A tense stillness crept its way through the room as the trial started.
Morrigan remained seated at the head of the chamber, her staff resting loosely in her hand as she looked down at Grub with an expression that was far too casual for someone deciding whether he lived or died. That same lazy confidence sat in her posture, but there was something sharper beneath it now—something watchful. Grub met her gaze, and he felt the emotion he hated most.
Fear.
It wasn't overwhelming or enough to shake his thought process. But it made him cautious of his position and reminded him exactly where he stood. At the very edge of life and death. Morrigan tapped her staff once against the ground, the sound echoing lightly through the auditorium before she spoke.
"Alright," she said, her tone blunt as ever. "First things first—we must go over what we actually know about how this shithead ended up standing in front of me."
Her eyes shifted slightly to the side as she pointed her staff toward the doll-looking girl
"Luthiel."
Luthiel stepped forward. And as she did, Grub noticed her change once again.
Her body stiffened slightly, her posture shifting as though something inside her had snapped into place. Her hair lost its neatness, strands falling loose and uneven, while streaks of red began to mix into the blonde. Her eyes, once soft and golden, deepened into a sharp, unsettling crimson.
The strange part was that it wasn't subtle at all. The change happened in an instant. One moment she was the Luthiel he last saw now he was this one
In a state of utter shock and awe, Grub couldn't help but stare.
What…
Luthiel walked up onto the platform without hesitation, stopping near the center before turning toward Morrigan. Then, without any ceremony, she began speaking.
"Okay, so basically," she started casually, "I was out helping some small animals. You know—peaceful, minding my own business…"
She gestured loosely with one hand.
"And then this jackass came stumbling out of the forest."
She jerked her thumb in Grub's direction.
"So obviously, I knocked him out. After all, I don't know where this guy's been."
She crossed her arms, looking smug for a brief moment. Grub blinked a couple times. He didn't know how to process any of it.
This… wasn't the same person who had gently held his hand earlier. Not even close. But before he could fully react, Luthiel continued.
"Then," she added, her tone shifting slightly, "I decided to be benevolent and heal this poor soul—" Her voice cut off sharply and suddenly her expression twisted.
"No, you didn't," she snapped suddenly, her head turning slightly as if addressing someone standing beside her. Grub froze in confusion and watched what was unfolding in front of him.
"There you go again trying to take credit," she muttered, her tone irritated. "You didn't want to heal him."
She paused then her frown deepened.
"Yeah, I know I didn't want to—but we did it anyway, didn't we?" She sighed for a moment as her expression tightened. "So we all get credit. That's how that works."
Completely lost, Grub stared at her with a blank face
What the hell is she doing…?There was no one else there. No one she could be talking to. And yet, It sounded exactly like an argument. With real people and multiple sides. All inside the same voice.
Grub felt a chill crawl up his spine.
She's… arguing with herself. I didn't expect her to be a mad woman.
Luthiel suddenly went quiet and her posture straightened. The tension in her face eased slightly, though her appearance remained the same—messy, red-streaked, crimson-eyed. Then she took a small bowed and seemed more composed now.
"He doesn't seem like a bad person," she said, her tone steadier. "We… had a good interaction in the prison."
Morrigan waved her off casually.
"Yeah, yeah, that's enough."
Luthiel stepped back, returning to her place without another word.
Grub's eyes followed her for a moment longer, trying to make sense of what he had just witnessed—but before he could dig deeper, Morrigan spoke again.
"Well now," she said, leaning forward slightly, "looks like you've got the backing of my cute little Luthiel." She smirked."That's some big points in your favor, ya fucker."
Grub glanced to the side at the person who just somewhat defended him.
Luthiel had changed once again. Her hair had returned to its neat braids. The red streaks were gone. Her eyes were once again a soft, bright yellow. And she smiled at him—small, gentle, almost shy. As if none of that had happened. Grub's confusion only deepened.
Morrigan tapped her staff again, drawing his attention back.
