Sir Cedric, the knight captain, cautiously approached the stage, his hand still hovering near his sword's hilt. "Reports indicated a man with golden hair causing chaos," he declared, his voice gruff with authority.
Reaching Kaldarix, who still knelt bewildered on the stage, Sir Cedric drew his sword a fraction further. "Did you, sir, willingly choose to endanger His Majesty?" he demanded, his gaze narrowed.
Professor Eldrin, witnessing the captain's aggressive stance, erupted from his seat in the VIP section. "Captain Ironheart! Stand down!" he bellowed, his voice laced with urgency. "Do you wish to doom this entire nation in your ignorance?"
Lila, his apprentice, had her jaw dropped agape. She whirled towards him, her eyes wide with surprise. This was not the calm and collected professor she knew. His usually measured tone had been replaced by raw urgency. "P-professor? Are you being serious?" she stammered.
