Return of the Fallen Volume 1 Chapter 54
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch54
The people felt Garn’s venomous tone towards the King and gasped in bewilderment. Mouths were left agape as everyone fully expected the King to tear Garn a new one but instead, the King burst out with laughter.
“Hahahahaha. To speak to me in such a tone, it seems your true colors are starting to show. You will do well to hide your contempt or that tongue of yours will be the first thing to go.”
King David and Garn stared into one another’s eyes unblinking. Whatever relationship they previously had was one that could no longer be mended.
Garn cooled his ever raging thoughts and bowed.
“Forgive me, your Majesty, I simply wish to defend myself fairly. So, can I present my own evidence or shall the truth be buried?”
“Hmph, we have all the evidence we need. Everyone has already clearly seen it. What point is there in showing more of your crimes. It’s time for judgment.”
Again Asuna and the others were about to jump to Garn’s defense but again he warned them to not interfere.
“Garn, protector of the north, you have betrayed everyone in this kingdom. By pushing for petty revenge you have caused the balance of the Mirian Swamp to flip on its head. A beast horde will be headed toward Sekou within the week and the magic pollution from the beast core will cause the entire environment within a thousand or so miles to warp. Nothing will grow there for years to come and the many creatures of the Mirian Swamp will flee towards human civilization. Hundreds of thousands will probably die from all of this and millions will be displaced. All of this falls onto your head and so the punishment can not be light.”
King David paused for a moment to let his words fully sink into the people around. They needed to know just how disastrous this was. King David needed to make Garn appear to be the dangerous fool who put everyone in danger for petty revenge.
“Garn, I hereby strip you of all titles and power within this great nation of Treia. All of your wealth is to be confiscated and all of your contributions and merits will be annulled from the history books and you are to be put to death.”
A large uproar was heard from those present and many came forward in disapproval and criticism.
“Your Majesty this is far too harsh.”
“Yes, your Majesty, Garn is our nation’s hero. In all his years of service, this is only his first incident. How can we kill a man so great.”
Even those that had wanted to see some form of punishment and found joy in Garn’s misery never wanted this. Many just didn’t like Garn’s stuck up attitude, as though he was above them all. They didn’t like that he held great authority over everyone but the King. This, though, didn’t change the fact that Garn was the pillar of Treia. Nor did it change the fact that Garn was Treia’s most powerful asset and biggest form of defense from outside enemies.
Were he to die, it would open the doors for chaos and the allies they had could easily flip to foes. One of the main reasons they were able to come to a truce and form allies with the kingdom of Maoudou and the kingdom of Jin was because Garn was such a powerful and imposing figure. To lose him here and now, the people of this room were now understanding that the King was actually attempting to remove Garn but none of them knew why.
(So, King David truly wishes me dead.)
Garn himself no longer found anything shocking, instead, he was just angry and disappointed. Angry and filled with resentment towards the King for this betrayal. Angry and disappointed with himself for not seeing any signs and angry that he didn’t follow his information officers’ advice.
Garn glared at King David and King David in return glared back. What Garn didn’t notice though was that the resentment he felt towards King David was perfectly reflected in King David’s eyes.
(Glare at me all you like old fool but don’t worry, you won’t die, Garn. Originally you should have fallen in the Mirian Swamp but you just managed to survive. For some reason Rust wishes for you to live as well. Fine, I’ll let you keep your miserable life and Instead, you will be my loyal dog until the end of your days.)
With those thoughts, on cue, Rust fell to one knee and saluted the King.
“Your Majesty, please wait!”
*Bang*
King David stamped his scepter hard on the ground, drawing everyone’s attention and silencing them.
“Speak, Commander Rust, what is it you have to say.”
Rust continued to kneel as he spoke favorably.
“My King, Garn has served the crown and Treia for nearly six decades. He has saved the previous king’s life and your own on several occasions. He has defended this nation and its allied nations protecting us all time and time again. He may have messed up but if we were to put this great hero to death it could shatter the people. Not to mention our enemies could see this as an opportunity to attack.”
The people all nodded along with Rust as he was absolutely correct.
King David acted as though he were contemplating something before he asked.
“And what do you suggest?”
Rust shook his head.
“I don’t know but death is too much. Your Majesty, please be lenient.”
Once more the room grew quiet as King David pretended to think. After an unbearably long silence, King David finally proclaimed.
“The people have spoken in your favor Garn. Fine, death is no longer on the table. You will still, however, be stripped of all titles and authority and your wealth will still be taken. For your long years of dedicated service, you may keep your life. However, there is a choice you will have to make. You can either continue serving me and do my bidding or you can spend the rest of your days under house arrest. At least you won’t be thrown in a dungeon but you may never step out of your house again. What do you choose?”
Many people in the crowd sighed in relief. He may have all of his authority taken away but at least he gets to keep his life, they thought.
Garn cupped his fist together and said respectfully.
“I choose house arrest.”
“What, he chose that, why?”
“I know it doesn’t make any sense. At least if he works for the King he can still move about but to actually choose imprisonment, what is he thinking?”
