Another Trial
2188 Words
I go under the polar bear's chin. Darius is going for it now! I gotta do this fast!
“Fist of Seven: Jaw Breaker!” I hit him under there.
The polar bear's nose goes pointing upwards and its gritting teeth are exposed in the open. Like a huge bullet, Darius punches the Olympian Steel tooth with great precision. He goes crashing uncontrollably then the tooth goes off. I can see it gleaming in the sky! I gotta get it!
I fly up and there's no one to stop me. The polar bear is barely standing on his feet. Then when just as Darius achieves stability in the air, he uses his Cessation. Shui is frustrated because he isn't able to do anything grand. The polar bear slowly becomes smaller. I grab the relic as it becomes smaller too until it's the size of a person's tooth. I put it inside my pocket. The injured goddess comes out of his mouth and they fall into the sea.
Out of his frustration, Shui dives down to finish them. I'm out of range to stop him with my gravity. I burst into a great speed and punches his glass dragon.
“You useless human!!” he curses at me.
Ignoring him, I dive down further, and with my powers of gravity, I stop the two deities from falling into the sea. They look quite shocked. It's the first time they witness a power they can't be immune to. Meanwhile, behind me, Shui is seeking to kill me along with them. I don't look back because I know that Darius will back me up. He shatters the glass coming to stab me in the back.
Looking at the two deities below me, I tell them, “We will apprehend three of you for the moment. You can testify that you're not hostile to Olympus and Asgard.”
“Nice hearing that from whoever you are!” shouts the goddess. “You're the ones who attacked us first!”
Wait, my head is getting dizzy. Maybe it's because I've been keeping my metabolism to resist the cold. I feel weak and anxious. I breathe slowly and the feeling goes away.
I move them to the shore while Darius watches my back from Shui. He's still angry and I don't have the motivation to handle his childish behavior.
“I'm sorry for that,” I apologize. “Our squad leader is inexperienced. And the fight already started so we can't have a peaceful conversation.”
“You killed Jack, you dimwit!” spats the god at me.
“He's alive, sir. There,” I nod to the shore.
I put both of them on the shore next to this Jack—if that's what's the name of this cyborg.
“Now that you've gathered us, you're gonna kill us?” asks the goddess.
“No,” I answer.
“But your other friend is not happy about it,” says Jack, lying on the ground.
“I'll handle him on our way to Asgard. You're apprehended now and shall be protected unless you resist.”
“Well, we will resist, no matter what!” yells the goddess. She's about our age but a little immature.
“Stop,” says the cyborg. “listen to what he says if you want to live.”
“But-”
“Hate to say it,” says the god, grunting in pain. “he's right.”
Unlike her, the god and this cyborg know they don't stand a chance against us. Now that Darius is behind me, they get even more intimidated. Shui on the other hand goes back to the base without us. I see him frustratingly flying to the north. No doubt that he will report our “betrayal.”
“He's gonna tell everyone we betrayed him,” says Darius, saying what's in my mind.
“I guess we'll be back in our good ol' cells again,” I say. We both sigh. “Alright, let's just move.”
Darius carries Jack and the deities walk on their own. We let them go first so we could see their actions. After an hour or so, demigods come to escort them and told us that we're being summoned. It's expected. Shui is so fast.
As soon as we reached the shelter, we are put inside our cells again. They put the captives in separate cells. I don't regret it because we did the right thing. But still… it's so frustrating. Everything is frustrating.
The doors shut behind me when I enter. I feel like it was an hour ago that I left this cell. I sit on the floor and stare at the door. Will this be my whole life?
“I'm sorry, Hera. I think I can't find you sooner.”
-
*
“Those boys are getting out of hand!” shouts the current leader of House Zhang—Shui's uncle. “They cannot be trusted at all!”
“Aye,” the Elven House leaders agree. But the Archaic (Non-elven kind) House leaders are silent.
Mila is there representing House Hayashi since Aiko is out for a mission. She frowns resting her head on her hand and tired of hearing their rants around the table.
“For a million times,” she says. “let them testify.”
The Zhang House Leader speaks again: “Shui, a Fourth Seater of Olympus Mons reports the treachery of these brats! What's in him to doubt?”
The other leaders nod like simpletons that can be convinced by this kind of reasoning. Apparently, they are.
“You fail to realize there are always two parts of every story,” says Mila in a less motivated way. “Just like all of you are using the law of Olympus, I will use it to make a good decision. It's written there in King's Order 391 by Lord Nerios: ‘The accused shall be given a chance to testify for himself in a court’.”
“There's no need for them to testify!”
“Then that means you'd be breaking the law. Please reconsider or I will report this to Lord Seok.”
“Don't you dare, you brat!” he points at her. “We are the law here!”
“That's what a savage would say. Are you a savage?” Other House leaders murmur and chuckle silently. “Olympus is still alive as well as its cause. The laws which guide us are still there. We still follow them, knowing they will save us from complete anarchy. Otherwise, you would be forsaking Olympus and its people. Let's hear those who agree.”
