False Charges

Ever since I received the fine it felt like time started moving fast and yet somehow still staying stagnant. The reasoning for that was one man's actions.

"Well well, good to see you again Chika."

I raised my eyes to see Alden. 'Knowing him, he's going to try and provoke me again… It's better to just stay quiet, no matter what he says.'

"Not turning in the minotaur quest was one thing, but killing your own party members so you could get the reward all to yourself? That warrants a bit more than just a fine…"

'So that's his angle…' I looked to the side, out a nearby window. The forest was dreary as ever, but the sun was shining brighter than normal. 'I guess it's a little creative, considering I didn't even have a party.'

"And you aren't even trying to defend yourself."

I didn't even bother to look at him. To be honest his words didn't bother me much. I figured he would try something along those lines. The accusation was insulting sure, especially to me who wanted a party so badly but couldn't get one. On the other hand, he had already proven how clumsy he was. The words were coming out of his mouth, but in the end, it sounded like nothing more than a warg growling at me. It was threatening, and even frightening not so long ago, but a vague and empty threat hardly meant anything. "I didn't have a party, to begin with, and I've only ever taken the lives of monsters and animals, directly, or otherwise."

He sighed. "Well whatever, of course, we'll have to confiscate your belongings while you are detained, that includes all of your money, equipment, and any storage items on your person or in your room at the inn."

'Ah… That makes sense. He's after that ridiculous amount of money I got from the Saxifrage. I suppose this would be the most direct way of getting it now that his plan fell through. I don't use enchanted items for storage though…'

"What happens when you don't find what you're looking for?" I asked, slowly turning my head back to him.

A look of slight shock and agitation came over him as he scowled. "Then we torture you until you give up the important evidence for this murder case."

I swallowed, feeling my breath catch in my throat. "That sounds relatively illegal."

He leaned back in his chair, somehow grinning through his scowl, giving me chills not from his threat, but how creepy he looked. "In the case of crimes that have a possible death penalty attached, important evidence must be gathered under nearly any means to ensure the proper person is being convicted."

'I guess this probably applies if his story were true. Arn't there still a bunch of holes though?' "I'm curious how you plan on hiding the money. I mean, won't it look suspicious if that much goes missing? guilty individuals' valuables all go to the great market, and they would find it suspicious if they were shortchanged 50 gold" 'Of course I don't actually have nearly that much… But he doesn't know that…'

His eye started to twitch and I almost broke out laughing, barely keeping my poker face. 'He tries so hard to get to me only to piss himself off instead… In some ways, I might kinda miss this. It's pretty funny to watch honestly.'

He sighed, finally relaxing again. "In any case, there is no reason for a high priest to get involved, and there is so much evidence stacked against you no one would bat an eye. It really is such a shame you're going to get your head cut off."

I felt my chest start to tighten as my throat swelled. 'Die… I'm going to die? Is he saying he's going to skip the trial altogether? He should at least put on a one-sided fake trial for the show, I mean… How does he think he would get away with anything like this? No… That doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if he gets arrested if I die first!'

I started to panic but still tried to maintain a calm demeanor. 'What do I do… No, the money. He needs that before he kills me… If I can hold out for a few days it will be fine right? He won't do anything reckless as long as I keep the money in my storage.'

He started to chuckle. "I can see it in your eyes, you are afraid of death, aren't you? Well, bad career choice I guess."

My breath shortened even more and I could hear my lungs wheezing. 'What do I do, there has to be a move I haven't thought of yet… I could run to Whitelight Guild… Maybe they would help? But I'm basically just a stranger to them… I could break out The window right now. But where do I go? And then I'd be convicted before even going to trial because I ran, wouldn't I? That would give him an even better excuse to kill me and call it an accident… Oh, but he doesn't have his money. But that won't stop him from hurting me… But he's going to do that anyway… I should have ran from the start…'

I raised a hand over my chest. 'The teleport gate, I just have to escape and blend in with another group, maybe I can sneak through…' I paused, finding some solace that I had the faint beginnings of a plan… No matter how bad that plan may have been. "You know… They say… Greed leads to poverty…" I smirked as best I could, trying to sound tough, but the wheezing in my breath only made me seem weak. I could hardly even stand on my own. Faced with an actual battle I could take on anything but in any other situation panic still seemed to take hold the moment things started going south.

The air smelled like metal and sweat, and the ground underfoot felt solid. The shackles were biting into my wrists and ankles, and the oxygen in my lungs was frigid, cutting like ice. Another chill shot through me as I began to take in all the information I could. 'I can't die, not yet. I've never been closer to becoming a real adventurer.'

"Well, it doesn't really matter, eventually you'll break and I'll get my money."

I looked at each of the two guards that were holding me. 'Leather and iron armor, they are working as guards of the camp, but they aren't affiliated with any of the 10 governing guilds, which means they aren't likely that strong. Their armor has gaps too. There are a total of 15 places I could easily cut with my dagger… But they took it away, my spear from storage then. I can still kill them… No, if I kill anyone then I really will be a murderer. Maybe take off a few limbs? My great blade then.'

"Take him away, strip search him for whatever item he uses for his storage."

My mind went blank for a moment as they tugged on me. My chest tightened even more and I suddenly couldn't even walk, so they had to drag me away. 'What happens now… No, the plan is the same right? Their armor is enchanted, but only lightly. I have tier-two earth magic, so I can use boulder toss to strike them in the head. Rather than severing limbs, if I just incapacitate them it would be easier, if they scream it would alert the others. My breath felt even shorter until it nearly stopped altogether. 'An ogre and a kobold. I'll be able to knock out a kobold easily, thankfully the ogre looks like he's on the lighter side… Why can't I ever get into a fight with a halfling or something…'

"I really hate this part of the job." The ogre grumbled in a deep harsh voice as he effortlessly dragged me behind him. "Hey, Hess, why did the boss man call it his money? Did this man steal from him? It was hard to follow. Do we have to torture them just because of that? What if their party was just killed by the monster during the fight?"

The kobold rolled his eyes, rubbing his forehead as he tried to figure out how best to respond. "We just follow the order. If you don't like to see people in pain then I'll do the interrogation it's fine. But if there is an order, there's a good reason behind it, make sense?"

The interrogation room was fast approaching, and as the door opened I could see a look of pity in the ogre's eyes before he turned and dragged me inside.

We'll be alone in there when they let their guard down… I'll… I'll… What was the plan again?' My body suddenly felt weightless as I became lightheaded until my eyes lost track of which way was up. 'That's right, I remember… One problem with this plan though… My arms won't move…'