what happens anymore. Not even with you,"- Lillian said instead to the invisible presence. Bitterly. She was bitter but for the first time today, not totally lost.
Her diviner laughed at that making her wonder whether she was the only one able to hear him.
"You and I both know that's untrue, Lillian, our score was not settled. You feel as if I haven't exactly been...useful to you. You're not satisfied with our alliance, that's why I'm here with you now. As you wished,"
Lillian couldn't even scoff at the understatement. Not satisfied with their alliance, ha! Since he had played her like a fool that was mildly said... her wishing magic, she suddenly had a thought. But that was not possible, her power and status were on hiatus until the end of the trial...
"No, it was not your magic that brought me here but our connection,"- the diviner interjected in her thoughts again.
"But how?"- Lillian couldn't wrap her mind around it. "This is Kandrakar, the Fortress of Infinity!"
"My Dear Heart... can't you tell? Not even Kandrakar is what it once was. Now. Tell me about Will's defense strategy. How does she plan to win?"
"By relying on the truth,"- the blonde murmured, having to ask herself how did he not already know that. Was he unable to watch her at all times now? It didn't matter.
Her diviner scoffed:
"The truth? So, she wants you to come clean to the Council and the Conclave?"
"They will be able to tell anyway, there are people on board with Hay Lin's power to distinguish spoken untruth and then they're this scale-"
"The Council may be moved by that as they are loyal to Halinor Clarkson who supposedly has your best interest at heart but the Conclave are an enemy party that is waiting for just about any felicitous opportunity to declare...to declare the Council inoperative and take bigger control over all Kandrakar-related affairs. If you're to blatantly confess to everything-"
"Sure, it sounds like a very plain thing to do but Will's not stupid. She has a good idea of how to spin everything about the Heart of Earth around me and Matt and keep the Conclave out of making the decisions. I know all the ways that they can interfere, we will not give them any such opportunity. We will keep both the power and the inviolability of Halinor's Council-"
"I see, so were you planning on breaking our deal on your end, telling everyone about me to do that?"- the diviner's dangerous tone cut her off again and this time she felt her cheeks go hot and then cold.
"No,"- Lillian was quick to answer. "Actually, I was trying to go around it. I want to keep this out of my confessions but just because I managed to do it despite Will's grilling doesn't mean the Council won't find a way to corner me and therefore catch me in a direct lie... I'm scared,"- she confessed, her lips a thin line. "I'm scared because nobody knows this. I know I'll have a sentence of some sort but this could change everything..."
The invisible presence of the invisible man kept silent for a long moment. Then he shocked her:
"Yes, it could change everything. For the better. Tell them. What is to be done needs to be done to an end. Confess to everything indeed,"
"You want me to tell them about us? About your guidance and traitor-"- Lillian couldn't believe her ears.
"Yes,"
"Why? You are willing to go down for the sake of us? I don't believe that!"- Lillian stood up from her chair and almost glared into the nothingness. Her heart was racing. "Is this you helping me or am I supposed to expect another betrayal?"
"Do as I say and don't ask any questions. Will's strategy is indeed a good one. It just needs the final nail in the coffin of your trial. You will put that nail and hence ace the first battle against the Conclave."
The Hall of the Congregation had never looked less mystical and more formal to Cornelia Hale. Like a court. The entire set for the upcoming trial was different. Different than they had all expected anyway but according to Yan Lin - very much the same yet a milder version as they remembered it.
We won't have history repeats itself like that, the ex-Air guardian assured them. A harsh, inhumane sentence like the one given to our friend will not be given to another, especially not when not everything is in black and white. Young Lillian committed foul things but she's not irredeemable.
Cornelia hoped that she was right as she held Caleb's strong arm.
There was a Gallery part in the amphitheatrical composition of the room where everyone attending would stay, apart from the elders, the Conclave members, Halinor, and Thalesis, who would all be on all four compass sides of the big podium circle that was the stand.
The stand for the defendant.
Her sister.
They hadn't even let them see each other, even though the Fortress was in "open mode" for the time being - that meaning that the guardians, their guests, the elders, and even the Oracle could go from one room to another until the trial officially started and everyone had to be at their appointed place.
Currently, everything was still in the process of preparing - the Conclave members were the only present party all sitting down - with their leader, a tall middle-aged, salt-and-pepper man whom they called Alpha writing something down and going through papers. His members just stood around him all in a perfect horizontal formation, staring into the open.
