Chapter 91: The Martyr's Bargain
The night at Prince Enoki's private residence had been anything but peaceful. Inside the dimly lit study, the air was thick with the metallic scent of fresh carnage. Go—or rather, Prince Enoki—stood in the center of the room, his chest heaving slightly. His golden-yellow eyes glowed with an ethereal, predatory light, piercing through the shadows.
Blood was splattered across his expensive clothes and smeared across his pale face. His hands were stained crimson, dripping onto the polished hardwood floor. But it wasn't his blood. Scattered around him were the bodies of five elite knights, their armor crushed and their blades broken. Spero's assassins had underestimated the Prince. They had expected a merchant; they found a god.
Enoki slowly reached up, wiping a streak of blood from his cheek with the back of his hand. He looked down at the fallen men with a cold, detached gaze. The golden glow in his eyes slowly faded as he exhaled. He knew this was only the beginning. The palace was under siege, his father was playing games with illusions, and the city was screaming for a scapegoat.
The Court of Retribution
The next morning, the High Court of Athelgard was packed to capacity. The atmosphere was suffocating, charged with the collective grief and rage of a city that had lost too many.
In the center of the room sat the dock. Ren stood there, his hands bound by heavy iron handcuffs that clinked with every slight movement. He looked gaunt, his eyes sunken from a lack of sleep. Beside him, Hana sat in a wheelchair. She looked small and fragile, her paralyzed legs covered by a thin blanket. She kept her head down, unable to face the hundreds of hateful eyes staring at them from the gallery.
Armed guards were stationed at every exit, their hands hovering over their pulse rifles. In the front row of the public gallery, Mina sat with her hands clenched in her lap, her eyes fixed on Ren. Beside her, Go sat with an unreadable expression, his face cleaned of last night's blood, though a dark bruise was visible near his hairline. Behind them sat Kimo, his face a mask of stern indifference, and the Academy trio: Adam, Mika, and Lira. They were silent, the weight of the situation finally hitting them.
As the judge prepared to enter, Ren's mind drifted back to the phone call he had received late last night in his cell. It was Silas Thorne.
Flashback: The Final Strategy
"Listen carefully, Ren," Silas's voice had crackled over the secure line, sounding more strained than usual. "The man you'll see across from me tomorrow... the prosecutor. That's Merzerk. He's not just the best lawyer in the city. He's my older brother. And he's coming for your life."
Ren had leaned against the cold stone of the jail cell, watching Hana sleep. "I don't care about his name, Silas. Just tell me what the charges are."
"It's worse than we thought," Silas replied. "The official count is no longer 47. It's 173 deaths."
Ren felt his heart stop. "173? How is that possible? The church wasn't that big!"
"It wasn't just the fire, Ren," Silas explained coldly. "The smoke from the cursed fire was so thick and magically charged that it interfered with the navigation systems of a commercial transport plane passing over the sector. The plane crashed. It hit a residential block three miles away. 173 people are dead. 21 more are in the hospital in critical condition. The public doesn't want a trial; they want a hanging."
Ren's hand shook as he gripped the receiver. "And Hana?"
"She's the one who was transformed. In the eyes of the law, she is the weapon that caused the chaos. Even if she was possessed, Merzerk will argue that she was a willing vessel. They'll execute her, Ren. Or worse, they'll send her to the labs for 'study.'"
Ren closed his eyes, a single tear escaping. "No. Not her. She can't even walk, Silas. She's innocent."
"There is only one way out for her," Silas said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But it means your end. You have to take the full blame. You have to testify that you found the necklace. That you gave it to her knowing what it would do. You have to tell the court that you used her as a tool to destabilize the sector so you could loot the area. If you are the mastermind, she becomes just another victim of your cruelty."
Ren didn't hesitate. "I'll do it."
"Ren, if you do this, there is no bail. There is no appeal. It's the death penalty," Silas warned.
"I don't care," Ren whispered, looking at Hana's peaceful face. "Just promise me one thing. If... if they kill me, don't tell her. Don't ever let her know that I died for this. Tell her I'm in a high-security prison where visitors aren't allowed. Or tell her I was sent to a far-off island for a secret mission. Let her hate me if she has to, but don't let her carry the guilt of my death."
Silas was silent for a long moment. "In all my years of defending the worst people in this city... I've never met anyone like you, Ren. I'll make it happen. I'll prepare the confession."
The Trial Begins
Back in the courtroom, the bailiff's voice boomed through the hall. "All rise for the Honorable Justice Vane!"
Ren stood straight, his chains rattling. He looked over at the prosecution table, where a man who looked exactly like a colder, older version of Silas sat. Merzerk Thorne looked at Ren with a gaze that promised nothing but destruction.
Ren then looked at Hana. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear. He gave her a small, reassuring smile—the same smile he used to give her when they were kids and he was hiding the fact that he hadn't eaten so she could have his portion of bread.
I'm sorry, Hana, Ren thought as the Judge hammered the gavel. But you're going to live. Even if it costs me everything.
The Judge looked at Ren. "Ren Vority, you are charged with 173 counts of involuntary manslaughter, illegal possession of cursed artifacts, and treason against the crown. How do you plead?"
Ren took a deep breath, the eyes of the city—and his friends—boring into his back. Silas stood beside him, his face a mask of professional sorrow.
"Your Honor," Ren said, his voice steady and loud enough for everyone to hear. "I wish to change my statement. My sister had nothing to do with this. I gave her that necklace. I planned the entire incident."
The courtroom erupted into a deafening roar of whispers and gasps. Mina stood up, her face pale with shock. Adam and the others stared in disbelief.
Ren didn't look back. He kept his eyes on the judge, his heart heavy but his soul at peace. The martyr had made his bargain.
Chapter Review & Summary (Hinglish):
Bhai, ye chapter Ren ki qurbani ka sabse bada saboot hai.
Prince Enoki ka Action: Chapter ki shuruat Go (Enoki) se hoti hai jo 5 knights ko maar kar unke khoon mein lath-path khada hai. Uski golden eyes ki power dikh rahi hai.
The Tragic Update: Silas ne Ren ko bataya ke mauton ki tadad 47 se 173 ho gayi hai kyunki dhuen (smoke) ki wajah se ek plane crash ho gaya. Is wajah se case jeetna namumkin hai.
The Sacrifice: Silas ne Ren ko mashwara diya ke agar Hana ko bachana hai, toh Ren ko sara ilzam apne sar lena hoga. Ren ne bina soche haan keh diya.
Ren ki Akhri Khwahish: Ren ne Silas se kaha ke agar use maut ki saza ho jaye, toh Hana ko kabhi sach mat batana. Use kehna ke Ren kisi door island par hai ya jail mein hai.
Courtroom Drama: Court mein sabke samne Ren ne jhoot bol diya ke wo necklace usne Hana ko diya tha aur sab kuch uska plan tha. Mina, Adam aur baaki dost ye sun kar dang reh gaye.
Agla Chapter: Bhai, kya aap chahte hain ki Chapter 92 mein Merzerk (Silas ka bhai) Ren ki confession ko challenge kare aur kahe ke Ren jhoot bol raha hai? Ya phir hum dekhein ke Hana ka reaction kya hota hai jab wo apne bhai ko ye sab bolte hue sunti hai?
Bhai, ye mod story ko bohot dardnak bana raha hai!