A legion of dim knights wander the soft ground. Their every step leaving a heavy imprint into the mud below. A man leads from the front, his eyes of brazen bronze, stares across the warped terrain. While his usual darkened red skin is dimmed to a murky brown in the fog. The soldiers at his back follow him like dogs, keeping eye of whatever movement the place welcomes.
"That damned Ardor-Strucken necromancer brought pure chaos to the camp, this Red Cross squadron must be cursed, first the Vanaheim incident and now this. Tch." The man coldly states to his listeners.
"I suppose at least Vanaheim was the one who spear-headed his own retirement, while I suspect this case is at fault of sabotage." He'd state, stopping to listen to the still air. Swords clashing, fires burning asunder.
"AAA!" A powerful shriek domains across the swamp, leaving the soldiers with a mark on their already tainted hearts.
"The fuck was that?" The man at the front says. Halting the entire troupe with a single gesture of a hand, to linger in the fog.
"Sounded like someone encountered one of our Illusionists." One of the knights in the line chuckle, as the others join in the light laughery.
"Silent with you all. It could be Ambulvaas, or worse. In the anarchy I saw two sky-kins run off towards the mancer So it could possibly be them." The leader tramps forward, bashing forwards through the bushes of the forest's ground. Swinging his sword with the grace of a cold breeze, the greenery cut to shreds as the patrol marched forward. Loud clangs of metal and sizzling flames sound from where the scream had originated, drawing the knights closer and closer.
Each step in the marsh equaled a faster beat in the cold hearts of the knights, till finally in front of them, an open cavern faced them. The entrance was blocked by thick hanging vines, though clearly, the thicket had been moved not long ago.
"Hmpf, get a move on, those sky-bounds must've run off somewhere." The leader states, cutting down the wilden shrubbery blocking their way to valiance. A burned decay wafts through the air, the foul stench temporarily making the knights stop for a second.
"Smells like something died around here, or got burned." A member of the line says, as the light beyond the thicket shines dimly through the small cracks of the dark greenery. The leader finally peaks through the last layer, as his face is turned to an amalgamation of horror.
"Dear Solan!" His eyes locking upon a crouched over Vind, his eyes are fallen deep into the sockets of his skull's construct, his lips are as dry as the winds of the desert, and in his hand is a hilt, with a completely molten blade.
Beside the lavender skinned knight, lays the corpse of a fallen Fischeran, the plating covering his chest has a clean cut through, extending to his back with charred black scarring around the metal. Shifting eyes from the wound through the chest, his right arm has been precisely cleaved off, like a butcher would with an animal. The Vind cast his forward eyes to the squad of Sigil Knights, his mind only now catching up to reality.
"I… I didn't do it, did I?" The Vind asks, his scorched lips trembling like his chattering teeth. The knights scurry out of the cavern to surround the Vind.
"Restrain him you idiots!" Ryude yells, as every knight in response lunges forward.
"No no NO please I didn't do anything!" He cries, each cry lingering with an ominous secondary tone, the tone laughing along to the tune of the violent tears instead of empathizing.
"It was the Wraith, it was the Wraith!" He yells but to an audience of deaf ears. The Sigils grab hold of every limb to set into handcuffs, tight heavy steel handcuffs.
"I shouldn't have expected much else from a Vind, you sky-kins are always running about down here, causing chaos where-ever you decide to plant your omen feet." A snarl forms on the Dzin commander's face, as a clump of spit is shot out from his mouth in detestion, landing at the shaken feet of Judari.
"Drag him to the ship, if there isn't a cell in that sorry excuse for a ferry, just bind him down." Ryude commands, as the knights keeping Judari in their iron-fist hands shift his body towards the entrance leading into the groove where a shattered mind was born.
Judari flings his held arms away from the Sigils with a violent rip, landing his face upon the disgustingly wet moss, his eyes peered forward, to the dull doll eyes of Rito. There was no glory in the face of the fallen, only the creeping smell of charred meat.
"RITO PLEASE HELP ME, WHY ARE YOU JUST LAYING THERE!" Much like a besicken person, Judari's throat could barely carry the weight of the words he was trying to express, like a claw had been dragged through the innards of his vocal cords.