"This is all so bizarre, I can't believe it. Are we on Kandrakar or is this one of Judge Cook's cases,"- Irma murmured. "I mean, if it wasn't for the setting and the décor..."
She was the only one beside Caleb and Cornelia, who were already sitting. The Hall of the Congregation was dominated by many voices discussing different things in separate groups all waiting for the official start of the trial and Irma had a right - it did look more like a civil case trial than what they had expected but perhaps that was a good thing?
"Exactly, I expected chains and standing platforms because of how they trialed my mother,"- Caleb muttered, holding his fiancé closer. "They surrounded her and judged her mercilessly because of what happened with Cassidy. It was ugly and horrific for all four of them. Of course, since Halinor who lived through it is in charge now, she wouldn't allow the same treatment for Lillian."
"Thankfully,"- Irma nodded, sparing him her comment about how his mother never really entertained the thought of going into detail about her trial. Not that anyone expected that of her. Not even Yan Lin did, she briefly said how hard it all was and it was fair - Irma didn't even want to think how traumatic all that tragedy had been for the former guardians and how it had piled up - they had already gone through the later consequences enough times.
"Yeah, I just hope she stays in charge,"- Cornelia whispered, eyes flowing into the distance and stopping on Alpha.
He gave off vile substitute principal vibes. A powerful man from the Country Club. One of her father's bank director nemesis? He looked rich and powerful without having anything to do with money, and that terrified the Earth guardian because it only came to show his true power and status were much, much worse.
Or maybe it was her grandmother's schooling and constant nagging about wealth and power coming to her now, in her nervousness and agitation.
"I hope Lillian gets a doable sentence too..."
Irma immediately sat closer to her friend and put her hands around her too:
"Hey, Corny, it will be alright, OK? Will's got this. Don't let the intrusive thoughts play with you right now."
Cornelia sobbed quietly but remained collected on the outside as her boyfriend and friend nestled her between them. Inside, however, the ball of nerves and dread in her stomach grew heavier and bigger with every passing minute.
Nerissa Crossnic wandered the Fortress for a while, trying to clear her head and once again suppress the year-long-suppressed feelings that the setting on Kandrakar today had made resurface.
Because no matter how much time passed and where she was today, she would never forget her sentence.
How it had come to be. How it had been ruled. How she had been sent to rot in isolation to become a ''better person''.
No, reliving the trauma was definitely playing with her nerves. She had told Lillian on more than a few occasions she'd end up like her and now Nerissa hoped it could be avoided, even if a huge part of that prediction had already become reality.
Not being able to talk to her friends before the horrid event was what angered her most and forced her to stroll around the Fortress while she still could, trying to ward off the traumatic demons of her past.
Charity Callahan was to blame for keeping them apart... she was obsessed with keeping appearances in front of the Conclave and it was honestly starting to rub the former keeper of the Heart in a really wrong way.
A part of her felt like she had felt all those years ago. Alone. Disturbed. Uncertain... And that was truly tampered with her balance. The uncertainty. Nerissa never allowed herself to feel uncertain. It was one thing to be uncertain about separate events and milestones and an entirely different feeling uncertain about your own future like she had felt before being sentenced.
Like she felt on some level now too, even though she was not the defendant today.
It was in the cards. Her future. The Conclave wanted to have her trialed again and there was nothing her friends could do to prevent it. Who was to say she wasn't going to be given an unpardonable sentence again?
A sentence that would ruin her life... now when it was finally what she wanted of it...
Her happy ending was at serious stake and the uncertainty and helplessness had pushed Nerissa to wander into the room with the mystic waters before she knew it.
She knew this room well like most of Kandrakar but this particular water basin... it had been a place where Himerish had enjoyed his serenity.
Now someone else was in the center of it.
Nerissa stared into the broad back, dressed in a Kandrakarian robe and the bald head. She needed a hot minute to realize that it was not actually Himerish, despite the uncanny resemblance and her memories tied to this place.
She had...a strong connection to this particular part of the Fortress, even if she couldn't put her finger on why right now.
"I didn't expect you, Mage. Though I sense your tension,"- Thalesis spoke before he levitated around to meet her eyes. "The waters of Kandrakar are all-knowing. Perhaps speaking your unrest out loud to them will carry it away from your heart."
