"Mr Ambrose, is it true that you have no identification papers, anything signifying your birth or as a citizen of Burnetrout?" one of the attorneys spoke, holding open a few files as he paced towards the stand.
"Indeed."
"And when questioned about the matter, you responded by saying you don’t have such things?"
"I suppose a slight andnt is in order. Yes, I did indeed respond in such a way. However, I believe I should I tack on the word anymore on the end."
"Were these assets seized or stolen from official records kept in the country? You have claid to be from Burnetrout."
Ambrose glanced about the room, ignoring the question that was presented. His eyes lingered on the detectives, then trailed along to Jotou and her party one by one. Till he finally stared directly at Lady Pinberry who glared right back.
He kept his head held high as he faced the chief justice, "If I may be so bold as to ask for the relevance of these queries? I hold the right not to answer them."
"Objection your honour, this is entirely relevant. The identity of this man plays a significant role in the evidence provided," one of the attorneys at the table argued.
The judge glanced through the docunts laid across his podium and looked at the defendant, "You are free not to answer, but this is relevant and will not be disregarded by the jury."
"Understood your honour," Ambrose tipped his head down gently, before continuing to be silent.
The attorney standing moved on, "Mr Ambrose, where were you on the night of February 11th?"
"Perhaps perusing one of the various books I have been given in my cell?"
"You claim to be at Dolpool Police Departnt then?"
"I am trying to recall, but I believe so; many months have I spent there under, ’suspicions’."
"Correct if I’m wrong Mr Ambrose, but the Dolpool Police had you in their custody due to... being suspected of a missing persons case in Glimstök, occupying abandoned property, having no identifications whatsoever and not cooperating with local authorities."
"I fail to understand how any of this is justifiable enough to detain soone for weeks on end. When you people are not fond of sothing, when sothing puts you at unease..." his gaze trailed along the room rather slowly.
"All you do is fail to understand it and falter, correct if I am mistaken. Even if," he glared at the Grand Alderman. "Even if no law is truly broken, you lock them up in a cage out of trepidation; is this your definition of justice?" his words hissed.
The judge’s gavel slamd down twice, "Mr Ambrose, please stay on topic."
"Apologies your honour," he muttered low and poised as he faced the attorney once more. "Carry on," he charmingly put.
The attorney kept his composure and continued detailing the current case being discussed.
Jotou kept an eye on the affinity-lock around Ambrose’s neck, slightly hidden behind his collar. ’I think it’s definitely functioning...’ The blonde shifted in her seat a tad and kept a hand over the hilt of her sword.
The attorney then continued to show a photograph taken by Alicia on the night in question to the court. "Mr Ambrose, is this not you at the entrance of one of Gratone Industries’ warehouses located in Mandrake Borough?"
Ambrose leaned down close to take a look, "I suppose it is a visage of , yes. I know not of what illusions or enchantnts had to be spelled onto this parchnt, but I was not present at this location at that ti."
The attorney shook his head and swivelled around, "Ladies and gentlen of the court, I assure you that this photograph was not fabricated by magical ans and taken by the reporter and photojournalist Alicia Langstirk of Phoenix News.
On the night in question, a supposed transmutationist related to the activities of the Deuctus Cult took on his appearance during their encounter with the Thundering Blade and her party, before transforming into a wyvern in pursuit of their escape.
Multiple sources in Mandrake confirm odd shadows, sounds and sightings of said beast throughout the borough that night-"
"Perhaps you should ask the owners of this warehouse of why such activities were being conducted that night, rather than persecuting for so transmutationist who is committing identity theft," Ambrose interrupted.
The attorney turned, "That would be the case, if there was an identity to thieve. The owner of Gratone Industries has denied granting any sort of access to anyone on that night."
"I apologize, I have been questioned over and over, may I speak my piece your honour?" Ambrose made the room go silent.
...
"Proceed," the judge allowed.
"I was not at this location at the ti," he faced the court and the jury. "I am sure Dolpool’s finest can attest to my whereabouts. I understand this case in particular has matters pertaining to the Deuctus Cult.
Perhaps my lack of an identity and Burnetrout’s history with the organization causes mass hysteria within you simple people. So man or woman or creature has decided to take on my visage.
Due to that, I am sohow to bla?" he raised his brow and kept his posture straight to tower over the room. "Strands of loose evidences against was hardly enough to convict ; so let us all simply pile them together and stretch it until it fits the narrative?
Is this what madness looks like? You all see this as just? The trials of a witch are hardly fair I suppose. Burnetrout once started as villages and small towns full of uncivilized peasantry.
Not much has changed over the centuries it seems; how could it if everything is so stagnant? The lambs fear the wolf, even if the wolf does no harm. Such is the ntality of sheep that knows not of the shepherd’s feast."
As he spoke and everyone in the court shifted uncomfortably, they noticed the two sharp, glistening fangs which he made no effort to hide. They were much narrower than a part-human’s and only on the top row of his teeth.
Jotou knitted her brows and held the hilt of her sword; her knees were just slightly off the seat she sat on. Fuko kept an eye and patted her dagger’s holster.