"Enough of this, get this brat out of here." Ryude walks across the greenery, slowly approaching the corpse of Rito. Judari's cuffed hands reach out away from his body, as he digs his fingernails deep below the moss, and into the soil.
"RITO!" He screeches, the tears cascading down his cheeks with fury, landing upon the moss. The knights stand dazed by the eruption of sound generated by the sullen Vind. He screeches on, his voice breaking over the pressure put upon it, grinding his entire windpipe to dust of flesh, with bits of stomach acid spilling into his system.
The stone-faced Commander sets his foot upon the broken charred armor of Rito. Lifting his leg to assault the corpse with a forceful kick, again, and again. Closer and closer to the edge.
"RI!-" Judari tries to scream again, but caught between a legion of iron knights, his attempts were at best a slight inconvenience.
"Filthy sky-kin, you should've stayed above in your castles." Ryude's words fall over the edge down to the twirling torrent of the black sea, as he unleashes one last kick to the armored corpse. A silver gleam shines in Judari's eyes as the Fischeran is sent off the cliff.
A small squeak exits his throat, barely louder than that of a Sentinel rat. The darkness of the cavern entrance blinds the Vind, as his world and mind turn to black.
The wet smell of decaying wood flowed through the green laced air, and much like the light of the dock, the light of Judari's eyes had left long ago. His lifeless body being dragged across the camp in shame, as injured knights stare upon the disgrace with venomous eyes. The metal thumps against the rotting planks hanging above the water, every step sending a slight ripple into the shore's sea.
"Send a crow to the court, the Judge needs to prepare for the sentencing." Ryude commands a knight, making them quickly scurry off to one of the less charred tents.
"Keep it moving squadron, we've a while to spare before we reach the docks of Palelink, just get the sky-kin situated somewhere in the ship." The Knights nod with bravado, but with no bravery. As they dragged Judari into the darkness of the docked ship's belly.
Sat upon a lonely stool, bound by chains connected to the floor. Judari tugged slightly on the rusted chains, resulting in the plank below the chains base being ripped a spiff upwards. But it was no matter, no reason to attempt escape, no reason to even stay awake.
The boy leaned back, his soulless eyes drifting to the back of his skull, making his mind travel to a mind's abyss. The ocean curves and splashes against the hull of the ship, the mold infested planks keep the ship afloat barely keeping together. The sounds all surrounding Judari erode away much like a shore. The blackness in his view swirling around till peaks of color shines through. Warm dark hues of sandstone and crimson carpets.
"Good morning my little star." A soft brush of a voice sings above a boy, his head is turned to the wall, though his eyes are wide open to the warm sandstone wall at his hand.
"Hm, I guess I'll come back later when you've woken properly." The voice says with slyness, as the boy immediately turns around to the face of his caring mother.
"I was kidding!" The boy yells without restraint, though his mother quickly planted a finger on his lips, shutting them.
"Shh Judari, people are studying in these halls. Though you might want to look around my dear.." She whispered, as Judari's eyes fled over to the wooden gate, where an arch of red spindly flowers were hung to the frame surrounding the gate with small silver straps.
"Happy birth-day my star." She embraces the young boy with a warm hug, keeping him so tight the air residing in his lungs empty out. He responds by hugging as tight as he can muster with his body. The gate to the room slowly lifts open, the sounds alerting Judari to see who was entering. With a bouquet of the same spindly flowers as hung around the arches, his father comes carefully inside the room with warmness in his indigo eyes.
"Happy birth-day my dee'r boy." He walks with care upon the sandstone floors, though quickly his father's feet reach the deep-crimson carpets laid inside his cramped study-bedroom. A single light flutters to the calm motions made by Judari and his kin. Inari reaches the bouquet forward for Judari to grab.
"A gift, for another yea'h well lived." Judari's young hands grasp around the scarlet bouquet, the soft long spindly petals rubbing against his cheek like a brush.
"The flower is a young Red Widow, it's one I also received when I turned of your age, Judari, when I still lived in the castles above. So giving you one seemed right." She said with a warm smile.
"Thank you!" He laid the flowers down in his roughened bed, leaping into his parent's arms. The warmness of the long hug shooting straight into Judari's young heart. They lift him off their arms and sit him upon the bed.