Nerissa estimated him with a glance. It felt so strange. So different to talk to the new Oracle in an ambiance similar to her conversations with Himerish from her teens. And he resembled him in so many aspects, it was almost outlandish.
"What are you doing...are you hoping the waters will do the same for you?"- she crossed her arms on her chest. She knew what he was doing alright. Himerish had always said the same. That this room calms him. That he sees the reflection of everything clearest when he's here, in the water basin.
"I cannot hide from your perspicacity. Honestly, if you had mantic powers why not make you Oracle of Kandrakar?"
Nerissa let out a hollow laugh. It didn't even flatter her, the thought of standing where he once stood but she imagined it for a brief moment.
"I'd rather not,"
Thalesis smiled.
"Still and all. I made you think about something different, didn't I?"
He was in front of her now, out of the water. He was taller than her and Nerissa couldn't read anything but the obvious warmth he was displaying, which justified the excellence of his seer powers. He kept the mystique vague. He was not an open book by any means. But he was giving this warm awe-like attitude towards all of them, not only toward her, so she didn't feel the need to think much of it.
As the New Oracle that was ostensibly his strategy to secure his place and make a name for himself in Kandrakar's history.
"You've tolerated me even after I raided your converse with the Conclave and triggered their vampiric grip further, so I'll respect the attempt,"- Nerissa said melodiously.
She would usually be much more hostile but the circumstances were different now and she didn't feel the need to be reserved and too catty with the New Oracle, something that usually helped her keep her guard up. She had been ready to tear him apart for putting Halinor's Council at risk at first but then reevaluated the narrative.
Yes, the time loop that he had helped WITCH create had made the Conclave's claim on the Council possible as it was one of the things they were responsible for. Potential time crisis. That had opened the whole entire can of worms in the first place, and now it felt like the Fortress was under siege again, with Alpha and his sages watching their every move, yearning to sink their teeth deeper and find more reasons to overtake the more they could.
"Hasn't your previous Oracle told you what a valuable asset you are to any side you choose to stand on?"- Thalesis exclaimed.
"Yes, perhaps he has on a few occasions. Before he decided to pull the plug on me because I was no longer convenient, of course"- Nerissa noted derisively and threw her long hair back without removing her crossed arms.
She crossed them tighter, pissed at the fabric they were touching. She didn't like the white garments she wore, even if they were bedazzled and tailored to her liking. They all had to wear white. To a sentencing. Kandrakar had never failed at making her sick.
"It's not about tolerance, Mage, it's about potential and value. I don't know you personally but from what I've learned and observed about you, you're one of our main hopes to deal with the issue,"
Nerissa stared at the man, her eyes glinting incredulously. That sounded so much... so much like what Himerish had said to her back when he had been afraid of a looming darkness, something that he feared would overtake the Fortress. And the possibility of that being the Conclave had been a small role. She had played the biggest role in the end. Her darkness. Her corruption. The fallen guardian that had almost destroyed the Fortress of Infinity.
"It was you all along, Nerissa. What I sensed... I was blind to it until now. Even after I sensed that the Heart was corrupting you, I couldn't see that the darkness looming above Kandrakar is in your gaze! You've fallen from grace! You are too dangerous for anyone's good at this moment, and more frightening than any enemy of the Fortress that ever step foot inside of it!"
She relived Himerish's words so vividly and stopped as suddenly as they came to her. The flashback was over the moment Thalesis touched her shoulder.
He forcedly smiled. A sad smile, almost knowingly but Nerissa recoiled:
"What the hell was-"- she hissed at the man but he raised a hand in a calming gesture:
"A repressed memory. You have repressed memories that are resurfacing because of the nature of today's event and the energy that mimics that at your trial. That was Himerish, wasn't it?"- the new Oracle asked even though he obviously knew the answer. "What he said to you...you didn't deserve to hear, no matter what. I don't stand by what he said-"
Nerissa was too stunned to reply to that, even more so now that she realized that Thalesis had gone through the flashback with her.
A repressed memory. She narrowed her eyes to stop a tear from falling. She had never repressed any of her memories before Thanos magically, because she had always needed the motivation. The connection to her life. The hurt, the remorse, and the anger. The anchoring and pain. She had known she needed all that to survive. Then why had she ostensibly forgotten these words up until now? Now that she had relived them, she could put her finger on even the date she had heard them from him...
