The courtroom buzzed with restrained energy as the council members whispered among themselves. Stick’s gaze flicked uneasily between his fellow knight, Sir Shadis, and the imposing General Solo, whose gloved hand tapped rhythmically on the stack of charges in her grip. The silence broke when General Solo cleared her throat and began reading the list of crimes with icy precision.

  “Your escape plan consisted of a diversion, the sabotage and theft of Baron Bonatelli’s means of transportation, the incapacitation of Officer Becket, the acquisition of the aforementioned’s equipment and possibly… the elimination of John Reacher. Is that correct?”

  Stick hesitated, his mouth dry. Shadis, however, didn’t.

  “Yes, Ma’am,” he answered, his voice low but steady. “Those were the broad strokes.”

  “Thank you, Sir Moore,” General Solo replied, without missing a beat.

  The cloaked figure stirred.

  “Ridiculous,” he muttered, his voice barely audible. “Sir Moore.”

  Stick glanced over and caught the figure’s discontent, but nobody else seemed to notice. He looked back at Shadis’ fallen face, feeling a pang of guilt tighten in his chest. Shadis had come here hoping to take the fall, perhaps a doomed attempt to save him from the council’s wrath. Stick recognised that sacrifice, and for a fleeting moment, he regretted not letting him proceed with his plan. Despite his position as a Player, he wanted to show Shadis he was committed to their loyalty, that he’d never betray a fellow knight of House Blitz, no matter what this twisted game or Carnifex dictated. General Solo’s voice cut through his thoughts.

  “You stand trial for obstructing an official proceeding, conspiracy to obstruct law enforcement, seditious conspiracy against Carnifex — which the NPC has already confessed to.” She paused, glancing at her notes. “Furthermore, two counts of second-degree arson, two minor thefts, one major theft, ten instances of property damage, four counts of workforce destruction…” She finally looked up, locking eyes with Stick. “I must say, I am impressed that a Level 1 player managed to cause so much damage.”

  Stick felt a slight tremor in his knees as Duke Herzog shook his head, sighing in disappointment. “What will it take to integrate someone like this into society?”

  Stick shuddered, the weight of the accusations settling in.

  General Solo resumed. “Aggravated assault on a Carnifex soldier, kidnapping and attempted murder of a Carnifex soldier—”

  “Actually, Ma’am,” Officer Becket’s grim voice interrupted, “those last two were the actions of an NPC named Cadmun Frost.”

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  Becket’s clenched fist trembled with the barely restrained anger of a man cornered by the truth. The general’s gaze shifted to him, her expression unyielding.

  “Still part of the insurrection, was it not?” she asked.

  Becket’s jaw clenched, but he nodded, conceding the point. General Solo continued.

  “Three counts of assisting a dissident in escape and, finally, disloyalty and high treason.”

  The last accusation made Stick flinch.

  “High treason?” he blurted, unable to contain his frustration. “But I was never part of Carnifex to begin with!”

  General Solo’s eyes narrowed, scrutinising him carefully. “You accepted the Baron’s offer, no?”

  “Yes… but I never used the Letter of Initiation.” Stick swallowed. “I’m not part of Carnifex!”

  After a moment’s consideration, General Solo scratched something off her list. “Technically, that is correct.”

  “Then there’s the matter of the Prized Possession,” Duke Herzog added thoughtfully. “It’s come to our attention it obstructed law enforcement.”

  “It was an excellent example of obedience,” Becket remarked, clearly eager to defend it. “As soon as it learned about the plot, it turned against the escapees and helped bring them in.”

  Baron Bonatelli, seated with a satisfied smirk, nodded approvingly. The praise clearly gratified him. Stick could see a flicker of satisfaction in Bonatelli’s eyes. He cast a glance over his shoulder at the figure standing quietly behind him — the Prized Possession. It…

  Satisfied, Herzog dismissed his initial accusation, shifting the trial’s attention once more to Stick.

  “We also have charges in the PvP case against Officer Becket and Baron Bonatelli regarding the mistreatment of Sir Arslan.” General Solo’s gaze swept over the council, lingering on Becket and Bonatelli. “Though the accused does not belong to Carnifex, he is a Player, and a fair trial demands we consider this as well.”

  Bonatelli scoffed, looking mildly irritated. “An Officer slapping a player is hardly my fault.”

  “Assault?” Herzog raised an eyebrow. “That hasn’t been mentioned before.”

  Murmurs rose from the council as more eyes fixed on the Baron and Becket. The tension was palpable, Becket’s shoulders stiffened under the weight of the council’s scrutiny, Nakamura eyed him with suspicion, and Bonatelli’s eyes had widened. Stick looked around, perplexed. Did he just incriminate himself?

  The red-haired woman leaned forward, her gaze sharp. “Baron Bonatelli, the General was referring to your failure to provide for Sir Arslan adequately. He was left in NPC accommodations for days after his arrival. That negligence is what radicalised him, not any supposed assault.”

  The room went still, a dangerous pause hanging in the air. Beside him, Stick heard the faint clinking of chains as Shadis stood abruptly, his face illuminated with dangerous enthusiasm.

  “Days?” he said, feigning incredulity. “I beg your pardon! We don’t hand out honorary titles in days. Sir Arslan has been with us since summer.”

  A ripple passed through the council as murmurs filled the room. Stick’s mind scrambled to catch up, but as he looked at the horrified expressions on the council members’ faces, the dawning horror in Becket’s eyes, and the shock in Bonatelli’s reddening face, the revelation fell into place. Sir Moore caught the Baron in a big lie.

  Stick glanced over at his fellow knight, a big smile forming under Shadis’ beard who just turned the tables on Baron Bonatelli. This wasn’t a sacrificial diversion meant to save Stick anymore. This was about making Bonatelli answer for his crimes and tearing him down with them. It was a dangerous game they were playing, but he knew now that whatever came next, they were in it together — knights of House Blitz to the end.

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