"♪~A seedling you star', a grown now you ar'.~♪" They sing together, their dulled aged voices not even comparing to the ones you'd find in an average theater piece, though Judari's eyes still be lit with stars and a large smile, tugging at the ends of his lips.
"♪~A feast you'll be throw, soo~ make a wish now'.~♪" They end their choir.
"As you know Judari, you are allowed a wish every time you turn of another age." His mother said.
"If ya' wh'ant it to be fulfilled, you've gotta say et' with ya' whole chest, really mean et'!" They both waited, marinating in the stew of wonder their child was experiencing.
"I wish for… a friend." Judari looked up to his parents, his eyes wet, but his sockets dry. Vari and Inari shared a look, feeling their heart rise up to their throats as they heard their child's request.
"Aww my poor litl' boy. I know the youngin's in this this place haven' taken' to your charm yet, but they'll come aroun'." His father said, running his worked hand along Judari's violet cheek.
"You think so?" Judari muttered.
"I do my boy, but no mor'a mopin', today is of celebration!" His father says with bravado.
"Indeed it is Inari, but how about you let me ready Judari for the rest of the day. His hair is still a mess, even his marks are at the back of his head." His mother said, letting a finger glide into the curly hair of her son, shifting one of the dark gray stars upwards.
"Ya'know, you ar' absolutely right. I've got some reports to fill anywa'!" His father raised himself up, his rather casual outfit coming to view, a contrast to his usual militia get-up.
"I'll see you two's in a bit." He said, walking across the room, and finally through the gate. His father now under the red flower arch rung around the gate. It seemed as if the very presence of his soul made the flowers bow to him.
"Now Judari, sit yourself in front of the mirror." His mother would wave him over to a small stool sat upon the crimson rug. Above the stool a table with few candles, and a rustic yet clean mirror. Judari used his young arms to spring himself up from the bed, sending him slightly closer to the stool where he'd quickly take seat.
"You know Judari, it is about time you began washing your hair yourself." His mother said, as she'd open a small wooden hatch on the wall next to Judari's bed. A flood of light poured out of it as Vari would creak its hinges.
"I want to! And I have tried but... Everytime I just end up getting water in my eyes and on the floor." He'd pout, shifting his eyes to the mirror reflecting his image. His starry bright eyes coming to view for himself.
"Well how about I teach you." His mother grabbed upon a wooden bucket filled with sun-warmed water from the hatch, the sun shining from far above in the tube connecting to the raging desert above.
"Now sit still and peek those pointy ears up." She closed the hatch with care, quickly appearing in the mirror Judari store at. Her curly light gray hair blending together with son's.
"Now, you want to start with unfiltering your hair a bit, to make sure the water can wash every strand." She'd let her fingers flow through his hair, parting the silver strings that made up her son's hair.
"Now that they're parted, you dip your fingers in water." His mother would sink the tips of her fingers into the sun-baked water, then raising them up from the bucket, holding her fingers up right and letting the water run down her hands as she quickly fletted them into her son's curly bush of hair.
"And it's quite simple from there, right Judari? He'd nod.
"I'll make sure your hair is clean this time, but when you have to wash your hair again, you've to do it yourself, alright?" He'd nod again, simply enjoying the fleeting moment.
"So sweetie, have they ever taught you about Vind culture or history in your class?" Vari asked.
"Not that I remember, we've mostly been taught to read and write!" Judari shined with glee.
"Oh of course, the basics first. But it's always good to have a head-start on things, so how about I teach you of your lineage." She'd say, washing the muck out of his hair as he nodded with spring in his body.
"Long ago, our people lived in a different world from this, named The Plane of Wind, by the people of Gaia at least." She'd give a weak smile.
"Up there, betwixt the beautiful blue clouds that shone in the ever-bright of the endless sky, my and your ancestors lived in mighty floating castles. Entire landmasses scattered through the void." She'd let a dry cough out, as her voice lowered.
"But the clouds couldn't remain calm forever. As a… person entered our world. Carrying with them a legion of monsters. The old geniocracy fell, and we had to flee our world as it was rampaged by brutality." Judari would look up to his mother.
"So all Vinds are dead!?" He'd say with teary eyes.
