POV Elian
While Elder Marduk stated, with that cutting voice, that Baron Hoffmann was my father's murderer, a strange relief coursed through my veins. I can't explain what kind it was—whether it was the bitter comfort of knowing someone saw his guilt, or whether, deep down, it was the subtle hope that… maybe I had someone to turn to in the future.
Each word he spoke quickened my heartbeat. Until that moment, I had been drowning in a silent despair, seeing that trial as nothing more than theater—a staged spectacle meant to "please" the common folk and display a false impartiality to nobles and mages alike. At its core, it felt more like a well-acted play than an act of justice.
Even when he admitted that we needed to keep the mask of impartiality, something inside me whispered that maybe… maybe things could still change.
But the blade of frustration came swiftly. When the speaker decreed that Baron Hoffmann was innocent, my chest tightened as if someone had crushed it with their bare hands. My father… my family… would not have the justice they deserved.
I glanced to the side. I saw the cynical, satisfied smile on the Baron's lips, the gleam of victory in his eyes. It gnawed at me, tearing apart what little calm I still had. I felt my fury boil, along with fear—fear that reprisals might fall on Elise and my family.
The hall, once warmed by the spells emanating from the chandeliers, seemed to turn cold all at once. Time slowed before my eyes, and an unsettling tension took hold of every muscle in my body.
I saw the elders, the Prime Minister, and their aides rising, moving slowly toward the exit. But Marduk… Marduk remained seated, motionless, like a shadow watching and waiting.
Elise, at my side, was already walking toward the door, her movement slow, almost hesitant. Part of me wanted to follow her and wait, hoping that one day, things would somehow resolve themselves. But another part… another part screamed for blood.
My eyes returned to Marduk. A dangerous thought struck my mind like lightning: What if I asked him to take me into the Dark Throne? Perhaps it was naivety. Or perhaps… it was fear trying to disguise itself as courage.
My thoughts raced, each one like a spark trying to ignite something inside me. A whirlwind tore through me in seconds, and I knew—knew with absolute clarity—that I would only have this moment to make my move. Maybe it wasn't the best choice. Maybe I was about to make the greatest mistake of my life. But time would tell. And I… I had to act here and now.
My eyes locked on Elder Marduk, still seated, still watching me as if he could read the deepest essence of my soul. In that instant, my decision solidified.
"Elder Marduk!" My voice cut through the air, sharp and firm, echoing through the Oval Hall like a blade.
I felt every gaze turn toward me. Marduk kept his attention fixed on me, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught the sudden movement of dozens of heads. Even the Baron, already near the exit, stopped and turned to look at me with that damned, curious interest.
Only then did I realize: I had broken decorum.
And if this brought trouble to Elise? Damn it… what the hell had I just done? The mage in charge of the proceedings had been clear—speak only when given the word. Even the Baron had interrupted Marduk earlier, but that had been during the hearing. And me? I had called out to one of the Elders after the verdict.
My stomach twisted. This might have been the most reckless thing I had ever done—and not because it put me in danger, as I had so often done when I was Rodrigo—but because it put others at risk. Elise. My family.
She came back toward me, murmuring my name in warning, but I didn't move. I stayed where I was, staring at Marduk as if nothing else mattered.
The hall seemed to sink into a dense silence. Time didn't move. My heart pounded like a drum in a ritual, each beat tearing my calm into pieces.
Then he answered.
"What do you want, boy?" His voice was firm, yet calm. A calm that didn't soothe me; on the contrary, it made the weight of the moment heavier.
For a moment, I thought that hearing his response would make time flow again. Foolish of me… He remained still, and the air seemed even heavier.
What did I really want? Deep down, I already knew. I wanted him to take me into the Dark Throne. Maybe it was too soon. Maybe I had no talent for it at all. But somehow, I knew I would need that power.
My eyes sought Elise. She had done so much for me, risked so much… Would it be fair to ask to be accepted by another order? Wouldn't that be a betrayal to her? Almost certainly. And yet…
I took the first step. The distance between us couldn't have been more than ten meters, yet each step felt like crossing kilometers. My muscles were tight, my palms sweating, my breath quickening in a mixture of anxiety and determination.
The first whispers began to stir around me. Murmurs growing louder:
"He's insane."
"What does he think he's doing, breaking decorum like that?"
"Only a commoner would dare."
Each phrase cut like a blade, but they didn't stop me. I kept walking. Step after step. Until there was no turning back.
I stopped two meters from the three steps separating the Elders' elevated seats from the lower area where I stood.
