Author's Preface
The next day.
A lot of familiar faces had gathered at the main square. Valorian soldiers formed a half circle to prevent anyone from interfering, standing alongside members of the Black Sun order.
Zeek and the Wanderer watched as the soldiers dragged the cuffed Serenya to the middle of the square.
An old man in a Black Sun tabard moved to the center as the soldiers chained Serenya to a large stone. "We are here for the trial of a heretic," said the old Mage Seeker. "Using magic within Valoria is punishable by death, and death only." He looked at Serenya in disgust. "However, the king approved this trial to be held."
Suddenly, the royal horn echoed through the square, and the king was announced. Soldiers began pushing the crowd aside for him to walk through.
Altharion was an old man with long silver hair, dressed in a ceremonial garment with a large cloak dragging behind him. The Wanderer was surprised by the silk wrapped around the king's eyes, yet he walked with absolute confidence ahead of his guards.
The Wanderer leaned to Zeek. "Is he blind?"
Zeek replied, "He can see, if that's your question."
The crowd bowed as Altharion moved to a large chair set up on the side of the square. He sat down, leaning his cheek on his hand as the royal guards surrounded him. He offered a lazy wave of his hand to the Mage Seeker.
The Mage Seeker bowed and continued. "The wise King Altharion has given a chance for this woman to defend herself." He turned to Serenya. "What do you have to defend yourself, heretic?"
Serenya looked at the Mage Seeker, then turned her head to the crowd. "I didn't choose to be born as a mage. I didn't even know until later." She paused, her voice steadying. "But I wouldn't have changed it if I could."
The Mage Seeker pointed a finger at her. "So you admit your crime!"
She looked at him and said softly, "What crime are you talking about, elder? To be born?"
The Mage Seeker paced around her. "The law is clear. Mages are not welcome in Valoria. Yet, King Altharion can pardon the mages who vow to never use magic and destroy their circles." He turned to the crowd, raising his voice. "But she chose to keep her filth! She even dared to use it in public, for the whole city to see!"
"I used it to save Valoria!" Serenya shouted.
"To defile Valoria!"
"I was helping!"
"No one asked for your help!"
Serenya’s breath hitched as her fingers tightened around the heavy chains. "Look at these people! If I didn't act, not one of them would be alive today! Best case, they would be slaves in the Draemiran army!"
The Mage Seeker’s eyes widened in fury. "You filthy mage... You dare to insult the Valorian defense in the presence of the king?!" He clenched his fist. "We had a contingency plan to save Valoria!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, swayed by his words.
Serenya pushed herself forward, rattling the chains as she pointed toward the ruined northern district. "Tell that to the families lost! To the brave Valorians who died in an instant on the northern wall!"
The Mage Seeker crossed his arms coldly. "They are soldiers. Their job is to die defending this land."
Serenya tilted her head. "And if we could prevent their deaths, so they can live another day? To bring a father home to his children?" She chuckled bitterly. "Even if a soldier's purpose to you is merely to die... what about the innocent civilians burned alive in the Draemiran attack?"
The crowd grew louder, voices overlapping as citizens began to argue among themselves.
The Mage Seeker began to sweat, his eyes darting across the rumbling crowd. He raised his hand, shouting, "Silence!" He turned back to Serenya. "You are not to question our actions. You are the one in question here."
He stepped closer with a grin. "Timothy Morning Star is your uncle from your mother's side, am I right?"
Serenya’s face turned red. "He is, but-"
"He admitted to being a mage, and he conspired to bring Draemir directly to our gates!"
"I had nothing to do with that!" Serenya shouted.
"You're just trying to save your neck," the Seeker sneered, laughing aloud. "Trying to fool the good Valorian people into believing in your heresy!"
Altharion yawned loudly. "I've heard enough."
As the king adjusted himself, the Wanderer caught a glimpse of the great blade strapped to his waist. It was Justice.
Slowly, the king leaned forward, turning his blindfolded head toward Serenya. "What's your end goal here, child? To insult my laws... or to live?"
Serenya turned her gaze to Altharion. "King Altharion. My king. I am here today for every confused child. For every terrified family that has a hidden mage living among them." She slowly dropped to her knees, her chains clattering against the stone. "I beg your wisdom to rethink the law on magic. We aren't all evil. We can help Valoria grow more than ever before. Mages walked among us once. Give us a chance to prove these old laws wrong."
Altharion leaned back, shaking his head. "I pity your ignorance, child. You are too young to understand. Ever since the war between the Dragonborn families, mages have brought nothing but misery to this land."