"Why would someone do such a thing!" Vari grabbed her mouth, remembering who was sitting in front of her.
"Oh my little star, we survived, we're both here, your father is here, and there is still one castle remaining, which resides here in Gaia. That's actually where I originated from."
"And why someone would do this? Well we don't actually know, but old Vind books described there was a Vind born, who carried a mark on his hair, the mark of void." She said, her fingers lifting a strand of wetten Judari's hair.
"What's a mark?"
"Oh that's right… Well a mark is…" She lifted her own curly long bundle of hair up in her matte lavender arms. Throughout the curls, the imagery of three feathers forming a plate of some kind, is scattered around with a dark gray tone embedded into the feathers.
"These are marks, we Vind are born with them. They tell us of our destiny and future…"
"Wow!" Judari would say in wonder.
"Quite the spectacle in our hair, right?"
"Yes! What is your mark, what is my mark!" Judari would yell with spring in his chair.
"Oh my little star… these marks may tell us of our future, but they don't always prophecise that well. Mine for example, the mark of the feather-shield, is likely not to come true. It destines me to fall while protecting someone, and the reason I'd be protecting them is because my heart couldn't handle to watch them fall." Vari said, riddling her fingers through Judari's hair, as he'd turn around.
"I- I don't want you to fall, mom!" Small pearls of tears dribble down from his eye sockets.
"Oh no no, my little star, I won't. It is just a story we've attached onto our marks, and while they're fun to think about, you shouldn't worry about them, alright?" She said, feeling Judari ease down into his seat, as her hands with haste grab the small sliver left of a rustic bar of soap. Then submerging her hands into the sun-warmed water with the soap having left its last mark.
"Well, what is my mark's story?" He'd point to the four sided slim stars littered across his hair. Vari's eyes focus and tremble slightly.
"Oh it's… nothing, it's nothing bad, I'll tell you of it when you're older, I don't want you focusing on old nonsense… interesting nonsense though." She'd say, running her fingers through his hair as the filth of it let her swift soapy motion come to a stop.
"It seems some more Goldinveer Soap is needed, I'll go grab it, is that alright my little star?"
"Of course." Judari said, parts of his curls still wet while others parts are as dry as the raging desert above the sanctuary.
"You know Goldinveer Soap is the only soap we can trust." Vari winked, as the gate to the room slid open, with the calm academic sounds from deep within the sanctuary now being clearer.
"I'll be right back, sit tight." She said, her words warming the tempered hot desert air as she walked under the velvet flower arch.
Judari tore his focus away from the open gate and onto the dusty mirror. Running his finger across the muck, creating lines of clear vision to the reflection below.
"Since when did my eyes become so… sunken in." Judari thought, as he lifted his finger, placing it upon his dark hued eye-bags, ensuing a small tug.
"I suppose I haven't slept all that well lately…" He let go of his darkened eyes. Instead reaching for the bucket with his light hands, then dipping them into the water, causing a slight chill to be sent up his nerves. Though he didn't even attempt to flinch, instead simply gathering more water to wring around his hands, then using it to clean the filth out of his bundle of curls.
A soft knock on wood tapped to Judari's side.
"Hello Judari, have you got a moment?" A mellow voice said.
"I suppose I do." Judari muttered, his voice low and drab. He looked at the robed man standing in the door. Monastery monk Isaac, so finely dressed and statured as usual.
"I would like to properly introduce you to someone." Isaac lifted his arm, as the distinct color of a small cyan hand came into Judari's view.
"Come now, you wanted a friend didn't you, Rito?" Isaac said, as the Fischeran boy stepped beyond Isaac's thin frame.
"M-m.. hello." He muttered under his breath, his left arm still clinging onto Isaac for protection.
"Don't worry little one, I'll be right outside if there is anything. Now go have fun." A warm smile formed on Isaac's lips, one that Judari drew too as well. Gracefully Isaac slithered away from Rito, going under the blank sandstone arches and letting the wooden gate slide down, enclosing the two children in the cold sandstone room.
Judari's eyes dotted around, searching for any semblance of a distraction, finally his focus landed on a small crate sat laid in dust under his bed.
