Tensions were running high in the courtroom the next day. After a day full of rest, Ashton had recovered completely. But as usual, his heart was seeking vengeance on those who dared to put their hands on him. Albeit, indirectly.
More than that, he was looking forward to meeting Donovan. After all, Ashton wanted to return all the favours he had done to him while they were both living under the same roof. All those fights and shit he did to him under the guise of 'training'… all of it was going to haunt that bastard Donovan now.
Unlike Ashton's trial, the courtroom wasn't packed. Only a dozen or so people were present there, including him, Jonathan and Mera. Even the ministers were not allowed to attend the trial as it was something Jonathan wanted to take care of by himself.
'Just bring them out already…' Ashton was busy fidgeting in his seat next to Mera.
Mera looked at him but didn't say a word. She simply placed her hand on his shoulder… quite awkwardly. Ashton didn't know what the fuck she was doing there, and his expression must have given his thoughts away as the next moment she took her hand off of his shoulder.
"Bring them in." Jonathan finally ordered and low and behold, six people were escorted inside the room, in handcuffs.
All of them had animal masks on their faces, except one who had a demon mask which looked… weird to say the least. Why the hell were they even wearing masks in the first place? They were supposed to get trialled here, it wasn't some sort of a fashion show.
"As I call your names, take your masks off. If you don't, then I'll take your heads off instead. Are we clear?"
"You cannot do this to us." The man with the demon mask bellowed, "We have saved and protected this kingdom before it even existed! We aided you during the war with the humans, we aided you every single step of the way, and this is how you decided to pay us back?"
"Mike Maquinn, be really careful with your words." Jonathan blasted the room with his cold aura, sending chills down the spine of everyone present there, "I am already itching to rip your filthy tongue out and feeding it to dire wolves. It would be wise if you don't infuriate anymore."
The man in the demon mask got silent all of a sudden. He was pretty sure he had done everything to hide his identity from everyone. Even his own family didn't know his true identity, and yet Jonathan had uncovered it as if it was a child's play.
"I remember instructing you to take your damn mask off. Or should I invite your family in to witness your true colours?" Jonathan reminded the man.
At this point, not only did Mike drop his mask, but the others also followed. Everyone except the guy with a bull carved on his mask was now standing there as they had been stripped out of their clothes.
The man called Mike looked almost identical to someone Ashton had been in contact with for a while… He looked the same as Rose. Except, Rose had a certain warmth in her eyes, but this man was… cold. As if he was hungry for someone's blood.
The next moment, all of them went on their knees. Whether it was due to shame, guilt or disappointment, no one knew.
"We have served this kingdom for longer than anyone." Mike mumbled, "We have protected it from countless dangers for years. Sacrificing more than just our lives for the sake of loyalty to this cursed kingdom. But now… we see the fault in our ways… we should not have ever aided you! You will drag this profane kingdom to ruins! All because of a fucking child?"
He spat in Ashton's direction but it was just as weak as the man's appeal of 'loyalty'.
"That fucking kid is someone under my protection, did you forget that?" Jonathan took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his raging blood, "Also, this trial is not about that fucking kid. It's about your heresy of not obeying my command! I told you… to stay away from him. Didn't I?"
Jonathan's temper got progressively worse to the point the walls around him began shaking. None had ever seen him get that angry, but for some reason, Ashton did not feel threatened by Jonathan's aura like before.
It almost felt as if he had experienced something more intimidating not too long ago, thus his body wasn't reacting to Jonathan's forceful aura. Also, something else had caught Ashton's attention. The man with the Bull mask…
While the rest of the 'Conundrum' was acting synonymously, that guy had neither taken his mask off nor was he kneeling down. It was like he had a different mind of his own and didn't care about dying or living.
Mera was looking at the same man as well, and just then something clicked inside Ashton's head. He recognised the smell coming from the man. Although he wasn't as built as Ashton remembered him, there was no mistaking it… the man behind the mask was Donovan.
Ashton's blood started boiling, but he forced himself to remain calm. Acting out in front of Jonathan and those conundrum bastards would only give the latter a chance to rebuke him. It would also make their point more valid which wouldn't look good either for Jonathan or him.
Till Jonathan was done handling his job, the only thing Ashton could do was dig his nails into his palms while waiting.
"You might see the boy in favourable light now, but you don't know what he was made for-" Mike started talking again but Jonathan cut him off.
"To kill our kind because he's the 'weapon'? I hate to disappoint you, but I have known that for a while now." Jonathan stated with a gleeful look on his face, "You people are really out of your depth here, aren't you? The great Conundrum, protector of Lycania, shadow rulers of this kingdom… but do you really know what's been happening here?"
"…"
"You have lost your touch long ago. If I wanted I could have gotten rid of you the moment you expressed your wishes to execute one of my offspring. But I didn't because you had been of immense help during the war with humanity."
He continued, "You ask what have I done for you? I have forgiven you for your past discretion. You have done things, I would have killed anyone had they had done it. But now you senile fools have crossed the last line by disobeying a direct order and this time you will pay!"
Suddenly, Mike broke down laughing. But the rest of them hold on to their silence. Everyone in the room thought the bastard had lost his mind or something.
But the next moment, he got back to his feet and looked Jonathan right in the eyes and said something that left everyone else baffled.
"If you already know so much, then I assume you also know your court might not be as loyal to you as you had thought?" Mike dropped his hands into his inventory and took out several vials from it.
"How the hell-" Mera was shocked, the cuffs around their wrists should have denied them from accessing their inventory… unless someone from the staff sabotaged them.
"EVERYONE GET DOWN!" Ashton roared at the top of his lungs as soon as he used [Detection] to figure out the contents of the vials.
The guards rushed to stop Mike, while Ashton aimed his crossbow at him. But it the following moment, everyone was blown away as the vials exploded. The guards around them were instantly incinerated, but those conundrum bastards were safe.
A huge part of the room collapsed following the explosion, which gave the conundrum folks an ideal chance to escape while also killing anyone who got in their way.
"Remember Jonathan! This day marks your downfall along with this kingdom! Long live the King…. of Vania!" Mike roared before leaping out of the window.