Flight Rising: The Arcane Court of Justice

Chapter Five: Witnesses, Witness This

~Day of the Second Hearing.....

It was a bright and sunny morning just like the day of the first hearing. The court had started early, and one could see the pink and gold clouds streaking gently across the graceful blue sky. The forest around the court was blossoming with sweet-scented flowers and gentle lullabies. The little stream trickling through the woods caught the newborn sunlight and reflected it off its rippling surface, creating small rainbows that darted playfully through the canopy of trees.

On the horizon, however, a sharp-eyed dragon would be able to see the swarm of navy-winged Storm Seekers spiraling about a tiny patch of gray clouds in the east, illuminated from time to time by brilliant forks of lightning. The wind was harsh there, a point accented by the flailing trees torn from their roots. The wind was only a faint breeze at the court, but a drake with good senses would be able to tell that it was getting steadily stronger.

However, no dragon was aware of this, as most of them were attending court.

~*~*~*~

"Eurosss!" Kedia hissed out of the side of her mouth.

"What?" Euros whispered back.

"Cloud chasers!"

"What?"

"I think they're outside the door." Kedia whispered. "I can sense them."

"That's great, but court's starting soon." Euros mouthed. "Talk later."

"Dragons of the Starfall Isles!" Olive's voice broke through the tense silence. "I welcome you to the Arcane Court of Justice yet again. Today, I shall hear the witnesses speak. Plaintiff, I understand you have procured two witnesses?"

"Yes." Euros spoke up. "They'll tell you everything you need to know about this injustice."

Phoenix, on the other side of the court, merely smiled in anticipation.

"Very well." Olive turned to the Witness's Box. One of them was empty. "Hmm...it seems that one of your -- "

The doors swung open, and Salvistar the iridescent purple Imperial marched in.

"Pardon me for interrupting the hearing honorable judge and jury," He proclaimed, dipping his head towards Olive, "but as a purple dragon, I have also been discriminated against by the Accused, the...." he seemed to have some difficulty restraining himself from a psychotic blabbering. ".... extinguished jackalopes. I have never received a chest of any sort from them after winning battles and they rarely give me Embers. I therefore submit that as my case and request to be put on the side of the Plaintiff Kedia, presented by the attorney Euros."

"Thanks for coming....Salvistar, was it?" Olive nodded politely at him. "Please make your way to the Witness's Box, where you must first swear upon the Book of Testimony before stating your case." She turned towards Fei, who brought forth a well-worn book.

Salvistar bowed his head and retreated towards his seat in the Witness's Box, placing a shimmering paw on the soft leather cover of the book when he arrived. "I, Salvistar of the Starfall Isles, swear upon my name and honor to speak the truth and only the truth when I give my testimony. If I so much as speak a single word of untruth, I will accept the consequences of law."

"Thank you, Salvistar." Olive said formally. "Now, I understand that you have witness the -- "

"Don't say that word!" Kedia hissed.

"What?"

"Say the EJ word. Not the other term."

Olive looked at her. "What?"