"Cozy room you've… gotten here." Rito mumbled, as he watched Judari run to the floor and reach under his mess of sheets and pillows.
Rito store with an electric buzz building up in his body, anticipating whatever his mind could muster. The heavy sound of wood scraped against the sandstone floor, as a light brown box of plank was pulled out by Judari's hands. As quickly as he had gotten the box out, Judari had already reached his hands inside the box, the tinkering sounds of wood clanking together reaching Rito's ears.
Judari bore out a heap of slim wood bricks, enough for him to build whatever his small heart desired. A foundation of the bricks was laid in a stable square, as even as possible, slowly he built it upwards with integrity and durability in mind. Rito watched as the Vind at his feet was simply building to his heart's content, and in response slid to the ground. Picking bricks out of the small crate to build with as well. Slowly constructing a small base, resembling the shape of an eye, building upwards in a twisted shape.
The tower leaning slightly with artistic might. Judari's square had been built into the image of a perfect manor, the wood bricks lining the sides of the woodwry walls. The small openings in the building highlighting the imperfections of the building material, yet even in its flawed limited nature, it could be used by the creative mind to cause their imaginary image to occur in front of them, like magic.
"What have you built?" Rito asked the young Judari.
"I've built my dream house!" He gleams, the small dark bags under his eyes outshined by glee.
"It's got thirty two rooms, a massive hall for feasting, a deer stall and even a room where you can build and design!" He carefully points towards his structure, making sure not to graze his perceived magnum opus.
"Woaw, so where are all these rooms, I wanna see!" Rito said.
"Well they're a bit hard to build with these, so I just imagine them being in there, I did leave a big gap in the center of the building for the feast hall though!"
"Can I see that?" Rito smiles.
"Well that would.. destroy the building." He carefully placed his fingers under the ridges of the planks making up the middle of his miniature dream house, lifting up the heap of slim wood bricks to reveal the pocket of empty space left inside the building.
"Wow it is in there! How did you manage to get it like that?" Rito looked inside. Peering the blank planks that make up the structure. Judari, avoiding Rito's attention, lifts his eyes upon Rito's construct, a spiral tower of no stability.
"What's… your building?" Judari analyses, trying to find meaning or idea put into the tower.
"Mine? Well I just wanted to make something pretty." He smiles. Judari losing slight grip on the upper lifted half of his house.
"I've never tried to build like that, it is really pretty." A slim brick slides from beneath Judari's held woodwry structure, out and onto the floor, quickly his perfect assembly deconstructed itself before the childrens very eyes, collapsing in a huge display of chaos, spilling onto Rito's fragile structure, and knocking it over. They looked at each other, both their masterpieces in ruin. A small chuckle fell from Rito, infecting Judari, as they erupted into a laughter, running out the room with haste, their minds set on wherever their hearts could desire, slamming the door down with a thud.
"All on deck, we've arrived at Palelink, carry the prisoner out." Judari heard from above, the side of his head thumping with pain, from the abrupt ceasing of the ship's movement. A march footsteps crashed above him, the planks giving out from the weight, as several knights martyred directly into the ship's belly, finding the sullen Judari sat in chains and sunken hollow eyes.
Like a mechanical mechanism, the Sigils rounded Judari in their plated arms and carried him out to the stone laid docks. From above and behind, a silhouette stands.
"Carry him to the courthouse, we'll hold trial soon enough, Judge Varn has already been informed of the case." Ryude commands his elite squadron forward, carrying the unresisting and limp Judari.
"Up straight Vind, you'll be walking on your own now." One of the Sigils forces Judari on his shaken legs, the demand of simply walking being near enough to knock him off his feet, but they continue onward.
Venomous stares bite into Judari's skin, the onlookers from the windows above and yonder. Whispers and tales strung from all around.
"Ill omen Vind, he should have stayed above their castle."
"His soul reeks of blood, and his looks appear like an under-city dweller."
"So disgusting, his skin has black pricks sticking out of it, is he ridden with disease?"
"Serves him right, looks the type to follow Altum or Ardor."
"Dad, why are his eyes so sunken in?"
