The prayers and hymns had begun long before the jury assembled in the Lawforge. Black mist rose from the mouths of the devoted as they knelt, pooling in the crescent, blightsteel coated ceiling above. Eyeballs made of the Oath magic’s nora peered down at them through the thick layer of mist, impossibly still, yet undeniably alive.

“I call for silence.” Arelius spoke with a clear, booming voice that echoed throughout the Lawforge. Despite his small size he garnered much respect from the attendants, who fell silent per his request. Only the whispers of prayers remained. His talons tapped against the elevated podium, and his feathered body heaved up and down with each slow breath. “The trial of Caelus Nost will now begin,” he said, observing the space with black beady eyes.

Caelus sat on the other side of the courtroom to Rane’s left, alongside Danrith, Linde, and other members donning the Nost family’s colors on their robes. The man didn’t even dare glare in Rane’s way. Not when he sat sandwiched between Veradin and Miria.

“Any remarks before we begin?” Arelius gazed to the rows behind, filled with people of multiple ages and genders, very few of them mages. He waited for a few moments, but there was no response. “Very well.” The tiny, owl-like creature’s feathers shone with dark light as it spread its wings.

The bearded human to Arelius’ right looked up from the long scroll that he held. “The Lawforge will address Caelus Nost first,” he said. “Caelus Nost, please rise.”

Rane got a better chance to observe the man when he stood. Dark circles ran under his eyes and a frown had settled onto his face. He seemed to have more wrinkles than his age would justify. If Rane had to guess based on the feelings that reached him, Caelus must have given up. From what he knew, the Nost family had been under constant surveillance and had to cooperate while several investigations were underway. Many of their members had been questioned for days on end. Rane almost felt pity.

“You are accused of the following crimes, whether committed by your own hand or ordered by using your authority.” Aurelius cleared his throat. “Collusion with foreing forces, treason, interference in the flames and attempted assassination.” Arelius leaned forward. “Do you admit to any of these crimes, and if so, which ones?”

“No,” Caelus replied softly, head lowered. “I admit to none.”

“You have also declined to be subjected to an Oath of truth.”

“That would be correct.” Caelus wiped his hands on his robe. To Rane, his anxiousness and well-veiled panic were almost palpable.

“The Lawforge will now begin to present what it considers condemning evidence for each crime, phyisical, magical and otherwise, then call forward witnesses who have sworn to speak only truth.” Aurelius motioned with his wing. “You will be given time to refute or elaborate on said evidence. You many now sit.”

“Thank you,” Caelus mumbled. Rane noticed that as he sat, Linde turned her head away from him with a sullen expression. How much of the truth had he told her?

“Treason…” Arelius’ aide consulted his scroll once more. “There is no physical or magical evidence to be presented, but there have been witness claims. An individual under your employ that wishes to remain anonymous has sworn the oath of truth. His words, as spoken, are the following.” The man pulled the scroll closer to his face. “I’ve seen him many times in the back of the forge. He always goes there, to the back, after working the machinery. At some point I got so curious that I decided to follow him. Unethical, I know, but I couldn’t help myself. I thought he was just mumbling to himself at first, but the pauses… It didn’t make sense, right? The next time I made sure to hide in the room beforehand, and that’s when I heard the ashfen. It was hard to make out what was being said and I could only see his boots from where I was, but I am sure he had white skin.” The man finished reciting and stifled a cough.

“Do you wish to refute this claim, Archmage Caelus?”

“Yes,” Caelus replied. “I had no interactions with any such individual.”

“Refutal accepted!” Aurelius cawed out without a moment’s thought. “The charge is dropped because of lack of evidence.”

What? Rane shifted in his seat. Why was he getting away with it? He was ready to speak up when Atinas poked his leg. He had spelled out ‘Wait’ with mist under the table.

“Next,” Aurelius continued, “the Lawforge will now address Toshimir Grendil, arch-commander of Silyra’s standing army.”

A lot of heads turned to the back of the room as the huge man stood. He moved to the front with some difficulty and stood in front of the podium. “I greet the tribunal and the archmages,” he spoke with a low voice and shuffled some papers nervously in between his hands. “I have to thank the citizens who the notice was sent out to and–”

“Your testimony, commander.” Arelius interrupted.

“Right.” Toshimir nodded. “This is a copy of letters containing correspondence between Caelus Nost and an Andren noble family, discovered during the initial audit of the family’s headquarters. The originals have been handed over to the Lawforge so that their authenticity can be verified. Nevertheless, these letters describe the beginning of a deal between the Andren nobles and Caelus that would ensure the safety of the Nost family in case Silyra ‘was conquered’.”

