Hearing the chains rattle, the judge stopped for a moment, glancing coldly at the guards.
"Hey," one of them said, stepping forward. "What the hell are you doing?"
He drove his boot into Zion's stomach, forcing the air from his lungs.
"Remain silent," the guard said, stepping back. "And listen to the verdict."
The judge nodded approvingly and cleared his throat again.
"I believe you intended to claim this relic for your own house," the judge said coldly, his gaze fixed on Zion. "And when you realized that you could not, you chose to act accordingly."
He straightened, his voice echoing across the courtroom.
"Therefore, I hereby strip House Arakiel of its noble status."
Internally, Zion pulled back his arm again, punching the barrier hard.
His body in the memory shook again, this time even more than before.
The judge and the onlookers frowned, watching the chains rattle.
