Yami was woken up by a man calling out to him in Elvish, "Mage Atem, please rouse yourself. We are summoning you before the Fair Court."
Fair Court indeed, Yami growled as he quietly cast an illusion spell over his broken handcuff links and shrugged the spider silk blanket off to see an elf with beige robes standing at his cell door, holding a red scroll. Perfect. Time to face whatever punishment the court wanted to deal down on him for disobeying.
He left the blanket crumpled on the bench when he desperately wanted to fold it nicely, and stood by the cell doors while the elf unwove the barrier with a few deft pinches.
Yami eyed the cast work, estimating it belonged to a High Priest or Light Mage because of the single-colored threadwork. Whatever. His collar was preventing him from casting any magic over level 100, so hopefully his cuffs illusion would hold, because if another all-girl's marriage party came down to celebrate being bachelorettes, he wouldn't survive the day.
"Please, this way," the elf said calmly, and he led Yami over to a guarded teleportation circle surrounded by two other human guards who were booed loudly.
The harpie ladies were screeching and cheering, flapping their wings against the bars and shaking his eardrums while Yami noticed a monstrous queen spider kept in a cell too small for its many legs weaving solid balls of wet silk and shooting it at the magical barrier in sheer hostility.
The elf was unfazed by the rioting behind the bars, as were the humans, who stood stiffly at attention, holding their enchanted spears at their sides with grim looks on their faces.
"Stand in the center, no sudden movements," the elf recited, and Yami rolled his eyes.
Yes of course.
Ah, that gesture felt nice to do. He would do it more often.
"If you hurt him, I will break out of here and kill you, human!" A hybrid animal with an owl's head smashed against the bars, snapping his beak in fury while the dampening collar kept sparking to prevent magic from emitting from his body.
Yami winced, quietly standing in the center of the teleportation circle, seeing the two human guards tense, but doing nothing as they were transported with a light whoosh! to a long hallway with towering windows made with colored panes of glass.
Sun was streaming prettily in through the artful glass, and Yami stared at the light so hard, his eyes burned.
He hadn't seen the sun in so long…
"Step forward. Walk," the guard elf commanded, his voice lowering, and he walked in front for Yami to follow.
Feeling like a cornered animal, Yami sighed and fell into step behind the elf, feeling the two humans trailing beside him, his mind racing with clever casting techniques, because even at level 100, he could break out of his cuffs and then find a solution for removing the collar after enhanced running from the elf, but…then what?
There'd be a Wanted summons out for him in every dimension, and if he tried to visit Seto, it would affect him too.
He stepped through a set of tall doors that were opened by more human guards, and he arrived in a dining hall that had been removed from its tables. Throne-like chairs were placed in a row at the far end of the room., which was filled with many elven heads wearing golden circlets in their long, flowing hair.
Yami's heart skipped a hopeful beat when he saw a familiar face sitting in the center right.
The only elf with short blond hair, and a large broadsword leaned against the armrest while his right hand covered in many golden rings rested on the handle.
Elf Hunter Leader, Jonouchi Katstuya.
Porter's father who Seto was 'best friends' with…
Whoa. Joey sat up straighter when he recognized the mage in chains before them, and his stomach churned. I know dis guy…!
Seto had introduced this pretty mage as his guardian, Yami.
Oh boy. Did something happen? Was Porter's friend Seto okay?!
"Court, this is Mage Atem," the Head Elf sitting beside him spoke up, nodding at the dressed-down mage in prisoner's garb, half his face nearly hidden by the giant, dampening collar. "His crimes are as follows…"
Yami grit his teeth and made direct eye contact with the Jonouchi and received a tiny head nod.
Hope exists, Yami growled and lowered his head politely, thanking Seto in the back of his mind with furious panic. Seto had one playdate with Porter. Hopefully that was enough to swing a lighter sentence. He could hope for…Banishment, maybe.
"...He harbored a dangerous monster, over the level of…700 million," the head elf said gravely, and there were gasps from the other court ladies and gentlemen.
Yami swallowed thinly, realizing he didn't know what Seto's true level was…until now.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat, Joey gripped the handle of his sword. How the heck?! Where would one even get such a monster?! Well, mages quested a lot—
"The monster in question, is an infant male demon, with the appraised age of 37, from the Blue Clan living in the outer-edge of the Cane Forest," the head Elf continued, and Joey felt himself sweat so hard, his back stuck to the chair.