All around, he heard, but couldn't see, couldn't attach a face to the voices taunting him, though his eyes fled from window to window, brick to brick, his focus could only land on one place, his left arm. It was like a stamp had been pressed upon his tricep, with burning intent and malice. A pain that wasn't enough to make him scream, but enough to make him tense up, and swell in misery. He tried wriggling his arm, pushing against the forceful grip of the soldier at his side, wriggling, wriggling, till the distinct pain of a carve set in, a contained image of psuedotic letters scribbled into his flesh.
The gray bricks that lay the road ahead slowly fall off their appearance, as the dirt road to the centerpiece of Palelink, the court-house, topped with a looming bell tower so high above, so high with zealotry, so high with order.
His dull eyes looked to the floor, the gray tones and lighting neither calming nor arousing stress in Judari, simply letting him breath alone for minutes, and days. As the muttering and sounds outside the robust dark oak door try their best to sneak into his ears.
The vespious whispers tell tales of treachery, abandonment of post, murder. The last word lists its way above his ear flap, awakening his eyes.
"Murder? Am I on trial for k-k… Killing the Wraith Knight? I don't understand… why am I on trial for this, this HAS to be a normal procedure when things go wrong on missions, yes, that's what it HAS to be…" Judari calmed his nerves, as much as he physically could. Though his arms bound behind him, he still found a way to pass the mind-dulling wait and boredom, counting the lines in each plank laying the court-house floor.
"Convey the defendant into the Solas!" A voice bellows like the clocks above, ringing in Judari's ears. Two guards come along his side, yanking him up from the crooked chair he'd been sitting in. Dragging his limp body into a flash of white light.
The court-house glew with a suppressive pale shine, each window radiating with the midday sun beaming white fire upon the land. Judari's eyes strained upwards from the orange chain deco'd carpet and through the intermiddle section of the cathedral. The rows of dark oak seats line the orderly hall. Perfectly drawing upon Judari's focus, making him ascend his vision upwards toward the centerpiece of the house.
A pair of watchful eyes gaze upon Judari with no intent of mercy, one of a high minded way, one of a rage endued say, and one of a cold morning's day.
"Bring forth the defendant, and let him speak his truth in the altumis." The shadowed middle spoke, his voice the same as the one before, booming the entire hall with a single let of the vocal cords, his body covered in fat and lard, his neck being more akin to a barrel. Carried forward Judari was, till finally his body was placed inside a small round enclosement, what the Judge had deemed the 'altumis' beforehand. The guards released Judari off their hands with swiftness, like one would peel their hands away from a dead fish's guts.
"State your name." A cough was let out by a man, Judari looked upon his skin as it held on for dear life to his bone and scalp. Under him, a small wooden block, gold plate nailed on with title and name carved into it, 'Judge Netanju Bens'.
"And place of origin." The husky voice finally finished. Giving Judari a moment to adjust to the scene, and the audience of onlookers behind him, near entirely being people he'd never met and couldn't even try to put a name to, except one, Kaladin.
"Why's he here… last I met him it was at that bar… is my father here?" Judari's mind runs circles around itself, looking around the court-house with manic movements.
"Boy, state your name, or you'll be escorted out here and put to work on the Decayed Isle!" A fury let out from above, drawing Judari's eyes to them, the image of Solan's elemental head imprinted in the glass panes, shining down upon any sin and sully.
"My name…"
"It is Judari Onyx." He spoke as if he was hiding away from a predator, letting his words hang in the air for the judges above to hear and intake. Though his eyes had not fully given up on the pursuit of more people he… knew.
"Where is he, that old lazy corpse, no I… why isn't he here. Wouldn't this kind of thing drag him out of the sanctuary?" Judari kept a tapping with foot to the floor while in his thought.
"I come from the Southern Sanctuary, within the Sea of dust-"
"We are aware of where the Sanctuary is. Now, you Judari Onyx, heir to Inari Onyx, stand here on trial in this Court of Solan, for the murder of Rito of Alana." The middle-man spoke, his name shining from the ill-gold plaque into Judari's sunken eyes, 'Judge Barrick Varn'.
"Murder? Of Rito?" Judari whispered, clawing his dirt under-laid nails into the bark he'd been leaning on.
"Now, with the accused having several witnesses come out to uphold the case presented against him, we in the judge-hold would argue that this isn't a trial of innocence. Rather, it be a trial of punishment." The coarse voice coughs up, each word being pronounced longer than the last.
