Two knights emerged, dragging a man with a stout frame across the courtyard. A burlap sack covered his head, and his feet scraped the ground as he was pulled toward the platform. One of the knights hauled him forward to the platform’s edge, then struck him hard in the leg, forcing the man to collapse to his knees. Still, they didn’t reveal his face.
Gadriel turned back to the crowd. “And if this is the path the gods have laid before me, then I will not hide from it. I must speak my full truth. And so, I must confess that, I too, was once deceived by a devil. But that only deepens my resolve to purge them from this world.”
A few gasps of mistrust rang out. Murmurs swelled into restless noise. One voice cried out, then another, and soon, a dozen morefollowed. The guards posted among the crowd had to step in, pushing people back to keep order as the unrest grew.
Gadriel raised his hands, shaking his head, grief carved into his face.
“I understand,” he declared, voice unshaken. “I know where your doubt comes from. The depth of your fear, your anger. I feel it just the same. I’m not proud to have been fooled, but I ask you to consider this: I have faced a devil and lived. I’ve seen through their lies, their manipulations. And that makes me more prepared than anyone to lead us into a new era, one of vigilance, and true peace.
“To atone for my failure, I make you this vow: I will bring down the very devil responsible for the devastation in Falhurst. I will see justice delivered to the creature who cut down our men without mercy, and I will show none in return. There can be no forgiveness for such savagery.” He drew a breath. “I have already led the charge to hunt this assailant. Even now, as we speak, the protectors of this realm work tirelessly, day and night, to find her and bring her to justice.”
That single word,her, rippled through the crowd. Someone shouted from among them, confused, shocked, “Her?”
“Indeed,” Gadriel acknowledged calmly. “The devil in question is female, and she lived within these very walls for the past year. She wore a woman’s face. Regretfully, it was here, within this castle, that she gained the knowledge that made such a betrayal on our kingdom possible. She wormed her way into the role of royal consort, earning trust with lies and deception. I knew her well. Too well. And now, I will be the one to end her wickedness.”
Gadriel’s voice deepened, pain flashing behind his eyes.
“It was in that moment I swore to never allow such evil to take root in this kingdom again. I am burdened with guilt, wracked with regret over what I allowed to happen. I have lost sleep… lost peace of mind. And still, I will continue to give of myself, whatever it takes, until our kingdom is safe.”
Gadriel stepped toward the edge of the platform, descending a few steps to draw closer to the crowd.
“But even in the midst of this darkness, there is still light,” he declared. “Justice can still be delivered on this day. I have captured two more traitors to the crown, and I will make certain they are held accountable for their crimes.”
He turned sharply and ascended the steps once more, rising back to the top of the platform.
“Bring forth the other accused!” he commanded.
That’s when I saw Sir Karst and Sir Regis dragging Mag and my mother onto the platform. Their faces were still hidden beneath burlap sacks, but I knew, without a trace of doubt, who they were.
My eyes widened. I tried to fight against the restraints biting into my chest, against the crushing weight around my waist, but all I managed was a twitch. My body refused me.
The movement caught Hadeon’s eye. He looked down at me, and when he saw the panic in my struggle, a smile curved his lips.
“Curious,” he muttered to himself. “Perhaps this one will be the one to usher in the tide I’ve been waiting for.”
But I felt nothing, no breath, no voice, as I watched the woman who had shaped my life being dragged forward, forced to stand beside the other accused. The knights positioned both my mother and Mag carefully, evenly spaced beside the first man. Then, without hesitation, they forced them both down onto their knees, displayed before the crowd.
I heard the unmistakable hiss of a blade being drawn, and my fear collapsed into full-blown hysteria. My mind screamed, a sound louder than anything I’d ever known, but it stayed locked inside me. Silent, hidden, suffocating.
How could this be happening?
Gadriel stood tall before the crowd, the sword now unsheathed from the scabbard at his side. The sunlight caught its edge, throwing flashes of silver as he raised it high above his head.
“Today,” Gadriel exclaimed, “I have come prepared to deliver justice upon the three accused!”
He turned without pause, stepping toward the first kneeling figure, the one closest to him. With one hand, he grabbed the burlap sack covering the man’s head and tore it away. As he did, the crowd erupted in a shockwave of cries.
There, on his knees before them all, was the king of Hyrall. Gadriel’s father.
Gadriel’s expression remained impassive. No flicker of emotion crossed his face as he stared down at the man who had once ruled the realm.
A herald suddenly stepped forward, voice clear and solemn as he read:
“By the decree of His Highness, Prince Gadriel Ilarion, heir to the throne, let judgment fall upon this day. Let all who stand upon this stone bear witness, King Ithaniel Ilarion, ruler of the kingdom of Hyrall, is found guilty of high treason. For consorting with the devil realm of Torhiel. For allowing devils to walk among his folk. And for abandoning his duty to protect the realm.”
The herald’s voice held firm, rising above the stunned murmurs.
“From this day forward, he is stripped of all title, all land, and all claim to the crown. His crimes are met with death, swift and final, beneath the blade. Let his fall be remembered, not as a sorrow, but as a vow. This realm shall remain whole, faithful, and unbroken. May the gods render their judgment upon him.”
