"Order in the hall!"
BAM
The gavel struck the sound block, made of blackstone, resonating energy all around the hall. Everyone gathered had mixed feelings, some not surprised it was the 'black dragon'. Others, close friends, were astonished to see their friend, the innocent Muna be dragged half asleep into the Yull, a hall where infamous offenders were tried.
I looked up, instinctively raising my palm to shield my eyes from the relentless onslaught of the bright sunlight. My eyes, unaccustomed to such intensity, squinted against the glare, struggling to adjust. With my stomach growling emptily, I felt a wave of fatigue wash over me, the disheveled state of my hair mirroring my inner turmoil. The last thing I wanted to face was a hearing, surrounded by those who thrived on my discomfort, who would delight in watching me struggle. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, amplifying my sense of dread as I braced myself for what lay ahead.
"Muna vs the YCB will now begin!"
Through the sunlight I could view a male figure, blonde, with signs of age brewing around his face. Beyond his depleting visage, you could see a hardened man--one that has seen many times, clawing through them all. That was Esteban Hieres, the chancellor of Yulo, and has been for the past 40 years, 41st year now.
I sat on a wooden chair, with a fence-like structure around me, to the left of the YCB. Everyone, spectators, well-wishers, fanatics, gossipers and friends stood behind the long but short iron gate which was further fortified by Yulo instructors and guards.
In the Yull, there were no student, nor teacher, all humans surprised at the eventful twists and turns of life in Yulo.
"Representing the YCB, I Ollie Pift will be the lead prosecutor for this hearing."
"Cadet 101. What is your name?"
By now, the room was completely silent. A heavy hush had settled over everyone, enveloping us in an almost palpable stillness. There was no voice to be heard, no outside conversations filtering in; it was as if the world outside had faded away entirely. Every ounce of focus was poured into the session unfolding in the hall, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Eyes were fixed me, waiting for any sign of what was or what could be happening .
"My name is Muna." I answered with strong certainty.
"And your last name?"
"I decline to answer."
I looked straight ahead, but I could feel his confused gaze burning into my face.
"You decline to answer what your last name is?"
"Is it not in the constitution of the Royal territory to decline all questions not required directly from the government, in a non-lethal situation? I am simply playing by the rules."
The room erupted in a short lived gossip, interrupted by the gavel.
"Lead prosecutor Ollie Pift, onto your next question"
"Aye, sir. On what day did you receive your first official invitation? Before you decline to answer, I'll help you. You dont look like someone who uses their head a lot."
There was a slight giggle that followed.
"It was on the 1st of October this year. Can you make it clear to everyone hear in this hall why you ignored that notice?"
While being slightly pissed, part tired, I got up sending the wooden chair upon which I sat to ground with a loud noise.
"Lets get this show on the road"
"Let the record show that I was formally given a letter by the YCB this year, as a freshman in Yulo. Sir Ollie, how long does it take to get a the stamp of the chancellor on an official document?" I asked, gesturing in a magnificent manner.
"I decline to answer. If you can do it, I can too."
I turned around to look at him, his colleagues regarding him with a wide grin.
"I'll help you. You dont look like someone who uses their head a lot. Familiar words, isn't it? It takes 1-10 days. Since I was given the letter on the first of October, we can assume it took a single day, unless Ollie here is taking time control classes."
The hall erupted in laughter. The gavel sounded, but the noise was just too much.
The chancellor had had enough, his face now frowning. He took a deep breath and in an attempt to regain control in the hall, he fortified his voice with energy, his tone ringing through the room.
"Silence. Cadet 101, lead prosecutor Ollie Pift, one more flippant joke and you are evicted from this hall. What point are you trying to bring across, cadet?" he said, his face in his palm, already fed up.
"Assuming that the officiation process was one day, we can point out that the process began on September 30th. According the Academium Archive, students within their first month are immune to requests and invitations if not given as a result of clear violation of school law. According to page 21, challenge to authority is permitted, as an act of survival, and against tyranny. I did not ignore the request, I simply invoked my privileges as any ordinary cadet in the prestigious Yulo Academy"
"The hall will recognize the rights to Academium Archive. All elders in favor of the continuation of the hearing in the case of cadet 101?"
All of the elders raised their hands, very quickly. No one was surprised.
"Lead prosecutor Ollie Pift, you may continue your questioning. Be time conscious."
"Aye, Sir Chancellor. Cadet 101, where were you on the second week of school?"
"What? Venus do your thing?"
"That was the time you passed out after fighting Anne. Anne did a good job framing in it as a berserk-skill overload."
"That's why you're in my mind. Good girl."
She kept quiet. A little teasing from time to time shouldn't hurt, no?
"I can recall that. It was an overload on my skill. It caused some internal damage; Professor Anne already reported the incident to the school as far as I can remember. You point is?"
