The Moral Dilemma

The susurration of the crowd acknowledges the arrival of the emperor to Ajax. Griffin, the present Sovereign of the witchcraft world, arrived at their village with his son, Adelram, who was the same age as Aether. This dumbfounded the entire village, pondering about the arrival of the emperor, alone with his son Adelram.

Griffin's intentions were twofold. He had come to boost the pride of Ajax, the beloved figure in the village who was revered for his selfless service and generous tradition of providing the outcomes of their farm's field to the people. This act was a symbol of gratitude.

"It is indeed a profound privilege for me and my son to be a witness to greatness within our lifetime, my lord." Ajax kneeled and bowed before Griffin. Aether, with no idea who was in front of him, just followed the actions of Ajax after the sense of tight grip on his wrist by Ajax. Subsequently, the crowd followed them. Finally, Stympha could get a clear view of Griffin and Adelram standing on the tip of Ajax's chariot from a few yards away.

"It's my honour to acknowledge greatness within my people." said the emperor, lifting Ajax from the ground with his very own hand on his shoulder. "And I also acknowledge your son Aether's birthday."

An old man came with two glasses of wine offering the emperor, " Sorry for our simplest form of welcoming you my exalency." The emperor accepted their offerings wholeheartedly while Adelram was highly disappointed with their poor offerings.

Aether felt a sense of unease. His curiosity about Adelram, the prince, burned within him, and he couldn't resist the urge to strike up a conversation and arched his eyebrows towards Adelram. However, the prince seemed disinterested in engaging with Aether.

While Griffin was focused on the unfolding events and the celebrations of the villagers, his son, Adelram, remained distant, more inclined toward the trappings of royalty than the simple interactions with the villagers.

As the sun has at last completed its descent below the horizon, Griffin, driven by his dual mission, confronted Ajax, "My actual intention of visiting your village is, that you have been accused of a crime Ajax". This revelation sent shockwaves through the village. The crowd of people, who had gathered to celebrate Aether's birthday and the annual tradition, was taken aback.

Ajax and Aether were stunned, their faces etched with a mixture of disbelief and worry. The emperor's pronouncement seemed to come out of the blue, casting a shadow over the festive atmosphere.

Despite the overwhelming support of the villagers, Ajax was handcuffed by the emperor and prepared for the journey to the kingdom, where Ajax would face judgment on the accusation.

Taking a few steps away from the crowd the Ajax nodded towards Stympha, who understood his job glided to the ground from the chariot and ran away.

The large kingdom, in fact, the most luxurious building on this planet, was soon flooded with people who had come to witness the proceedings. The sight of Ajax, a revered figure in their village, being taken into custody by the emperor's soldiers, was a spectacle that drew the attention of many.

However, the emperor soon found it challenging to manage the growing crowd. In order to maintain order and conduct the trial, the emperor decided to move the case to the court in the central prison, a place where justice was dispensed in a structured and solemn manner.

Aether accompanied Ajax to the court, and Agak arrived with pain in her eyes.

"Mom, where is Stympha?" Aether exclaimed.

"Your dad ordered Stympha to stay at home," Agak replied unconsciously about the conversation with her full attention in the central cage of the circular-fashioned court. They are seated on the right side of the cage, the chairs of supporters.

At the arrival of the emperor, the proceedings began with the calling of the accused by name and the presentation of the charges filed by the court's assistant. Ajax, once a respected and admired figure, now found himself enclosed in the prisoner's cage, facing the accusations against him.

"The mining cave, initially belonging to the court, had been taken on contract by Ajax, who had effectively managed it for the benefit of the people. However, the case filed against him asserted that Ajax was unfit to oversee the cave, as he had caused its collapse, purportedly leading to a significant loss for the government. He has also been accused of planning to charge an exorbitant fee for repairing the cave, further damaging the kingdom's resources by his very own assistant, Lorenzo. "

Lorenzo's motives lay hidden beneath a veneer of loyalty. Still, it was soon apparent that he intended to take over the contract for the mining cave, a valuable resource under Ajax's care.

