Avryn struggled to open his eyes. His head was hanging over. He tried to feel around as he came to consciousness. His finger tips brushed over something flat and wooden. Bright light made it difficult to see. His ears were still ringing. He overheard two voices, one that faintly sounded like Rinna’s and then another woman’s.

  His surroundings became clear to him now. He was seated in a small room, with a light shone on him. Some sort of opaque window barred him from the other side. The door opened. He saw a woman come in. She had an uncanny resemblance to Rinna, only older and with her sky blue hair tied. She was wearing an official looking uniform by what Avryn guessed.

  She had the gunblade in her hands. She placed it on the table before sitting down. The air around her exuded even more pressure to him compared to Rinna’s. She introduced herself as Haervinna Ingvertsen, Grand Judge of Ordellia.

  Avryn tried swallowing his anxiety away to muster up the courage to speak,

  “Nice to meet you, m-ma’am.”

  “Well, at least you have manners, Avryn Starbright,” She sighed. “Now, onto business.”

  She gestured to the gunblade,

  “Did you know to who this weapon belonged to?”

  “His name was Iver. Iver Honsel. He said he was in the Knights of Hrenvar,” he answered.

  “Did you steal it from him?” she followed up immediately.

  “No, it’s a bit more complicated than what Rinna told you,”

  A slam was heard across the room, from the glass. Haervinna looked towards it. Silence fell back in the room. She leaned forward towards him,

  “Tell me everything that you know. And do not lie to me,” her eyes pierced through his soul if it could.

  They almost had a beast-like nature. Like a lion’s. Avryn nodded. He tried to compose himself as best he could. His heart fell like it could burst out of his chest with how fast it was beating. It needed some sort of escape.

  He explained everything on his meeting with Sir Iver, of their deal, their duel, and subsequently, his death. Haervinna remained silent, but was latching on to every word. The room went quiet once again after he finished his story.

  Haervinna was deep in thought. She seemed calm on the surface but her mind raced with numerous questions. She looked at the gunblade, and then back to Avryn.

  “You bested one of the strongest knights of the Order?” that point was hard to believe.

  “Well, more like got lucky, but I did beat him, yes,” Avryn corroborated.

  “You didn’t get the jump on him with a group of other people?” she followed up.

  “No, I was alone. I was always…alone,” his voice trailed off.

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  Haervinna was examining him like a textbook. She searched from any microexpression that would have betrayed that statement. She had already looked up any and all information on him beforehand. He didn’t have any parents, nor did he had any outstanding crimes to his name.

  Her grief was gaining the upperhand in her mind. She took a deep breath, and continued her questioning,

  “Why did you not spare him, if you had won the duel?” She asked.

  “He said that he wanted a warrior’s death. He told me that he had no one to give Lerosa to,” He replied.

  “Lerosa?” Her eyes widened.

  “Yeah, he said he named the gunblade after this girl, Lerosa,”

  It would have been impossible for a complete stranger to know that name. That very same name that meant the world to Iver. Only a few close people knew about that connection, Haervinna included. One last question plagued her,

  “How was he acting?”

  Avryn leaned back and tried remembering.

  “He was…weird. He felt at peace. Talking about death and all,” he explained to her.

  Her eyes widened for a moment but she remained calm. She was in doubt now. Would she had taken this chance to trust this stranger’s words? She had one last test for Avryn. She turned over the blade to him, and had him stand.

  “If what you say is true, then the weapon should obey only to your words. Say her name, and call upon her power,” she instructed.

  He was confused by that. He had just as many questions swirling around his head, but if this would help prove his innocence, then it was worth trying.

  He took up the blade and got into a fighting stance, pointing the blade to an invisible opponent.

  “Lerosa,” he beckoned her.

  No response. He called upon her name once again. It was still silent. Rinna barged into the room, slamming the door on her way in.

  “There is no way you are believing in his story, mother,” she walked up to her.

  She wrestled the gunblade away from Avryn. He did not put up a fight and let her have it. She waved it in front of Haervinna,

  “This weapon has only one master, and that was Sir Iver. Now he’s dead,” she made an argument.

  Avryn interjected,

  “Look, from what I can gather, this guy must have meant a lot to you two. And to probably a lot of people. I didn’t even know why he chose to want to die in Kuldrin of all places,” he sympathized. “It is true, I dueled him. But he wanted to go out in some honorable way, so I granted him that.”

  Rinna pointed the gunblade at him,

  “You have no proof, and no witnesses to back up your story. No way Sir Iver would have lost to the likes of you!” she screamed.

  “Rinna,” Haervinna’s voice boomed throughout the room. “Put Lerosa down.”

  “But--”

  “Now,” she demanded.

  She reluctantly placed the gunblade on the table. Haervinna briefed Avryn on what was going to happen. He would stand trial in a few minutes and without any evidence, he would be found guilty on all charges. Execution would be his fate for murdering a person of Sir Iver’s status.

  Avryn paused. He was at a loss for words. His journey had just begun. He refused to go out like this, but he’s not willing to become some wanted criminal. He slumped back into his chair. He placed his hand over his head.

  “I’ll give you a few minutes, and then the guards will escort you to the courtroom,” Haervinna ushered her daughter out of the room. “And for what it’s worth, you have my sympathies.”

  The courtroom was abuzz of the news. Sir Iver was dead at the hands of some unknown person. Haervinna made it to the judge’s stand. Her presence alone hushed the room into silence.

  Avryn was brought out in chains. He could not face anyone, only looking down on the floor before him. She read his charges out before him: One case of murder of a knight of the holy order. Haervinna took one deep breath,

  “After delibration with the jury, the lack of evidence on the defendant’s side proving their innocence, I hereby setence you--”

  The ground rumbled. Loose rock fell onto the room. The statue behind Haervinna was causing it. Its eyes glowed blue, divine magic overtook it. Panic started to set in the room.

  “Halt,” a powerful voice echoed from the statue.

  Vibrations stopped as the statue demanded all attention on it.

  “I, Hrenvar, God of Justice, was called upon at Sir Iver’s request to serve as witness to his duel with the defendant,” He exclaimed.

  “Mighty God above, it truly is Hrenvar,” a voice spoke.

  It was the closest Hrenvar was in the flesh to mortals after many years. He explained everything and gave his support to Avryn, who was awestruck at this moment.

  “Sir Iver indeed desired for a warrior’s death. And indeed he had found it at the hands of the young Avryn Starbright. It is no murder,” He lectured the room.

  Rinna was also given pause at this development. She could not believe her eyes nor her ears what was happening. The God of Justice himself is siding with a murderer, in her eyes at least.

  “I shall carry out the sentence myself, Grand Judge,” The voice directed itself to Haervinna.

  Haervinna did not say anything, and simply bowed her head.

  “I, Hrenvar, whose domain is Justice, find the defandant not guilty, and acquited of all charges,” He announced. “And I believe this belongs to you now.”

  The gunblade Lerosa flew towards Avryn and floated before him, awaiting his hand. Silence fell upon the courtroom. The statue had stopped glowing. Haervinna stood up,

  “Well, you heard what god himself said,” She gestured to the guards.

  Avryn was let out of his cuffs. He was a free man again. Lerosa eagerly waited before him. His hands gently gripped the handle. He looked up and down the blade. God himself had proclaimed that he now owned this weapon.

  “If that’s all, we shall have a break and continue after lunch,” Haervinna exclaimed.

  Rinna seethed at what happened and retreated. Avryn was still wrapping his head around it. God himself saved him from certain death. His journey would continue for the days to come.