Valeora → Court of Veyric
Day 10 After the Crack
Joanna was shackled.
Her hands and feet were bound by chains of magic that shimmered with anti-flux glyphs.
On her back, the wounds from the Crack of Chronos still throbbed, never fully healed, causing a constant ache, a haunting reminder of time's cruel passage. Each passing second felt like an increasingly heavy burden, painful, as if time itself danced around them, teasing with a vanishing hope. Doubt enveloped Joanna, deep in the recesses of her heart, fostering a persistent contemplation of whether they could alter her fate.
Jeanne walked beside her, flanked by royal guards, acutely aware of the tension that seemed to fill the air like an electric charge. In those heavy steps, she felt the pulse of magic vibrating, resonating their inner turmoil. Looking deep into Joanna's eyes, she sensed the helplessness yearning to be transformed into courage, a flicker of determination ready to spark.
"I won't leave you," Jeanne whispered.
"I will speak in court. I will demand your rights as a human, not a relic of the past." Her voice quivered, echoing in Joanna's mind like a spell, fortifying the chains that bound her.
"Kak..." Joanna whispered, "You've sacrificed enough. Don't confront the kingdom for my sake." A tremor of fear enveloped her, yet a faint hope urged her to believe that perhaps, just perhaps, a miracle could happen. Nevertheless, doubt lingered in her heart, refusing to fade.
"I am your sister. That is my only reason. And that is enough." Jeanne stared straight ahead, her gaze as strong as the magic flowing between them, vowing to protect what remained of their family. Every word she spoke was her promise, a mystery she would never forget, regardless of the price the world demanded.
The Veyric courthouse loomed majestically, its black stone walls adorned with the emblem of the Gaia-Earth kingdom.
The room was packed: filled with nobility, commoners, envoys from Stones, and even observers from Arkanum, all waiting with bated breath for the verdict that would irrevocably alter the course of history.
In the judge's seat, Lord Veyric Leontis sat in his golden robe, his sharp eyes scanning every corner of the room, as if seeking traces of the darkness that had once plagued them. The sounds of rustling and anxious sighs filled the air, creating a suspended atmosphere, like an unspoken curse. Among the crowd, souls were ensnared in tension, reminded once again of the dark tale that had swept through their beloved land.
"This case is not just about wild magic," his voice echoed.
"It concerns a threat that brought us to the brink of destruction a thousand years ago."
"The Chronos mark on the defendant Joanna Fate's body is evidence of an ancient will that has led to the phenomenon known as Black Sun."
Whispers of fear spread throughout the room.
Some pale faces exchanged glances, their eyes conveying what words could not. Murmurs erupted, "Are we about to witness history repeat itself?" as fear coursed through their veins. The atmosphere grew more tense, haunted by unpredictable thoughts swirling in the minds of everyone present.
"Black Sun... that killed millions..."
"No babies were born for a hundred years during that time..."
"This is a wound that cannot be left open any longer."
Jeanne stood in the middle of the room, between Joanna and the judges, looking at them with eyes full of hope and uncertainty. The magical energy vibrated in the air as she attempted to channel the remaining Chronos power within Joanna, hoping to alter the dark vision of the future.
"That mark is not the will of evil, but a wound left by the will of the past, like a lesson that has not been fully erased."
It is a wound. A wound left by the will of the past.
And a wound is not evil."
She added, "Every wound carries a story. A story filled with opportunities for healing and understanding, not for punishment." Jeanne's voice trembled, reminding everyone present of the bitter reality of the consequences of their actions.
"Joanna has fought against the will of Chronos. She did not inherit destruction.
She inherited the will to survive."
Joanna's face radiated hope as Jeanne's words echoed in her heart. "I am not alone," she thought, as if hearing a gentle whisper from the souls trapped in time, urging her to fight even when the world seemed against her.
"If this world punishes those who survive from the old will,
then this world only creates a new cycle of hatred."
The atmosphere fell silent as the weight of impending fate pressed down upon them. Every second felt heavy, as if time itself was reluctant to move, witnessing the unfolding drama. For a brief moment, Jeanne envisioned a world where the image of the past was a fading echo, where every soul was connected by the delicate threads of eternity woven between their intertwined destinies.
But the presiding judge shook his head.
"The law does not judge intention.
The law judges evidence.
