I wake up the next day, glaring at the ceiling. I couldn't stop thinking about how shitty this world is all night. It pisses me off how sketchy this country is. And it's the first place I'm going to improve. Ugh. I think I would've preferred the Kingdom of Gilgamesh, believe it or not. After meeting Deatrix, something tells me they'd be more reasonable.
Today I must do something to find proof Balgor started the fight. And when I was reviewing my spells last night, an idea struck me. My spell Observational Eye can record events. So it'd be reasonable to assume stores and other places are using such spells to keep watch on their own property. So I'm going back to the scene of the crime, and asking the businesses around the area if I could use those recordings in court.
This area is honestly a nicer part of town now that I'm looking at it better. There are several businesses here and a tavern. It's clean and colorful. If there's one thing I like about this place, it's how vibrant it is.
But then the darkness creeps out. I meet the eyes of a worker, and they seem to look through me. They're just standing by the counter inside a store, staring outside. I already know what they are, but it's confirmed when I see another woman walk up to them. She points at something, and robotically the slave moves to do as they're told.
I see another woman in a very fancy dress. It sparkles with beautiful diamonds, and she has a gorgeous face to match. But any attraction I feel is burnt to ash when I notice the two blank faced, stiff moving slaves behind her. They're carrying a large amount of bags, and even a sword. They're sweating a lot. I hear a bone pop as they walk past.
And of course, I see a guard leaning against the tavern's wall flip me off. Fuck Pordrig.
I sigh angrily, and straighten my hair up. Then I approach a jewelry store. It's painted black, with a bright galaxy of stars over it. I walk through a heavy steel door, and step inside. It's very fancy inside. Simplistic as well. Black floors, white walls. Shelves and tables filled with jewelry are spread out neatly from one another in perfect, comfortable symmetry. Some of the jewelry seems to be glowing as if it's enchanted. In the center is a circle counter with a hip level door opposite the entrance.
Standing in the center is a business woman with simple makeup on. She has dark skin, with straight black hair. She wears a black and gold striped suit dress. She has a nice pearl necklace around her neck that glows a soft blue.
As she sees me approach, her eyes widen with recognition.
"You're the lawyer that created divorce, correct?" she asks seriously.
I restrain a sigh, and smile politely.
"Yes, Henry Sheeves. I'm here on business unfortunately." I say nicely.
The woman nods, and smiles back. Just as polite, like a professional.
"So what do you need my assistance with?" she asks calmly.
"I was wondering if you use any surveillance magic outside that may have seen the fight that occurred a few days ago on the street." I ask calmly.
"Ahhh, yes. I could help you and give you the recordings. But I need your help in return." Business Woman says politely.
"Ma'am, I'm not a divorce lawyer. I just invented it." I say firmly.
The woman stares at me for a moment, then chuckles nervously.
"Don't worry sir, it's not that. I was hoping you'd help me find a jewel." she says nicely.
I arch an eyebrow.
"Huh? I'm a lawyer, not an adventurer. Ma'am, a man's freedom is on the line. Please." I say annoyedly.
The woman firmly stares me in the eyes. And I think I see a fist curl.
"I am not required to help you. Scratch my back, I scratch yours. If it makes you feel better, I guarantee my store had a good view of what happened. I considered turning it in already, but that bastard is a Disciple of Gilgamesh." Business Woman says firmly.
Her eyes suddenly burn with hatred.
"Those bastards killed more than a few of my family members back during the war. Maybe I wasn't alive back then, but my Grandpa was. And he hated them for killing his son, and I hate them for it as well. If they didn't, I'd have an uncle." she says bitterly.
The woman suddenly straightens up and takes a deep breath, and exhales quickly. Then she smiles nicely at me.
"Apologies, that suddenly came over me. But that's my deal. You can even have that bastard do the work if you want. Just bring me the jewel of a Wise Ruby Owl." Business Woman says with polite firmness.
I feel myself forced to smile back, this time due to a fear of destroying the polite facade business brings to society.
"I'll see what I can do. No promises." I say nervously. "Have a nice day ma'am."
