Chapitre 27: THE AWAKENING COURTS
As the vehicles rumbled down out of the Blacksmith Department, Lee arrived at the blacksmith's department gate, just in time to see the convoy pass by.
He watched, unease gnawing at him.
What if he had known what would happen?
Could the outcome have been different?
The vehicles came to a stop at the Awakening Courts, imposing buildings designed specifically for crimes involving those awakened with mana—those who ventured into dungeons and towers, amassing immense rewards and magical artifacts.
These courts were a far cry from those used by ordinary civilians.
Ravan, Laila, and Rina were ushered into the grand hall, the eyes of prestigious families and powerful individuals bore down upon them.
The house of Zenith, with its red and gold dragon emblem, was there.
Ravan's father stood at the forefront, his red hair and bulky frame unmistakable.
His presence sent a shiver down Ravan's spine.
'Shit, the old man is here...'
Nearby, other notable families gathered: the house of Ashborn, symbolized by a silver phoenix; the house of Lavi, with a golden lion emblem; the house of Thorne, represented by a black serpent; and the house of Aurelius, marked by a white stag.
'It makes sense why my old man is here,' Ravan thought knowing well that the presence of the prestigious Families wasn't surprising. They did fund the Tower and Dungeon Walkers after all.
The court session began with the booming voice of the judge, a stern woman named Judge Amelia Thorne, who commanded respect and attention.
"We are here to determine the involvement of Ravan Zenith, Laila Ironheart, and Rina Hawke in the illegal possession and use of human mana cores, as well as the alleged murder of tower walkers. Present your case."
Ravan's court-appointed lawyer, an elderly but sharp man named Alaric Stone, stood.
He fought valiantly to defend Ravan, but even he seemed resigned to the likely outcome.
"Your Honor, my client, Ravan Zenith, is a young man who found himself in an unfortunate situation. He admits to possessing the mana cores, but he had no knowledge of their origin."
The prosecutor, a formidable woman named Elara Dune, shot back.
"Ignorance is not a defense, Mr. Stone. These mana cores were obtained through the brutal murder of our beloved heroes, tower workers. Such acts cannot go unpunished."
As the questioning began, Ravan felt the weight of every gaze upon him.
"Ravan Zenith, do you admit to possessing the mana cores found in your workshop?" Judge Thorne asked.
"Yes, Your Honor," Ravan replied quietly.
"And where did you obtain these mana cores?" she continued.
'Even if I say or not say, the outcome will be the same no matter what evasion path I take. I have no choice but to atleast try and defend myself,' Ravan thought.
Ravan hesitated, glancing at Laila and Rina.
"I received them as part of a commission. I didn't know they were from murdered tower walkers."
A murmur rippled through the courtroom. Members of the prestigious families began to fume, their auras flaring in anger.
"Do you expect us to believe that you, a member of the Zenith family, didn't know the origins of such valuable items?" one of them, Lord Eldoria, shouted.
"Order in the court!" Judge Thorne demanded, slamming her gavel.
"We will not have outbursts disrupting these proceedings."
Ravan's lawyer stood again.
"My client was merely fulfilling a commission. He did not have the means or the motive to verify the origins of the mana cores. He was simply doing his job."
The prosecutor, however, was relentless.
"Ravan Zenith, did you or did you not assist in forging these illegal items, knowing full well that they were of dubious origin?"
"I... I didn't think about it," Ravan stammered.
"That's not good enough!" another voice called out.
This time it was Lord Ashborn, his silver phoenix emblem gleaming.
"You should have known better."
Laila, sensing the escalating tension, tried to interject.
"Your Honor, Ravan is telling the truth. We were just trying to complete the commission. None of us knew—"
"Silence!" Judge Thorne's gavel struck again.
"Ms. Ironheart, you will speak when spoken to."
Ravan's lawyer turned to him, whispering urgently.
"Come on kid, I'm trying to do my job here, you need to tell them everything, Ravan. They need to understand you're not a murderer."
Ravan's shoulders sagged.
"I swear, I didn't know. I was just trying to make a living. The commission came from a masked man during a dungeon break. I thought they were beast cores."
The court erupted once more, the prestigious members' anger palpable.
Judge Thorne struggled to maintain order.
"Enough! We will have order in this court!"
Ravan's father, Lord Zenith, finally stood, his voice like thunder.
"So, this is where you ended up, Ravan? Working in a forge, dabbling in illegal trades? You're a disgrace."
Rhett and Ryker, Ravan's younger brothers, smirked.
"Looks like the talentless one found his true calling," Rhett sneered.
"At least we're not the ones on trial," Ryker added with a laugh.
Ravan felt a pang of anger but forced himself to stay silent.
He knew reacting would only make things worse.
Instead, he looked down, avoiding his father's gaze.
Judge Thorne addressed Ravan once more.
"Ravan Zenith, the evidence against you is overwhelming. You have admitted to possessing the mana cores and attempting to forge them into weapons. The origins of these cores are tied to the brutal murder of tower walkers. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
'Shit...'
Ravan took a deep breath.
"I didn't know they were human mana cores. I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just wanted to survive."
The prosecutor wasn't satisfied.
"Ignorance does not absolve you of your actions, Mr. Zenith. The fact remains that you were in possession of highly illegal materials. The punishment for such crimes is severe."
As the questioning continued, Laila and Rina were also brought forward.
Laila, determined to defend her friends, spoke passionately. "We were only helping Ravan. We had no idea the mana cores were illegal. We just wanted to complete the commission and move on."
Rina nodded in agreement but did not speak.
The judge listened but remained unmoved.
"Your involvement, however innocent, does not change the fact that illegal activities took place."
Ravan's lawyer, Alaric Stone, tried one last time.
"Your Honor, my client has admitted his mistake. He has shown remorse. I urge the court to consider his circumstances and show leniency."
But it was clear the court had already made up its mind.
Judge Thorne delivered the verdict with a heavy heart.
"Ravan Zenith, you are found guilty of illegal possession and use of human mana cores, and accessory to the murder of tower workers. On top of that, this shows that you took part in the human trafficking. You are sentenced to dungeon row."
A collective gasp went through the courtroom.
Dungeon row was a severe punishment reserved for the most egregious offenses.
It meant Ravan would be sent into the most dangerous dungeons, with little chance of survival and with other worse awakened criminals as well.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone