Arthur squinted his eyes and said in a low voice, "Curiosity, is it?"
Gawter nodded, taking the tea cup, which was prepared specially for him.
Arthur took a sip of his own tea, contemplating Gawter's words carefully. He knew there was more to this visit than re curiosity.
"Lord rsius," Judge Blackthorn began, her tone respectful but firm, "while we value your input, I must express my reservations about this course of action. The precedent we're setting here could have far-reaching consequences for magical law."
rsius regarded her with those penetrating eyes that seed to see far more than what was on the surface. "Respected Judges," he replied, his voice a low rumble, "sotis, to preserve the greater structure of law and order, we must be willing to bend the rules. This case, I assure you, is far more significant than it appears on the surface."
His very formal tone was unsettling to Alia, but she didn't show it on her face.
*
As the hour of preparation drew to a close, tension mounted in every corner of the Ministry.
Jaegar was escorted back to the courtroom.
The assembled witches and wizards watched with bated breath as Jaegar took his place.
Judge Blackthorn called the court to order, her voice carrying a gravity that silenced even the faintest whispers. "Jaegar Ambrose," she intoned, "you have consented to undergo mory extraction and examination. Do you understand that the mories you show may be viewed by this court and entered into evidence?"
Jaegar nodded solemnly. "I do, Honorable Judge."
"Very well," the judge continued. "Let it be noted that any mories extracted and viewed are to be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Any unauthorized discussion or dissemination of the content of these mories will be t with severe magical and legal consequences."
Just before they began, Gawter rsius said. "I believe my presence might be... beneficial during this viewing," he said, his tone leaving no room for argunt.
The courtroom, already charged with tension, fell into a hushed silence as Jaegar raised his hands, still bound by the magical cuffs. His voice, clear and respectful, cut through the stillness. "Honorable judge, with your permission, can I get these off?" The question hung in the air, loaded with implications that few in the room could have anticipated.
Judge Alia Blackthorn, her stern features softening slightly, gave a curt nod.
Ewen moved forward with purposeful strides. His hand reached out, ready to unlock the cuffs with the specialized magical key he carried. But before he could take more than two steps, sothing extraordinary happened.
Jaegar, with a casualness that belied the magnitude of his action, simply stretched his arms. The movent was smooth, almost lazy, as if he were rely working out a kink in his muscles after a long day. What happened next sent shockwaves through the assembled crowd.
The cuffs, forged from enchanted tal and imbued with so of the most powerful suppression spells known to wizardkind, simply... broke. They didn't just unlock or fall away; they shattered as if they were made of the most brittle glass, fragnts tinkling to the floor in a shower of magical sparks.
The sound of breaking tal was quickly drowned out by the collective gasp that swept through the courtroom. These were no ordinary restraints. They were well known special artifacts, crafted by the most skilled magical artisans and enhanced over centuries, especially to bind the criminals.
They had held the most powerful dark wizards, contained beings of pure magical energy, and had never once failed in their duty.
Until now.
Ewen, caught mid-step, stumbled backward, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and unmistakable fear. His mouth opened and closed several tis, but no words ca out.
The other mbers of the court weren't faring much better. Witches and wizards who had seen so of the most extraordinary magical feats in their long lives found themselves speechless, their faces a canvas of disbelief and awe. Read exclusive adventures at empire
Even the usually unflappable judges seed shaken. Judge Blackthorn's hand had flown to her throat, her normally stern expression replaced by one of utter astonishnt. Her colleagues, leaned forward in their seats, eyes wide and unblinking, as if they couldn't quite believe what they had just witnessed.
From his position at the back of the room, a soft chuckle broke the stunned silence.
Gawter rsius, the Blade Sovereign, seed more amused than shocked. His eyes glead with an emotion that was hard to pin down – was it approval? Excitent? Or perhaps a deep, knowing recognition of power that few in the room could truly comprehend?
But Jaegar wasn't finished surprising them. With a look of intense concentration etched across his features, he raised his hands once more.
This ti, he positioned them on either side of his temples, palms facing outward. The entire courtroom held its breath, all eyes fixed on the young wizard, who had already defied their understanding of what was magically possible.
With a deliberate, almost ceremonial slowness, Jaegar extended his arms forward. As he did so, sothing began to happen that pushed the boundaries of magic even further beyond what was thought possible.
Cryptic runes, square shaped, pulsing with an otherworldly orange radiance, materialized on the palms of both his hands. These weren't the familiar symbols taught in advanced magical theory classes or found in ancient grimoires.
No, these runes were sothing else entirely different—complex, fluid, and radiating an aura of power that was almost palpable.
The assembled witches and wizards leaned forward, their earlier shock giving way to rapt fascination. Scholars in the crowd frantically scribbled notes, trying to capture the essence of these mysterious symbols before they faded. Others whispered hurried theories to their neighbors, attempting to make sense of what they were seeing.
But the runes were just the beginning. Suddenly, the air before Jaegar shimred, as if the very fabric of reality was being warped by his will. And then, to the utter amazent of everyone present, an image sprang into existence.
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