Lai was awoken by a shout from a deep voice from across the room. “Princeling, it’s time to go before your father. There are some clothes next to you on the table. Now get dressed.”

Lai stood up slowly expecting there to be some pain from his burns but to his surprise, the bandages were gone and all he could see was pale healthy skin. He looked towards the table and noticed the stack of clothing, common wool trousers, a common white linen tunic, and knee-high worn leather boots. He shook his head and fought back the sudden burst of outrage that he felt at being handed such lowly attire. He was a prince, after all, those clothes were beneath him. Was a prince. He “was” a prince. Today he was a criminal, a murderer, possibly the worst criminal his people have seen in thousands of years. His stomach sank and rushed to the bucket in the corner to empty his stomach. As he wiped his mouth on the silk sheets and started dressing he felt like a passenger in his own body. He felt like he was watching events unfold and not living them.

Once dressed he was escorted out of the prison and into the Royal Gardens. The gardens made up the central courtyard of the palace, which was an immense circular walled building with the main palace near the center and the outer walls containing barracks, the prison, stables, a smithy, and other assorted buildings that would allow the palace to function in the event of a siege. The walls were made of a cream-colored stone like most of the structures on the Isle and there were framed accents made from the dark richly colored Ironwood that was imported from across the seas. It was a stark contrast, the dark wood framing, and the cream-colored stone, but it was elegant and wonderful. The roofs were all made from a jade-colored slate that was native to the Isle and from the air the city almost looked like a forest canopy. Lai looked around, taking in the immaculate gardens, the flowers in bloom, the meticulously shaped statues, and then the throng of people standing in a semicircle before him. His family was at the center, his father at the very center, his mother on his father's right, and his sister on his left. Flanking them were the Chancellor and the Royal Physician along with assorted noble families. All of the most important members of Myst Elf society stood here, all eyes were on him and all held contempt and judgment.

In the center of the partial ring stood the Captain of the Royal Guard, Jastonis, along with his second in command Branil and three other guards. The two guards escorting him took him directly to Jastonis and Branil, where they positioned Lai in front of the pair and pushed him down to his knees. He caught an apologetic look from Branil before he was spun, he had always liked the young guard who never chastised him too hard and let many of his outlandish pranks and trespasses slide. Jastonis on the other hand was stone-faced, his long angular features appeared to be chiseled from the same stone of the walls and his eyes were hard and cold as ice. His people were like that though, they were tall and slender, pale-skinned, and fierce. They could go from abundant joy to unyielding anger in the blink of an eye. Some said that it was the curse of their people, that when the race of Elves split tens of thousands of years past that each “tribe” was cursed. The Myst Elves were sometimes erratic, some would say emotionally unstable. That wasn’t really the case though, they were passionate. The Cloud Elves were almost devoid of emotion, they were harsh thinkers that valued logic over passion. Looking around the assembled elves, Lai could see a vast array of emotions on the faces around him, most were hostile, especially the ones who had children that were… that “were” his classmates.

His father spoke in a clear booming voice, Lai could hear a strain in that voice as he had never before. “Laimiris, you are here today accused of the most heinous crime amongst our people, you are accused of murder. Your actions directly caused the death of sixteen students and one of our most esteemed Mentors at the Academy. The punishment for such a crime is death or banishment. I will allow the Gravin of the noble houses to cast their vote in your sentence and these votes will be taken into consideration for my final judgment. As is our custom, the accused will be allowed a final plea before these votes are cast. Laimiris Telestril, what do you have to say in your defense?” Androneir stood there, he was visibly trembling and his eyes were moist from unshed tears. Lai looked again across the assembled, his mother was crying; no she was sobbing, his sister was quiet and looking at him piteously with tears streaming down her cheeks. Lai took a deep breath, then another, his mind furiously working to try to come up with some explanation, but as his eyes locked onto his fathers he sighed.

“Father, King, I have no defense. I was filled with arrogance and pride and I am ashamed that it took this to make me realize it. I will accept your punishment like the man that you have always hoped that I would become, perhaps you can find some solace in that. To the rest of you, I am sorry for your loss. There are no adequate words to convey the shame and guilt that I carry, that I will carry for cycles to come. I will accept your justice, vengeance, and hatred as is befitting of my deeds.” With that, he lowered his head and tears ran down his cheeks as he let out a sob. He heard the Gravin, the leaders of the noble houses, each giving their judgment in turn. Death, Exile, Death, Death, Death, Exile, on and on they went. The twenty-four Gravin spoke and at the end, Lai counted an even split, twelve for his death, twelve for his exile. The decision would be made by his father. Lai looked up at his family, his father was pale and seemed almost frail as he stood there trembling. His mother held tightly to his father's arm, eyes pleading and tears streaming down her face. His sister just stared at him, he could feel her furious mix of emotions through their bond. He could almost hear her thoughts “You stupid stupid boy!” He could imagine her thinking at him.

King Androneir finally spoke, his voice thinner and wispier than ever. “As you know, death and exile are short terms for these punishments. If the decision is death, we could be merciful and allow you to rejoin the cycle or we could be harsh and forever end your cycle. If the decision is exile, we could be merciful and exile you as you are and you can never return to our home, or we can strip you of who you are and send you into the world unnamed.” His father sniffed and a tear ran down his cheek. “It is my decision to show some leniency. You will not be executed, for there has been enough death amongst our people.” Androneir paused, his voice getting thinner as he spoke and Lai felt a lump forming in his throat.

“Laimiris Telestril, it is my decision that you will be exiled from the Isle of Mysts. You will be stripped of your name, you will be stricken from our records, and you will be stripped from taking the easy road and Fading into the Summer Lands to start your cycle anew. You will be bound to the Winter Lands, but in this, I give you one small ounce of hope. In your exile I hope, no, I pray, that you will find the greatness in you that I have always seen. In your exile you will be able to regain redemption, you will be able to regain your place amongst us, but your path will not be easy. From this moment forward no Myst Elf will utter your name. Laimiris Telestril, until that time that you can prove yourself worthy and gain the forgiveness of those assembled here, is no more. From here on, you shall be known as Nibingul, the petty sorcerer. Your name now bears your shame. You will be taken immediately by Jastonis and Branil to the boatyard, you will be placed on a skiff and you will be escorted past the Barriers of Myst where you will be left to your own devices. Just know that should you perish, the way for you into the Summer Lands will be barred and you will wander the Winter Lands forever as a dirge.” With that, his father turned his back and began walking towards the palace dragging his family with him. The remaining nobles soon turned and followed as Nibingul was hefted to his feet and led to his exile.