Storytime: The Thief and The Judge

the young man Willem Nelson chains the glaring blue light of the sun Shone down on him through the glasstomed ceiling of the Judgment Hall the distant Clock Tower sounded one hour until noon until Apex already he could feel the truth-compelling force of the sunlight he would have to choose his lies carefully the Judgment Hall was unusually full today it seemed he had a bit of a reputation a lot of good it did him he was doomed plain and simple but he didn't have it in him to just give up he didn't even know how the court proceedings began exactly on time here in the Judgment Hall things were done as the book of three described before Willem there were three doors and three chairs one for each of the Gods chosen Representatives as the toll of the Bell faded the first door a door of iron opened a Page's voice rang out all rise for the Justice Warden the Hammer Of Truth the law unyielding The Honorable just a card of War second of his name chosen of the judge everyone else in the chamber stood William's chains did not allow him to rise fully but nor did he kneel not to this man the iron door revealed a man in heavy Plato armor the symbol of his God the judge emblazoned upon his chest and a great hammer at his side this was Authority incarnate a constable a priest a man chosen of the judge just a cartvoir entered swiftly and sat in his place a high-backed iron chair the assembly sat as well after a moment the second door opened a door of gilded gold the page called out again all rise for trademaster Lauren's chosen of the merchant this surprised Willem the merchant usually didn't send representatives for petty criminals he didn't expect the merchant to care enough to send anyone for him perhaps there would be a deal offered maybe this was his chance the Gilded door revealed a thin older man wearing fine but not ostentatious clothing only an air of dignity and a small gold ring on his finger marked his lofty station still there was no mistaking him this was a man of incredible wealth and power one of several chosen of the merchant he sat in the second chair a gilded chair of filigree and silk cushions the assembly sat again the proceedings paused as the attention of the room turned to the third door the justicar did not turn the third door was of simple thick wood it was barred and covered in a comical number of locks and chains the young man knew it led directly outside but its passage was guarded Night and Day none were allowed to enter or leave by that way for any reason before it was a simple rickety wooden stool perhaps donated by a Local Tavern it was the door and seat of the thief's chosen the young man knew not to Hope too much for that door to open why would it the thief had only two Commandments and the second was to never get caught the young man had broken half the thief's Commandments in the Hall of Justice under the blue light of the near Apex sun was no place for a representative of the thief no it was well known unlike the other gods the thief only had one chosen one individual trusted to carry the full weight of their divine power nobody knew who the chosen was but everybody knew they never came to the Hall of Justice not for anyone but there were stories that had happened before and despite himself the young man couldn't help but hope just a little the moment passed the third door remained closed the justicar stood Williams repson you are hereby accused of thievery of conspiracy to commit thievery of harboring criminals of hiding fugitives and of teaching Thief craft how do you plead Willem felt his blood turn to ice they knew how could they know he had been so careful he thought they were just going to charge him with burglary it was the crime he had been committing when they caught him but they knew about his family Thinking Fast he considered what to say he could claim innocence but under the power of the blue light he wasn't sure if he could sell such an obvious lie a half-truth then they're just children he said meeting the gays of the just a car I taken kids who have nowhere else to go I steal food for them that's it there's no Thief craft he stumbled on the last bit the LIE catching in his throat damn that blue Sun your confession is noted that Jessica said I cast The Verdict guilty you are hereby sentenced to death by fire the judge has spoken to just car sat back down Willem grimaced that couldn't have gone much worse it was about what he expected but apparently his life wasn't even worth a full minute of consideration next the trade Master stood his voice was soft kind even Willem he said this doesn't have to be the end for you according to the book of three decisions to punish you must be unanimous by all the chosen in attendance that means I can reduce your sentence or even set you free absolved of all charges I can do more than that too I can make you a rich man you'll never need to steal again but I need something from you Willem just tell me where your Den is you can whisper it in my ear if you like I don't work for the judge the just the cars need never know do this and you will walk away free and Wealthy I swear it so that was it the merchant wanted his crew his kids his family he didn't even have to think about his decision the thief's first commandment was stand by your own but even if it wasn't there was no way defiantly he glared at the trade Master sorry I know you're used to buying whatever you want but you can't afford that secret I will never sell them to you not for the Golden Empire itself you slimy silver tongue the light of the blue Sun did not hinder his words in the slightest very well the trade Master said seeming genuinely disappointed I cast no verdict the sentence stands unchanged the merchant has spoken he too sat back down the justicar stood to speak again but was interrupted by a woman's voice wait wait I'm here am I late sorry sorry it's my turn next a shocked silence filled the room as a young woman thin and scrawny poked her head out of the Merchant's gilded door she wore peasants Garb sorry sorry she said squeezing past the trade master and plopping daintily down on the stool I would have come earlier but my clock's a little off and the door's a little stuck you might want to look into that oh here's the problem she scooted her stool up to the wooden door and began deftly picking the locks well go ahead and announce me she called over her shoulder to the page the poor page tried her best um I'll rise for the woman of mystery the chosen of the thief the last part was set as a question the mystery woman continued to work locks and chains falling to the ground they opened for her faster than if she had had a key even so that Jessica looked at her with incredulity are we really to believe that you are the chosen of the thief as the final board holding the door fell to the ground she returned his gaze rolling her eyes and speaking slowly as if to someone incredibly stupid well