The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

"Questioning?" Oscar asked calmly despite the silent pressure that made his lungs feel heavy. These enforcers wore blue armor with a white tunic; helmets covered their faces with metallic fins on the side. Oscar looked at his friends, Frederick and Emily, who tensed up but prepared to fight.

"Report to the Record Hall and give your statement. The others may stay." An enforcer took a heavy step, his metallic boots cracking the ground. Although they were asking, there was no chance for Oscar to refuse. Their mission was to bring him back by force if necessary; this was a mere formality.

"Os is not–" Frederick shouted.

But Oscar gestured with his hand to stop Frederick from talking because they wanted him and him only, which indicated that Frederick and Emily were in the clear. With that in mind, Oscar responded, "I will go. May I say farewell to my companions first?"

The enforcers glanced at each other, their expressions hidden behind their helmets, and nodded. "You have ten minutes; we will wait outside. Do not worry; you only need to testify and nothing more."

Once the enforcers exited the room, Frederick said, "Os, let me go in your place. My aunt broke the rules for my sake. You don't need to put yourself in the hot seat for that."

Oscar shook his head at his best friend's suggestion. "I was the one she came to for help, and I accepted her information. I don't know how they found out, but it'll be fine."

"But!" Frederick tried to say more, but Emily put her hand on his shoulders with a shake of her head. "Emily? You're ok with this?"

"Do you believe Oscar would be so dumb? Besides, they said he only needs to testify" Emily turned to Oscar with a slight smile, but her eyes expressed the worry she was trying to hide. Her hand was slightly trembling on Frederick's shoulder.

Frederick noticed and grasped her hand with a sigh. He looked at Oscar and fist-bumped his friend's chest. "Make sure not to get in trouble."

"No need to tell me that. Worry more about your aunt. She was desperate to save you and is now on trial." Oscar gave another glance over at the two in front of him. "Just wait for me at the Commune."

Oscar exited the room, leaving the anxious gazes of Frederick and Emily, replaced by the enforcers' empty stares, who escorted Oscar out of the Mission Hall to the back.

Oscar was escorted to the Record Hall, where the Judges worked, and courts were convened for infractions and internal affairs. The enforcers led him past the many desks with piles of scrolls and Judges hard at work into a familiar hallway. Oscar recalled the last time he was here was his first year after killing Greg.

'I never did find out who wanted me to go to prison. Even Master didn't tell me.' Oscar frowned upon thinking about the unknown person that sent him to prison. On the one hand, he was sent off to prison, but he did meet Draven and learn the way of Reis. 'I don't know who sent me there, but the greatest revenge would be to smile and thank them for doing so.'

"We have brought the witness." An enforcer announced to the closed doors.

"Bring him in." A response came from within. The doors opened, and Oscar stepped inside the familiar courtroom.

At the main seat was the overseer who presided over the matter, the Director of the Record Hall, Austell Jones; his yellow-brown behind the clear round spectacles stared at Oscar, and he beckoned them to come in.

Oscar's back shivered when his eyes met Austell Jones's eyes. He turned his head away and saw Ivanka Klein sitting in the middle of the room, but she had her eyes closed and was undisturbed. In a stand was a man with sleek black hair tied back into a short ponytail and was dressed in a fine suit and half-moon glasses.

Austell Jones waved the enforcers to stand down and addressed the relevant parties.

"Ivanka Klein, you are accused of breaking the sacred duty of a Judge. The accuser, Hess Quinte, stands here now and may give out his evidence."

Hess Quinte stood up, looking like a scholar, and fixed his glasses to his face, staring at Ivanka and Oscar with indifferent gold eyes. "Thank you, Director, for allowing me to speak. I first noticed Ms. Klein's strange behavior when she repeatedly looked at the same scroll. Then I watched as she wrote something down on a piece of paper and left the Record Hall."

"And what was on this piece of paper? Do you know?" Austell Jones asked.

"I do not, but I found out she was looking over the record of her nephew, Frederick Klein, and that she left for the dorm room of the student, Oscar Terr. The same dorm room Student Frederick lived in for a year."