Um. He wasn't talking about Seto, was he?! That boy was a baby dragon, and had played a lot with Porter, so much that Porter was non-stop talking about Seto coming over for duels.
"The questing scroll in question was issued by the District Courts, agreeing to clear the forest of these dangerous beings," the Head Elf read from the magical script hovering inches from his nose, and Joey threw Yami another nervous glance, catching a wide-eyed, helpless look in angular violet eyes, and his stomach wrenched even harder. C-Crap…
"Mage Atem here blatantly disregarded the order. He accepted the quest under the pretense of completing it and committed a dishonest and fraudulent act. The child demon was registered illegally under a false species in the safe town, Lepidoptera. That is four counts of deceptive and dangerous behavior from this Mage you see here before you."
Joey grit his teeth and heard the Sun Elf sitting on his other side ask shakily, "h-how long was it going on? So this infant demon was living amongst the refugees in Lepidoptera?"
"From the creation date of the false identification card…." The Head Elf checked the magical script in front of him with a tap of his finger. "Six solar rotations, rolling into a seventh one if he hadn't been discovered."
Yami lowered his head to stare at his drab shoes, his rage bubbling beneath the surface but he kept his temper. What gave these High Nobles the right to decide who lived or died?! Seto and his clan were living peacefully until the slaughter was ordered.
"So I didn't vote on nothin'," Joey said loudly with a shrug, kicking back in his seat and feeling his sweat-drenched back continue to stick uncomfortably to his skin. "I didn't hear about demons being cleared out from the Cane Forest, cuz I hunt there all the time and those demons are friendly. They gave me leather gifts even if they don't speak our language."
"Hunter Leader," the Head Elf said with a steely gaze. "And this is why your opinion is valuable. You've encountered these Blue Clan Demons in their villages and have come out unscathed, but you were only one…out of many, purely because of your status. They recognized you, but they killed other hunters wandering through that area."
"These demons are hunted for their horns, hair, and nails!" Yami spoke up loudly, his ears burning with fury when he caught alarmed looks from several court members. "They're kind if your intent is kind. They're hostile if you're hostile. The slaughter ordered was unnecessary and heavy-handed."
The elf beside him stepped up and gave him a cold glance, "Mage Atem, please speak when it is your turn, otherwise I will be forced to cast on you."
Yami bit the inside of his cheek so hard, he tasted blood.
"I think demon babies are cute," Joey said brashly, secretly thinking Seto was very nice to his Porter even if he was level 700 bajillion thousand million. That temper tantrum Seto threw about the dragon dagger was cute. Seto was very obedient and reminded him of Porter at that age….
Also he was Porter's only friend…
"No one asked your opinion on their appearance," a High Elf wearing a glowing tunic said with a shake of his head. "Most threatening species make offspring that are incredibly adorable, thus tricking you into taking care of them."
"So this Mage was tricked!" Joey said loudly, going for another angle. "Babies do what they can ta' survive. Why are we sending kill teams out to my corner of the forest? Ya'guys didn't even tell me. That, or ya held a vote without me. I'm gettin' mad over here."
Good, yes! Yami kept his head lowered, his heart pounding.
"Hunter Jounouchi," the Head elf pinched his brow in exasperation. "Your vote has no power over the District Governors of Magical Creatures. They are a separate entity from us. Your vote pertains to the safety of District 5, the safety of our citizens, and to the outer limits of the Cane Forest. We are here to deal justice upon this criminal. Please focus away from cute creatures and their trickery."
Crud, Joey grumbled. Worth a shot. He knew the Governors were in charge of their own teams and raided the forest according to their own needs for their own towns…
"Did the creature trick you?" A female elf spoke up quietly, raising her gold-adorned hand in a gentle gesture. "What did the child look like?"
"Cute! And so what if he did?" Joey interjected, and the Head Elf turned in his seat to glare at him.
"Do I hear you advocating for the dangerous creature, Hunter?" The Head Elf asked incredulously, and Joey stared into the old man's saggy face and nodded firmly.
"Yep. I think Mage Atem here did nothin' wrong." Joey announced, seeing the spiky-haired mage tense but refuse to look up. "You know what I think is wrong? Killing demon babies before they can even walk and talk, that's what. Y'know, they're really good at aimin' stuff if ya ask them—"
"We have heard enough from our Hunt Leader," the Head Elf said with a hand up for silence, shaking visibly. "Lady Cleric. What is your judgment?"