I'm sitting in the spot aren't I and according to your fancy book that means it's my turn to have a say slowly reluctantly that just a car sat again one by one he caught the Gaze of each of the guards in the room Faithful Servants of the judge and gave them each a meaningful look so Willem is it said the woman scooting her stool back and turning her attention back toward the center oh wait sorry I'm supposed to stand for this bit right to Willem do you actually want to die by fire Willem just as shocked as anybody shook his head yeah thought not she said Well Done keeping the Commandment by the way super cool yeah I'm gonna have to say nah I hereby cast The Verdict not guilty the previous verdict and sentence are struck and the defendant is absolved of all charges guards set him free the guards glanced at the just a car for confirmation slowly he nodded gingerly one of them stepped into the middle of the room and Unbound Willem still unsure of himself Willem wasn't sure what to do he glanced up at the woman who had apparently saved him she looked him in the eye go on have a seat she said you're a free man now and it's gonna be quite a show the crowd murmured but didn't try to stop him as he climbed up and took a seat among them after a moment that just a car spoke again is your business then concluded thieves chosen he asked the trade Master seemingly sensing what was coming next stood and left and disappeared once again into his gilded door oh yeah the woman said I forgot the thief has spoken with furious speed almost before she finished speaking that just a car lunged at her she scooted nimbly away from his grasp but also away from her door the other guards charged up toward her she was quickly cornered logisticar grabbed her roughly pinned her to the ground and began shackling her wrists and legs thieves chosen he panted barely able to contain his Glee you are under arrest for thief craft of the first degree he relieved her of all her tools and weapons and dragged her to the center of the chamber just to be sure he ordered two of the guards to hold her there he wasn't leaving anything to chance there would be no night in the dungeon for her which he might use to escape the rest of the day's business could wait he would sentence her himself imprison her himself and then with the thief's only chosen trapped and no power left to Grant a new chosen the thief would be truly powerless the judge would finally rule the city properly unhindered by the endless concession since the thief always managed to extract and just a card of War would be the one who made it happen that Jessica returned to his position on the Deus thieves chosen you are hereby accused of thief craft of the first degree how do you plead bruised and clearly unhappy she still managed to smirk up at him I demand the right of confession she said another round of murmuring filled the room what was she planning could this be a delay tactic statistic art glared at her very well you will confess at Apex he checked his pocket clock in 47 minutes you will remain bound and in my sight until then the woman was moved off the Justice hall floor fitted with more constraints and held by four guards while they waited for Apex the day's business continued one by one accused were brought onto the Judgment floor and given opportunity to plead or confess under the blue Sun Spectators frequently checked their personal clocks as the clocks ticked closer to noon the power of the sunlight grew many of the accused tried to lie but the blue Sun choked the words in their throats one older woman managed to claim innocence at a half hour until Apex but when brought back 15 minutes later under the more powerful light she could not repeat her claim the chosen of the merchant did not return so the justicard judged and sentenced each of them alone all the while he carefully watched both the prisoner and the time at last Apex was imminent for one minute the light would be at its strongest and lying would be impossible no matter how skilled a deception the speaker may be Legend said even Gods could not willingly deceive while standing in the light of the Apex blue Sun The thief's Chosen was returned to the chamber floor the Dome focused the light into a blinding Beam on her not quite enough to burn her but enough that she could feel the heat and the power of the blue Sun the distant Clock Tower sounded every clock in the chamber simultaneously shined perfectly synchronized Apex had begun speak commanded the judge or let silence be your confession standing she did speak I am innocent she said without even the slightest quiver in her voice I have broken no laws though I am chosen I do not even worship the thief the judge is the god of my heart after a moment of shock silence the captain of the Guard stepped forward to release her wait stop cried to just a car the captain paused but we must she said she is innocent under Apex we have to let her go immediately it is the law that's right said the thief's chosen visibly sweating In the Heat of the light it's the law I wonder what would happen if you broke the law Mr judge chosen the just a car did not have to wonder he knew release her he said through clenched teeth how could this happen was the thief somehow more powerful than the blue Sun more powerful than truth itself it couldn't be the thief's chosen assisted in removing her own bonds until at last she was free again carefully she collected her things from the floor the entire room was deathly silent and in that perfect silence a distant sound was heard it was another Clock Tower much further on the far side of town it was Charming the start of Apex it was somehow one minute slower than all the clocks of the attendees one minute slower than the nearer Clock Tower one minute slower than the pocket clock of the justikar himself Oops said the thief's chosen hopping up onto the Deus missed one too slow that just a car realized what it meant sees her he cried lunging toward her once again too late she slipped into the thief's door the Jessica tried to follow but it would not open for him with his great hammer he smashed it to splinters but he was far too late the passage was empty the guards on the far side were still at their posts unaware of the commotion they claimed they saw nothing and that's the story of the best time a thief ever stole I am your humble Storyteller Silas silver and if you liked that you'll probably enjoy some of my other stories you can see those here or you can come hear them from me live on my Discord it's a fun chill place where we talk about stories and games if enough of you show up I'm hoping to run some games and share some stories that aren't quite ready for YouTube yet link down below and until I see you there toodles

Channel: Sylas Silver

Views: 254

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Id: a_hw_5BuO8s

Length: 14min 24sec (864 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 24 2023