Of Paths Once Tread

Slowly the world began to take shape once more. The various hews of Black and grey created a mesh of shadows draped over an unconscious man's body. Little by little the man stirred from slumber.

Fumbling about he managed to force himself to his feet. Thin rays broke through the line of trees gently illuminating the underbrush. He strained his senses while stumbling through the drooping canopy into the expanse beyond. Each foot landing unsteadily one after the other.

Just how did I end up here? This lone thought was the only thing clear in this moment. Mustering up what little energy remained he gently shakes his head. Gradually the surroundings became more clearly defined by the traces of light breaking through the grim cloud coverage with thunder rumbling in the distance. He then finally begins to recall all that had transpired.

~Days prior at the imperial court~

"Today we begin the Trial of Benjamin Erin Levins for the grave crime of inciting a rebellion against the Royal family and the Empire of Tenebris." The murmurs that had been circulating throughout the chamber soon fell into silence. The tension made the whole body stiff with anxiety. Slowly as the illuminated figure raised their head through the blinding lights that all poured down onto them did everything truly start to settle in.

They actually went through with it. Dread crept up his spine and sweat beaded on his forehead as thoughts rattled through his mind.

 That monster actually brought this trial upon me for refusing to serve his every whim... He could scarcely believe that the system of governance that he had so fiercely fought to protect was truly this damaged. The avarice of a single man had compelled those leaders whom until so recently had been adorned with his trust to now dance the merry jig of jesters.

Just how many purses did this man have to line? At what cost did he go through to trample upon a single man with no real power? And worse yet, how many were that eager to sit back and watch this farce unfold in the first place? One after the other he fumbled through his thoughts at just how dire this whole situation was. Action this swift was not the work of a single man. Far from it. This was a speed and determination that only a cabal could possibly pull off.

"Today the charges levied at the culprit are as fallowed..." Any further preponderance was swiftly put on hold. The voice that echoed around him carried with it a grave sense of determination. Determination to ensure the complete and total social eradication of one too foolish to obey his masters like the dog he really was. It was all to clear the sickeningly disgusting glee that every word read gave the speaker. The corners of the mouth crept up every so slightly into a hideous smirk. A smirk of one completely intoxicated upon the power which they lorded over others.

"Treason of the first degree. Inciting rebellion against your lord liege of the first degree. Dereliction of your post of the first degree. Disobeying direct orders of the first degree..." With each line the crowd slowly settled into a gentle hum. Each word a placation to the egos of all present. Not a single word carried any true weight. For not a single word carried with it any truth at all. These were the sweet nothings from an orchestra to console the ears of those who loathed all that were below them. All was for a singular purpose. To create the show to help quash the headaches that had recently appeared across the country.

From their perspective this couldn't be any simpler. All of this just to give them justification to deal with the consequences of their own inability to lead. He couldn't help but to muse on this fact despite the severity of the situation with which he found himself in. Recently the calls for change had been picking up in speed and substance. Though it amounted to little more than the grumblings of the peasants, that alone was an affront to the perceived justice that these fools so lovingly clung to. Indeed, all this so that those murmurs could be crushed, not simply brushed aside. Their goal was simple, brutal, and even craven.

They well and truly intend to make an example out of these poor souls. Not one will be spared. Just as sure as Benjamin found himself strung before this farce of a trial, so too would the populace soon find themselves the unwitting recipients of a tragedy all to common throughout history. Shortly from now, all that will remain of those so bold and arrogant enough to speak their mind will be nothing but corpses.

"...Criminal conspiracy of the first degree. Contempt of court of the first degree. Thus concludes the list of crimes of the accused." Silence hung about for a few brief moments before many then turned and began to discuss under their breath. Though he could not see whom was doing so, snickers could be heard throughout the chamber. All too clear a reminder that he had no say in the outcome. He merely was to await and find out how they would humiliate him.

"Now gentlemen, to continue with the trial..." A new voice broke through the hushed conversations. A voice that was deep and etched with age. It was a sound that Benjamin was all too familiar with. That was a sound that made nausea well up from deep within his soul. This was the voice of the very vermin that put him where he now stood.

~Back to present~

An ache slowly drug his mind back to the current situation. Perplexed he looked to find that his left hand was so taught with anger his fingers dug into his palm. A careless mistake that was very unlike Benjamin who was normally the portrait calmness. A mistake he recently found himself making all too often.

But as for right now, he couldn't focus on this lack of composure. He had a much more pressing issue at hand. How to survive when faced against the might of a whole nation.