CH-11: RAVEN'S HONEST ANSWERS
After about ten minutes, Axel finally caught sight of Elias returning from the trial room, with an unexpected dejected look on his face. He quietly came and sat down next to Axel on the wooden bench.
"Wait a damn minute, did he not get selected? How could there be such a huge change in plot?"- Axel wondered as he felt that a bombshell was dropped on him. Noticing his eerie silence, Axel felt bad and couldn't help but frown and asked slowly, in a concerned tone- "Hey, what-" - he was cut mid sentence by the red haired man.
"I GOT RECRUITED!!!! I DID IT ODION!!"- Elias shrieked as he grabbed Axel by his neck and shared a painfully tight side hug.
"ELIAS YOU LITTLE DEVIL!!! Ugh, let m-me g-go!"- Axel felt as if his neck would snap any moment, but as a friend, he was also relieved and glad that Elias actually got recruited.
As they were engaged in their 'friendly' hug, the same man, who worked as the town crier announced in the most annoying cranky voice ever-
"Mr. Odion, your presence is summoned in the trial hall. Please proceed towards the mentioned venue"
Axel finally freed himself from the red haired little bear, and stood up from the bench hurriedly. Elias gave him a smile full of warmth and held a thumbs up as he said in a cheerful manner. "I know you can do it, my knowledgeable brother!"
Axel, in response, gave him a thank you smile. Now he felt something in his stomach tingling and wondered if he was actually nervous. But before he entered the hall, he remembered some mantras to chant before an auspicious beginning and wholeheartedly chanted them.
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As he stepped into the hall, he felt the aura shift significantly. The place was very dim, with blue flame torches as the only sources of light. The walls were covered with frosted glass panels of different designs and colours. In front of him, sat four men, each with an expression of gravitas plastered on their faces. The two on the left were likely older, their faces covered with wrinkles, unlike the two on the right who were pretty younger and held grace. Axel tried to recall their names from left to right, according to the original novel.
On the extreme left, was Iudex Jean-Pierre, the judge of the Paisiville Court. After him sat the old Renauld le Voyageur, a noble working under duke as a remarkable adventurer. After him, on the right sat the handsome Grand Duke of Paisiville, Arthur La Franciszek and at the extreme right, sat the captain of the duke's royal guards, Sir Sebastian des Ombres. Axel noticed how the duke had disguised himself, changing his silver hair to a light brown and his emerald eyes into sapphire blue. His sharp gaze was fixed on Axel, occasionally shifting to look at his borrowed sword.
"So, first you must answer some of our questions and then we will see the demonstration of your powers. Are you ready Mr. Odion?"- Renauld asked in a smooth deep voice.
Axel was more than ready for this moment. He had prepared for an entire week.
"I certainly am sir!"- he said with full confidence, his expressions solemn.
Their conversation went like this:
"So for Mr. Odion, for you, what matters the most? Looks or skills?"- asked the iudex of the Paisivile court anxiously.
"Skills."- Axel responded within a second.
"What about the appearance?"- Arthur questioned with a smirk slowly forming on his pale face.
"It's the eyes that hold the appearance"
"What does that mean?"- questioned Renauld, slowly able to understand Odion's character.
"Some see only the moon's light, while others only notice its craters and scars."
"Try to describe life in three words."- asked Sir Sebastian.
"Ambition, love and sacrifice"- Axel answered as he felt tears welling up in his eyes.
"What is love?"- Arthur asked again, noticing the sheer determination in the man's eyes.
"The tears of bliss formed from God's eyes."
"Religious hm? What are tears?"- Sebastian asked, a bit amused at the depth of answers that were given by Odion. Although the questions were out of context of what they really planned to question him in mind, the answers filled with profundity were truly artistic and held true emotion.
"The memories of happiness and sorrow."- A salty tear ran down Axel's cheek, leaving him in confusion as to why he was shedding tears. Perhaps because these words reminded him of his mother.
"What is happiness?"- Jean-Pierre questioned, understanding the depth of the man's character.
"Illusion."
"What is the strongest weapon in the battlefield?"- Reynauld questioned.
"Courage."- Axel responded after a pause.
"What is the most difficult time in life?" Again Jean-Pierre asked.
"Waiting for the consequences of one's actions."
"Lastly, what is the greatest gift?"- Arthur questioned.
"Bestowing trust."- Axel answered as he quickly wiped away his tears, realizing how his answers had affected the people sitting in front of him. Their serious expressions changed into more tranquil.