"Magically repressed memories are of dark magic that's not good for one. Even if you release just a chunk you'd be doing yourself a favor-"
"Just like his magic on my file rubbed off a tad and allowed outside people to see through my story, it's weakening on the repressed memories,"- Nerissa interrupted the man darkly, now that she finally figured it out. She had always wondered why Violet Martens, be as it may resourceful, had been able to see through it so easily. Why the Hales had questioned her on a few occasions. Himerish had said only her closest would ever realize the truth, others were to almost magically accept whatever she said about her year-long absence. That had been his gesture for her, had she rehabilitated herself for real, which she finally had. That was when he had revealed it to her exclusively. Nearly two years ago.
But then again, this spell was only for people unacquainted with magic to be affected by. The general public in Heathefield, primarily. Everyone else who knew about the guardians knew about her.
The repressed memory story on the other hand...
"You're saying he repressed certain memories."- Thalesis suggested. "Memories that you shared. Why would he do that?"
"If Himerish repressed some of my memories for any cursed reason he had, his death must be weakening the spell,"- Nerissa frowned. The question was good though. Why? To make her punishment even baser somehow?
"Lillian Hale,"- Thalesis changed the subject a few moments of heavy silence later. "She'll avoid the harsh sentencing, no doubt there, but do you believe she's truly remorseful and willing to mend her ways?"
Nerissa met his green eyes again and just shook her head, lips still pursed, mind still halfway into her own tragedies.
"No,"- she answered silently.
"Why?"
"Cassidy's death was what predominantly made me have some kind of new focus in the first place. I was remorseful. Truly remorseful, that is why I was easily turned into Kandrakar again and then sentenced, and even as I was being sentenced to the remainder of my life in an ice grave, I was shaping a different narrative in my head. A much lighter one,"- Nerissa said through tears now, to the man who listened so carefully and intrigued to her every word. "I don't believe I've said this out loud to anybody before, Oracle, but then again nothing called for it like today does. You see, I experienced a very hard personal tragedy that night. My best friend dying from my hand put a halt to what could've been a horrid rampage. I was feral before that."- she confessed darkly. "I don't know what would've happened if I hadn't killed Cassidy, but believe me, it would've been darker and much more damaging to the rest of the world. Sometimes darkness can only be overcome by darkness, and Lillian's darkness...I see nothing that can match it anymore, not like Cassidy's death did mine... And even with that, Lillian didn't even experience anything even remotely daunting. Traumatizing. To HER."- Nerissa wiped her cheeks. "She had too many strong people rooting for her to quit before something like that really happened to her. And they succeeded. I'm just not sure whether or not it was for everyone's better good or even her own,"
"But Lillian's motivation differs from yours, doesn't it? She's different-"- Thalesis pointed out.
"How?"- The Mage croaked. "She's just like me when I was her age. Her fate is just like mine,"
"Your motivation was always fighting injustice to the point of an unrealistic dangerous utopia and hers is claiming a forbidden love that she cannot have-"
"She's just like me,"- Nerissa demanded darkly, face to face with him. "More than you think,"
She was still trying to make sense of what she had said herself when Thalesis's raised eyebrows and intention to say something followed, but they were interrupted before anything else could be said.
"What's going on? Oracle, the trial is beginning! Nerissa,"- Charity's voice thick with reproach and astonishment rang in the room as she stared them down. "We should all be there now. We shouldn't give the Conclave any reason to-"
"Yes, yes, of course, Elder Calahan,"- Thalesis interrupted her softly. "Let's go, shall we, Nerissa?"
Nerissa didn't say anything, she just walked forward, followed by Charity's looks of disfavor.
"We should've been up there with them, today,"- Hay Lin murmured to herself.
"Did you say something, dear? You need anything?"
Hay Lin bit her tongue. She hadn't heard Taranee's mom getting back downstairs.
"No, Mrs. C,"- she chirped. "I was just humming to myself!"
"OK, dear, so, don't you worry, relax there, Taranee said she's wrapping up her paperwork and the phone call with the client and she'll join you. The babies are all snug and fed, sleeping in the nursery upstairs... here, I'll leave the baby monitor just in case..."