Some whispers and unrest permeated the room, like tiny inklings of red floating in the air. Rane had not even gotten to testify yet and Caelus was already struggling with the evidence that had piled against him. It honestly felt liberating, watching the man get what he deserved. Toshimir bowed and took his seat. Arelius “Do you wish to refute this claim, Archmage Caelus, and if so, on what grounds?”

“I do not deny this,” Caelus spoke up. “The letters are genuine.” He raised his voice slightly, to speak over the mumbling and conversations. “Am I allowed to comment on their contents?”

“You may.”

“I did seek protection in Andre and I did seek a way for my family to survive a potential war. I was ready to surrender all my wealth and assets if it meant the Nost would get to live.” Caelus glanced at the Nost family members over his shoulder. “I would gladly lay down my life for them. But the thing the ashfen asked me to do… I could not bring myself to do it. I could not betray my country and my people.” Caelus paused, looking up at Arelius. “And so the correspondence with that Andren family ended.”

The creature’s eyes focused on Caelus in silence for quite a long time. Rane reached out, trying to feel for Arelius’ emotions, but there were none. “Your additions will be taken into account for my final verdict. For now, let us proceed.”

“The next charge…” The bearded man consulted his scroll. “Interference in the flames. The Lawforge will hear Rane, the winner of this year’s competition.”

It was finally time. Rane had taken Atinas’s advice, swearing an Oath of truth that would last throughout the trial to give his words absolute credibility. He stood, taking his place in front of the entire court. The magic swirling above dizzied him and Caelus’ murderous stare bore into his chest. Part of the man’s hatred reached him, but Rane focused on recounting the events as best as he could.

“It was during the first round of the competition that Danrith Nost approached me, guiding me beneath the area seats while threatening me with a weapon.” Danrith let his head hang and kept looking down at the floor. Was it shame or regret that he felt? “He then revealed his identity and the orders he had been given by Caelus Nost. He had been tasked to kill me after the first round.” Rane chose to stop there, drawing half a breath. Would the Oath magic take hold and force him to continue? A few moments went by in the silent courtroom, and there was no feeling of pressure in his mouth and no darkness gathering around him. He could stop right now and not reveal the whole truth should he choose. But Danrith didn’t deserve it. Even if it meant doing Caelus a favour. “However, he did not do it. He proposed something different.”

Danrith raised his head with widened eyes. Caelus glared at him with furrowed brows and a faint mix of disappointment and relief.

“Instead of him killing me when he had the chance, Danrith proposed an Oath. Whoever got disqualified first during their competition would take their own life. As he explained, he did not wish to trample upon the spirit of the competition, but also hoped to finish the task he had been given.”

“This is the first time I hear of this,” Arelius cocked his head to one side, ruffling his feathers. “Seeing as you’re both present, I am guessing you declined this arrangement.”

“I did.” Rane nodded. “None of its outcomes would be beneficial to me.”

“I see.” Arelius glanced at the scribe to his right, making sure he had gotten everything down. “Thank you for your honesty and your testimony. You may now sit.”

Atinas pursed his lips and shook his head as soon as Rane returned to his side.

“What?” Rane whispered. “Should I have let them think Danrith went along blindly?” Atinas didn’t respond, instead lifting his head to look at the elevated podium from under his hood.

“Do you have anything to add to this truthful account, Archmage Caelus?”

“No.” Caelus closed his eyes and took slow, seemingly labored breaths. Soft ringing of bells betrayed how shaken he was, audible only to Rane.

“You do realise that being found guilty of interference in the flames to such a degree is a crime punishable by the harshest of sentences, do you not? You could be stripped of your rank or magic.”

“I do…” Caelus’ voice could barely be heard over the low, mumbling prayers.

Rane clenched his fist in silent triumph. Just the thought of this man –someone so arrogant, selfish and ruthless– being brought to justice elated him. The knowledge soothed part of his mind, the part that had always stayed alert when turning corners in the streets, that had more than once kept him up at night. After Caelus was locked away or exiled, he’d be safe.

“Let us proceed.” Arelius tapped against the desk impatiently. “Regarding the final accusation, the Lawforge calls for one of the two eye-witnesses to testify.”

The doors of the court creaked open and Rane felt a shiver. Could it be? Two guards walked inside, clearing the area ahead. The rattling of chains filled the room.

“By the king’s permission, the Lawforge calls for Loric Eswald, the exile, as witness to these events.”

Loric! Rane barely stopped himself from standing and running up to the man for a hug.

“I request that none present get too close.” Arelius continued, as if he could read Rane’s thoughts. “He may have sworn an Oath of truth and agreed to cooperate, but he remains a dangerous individual.”