A low murmur spread through the crowd as the people couldn’t understand Garn’s reasoning. Even King David looked perturbed. Gritting his teeth, King David slammed a fist onto his armrest.
(Damn you Garn, even now you still defy me. Fuck it, I am King. I gave you a choice and I can take it back. You will no longer look down upon me and you will serve me until your last breath or you will die right here and now.)
Garn looked up at the King and smirked.
“Ah yes, your Majesty, about the evidence I wish to present. I know it’s no longer relevant but I’m sure everyone here wishes to know the actual truth.”
King David stood up in anger and barked.
“Why would there be any need to see your so-called evidence, this, this right here is finished.”
Garn shook his head.
“You’re wrong.”
Garn then raised a hand in the air and snapped his fingers one time. A short old man could be seen making his way through the crowd. Standing next to Garn he bowed respectfully to Garn and Garn alone.
“Master Garn, you called.”
Garn smiled at the short old man and asked.
“Did you bring it?”
The information officer nodded and Garn held out a hand. The information officer then handed a small crystal orb to Garn and Garn examined it. With a confirming nod, he thanked the information officer before holding the small orb into the air and announced.
“This orb here proves my innocence.”
The crowd was confused.
“Huh, wasn’t it over?”
“We have already seen what happened, what more can he show us?”
While everyone in the crowd had no clue what was going on, the King on the other hand Immediately ordered his men.
“Guards, seize that orb immediately and escort Garn to his home. No one is to see or speak to him until further notice.”
The guards following their King’s order quickly stepped forward. The information officer though would not allow his Master to be touched. With a wave from his ring, a staff appeared in his hand and a large barrier of energy formed around the two.
“Master, please play it. My magic has been reduced greatly in here and this barrier can only last so long.”
Garn gave a nod and willed his magic forward. Although this room was filled with suppression magic, Garn was still a master and managed to fill the small orb with power. The small crystal orb then floated into the air yet still remained inside the barrier. A moment later, a holographic video began to play.
The guards outside the barrier tried to attack but their weapons were merely deflected away and nearly hit those around them. In the end, they were powerless to stop it.
Before Garn had teleported back to Treia, he had asked his information officer to help him prepare some things. Garn had used another Mind Frey in the communications room and the information officer had recorded all of Garn’s memories. After Garn had used a Mind Frey on the Scron Cub back in the Mirian Swamp, Garn had, of course, gained all of those memories. The Scron cub’s memories were being displayed for all to see.
Everyone in the Throne Room saw as the Scron cub had asked its father about the conversation it had with the King. Everyone saw the Scron Cub chase Alice and the others down repeatedly and how they had simply defended themselves. This immediately proved part of Rust’s story was a total lie. He had said that Garn made them fight the Scron Cub to gain experience but the memory showed the opposite.
Everyone heard the Scron cub say. “Hehehe, you guys are the heroes, right? Father says I can’t kill you but he said nothing about not playing with you.”
And the people also heard Alice’s response.
“Don’t come any closer or I’ll strike you down.”
This lie of Rust’s was totally exposed for all to see. Alice and the heroes were defending themselves and running away, while the Scron Cub was the aggressor. Not only that, Garn was nowhere in sight, so how could he make them fight if he wasn’t even there.
People in the crowd started looking at Rust with expressions of doubt and one even came forward and asked the question.
“What the hell is this, Rust?”
Rust looked at the King who yelled at him.
“Why the hell are you looking at me?”
A bit of panic began to creep into the King and Rust’s heart.
“I told you to seize that orb, so why in the hell are you all doing nothing?”
The guards continued to attack the barrier and it seemed to be weakening.
The video showed then showed other parts of Garn’s memories.
It showed the Sky Beast demand that Garn hand Kimi over to it or he would kill them. When Garn refused to hand over Kimi and the rest he sent them away so he could give them a chance to escape.
Then it showed the terrible battle between him and the two Sky Beasts and just before one of the Sky Beasts died it had said.
“You fucking lowly humans! Every last one of you is a snake in the grass. Greedy by nature, cruel and ugly and yet you claim to be superior. At least we Beasts don’t betray our comrades. Give my regards to your Kin…”
Right after that, the beast died but its last words were clearly about betrayal and it sounded like it was just about to say, king. Things were completely different from what Rust had said. Garn again was defending himself, while the beasts were pressing him.
After that Garn heard an explosion in the distance and headed that way where he eventually found Alice’s body. The gruesome way she died was evident for all to see and Asuna and Kimi had immediate reactions as they screamed in terror. They had heard from Rust’s testimony that Alice had died from the Sky Beast and felt saddened by the news but seeing Alice’s body like that was gut-wrenchingly awful.
The video faded away and cut off.
“It isn’t quite finished yet.”
Garn pointed for everyone to keep their attention on the orb and sure enough a new video started. It was video from an angle somewhere up in the sky. It floated silently and followed one person in particular around, Rust.
As soon as Rust saw that, cold sweat began to pour from his face.
(Fuck me.)
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