man was unable to hold eye contact for more than an instant. He looked down at the lectern, clearly vexed. He turned his body slightly toward James as if to block the sight of Ammoncourt entirely.
“The charges: Acting against a council mandate, spearheading a conspiracy, and murder.”
“Murder?” James shouted. Taken aback, his heart immediately began pounding in his ears. Ammoncourt’s eyes glanced quickly at James, but he made no other movement.
“Calm yourself,” Master Elder said with enjoyment in knowing he had broken James’s emotional shield with a single word. The red-robed figures each took a step toward James. Master Elder raised his hand, stopping the guards. James silently cursed himself for reacting.
“The council mandate…”
“In order to afford a proper defense, the accused has a right to the victim’s name, Master Elder,” Ammoncourt interrupted.
Master Elder looked up with a grin. Ammoncourt’s interruption provided him the opportunity for retribution from his previous embarrassment.
“Of course, Master Ammoncourt. The victim is Akil Karanis.”
Several gasps could be heard from the seating area above. Ammoncourt’s face turned dour as he took a step forward.
“Preposterous. Simply because the council is too incompetent to locate the man they deem an enemy does not imply he’s been murdered. No proof has ever surfaced of this so-called murder; no evidence of a body has ever been found. It is clear that the council is grasping at anything in order to besmirch Mr. Stuart. If this, the most serious of charges, is so riddled with holes, how is any among the council supposed to give merit to the remaining arguments? I call for a vote on the immediate dismissal of all charges. Let us stop wasting the council’s time by allowing Alvaro’s influence to win over absurdity.”
“Blasphemous! How dare you speak of Grand Master Elder Alvaro in such a manner. Such admonishment will not be tolerated,” said Master Elder.
“I speak the truth. Nothing more,” replied Ammoncourt calmly.
“This is not an open forum in which to further your political agenda, Master Ammoncourt. We are here today because crimes have been committed. Laws have been broken. A man has been killed. Now be silent and allow this hearing to proceed, or I will have you removed.”
“Your puppets do not frighten me. Nor do your threats. I stand on the side of truth. Which, above all else, will prevail.”
“Master Elder,” a voice said from the seating area above the chamber. “I suggest you move quickly to show us your evidence. I imagine it is irrefutable, proving this boy is the murderer of Akil Karanis, or you wouldn’t have summoned us here.
“Of course, High Elder Grimm,” Master Elder replied hastily. “With respect to the murder of Akil Karanis I present the following damning evidence-a witness to the crime.”
Gasps fell from the seats above. Master Elder outstretched his arms, palms facing each other. An orb of blue light no larger than a pinpoint grew in the space between his hands.
“As always, witness accounts are classified incontrovertible. He turned toward James, grinning.
Without another word, Master Elder gently tossed the orb into the air. As it reached its apex, it expanded, enveloping the entire chamber in a new scene.
In a forest of giant trees, James sat on a large stone by a fire. He looked younger, less burdened. He leaned toward the flames to warm his hands. A flash of light drew his attention. He stood quickly and turned toward the source. Akil Karanis appeared. James relaxed. He walked toward Akil then stopped several feet away, encircling his right fist in his left hand, he bowed deeply. Akil returned the greeting.
“I didn’t think you’d return,” James said.
“Nor I, until I was summoned.”
“By whom?”
“By you, of course,” Akil replied, slightly perplexed by James’s response.
“I did not summon you, Master,” James replied, a concerned look quickly replaced the relief.
“We must leave quickly. Gather your things,” said Akil.
James stepped toward the fire and lifted a leather bag lying next to the stone upon which he had been seated. Another flash of light drew both men’s attention. A third person, veiled by the shadow of the tree, appeared.
“What are you doing here?” James called out.
“You know this person, James?” Akil asked.
James looked into Akil’s eyes for a brief moment then quickly muttered a word. A large rock lifted from the ground, and as if James controlled it with invisible strings, he heaved it at Akil. The stone hit an invisible barrier and fell harmlessly to the ground.
“James. Why?” asked Akil.
A purple flame grew between James’s outstretched hands. Without a word, he pushed it toward Akil. Looking neither afraid nor even concerned, the flame struck Akil. He stiffened and began to shake where he stood. Beams of red light bore outward from beneath his skin. He let out a wail of pain as the light exploded from his body, leaving only a small purple orb floating in the air where he stood. Akil Karanis was dead. James’s hands were still outstretched, his face still wrought with concentration after casting such a massive incantation. The scene dissolved like mist, revealing the chamber once again.
Ammoncourt looked at James in disbelief. Pandemonium gripped James’s emotions.
“This cannot be,” Ammoncourt muttered.
“Incontrovertible,” Master Elder said with a wry smile, “as are our laws. I move to immediate sentencing if it pleases the council.”
“This is clearly a fabrication. The third law would have had to been broken as the alleged spell caster still stands before us,” said Ammoncourt.
“Never in the history of our kind has someone tampered with a memory as you now allege,” replied Master Elder.
“What is more reasonable? That this boy has managed to circumvent one of the unbreakable laws, or that someone, a person with real power, has finally found a way to tamper with a memory, which is not among the unbreakable eight?”
Ammoncourt stepped toward the center of the chamber, his arms outstretched in a pleading posture.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I implore you to listen to reason. The council fears this boy because of what he is. Have no doubt, he is the Anointed One. Do not be swayed by political motivation. Use common sense. Is it truly reasonable to assume that not only did this boy find a way to break an unbreakable law but that he was also able to overpower the greatest sorcerer of our time? Or perhaps there is another explanation?”
“Touching, however irrelevant at this point, I’m afraid,” Master Elder said with the slightest of smirks. “It’s over Ammoncourt,” he whispered. “You should have never returned.”
“The only thing left to discuss is the sentence,” Master Elder said, raising his voice.
“No!” James shouted, finally coming out of his shock-induced stupor.
“I didn’t murder Akil. None of that happened. He’s like a father to me. Someone tampered with the memory!”
James’s body began to shake. The vein on his forehead pulsed as the ground started to tremor. Gasps and cries could be heard from the witnesses hidden in the shadowed seating above.
Master Elder nodded at the red-robed guards, and their body language quickly changed from aggressive to apprehensive. Neither moved as James continued to shake. A faint red glow surrounded him as he clenched his fists in an attempt to control himself.
“Now, you fools!” Master Elder screamed, jolting the guards into action. They stepped forward and took James by his arms. Both guards immediately fell to the ground motionless. As if expecting it, Master Elder waved his arms, signaling the axe wielding guards to converge. James’s vision began to spin as he listened to the sentence read by Master Elder. He could hear Ammoncourt arguing, but his voice was distant, muted. “Rarely among our own people is such a heinous crime committed. The victim must be taken into consideration, being a servant to our council and community for a time greater than even Grand Master Elder Alvero. It is because of the severity of this crime and the loss our world has incurred as a result, that I recommend to the council that James Lochlan Stuart IV