Everyone who knew Theresa Cook knew her as the straight-forward, strict woman and relentless fighter for justice she was, both in her career as a judge and her personal life, with but a little vice of being too judgmental at times too. Ever since she was a grandma? Oh, there was a whole new ocean of emotions that she swam in for everyone to see. Even many of her friends were stunned by this new soft, doting side of hers but primarily in a good way.
"...there's more food for you girls in the kitchen, I baked some pumpkin bread too. You have a nice day and enjoy yourselves until I come back, then you can go out too if you feel like it, unwind, relax, feel the breeze of your youth again. Just let me finish my work and I will take care of all three sweet babies, and don't say that there's no need for it, I want to!"
Hay Lin smiled gratefully. She didn't even intend to argue with the judge, honestly, she was glad to have her help, even when they didn't need the help. Today she definitely did because her mind was with her friends on Kandrakar, and Theresa taking care of the twins and her grandson was very welcome.
"Thanks, Mrs. C, you're a gem!"
Theresa exchanged a few more interactions with her before making sure her clipped up hair and strict thick bangs were neatly styled. Then she put on her Chanel coat and purse, and was out door.
Hay Lin spent a few more minutes in the big Cook house living room, sipping her rosemary tea and lounging on the leather couch. A lot had changed for them recently.
They had become mothers. They had distanced themselves from the others...
Hay Lin sighed wearily, inhaling the steam coming up from her cup. She and Taranee had given birth on the same day. And that had been both amazing and haunting, especially for the Fire guardian, because it fueled her fear that what those elders had said before the time loop could become valid.
That her daughter and Hay Lin's daughter and son could die young because it was their destiny to serve Kandrakar that way.
That was a haunting thought at its finest indeed.
But while there was no other mention of it ever since they were back and the time loop was closed, and while Hay Lin understood her friend's trauma was much greater, seen as to how she had been the one to 'lose her baby' before they went through the loop and changed the course of events, it was still hard to put up with everything.
Taranee had become frantic ever since giving birth to her daughter, trying to shield her from everything, especially Kandrakar-related.
And because Hay Lin shared so much of her experience, she relied on her and dragged her in the middle of it all, mainly against her will.
It was hard and she didn't agree with a lot, but Hay Lin didn't have the heart to set her friend straight. Seeing how agitated she was. It was still too early, the Air guardian told herself.
The babies are only five weeks old, with time Taranee will understand that shutting everything out and blocking them from everything is not the right thing to do...
Still, it was hard to not be there with her friends and grandma on what happened to be the first big and challenging trial on Kandrakar.
I hope that everything's going to be alright, Hay Lin thought, walking by the window, staring at the leaves that the wind carried in the backyard. I hope that nothing goes any more awry anymore...
"Lillian how could you hide this until now!? Are you serious?"- Will yelled, outraged, ten minutes post the end of the trial, now in a separate and secluded parlor of the Fortress, reserved for the guardians by Halinor.
"This... this information changed everything, I thought you swore you'd told us the entire story before we came here!"
"I told you we need stronger truth spells and shit,"- Irma chimed in, glaring at the young Hale in the front.
All their closest friends that had been present at the trial today were quick to follow and then stop, all eyes on the newly convicted.
"Will, I told you, I couldn't risk him hurting my family. You saw it for yourself, he's too powerful, too high up there and I knew that without even being way of his identity,"- Lillian sighed.
Will shook her head grimly. It sounded about right but she still had a gnarly aftertaste.
"Believing anything coming from that girl's mouth again after all she did, challenged how our levels of sanity were perceived in the first place, but this last shenanigan was even worse! You made us look like morons in front of the Conclave again, you quack!"- Irma yelled until Caleb shushed her.
His eyes traveled over to Cornelia who was still oddly silent.
"I'm sorry, I did what I had to do, I wasn't even going to say anything until today. Today when I met his eyes over there in the jury, I felt something... I felt reassured by the Oracle, I guess, by Kandrakar..."- Lillian exclaimed. She looked overwhelmed but relieved at the same time. "I said everything out there and it's over. I'm glad it's finally fucking over!"
Matt hated to admit it but she was right and he was also glad that her trial was first to be completed and finished. The fact that her last confession had turned the trial around for the better also couldn't be argued with.
"Let's all take a chill pill now, kids,"- Yan Lin appealed. "After all, the scales of truth tipped in Lillian's favor. That may have not been the case had she omitted the part about her mystical helper,"
The girls all grew silent. They knew that now. Those scales of truth were not a new but a recycled, revamped thing to be added to the Fortress's judicial system. Fueled by the elements themselves...
