Dream Beyond Life's Edge

Trial

"Take off your clothes," the enforcer ordered.

With the trial coming in only an hour, enforcers brought her to a room to be searched and secured. With only a chair, a table, a door, and some tools, the room was large by comparison.

"That's... Why?" Talia asked the woman. Though Stadtmen had advised her against arguing, she couldn't help but ask in this situation. If she were to undress, she wanted to at least know the reasoning.

"We need to confirm you don't have any dangerous weaponry. Normally we wouldn't need to do this, but with the amount of reycorus and seycorus on your case, we had to ensure security. Don't worry, this room is completely closed off. Aside from me, no one can see you."

Reycorus and seycorus were nobles of the ruling house and high nobles respectively. Stadtmen's statement of her case being the center of attention had proven to be true. And for the first trial, she had to bear it alone.

Clenching her stomach to hold off the embarrassment, Talia stripped down. The enforcer looked over her, searching for anything suspicious before ordering her to wear her clothes.

The enforcer ordered her to sit on the chair provided on the room's edge and Talia complied.

"It'll hurt just a little," the enforcer said before piercing a needle into her upper right arm. Sucked out of her, blood came filling the small needle. She then pulled out the needle and healed the wound.

"Take off the necklace and place it on the table," the enforcer ordered.

Without touching the gemstone, Talia carefully took off the necklace and did as the enforcer told.

"Until you're called, wait here." The enforcer walked to the door and, while standing, guarded it.

Talia had hoped she'd be able to practice, but with the enforcer watching her, she couldn't risk it. The hour of waiting passed in complete silence. There were no clocks inside the room, causing Talia's anxiety to build, able to only wonder of the time.

Another enforcer entered the room. "Come with me."

Talia stood from her chair and was escorted by the two enforcers through the hall, halting in front of a large arched door guarded by two enforcers.

On Talia's left and right were the two enforcers, fully on guard against her moves. She curated her ragged breathing, trying to control her rising anxiety to no avail.

"The door shall open shortly," a door-guarding enforcer announced.

Talia straightened her back and took a deep breath. She couldn't let her anxiousness show; it would only give the biased judges more to work with.

The two door guards swung the door open.

From outside, Talia saw rows of empty seats half encircling the center where she would stand; a place for people to watch the case. In the farthest edge were the three judges, shielded by wooden walls—and supposedly a magic barrier. To their left and right were two empty stands.

"May the convicted enter the courtroom," the right judge said.

While escorted by a guard, Talia walked past the seats and entered the center—surrounding her was a circular railing with the only gap being behind her. Underneath her, a magic circle appeared and a translucent barrier arose around her.

The first of her two day trial began. The first day wouldn't contain her punishment, that was to be decided on the second.

"Talia of the Meridionale village colony, you hereby stand accused of murder. Until given your turn, you shall not speak. Lies will be met with worsening of punishment. Do you assent?"