Amanu lay on the cold stone slab of his cell, staring up at the ceiling. He was now dressed in yellow prison overalls, and all the blood had been washed away. Surprisingly, the pain had lessened; it wasn't as bad as before. His fate was sealed. As a foreigner in this land, he knew there was no argument he could make to save himself. His thoughts drifted to Fleora—how he wished he could see her one last time, though under different circumstances. Pushing these thoughts aside, he decided to get some sleep. After hours of shivering against the cold, he finally dozed off.
When morning came, the streets of Danvis were alive with chaos. People were marching to the heart of the city, gathering to watch the trial broadcasted on the wall of the kingdom's largest building. This marvel was made possible by the kingdom's genius inventor, Iac Nuta, who had designed a projector linked to a camera, allowing live recording and display. The projector was powered by a Light based Mave ability lent to Iac by one of the kingdom's top warriors, producing clear, vibrant images. Almost all major inventions in the kingdom bore Iac Nuta's touch; he was widely known as the smartest man alive.
The trial itself was being held within that very building, the kingdom's grand court. When the time came to bring Amanu to the trial, he was led through the dense crowd by five prison guards. People hurled curses at him, and it seemed they would have thrown objects had it not been for the intimidating presence of his guards. Shackles clanked as he walked, weighing down each step toward the building's entrance. Two massive guards pushed open the doors—an impressive feat, as each door weighed nearly three tons.
Inside, the vast hall stretched out before Amanu. High stone walls loomed above, casting shadows across the room, and stained-glass windows filtered in light that painted the cold stone floor with eerie patterns of crimson and gold. Rows of people sat in silence; their faces filled with an almost disturbing anticipation. At the far end of the hall stood a raised platform lined with the kingdom's leaders, and in the center sat Tsukushi Luzo, his expression stern and unyielding.
Amanu's heart twisted as his gaze fell on Fleora, his wife, standing near the front of the crowd. Her eyes were red and tear-streaked as she struggled against two guards holding her back. Her voice trembled as she called out, "Amanu! Amanu!" Her hands reached out to him, fingers outstretched, as if she could pull him from his fate. Shame crashed over him like a wave, and he could barely meet her gaze, burdened by the guilt of what he had caused. Every step felt heavier, weighted by her grief and the cries echoing through the hall, blending with the cold silence of the courtroom.
The Court Herald's voice rang through the hall, calling for silence as all eyes fixed on Amanu.
"The court is now in session for the trial of Amanu Savada, accused of violating the sacred laws of Danvis. Today, he stands charged with the unlawful trespass into the Kingdom of Danvis and the desecration of the Sacred River of Alamo—a river consecrated by the divine and forbidden to all but the chosen."
Once the accusations were laid out, the Herald continued, "Amanu Savada, step forward and face the judgment of Danvis."
Shackled and weakened, Amanu took a step forward, standing as tall as he could manage. Tsukushi Luzo, seated at the head of the court, regarded him with piercing scrutiny, his gaze weighing heavily on Amanu.
After a long pause, Luzo spoke, his voice steady and authoritative, filling the hall.
"Amanu Savada," Luzo began, his tone edged with restrained disdain, "you have entered a land forbidden to you, a place where only those bound by birthright and duty may tread. You have polluted our holy waters—a privilege reserved solely for the Mavers, the chosen of our people."
He let the words settle, his expression hard as he examined Amanu. "In Danvis, we protect our traditions with the utmost reverence. So tell me—what possessed you, a Non-Maver, to defy laws as old as the kingdom itself?"
Amanu lifted his bowed head and began to speak. "I neither intended to trespass into your sacred land nor desecrate your river. My occupation is as a Cleaver. I had journeyed into the forest seeking monsters to cleave, so I could sell the meat to feed myself and my beloved wife." His gaze drifted to Fleora, who sobbed in the corner. "In the forest, I encountered one of your own men who fought and slew a bear in a single strike. When he left, I assumed the bear was dead and began to cleave it for meat. I had to work quickly to keep it fresh. But I misjudged—the bear wasn't dead. While I was cleaving it, it awoke and attacked me. I tried to escape, but as I neared the forest's edge, it struck me, shattering my arm."
"Yet your arm is healed, despite these events occurring less than a week ago," Luzo noted. "Can you explain that to everyone?"
"I am as mystified as you. Perhaps the injury wasn't as severe as I had initially thought," Amanu replied.
Luzo made a note, then looked up. "Continue."
"After the bear struck me, I was thrown from the forest to a clearing. As I laid there, it lunged at me for the kill. But before it could strike, the man with the burning blade returned, killing the bear in a single blow. I thought I was saved," he paused, "until the man lifted me by my clothes and threw me off the cliff, down toward the waterfall."
"What reason did he give?" Luzo asked.
"He spoke of my existence as pitiful, claiming he was sparing me from pain. He called me a Reject… like you had done, sir."
"I see." Luzo scribbled again. "So the waterfall carried you to the river, where my men found you?"
"Yes."
"And that is the entire truth?"
"Yes."
Luzo's stare sharpened. "I have a few questions, Mr. Amanu." He leaned in, his voice probing. " How did you survive unconscious in the river, without drowning?"
"I don't know," Amanu admitted.
"And your arm—it healed in a day's time. How?" Luzo pressed.
"I don't know, Sir."
"Do you agree that your whole body was covered in bruises yesterday?"
"Yes, Sir"
"Then why are there no marks from yesterday's bruises? They have vanished as if they never were."
"I don't know." Amanu's voice faltered, but he met Luzo's gaze, resolute.
The court murmured, whispers of confusion echoing throughout. Luzo sat back, writing in silence, before he looked up again.
"One last question, Mr. Savada," Luzo intoned, his words slow and deliberate. "Are you a Maver?". The question stirred murmurs in the court, and people outside watching the broadcast shared puzzled glances.
"No, I am not," Amanu replied firmly.
Luzo regarded him thoughtfully. "Then you wouldn't mind taking a Mave test to prove that, would you?"
"Not at all," Amanu replied.
"Why is he wasting time on this?" questioned the people outside and inside the court. Everybody was growing anxious, they wanted to see the verdict.
Luzo ordered, "Bring in the Mave Quantifier."
Two men arrived, carrying a large circular device resembling a scale. They placed it before Amanu.
"Why is he wasting our time?" People outside complained, while others inside the court whispered among themselves.
"Silence!" commanded Luzo. "Amanu Savada, step onto the Quantifier."
Amanu obeyed, feeling a pulse of energy rise from his feet. Blue energy radiated around him, emanating from the device's surface. After a few moments, the light faded.
"Read the results," ordered Luzo.
One of the men held a rectangular Reader with two screens—one displaying joules and the other a level indicator. As he looked, his face changed with shock.
"The Reader indicates," he began, "the tester contains 1 kilojoules of Mave energy and is a 1-star level 1 Maver."