Poor Choices

"Speak now. The Council has assembled."

"Can I remove the blindfold?"

"No. If you are found innocent of all charges or not guilty by reason of circumstance, it will be removed for you. If you are found guilty, it shall be sealed to your skin and your hearing will be dampened."

"You challenge my integrity?"

"Charges have been brought against you and evidence has been provided. In deference to your position and skills, I am here to ensure the continued role of the Council as a fair and impartial body. I shall be the only one who speaks."

"How lovely. I can’t even confront the Council myself or face my accusers directly."

"No. You must speak your piece from that chair, answer questions as I ask them, and withstand the Sealing of your sight and magic. If you stand, I have been given dispensation to treat you as hostile. If you break the Seal, I have been given dispensation to treat you as hostile. If you move to cast towards the council, I have been given dispe-"

"Dispensation to treat me as hostile, yes I get it. I helped design the damn rules, I know them better than you!"

"Begin your story."

"You have to read the charges to me before I can so much as speak towards them. I thought you better acquainted with the rules and yet you ignore one so basic."

"Very well. High Mage Nightwind, you have been brought before the Council to answer to charges of grievous bodily harm through magic. The five severed hands have been thoroughly examined and your magic found at the point of dismemberment. We have heard the story of those injured. We have not heard your story, and thus a fair judgment cannot be made."

"Who were those injured? I never saw them and I know they should have been named when you detailed the charges."

"I am not permitted to name any who are within this Council nor any of the injured party."

"Pity."

"Speak before your chance is gone."

"Fine fine. So pushy, no wonder we never had one of you before, I would have chucked you out the window if I had to listen to this day in and day out.”

“That may be construed as a threat.”

“I don’t threaten, dark-and-ominous. Anyway, my story. I often return to my home late at night, sometimes even in the early morning if my research absorbs me - I function far better at night and never seek morning duties. Three days ago was one such occasion. It had passed midnight; cloud coverage, still air, and the muggy humidity of late summer sent me home before the first bell tolled, and I took the same path I walk every day and night. I enjoy how the hexagonal stones flecked through with precious gems glimmer in daylight and glow at night. A rather brilliant spell, one I wish I knew the maker of. There are so many tools I'd design for night studies if I could replicate them."

"Do not stray from the topic."

"If I am to tell my story, I wish to tell it as it happened. Continuing - I always muse upon those stones when I return home during nights. It's easy to become lost in thought when drawing up fantastical creations that will probably never exist. In any case, that night was the same as countless others, until I felt my hood dragged down over my eyes, a hand clamped over my mouth trapping my hood between attacker and retaliation. Another hand gripped my left arm, another my right wrist, another banded across my chest, and a fifth around my waist. I felt the body heat of numerous people beside me, behind me. I was trapped."

"Continue."

"Isn't that proof enough that my actions were justified?"

"That is not where your story ends. Continue."

"I froze, panic swelling over me like a wave. I am no stranger to violence, I am High Mage for a reason, but to be attacked like this, at night, alone. I had no idea who grabbed me. They spoke no words I could hear. But I would not let them remove me from the path, take me somewhere I might never be found. They blocked my eyes, they may have cast some spell to block my ears, but they did not realize their hands on me told me their positions."

"What did you do?"

"I yanked my magic to the surface of my skin, right where their wrists met their arms, and tore through their limbs to free myself. I cauterized their wounds in the process; I did not want them dead before they were served justice for their attack."

"You did not warn them?"

"My mouth was covered and I am so well known to any who live in or visit this city that I should not have to warn someone of their mistake - I am a High Mage who walks the same path every day and my skills are not a secret."

"You did not use your magic to warn them before you removed their hands?"

"I did not wish to die while trying to play nice. If they wished to keep their hands, they should never have laid them on me in such a manner."

"You did not attempt to kill them, as you said. Why is this so, if you believe they attacked you with the intent to do you harm?"

"Because death is irreversible and too nice a punishment for one who believes in accosting strangers at night. A missing hand sends home the message much clearer, and leaves the attackers alive for the Council."

"Why do you believe you were attacked? As you said, you are a well known High Mage. There are few, if any, who would attack you."

"How should I know what goes on in the minds of the violent? Maybe they had courage in numbers. Maybe they believed blocking my eyes and mouth to be sufficient to prevent me from casting. I have made enough enemies in my lifetime to warrant a kidnapping or assassination attempt or two, maybe one of them hired some low-level mages or magicless to do their dirty work."

"Then you do not know who the five were, nor do you know the reason for the, as you said, attack?"

"No, I do not know who they are or why I was attacked. Why should I have?"

"I am not at liberty to answer your questions, High Mage. The Council has no further questions. Your sentence is being deliberated. I will announce it shortly."

"Brilliant. I guess I'll just sit here, Sealed to the chair, and stare into oblivion while my juniors and collegues decide my fate."

"It will not take long, High Mage Nightwind. Your story is sound and matches with the stories of the injured party. You have been found not guilty. I will remove your blindfold."

"Wait, wait, there wasn't any deliberation at all! What...what's going on?"

"Nightwind, what was the date of your attack?"

"Forgestone? Is that you?"

"Answer the question, Nightwind."

"It was...late summer? The moon didn't show up, I don't know. The clouds covered it before I could mark the date, and I haven't been outside since then."

"It was your damn birthday, you idiot."

"...liar."

"Why in all the realms would I lie about something like that, Nightwind?"

"Because then I can pretend you all weren't fucking stupid trying to kidnap me for a surprise party. Since, you know, I'm always really good at reacting to surprises."

"Ah."

"I hope Mender refuses to reattach your hands for a whole week for that stunt."

"Mender's keeping our wrists and hands under stasis until you allow the healing."

"Good. Why the damn session if it was your fault in the first place?"

"Because you were seen by half a dozen merchants, ten students, and three newly minted teachers cutting our hands off."

"I hope someone's made a Crystal of the moment so I can watch it and bask in your absolute stupidity."

"..."

"I didn't hear that, Forgestone."

"They're...they're already selling them in the market."

"I expect one to be on my desk tomorrow. Now, I, for one, would like to go home and take a long bath. And I won't be participating in any studies I don't wish to for the rest of the year. The idiots who started all this can take my place, as further punishment."

"Nightwind!"

"You're the idiots who poked the dragon, deal with the consequences. You're lucky I didn't fry you lot."

"Yes, Nightwind."

"Good. I don't wish to see anyone in this room for at least a month. Oh, and Forgestone? Make sure that Crystal is of the highest quality."