"You too!" Business Woman says nicely.
I turn and leave quickly. At least my first stop has a lead. However, hunting a monster seems like a distraction. But a recording of what happened would nearly guarantee a good result.
I should talk to Deatrix about this. He probably knows what a Wise Ruby Owl is, and can tell me if this is worth the effort.
"Oh God, those birds are assholes. I'm surprised she's making you do that." Deatrix says calmly.
"Well, it's because she hates people like you. Apparently a Disciple of Gilgamesh killed some of her family." I say honestly.
Deatrix shrugs without a care.
"Doesn't surprise me. We've caused lots of problems. I feel bad for some of them, but I can't do anything about it." he says nonchalantly.
I can't help but glare for a moment, and Deatrix's gaze becomes steel.
"You got something to say?" he says firmly.
I honestly think about it for a second, then try to relax.
"Sorry, I'm still mad about yesterday. That history lesson made me realize all the continents suck." I say apologetically.
Deatrix laughs, then his gaze becomes steel once more.
"Even the Kingdom of Gilgamesh?" he asks seriously.
Oh God, do I need to lie? … Deatrix's eyes are getting angrier, I'll lie.
"Nah man, Kingdom of Gilgamesh is cool bro. So cool." I say nervously.
Deatrix doesn't seem convinced. But then he relaxes a bit. Smiles even.
"Anyway, this Wise Ruby Owl. It's a valuable creature. Rude, but valuable. It's hard to catch it since it's so smart. There's only one reliable way, and a guy like you won't like it." Deatrix says warmly.
I give him an annoyed look.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask.
"It means you don't look like you work out." Deatrix says matter-of-factly.
I sigh, annoyed but I won't deny it. I'm lean. And that's being nice.
"Anyway, the method is rather straightforward. My question to you is: have you been in a fight?" Deatrix says calmly.
"Yes." I deadpan.
"A fight with a monster?" Deatrix asks calmly.
"...no, I haven't." I admit nervously.
"Wise Ruby Owls stand seven feet tall with a ten foot wingspan. And their ruby is magical. It's a conduit that allows them to use magic. It's simplistic, but it's natural magic. The issue with that, is it's purer than most humanoids magic since it's on an instinctive level. Means that it's typically stronger, and with less of a mana cost." Deatrix explains seriously.
"Ah. That does sound…dangerous." I say nervously.
"Yeah, but I can come with if ya want. Guarantee you survive at least." Deatrix says warmly.
"Yeah, that was part of why I came here." I say sheepishly.
I came all the way to that Crimson Wolves guild he mentioned beforehand. It's an edgy building honestly. A black stone fort on the edge of Fair City. Men in black and red leather armor with black steel chestplates guard the area. They're armed with weapons that occasionally arc with red electricity.
Through the entry gate and a set of tall double doors is what I'm guessing is the lounge area. They call it a guild hall though. It feels like a very large, very busy tavern. Loads of tables filled with people eating and drinking. Every one of them looks like they'd kill me for looking at them funny. Even the women are covered in tribal tattoos. And all of them are carrying weapons.
It's not my kind of place. I prefer drinking wine while reading a book.
"Well, I'm ready to leave when you are." Deatrix says calmly.
We have to leave through one of the city gates. It's…a bit scary to leave honestly. I'm fully aware that outside this place is a world that rivals the best of any D&D world. And that thought terrifies me.
"Deatrix, how strong would you have to be to beat a Wise Ruby Owl?" I ask nervously.
"Like, at least level 10." Deatrix says calmly.
I give him a confused look.
"Level? People have levels?" I ask, shocked and annoyed.
"Well, it's more of a rating guilds give their adventurers. It's based on their spellbook's capabilities, their physical capabilities, and their-" Deatrix says calmly.
He makes quotation marks with his fingers.
"Adventural Intelligence." Deatrix says skeptically. "It's some bullshit that's supposed to represent your logic in an adventure. I think it's ridiculous. I've got high stats in everything else, but they think I have a D in Adventural Intelligence. And they ask ridiculous questions about it like 'If a goblin tried to rob you, what would you do?' So I answer 'Rob him instead.' And apparently that's a bad answer." he complains bitterly.