"But I didn't do anything!"
"Hush boy, you are in no grounds to speak at this court, now call forward a testifier. Knight Captain Frey of the Order, you may appear in front of our seats." The fury eyed spoke, his carve having written in carve. 'Judge Israen Bidam'.
Out steps a shaken man, in his suit and armor, but wearing none on his soul. His eyes kept to the right side, not daring to look toward the altumis.
"You may present your words now, Albert Frey. You were a mentor to many in this newest batch of produced knights, too were you to Judari Onyx, so please do introduce us to his shown character." Judge Varn spoke to Frey, his cold breath digging into the old man's neck.
"I'a. I never in my wh'ildest nightmares did I imagine this. I cared for you both, Inari cared for you both. What betook you, what drove you to do such an act."
"I didn't! I swear I'd never!"
"Guards, restrain his mouth, he can clearly not control his urges to interrupt this court." The shadow of an arm appeared along Judari's side, as quickly a metal piece of cage was wired around Judari's mouth, locked around his jaw and mouth preventing any whistle to escape. Frey peered away.
"Please do go easy on the poor child, Varn. I've no clue gotten of why he did what he did, but he's not some lost child from the under-city. Oh if Inari could see you… He'd be devastated." Frey takes hands to his eyes, rubbing them over and over, dry as a desert but still rubbing, making himself dizzy and blind for a single moment.
"I've no more to say."
"Thank you Knight Captain Frey, we'll take your words into consideration when coming to our conclusion to punishment. Now, will the last testifier appear in front of our seats." Varn would speak out, quickly making Frey stumble out behind their seats, and through a darkened hall.
Up rises one from the audience, Kaladin. Making his way to the court-scene with a clenched fist, and pyre eyes laid upon Judari.
"You may present your words now. Keep your testimony around the minute mark." Judge Varn said, letting Kaladin lock his fiery dark-amber eyes onto Judari's sunken violet.
"I haven't known Judari for long, proper at the very least for about two weeks. And while he's acted kind, and friendly. I've heard of how he acts otherwise, how much he blamed Rito for his own mother's death, so bitter, and envious of my poor Rito, that he had exceeded in arts of sigilry. You disgusting shit, why'd you do it, was it too much to see him succeed? Was it too much being so lonely while seeing him live his life!? How… How could you take him from me!" Judari listened, with no words being able to escape the metal constraint. Kaladin leaned in, his teeth showing.
"He told me every little thing, how much sorrow he had felt for you, how much he wanted to make you happy, how much he worried for you while he should have worried for himself, you fucking murderer." He'd raise himself up, cleaning his perfectly lined suit off, like something had infested it.
"Thank you for your statement Sir Kaladin." Judge Israen whispered through his gapped teeth.
"You may please return to the audience as we discuss our verdict." Judari store around the hall as Kaladin lept back to his seat, the cabins at the front of the court as empty as a graveyard.
"Now this case is one of peculiar, with the accused having blood relation to Inari Onyx of sigil general fame, may Solan walk with his soul." Varn spoke of the boy's father, drawing his attention to his words.
"Inari having deceased by suicide, hung in his own weary room just fortnight ago. We will need to consider the last wish of the man, as is the privilege of becoming a high rank in The Ord..." Judari stood, attempting to listen, but with no avail. His world had stopped, a shiver entered his body, one he'd never felt before, like ink roots sprouting inside him, blossoming all across his skin. His stomach couldn't bear it, his thoughts couldn't bear it, and neither could he.
"We will need to consider the last wish of the man, as is the privilege of becoming a high rank in The Order. To spare any punishment for his son, in the case he'd commit any disgrace against Solan our savior, and instead let him roam, free." The judges all shared glances, as they'd each fetch a piece of paper. And Judari finally caught up to the world once again, let loose. His mouth trying to force itself open of the metal constraints, screaming in silency. For who had he left in this world. "DO I EVEN HAVE MYSELF?" Judari questioned, but not to he, but to someone else, deep within his mind.
Whispers and tales weaved above him.
"He's but a young man, and isn't it obligation we need to honor a dead man?"