Yami kept his head lowered and listened intently to her voice,"I understand our Hunter's position, and I believe that the mass slaughter is wrong. Mage Atem snuck the child in using any means he could, and there were no violent incidents in the safe town regarding a high-level Blue Demon, telling me that the child was under good care. I stand with the Mage."
Yessss, Joey fist pumped visibly, and Yami dared to let his breath out slowly. Thank gods for Seto making friends with this High Elf…!
"I disagree," said another elf with a ruby circlet in her light-brown hair. "Demons are notoriously chaotic. The child could have been playing along and biding their time. I stand against the mage. What he did was wrong and endangered us all."
Yami felt a bubble of nausea rise up, and he swallowed it. That was fine. There were seven members. Joey and the Cleric were for him….
"I am against it for the same reasons," an elf sitting at the very end said, stroking his braid down his shoulder, looking uninterested.
"And so am I," the Head Elf declared, waiting for the answer from the Light and Illusion elves sitting silently at his other side. "Speak and be heard, High Elf Collins and High Elf Kadi."
The female elf shook her head sadly and whispered, "The child is a danger to everyone, but I cannot condone the killing of children, no matter the species. I vote that what Mage Atem did was correct…given the circumstances."
Yami raised his head hopefully. By his count, that was three elves in favor… with four against, if the last elf voted against him.
"High Elf Collins, please pass your judgment," The Head Elf said tensely, obviously grating his teeth. "Let's get this over with."
"Wait, I got a question," Joey interrupted loudly, and Yami dared to breathe another sigh of relief. Stalling, yes. He appreciated this.
"What, pray tell," the Head Elf was losing his patience, gripping the armrest of his chair with white fingertips.
"What's the kid's name?" Joey asked, picking up his sword to lean it on the other side of his chair for something to do. "I gotta know the name. It really tells ya the kind of kid he is, yaknow?"
"It was a false name on a fake identification card," the Head Elf snarled, and Yami glanced at the guard elf beside him to ask, "May I add a contradiction?"
The man nodded, and the Head Elf turned to him with a tired sigh. "Speak please."
"The child's real and given name is Seto," Yami said firmly, deciding to look at Joey when he said it, and noticed the elf's hazel eyes widen knowingly. "We registered his real name to prevent any more loss in his little life. Imagine having your entire village murdered, your friends, your only family all disappear, and then coming to terms with living in hiding. That's unfair, for anyone…in any species. We rode with human guards in a carriage into the safetown, and Seto did not attack anyone. He did not eat anyone's mount, and he even managed to make hybrid children friends."
"Yeah, like girls with anteater characteristics, right?" Joey asked loudly again, giving the Illusion Elf a pointed look. "Because how many dragon kids are named Seto and stay for hour-long study sessions with tea and crackers alone with yer wife and kid?"
Too obvious! Yami thought furiously, realizing the last man to vote was probably Seto's other friend, Alisse's father.
The Head Elf frowned. "Why are you going on about dragon kids, Hunter? High Elf Collins, what is he talking about?"
"A…tea party…his boy Porter…ah, we-we had with...a-a dear friend …I—my-my…darling Alisse…s-she made a best friend recently, so she says…." the High Elf stammered, going pale and gripping his arm rest too. "But no-no relation to the…uh, what we're talking about here. Back to the subject!"
The man cleared his throat and took a deep breath, composing himself and saying clearly, "I have children, and I can't imagine them going through what this here Mage is describing. It sounds cruel and unfair indeed. I vote that what Mage Atem did for the demon child is good, and the child should be allowed to attend our schools in District 5, or least be considered for a high placement—"
"WHAT?" The Head Elf snapped at the man beside him, wondering if he was being surrounded by…idiots. Hunter Elf Jounouchi was allowed to spew nonsense because he'd hit his head plenty of times swinging from harpie dwellings, but this was High Elf Collins, the most distinguished and notable Elf on their court, known for sharp wit and skillful casting. This man was overflowing with magic and honed it with pure responsibility, and was voting for the criminal?! And asking for the demon child to be let into District 5?!
Incredible! Yami dared to celebrate quietly in his head. The vote was 4 elves in his favor, and three against. But the Head Elf's judgment had the most sway, and he was obviously against it…
"So can the demon kid come to our schools?" Joey asked, jumping ahead to what he wanted the most for Porter, and he caught a stricken glance from Alisse's father, while the head elf ranted furiously, "We are not…allowing that! The child is in a training facility, being put to work the second he can control his magic," the Head Elf insisted, and Joey cut across him rudely.