I laugh. Deatrix is chaotic good for sure.
"Yeah, well that is a bit evil. You should just have him arrested." I say warmly.
Deatrix shoots me a dirty look.
"I bet you'd have a high Adventural Intelligence." he says bitterly.
I sarcastically put a hand to my chest, falsely offended.
As we approach the gate, I can't help but be intrigued by it. It's like a medieval airport. A long line with few people in it is outside. It's mainly a merchant's carriage, a group of adventurers, and us in the back.
The Guards are searching the merchant's carriage using a unique spell similar to my Observational Eye. It's a watermelon sized dark red ball made of pure energy. It shines a variety of lights all over the carriage. Then it heads inside, and I can see the same lights shining all over the carriage's tarp roof. After a few minutes, it comes out and sings an approving tune that sounds like it came from a bird.
The Adventurers have the lights shined all over them. A purple light I assume is UV shines on a roguish looking fellow in all black leather armor, with a tool belt covered in pouches. When the light hits a pouch on his back, it suddenly beeps rapidly and angrily. Then red lightning begins to arc around it. Guards quickly swarm the man. The rogue's friend who looks like a religious warrior in plate armor is facepalming and complaining "That he knew he'd cause trouble."
It isn't too long until the rogue is arrested and taken away. Most of the adventurers still head out, but a young woman who's embarrassed follows after the rogue and the Guards. I'm guessing she's his girlfriend or something.
We manage to get through without a problem. However the lights blind us both a bit. We end up standing outside the other side a bit, waiting until the dots burnt into your vision disappear.
Despite this, I'm still able to appreciate the outside world. It seems surprisingly neat. I dare say for a mile out they keep the grass trimmed somehow.
"You think the government pays people to trim the grass out here?" I ask calmly.
"Fuck no. They just cast a spell on it to permanently keep the grass low." Deatrix says with certainty.
… … My vision is clear now. Once you step outside the boundary this city has set, the grass becomes wild and tall. There's a tall forest a few miles northeast of us. There are vibrantly colored bugs buzzing about. A sign of being poisonous. A bird flying high up that looks huge from down here. A loud roar fills the air suddenly.
"Ah shit, sounds like a drake is wandering about." Deatrix says calmly.
"A drake?" I say nervously.
"Yeah, basically a dragon without wings. We'll be fine though. They ain't strong. At least around here." Deatrix says calmly.
I shudder at the thought. I remember in video games that-
"Drakes have tough scales though, right? I don't have any particularly powerful spells." I say nervously.
Deatrix groans, turns to me, and holds his hand out.
"Let me see your spellbook. I need to know your build." he says firmly.
"I uh, don't keep it on me." I say nervously.
Deatrix gives me an annoyed look.
"I can't judge cause that's smart. Instead, tell me what you're going for." he says annoyedly.
"I am a lawyer with ranged magic." I say calmly.
"Why did you mention your job?" Deatrix asks annoyedly.
"Cause I have lawyer magic." I say calmly.
Deatrix gives me a look of confusion and disgust.
"What, ya know what, I don't care about the lawyer magic. That'll never help us in a fight. What ranged spells do you have?" Deatix says annoyedly.
"I have an elemental bolt. It's a bolt that can be any element." I say calmly.
"Ah, decent choice." Deatrix says calmly.
… We stare at each other for a moment.
"Is that it?" Deatrix asks calmly.
"I uh, also have a Wind Dash and a Dome of Force that protects me." I say sheepishly.
"You're so fucking basic. When this is done, I'm helping you upgrade your magic." Deatrix says with annoyed firmness.
I sigh, disappointed in myself.
"A warrior like you could probably help a lot." I admit shamefully.
"I'm sure anyone could help. Fucking lawyer magic. I bet it has some terrible restriction like the enemy must be breaking a law before it activates." Deatrix says annoyedly.
I look away, eyes on the forest ahead. It sure looks nice with its bright green leaves, and thick brown trunks covered in moss. It reminds me of the woods near my old city. Ahhh. I don't miss New York City. Not at all.