Oscar prevented himself from making any action, even stopping himself from clenching his hands. Any movement from him would certainly be put under scrutiny.

"The records say Oscar Terr left for Artomos City, which lies above the Spiraling Willow Forest, the last indicated location on Frederick Klein's record. This is no mere coincidence, Director. Ivanka Klein has leaked the details of one student to another." Hess Quinte finished his speech and returned to his stand.

Austell Jones took off his glasses and wiped them with his handkerchief. "Oscar Terr, did you go to the Spiraling Willow Forest?"

Oscar answered, "Yes."

"We convened this court now because Hess insisted we wait for your potential return for your testimony and put a flag on the mission. The information from the Mission Hall says you returned with Frederick Klein, correct?"

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Yes."

"Then did you rescue Frederick Klein from the Spiraling Willow Forest?"

"Yes." Oscar saw no point in lying and spoke the truth. They already had a good amount of information to make a decision. It was a matter of determining the extent of Ivanka's crime.

"As students, there might be some leniency for errors and second chances given, but the actions of Ivanka Klein are not tolerable for a Judge. They must be wholly neutral and abide by the rules." Hess interjected with a flat tone.

"May I ask a question?" Oscar stepped forward.

Austell Jones was silent for a moment and answered, "Go ahead."

"What is the process for finding a missing student for the Pavilion?"

"Sometimes it is hard to determine if a student is dead, missing, or taking a long time. The Pavilion would have given a grace period of two months for a short mission like Frederick Klein's."

'Two months….In that time, Frederick might have been lost forever.' Oscar kept his outside calm and continued, "If that is the case, then wouldn't me saving Frederick be doing a great service to the Pavilion and an exemplary behavior worthy of praise?"

Hess slammed his hand on the stand and said in a cold tone, "The results might have been favorable, but in the end, you colluded in breaking the rules. Those who disobey, no matter the intent, are, in the end, condemned."

"Enough. Stop bullying the boy. Just give me my punishment." Ivanka spoke up.

"Do you confess to the charges brought against you?" Austell Jones asked.

"I admit I leaked my nephew's details to Oscar, and it seems it was well worth it. As long as my nephew is safe." Ivanka let out a small smile.

"Then you shall be punished according to the severity of your crimes. As for Oscar Terr, you did save your fellow student, but I must remind you to be wary of breaking the rules like the two students from your previous case did." An intimidating aura surrounded Austell as he narrowed his eyes at Oscar.

However, Oscar shocked Austell with his words. "May I take on the punishment instead? If anyone is responsible, it would be me for pushing Ms. Klein over the edge to worry about Frederick all the time."

"You…." Ivanka Klein's eyes widened at Oscar.

"If that is not doable, then lessen her punishment and put most of the burden on me." Oscar continued.

Hess Quinte shouted, "Do you think the courtroom is a playground? A market where you can haggle? Just be grateful that a rule-breaker like yourself isn't being punished."

However, Austell Jones stopped Hess from continuing and addressed Oscar. "You wish to take her punishment? That sentiment doesn't hold the same weight as a Judge's crimes. They have a very important role, and she broke that. As do all the elders."

"Then I will take on more punishment to equate that. Let me go to the Abyss Prison."

Everyone, including the enforcers, stared at Oscar as though he were crazy. Even Austell Jones was shaken and rechecked the records. "You were sent to the Abyss Prison for one week, and you say you want to go back?"

"Indeed. Life was hell over there, but I owe Ivanka Klein and could not have saved Frederick without her help. Samuel's crimes earned him three months. I will double that and offer to be locked up for six months."

"You!" Ivanka was about to scream, but Austell Jones silenced her with chains.

"Are you serious?"

"I am serious." Oscar stared right back at Austell Jones with conviction.

"Hahahahahaha." Austell Jones began to laugh as Ivanka and Hess looked on, shocked. The serious Director that made them feel fear was laughing off his rockers. "That's quite the conviction, but the law is–"

Suddenly an enforcer barged in and handed Austell Jones a letter.