"He got broken horns. How's he gonna do that, I gotta wonder."
Yami tensed, and saw the Head Elf's face redden as he turned on the Hunter with the last of his patience, "how do you know that classified information?"
"Read it on your little thingy there," Joey made a finger twist motion in the air in front of the Head Elf's seat. "I can read too, ya'know, I'm not just good for bow-shootin'."
He's smarter than he lets on, Yami thought with a small smile, and kept his head lowered.
"We cannot place such a high-level creature without approval and awareness from all neighboring districts, the school board, and the Governors will have something to say about this too!" The Head Elf said with a tense growl. "Mage Atem, the court has voted in your favor. Now we will decide the length and severity of your punishment, because you are still receiving a reprimand!"
So, not Banished…yet, Yami thought lightly, his mood uplifted considerably. All thanks to Seto and his clever friend-making. These parents didn't want to tell their kids that their new best-friend was a dangerous demon, rather encouraging the court to let Seto attend school with them as healthy competition. A good strategy…! It sounded like a fun time full of learning and challenges for Seto.
"Can ya take the kid out of the facility? That's no place fer a kid like him," Joey asked brashly again, and Alisse's father was quick to pile on too.
"Yes, place him in an adoption center. Assign two very powerful elf or mage parents to him. Send him to the Quantum Academy so my darling Alisse can duel against him every day—"
"What I'm hearing is you two…want a high-level challenge for your children in school!" The Head Elf hissed, glancing at the two elves sitting on either side of him, finally understanding why the two elves had voted in favor. "The demon is a child…for now. They can become dangerous in a blink of an eye. A split second you anger them, you die. Your children die. Understand?"
"I dunno about that," Joey shrugged and sank back into his chair, spreading his legs widely and faking a yawn, thinking back to Seto's tantrum in his arms at the weapon's shop. "Babies are predictable and kinda all the same. Bratty, tantrum-y, but easy to take care of if ya' know what yer doin'. Porter was way worse. You shoulda seen him at age 50. Non-stop screamin', I tell ya'—"
The Head Elf let out a heavy sigh, and Yami gave Joey a thankful nod, catching a quick playful wink in response that made his heart soar. Thank the gods…
"For your punishment, which is the topic we are currently on now…" The Head Elf tried once again to steer the conversation away from children and back to the matter at hand. "Let me bring up the list of suggested quests to send this mage on. Quests that will atone for his wrong doings—"
"I'm not taking kill orders." Yami said instantly, his body vibrating with anger. "I refuse any and all blanket-slaughter orders. I have a right to refuse it. You cannot order me to murder. I also refuse to train or mentor the demon child to fight for any of the Districts. If anything, I want to relocate him back into nature, where he belongs."
Joey tensed and he felt Alisse's father also freeze. He knew they were thinking the same thing: it was that this mage was Seto's guardian. If anything happened to him, pleasant homework and teatime wouldn't happen for them ever again. Their children would still be able to visit Seto 'in nature' as opposed to seeing him through a magical barrier in a training facility.
"Good idea. I like that. Put 'im back there," Joey said loftily, hearing Alisse's father add, "yes, put him back in the forest. I'm very sorry for his loss."
"Men. This is regarding…punishment on the mage here. Not about the child." The Head Elf was close to blowing a fuse, and the other court members shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "The child will remain in the facility, where he belongs. Focus…on the topic at hand, gentleman."
"Yeah but I care about the kid more than…him, kinda," Joey gave Yami a side glance and apologetic smile, knowing Seto needed more advocating now that Yami had the court's favor. "Just let him go back ta' doin' mage stuff. Cut his pay, I dunno."
"And take off the beast collar," Alisse's father added roughly, leaning back in his seat with his arms folded, trying to mimic Jounouchi's bravery. "Treat the mage with respect. He did a gallant and noble thing."
Please, Yami thought nervously as the elf beside him cleared his throat and announced, "our time is quickly up. Please come to a decision. We have another case right behind this one and they are arriving soon."
The woman sitting beside Joey spoke up again, "I am looking through the quest postings here, and there is an urgent need for healing potions that last for more than three days. Larger creatures that defend our lands consume three or four bottles of a regular potion to reach that efficiency, and it is wasteful. They are requesting adventurers to the Healing Spring. Returning with several pints of spring water should suffice for this mage's punishment, yes?"