Rane caught a glimpse of Loric’s short form through the people and his stomach dropped. His hands were bound in thick shackles and pressed against his chest. One of his ears was missing, and scars painted his body. Fresh scars –unlike the faded one of old wars that he always carried– colored a vibrant red.

“What have you done?” Rane bellowed, rushing forward. Atinas’ fingers dug into his shoulder to pull him back, but he didn’t care. He turned to Caelus, screaming. “You’ll rot in prison you bastard!”

“Silence!” Arelius spread his wings and darkness descended from above. “Control your temper, Sir Rane.” Arelius retracted his wings and with them, the magic. “In the Lawforge, I am the one that hands down verdicts and decides upon punishments. You best keep that in mind.”

Rane opened his mouth to protest when Loric’s gruff voice reached him.

“Pipe down kid,” he said with a slight grin Rane had missed seeing. “I’m safe now.” He motioned to the Nost family with his head. “It’s them you should be worried about.”

Rane calmed, letting Atinas pull him back down to his seat. He was glad to see that Loric had kept his wit about, but he still couldn’t understand why the Lanar was hurt. Had Linde lied about the emblem? He glanced in her direction, only to find her just as confused.

“Sir Loric has sworn the Oath of truth,” Arelius continued after sending another critical glance in Rane’s direction. “He will now detail the events that transpired near his home, the fringes of the Tonginth mountains.”

“Not many events to detail,” Loric growled. “This woman there, Linde Nost, and her apprentice attacked us. Rane killed her apprentice in self defence and then Linde came for vengeance. I managed to subdue her, and if it wasn’t for Rane pleading for her life I’d have killed her. Her original goal was to take Rane away, but she was captured and Oathbound instead.”

“A bit more brief than your initial statement, but it will do.” Arelius turned to Caelus. “Do you have anything to add to this truthful account before I deliver my final verdict, Archmage Caelus?”

“I do.” Caelus exhaled slowly, rising to his feet. “As many of you know, the Lawforge was erected during the first king’s era. A brilliant design, I have to admit, truly fitting for a grand temple of the Arbiter himself. The thick layer of blightsteel keeps the oath magic confined within the ritual space, so that it acts effectively and without delay.” Caelus raised his hand, motioning to the darkened ceiling. “But as with all buildings of the old era, no matter how ingenious their design, repairs and renovations are often needed. The Nost family has proudly taken up this task, and is responsible for maintaining the Lawforge on four different occasions.”

Rane frowned. Was this some last ditch effort to curry favour with Arelius? No, Caelus was too proud for that. Rane felt the cold bite of magic spreading next to him.

“What have you done?” Veradin asked, frost spreading up his arm.

“Not another move.” Caelus held up a small orb in his hand. “Or I bury us all. Maybe you will survive, but can you save everyone here?”

Many of the people present shifted in their seats, but none dared to move.

“Grandfather!” Danrith grabbed onto his cloak. “This isn’t like you. It’s over. Accept defeat like a man and stop this madness.”

“It’s not me who’s mad, Danrith!” Caelus yelled, pulling his clothes from Danrith’s grasp. “It’s Leylin. He has left me no other choice! It’s best that I abandon you!”

“You wouldn’t do this.” Atinas walked closer. “Not with your family present.”

“What do you know about me, monster?” Caelus screamed. “Do you know the true reason I never challenged the other archmages? You think it’s because I was scared? It’s so that I’d be left out of your sight. I could work unnoticed. You underestimated me, and look where it got you!” His hand gripped the orb and it shone with hazel energy. The Lawforge trembled and people muffled their cries. “You’re all blind.” Caelus waved his finger around. “Andre will bring ruin upon you all, but it will never find me!”

“It seems I don’t know anything about you either…” Linde shook her head and wiped a tear running down her cheek. “I don’t recognize you anymore. Do you not care for us at all?”

“No, Linde! Of course I care! You’ll have to trust me.” Caelus rubbed her head. “I have a plan, but for now I cannot be with you. The family will overcome this, just like it always ha–”

Atinas moved the moment Caelus turned his head away. His cloak fluttered open and a tendril burst through Caelus’ abdomen, painting the desk beside him red.

Chaos followed.

Caelus’ anger and pain unfolded in a blinding flash of light. Screams erupted as people rushed to every exit they could find, pushing against each other. Hazel light formed cracks in the stone and metal of the Lawforge. The entire building pulsed with brilliant light once – then it exploded.

Rane screamed. He ducked and raised a shield of ice over his head. He looked up, bracing himself for the pain that would follow, only to see white magic smoldering in Veradin’s hands. A translucent disc of ice crystallized over them in a shockwave of magic that rumbled in Rane’s insides.

