The Price of My Sins (Draft)

Recalling the night I took my hand, driving it through the heart of Tau, I fix my empty gaze onto Ella, holding a shallow tone to my words, directed only to her.

"As if my tittle isn't already tarnish..."

Being the single person to understanding what I meant, she clenches her chest, gaping at the floor below us. "That... Wasn't you..." Denying that I was the one that killed him.

"Yet, I did...-

"Zenith!" She yells out my name for I can no longer continue what I was saying. She then starts tossing a load of excuses out for me. "It was dark! You're still a rookie! You were getting back use to using your powers! There's no way... Zen there's no way you would do such a thing-

Now in front of her, cuffs still latch to my wrist, I place my hands on top of her head, resting my face down close to her. "Let me do this... It's the only way I can atone... The only way I can hold onto the delusion of being a hero..."

October Twenty Second, Twenty Forty-six; Yellowstone Captial:

Bustle with the chattering of civilians, flashing lights of a camera taking photos, and reporters trying to gain a closer distance, I was being escorted on the ragged sidewalk, leading up a concrete step, same length as the huge building in front of me. This allowed them to continue to follow me in gossip, as the two bodyguards beside me, securing my face in vain, opens the door to the Captial building, shutting it after I enter.

In this gigantic structure, gold littered the lining of the white bumpy walls, to the glass roof top, which dome over our heads, room being lit more by the sun than the inside lights. Next to me, on entering, those who came to watch, sat in the audience in chairs, and before my eyes could count the endless number of faces, I immediately lock eyes on several familiar people. Grandma comforting Ella as she folds her hands over each other in tears and prayers, including the countless faces from H.L.A.

A loud clack on wood shook everyone on spot, I was moved as well, locking a gaze to the man in front of me, which has the most stone face expression I have ever seen.

"Proceed!' He announces, staring every fiber of me down, cold as he can be.

Hesitant at first, I glance around the room. Then realizing I was the only one he could be talking to, I head to the bench of the judge, standing there in the same handcuffs as the previous day.

"Take a seat." He then spoke out to me, sighting my baffle face.

Recalling from the many court cases I watch on television, I take a seat at a long brown table, a wide gap away from the judge and those who sat behind me. It was a chilling type of feeling, having eyes gape at the back of your neck, murmuring rumors to those next to them.

My nerves poke up, hearing several feet clap on the marble floor, approaching pass the audience in a serious tone. And in my line of view, three men, two women, few in suites, and the remaining dazzle in unappropriated clothing for a court room, enter in a stern way, going to the seats on our far left. And, when they took seat, so do my case worker, who showed himself last.

The man who is supposed to defend me, fidgets, papers in his shaking hands, looking fragile than a leaf.

"D-Don't worry. I got this." He leaned over to my ear, telling me that.

If this was a case I wish to win, I would have definitely been worried... However, the situation is different. I plan to admit to the crimes. Just as detective Wayne plan.

The mallet in the judge hand slams his desk, redirecting our attention back onto him.

"I'm glad you all could make it." He speaks out to the jury who entered but still face the crowd. "Now. Let's began this session." Another loud clack was made. He then eyes the jury. who he thanks earlier. "Though introductions may not be needed, it is still a custom to present the jury. Our wonderful district leaders. Starting with Yellowstone's, powerful leader Andrew Talion."

A man, similar silver hair and last name as Wayne, stands at the mention of himself, waving to the crowd in a firm black suite.

"Sapphire's gorgeous commander," He mentions next. "Sindel Wave."

She also gets up from her seat to twist her hand to the crowd, dress in a blue slim fabric dress. Alongside that fancy fashion of hers, she wore dazzling earrings, forcing us to taste the money she has.

"Dimond City's top enterpriser, Christpher Nomada." The list continues, judge announcing another name. Nia's father, and the company man himself, wearing a pure white suite, futuristic eye lens on his left side, typing on his phone as he stood.

Then forwarding his last message to whoever he text, District leader Nomada faces the judge in apologies. "You have my full attention. I'm glad to be here." He proceeded to sit after.

Moving on, the judge focus on a man child, hair fiery orange, wearing sunglasses to their limit. "Dalon Myre." Was all he spoke about him, going to the short, pearl hair girl next to him. "And last but not least, Elanie Opal, daughter of the Opal district."

In a broad nervous way, she shoots up from her spot, bowing to us all, shivering all over, having on a black suite too.

"Please, take a seat." The judge stacks papers into a sorted pile, directing his eyes to those in front of him, and me. Then clearing his throat in a dramatic tone, breaking the sudden silence, he places down those files. "Today, I, Bartholomae Mcgray, will juridic and challenge the crimes committed by a child prodigy, Zenith Norway, others known as Cromancer, discussing nothing but the facts presented."

He goes on, communicating the annual speech for crimes done by heroes. Yellowstone personal agreements in court.

"You may dis-knowledge these essays permitted, however if it aligns to the truth, we have all right to contain you. With that all said, we may proceed."

Ponting his mallet to the crowd, someone walks out of there seat, making their way pass me. Ella was that person.

"For the first defense, we have Ella Norway, first in ranks in Yellowstone, hero name, Discharge. Please, state your where abouts and his, according to the papers I have."

Barth analyzes Ella sweating posture well. Watching her hands bend and shake on the railings of the stand, took every heartbeat from me, forging my own paranoia. I wanted to be thrown in jail... It's all part of the deeper investigation.... Yet, I gain this feeling of anxiety. This sense of the world I'd known much well, crumbling to pieces.