"Now then," she continued, "tell me who the hell you are. Give me your story."
Her eyes locked onto him. "I'm very curious where a weird-looking bastard like you came from."
Grub hesitated for a moment trying to think this through as logically as he possibly could..
How much do I say? His mind ran through possibilities quickly. I could lie.
But something in his gut told him that wouldn't work—not here, not with her. Morrigan didn't feel like someone who could be easily deceived. If she caught even a hint of it, the outcome wouldn't be good.
At the same time, he couldn't tell the full truth. He couldn't tell them about the Lacerts or they would know he's a spy and he'd be done for. About the others, he couldn't talk about them either. If he exposed them, he could be putting them directly in danger. He had still had no intention of letting any leaders know about them, in case they take it as a threat and go and wipe them out.
So he chose carefully. Grub lifted his head slightly and spoke.
"I fell from a giant rift into this land," he said slowly. "I don't know who I was before that. I don't know my real name… or what I used to do."
"I can't remember anything. Not faces. Not places. Nothing." His voice remained steady, but his words carried weight as he admitted something not only to them but to himself.
"I'm… empty. Simply a hollow shell of who I once was."
The room stayed quiet.
"I fell into a body of water not too far from here. Then something attacked me. A massive serpent of unbelievable size and power. I call it the Leviathan. That beast was massive without comparison and I…."
A faint tension crept into the room.
"I almost died. But someone saved me."
Deliberately, he stopped there. He avoided any mention of the others and made sure not to mention the village. Then he continued.
"After that, I wandered through the forest until I heard singing." His eyes flicked briefly toward Luthiel. "That's when she found me… and knocked me out."
Grub exhaled quietly. "That's everything…..oh and my name is Grub."
Silence followed his brazen statement. Morrigan stared at him, her expression unreadable for a moment as she processed his words. Then she sighed.
"Well first off," she said, waving her hand slightly, "Grub is a stupid fucking name."
Grub blinked at the sudden insult.
"Why would you willingly call yourself something that sounds that lame?"
She shook her head.
"Second—" She leaned forward slightly. "I believe you."
The room erupted in quiet reactions. The guards around her shifted and murmurs spread through the auditorium. Echoes could be heard ringing through the room. Only Luthiel remained calm, a small, satisfied smile on her face.
Grub wore no visible reaction on his face, he only kept his eyes trained on the chief. Morrigan continued, completely unfazed.
"I believe you," she repeated, "because I think you might be one of the Sky-Fallen. The same ones mentioned in Baba's predictions."
At that, Grub's brow furrowed slightly. Clicking her tongue, Morrigan let out a loud sigh
"Yeah, figured you wouldn't know what I'm talking about."She leaned back into her seat.
"Baba was a psychic from a long time ago. She predicted a whole lot of things—most of which ended up being true."
"One of those predictions was that strange creatures, unlike anything in this world, would fall from the sky."
She pointed at him.
"Creatures like you. Baba referred to them as the Sky-Fallen."
Grub exhaled slowly. Relief washed through him—but only partially. He felt like he was getting close to a positive outcome. Morrigan waved her hand dismissively.
"You're free to go, I suppose." Then she smirked. "But don't get it twisted—I don't trust you for a second, ya hottie."
She continued as she stared intently at Grub's wrist. "I just think I stand to benefit from keeping someone like you around."
Grub couldn't help it. A small smirk pulled at his lips. But Grub smiling was not a pretty sight and the reaction was immediate. Several people flinched in fear. One of the guards even stepped back slightly. Grub's smirk faded just as quickly, his face returning to its usual cold expression.
How rude, I don't look that bad when smiling.
Morrigan groaned.
"Yeah, don't do that, you're much cuter when you stand there all stoic," she muttered, rubbing her temple. Then she raised her staff and her voice rang out across the room.
"THIS MAN IS FREE—BY ORDER OF MORRIGAN!"
The decision echoed through the auditorium. He was safe. For now.