In The Eyes Of Judgement

After I finished explaining everything, the Grand Mage looked straight at me.

“You’re not lying,” he said. “I can tell.”

His calm voice somehow made the room even more tense.

Then, one of the wise elves stepped forward.

“Last night,” the elder elf began, his voice echoing through the hall, “our observatory in ElFairia detected a massive surge of energy deep within the Illusion Forest. After reviewing the reports and considering your earlier statement, Luca, it is clear that the three of you were present at the time of the incident.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Given your admission, we have no doubt now that you were directly involved in what occurred there.”

“Through the observatory vision currently focused on this hall,” one of the wise elves said with a composed voice,

“we have identified no signs of magical affinity or blessings from the outsider human boy, His presence carries no trace of arcane energy--no resonance with the currents of nature or magic. He is, in that regard, ordinary.”

The elf turned slightly, eyes shifting toward Estheria.

“As for the lower elf, Estheria, she does possess a blessing--one that grants her exceptional physical strength beyond normal standards. However, beyond that, we have observed no further magical anomalies from her either.”

The atmosphere grew heavier as the elder’s gaze finally settled on Strixx.

“But the outsider girl… she is different. We cannot read her. We cannot detect even the faintest trace of magical aura, divine blessing, or spiritual alignment. It is as if she exists outside our understanding—beyond the reach of our senses.”

He paused, his voice low and serious.

“Is she hiding something?”

Another elder leaned forward, voice sharp.

“Was it that little girl? Was she the one behind that terrifying power?”

I quickly moved in front of Strixx, my voice firm.

“No,” I said. “It wasn’t her. It was the demons… and their beasts.”

The Grand Mage’s gaze tightened on me.

“I’m sorry, young boy,” he said softly, “but you’re not being honest this time.”

The room fell still. Eyes narrowed. Whispers started to rise.

“Then who is she?” one asked.

“What race does she belong to?”

“Her hood hides her face. She looks like a demi-human girl… but we need to know for sure.”

“Take off the hood.”

I looked at the Grand Mage. Something told me he wasn’t guessing. He knew when people lied. He saw through them. Through me.

My throat tightened. My heart pounded. I could barely speak.

“If I say it now, it’ll bring trouble,” I said slowly. “ElFairia is on edge… and revealing what she truly is will only cause panic.

Estheria could be blamed. And Strixx…”

Strixx grabbed onto my arm, her small hands trembling.

“Luca…” she whispered, voice soft and afraid. “What do we do?”

Dozens of eyes now stared at her. The air felt heavy. Every breath I took felt harder.

Estheria stood up.

She walked in front of us and bowed slightly, her voice steady.

“Wise ones,” Estheria said firmly, “Strixx shouldn’t be forced to reveal something she’s not ready to share—not like this, not in front of everyone. She has her reasons for keeping it hidden, and we should respect that.”

She glanced around the room, meeting the eyes of each elder.

“But I can say this with certainty—Strixx is not the cause of the strange events that have been happening in ElFairia lately. She and Luca only arrived yesterday. They’re newcomers—outsiders. They barely even know this land, let alone have the power or time to stir such chaos.”

She stepped in front of Strixx.

“She’s not our enemy. She’s not a threat. If anything, she’s as lost and confused as the rest of us.”

One elder shook his head.

“This is not an accusation,” he said. “We’re offering a chance--to tell the truth, to bring clarity. That’s all.”

My hands were cold. I looked at the Grand Mage again. His stare hadn’t moved. Like he was already waiting for the truth.

I spoke, barely above a whisper.

“Strixx is… she’s a demi-human.”

I couldn’t meet his eyes.

The Grand Mage raised his hand, his voice calm but absolute.

“That’s a lie.”

Gasps spread across the room.

“You’re lying,” he said. “I can feel it in your words. That is not her truth.”

Silence.

And then--

All eyes turned to Strixx.

“What is it that you two are hiding?” the Grand Mage asked sternly, his voice echoing through the hall. “You, Outsider boy… and you, Outsider girl.”

He slowly turned his eyes toward Strixx, the weight of his gaze pressing down like stone.

“Outsider girl,” he declared, “you are hereby ordered to reveal what lies beneath your hood—your true identity. This is not merely a request. This is a formal decree by the Supreme Council.”

The room fell quiet as tension thickened.

“Only upon your full disclosure,” the Grand Mage continued, “will this council consider validating the investigation led by the lower elf, Estheria. Only then will we judge the legitimacy of her words—her insistence that you are not a threat, and her reasoning for involving both you and the human boy in ElFairia at such a delicate time. Without this, her claims hold no weight, and your presence may be deemed dangerous.”

The moment I began to think of a way out, I saw Estheria—her expression was tense, troubled. She was clearly as worried as I was. If Strixx’s true identity was revealed here and now, it might cause even more problems for us outsiders.

Strixx glanced between us, sensing the weight in the air. Her voice trembled as she took a step forward.

“Strixx, what are you—?” I asked, startled.

“Luca… thank you. For staying by Strixx’s side, even when everything felt heavy… for standing up for Strixx no matter what.” Her voice shook gently, but her words were clear. “Strixx doesn’t want to keep hiding. Strixx wants to be honest now… and speak only the truth she knows.”

Then she looked at Estheria. “Thank you, Estheria. For speaking up for Strixx…”

She raised her voice, clear but shaken. “Strixx will tell the truth .”

With that, she reached up and slowly pulled back her hood--revealing the truth she had kept hidden all this time. Her horns stood clearly on both sides of her forehead, sharp and proud.

“Strixx is a demon,” she said.

The chamber fell into stunned silence. The council, the guards, even the Grand Mage--all stared, wide-eyed. The truth had been revealed, and nothing would be the same after this moment.

