The Trial That Marked A New Beginning
"On your feet," the Vrusta Kingdom Elite Soldier commanded, grunting and spitting on me.
I am a simple person. My parents are farmers and they work day to day in the fields, caretaking for their crops. My life as a rural farmer was already determined from the moment that I was born. I was never going to be anything special. I'm just a pesky, easy to anger and impulsive teenager who helps out his father as a farmer.
That being said, when I'm faced in a dangerous situation, I usually get scared and back out.
So why....
DAAMMMMITTT!!
I never would've expected to find myself in a situation like this... Framed and to be stood for trial? That doesn't even matter. They can have my neck and chop all the fingers they want from me! But to think of me as- I don't even dare to think his name- but to think of me as that thing, that fiend...
Like hell I am! They'll kill my family if they really think I'm the same as that demon!
The sour scent and odor of blood filled my nose, as did the taste on my tongue.
Damn it... I'll kill them all!
If I had a weapon... I'd slice open their heads!
"I said... On your feet!" The Soldier commanded for the second time, sending a fiery kick to my pale face.
Blood spewed from my nose and mouth, staining my blood-tainted ripped clothes. My crimson blood was smudged everywhere on my cut body, with many bruises and open cuts forcing more blood to gush out into a puddle.
I wiped my bloodied, bruised nose with my arm, despite these handcuffs bringing down my arms with its weight. Hell, I can barely even shrug my shoulders, how am I supposed to get up?!?! I'm no magical supernatural demon, I'm just a Farmer's boy!
Another Soldier came close by. He stuck his arms out and activated his telekinesis powers, placing me into the Wagon headed for the Vrusta Kingdom Castle. No one dared to actually carry me; not when they thought of me as some demon with malicious power coursing through me!
But truth be told, I haven't the slightest power! My power is that of a common soldier, not even a slither of the power an Elite Soldier holds!
Ugh... blood rushed to my head as I lied down on the wooden seat of the large Wagon, looking up at the towering bushy forest trees. How long have I been in this cursed forest? It couldn't have been more than a few hours, but to me it felt like days.
I swear I saw ghosts in this haunted forest earlier... or maybe I'm closer to death than I thought.
A few of the Kingdom's best Mage's sat behind me, concentrating their energy on me as they used their spells to keep me from using my stored power and hidden spells that I allegedly had.
A word didn't slip out of my mouth, because I haven't the energy to say any words, and because I had no more words to say. After being tortured and beaten to the point of no return, what am I supposed to say? Can you please stop? I'm innocent? They'd kill me at this point, even if I prove it to them that I'm innocent!
"Noitelped A Revoir, Yresim!" The Mages shouted in unison to activate their spells, and in the blink of an eye, it was light's out for me.
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I woke up, unaware of the new surroundings. The sound of loud talking filled my ears, like the energetic uproar of a gladiator stadium. The sight of polished marble floors and walls captivated my bruised eyes as I sat still on a red velvet carpet.
Surrounding me entirely were large stands filled with soldiers, knights, and guards. All packed together like the insides of a colossal stadium.
More importantly, the sight of a Great and mighty throne about tens or even a hundred feet up caught my eye. It was before long that I realized my fate, my impending doom.
This is my accursed trial...
A thundering voice boomed from above like the Heavens were speaking. "SILENCE!"
The whole stadium filled with knights, guards and soldiers immediately shut up. "Now... Let Us Begin," the voice boomed once again, and I realized the sound was coming from the throne. It was hard to make out the person on the throne, but I knew it had to be the King of Vrusta Kingdom, with a roaring voice like that.
"CONVICTED, Bow Down And On Your Knees." The voice commanded, somehow being loud enough to fill the whole courtroom.
Suddenly, I felt the presence of not just a few, but hundreds, no, thousands of Vrusta Kingdom Mages concentrating their energy onto me.
Not any mages... Elite and Advanced Mages, with enough skill and power to take down whole armies of men. All together, they made up the special Vrusta Kingdom Mage Battalion. The sudden pressure alone made me collapse to my knees. One wrong movement and I'd be decimated into millions of pieces...
"STATE YOUR NAME!"
My name... "V-V-" I tried to say, helplessly being cut off by a stern and strict voice.
"No need," A person said as they dropped down from the crowded audience.
She wore a white collared Vrusta knight uniform, buttoned down and paired with black pants and black boots. A sword laid on her hip and a composed and serious expression rested on her lips. Flowing velvet red hair ran down to her chest, and her green eyes cautiously stalked me.
It was an understatement to say that she was beautiful. She had remarkably charming features, not that I cared about that right now.
All I cared about regarding this one person was...
How they interrupted me from my only chance of redeeming myself!
"Iomene, Captain of The Vrusta Elite Guards... Continue."
Who the hell is this guy!? Damn bastard cut me off from speaking!
"Right, your Highest King. I am sure that we are all aware of the Legendary Prophecy foretold by our ancestors, predicted by the First King of Vrusta Kingdom," the person, Iomene, spoke in a stern and cold tone.
The audience erupted into chatter upon these words, but the concentration of the Mages never broke. I, however, broke out into cold sweat, soaking my blood-stained white shirt. That prophecy... I want a chance to speak!
"SILENCE... Now, on with it Iomene." The King commanded. The chatter stopped once again.
"As the prophecy foretold... Brown Hair and Brown Eyes, poured into the vessel of a young male, born of a rural Farmer! The Demon's vessel matches of that of the convicted," Iomene yelled, pointing a finger to me.
This time the crowd did not erupt into violent chatter. The presence of the Mages concentration increased, and as did the number of eyes stalking my every movement, giving me an analysis of my features. Brown hair and brown eyes, but those features are common in my Kingdom... It's just a stupid coincidence!
"More importantly, the mark of the Ring Serpent, located on the fourth finger from the thumb, as the prophecy foretold. This mark signifies the return of the Demon King ruler and is the one and only mark that serves as proof of the Demon King. Your Highest King, we can clearly see this mark on the convicted, what more evidence do you need?"
The accursed mark of the Ring Serpent, the reason as to why I am framed as a demon, the reason as to why I was suddenly taken away from home. But this ring, on my finger, isn't any mark of the devils, this is just some ring I found out while working in the fields! All I wanted to do was sell this ring... Somehow, it got stuck on. I can't take it off... I even tried to cut my finger off, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
My luck!
I must be cursed...
"Hmm... yes, Iomene, very well. It is time to end decades of suffering and all evil in our lands," The King bellowed from his throne.
Ahh oh no oh no oh no, what's gonna happen to me now? You have me mistaken, sir!
"Now... I Banish Demon King Dwulun To Be Executed! Immediately!
EH!?!?! Please please please, I'm not Demon King Dwulun! Nonoo... no....
A couple of Elite Guards suddenly dropped from the audience and picked me up, carrying me out of the courtroom. The audience roared and cheered from their stands, praising their king.
But as for me... my sentence. Execution. Immediately.
I guess this is the end. I closed my eyes and thought of mother and father. Little sister and big brother. My family.
Lights out once again. Really, this time.
Light's. Out.
Iomene. that name sounds... familiar.
Where have I heard that before?