"Jotou," Hotaru leaned over Fuko’s head and whispered.
"Stay ready... He still has an affinity-lock," the blonde hushed.
"That doesn’t stop magic within the court," Fuko thought aloud.
Hotaru looked down, "You don’t think..." her ears pricked and her eyes darted to the ceilings and corners of the courtroom.
"Why are we whissspering?" Asobi cover the side of her face with a hand.
anwhile, "The security checked his person for any weaponry or devices, yes?" Morgana muttered.
The commissioner let out a heavy breath, "Unless he has one shoved up his ass, everything should be fine."
"Wouldn’t put it past the cult," she replied.
Kazuo had his hand on his holster and the other on the seat in front of him, "This doesn’t sound like a bomb threat, it’s a damn play. Coates, get your people to stand ready at all the exits; Mona get to the roof, watch around the corners."
Alicia at the back had her cara up, alongside many of the reporters she sat in between. Her eyes caught the back of Kazuo’s head eyeing the ceiling once or twice, before her gaze went there as well.
"The security’s tight Namora, roof included. Every floor at least has two units. You think we were going into this half-assed?" the commissioner said as sweat ford beside his brow.
The whispers in the room grew louder and louder as Ambrose stopped speaking. He simply smiled around the room.
...
...
The gavel finally struck down, "Mr Ambrose, please stay on topic."
"Of course your honour. However, this is on topic," he replied.
Morgana stood up and walked out of the seats, starting off the slight rise of panic within the room. Alicia bounced up and got out of her seat to et her at the exit.
Kazuo leaned further forward and tapped one of the GAS on the shoulder, "I suggest you escort Lady Pinberry out of her," he hushed across.
Lady Pinberry turned her gaze for only a second to-
...
...
"As I was saying," Ambrose continued. Lady Pinberry looked back to the front and refused to move as per the request of the GAS.
"Objection, relevance," one of the sat attorneys voiced out.
"I am not finished," Ambrose replied.
The chief justice sighed and ruled, "Mr Ambrose, you are refusing to speak clearly. Proper answers need to be given to make a judgent; failure to comply will prolong the ti of the court."
"I am indeed a mber of the Deuctus Cult."
Quick gasps went throughout the court and jury, as the flashes and clicking of cara shutters grew rampant. Whispers beca louder until the judge had to slam his gavel down for silence.
The words quieted down, but Lady Pinberry and Kazuo Namora glared at the man. Many mbers of the police and GAS kept a hand on their firearms.
"Should we be doing sothing...?" Asobi murmured.
"Do what? He’s arrested and is standing trial, we’re well beyond doing sothing," Hotaru replied softly.
"I think she ans the law might not be the right path here," Fuko added.
"What, you want to kill a convicted man in court? We’d be standing there next; everyone deserves a fair trial. Let’s just be patient, we don’t know where this is going and let’s not pretend to," Hotaru advised.
"I can take a few educated guesses," Jotou leered at Ambrose.
"Colluding with the cult results in the death penalty; he’s already dood," Hotaru argued.
Ambrose took in a deep breath, "Ah. The scent of panicked prey is thrilling to the heart. However, I understand the fear; it is an instinct for us all when sothing new is presented.
I assure you, our goal is far greater than any mortal mind can understand; or should I say, accept. You live a life unfettered, while war marches on and threatens our borders-"
The chief justice slamd the gavel down, "Mr Ambrose, this is not a platform on which you may preach. You have openly admitted to being a mber of the Deuctus Cult. Do you know the penalty that that carries?" he angrily put.
Murmurs went throughout the court as he smiled. One of the police officers stationed near the front gulped and pulled out his flintlock pistol with shaky hands to aim at Ambrose.
"Put the gun down!" Commissioner Coates yelled across the room. Many of the court got up from their seats and were rushing to get out of the courtroom.
Another officer ca and grappled that officer’s arms down and aid the pistol to the floor, before promptly pulling him away.
Ambrose still stood, composed as when he first entered. "Wonderous thing words," he jested to the chief justice. "Always so impactful."
So of the fleeing people stopped and turned. The people not at ease held their breaths and faced forward. Fuko unsheathed her dagger and kept it in hand while Kazuo did the sa with his pistol.
...
...
"In any case," Ambrose looked around the room and then back to the judge. "I believe the sentence is death."
"CRASSHHH!!!"
The entire building rumbled as the walls and ceilings around Ambrose collapsed and fell as rubble. A giant rust-red maw crashed in through the building, imdiately crushing so of the jury as it snapped its large rows of teeth and chomped the chief justice in one bite.
A copperish reptilian eye scanned across the room as nearly everyone stumbled or fell. Concrete and bricks rained down into the courtroom, smashing the judge’s podium and so seats; screams screeched all across the vicinity.
Hotaru and Asobi fell, while Jotou stumbled back and caught herself on a seat. Fuko blinked upwards in all the rubble and white dust that fogged up the area.
Kazuo aid his gun to where Ambrose stood last, while most of the police that got back up on their feet began open firing. Though, the bullets did not seem to do much against the thick red scales of the dragon’s head before them...
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