He unfurled it and read on. His eyes widened slightly, making Hess and Ivanka wonder what was on that letter. Austell turned to Oscar with a pensive look.

There were signs of struggle on his face as he contemplated a decision.

"Very well. Oscar Terr, you shall be sentenced to the Abyss Prison for six months, and Ivanka Klein will not be severely punished but placed under house arrest. But she will not return to her duties as a Judge but be sent under Grand Commander Margaret's command."

"Director!" Hess was about to object, but one look from Austell Jone stumped him.

"Since this student is determined to fall into the depths for Ivanka Klein, let him do it. Ivanka Klein is still getting a punishment but lighter. Ultimately, they saved a student while the Pavilion is too spread out to handle each matter." Austell Jones waved over the enforcers. "Take Ivanka Klein and Oscar Terr away."

Ivanka was still struggling behind the chains but was dragged away; her eyes looked apologetically at Oscar, who was still smiling.

"May I say goodbye to my friends?" Oscar asked.

"Granted. This court is now finished." Austell Jones cleaned up the table and departed, leaving behind the dumfounded Hess

"What the hell is going on?" Hess murmured. For the Director he knew was a major advocate of the law, to give in was the strangest occurrence. The only reason would be if someone intervened, causing Hess to shudder in fear.

Who was powerful enough to force the Director's hand?

…….

When Austell Jones returned to his private room, he bowed to the figure waiting for him. She was dressed in a fine blue military uniform with a gold cape draped over her shoulders.

Margaret Ward turned and said to Austell, "You made the right choice."

Her purple hair and grey eyes were still charming atop her well-defined face. She was older than her sister, Feye but held onto her youthful appearance.

"May I ask the Grand Commander why she decided to intervene in the matters of the Record Hall? As the Director, I must still keep up my image." Austell implored Margaret for an explanation with a dark face. He utterly despised going against the rules but could not ignore Margaret's command. "Why send that student to the Abyss Prison and put Ivanka under your command?"

Margaret rubbed her temple with a tired look. "A stubborn fool was keeping track and asked me to handle this when it came to pass."

"A stubborn fool?" Austell was confused.

"That's right." Margaret's eyes were still cold but relaxed ever so slightly. "A stubborn idiot."

…….

Oscar was led back to the Commune, where Frederick and Emily were waiting. They were joyful to see him but stopped upon seeing the enforcer next to him. Oscar asked the enforcer for some privacy.

"What happened?" Frederick asked.

"Nothing much. Your aunt is pretty much free to go." Oscar smiled with an ok gesture.

"That's amazing!" Emily cheered.

"Yea, but I'll be gone to the Abyss Prison for six months." Oscar dropped a bomb on them.

"The Abyss Prison?" Frederick stuttered as he paled, but his eyes suddenly glinted, and he whispered, "They don't know about you and the Warden?"

"Nope."

Frederick struggled to hold back laughter, his face twitching. Emily was going through a similar ordeal.

"You two can handle yourselves without me, right?" Oscar asked.

"Of course." Frederick and Emily brought Oscar in for a group hug. "Let's meet up again in six months."

"We'll be stronger Exalts and attack the Inner Hall exam together."

"Right!" They gave a final hurrah.

"Tell Celestina for me," Oscar said.

"Who?" Frederick didn't know who that was. Later, he nearly suffered a heart attack from Emily telling him the whole story.

…….

Oscar walked through the desolate depths of the lake under the guiding light of the trident. With each step, he moved deeper and deeper until a dark spire illuminated by dim lights appeared like a beacon of despair. But for Oscar, this was the opposite.

He stepped into the main hall alone and smiled upon seeing the figure dressed in black with a three-prong tip helmet, his master, Draven.

"Why are you back here?" Draven crossed his arms with his back poised, looking like the height of nobility.

Oscar bowed down and greeted his master. "I have returned as promised with some tea."

He took out a bag of tea swiped from the Commune.

".........I said to bring good tea."

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