"She overused her magic during that spatial leap, not to mention she had two children constantly feeding on her mana," the magus explained, his patience wearing thin from my constant questioning. "Unless you wanted them to be a catalyst or dead, then be grateful that a coma is all she's in," he added.
Yelaina had saved us, but Rys was nowhere to be found. The central sword god had explained that Rys was in capable hands, but that did little to ease my worries. According to the magus, Yelaina would wake up once her mana was replenished.
But I wasn't satisfied with that. I was expecting twins, my son was nowhere to be found, and my wife was imprisoned by her own mind due to the overuse of magic. The weight of the situation was overwhelming and I couldn't shake off the feeling of helplessness and despair. All I could do was wait and hope that Yelaina would wake up, and that we would be reunited as a family once again.
As I left the room, I couldn't help but feel restless as I walked through the halls of the grand building where I currently resided. It was a place that was only accessible by the Central Sword God himself and his most trusted followers.
Minutes turned into hours and my restlessness didn't go unnoticed by anyone there.
"You wish to help Yelaina and not be so useless the next time," an older man called out. His hair had just begun to gray and he carried an air of wisdom.
I stopped to look at him and nodded in agreement to his assessment of me. "My son," I began, "he did almost everything to save me and my wife. He was more useful in buying time than I was. How can I be proud of myself as a father and as a husband if I'm the one being saved by them?" I couldn't shake off the feeling of inadequacy and the need to be more capable. I knew that I had to do better, to be a better husband, father and protector.
I needed to protect them, to see them smile, so they could live without worry. That's why I trained, but it came to nothing once I was pitted against my brother. The legendary prodigy who was chosen by the Celestials himself, the better son as my parents called him.
"What do you suppose I should do in such a situation?" I inquired suddenly. The man only sighed.
"You do what you can," he responded. "There's definitely a lot you can do to get stronger, but due to the confines of the human body, you can't go as far as you may want to. My other students sadly struggled with this issue," he added.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of realization as his words sunk in. I looked at him with recognition and said, "Omphalos?"
"Surprised you noticed me," he said with a small smile.
"I don't mind training you of course, I'm willing to see how far you can go," Omphalos suggested.
I nodded, determination filling my body.
...
"Lancelot Arrington, you stand before us today on the accusatory grounds of betrayal," the Judge spoke suddenly, catching Lancelot off guard.
"What? Betrayal? I didn't betray anyone," Lancelot argued, confusion etched on his face.
"You spared your brother when you had him cornered, you plotted mutiny and let him escape," the Judge continued, as the court broke out into a cacophony of murmurs. The King watched the court proceedings idly from afar, while Lancelot Arrington, one of the 10 God's children, looked on in disbelief at the accusations.
"For that crime alone, you will be stripped of your nobility and put on death row!" the Judge announced, causing Lancelot's heart to race with fear.
"But I didn't allow him to escape. His whore of a wife used spatial leap!" Lancelot defended, but the Judge and those present didn't believe a word of it.
"Then how do you explain their escape or the fact they can no longer be traced?" the Judge replied, in an accusatory manner.
Lancelot looked around him, from the disgusted looks of the nobles to the look of fear and worry on the faces of those attending. Just what the hell was going on!?
The King had not allowed Lancelot a lawyer, nor any other form of defense that his family could provide. The young Arrington could only guess that the King's hatred stemmed from the death of his only heir, who was previously engaged to his younger sister. Many suspected that the King's younger sister was involved, which she and her family denied profusely.
But to do something as underhanded as this, just for payback on something that never happened, was something Lancelot never thought the King would do. Not to mention his brother's betrayal of the kingdom and allowing the incarnate of death itself to live.
There was no doubt in Lancelot's mind that this was a ploy to get rid of him and completely destroy the House of Arrington. For what is the Arrington household without its money and its God's child?
Lancelot was at a crossroads, with no clear path to take that would result in a positive outcome for him and his family. He considered running away, but knew that would only lead to the death demise of his family with a nationwide manhunt of him involving all Gods children on this continent. He also thought about destroying the building and killing everyone inside, but that too would result in his death and the downfall of his family.
Lancelot's mind raced as he knelt before the King, desperate to prove his innocence. He knew that the accusations against him were false, but he also knew that the king would not be swayed by mere words. He had to think of a way to prove his innocence and clear his name, before it was too late.
"Your Majesty," Lancelot began, his voice trembling with emotion. "I beg of you, hear me out. I did not betray my brother, nor did I plot mutiny. I swear to you, on my life and on the lives of my family, that I am innocent of these charges."
The king's eyes narrowed as he considered Lancelot's words. For a moment, it seemed as though he could not be swayed, but then, he spoke.
"Very well," he said. "I will hear your defense. But know that if you are found guilty, the punishment will be severe."
Lancelot nodded, his heart pounding with hope. He knew that he had to be careful in his defense, for if he made even the slightest mistake, he would be doomed.
"Your Majesty," he began, his voice steady and strong. "I can prove my innocence. I beg of you, allow me to gather evidence and present it to the court. I swear to you, that I will not rest until I have cleared my name and proven my innocence."
The king considered this for a moment, and then he nodded. "Very well," he said. "You have one year to bring me the head of your younger brother, Tristan. But know that if you fail me, the punishment will be severe."
Lancelot nodded, his heart pounding with hope. He knew that this was his one chance to clear his name and save his family. He would not let them down. He would not rest until he had proven his innocence and restored his honor.