Uh oh. I feel a new reality setting in. The fact that I'll never see anyone from my old world. It's… … …
"Hey bro, you're tearing up. You good? Your magic isn't that shitty, I swear." Deatrix says nervously.
I laugh sadly, and wave a dismissive hand.
"No, you're fine. It's just that…Deatrix, can I tell you something crazy and believe me that it's true?" I ask sadly.
Deatrix stares at me, stroking his chin.
"Maybe. Do you do drugs?" he asks seriously.
"No, I'm clean. I don't even like weed." I say annoyedly.
Deatrix clicks his tongue annoyedly.
"Setting that aside for now, I suppose I'd believe you." Deatrix says calmly.
I take a deep breath, looking down at the ground. I look back up, directly into Deatrix's green eyes.
"I am from another world." I say seriously.
…
"Like a plane of existence or another planet?" Deatrix asks skeptically.
I blink confusedly.
"Uh, another planet." I say awkwardly.
"How'd you get here?" Deatrix asks skeptically.
"Well I died. I was in purgatory. Libra suddenly appeared as a giant, told me I was in purgatory because I'm a neutral being. And told me that I had to come here and change the laws of this world. As a way to make myself uh, a good person, and not neutral." I explain awkwardly.
It's a bit more complicated than that, but there's no need to dump everything. He's already skeptic.
"That sounds a bit ridiculous. But this world is full of ridiculous things. Plus I get this impression you're clueless in a…special way." Deatrix says warmly.
"Ha ha. Very funny." I deadpan. "But yes. I barely know anything cause I'm new to this world." I say seriously.
Deatrix laughs.
"And your first friend is arguably one of the worst people on this planet. At least according to everyone else. A Disciple of Gilgamesh." Deatrix says warmly. "I can see why you're a neutral person at least. A good guy wouldn't be my friend." he says warmly.
I laugh.
"Yeah, that's definitely true." I say amusedly.
Deatrix smacks me on the shoulder and smiles.
"You're bad at your job. You're still defending me, why's that?" he says warmly.
"Well, I'm pretty sure you're innocent. Plus it's a duty of a lawyer to defend their client no matter what. One good reason for this is that if either side, me the defending lawyer or the prosecutor, are lazy or lenient in their arguing, the trial may be misrepresented. A key piece of evidence is analyzed wrong, and the trial is wrong. And it'll often be too late before things can be put right. Or if the death penalty is legal, it'd be impossible." I explain proudly.
Ah, a spark of passion for my work just now. One of many reasons I'm a lawyer.
Deatrix shrugs, disinterested.
"I prefer settling things with a fight. More fun that way. Plus it's likelier I'd come out on top. Which being real, I might have to fight my way out of this anyway. Or at least, skip town." Deatrix says calmly.
He gives me a serious look.
"You'd tell me if I should run off, right?" Deatrix asks.
"Uhhh…I wouldn't know until the judge gives us your sentence." I say awkwardly.
Deatrix crosses his arms.
"You're a terrible lawyer." he says bitterly.
"I won most of my cases!" I say defensively.
"Yeah, in your world! That may or may not exist!" Deatrix laughs skeptically.
I groan angrily and start walking.
"Hey, you don't even know where you're going! It's this way!" Deatrix yells amusedly.
I turn to him. I see he's pointing at the forest.
"Ah yeah, of course. Owls live in the woods." I say annoyedly.
As we get close, I can see the forest is shaded by the thick leaves above. Vines criss-cross between the trees. Resting on them are small fairies. I can't make out any details about them cause they're glowing so brightly.
"The fairies are so bright because it makes them harder to hit." Deatrix says warmly. "They're also a good source of mana if you learn how to take mana from creatures."
"Ah, the more you know." I say warmly.
It's quiet. I'm almost surprised a magical forest would still be calm. It feels kinda ordinary honestly. There's admittedly more colors here, but it still feels normal. It makes me relax. I exhale happily.
