The next day after that, the news of an alpha dying spread throughout the cavers. Mine slaves or guards in work discuss this trending topic. The guards were mostly offended by the miserable death of their college, on the other hand. The shackled laborers rejoice, for the ones involved were the notorious Plunderers. Who'm if not swindled by them, then at least heard their evil deeds. Their names were long dreaded differ to other short lived pillagers. The four Plunderers seemed to be immortal, no matter how many reports of their sins and abuse were submitted in the past years, not a single punishment managed to touch them.
However, as if the hammer of judgement had fallen upon them last night. The proud Plunderers were reduced to pitiful victims of violence. Contrary to the usual happenings, the four were sighted crying, littered with injuries that seemed to be made by irregularly hard punches. Submitting a report at the Mine-owner mansion.
Due to the involvement of significant manpower demise, the case was treated with high regard. Strong Mine-guards were mobilized to arrest a certain slave who's accused of killing an Alpha. Surprisingly, Zyro didn't run away.
He stayed and worked like an ordinary miner, until the arresters found him.
"Are you Zyro?" Asked a guard.
"What are you an idiot! There's only one slave here that had pure black hair, his probably the only one in Foggy Ring. Quit the confirmation and take him!"
"Let's get this over with, I'm beat."
"Yeah,yeah. I wanna sleep."
Zyro stared at the quarrelling guards who obviously weren't taking their job seriously. Can't blame them though, they are composed of 5 first tier Warriors and 10 ordinary guards. These guys were night shift guardians that mostly dealt with wild beasts near the Mine. This force was more than enough to restrain a slave who's suspected to have ascended to the mark of Alpha. It's a logical conjuncture, If not, how would Zyro a lowly slave manage to take the life of a Marked being.
Still, this assumption wasn't confirmed.
Zyro did not say a word as he obediently followed them with chained hands behind his back. Pretending to be nervous the entire short trip.
Soon enough, they arrived outside where the trial would commence. It was a clearing in front of the three story wooden mansion. Slaves who have time to spare watched the event in a crude, crescent formation.
Under the onlookers and the sun's bright gaze. The sinner - Zyro entered the internal of the formation. Slaves and guards look at him with anticipation, suspicion and excitement as they murmur among themselves.
"You bwastard, you'll pey fow lat you'lve dome!!" Shouted the beaten leader of plunderers in a broken mouth.
The other three were more fortunate, only bearing dislocated limb, bulky eye, misshapen nose or limping leg. Nevertheless, they're not in the best of state after facing a veteran trooper's wrath. But at least they can curse at Zyro properly today.
"Impure lowlife, your treachery is as dark as your hair!"
"You'll regret what you've done to us, you hear me?!"
"Die here f*cker, die!die!"
Which Zyro pays no mind. He's grown enough to wisely ignore this kind of trivial things depending on the situation.
Variety of swearing constantly spouts from the pathetic looking victims, all aimed at Zyro to make themselves feel better. After all, they could send an onslaught of verbal attacks freely to relieve stress. Sadly for them, under Zyro's nervous act was cold indifference.
"QUITE!!!" A sudden roar resounded like thunder, bringing silence to the murmurs and curses being spoken a moment ago.
Appearing on the second floor balcony of the mansion was the Mine owner. Despite his plumpy body, hairless head and stern, a bit wrinkled face that wasn't good looking at all. A figure that would attract ridiculing jesters. Yet everyone looks at him with respect, fear, jealousy and admiration. Except Zyro.
If anything that attracts his attention, that would be the mark on the owner's shiny bald head. As if personally tattooed by divine hand, the black mark excludes utter perfection and simplicity. It looked like a tribal upsidedown (L).
'...Gamma.' Zyro thought.
It was the third mark. Which the mine owner possesses. And beside the baldy, another man stood. Contrary to his master, this guy was well built and possessed quite the look with dark green hair. Even without the (B) like mark of Beta, everyone knew that Boru - the bald owner right hand man was a Warrior of the second tier.
Donning an exasperated expression, Boru loudly announced under everyone's attention.
"Let's make this quick, who dare not only harm, but disgracefully kill one of my subjects! Brim, an Alpha."
As Boru said this, the lackey that witnessed Brim tragic demise exaggeratedly pointed at Zyro.
"It's him! It's him!, I saw it with my very eyes last night. That impure bastard shamelessly killed Brim!"
After that accusation, everyone's dubious gazed focused on Zyro. Waiting to defend himself, but he didn't speak.
Boru thought for a moment, then sighed.
"No comment... Hmm. You all know I am equal to all. So, do tell me how this slave prevails against all of you and Brim?"
The recent lackey smiled, confident in his prepared statement.
