The trial
1288 Words
Karl woke to cold stone and silence.
A vast ceiling loomed above him, its shape lost in shadow, and his vision swam as though he’d been dragged from a dream. He blinked hard, forcing the blur to retreat. Pale light spilled down from somewhere far above, revealing a colossal hall carved from marble and crystal.
“What… what is this?” he whispered.
He tried to move, and metal answered him.
Karl was kneeling. His hands were fused inside a massive iron block, its runes faintly glowing, while a heavy chain pulled at his neck, tethering him to a tall pole behind him. Panic surged through his chest as he twisted, only to find himself surrounded.
Hundreds of figures stood on a circular platform high above him, their silhouettes sharp against the light. Elves; tall, elegant, in robes of silver and gold, watched him as one might observe a dangerous animal.
“Human!”
The word cracked through the hall like thunder.
Karl gasped as a very old elven man stepped forward, his movements slow but commanding. His long white beard flowed over robes threaded with gold, and his eyes, sharp despite his age, burned with authority. Behind him, elevated even higher, stood a long table of figures Karl instinctively knew were judges.
“Speak your name, human,” the old elf commanded.
Karl’s mouth opened, but no sound came. His thoughts raced, his gaze darting from face to face, as though his mind were floating just behind his eyes.
The old elf frowned and glanced toward the judges.
“Perhaps the human does not understand our language. With your permission, I may-”
“Karl!” the word burst from Karl’s lips. “Karl Wilhelm... my name!”
A ripple of murmurs passed through the platform. One of the judges, a woman, spoke;
“You understood us the whole time,” she said coolly. “Why remain silent?”
“I don’t understand the words,” Karl replied, his voice shaking, “but somehow… I understand what you mean. It’s like something inside me is translating everything.”
“Fascinating,” another judge murmured.
“Do you know where you are?” the woman asked.
“No.”
“You stand within the Citadel of the Celestial Order,” she said. “You have trespassed into sacred ground. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I... I don’t even know how I got here,” Karl said.
His eyes caught movement to the side.
Olenna.
She stood among the audience, her white-and-gold robes unmistakable. Karl froze, his breath hitching.
“Your totem,” the old elf said sharply. “That pendant around your neck. Where did you acquire such an artifact?”
“You mean my necklace?” Karl said. “It belonged to my mother.”
“And who was your mother?” a judge demanded.
Karl swallowed. “I don’t know. I never met her.”
Silence fell.
The old elf cleared his throat, his expression grave.
“Human child, the object you wear is Azareal’s Stone, one of the most dangerous arcane weapons ever forged, yet you wear it as though it were common copper. You must understand why this is… challenging for us to believe.”
“I don’t understand it either,” Karl said desperately. “All I know is... I’ve been drawn to magic my whole life. My father used to be a sorcerer, before my mother died. I always felt trapped, like I was born into the wrong world.”
He looked at Olenna again and drew in a shaky breath.
“I've wanted to see something more, be more, something wondrous. And now that I have seen what's possible, now that I know this world is real, I feel like I’ve already found my purpose. Take the pendant. Take anything you want from me. Just… please let me stay.”
A judge leaned back.
“Stay?” she echoed. “Give us one reason we should not execute you this instant.”
Karl’s heart dropped.
Then a thought struck him, sharp and cold.
“You can’t take it off, can you?” he asked
The judges exchanged uneasy glances.
“We can,” the old elf said at last. “But it would require your death to break the binding spell.”
“Then do it,” Karl said.
A collective gasp rippled through the hall.
“So eager to die?” one judge asked.
“If my death is the only way to protect your world,” Karl replied steadily, “then I accept it.”
The judges argued in hushed voices. The old elf rubbed his temples, clearly strained.
“Fortunately for you,” A judge said, “you will not be dying today.”
Karl allowed himself the smallest smile, he knew they wouldn't kill him, there was too much they needed to learn from him.
“Your trial is concluded,” the elf continued. “You will be held in the dungeons until further notice.”
Guards released the chain from his neck and dragged him away. Karl glanced back once more, locking eyes with Olenna before the doors swallowed him.
The dungeon was cold, dark, and hollow. A single window along the corridor cast thin light across the stone floor. Karl sat in silence, thoughts spiraling, until the iron locks of the dungeons clanked open
“Karl!” a whisper hissed.
“Olenna?” He rushed forward, fumbling with the chains around his neck and arms
“I’m getting you out of here,” she said urgently.
“No!” Karl snapped. “I can’t go back.”
“They’ll kill you!” she cried out
“If they wanted to they would’ve already.”
“You’re insane!!, you don't know anything about these people!!”
“I’m taking the risk” he replied
Footsteps echoed.
“Olenna?” a voice called.
She stiffened, bowed, and stepped aside. A tall elf approached, the one who had struck Karl down with lightning. His long purple hair shimmered, and his blue eyes pierced the gloom.
“Open,” he commanded.
The gate slid aside.
“Do not fear,” the elf said. “I will not harm you.”
“What do you want?” Karl demanded.
“To talk.” He smiled faintly. “I am Rodric Agaenosh, a General of the Celestial Order.”
Rodric lifted Karl’s pendant. It glowed and vibrated within his fingers.
“Remarkable protection spell,” he said, "Nothing like I’ve seen.”
“How do I remove it?” Karl asked. “Without dying of course”
Rodric chuckled. “You can’t, not anymore.”
Karl stiffened.
“Whoever left this to you must have chosen you for a purpose” Rodric continued. “A purpose that cannot be escaped.”
He gestured to Olenna.
“I believe you two have met already, Olenna here is one of our best students, she will teach you everything you need to know. When you are ready, my superior will summon you.”
“And what do you want in return?”
“Knowledge,” Rodric said. “Of your power. Of that stone, we spare your life and you tell us everything we need to know”
Karl nodded. “I understand.”
“Good. You’ll remain here tonight though, we'll be back for you in the morning.”
Rodric took Olenna and left, Karl was alone again.
As he collapsed against the wall, his pendant flared, green light flooding the cell, vibrating violently against his chest.
His heart thundered.
“What are you?...” he asked the gem, “What are you trying to show me?”
- Writer