We walk for a while, and eventually we come to some random patch of forest. Deatrix nudges my shoulder then points up, and I follow with my eyes. I see a camouflaged tree house, covered in leaves and tree bark.
"We'll be hanging out there for a while. We've got to lure out the owl." Deatrix says calmly.
"How do we do that?" I ask calmly.
"Well. It's a bit weird." Deatrix says awkwardly.
He reaches into his trenchcoat, and pulls out a brown bag with a soaked bottom. He opens it, and the smell of meat that's been left out too long hits me. Deatrix pulls out a steak covered in gold flakes and throws it on the ground. Then he reaches into his bag and pulls out a red knife. He points it at the steak, and a small fireball flies out the tip. It smacks against the steak, and a fierce sizzle fills the air.
"Alright, let's get in the treehouse." Deatrix says firmly.
Deatrix squats down a bit, then does a 15 foot vertical leap up into the treehouse. My jaw drops at the sight. Deatrix turns around and sighs when he sees me.
"You can't even get up here, can you?" he asks annoyedly.
I shake my head no. Deatrix facepalms, then takes his bag off his shoulder. He pulls his arm back, swings it forward with the bag in hand. A dozen blades come flying out the blade into the air, then suddenly stop mid-air. Deatrix points down, curling his fingers a bit. Then the blades zoom back into the tree's trunk, the blades horizontal. The blades seem to form a makeshift path up the tree. However, the thought of stepping on literal blades still scares me.
"Come on, the blades are strong. They can hold your weight." Deatrix says encouragingly..
I sigh with hesitation, and approach the tree. I raise a foot onto the first blade. Only half my foot can fit on it. I look up at the blades above me.
"Could you put the sheathes on your blades or something?" I ask nervously.
Deatrix laughs and gives me a thumbs up. His blades begin glowing with a dark gray energy.
"I have filled my blades with the energy of peace. They will not cut you when you grab them. Trust me. I'm an excellent swordsman." he says confidently.
I stare skeptically at the blades. After a few seconds, I reach up and wrap my hand around the blade above me. Surprisingly, I don't exactly grab the blade. Instead I'm grabbing the aura around it, and it feels like a solid, round bar. It's almost perfect. I'm able to make the climb safely. Though I'm definitely not physically meant to be doing this much, based on how I'm breathing when I reach the treehouse. Deatrix laughs as I climb onto the treehouse's floor through an open doorway, breathing heavily.
"Man, fuck off. Not everyone trains all the time. Especially when you're in a magical world." I complain.
"Yeah, well that's where you're wrong. Everyone knows a good warrior has a strong body, spirit, and mind. The trifecta of humanity's strengths." Deatrix says proudly.
I stand up, and shoot Deatrix a dirty look. He chuckles and shrugs.
"You'll understand with time. For now though, we're just relaxing quietly." Deatrix says warmly. "And I mean quietly. If we're too loud, the owl won't come near here." he says seriously.
I nod. Makes sense.
"And I should let you know. Don't use any fire magic. That's the owl's specialty." Deatrix says seriously.
"I understand." I say calmly.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
It has been two hours. I've tried making small talk, but Deatrix keeps telling me I'm being too loud. So I've just been staring at the steak burn. It's burned for a surprisingly long time now. I tried asking Deatrix how he made his flames like that, but he shushed me before I could finish the question. So annoy-
I suddenly scream from pain as a freaking laser just shot through my right shoulder! Deatrix jumps up, a black katana drawn.
"It's the owl! Stay here and fire your bolts! I'll keep its attention!" Deatrix orders seriously.
He steps out of the treehouse, his head turning towards something. A loud "CAW!" fills the air, and I see another laser descend upon Deatrix. He casually holds his blade sideways in front of his throat, and the laser smacks against his katana. The blade has steam coming off of it, but is otherwise unaffected.
The second the laser dissipates, Deatrix leaps into the air. I do not want to go out there. At all.
"Henry! Fire a fucking bolt or I swear to God I won't pay you!" Deatrix yells angrily.
