The sound of chains clinking dirupted the silence within the tribunal court, as series of gasps erupted from the crowd gathered.
Lord Eryndor of House Valesse was dragged slowly into the tribunal court, as heavy shackles bound his wrists and ankles.
Six Drakovar soldiers forced him towards the trail stand where he was to be judged.
Eryndor's luxurious robe now hung in tatters, leaving him looking less a sovereign and more a prisoner.
The people of asterra stood with grief in their eyes, their gaze locked on eryndor as he was paraded to the trial stand. People grit their teeth in anger, some spat while laying curses silently at him, others turned their faces away as they rejected and judged him even before the trial began.
Eryndor is finally placed into the trial stand.
With quick resounding steps, low and mid nobles began trooping into the tribunal court, one after the other, as they headed into their noble seats around the dais.
Keith walked to his low noble seat as well, as his eyes fixed on eryndor till he sat down, his expression blank. Ten mid-nobles where in attendance plus twenty-six low-nobles, keith included all sat down gracefully, as some began whispering between theirselves as they watched eryndor stand in chains.
A loud horn sound goes off within the court, as it silenced little whispers and murmurs.
A Tribunal Herald marches onto the dais, as he stood in elegant silver robes, his demeanour calculated and commanding, as he spoke audibly to all gathered.
"Hear now, people of Asterra!"
He gestured with poise, his fingers flipping a coin with grace.
"By decree of the Wardens" he continued. "though they are absent from this hall, their commands are not. They entrust these proceedings to House calvasset, drakovar, veymont and Solherene to judge fairly and unbiased"
He says as he paced around the dais with solemn grandeur.
"By sacred law, it is the Wardens and the people, you and I who hold the right to judge an unjust sovereign. Today, this Tribunal is convened to render judgment on Lord Eryndor and his House, House Valesse."
Whispers and murmurs immediately rose among the crowd but at the Herald's raised hand the uproar died down.
"Presiding over this tribunal" the herald continued "we invite, Judge Arvess Marric of Solherene, a man loyal and bound by oath to serve his country justfully, and by law, he shall over see this tribunal as the supreme judge"
Commoners within the crowd gasped as Marric stepped forward from behind, as he marched tall and graceful onto the dais, his crimson robe glittered with silver embroidery. His Golden rings flashed on his fingers as he took his seat, his tall frame commanding reverence.
Whispers rippled across the crowd as they focused on mlord marric of solherene.
"Is this truly lord Marric, from solherene the wise bankers, who saved us during the famine?"
"He looks even more imposing than I imagined…" people muttered underneath their breath, as Lord marric settled into the high chair and raised a gracious hand greeting the crowd formally. The crowd nods back in respect.
The Herald continue.
"By command of honor and oath, House Drakovar sits in judgment. Come forth, lord Erry O' Kael, Warlord of the North!"
Erry O' Kael emerged from a group of drakovar soldiers, as he marches forward, broad as an ox, his bearded figure clad in a dark leather tunic, threaded with metal embroidery. A wide belt buckled his waist, polished boots heavy with dust.
His scarred fists clenching the pommel of his sword, as he stormed to his high seat.
The crowd erupted in joy and admiration for kael, some cheering, some throwing roses before the dais for him.
"The gods keep you strong kael!" Someone shouted in awe
"If it wasnt for you, we wouldnt have captured this traitor" another barked, as the herald raised his hands again, cooling the claps and cheers.
"By command of grace and wisdom, House Veymont sits in judgment. Come forth, Lady Marien of House Veymont, the industrialist of the South!"
And then, a troop of female soldiers in polished Veymont armor flanked lady marien as she ascended the dais.
Lady marien marched gallantly with her elegant-blue military coat, as she moved with quiet poise, every step deliberate, her presence branded with discipline and authority.
She took her seat gracefully, exchanging nods with Marric and Kael, her expressions unreadable.
Commoners cheered her name, tossing roses and scented mist into the air for her.
"And finally" The herald continued.
"By command of nobility, House Calvasset sits in judgment. Rise, Lord Sylven Veynar, the strategist of the West!"
Then veynar emerged from behind the dais, marching with quiet confidence, His blonde hair slicked to rhe back neatly, His coat was cut in a military style, dark, trim, and unburdened by ornament.
He ascended the dais elegantly, while smiling faintly at the crowd. People cheered him on as he made his way to his seat.
At last, the Herald points towards the high nobles seated as judges for the trial.
"Here stand the judges of the Tribunal! Let no tongue speak false, and le no heart hide guilt, the truth shall set us free" he ended, as the horns sounded again, deep and final, the court went silent, setting the dais ready for eryndors judgement.
And into the silence, peoples gaze returned to lord Eryndor as he stood in chains, within the trial stand, while the herald advanced to lord marric sharing customary whispers with him, as they discussed about the preceedings of the trial.
