5.The End of the Trial

Chapter Five: (The End of the Trial)

After Loki's sharp response to Kaweh, Kaweh swept his cunning gaze across the crowd, speaking with a tone soaked in malice and ancient weight:

"Illness… yes, illness! Everyone knows my father, Prometheus, was ill."

A hush fell over the hall.

Eyes met in confusion and quiet dread.

The truth crept into the hearts of all, like a silent poison.

There was no resistance—only bitter surrender.

The heart refused, but the mind submitted.

All eyes turned to Loki, waiting for a single sentence,

just one phrase that could restore their hope,

bring balance back to the judgment of the long-awaited Envoy.

Silence lingered for a full minute.

Then Kaweh turned toward the soldier, wearing a smirk of triumph,

as if to say:

"The trial is over."

The soldier stepped forward, face expressionless, and asked:

"Do you have any final words, Loki?"

Loki offered a calm, enigmatic smile, with a faint glint of mischief:

"Yes… I do."

But just as he spoke, someone from the crowd forced their way into the chamber—

a man walking tensely, his face ablaze with rage:

"Prometheus was like a father to us all. He didn't deserve…"

His words were never finished.

A blade came down like a meteor,severing his head from his body in one merciless stroke.

It was the soldier who had carried out the execution.

He gripped the still-bleeding head and shouted to everyone:

"No one crosses the law! Even if they speak the truth!"

Before he could finish, a sharp scream echoed—

Lenora, her hands dripping with blood.

Loki's golden eyes widened in horror.

He rushed to her side, tore a piece of his own clothing,knelt before her, and wiped the blood,from her hands,whispering in a warm, soothing voice:

"Don't be afraid… don't be afraid, Lenora."

Her breathing began to slow.

Her composure returned.

Loki stood upright again and turned to the soldier, apologizing:

"Forgive this moment… she suffers from hemophobia."

The soldier replied coldly, yet not unkindly:

"No need to apologize.

Any true human would have done the same."

Loki inhaled deeply, then spoke with renewed confidence:

"Very well… I have more to say in response to Kaweh."

"Go on."

Loki turned to the audience, sweeping them with his gaze

as though speaking to their very souls, not their ears:

**"Kaweh claims Prometheus was ill—unable to defend himself.

If that's true, isn't it possible that one of you killed him?

He couldn't defend himself,

couldn't appear in court to prove that the Envoy is cursed.

Kaweh killed him—

killed him to speak in his place,

to take the spotlight,

to become the official voice in this trial."**

He paused, then continued, voice dripping with irony:

**"As is well known in your family,

the speaker in trials is the eldest male.

Prometheus was sixty,

and right after him came Kaweh.

So Kaweh simply removed his father to take his place.

And who knows?

Perhaps your ambitions go even higher, Kaweh…

perhaps you seek the throne itself."**

Then he turned to Lenora with a sly smile, as if to say:

As always… I win.

Suddenly, the hall erupted.

The people, every last one of them,

rose in unified cries,

shouting as if this moment had been awaited for centuries:

"The Envoy! The Envoy! No one else!"

Loki turned and found Osir staring at him in awe,

a smile on his face like someone who had just witnessed a star being born.

Then Loki said to the soldier:

"I believe there are no more words to be said."

The soldier exchanged quick glances with Kaweh,

whose expression was frozen in disbelief,

his eyes darting between Loki and the crowd.

Then Kaweh cried out:

"I swear I did nothing! It's Loki—he killed my father Prometheus!

I swear to you!"

Loki chuckled briefly:

"Words… cost nothing."

He lightly kicked Osir's foot, a subtle nudge:

Go on. It's your turn.

Osir rose with regal grace and addressed the soldier:

"It's time to hear the voice of the people."

The soldier smiled:

"Very well, proceed."

"First question: Who shall be king?"

The crowd roared in one voice:

"The Envoy! The Envoy and no one else!"

Osir's face lit up. He continued:

"Second question… what is your verdict

on Kaweh and Ilmar, accused of murdering an innocent soul?"

Ilmar screamed in desperation:

"I didn't kill anyone! It was Kaweh!

He tried to get close to me—then planned to assassinate me to take power.

He's the traitor!"

Osir smirked and replied:

"My judgment?

Execution for both.

Ilmar, for covering up the crime.

Kaweh, for committing it."

Ilmar shouted:

"Lies! He's lying!

Kaweh did everything!"

Kaweh glared at Ilmar in disgust,

then punched him hard in the face:

"You're a stupid king!

We did nothing!

I swear—Loki is the liar!"

Osir responded coolly:

"But Loki's words were a hundred times more convincing than yours."

He added:

"And in the words of Loki, son of Alexander,

who shall serve as my right hand in ruling this kingdom…

Words cost nothing.

Discuss among yourselves now."

After a minute of whispered discussion,

the crowd's chant rose again:

"Execution!

Who kills, shall be killed!

Execution!

Who kills, shall be killed!"

Osir declared with authority:

"Very well. The execution will take place in two days.

And after that… my coronation as King of Amentet shall be announced."

The people erupted with joy,

as if dancing atop the ruins of their long suffering—

finally witnessing the arrival of the Envoy,

the one who would bring them salvation and blessings…

without considering the cost.

[Loki's House]

In a quiet room, Loki sat in his usual chair.

His eyes were fixed somewhere far beyond the walls.

He wasn't focused on anything—yet seemed lost in everything.

Lenora noticed his distant gaze and asked gently:

"What are you thinking about, Loki?"

He slowly lifted his head:

"Nothing important."

"Alright… I have a question, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead."

"I was reading the family book,

and when I reached page 133,

I found the pages up to 160 torn out."

Loki replied, a hint of concealment in his voice:

"I don't know.

You know the book is very old."

"True… it's fine. It doesn't matter."

[Morning of the Execution and Coronation]

The long-awaited morning finally arrived.

A court soldier entered Loki's home and summoned them all to the castle.

Lenora was trying to wake Osir,

who was in a deep slumber—

as though he hadn't slept in years.

Eventually, he rose.

The soldier escorted them all to the castle—

to its highest tower,

where a raised wooden platform had been built,

overlooking the great square of gathering,

and standing above it all was the scene of judgment.

On the platform stood two soldiers wielding enormous swords.

Before them knelt Kaweh and Ilmar, heads bowed,

exchanging hollow glances—

the kind of looks that knew the end had already come.

Then Osir appeared, standing with royal dignity.

At his right stood Loki.

At his left, Lenora.

He raised his hand and spoke with a voice that shook the air:

"First… the execution."