Since they were in Lillian's favor, her sentence was naturally more favorable too.
"And the fact that Alpha guy, one of the Conclave elders was that mystical helper who contacted you and lured her into a lot of crap..."- Caleb began. "It's actually a game changer..."
"...a game changer indeed. It took a toll on the Conclave's integrity and severely lessened their grip over Kandrakar. Even the other Conclave elders themselves were taken aback as it seemed. This is perfect, Will,"- Nerissa finished, turning to the redhead. "It couldn't have been more perfect. Not only the trial's exit was with high notes, a battle against those who challenge our status on a higher plane was won by us,"
"No contest,"- Matt murmured.
Will was pensive.
"So, even if Lillian didn't tell the entire truth until today
"I know, I know."
That's what bothers me...
Yes, she had expected a relatively good outcome of the first trial. They had worked hard to change Lillian's ways as much as possible so that she could at least be perceived as deserving some sort of redemption by the elements. Still, such a full-looking victory was not something Will had really expected. It was almost too convenient for her to just point out her last secret like that and for that person to actually be Alpha, and be present...
But she wasn't supposed to bring any of that up now. Not at all. Right now, they had to celebrate the success of the first trail and get ready for the next.
Her brother's...
They spent about twenty more minutes in the parlor, mainly letting the steam off while waiting for Charity, who was supposed to come and tell them when it's 'proper to leave'. Apparently, even though they were officially done for the day, the elders wanted something more. Peace of mind? A change of heart? No, that last one was out of the question.
Eventually, when Charity and Halinor walked into the parlor together, Cornelia almost jumped in her seat:
"Girls,"- Halinor exclaimed and hugged them all - some in groups, other individually.
For the first time in months, Will could see a burden was off her shoulders. Almost literally. She stood up without strain and her back was all the way up.
The ex-guardian talked to them about the awaited results and how the decision and sentence were more than forgiving. She was optimistic for the first time in a while - optimistic that the Fortress of Light could be saved from an unseen threat.
Charity was a tad more reserved but congratulated them as well. She specifically wanted to shake Will's hand - she was a 'competent guardian leader' according to the Elder's words and despite them not being aware of Lillian having a mystic helper beforehand it had ''panned out excellent".
"So, now what? Except her Knights being appointed as regents again and her being under watch for the next years,"- Irma brought up the sentencing itself as she held Cornelia's hand supportively. "That's it, right, Lillian's off the hook?"
"Due to her part in stopping Violet Martens, Azor, and sustainable help against the Eye of God, and given the newly made revelations, her self-asserted, criminal actions are perceived as lessened and minimalized according to the elements themselves. Lillian's own actions threatened her realm on many occasions but kept it safe too at the same time, that's why she will be figuratively let off the hook with the majority's vote in favor of that,"- Charity nodded, basically quoting parts of the verdict they had all heard. "After she's done her time,"
"What?!"
Charity's last words had them all flabbergasted. Lillian most.
"We heard them say she wouldn't be subjected to any imprisonment, what do you mean she has time to do?"- Nerissa cocked an eyebrow coldly.
"Yeah, her actions are perceived as lessened, Will and I testified in her favor too, despite the personal harm inflicted on us,"- Shagon added.
"Still, she was not found not guilty and that's irrefutable. She has a great amount of faults. The Council said that there is still a door open for penalty,"- Charity stopped them before more people could jump into the argument.
"They said correction not penalty!"- Cornelia exclaimed shaking her head. "This is-"
"This is about correction. Lillian will have to spend some time in a correction program, that's all,"- Halinor hurried to shed light on the matter before it could cause even more panic and disturbance.
"Girls, this is the best we could do, after all, you all knew she'd have to face some sort of punishment. You were ready for this. This is simply the fastest and lightest form we can give her,"
The girls, Matt and Caleb all exchanged glances. True that. At some point, they had expected even the Tower of Mists, but after today's revelations...
"How much time?"- Lillian asked, gulping. She had foolishly thought that she was in the clear after not hearing about this at the trial. It had made sense an hour ago. Now she could see why it didn't make any sense at all.
"The same amount of time you spent running amok - a year."- Charity retorted.