"A young man with comrade blood on his hands, he should know better than to follow in the steps of other gods."
"But what example do we set for the rest of the high ranks, that we will not spare them mercy in their last wishes."
"Inari Onyx retired years ago, barely a soul knows he has an heir, and we'd be rid of a menace."
"It will not be a first either, and who will care. Truly, who will?"
"I suppose you are right, though, our prison systems are currently filled to the brim with undercity-dwellers and bandits alike."
"So you suggest… One who fell a comrade, must befall themselves."
Judge Varn would raise himself off his chair, creaking the entire way in his elevation.
"We the judges in this Court of Solan, give our verdict. That Judari Onyx, heir to the late Inari Onyx, guilty of murder of comrade, and abandonment of post in the Sigil Order. Punishment for such crime befit, execution." The guards at his sides quickly lock Judari down, his body wriggling around like a worm in the ground.
"Take him to a holding cell, the execution will be set to befall in two days!" Varn reached behind his mountainous body, grabbing upon a hammer, the size of an entire adult.
"Visyn Solan, as you have blessed us with your guidance to justice and purity yet again."
The hammer struck upon a bell, hidden beneath the judge's seat, ringing across the room and town a grim hollow tone.
Judari yelped, his mouth tied like a wild animal's. Screaming behind it, his arm erupting with a sizzling pain.
"Get this Vind out of my court!" A battalion of six guards appeared at Judari's back, as his eyes glew with vigor, with hate. His heart beating five hundred times in the span of thirty seconds. For before his fate, a scribble lifted from his arm. The veins in his body pumping nay blood, but ink. His jaw unhinging, till metal and nails sprung lose from the very concept of force. Unleashing a scream becomst of a monster, a roar splitting the ear-drums of the guards at his range. Ripping apart the little constraint wrapped around his arms, flung his arm forward towards a knight with clenched fist and iron bones. The bludgeoned hit tearing the man's jaw off, the entire tongue hanging null, as the convulsing Vind peered eyes towards the next victim of rampage. With muscles tensing, till forward he reaches with aim for the throat, clawing his nails deep between the intercross of the neck and throat, nearing between in through. Cleaving the guard's windpipe exposed to the air.
Quickly his mindless arm grappled upon the falling knight's sword, arming himself and immediately swinging forward, upon the eyelids of the extra muscle called upon him. His mouth dry, as the shellshocked guards finally had nerve to draw their swords. No the matter, Judari licked his tongue with itself, producing a glory of vileness. His body puppeteered forward, clashing along the stanced knights, cutting deep into their blades, shipping along till crack.
"CALL A SIGIL SQUAD, THIS MANIAC IS OF ALTUM FOLLOWING!" Varn yelled from above, the court now finally quiet, and Judari left standing with blood staining his sullied clothes.
It had only taken four and half a second to defeat the first four knights, and a mere three for the last two. Though he knew what was coming, his legs setting in motion before his mind could register what had happened. "JUDARI ONYX, NO ONE TO NO ONE." his mind in mar of ego.
The streets of Palelink seemed alien to the Vind, his mind tried to think of where anything was, but nothing showed in his mind's eye, all he had was stamina, so he ran, past the windows of the accusers, past every alley and bakery selling mediocre products.
"To the right, Onyx. You're of no mind to make decisions right now, follow the providence I lay upon you." He ran, the road featuring a detailed depiction of roses and thorns, the red and green laid bricks lining his path forward.
"Oh forward my child, you desire escape, so you shall obtain it, not a soul in your way. Run between the trees of Elemira, and grin at their ugliness." Judari ran, the wind blowing past his tired ears, as a smile crept up upon his limbs, starting from the left, to the right. His teeth gritted and biting down.
Never had the forest's ground been so quickly trampled, his heavy footprints sitting upon the pristine damp gleaming grass. The fireflies in the titanic trees acting as stars at night. Judari's head held upwards, he ran without thinking, his mind free of chains. Though slowly, he halted his run in the deepness of the forest. The ecstasy of a life spent on yourself had run dry, now only left, with bone shattered in the shin leg.
"To the city of stone, my child, there your desire lies." It spoke, deep within Judari's consciousness. An inner pit of tar forming in his mind.