The wait prolonged, as the crowd grew restless, then a man who stood with bandages wrapped around his hands screamed at the top of his voice at eryndor.
"Traitor!"
"Burn him as he burned our kin!"
"Gods curse your name, Eryndor!" The man broke, as his scream of agony incited the crowd.
Immediately, Stones and curses began raining on eryndor, as commoners chanted curses at him with hatred, others stood in disbelief.
A mother dapped her baby who wailed at the angry noise the crowd made.
While Calvasset soldiers held the crowd at bay, as low and mid nobles flinched and whispered amongst theirselves their gaze still fixed on eryndor.
Eryndor stood still, full of depression as he said nothing.
"That is Enough!" Marric's voice cut through the uproar, as he slams his staff on the ground, forcing the whole court into silence.
Then he pressed further, this time directing his speech towards eryndor.
"Lord Eryndor, you stand accused of treason against this asterra, as well as other crimes that have plunged it into suffering. You will speak when permitted. And no more."
Eryndor lifted his head, his eyes full pf depression as he spoke.
"Marric, you know me, i have served this country all my life, these charges are false, let there be investigations!" Eryndor spoke with intensity. "I swear upon the gods, I have always served Asterra and its people!"
The crowd broke again. "Liar!" "Murderer!" "Look what you've done!" until Marric struck his staff twice, and then the silence returned.
Erry O' Kael rose from his seat in fury, his voice echoing through the court.
"You claim false charges?" Kael barked. "Nine! hundred! and fifty-four of our people lie in ashes and blood! Towns torn apart by fire from a weapon only your house posses! You Dare not call them lies, Claim your guilt! "
Eryndor shook his head in frustration, as he repositioned now looking at Erry O kael
"Heaven's Blitz is a sacred weapon owned by my house. It cannot be used without my authority, and without the vote of valesse loyal nobles. Heavens blitz is protected where no one can temper with it, thus, it is impossible for anyone to reach it and use it." Eryndor said as he turns to the low nobles and mid nobles section, looking at all of them seated. "How will i command the use of a weapon that even i cannot reach at this time"
"You speak smooth lies eryndor" Kael bellowed, his face red with rage, as he pointed toward the grieving crowd. "Look at them, look at the people you cursed with grief will you continue spitting your lies in their faces or beg for their forgiveness?!"
The crowd surged with rage, fists raised, as people lay curses on eryndor.
Then Lady Marien rose from her seat, marching towards eryndor in the trial stand.
Her presence filled with calm, with her voice cutting through the uproar with authority, as kael backed away slowly.
"Lord Eryndor," lady mariens voice called out sharp, "you stand accused of grave crimes, which includes hoarding of white lumin, the illegal crystal forbidden by law to posses, and also you are accused of orchestrating secret experiments with human lives" she says as she stares him down with a cold expression.
"You deny these charges, yet the evidence stands clear for all to see" marien says as she opens three scrolls, revealing some classified evidence for all to see, as the crowd gasped in shock.
Eryndor's lips tightened, as he drew a tired long breath.
"Marien…, you know me, i have no interests in white lumin, neither the desire to obtain one, and also, no lives were lost during my health care experiments with lady selene, this I swear, Lady selenes relics are brewed for healings and to save life not to take them, that is what my research has been, it has been strictly for progress."
"Progress?" Marien's voice cut through, travelling across the court.
"This tribunal is set to investigste your intent, and it seems your intent lies in the display of power, which leaves widows weeping, children orphaned, and villages burnt to ash. That is not progress. That is hubris!"
The crowd thundered with approval.
"Thats right!"
"Well spoken!"
Then Veynar rose from his seat, his calm gesture forces silence across the tribunal coourt.
His hands folded firmly behind his back, his tone was soft as he approached eryndor.
"Lord Eryndor," veynar calls, "if these weapons are not yours, why then was your House's seal found scorched into the rubble at every site of destruction? And if your hands are clean are so clean, why have two of your captains already confessed to carrying out your orders?"
Eyndors shoulder collpased into more depression, his gaze falls onto veynar as he spoke.
"Veynar, i repeat, House Valesse's weapons have always been kept in secrete, guarded from use. Just as your own house keeps its own weapons hidden. I swear it" Confusion clouded his face, followed by sorrow and disbelief.
"But you represent House Valesse," Sylven cut in, his gaze sharp. "You are responsible for every decision it takes."
"We should be investigated!" Eryndor cried, his countenance filled with frustration. "As for my captains, they speak under duress!. What do i gain from destroying my own people?" Eryndor asked.
"Then let us hear them," Sylven replied smoothly, gesturing with a single hand.
The tension within the court thickens as chains rattled across the court.
Drakovar Soldiers dragged two men in scorched armor towards the dais as they stood in front of eryndor.
Eryndor takes a long glance at his captains, as they refrained from exchanging one with him.