"But the realm we're sending you to has a different timeline, about a month on Earth is about six months there. You will be back to Heatherfield, your regents, and your life before you know it,"- Halinor said and gave Cornelia an encouraging nod too.
They would have to pull through with this. This was after all nothing in comparison to what her punishment could've looked like...
"Which is this realm and why didn't they announce it before closing the trial,"- Nerissa tsked through gritted teeth. It annoyed her. Everything annoyed her. Her sentence was also supposed to have an ''open door" - in her case for future redemption and rehabilitation but that was hardly the case, at least until she had taken matters into her own hands.
"I'm afraid that information cannot be given out,"- Charity tsked, hence answering the second part of the question.
Nerissa narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything else.
"When are you taking me there? To that correctional realm,"- Lillian wanted to know. She met Matt's eyes for a second and it burned through her again...
None of this was what she had imagined would happen. None... She had been a fool. Now that she looked at all the people around her, she realized that she had been a fool for believing she could defeat them or their love. None of them had even wanted anything but the best for her and she had almost fallen off the cliff with her own demons...
"You'll stay in the Fortress until the last trial you're connected to is over. Then you'll be sent away to do your correctional time. Be grateful and arm yourself with patience and benevolence, Lillian. Things could've been much darker for you after today."
"And Alpha? The scales, the elements, the Council he was recognized as guilty by all of them, right?"- Will wanted to know. "What's going to happen to him, is he going to have a separate trial?"
"They killed him,"- Leo Wyatt announced grimly back in the Conversational room.
"What!?"
All the other elders were long sent out. Leo, Yan Lin, Kadma, Charity, and Halinor were the only ones left, hours after the end of the trial as the rest of the Fortress got back to their usual rhythm.
"His own. The other Conclave members deemed him a lethal threat to their fundamental understandings and announced his successful execution thirty minutes ago,"- Kadma said through gritted teeth, obvious distaste and helpless anger in her every gesture. "Those destroyers dare lecture us about our ways? Why I outta-"
"And they just killed Alpha despite the Oracle's reasoning?"- Charity asked, her big eyes moist with tension. "How could they? This is against-"
"In spite of everything, Charity, they argued that his betrayal was first and foremost against their inner code. And the only punishment they give to their people who've violated that code is death. This is beyond any of our jurisdiction, unfortunately,"
"When it's beyond Kandrakar jurisdiction it's usually about something sketchier than a sketchbook,"- Yan Lin commented as her friends and colleagues stared at each other tensely.
The last event of the day had raised agitation and tension once more. And after the elation of having a trump card against the enemy, it felt scalding. It felt scalding just like their trump card had been burned out of existence.
"A punishment for one of their own breaking the code or cover up that's the question,"- Kadma murmured bitterly. "How convenient. It's revealed that one of their people tripped the Heart of Earth into a dark path and they rub him off before the case can be elaborated on."
"At least they left the Fortress... God, they all left the Fortress of Infinity for the first time in months,"- Halinor whispered as if she still feared someone could overhear. She didn't completely rule it out, to be honest. What the Conclave were capable of was yet to be seen...
"I feel like I can breathe better. Like a burden was lifted. Listen, everyone, I don't wish to repute the gravity of the situation but Alpha or no Alpha today we scored. We have to use the precedence while we still can!"
"You have what in mind?"- Charity quickly asked as if having sensed where this was going, so naturally when Yan Lin's quick reply came before Halinor's, she jumped:
"As in getting more power players on board. You know, the Mage. Our friend?"
Halinor nodded.
"I wished we could do it otherwise and not drag her even more into this but she's likely our only bigger chance..."
"Nerissa cannot be a part of anything official as long as she's still pending for trial and her presence here before she's been trialed is but a sign of ill will in the enemy's eye,"- Charity argued. "She's going to make us vulnerable!"
"Not necessarily, elder Calahan,"
They all turned around to face the young Oracle who had just entered the mystic room.
"We are at a crossroads. I just checked on our Heart of Earth. While it may look as though her case is closed, we still have a lot of trouble amid our surroundings. Perhaps getting the Mage in the Fortress now is the most logical step,"
Charity didn't argue anymore. It was a united vote in favor of Nerissa joining and she couldn't overturn it no matter how unpleasant it was to her.
A:n: Long time no see! This is more of a filler chapter to get us back on track. Looking forward to your comments :))