Determination suddenly fills me, and I quickly crawl to the doorway. I slowly peek my head out, and see Deatrix standing on a tree branch a few dozen yards away. He's swinging his katana wildly, and bright green arcs of mana come out. They fly up at high speeds at what must be the Wise Ruby Owl.
From this distance, it's clear how big it is. Its feathers are a dark brown, with dark red tips. Its beak and claws are dark orange. Its eyes are bright red. And there is the ruby seemingly growing out of its forehead, like a thick horn. It seems to have an orange aura that surrounds it.
The aura suddenly becomes thick, most of the ruby becoming obscured by it. Except for a bright white core. Then another laser is fired at Deatrix.
Deatrix zooms forward suddenly onto another tree yards away from his previous spot, the laser striking air. Then Deatrix squats a bit, and leaps high into the air. As he flies up, he's sending those green arcs at the owl.
Who has its back to me now. I imagine a thick spike of ice forming in front of my outstretched hand. White air comes out my hand, swirling rapidly into the shape of the spike. I focus, making my will reality. And the air becomes ice.
I'm shocked and proud at the sight. This distracts me for a second, and the ice spike nearly falls to the ground. But I refocus and keep it in the air. Then I aim, following the Wise Ruby Owl. It's gliding high, firing another laser on Deatrix which is dodged with another burst of speed. As the Owl begins to charge once more, I fire.
The ice spike flies fast. Mana leaves me, and it feels like my body has become weaker. Like I've worked out and become older. The Owl doesn't see it coming as I return the favor he so graciously gave me. The spike punches a large hole right through its right wing. It quickly starts falling to the ground.
"Nice! I'll finish this!" Deatrix yells happily.
I see Deatrix bring his katana close to his left hip. He bends his knees and hunches over slightly. His eyes focus intensely on the owl. Then he leaps. The branch he was standing on snaps, and flies down to the ground at high speeds. Deatrix flies up at the Owl. Then he's past the Owl, and I'm not even sure he swung. I hear the branch explode into pieces from impact, and I see blood fly out the Owl's neck. Deatrix seems to sail through the air gracefully until he lands with ease on a tree branch. The Owl's corpse hits the ground. Then Deatrix jumps down from the tree.
He turns and yells at me.
"Hey! Get down here and check out the kill!"
I crawl out the doorway a bit, and look down at the ladder of blades I have available to me. Then I feel the constant pain of having a large hole in my right shoulder.
"I don't think I can climb down. My shoulder is messed up." I say, a mix of pain and nervousness.
"Ah right, that makes sense. Here, I'll make stairs." Deatrix says calmly.
He snaps his fingers, and the blades that were in the tree pull themselves out. Then more blades fly out of Deatrix's bag and fly into the air. The blades line themselves in a diagonal line between Deatrix and the treehouse. Then the blades turn completely horizontal, and become covered in that gray aura. The gaps are a bit large, but I manage to make my way down.
Deatrix is holding out a red vial to me. I take it with some suspicion.
"This is a healing potion right?" I say seriously.
"Yeah, why you asking like that?" Deatrix says amusedly.
"Is it gonna feel weird to be healed?" I ask seriously.
Deatrix laughs.
"Oh yeah, super weird. Like fuzzy lightning." he says warmly.
I sigh, screw the cap off, and start chugging. It tastes like fruit punch at least. But I'm not even halfway through when that fuzzy lightning hits. My wound starts glowing a soft red, and I can see burnt flesh turning red like muscles should be once more. The lightning almost feels worse than the wound felt before.
Deatrix approaches the Wise Ruby Owl's head sitting on the ground. There's blood pools beneath it, and its corpse nearby. I'm trying to ignore it. But I never exactly went hunting as a kid. And while this isn't Bambi, guilt is still hitting me. You could argue this Owl's life is part of what we're paying for Deatrix's freedom. I sigh sadly.
Deatrix quickly flicks his katana, and pulls the ruby off the Owl's head cleanly. Not even a feather is stuck to it. I'd be impressed if I wasn't stuck in my feelings. He holds it out to me, and I take it.
"There. Reward gotten. Now I hope it's worth it." Deatrix says warmly.