And that evidence is the mark of Chronos on her body."
In a tone filled with tension, he added, "We cannot allow hope to prevail against the truth stained in history." His words acted like a spell, affirming the power of the law that constraints the freedom of the soul.
Two envoys stood with stoic expressions, representing the dichotomy of power and fear, waiting for the outcome of this conflict where will and destiny clashed in a complex game between eternity and time. They understood that the power of Chronos could destroy more than just the physical; it could also shatter hearts and souls entwined in this moral and existential battle.
Stones: "We confirm.
The Chronos energy is still active within the defendant.
In the name of stability, we support the maximum penalty."
Arkanum: "We also observe.
Its flux indicates instability.
To prevent the resurgence of old wills, we have no objections to the punishment."
Jeanne clenched her fists.
"You are all just afraid of the shadows of the past.
No one truly sees Joanna."
"She is not Chronos. She is Joanna Fate.
My sister.
A human."
Lord Veyric stood up.
"Based on the observations of magic and the laws of the Gaia-Earth kingdom,
the defendant Joanna Fate is sentenced to death."
"The execution will take place in three days."
Jeanne closed her eyes.
Joanna trembled.
"I am not afraid of dying, sis." Joanna whispered, her voice quivering like the night wind, filled with resignation.
"I am only afraid of you having to witness my punishment."
"You will not be punished." Jeanne gazed at her sister, her eyes shimmering with a mix of hope and heartbreak that tore at her soul.
"I will not let them take you.
Not again." Jeanne's voice resonated like a protective incantation, as she sought to merge her strength with the magical energy flowing between them.
That night, in Joanna's cold, dark cell, Jeanne sat beside her, chained as if to weave back the strength severed from their lineage.
Caelan entered quietly, his face somber, as if carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"I've tried," he said, his tone heavy with frustration and sorrow.
I pleaded with the council of nobles.
But they all fear the symbol of Chronos." Despair cloaked his words, causing Joanna to feel the depth of that fear.
"I will not give up, Jeanne." Joanna's voice trembled, infused with unexpected courage, as the magic within her stubbornly refused to extinguish.
"I will summon the old Valeora group, the farmers, the river guardians.
They will stand with you.
If necessary, all of Valeora will defy the royal decree."
Jeanne held her husband's hand, feeling the tension in the air, as if their names were etched within the dark pages of fate. The power of the Continuum stirred within her, granting her hope but also instilling fear of what was to come.
"I will not let you and the people of Valeora become victims of rebellion.
If I must fight...
I will fight in my own way."
"Sister... don't sacrifice anyone else.
If I must die for the world's fear to end,
I will do so willingly."
"Every drop is for us, Joanna. For all of Valeora," she said, her voice trembling with an overwhelming emotion that threatened to break her resolve, as each tear carried away a fragment of despair.
"No, Joanna.
I have already lost too much.
Sheena. Maria. All those we have ever loved.
I will not lose you."
"I will not allow the world to decide who lives and dies simply out of fear.
We will make our own choices."
Jeanne stood up. The light of the Continuum began to glow softly around her, twinkling like a late star shining in the night sky.
A choice had been made.
"If the world cannot protect my sister...
I will be the one to protect her."
Three days before the execution loomed like a dark storm on the horizon, a reminder of the urgency and the imminent trial of fate awaiting them.
Jeanne began to devise a meticulous plan, not just a mere rebellion, but a redemption bound intricately to her promise to rekindle hope in the hearts of Valeora's people.
Not a rebellion.
But a redemption, bound by her vow to restore hope to Valeora.
And far in the distance...
the Stones and Arkanum sensors began to send word:
a woman with Continuum powers, undetected for centuries...
had emerged in the city of Veyric, heralding an inevitable wave of change that threatened to upend the balance of power for all who lived beneath the oppressive shadows cast by fear and tyranny.
"Is this... the legendary Jeanne Fate?" whispered a Stones guard, his voice trembling with tension. Around them, the air seemed to vibrate, melding with an unforeseen power.
"Impossible. She has been gone for so long.
But the signs are clear." An ancient wizard standing beside the guard added, his eyes shining with a timeless light, as if sensing the promise hidden behind Jeanne's presence. "If she has truly returned, then our fate hangs in the balance, a flame of hope reignited in the darkness that has long confined us."