My eyes met his. Red, steady, impenetrable. Up close, I noticed something I hadn't before: a thin, jagged scar crossed the skin near his left eye, cutting across the eyelid like the mark of a blade that had nearly taken his sight. I didn't know whether it was from battle or training… but it wasn't the kind of scar one got by accident.
I took a deep breath. Then, slowly, I bent my right knee until it touched the cold stone floor. Seconds later, I did the same with the left. Murmurs stirred again, low and distant like wind, but I didn't care—the voices were nothing but noise.
I bowed. First inclining my torso, then joining my hands to form a triangle with my fingers, resting my forehead against them. My heart pounded as if it wanted to shatter my ribs. Everything inside me screamed that this was the moment. Now or never.
"Elder Marduk," I began, feeling the tension in my own voice but trying to let honesty seep into every syllable, "I know I'm breaking decorum. I know what I'm doing is reckless, maybe even foolish…" I paused, searching for the right words. "But I ask, with all the humility I have left, that you accept me as a member of the Dark Throne."
Silence settled. I waited. Nothing. No reaction. The weight of that void forced me to keep speaking.
"I know I'm just a commoner…" my voice lowered but didn't waver, "…and maybe I have nothing to offer but my words and my blood. But I swear that if you accept me, you won't regret it."
The floor felt colder beneath my knees. With each second, my anxiety grew.
I heard footsteps approaching from the sides—two mages, probably sent to remove me as if I were just an inconvenience. Their steps echoed in the hall, mixing with the murmurs that slithered through the air like venomous whispers.
"Commoner."
"Breaks decorum and thinks he can ask for something like that…"
"Doesn't know his place."
I ignored every word, though I knew they were cruel truths. I was a commoner. I had broken decorum. And maybe I truly didn't know my place.
When the two mages were about to reach me, Marduk's voice cut through the air like a blade slicing flesh.
"Leave him." His order wasn't a request; it was a decree. "I didn't command you."
They stopped immediately, and he turned his attention back to me.
"Stand, boy." His voice was sharp, laden with authority. "Did you really think that with this little display I would simply accept you into the Dark Throne?"
Laughter rippled through the hall—muted, but enough to stab into me. My skin burned with shame at every chuckle. All I could think was: I ruined everything.
I rose slowly, forcing my eyes to meet Elise's. She stood still, watching me. There was no judgment in her gaze, no reproach. Impossible to read her. Perhaps she was just trying to understand what was going through my head.
Frustration swelled in my chest, suffocating. How could I be so foolish? To think a desperate bow would be enough to make me a disciple of one of the most influential Elders? Useless…
But before I could sink completely, his voice rang out again, sharper.
"Who said I was done with you, boy? Already given up?"
The tone made my muscles jolt. I lifted my gaze, meeting his eyes again. Around us, the Elders and the Prime Minister, who had been heading for the exit, stopped and returned to their seats, as if something worth watching was about to happen. The hall, which had been emptying, was now thick with expectation—like a new trial was about to begin.
"As you yourself said…" Marduk continued, his voice controlled yet heavy, "…what would I gain by accepting you into the Dark Throne? Mages may not be the majority, but there are still plenty who would give anything to join one of the Three Great Orders." He tilted his head slightly, his red eyes locked on mine. "So why you? What would make me want you?"
My mind went blank. I had been ready for rejection… but this question was different. It caught me off guard, like a sudden blow.
And before I could even try to form an answer, he threw another at me, one that cut deeper than any blade:
"And you… did you even think about what your master would think? Did you think you might be betraying her?"
He paused, turning his gaze toward Elise, who remained still.
"What do you think about this, Lady Elise?"
I looked at her. I wasn't hoping she would say she didn't feel betrayed—because I knew I was betraying her. Betraying the person who had helped me, who had protected my family for years, who had stood between us and death more than once. There was no excuse.
Her gaze, once locked on mine, shifted slowly to Elder Marduk. Then she spoke:
"I understand what he wants, Elder. I can't deny that this took me by surprise… but I understand what's going through his mind." She paused briefly, and her voice grew firmer. "As much as I would want him to join the Tower of Wisdom, I know the best place for him would be the Dark Throne."
I didn't know if she truly believed that… or if she was masking something. Her expression was too steady. Maybe it was genuine happiness. Maybe it was hidden sadness. I couldn't read it.
Marduk spoke again:
"Then tell me, boy… why should I accept you?"
I took a deep breath and forced myself to meet his gaze.
"Elder Marduk… I'm nothing more than a commoner. Son of two farmers, from a village called Brumaria." My voice was calm but heavy. "I began my training at the age of three with my mother… and she could only use basic magic."
To demonstrate, I raised my hand and summoned a small spear of earth, murmuring a low incantation.