The wanderer in the brown overcoat, Tresgon, Lacvo, Gyz, and Erhu had followed the four Chief Guards to a building some leagues away.
This little walk gave the wanderer the view of the city of Erten. 'It is vast.' In his mind, it did not compare to even be on the scale of Ashtrim the city but Erten deserved its right to be called a city-state. That much he deduced simply by this single walk.
Even then he could tell where they were was simply the outskirts recently made the part of the city.
Every pebble laid down to make the cobbled path was new. Less trodden.
"We have arrived." Declared Guard Ropne. Chief Guard Lina was the first to open the doors, simple and monotone in design. The building however, was a three storey cuboid building. Its larger side perpendicular to the path.
And the walls outside had irregular patterns made of geometric shapes cornering each of the window. Otherwise the building was similarly simple with each wall having its own colour.
Chief Guard Deno entered next. But Chief Guard Ger chose to step away towards some other building in the same street. Chief Guard Urken signaled to Ger, in response Ger did a set of actions with his hands that involved waving, circle parallel to the ground, pointing to the building he intended to go to, and drink from an imaginary utensil.
None of the signs in that very order, but each repeated twice with one of the actions coming in between two similar ones.
Urken nodded.
He then extended his arm towards the inside of the illuminated building the five outsiders were next to cross in.
"Welcome to the special court of our Greater Kingdom of Palre." Urken majorly emphasized and said it so for the wanderer.
Tresgon and Lacvo both had been to instances of these special courts called Capital's Realizing against Falsehoods. A few times something magical had happened but even then it wasn't too grand or problematic for the ones who were judged.
And Tresgon was exempt for today's. Lacvo had his heart jumping a beat at random intervals but he was mostly fine. Everything was and has been going at the most optimal pace.
If there was one thing that bugged him, it was everything that Urken talked of with the wanderer.
A few minutes passed as the helpers in the building set up furniture, bars, and other miscellaneous utensils according to some instructions they knew. None of the Chief Guards directed them. Each of them walked over and stood in opposite directions to each other forming a cross if two lines connected them.
Urken led the proceedings as the helpers stepped away and Ger returned back in the building to stand at his position.
First was Lacvo's turn. Urken called, "The Capital's Realizing against Falsehoods begins. Please state a name that isn't yours."
"Urken," Lacvo said.
A cross came into existence, normal enough for the people here to not consider this as magical.
Lina asked, "Why were you not in the depth of the kingdom?"
"I am in its most depth." Lacvo said.
Another cross descended.
Deno and Ger asked theirs and a cross descended for them too. All the cross now laid in front of each of the Chief Guards few steps away.
Urken told Lacvo to step back anywhere but do not go beyond the boundary drawn. There was one drawn. A circle on the carpet.
A similar question and answer happened for Gyz and Erhu.
Then it was the wanderer in the brown overcoat's turn.
This time, Lina led the proceedings unlike all three previous times.
"Child, since you are new to our Greater Kingdom of Palre I will explain what is this special court called Capital's Realizing against Falsehoods."
Lacvo, Tresgon, Gyz and Erhu, all four were interested to know that having never seen anyone address what this is.
Continuing Lina said, "In the previous instance of the beginning of the trial, as you saw we asked questions that required its recipient to answer with a lie. It records it in these crosses that come into existence from all the way from the capital of our kingdom."
The wanderer noted that Lina stopped so he peeked at Urken. Urken expecting that gave a slight nod.
The boy in his brown overcoat thinking Urken understood reflected the same action back to Lina.
Deno spoke as the boy's head rose back up. "We will not ask of you to lie. This has been told to us that lies by outsiders of the Greater Kingdom of Palre requires the Capital's Knight to be there to catch the lie." And Deno spread his arms wide, "None us are that. Thus, we ask that you state the utmost truth that you alone witnessed for the special court catches it."
Ger's voice echoed in the hall that they had come to in the building for specifically this process. "Child of Beret. Tell us of the truths you witnessed and be warned for it will be the instrument to know what you wish to bring to our kingdom."
Boy, a mere 15 year old, turned around to face Ger. Urken's voice boomed instantly, "Let the first Capital's Realizing against Faleshoods for this child begin now."
Ropne hadn't followed them inside into the building. He guarded it from the outside.
"Hmm, Chief Guard Ger left and sent his brother the previous Chief Guard of the western gate. But why?"
His grip on his spear loose but complete while his pupils stayed unfocused. Two local guards that were patrolling the cobbled path next to this one took a turn and entered it two leagues away from Ropne.
Both kept a lively conversation going discussing how Erten had become a better place after being annexed in a brutal war with the Greater Kingdom of Palre.
Ropne turned and turned his thoughts on Chief Guard Ger's brother coming, and he knew if someone was given the title of Chief Guard they were allowed to have it forever unless taken directly by the royal family or ones decreed to always be acting in the interest of it.
Neither Ropne nor the two guards noticed when did the gusts of wind in the street had become windier that the dust clouds rose. Only when one engulfed a citizen coming towards Ropne and screaming, did Ropne and those two guards noticed it. Their helmets had made it easier for them to withstand such simple phenomena.
Yet, a more distinct one went off right as the screaming died and the two guards reached the citizen. Ignited wind descended on the building behind Ropne.
Ropne survived because he too had left his position to sweep the dust clouds with his spear. He could only turn and watch the building be burned.
Each brick, glass and stone rather than melting were truly burning.