Act 1: Blue Ocean Pavilion - Chapter 26: Judgement

Act 1: Blue Ocean Pavilion - Chapter 26: Judgement

Frederick jumped off his seat triumphantly and displayed His Ein as a Middle Apprentice Exalt, staggering Oscar backward. The presence and Ein of a Middle Apprentice Exalt was truly a difference in quality from Oscar's power.

"I'm so hungry." Frederick rubbed his belly and dispersed his Ein. The advancement had sapped him of nearly all his energy, causing his immense hunger.

"Breakfast is closed. You'll need to wait until lunch. Tell me! How did it feel?" Oscar wanted all the information on the process. Emily said it should be up to him to find out when he does it. But Oscar did not like wafting in the unknown if there were clear references to look at.

"Painful. Extremely painful." Frederick's face paled as he recalled this morning. The thought of how the next advancement might feel made him tremble from dread.

"Just painful?" Oscar pushed on for more.

"Same as before, my core felt hot and excruciating. This time, however, my skin started peeling off."

"Your skin?"

"I felt every piece tear itself off. It was pure torture. Look at my skin now, though." Frederick rolled up his sleeves, and Oscar carefully observed them and even felt them. They were soft and completely devoid of any scars.

"My hand has also lost the scars on it." Next, he showed the hand that Austin's 'Acid Coat' brutally corroded. Although Ivanka used an elixir, there were still remnant traces of the damage. Those traces were now gone.

"Amazing!" Oscar exclaimed. For advancement to have this kind of effect on the body was shocking. There were still so many mysteries on Exalts.

Frederick noticed the smooth black buckler that Oscar had on his back. "What is that shield? Where did you go?"

Oscar took the shield off his back and briefed Frederick on how he and Emily went to the Foundry.

"You should have just waited for me! I wanted to get a weapon as well!" Frederick felt wronged by both Emily and Oscar. Having released his grievances, Frederick turned his attention to the shield. "A shield? A strange choice for a first weapon. People usually take up a shield to complement their main weapon."

"Don't worry about that. I got a secret weapon on this." Oscar smiled with a cheeky expression as if goading Frederick to take a guess.

"A secret weapon?" Frederick tilted his head. But he quickly gave up trying. "If it's you, it's sure to be a surprise." He knew Oscar never did anything that was a waste. Everything was deliberate in Oscar's actions.

The two chatted as they waited for lunch to open at the Commune. But a knock on their door interrupted them. Oscar opened the door and saw Ivanka staring at him with those overpowering yellow eyes. "H-hello?"Th.ê most uptod/ate novels a/re published on n(0)velbj)n(.)c/o/m

"A-aunt?" Frederick was shocked and tidied himself up, even buttoning up his top collar.

Ivanka was expressionless as she stepped into the room, glancing around. "This place is pretty clean. Let me guess; Oscar does it all?"

"Can't you believe in your nephew?" Frederick meekly said.

"The same nephew that leaves his room like a hurricane had passed through." Ivanka's eyes locked onto Frederick, who stood rigid. All the confidence from before, when he broke through, had vanished. But Ivanka's tone became slightly warmer. "Congrats on becoming a Middle Apprentice Exalt."

"Ms. Klein. May I ask what you are here for?" Oscar was curious why a Judge came to their dorm room. Even though it was Frederick's aunt, it was still unconventional.

Ivanka looked at Oscar and Frederick and said, "I need the two of you to follow me." She did not wait for their reply and waved her hand, dragging them away. She ignored the prying eyes of the curious students around them.

"What is this about?" Oscar asked.

"The two of you must come to the Record Hall and testify about your mission. Emily, Samuel, and Austin are already there." The Record Hall was the place of records and the court that dealt with internal affairs.

Her speed was incredible as Oscar and Frederick were towed along. They arrived in front of the Record Hall in a matter of minutes. Its impressive thick walls and guards clad in great armaments were intimidating.

"What?!" Samuel could not believe what he was hearing. He thought Austin would not want to get in more trouble, so the natural conclusion was to lie. This shift made him confused as he stared at Austin in a daze.

Scoffing at Samuel's pathetic figure, Austin spoke, "I am partly to blame for participating in it, but Samuel set out to kill these two."

Oscar, Frederick, and Emily all hung their jaws wide open in response to Austin's honesty. Like Samuel, they never expected him to do this, especially because Frederick took his eye.

Once Austin finished speaking, Second Elder David rose to ask, "Is that the truth? Are you certain? It would mean you will be punished for your involvement."

Austin paused for a moment but then nodded in reply. "I accept the punishment."

David and Jane admired Austin's declaration; even Robert smiled slightly in his chair. This was the proper conduct of a Blue Ocean Pavilion member.

"Lies. They're all lies. Elders, please do not be fooled." Samuel knelt and pleaded with the three elders, whose faces turned cold at his whimpering figure.

Second Elder David had had enough of this farce. He waved his hand, forcing Samuel to stare at him. "We knew the truth of this matter yesterday. After it was reported, we confirmed all the facts and investigated. You would be sent to the Abyss Prison regardless of this court."

"THEN! Why did we have this trial?" It was all wrong. Samuel believed he had a chance to turn things around.

"This trial was to see if you had remorse for your sins. You lied to our faces and made a mockery of our honor." David's eyes were emotionless, but his tone was laced with anger, making Samuel tremble in fear. David flicked his wrist, manifesting chains that wrapped around Austin. "Austin Taylor confessed his crimes and was willing to face the punishment. He will be sent to the Abyss Prison for two weeks. It should have been one month, but losing his eye is already a harsh punishment."

"Samuel Carter, for attempted murder and lying to the court, you are sentenced to three months in the Abyss Prison." The chains wrapped around Samuel and caged his mouth. David was sick of Samuel's warped tongue.

The muffled shouts of Samuel's pleas and begging were barely audible to Oscar. Frederick and Emily sighed in relief that the two were going away.

"There is one more." David got their attention, making them surprised. The trial should have been over with. What else was there?

Oscar gripped his hands as his face became pale. There was one other matter they had to consider.

"Oscar Terr. You fought to defend yourself and succeeded. Greg's demise was his own, but you ultimately put him down. You shall only be in the Abyss Prison for a week."

Oscar felt the chains wrapped around him. He stumbled to the floor on his knees as his mind went blank. These chains were heavy but also restricted his exertion of Ein.

"I object to this!" Frederick shouted in opposition. His loud voice echoed through the spacious courtroom. "What justice is this? Oscar should be locked up for defending himself?"

"It is only a week. He will be out before you know it." David said dryly.

"Is this how the Blue Ocean Pavilion operates?" Emily stood firm, side by side with Frederick and Oscar. She could not stand by and let this abuse of authority happen.

"Halt." Robert opened his eyes, one red and blue, shocking everyone, including the elders. "What you say is correct. Oscar had every right to defend himself. However, there is a reason he needs to go."

"What reason?" Frederick and Emily could not accept this answer, but Robert announced the end of this trial, and the three in chains were taken away.

Frederick and Emily left with sour faces; they were unwilling to let this go. Frederick hoped to find his aunt Ivanka to let her know and see what they could do.

Once the courtroom was emptied, except for the elders, Jane spoke to Robert. "Great Elder, are you sure about sending the boy there?" She did not speak up earlier because it was Robert's decision. She praised the two for sticking up for their friend, even against the elders.

"I am confused as well, Great Elder." David looked up to Great Elder Robert, so he could not understand why he would do something uncharacteristic. If it were the norm, Oscar would be let go for self-defense.

"There is no need to know." Great Elder Robert refused to explain further and disappeared in a flash of light.