Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

"You're free to go," the guard said with reluctance, gesturing for them to exit the cell.

"Well, that's a relief." Finn grinned, quickly bouncing out of the cell, clearly eager to leave the cold, damp prison.

"I guess they realized this was all a misunderstanding," Aiden added with a sigh of relief, stretching as he stepped out.

Asher, however, lingered, his gaze fixed on the lady who had just entered. His brow furrowed in confusion as he studied her. 'She looks familiar,' he thought, but couldn't place where he'd seen her before.

"Don't you dare ogle at her!" barked the guard, his hand lifting to strike Asher on the head.

"Stand down!" the lady's voice cut through the tension, commanding the guard to halt immediately.

Aiden, sensing the tension, quickly bowed his head. "Apologies, my lady. I must have mistaken you for someone else."

The lady remained silent, her expression unreadable. Without a word, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking sharply against the stone floor. The air grew heavy with awkwardness, the group unsure of what had just happened.

The others began to make their way out, but Jett gently placed a hand on Asher's shoulder, holding him back.

"I need to ask you for a favor," Jett said, his tone low, ensuring the others couldn't overhear.

Asher blinked, caught off guard by the request. "And what would that be?"

Jett glanced around to ensure no one was paying attention before he lowered his voice further, speaking just loud enough for Asher to hear. "I need you to meet me here every midnight… to brief me on the situation out there."

Asher's brows knitted together, his confusion deepening. "What? Why would you need that?" He could barely make sense of Jett's strange request.

"I won't be able to leave here until the trial is over, plus I'm pretty sure they already have a grudge against me," Jett said with a sigh, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"I still don't understand what's going on," Asher replied, concern etching his face. "You're saying you have to stay?"

"That's right," Jett nodded. "It's my personal trial. Cedric and Rey can probably explain it better."

The guard nearby, growing impatient, tapped his foot aggressively. "Hurry up or I'll lock you in with him too!" he barked, glaring at Asher.

"What about Jett?" Rey asked, noticing the tension.

"He's a great criminal of the empire, that's all you need to know," the guard replied with a snarl.

Rey and Cedric exchanged glances, uncertainty flashing in their eyes. Jett caught their looks and gave them a subtle nod, silently telling them not to worry about him.

Jett turned back to Asher, his expression serious. "So, will you do it?"

Asher hesitated for only a moment before nodding firmly. "I'll meet you here at midnight, as you asked. Just… don't get yourself into more trouble."

"What kind of trouble can I get into in somewhere like this?" Jett smirked as he watched the guard locked the cell door behind him, sealing him inside. Asher and the others were led away, their footsteps echoing through the dimly lit dungeon.

"Well then…" Jett muttered to himself, collapsing onto the thin bed provided, staring at the ceiling. "This is going to be a really long trial. Might as well get comfortable."

*****

As the group made their way out of the dungeon, Finn's curiosity got the better of him. "What about the girls?" he asked, glancing at Cedric.

Rey shrugged. "They'll probably be released just like us, or maybe they've got their own trial to deal with. Either way, we'll regroup soon."

As they passed through the main door leading outside, the group was greeted by the sight of the girls and the lady from earlier, waiting under the soft glow of the evening sun.

"Oh, there they are," Finn remarked, spotting them first.

The woman, standing with quiet confidence, spoke up. "Now that you're all here, we can proceed to the meeting room." She gestured toward the path ahead, leading the way with graceful authority.

Asher's eyes lingered on her a moment longer. There was something oddly familiar about her, though he couldn't quite place it. A nagging feeling tugged at the back of his mind.

"Hey, Lina." Asher sidled closer to Evelina, lowering his voice. "Who is she?"

Evelina glanced over, her expression calm. "Oh, you mean her?" she said before explaining casually, "Apparently, she's the princess we rescued the last time we were here."

"There's no way," Aiden chimed in, frowning in disbelief. "She looks a lot older."

"I know, right?" Matthew added, equally puzzled.

Marcella sighed, shaking her head. "That's actually really rude, you guys."

Their footsteps echoed down the long hallway, the soft thud of their boots and hushed whispers the only sounds breaking the silence.

"According to her, it's been 15 years since we saved her," Elora spoke up, her voice quiet but clear. "She's the queen now."

"Fifteen years? It feels like it was just two weeks ago," Finn said with a sigh, a faint smile of satisfaction crossing his face.

"That's because it was, moron," Marcella muttered, not even sparing him a glance.

Freya, walking a bit behind, suddenly noticed someone missing. "What about Jett?" she asked, her brows knitting in concern as she glanced around. "He wasn't with us from the start."

The boys exchanged uneasy glances, hesitating. There was a brief pause, thick with tension, as if none of them wanted to be the one to answer.

Rosa, her sharp eyes narrowing, broke the silence. "Alright, start talking."

"I guess you could say they held him back as a war criminal," Cedric elaborated, his tone grave. Rey nodded in silent affirmation beside him.

"A war criminal!?" The group erupted in shock, their voices echoing off the walls. The disbelief was clear in their wide eyes and furrowed brows as they all turned toward Cedric, seeking answers.

One by one, they began to ask what happened, their curiosity mixed with concern.

Cedric sighed, running a hand through his hair. "During our last visit here, we had no choice but to face the king for the last fragment."

"And you thought the best idea was to unalive the poor guy?" Rosa asked, her voice sharp, arms crossed as she eyed Cedric with disbelief.

"What were we supposed to do?" Rey replied, visibly distressed. "It was either us or him. Plus, he was already dead when we got there: being possessed by something. It wasn't just him anymore."

Rosa's stern expression faltered for a moment, as if trying to process Rey's words. The weight of their previous encounter seemed heavier now, and the reality of what they had done sunk in.

Freya's eyes softened as she spoke up, her voice filled with determination. "Okay, then we can at least appeal to them, right? If we give them this explanation, they're bound to release him."

For a brief moment, hope flickered in the air, but it was quickly extinguished by an unexpected voice.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," the princess interjected, her voice calm but firm. Her presence, which had been quietly lingering on the edge of their discussion, now came into sharp focus. Her regal posture and unwavering gaze reminded them she had been listening all along.

The group fell silent, turning their attention to her. The princess crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "There are... other factors at play. Simply explaining it won't erase what's already been done. The war tribunal doesn't just operate on logic alone, there are deeper political motivations involved."

The silence that followed was thick with tension.

*

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Oh, he's in trouble now.