The Healing Spring is a myth, Yami thought mildly, but the court had made up their mind on it.
"Good. The journey there I hear is treacherous, and adventurers never return successfully," An elf at the far end said with an aimless wave of her hand. "The spring may not even exist. No one has come back from it. This has to be the millionth call for a party to troop there. Pointless and a waste of magic. Good luck, Mage Atem."
"You shall wait in your cell until the party limit has been reached for participation in this quest," the Head Elf announced deeply, and then waved his hand to the elven guard to take the mage away. "Take this time to meditate on your wrong doings while you wait."
A quest to my death, I see. Worse than Banishment. I was wrong, Yami thought flatly as he was given a nudge by the guard elf beside him and was led into the teleportation circle where the light glowed around his elbows, and he saw Joey give him a panic-stricken look before the light engulfed his vision, and he found himself standing in the grimy dungeon hallway below.
The creatures saw his return and began bellowing again, some even thrusting their fists out through the magical barrier to touch him but then getting burned by the threads that snaked back into place to form the wall across their bars.
"Mage Atem! He has returned unscathed!"
"Unhand him…elf scum! Trash! Heathen! Human scum!"
"Mage…Atem! Mage! Our Mage!"
"Humannnn! HUMANNNN! LET ME TASTE YOU!" The harpies screeched as Yami walked past with his human guards, keeping his head lowered. He was put back in his cell, with the elf hastily weaving and locking the barrier, running to the teleportation circle in the commotion to disappear in a flash of light.
Yami sank shakily down onto the bench and the quiet that fell was deafening. His ears rang and his shoulders ached from the heavy metal collar.
"Heal." Yami muttered, and the painful points where the collar sat on the points of his shoulders lessened.
"What was your verdict?" The fish monster was quick to ask, reaching his claws sympathetically through the center of their cells. "Are they letting you out? We can start planning your escape! Run from here, Mage!"
Yami took a deep shuddering breath and spoke clearly, hearing his voice carry as the entire hallway listened, "they're sending me on a quest to my death. They want me to bring back pints of spring water from the Healing Spring."
There was a dissenting grumble, and Yami leaned his head against the wall, his mind filled with thoughts of Seto and how he was doing at the facility. Hopefully they weren't working him too hard. Hopefully he could appeal to see Seto one last time, give that bratty child a hug before he left, just to let him know he hadn't been abandoned.
"Did they say what the Spring Water would be used for?" The fish demon asked, and Yami recited the lie he'd heard from the Cleric Elf.
"The scroll said it would be for army beasts who consume 'too much' regular potion," Yami lifted his cuffed hands tiredly to quote it with derision. "But who knows where the water will go. I never trust the scroll text word for every word. They'll say anything to get mages to do what they want. We have a hope for a better world, and they exploit that hope. I learned that a long time ago."
"But if you return with Spring Water, they will let you go out again?" The ox man brayed from across the hallway. "Then go and bring the spring water back. I have a map. The way is blocked and protected by many species of creatures. They will never let humans or elves travel through, but for you, Mage, they should allow you to pass."
"Then I might as well go and never come back," Yami said bitterly, clenching his fists and staring at the ugly metal cuffs that were heavy and thick. "Some rich elf will pay millions of gold for a vial of it, and it'll go to…not the army beasts, but probably their own mount to do well in a race! How would I know?! I'm once again…on the wrong side of it. Meanwhile, Seto is…"
He didn't let himself say it.
He wouldn't. Seto was strong.
He wouldn't fall prey to the army's predatory rhetoric about how beasts and monsters were evil and humans were supreme. But Seto's affinity for human-like items gave him a bubble of anxiety, which he had to swallow thickly. Seto was a child and was filled with child-like wonder.
Human things were fun and cool…for now, until they weren't.
Kids usually grew out of the human fascination by age 80…
"He's not here with us," the fish demon said with a growl, turning away to tell his cell neighbor. "He's thinking about the demon child, Seto."
Yami leaned his head against the wall and made it spongy with a silent spell, his body exhausted from the weight of the collar bearing down on him. It was a great metaphor for all his wrong doing since the start of his questing, and Yami closed his eyes, drifting off into a light sleep with a frown stamped between his delicate brows.
Author's note:
yami's court date went well -ish. Thanks to joey and seto's new friend's dad.