Ajax's defence began with his trustable defendant and his confidant, Alexander, with an assertion of his innocence and a statement that he had not been present at the time of the cave's collapse Ajax had an advantage in that he had a remarkable portfolio of community service and selfless actions, which will be considered in the proceedings. His history of helping people was well-documented, and this created a stark contrast to the accusations against him.

However, the defendant representing Lorenzo, Gulliver brought up Ajax's criminal past, highlighting that he had once been a thief before meeting Agak. This revelation cast a shadow on his character, tarnishing his image in the eyes of the court.

To further discredit Ajax, the Gulliver called up a witness, the same elderly lady who had bought vegetables from Aether and had blessed him to the witness cage. This same lady had been robbed by Ajax in the past. The elderly lady confirmed the incident, acknowledging that Ajax had stolen jewels from her in his younger years.

However, as Alexander went on cross-questioning her, she went on to reveal that Ajax had later returned the stolen jewels, not out of fear of punishment, but out of compassion and a desire to help her family after getting to know about her husband's situation.

She recounted how Ajax had supported her family, preventing them from spiralling into financial ruin. In an unexpected turn of events, Ajax had even adopted her family as his own, providing himself with a second chance at a prosperous life. In a heartfelt statement, the elderly lady spoke of how she had witnessed Ajax's transformation from a petty thief to a kind-hearted man, all due to the influence of Agak.

Lorenzo's defendant, who expected all those stories, questioned the job Ajax pursued to help her family financially.

"He stole goods from greeds," said the old lady unwillingly.

"That's the point, your honour," said the Gulliver's defendant. Also, he claimed the motives behind Ajax's actions, suggesting that he may have married Agak for her family's assets. The implication that their love was a mere facade angered Agak, who was present in the court.

It was at this point that Agak was called for examination. She was already seething with anger over the suggestion that their love was fake and stood in the witness cage.

"How long do you know him, the great healer?" asked Gulliver.

"That's none of your business and has no relevance." replied Agak Seething over him.

"It does matter now to prove your husband's authenticity. I feel sorry for you, believing this traitor and spending over a decade together. I know the secret behind...", these words by Gulliver triggered Ajax, expressed by him holding the cage tight, but the grip was lost when her shrill voice interrupted Gulliver's words.

"Enough! You clueless fool! You know nothing about Ajax and his morals. Nothing! He was a thief before, but he isn't a man without responsibility. He may not be truthful, but he is ethical. I encountered him first in that rain when he roamed the city to save an old man, the husband of that same lady. There wasn't even a record of being a thief on him. My father wasn't blind like you. He handed me to him because Ajax didn't spend stolen money on himself; he helped those in need. Love, what gives you the right to speak about our relationship? You're the most toxic excuse for a human being I've encountered, a wretched human! Have you ever had a taste of trust in your relationship?"

"Trust? That's cute. People like you believe in fairy tales, but reality is harsh." interrupted Gulliver with a sly grin.

"Stop, you moron! I wish you'd vanish from the Earth! You're none other than a stain on humanity, and I hope you suffer like you've made me suffer!" Agak with unyielding virago, delivered her closing argument, passionately defended the authenticity of their love leaving the court dumb folded before her rage, asserting that it was built on a foundation of trust, care, and shared values and a man without family like Gulliver can never appreciate it and left the court with tears in her eyes.

Aether, who had been silently observing the proceedings, attempted to communicate with Ajax through his eyes, imploring him to reveal the truth. However, Ajax remained resolute, choosing not to disclose the secret of Stympha's existence.

Agak's emotional statement about their love prompted the emperor to realize that the trial had deviated from its intended purpose. It was not about delving into the personal lives of Ajax and Agak but about determining Ajax's responsibility for the cave collapse and his authenticity. The emperor ordered an hour's break to allow everyone to regroup and refocus on the core issue.

The courtroom was filled with tension and anticipation as the trial reached its midway point, and the truth behind the cave's collapse remained shrouded in uncertainty. The fate of Ajax hung in the balance, and Aether's heart was heavy with worry, unsure of the path that lay ahead.