"They were misunderstood!" Serenya cut in.
Altharion grinned. "Oh, they were not."
He stood up from his chair and walked slowly toward her. "They used magic the way it was meant to be used." He reached down, grabbing her chin tightly and gritting his teeth. "...To kill their enemies."
He shoved her chin away. "Just like you did."
Serenya stood up. "I didn't kill anyone!"
"Didn't you set the Draemiran army on fire after you destroyed that fiery bird?!" Altharion shouted back.
Serenya stuttered, "But... I didn't mean to." She paused. "And they came here to kill us!"
Altharion leaned his head close to hers. "Exactly. To kill us... using magic."
He turned around, pacing in front of the stone. "It is all because of that filthy magic."
"You fucking ungrateful bastard!" the Wanderer shouted from the crowd.
Instantly, a squad of Valorian guards swarmed him, pinning him to the ground.
Altharion laughed. "We have a lot of bold people today." He pointed a finger in the direction of the commotion. "And who might this man be?"
The Mage Seeker rushed to Altharion's side, bowing down. "He is the man she used to channel her magic through before revealing herself, Your Majesty."
"How amusing," said Altharion. "She used you, and you're the one to defend her?"
The Mage Seeker stepped forward hastily. "He must still be under her spell, my King. No sane man would insult the King publicly."
"I'm not under anyone's control!" The Wanderer raised his head, his voice muffled under the guard's weight. "And I did mean it. You are an ungrateful hypocrite!"
"Don't listen to him!" Serenya shouted, her voice trembling with panic. "My magic is still tethered to him!"
Altharion raised his hand. "Silence!"
He smiled thinly down at the Wanderer. "Let the man go. Come on, son, tell me your last words."
The guards released their grip. The Wanderer forced himself up and began limping toward Altharion until the surrounding soldiers blocked his path.
"You want to punish her for saving this damned city?" the Wanderer spat. "Because 'it's the law,' and the great Altharion's law is absolute? But the law only applies when it's convenient for you.
Tell me, Your Highness, how do your Nullstones work? That precious stone you have all over your kingdom preys on magic!"
He pointed a finger at Altharion. "You use magic, one way or another!"
Altharion reached up and slowly pulled the silk from his eyes. "I do."
Where his eyes should have been, two glowing Nullstones were embedded in his sockets.
He leaned in slightly. "But riddle me this: we plant wheat, then grind it into flour to make bread. If we use human waste as a fertilizer for that wheat, does that mean you eat shit?"
"I can see through your facade, Altharion!" The Wanderer raised his voice. "An unjust law isn't a law at all!"
"My King!"
The sound of wheels grinding against ground cut through the tense air as Zeek pushed his chair through the crowd. He bowed as low as he could from his seat. "Please forgive them. They are foolish. I beg for your mercy."
Altharion looked down at Zeek's severed legs for a moment. "Given that he is a man under a spell... I can be merciful." He turned his gaze back to the Wanderer. "You are to be exiled from Valoria. The next time I see your face, no crippled captain will save your life."
Zeek kept his head bowed, his voice pleading. "And my niece too, my King..."
Altharion tied the silk blindfold back over his sockets. "This is where my mercy ends. I gave her a choice between her life and the law. She chose the law."
The Wanderer shouted over the murmurs of the crowd, "If you already had your ruling, why proceed with this show trial at all?!"
Altharion turned back toward Serenya. "It was a dying man's wish. Robert Bradford agreed to take his own life as repentance for harboring two mages under his roof."
He tilted his head toward Serenya, whose face went pale.
"In exchange, I agreed to listen to his daughter's plea."
"My father..." Serenya muttered. Tears flooded her eyes, spilling over her the chains.
"Justice must be served," Altharion said, turning his back on her and stepping out of the square. "Carry out the sentence."
"No!" the Wanderer roared.
The Mage Seeker stepped forward, his voice booming over the quieted crowd. "For your heresy and crimes against the kingdom…"
"Serenya!" The Wanderer’s voice desperately tried to cut over the Seeker’s pronouncement.
"...by King Altharion's name, I sentence you to death!"
Two guards grabbed Serenya's arms, hauling her toward the execution block in the center of the square. She offered no resistance, her body going limp as if she had already given up on living.
Four more guards seized the Wanderer, wrestling his arm behind his back and dragging him backward through the streets.
"Listen to me, Serenya!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, thrashing against the armored men holding him. "Break free! Get out! Get out!"
The guards brought her to the execution stone, and the Spiral began grinding within the Wanderer.