His face lit up with excitement.
"My point is that we have medical facilities, staff and trained veterans in the school. What may have caused a single teacher to act out on her own for a specific student?"
"That's because--"
"We wont be hearing anything from you. Rather, I call Miss Anne Ertha to the stand."
"Objection! Irrelevance!" I stood up.
"Sustained" the
"Chancellor, the matter on whether I was present is completely off topic regarding my exploits on the campus. I request his statement be withdrawn." I said confidently, briefly staring in Ollie's eyes, my countenance unwavering.
"Cadet 101, while your objection is indeed true, for the sake of the hearing, we will entertain this as the last section. Lead prosecutor Ollie Pift, make sure your questions are related to the subject. Carry on. Do be conscious of time."
The Chancellor had seemed tired, he had said that twice already.
"Without further ado, lets welcome Miss Anne Ertha! Or will she decline like someone I know." Pift said, mockingly.
"Watch your mouth. Or I'll help you shut it."
The gavel sounded once more.
"The hall will have no more of this nonsense. Be sure to mind your language, both of you. Miss Ertha, please make your way to the stand. Do so quickly."
Just then, she made her way to the stand, still visibly sleepy. Her eyes were cloudy, as if she had just emerged from a deep slumber, and her hair was a disheveled mass of tangled strands that framed her face in a chaotic halo. She rubbed her eyes gently, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep that clung to her like a heavy blanket. Each step was slow and deliberate, as if the weight of the morning lingered in her limbs, making her movements feel almost dreamlike.
Ollie began his meticulous questioning.
"Do you swear to tell the truth but nothing but the truth?" he asked.
"I swear"
"Professor Ertha, how long have you been a professor at the Yulo Academy? According to official record that I have access to, you have been instructing the practical classes for about 4 years. Is that correct?"
"That is correct"
"Your father is the infamous merchant JON ERTHA, am I correct"
She kept silent. There was a huge gasp in the room, everyone taken aback by the resemblance, realizing that they shared the same last name.
"Why were you the one to help Muna on both occasions? From records, he visits your office at least once every two days. Why is that?"
"I-"
"Why is it that you carried him to you own home away from campus? Why did he remain there for one week?!" he interrupted, loudly.
"You ran away from you father because you couldn't take it huh?"
I stood up. If she's not going to say anything, I will.
"This is a hearing, not a history lesson. Why bring up something so personal?!" I asked, concerned.
He turned around his eyes red.
"You better sit your shaded butt right backdown."
At this point, my heart raced wildly, pounding against my ribcage like a drum in a frantic march. The adrenaline surged through my veins, twisting and coiling with each thumping beat, making my arms twitch involuntarily. I could feel the tension building, a storm brewing within me that threatened to erupt at any moment.
I clenched my jaws tightly, grinding my teeth as I fought to conceal the seething anger that churned just beneath the surface. My hands curled into fists, the knuckles whitening as I struggled to maintain control. My hand curled so tight that my fingers lit my palm. Each breath felt heavy and labored, a reminder of the tempest of emotions swirling inside.
The world around me faded into a blur, my focus narrowing to the source of my frustration. I could almost hear the angry whispers of my thoughts echoing in my mind, urging me to unleash the fury I had bottled up. But I held on, determined to keep my composure, even as the heat of my anger threatened to consume me whole.
"What did he just call me?!"
"Calm down. Remember what I told you this morning. If something like that happened, convert the rage into energy, and ooze it off slightly. We cant have you going haywire here. Not now."
I barely heard what she said. I was already growling.
Ollie walked over to Anne to continue his questioning. I stood up. I had an idea.
"If you know what's good for you, you'd stop that right now. I have warned you."
"Why did you take him? Why did cater to him? You broke the school rules to advocate for a first year. Makes sense your father threw you away. You may leave now. I dont want that dog over there barking in my ear"
I walked up to him. My anger rising to a level where even I couldn't feel it. It turned into a cold, strong murderous intent. The type harbored by gardeners when they pluck weeds, or when you step on a bug. No feelings or regard whatsoever. A shameless, innocent, but yet murderous intent.
The hall went quiet.
As I got close, I raised my fist and threw it at his direction with all the frustration that I had stored. As my hand flew it was followed by a screeching loud roar, everyone covering their ears.
My hand did not hit him, but in the Chancellor's stomach. He fully absorbed the blow, along with the loud roar
"You two are now expelled from the hall. One for inappropriate language-" he said coldly.
He raised his fist, a red glowing orb inside. He threw it out the open window. It exploded, with the same roar as before, but louder. The explosion forced everyone, even the professors to their knees, the magnitude exceedingly overwhelming. All but me and the Chancellor stood in the middle of the hall
Sir Esteban looked outside.
"The other for lethal force" he said.