I began to feel an urge of guilt, eyeing the other direction, when giving her a short glance.

"September eighteenth, early morning, after the school's ceremony, H.L.A's privet gymnasium was sent to rubble and ashes. Not only that, moments after, the other school buildings were demolish, taking a number of lives. These are the facts given; however, it does not match the quality of his powers, which are shadowed base, use only for capture missions." His eyes jolts to Ella. "Can you defend that fact for us?"

Squeezing her hand tightly on the stands railing, she glimpses over to Wayne, who eyebrow raises. Then she looks over to me, knowing what she had to say was something she didn't want to. She even lifts her hands to her mouth, tearing up. Someone who is always having a shell around herself, ball at the thought of framing me.

"He..." She chokes. "Zen... Zenith..."

Bart eyes her himself, waiting patiently for her response to come out.

"The powers he has... They are boundless... But I doubt... I know, they can't commit arson." Her sight goes to the left side of her, speaking exactly what we agreed too.

As a defender, you must try your best to protect the person's identity and name as a hero. Though, Wayne had a clever idea to make sure the cases line against me. As long as she presents jumbled up details, the judge will break it down the best way he can, forcing the words she speaks to match their own ideal of the matter. Basically, saying that my powers our boundless instead of stating my ability is only shadow powers, open the suggesting I could have easily obtained the power to use fire.

"Is that correct..." Bart, swaps to the next page. "Another question, it said here; Zenith Norway was found, uniform wear, tatter and dirtied, under the rubble of the school gymnasium. Times under the roof with him, have there ever been signs of high intelligent?"

He asks if I may be smart enough to fake my own injuries or poses the skills to look like the victim.

"Yes... He's a very intelligent young man."

Ella did well to answer the question but remain eyeing the ground. She wouldn't look up even once.

"Hmm. Is that so?"

Ella gives Barts statement a nod.

"And you, Mr. Norway, do her words oppose you in any way?"

Here it is, the part Wayne also predicted. I have to play my cool as he demanded. Realex my breath and do not respond. It is all I have to do.

"I will take your silence as receipt. Now let's proceed to the second case. Detective Wayne, what is your offense of the matter?"

Wayne has the easiest part in this. Making the statements giving fit into the crimes of Zel.

"It's simple to say he could've developed the powers to commit a high-level arson, or he is one out of many in his group that was left behind after the flames were lilting."

Group? He never mentioned anything like that to us.

"Group?" Bart also stumbles over his use of wording.

"Of course. Arson on that level, and considering his powers, the young man could have easily transported a group of villains to lite the school to ashes. That will also explain how he was easily found under the rubble. They could have scape goateed him."

It wasn't a stretch idea for this day and age. Not only that, but it also matches my skills. Wayne scarily has a talent to frame a person.

"If that is true, then the sample of all the other blood at his home, -

"It could easily be his friends, wanting to get back at him, though we still can't exempt him for the murders of hundreds."

The judge holds his fingers on his chin, adding all facts given to him at the start of the court session. He might have felt that all was clear, given that much detail, easily taking the bait given.

And, once Bart bites onto that thread, he eyes his jury in quickness.

"Are the details presented to you all, to your approval? Proceed into his sentence?"

Once he thrown the thought out there, Wayne's father, Andrew Tailon, takes stand in a brave tone.

"I cannot speak for the others, but if I know my son well, his predictions are always spot on, being his literal ability." He checks his son, then back to Bart. "Therefore, I find him guilty of his crimes."

The crowed behind me, mutter to one another, confused of the processes the court room was heading in.

"Yeah, for once Tailon has a point." The lady appealing to her natural beauty, the lady in blue, rose her hand crossing over her legs. "I find this boy guilty."

On the second guilty, the pulse in my body goes numb, granting that fearful feeling from earlier. Still, I grow anxious, even though this was my idea. If I am contained, Juna will be saved? I began to question my own decision.

"Oh um, Guilty." Leader of the Nomada Corp, immediately reply, giving the case not another look.

"What the heck, guilty as charge I guess." Myre, shrug his shoulders, fanning it to the last person.

The fifth and last district leader, Elanie, keeps to herself, spotting everywhere but the judge, tongue fumbling over her words.

"Ms. Opal, what is your opinion of the matter?" Bart leans forward in his chair, wanting to hear her out.

"C'mon Judge my guy, it's four against one, let the kid go. He's already considered guilty by now anyway." Myre voice out, cupping his large palms over her head.

"Mr. Myre! Sustain yourself! We need full agreement of the jury to proceed. Now, Ms. Opal, do you find Kenith Norway guilty to the crime of arson?"

Guilty.... It's so strange hearing it from their tongues now.

"I..."

Even so, I think back to Tau's death, gazing outside the roof's glass, sighting nothing but blue skies. I no longer felt the aching in my heart. Therefore, I accept this... Being frame for a case I didn't commit.... -

Slowly fluttering down, in the distance of the outside, a feather rides the wind in a swaying motion, touching the glass of the ceiling- A sudden quake, the glass shatters in, bodying a boulder of dust, sending all in the room to a defense pose, blocking the collision.

"Zen... Ith..."

Within that dust, emerge a monster... Tau's younger brother. The victim of my sin... Here for vengeance.