“Aye,” all of the Archaic House leaders agree. The other Elves agree too and it is decided.
In her mind, she thinks, “This is easy. Unlike the experienced House Leaders before them, they don't know the law and how to get around them. If they are as vile and as clever as their predecessors, I would be losing here.”
The Zhang leader grits his teeth, left nothing to say.
*
-
We are being sent to the council room. Another one of those things that bring people who are against us, together. I hate this. Councils are made for everyone to help each other build wise decisions. But now I see it only as something that annoys me. Maybe it's made by all of the past deities just to annoy me for this moment. It'd be funny if they did.
We are handcuffed by inactivated Olympian Steel. They know I can open it but they still put it on me. Well, it's better than nothing. We enter through a double door. It's almost like the War Room of Olympus. There is a space in the middle where bleachers circle around it. And at the far end, a pyramid for the Olympians that for the moment are all empty. I feel insecure for some reason, like the emptiness of those seats is a sign of disorder.
We stand in the middle. Darius starts to glare at everyone who meets his eyes. I just look at the door, wishing it to come to me so I can leave without taking a step. I don't like the aura in this room. People despise us. Well, I don't care anymore. I won't force them to like us.
“Leonide Padine and Darius Ozan,” says a god I don't know, sitting on a throne beside the pyramid. He's old and seems to be the judge. “you are called to testify against the claim of Shui Zhang for your suspected insubordination and Treachery. Let us hear first the words of the accuser.”
Darius grumbles, seeing Shui rising from his seat. Making his tone sound and face look like he's the victim, he speaks, “It's very disheartening that these boys have the levels of indecency to betray not only me but all of us. I was just doing my duty to protect Asgard from the intruders when both of them started to attack me. Right away, I knew that they are traitors. If I died there, I wouldn't be able to warn everyone about their betrayal. They would've soon brought forth chaos and loss of innocent lives if I don't make it. This pushed me to my very limits.” Oh, a good delivery. I'm beginning to be convinced too. “I'm a Fourth Seater of Olympus Mons! It's my duty to protect everyone! So, I tried to fight my way out as I was outnumbered. As fate allowed it, I escaped from them. Somebody may call me a coward for running away from a fight but for me, it's a win. Because battles are not always won by violence!”
He is rained with applause and praise. I too, find that speech very heart-warming and pure. So, I could help but smile. He looks at me suspiciously. I never knew that I can find some fun being accused by stupid people. I wish I could share the same experience with Darius so he can stop burdening himself with frustration.
I whisper at him, “Isn't this entertaining, Darius?”
“It's frustrating!” he growls.
I guess it's not his style. Well, anyway… I found the answer to stop being frustrated. Watching foolish people is comedy. Wait, isn't that the point of comedy all along? Watching stupid people do stupid things is entertaining and funny. Yes, this is the answer indeed…
-
*
From afar, Mila notices Leo's disturbing half-smile. “What's going on with him?” she asks in her mind.
*
-
Then the god from earlier speaks again. “Leonide and Darius, which of you shall testify on your behalf?”
“I'll do it,” I say and he nods at me. “We don't know those people we captured. Lord Shui didn't make sure if they are enemies and not people who are seeking refuge. He attacked them without making sure. Those people fought back, of course, to save themselves. We helped Lord Shui at the same time stopped them from killing each other. Lord Shui goes back to tell his tale before we do while we escort the people we captured. Even without shackles, they never tried to escape. So, they are here being detained by their own choice.”
“Lies!” someone shouts. Then every one of them murmurs.
“Silence!” shouts the judge. The room is silent once more. “Bring in the captives! I want to hear what they say.”
I turn around and the three people earlier come in in shackles except for Jack. He's already incapacitated after all. They just put him in a wheelchair. Their place is at the far right of the middle, facing the judge.
“First,” says the judge. “let the captives introduce themselves.” He narrows his eyes at them. “Tell your name, title, and where you came from.”
The god speaks first. “I'm Oso Verano, the God of Bears. I come from Venus.”
The murmuring invades the room again. The judge pacifies it.
Jack is next. “I'm Jack Devol of Earth.”
“The owner of Hughes Tech?” asks the judge.
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Well, you got explaining to do later since you went missing for a year, crippling the effort of Olympus in technological advancement contracts. Not to mention your desertion. Put that aside, the young goddess shall now introduce herself.”
He's an owner of Hughes Tech? What a coincidence this is. Am I supposed to be glad that we captured him?
Then the goddess is next. After swallowing, she says, “I'm Gwen Carter, the Goddess of-” she hesitates when Oso looks at her.
“Answer honestly, child,” says the judge. “The law of Olympus shall side with you if you are honest and did nothing wrong.”
She continues, “I'm the Goddess of Prayers.”
- Writer