As the last word left Strixx’s lips--“I am a demon”—the entire hall fell deathly still.

For only a heartbeat.

Then, chaos.

Chairs scraped as several high elves stood up fast. Their faces were hard and full of hate as they stared at Strixx.

Without waiting, they pointed their wands straight at her. Bright energy gathered at the tips, sharp and dangerous. The air felt heavy and tense.

It was clear--they were ready to attack.

“Seize her!”

“She’s deceived us!”

“A demon walks among us?!”

Before they could act, I threw myself in front of her, shielding her with my own body.

“ Please Don’t!” I shouted, breath catching in my throat.

Strixx gasped softly behind me. “Luca…”

Then, another step--Estheria moved forward, standing beside me without hesitation. She faced the raging council with unshaken resolve.

“She has not harmed anyone,” Estheria declared, her voice rising over the noise. “And she has no intent to.”

But the anger in the room had boiled over.

“Traitors!”

one of the high elves snarled. “This lower elf has been conspiring with a demon from the beginning!”

“She’s brought corruption to ElFairia!”

“She defies the High Council!”

The air grew thick with fear and fury.

But then--BOOM.

A single burst of magical pressure silenced the hall.

The Grand Mage stood, eyes glowing faintly, his voice booming through the chamber.

“Enough!”

Silence fell like a hammer.

“The outsider girl has not finished her statement,” the Grand Mage said coldly. “And until she does, no judgment shall be made. Let her speak.”

He turned his gaze to Strixx. “You may continue, child.”

Strixx stood still, trembling as every eye in the hall locked onto her. The weight was heavy--accusation, fear, rejection. Her hands curled at her sides, and her voice shook as she began to speak again.

“Yes… Strixx is a demon,” she said quietly, her words barely louder than a whisper. “But Strixx has never… never done anything to hurt anyone. Not here. Not anywhere.”

She lifted her eyes, tears welling but refusing to fall.

“Strixx ran away from the demons’ land a long time ago. It’s… a cruel place. They wanted Strixx to be something Strixx didn’t want to be. To fight. To destroy.”

She looked down at her hands.

“But Strixx didn’t want that life. Strixx escaped. Alone. Ever since then, Strixx has been traveling. Watching. Learning. Seeing how different the world really is.”

Then her voice grew firmer.

“Strixx loves this world. Even if it hates her.”

She turned to me and Estheria, her lips trembling into a soft smile.

“Luca was the first human who ever spoke to Strixx without fear. He didn’t run. He stayed… even when he didn’t understand. He stood up for Strixx.”

She looked at Estheria with gratitude burning in her eyes.

“And Estheria… you saved Luca. You protected both of us. Strixx wants to help you. Not just because you saved us… but because Strixx believes in you.”

She faced the council again.

“Strixx is not your enemy. Strixx didn’t come here to hurt anyone. Strixx only wants to protect her friends. Even if the whole world calls her a demon.”

She bowed her head slightly, shoulders trembling--but she did not back down.

“…That is all Strixx has to say.”

After Strixx’s confession, a heavy stillness settled over the grand hall. No one dared to speak. The air itself seemed to hold its breath.

The Grand Mage stood steady at the center of the council, his tall figure wrapped in flowing robes that caught the soft light of the hall. His sharp eyes stayed fixed on Strixx. Though her hands shook and her shoulders were tense, she didn’t look away. She faced him straight on, her expression clear and steady.

With calm control, the Grand Mage slowly swept his eyes across the council, letting the silence stretch. When he finally spoke, his voice was deep, steady, and carried the quiet strength of someone long used to giving judgment.

“Having carefully observed both the words and the presence of this outsider girl,” he began, his tone formal and precise, “I find no falsehood in her confession. Nor do I sense malice or hidden ill intent within her heart.”

He turned his gaze briefly toward me and Estheria.

“The same can be said of the outsider boy and the lower elf, Estheria. Neither of them bear any trace of deception or danger to ElFairia.”

His voice grew stronger, resonating through the hall as he straightened fully.

“Therefore, by my authority as Grand Mage and arbiter of truth in this council, I hereby declare the investigation conducted by the lower elf Estheria to be sound and justified. The prior unexplained presence of these two outsiders alongside her is now sufficiently clarified.”

He slowly turned to face the line of wise elves, his expression steady, his words deliberate.

“It is clear. These three do not present harm to ElFairia or its people.”

With that, he let his words rest on the chamber, before finishing in a calm, commanding tone:

“I now pass the matter to the wise ones, that they may render their final decision on all that has been presented before this Supreme Council.”

At the Grand Mage’s final words, the wise elves rose from their seats with steady grace. Their long robes shifted gently as they stood, their faces solemn and composed. One by one, they lowered their heads in respect before speaking in unison, their voices calm and clear.

“We, the Wise Council, recognize and uphold the judgment of the Grand Mage, Arbiter of Truth. As it has guided ElFairia without fail for five centuries, so too shall it guide us now. His decision is just. His ruling stands as the law of our land.”

Their declaration carried the full weight of tradition and authority. The chamber felt still, the matter settled with finality.

Estheria glanced at Strixx and me. I met her eyes and gave her a small smile.

“You did a great job, Estheria,” I said softly. “You should be proud of your investigation. We’re glad we could stand by your side.”

The Grand Mage then turned to Estheria, his tone steady and formal.

“Estheria,” he said, “regarding the matter of the lower elves living in the unguarded outskirts of ElFairia… I recognize the risk they face. As promised, I will keep my word. I will arrange for their evacuation to the Great Capital of ElFairia. They will remain there under protection until the current dangers are resolved. For the safety of all lower elves, this action will be taken without delay.”

Hearing those words, both Strixx and I smiled warmly at Estheria. Overcome with relief and gratitude, she bowed deeply to the Grand Mage.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “Thank you so much.”