"Me too." I say sadly. "Me too."
As we walk back to Fair City, I'm quiet. Deatrix tries to talk to me, and I try to put effort into my responses. But it's hard. I'm beginning to question myself. And Deatrix. The woman we're doing this for hates him and his country, and with good reason. And I barely know Deatrix. He seems good, but what is his morality truly? Earlier, I amusedly thought of him as chaotic good. But…
"Deatrix, have you killed people?" I ask seriously.
"Pfft. Of course I have. I'm a warrior." Deatrix says amusedly.
"Why?" I ask seriously.
Deatrix gives me an annoyed look.
"Really? This kind of thing right now? If you weren't my lawyer, I'd ignore you." Deatrix says.
"I just need a clear picture of who you are." I say firmly.
Deatrix grabs my shoulder, stopping me and turning me to face him. He stares into my eyes with proud determination.
"I am a Warrior of Gilgamesh. I have killed men for many reasons. For glory. For territory. For justice. And because I was asked to by my King. If you would judge me for that, so be it. Just let me know if I need a new lawyer." he states.
I stare back. The question that needs asked hits me. Do I judge a man for being a soldier? I remember when it comes to something like Nazi Germany, the answer is easy.
"How does your kingdom fight?" I ask seriously.
"With honor and strength. A true swordsman does not use petty tricks. Or commit atrocities for the sake of more power." Deatrix says proudly.
I look away from Deatrix, and start walking once more.
"Your people seem better than the others. Besides the Dragons, maybe." I say seriously.
Deatrix "pfft"s, and follows me.
"We at least are the most honorable. That's what makes it so embarrassing we're so strong." he says, proudly pleased.
I enter the store, and as soon as the Business Woman sees me, her eyes brighten with glee.
"Oh my God, you actually got one. I'm finally gonna cast so many fireballs while looking stylish as helllll!" she says happily.
She quickly comes out from behind her counter, and takes the ruby from me. She takes it back behind her counter. Then she starts looking in something behind the counter, and pulls out a black and white sphere. She holds it out to me.
"Here. The Recording Sphere for my store. You can use it for your trial." she says warmly.
"Thanks ma'am. I truly appreciate it." I say nervously.
"No, thank you. I should mention my name is Shakela Lorgana. My family and I are famous jewelers and enchanters. If you ever find any nice gems like this in your adventures, let me know." Shakela says warmly.
I smile and nod.
"I will." I say warmly.
Shakela's face suddenly becomes cold.
"Don't ever bring your friend Deatrix here." she says seriously.
I nod nervously.
"I won't, promise." I say with sincere nervousness.
And with that, I leave. I decide to head home for the night.
Home feels nice after a long day's work. I'm close to relaxing. I just want to review this sphere's footage before I pass out.
I hold the sphere in my hands, and I'm a bit confused by it. But from what I understand of magic, I just need to will it into existence. I try focusing, and pouring a tiny bit of mana into it. Then I focus on a command.
"Show me what happened two days ago, in the morning."
Suddenly a rush of memories fills my mind. And it's…boring mostly. Just a lot of watching strangers walk by, chatting about whatever. For a few hours. Until the actual incident is about to start. I see myself approaching the intersection. Standing beside Deatrix. Walking down the street.
Deatrix bumps into Balgor. They argue. Then they seem to grow still for a moment and stare at one another. They both go for their blades nearly at the same time. But it seems clear to me Deatrix draws first.
I review this moment again. Try looking deep in their eyes. I see Balgor begin reaching first. And that's all Deatrix needed to draw his blade and start fighting.
I sigh angrily. This is almost useless. It's hard to argue who did it first. Deatrix definitely even seems to swing first, but I see the intent to strike on Balgor first. Deatrix clearly thought like a warrior. I remember hearing stuff from tough guys before like "If you don't get the first hit, you lose." And admittedly, in a fight with blades, that could very well be true.
This is so frustrating. I wasted a day on evidence that at best is a double edged sword. And the Judges still would think favorably of Balgor at this moment.
I need something that would make the Judges hate Balgor.