"It all started when we were peaceful sleeping in our humble chamber. But Zyro intrude unannounced assaulting us in our slumber, I was the last he tried to attack but thankfully, my endured friends fought him allowing me to run away to call for help. The strength Zyro displayed was undoubtedly abnormal, that's why the boss and the others lost. So I thought he must have become Marked, somehow! So-so, I decided to call an Alpha too, Brim, I asked Brim and he kindly went out of his way to save my friends. But when we arrived, Zyro ambushed us by throwing rocks with an Alpha strength, I was supposed to be hit and might have been killed if Brim didn't cover me. So he was weakened and got beaten by that cowardly Zyro, That coward tricked Brim and killed him. I tried to help but... An ordinary slave like me doesn't stand against an Alpha."
He cried.
"That brat must have thought he could abuse us after that, so he kept us alive to mine for him. If we don't, he'll beat us again and again... Sucks huh? I guess your stupid plan is foiled! You'll face judgement for your sin today, I swear!!" The Plunderers bloodlust eyes gaze at Zyro.
'Disregarding my feasible reason to make me appear as an illogical criminal that suddenly attached them and yourselves look innocent victims. Quite the speech, they actually exceeded my expectations.'
That statement seemed convincing to everyone. The slave knew who the real sinners were though, it was the plunderers who were famed for their evil deeds among slaves. They're grateful to Zyro to some extent if he really was the doer and disliked to see him be judged for taking revenge. However, the real issue here was Brim's death. Not the insignificant slaves predicaments.
"IS THAT TRUE!?"
Maintaining the nervous act, with a touch of rolling sweats on his forehead. Zyro replied, as if trying his hardest to remain composed under the overwhelming pressure.
Strangely, Zyro found this situation amusing.
"N-no, it's not." He uttered in a low voice.
"What did you say, speak louder!"
As if he found courage, Zyro shouted.
"No! It's not true at all, sir!"
But the Plunderers retaliated.
"Lies! Your caught, damned liar."
"SILENCE!!"
By Boru's words, the surroundings quieten.
Boru sighed.
"I've wasted enough time here, what proof do you have!"
No one spoke under tense seconds.
The plunderers lingered for a moment, then one of them had an idea.
"W-we have proof! Zyro was undoubtedly an Alpha, so... Um, right! We could test his skin toughness! Everyone knew that ascended beings physic was tougher than normal, that's our proof."
'Well said' Zyro praised him in his mind.
The judge - Boru sighed in relief. Glad that this trial would finally be concluded. He ordered the subordinates to test Zyro's skin toughness by inflicting equal wound to another Alpha guard and Zyro. Of course, Zyro prepared before hand and unclad his cyber suit anticipating this situation.
The plunderers and everyone were almost certain of the result. However, betraying everyone's expectations.
Zyro's flesh turns out to be more fragile and compared to an Alpha. The thing is, Zyro can never receive a Mark. How could he become a Warrior of the first tier?
The plunderers who's rejoicing a moment ago spout in disbelief.
"That's impossible!!"
"There must be a mistake"
"Do it again! properly!"
"ENOUGH!!!"
Boss Boru gritted his teeth, infuriated by this troubling predicament. If the accused Zyro wasn't an Alpha, then him being the suspect who had beaten these four victims and killed Brim was impossible. A normal person simply lacked strength to accomplish that, especially alone. If not Zyro, who?
"But-But I could have sworn he did it"
As if he found confidence, Zyro voiced.
"As I said before, I didn't do it. It's proven I'm not an Alpha, so stop putting the blame on me"
'If this didn't cut it, then might as well tell them the whole story' Joked Zyro internally.
Thankfully, that last sentence of his finally directed Boru's mind to the prepared path.
"Blame...hmm, I think get it now, you four. Are you sure it was this young man who beat you... Not Brim? And you four didn't ganged to kill Brim in retaliation last night?"
The plunderers froze.
"Huh!! We wouldn't even dare in our dreams!"..
"Brim is like a big brother to us, why would we!"
Their words were sincere, more than ever in fact. But it had fallen to deft's ear. For their bodies were littered with undeniable evidence.
Boru coldly looked at them and said in a stern tone, suppressing his anger as he tried his best to sound calm.
"Shut your mouths! I don't want to hear excuses... I've experienced many things, so I'm certain that those injuries of yours. Only an Alpha might could inflict such damage in a single punch. As you four had claimed, Brim, Zyro and the four of you were present in the murder. But considering Zyro's lack of injuries and strength to prove his involvement. I judge only you four and Brim was there. I've seen Brim corpse, his one unblind eye was poked. If an Alpha were completely blind, then I guess four slaves would have managed to defeat him regardless of his strength!"
The plunderers were speechless, unable to think of an excuse.
"This trial ends here, I deemed you four lowly slaves guilty for tricking an Alpha to death and false accusations. More importantly, attempting to fool me... You will see my wrath! Guards! Punish this insolent fools.
Zyro commented internally.
'Is this what they called killing five birds with one stone?'