Veradin spread his hands with a grunt and Rane felt his mouth grow dry. The shield stretched out and thickened, crashing through the Lawforge’s walls and cutting into neighbouring buildings. Windows shattered. Smoke and fire rushed down from above, meeting the shield with a frightening hiss. Veradin grunted and coughed, pushing more magic up his arms to keep the ice from thinning. “Get her out,” he forced the words through a clenched jaw.

Rane jumped to his feet and looked around, trying to make sense of the chaos. Molten stone and steel showered down in a deadly rainfall, sizzling and steaming as they tore holes into the ice and let rubble through. Atinas and Caelus were nowhere to be seen. A low grunt of pain came from his left, under collapsed stones. He pushed a large chunk aside and it crumbled to pieces.

Miria lay there with her eyes wide in shock, pinned to the floor under a broken blightsteel plate. Red spread through her clothes. “Rane?” she asked softly, blood dripping from the side of her mouth.

“No...” Rane grabbed onto the metal and frantically tried to pull it loose. The sharp edge cut into his palms, and he felt the sting of blightsteel’s poison for the first time. “No, no, no!”

“Hurry up!” Veradin went down on one knee. Part of the ice shield crumbled and the entire thing tilted to the side in a rocky landslide.

“I’m trying!” Just touching the metal with wounded hands hurt, but Rane didn’t let up. He used every ounce of strength to pull, digging into his palms. It wouldn’t budge. “I can’t get her free!”

The sheet of ice dipped dangerously, brushing against Rane’s hair before Veradin lifted it up again. “Then run!”

“Ah…” Miria blinked a couple of times, slowly. She raised a hand tied with strings out and mumbled something Rane couldn’t hear. Her pain reached him, her longing and her despair, manifesting like a heavy weight on his shoulder. It lingered a bit longer than usual.

“Move already...” Loric let out a deep grunt as he shoved Rane aside. Blood ran through his hair and down his face.

“Loric! I didn’t–” The sheet of ice over them cracked. Stone and metal rumbled as another part of the Lawforge fell and Veradin bellowed back in defiance, freezing the rubble even as it fell.

“Blights,” Loric mumbled as he circled around Miria. He placed his shackles under an indent in the metal. “Come on, boy!” Rane bent and used his shoulder to lift. The damned metal came free and clanked to the side. Miria let out a pained cough.

“I got you.” Rane lifted her up carefully. Her blood warmed his fingers as he rushed through the remnants of the Lawforge. Loric cursed under his breath as he threw a passed out Nost member over his shoulder, perhaps a bit too roughly. They went out into the streets and distanced themselves, where people who had been watching from afar rushed to their aid.

Rane gently handed over Miria to a soldier with extended arms and fell to his knees, panting. He and Veradin exchanged glances. The man scanned the space with eyes red from the pressure. There was no movement. The waves of magic that flowed up from his body flickered. Piece by piece, the ice collapsed inward, letting the remains of the Lawforge crush to the ground. The last large stone over Veradin fell to the side and he let the ice fade. There was a brief lull as people gathered together. “Miria she–” he swallowed. “Is she okay?”

“Handed her to a guard. He had salve on him,” Loric replied. “She should live. I’ve seen soldiers survive worse. A mage should have no issue.”

“Thank you,” Veradin said as he limped over, “both of you.”

Arelius flew down from the sky and landed on Rane’s shoulder. He inspected the surroundings with a stern expression. “Caelus is gone,” he said. “Atinas is in pursuit.”

Veradin sighed, rubbing the sides of his head to rid himself of the tension. “That damned lunatic! Who does he think he is, to endanger all of us?”

“He can be… forceful at times.” Rane wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Veradin turned to a guard. “Gather them up,” he said, pointing to the Nost members on the other side of the collapsed building. “Count heads, and make sure nobody talks. We’ll find a way to cover this up. You two,” Veradin motioned to Loric and Rane. “You’re coming with me.”

“Do I have a choice?” Loric grunted, throwing an arm over Rane’s shoulder.

Rane almost collapsed under the added weight, but didn’t complain. After so long he had missed the Lanar’s rough affection.

“No yet, you don’t.” Veradin wiped the dust from his robe. “I need your help. Promptly.”

“Scribe!” Arelius yelled unexpectedly and Rane’s head flinched.

The bearded man hurriedly stood from the ground nearby, wiping his clothes as he rushed over. “Yes, your honor?

“The scroll?”

“Safe.” Rane doubted his eyes as the man reached under his robe and pulled the rolled up parchment out. Who would have the mind to secure a log in such a dire situation?

“Then, I will deliver my verdict.” Arelius called some of the lingering oath magic to his wing and touched it against the scroll. “Caelus Nost is found guilty and stripped of his archmage rank.” The words formed in black as he spoke them. “He is to be killed on sight.”