"A group of two nobles and two common children managed to fight off not only a horde of dire rats but an actual owl bear? And not just fight it, but kill it?" The female elder asked in disbelief, her voice rising as she stared at Seth, who responded with a steady nod.
So far, Seth had recounted most of what had happened, though he had been interrupted several times, each time due to the sheer absurdity of his tale.
They couldn't exactly be blamed. Fighting off a horde of dire rats, no matter how unbelievable was still within the realm of possibility. But an owl bear? That was simply too outrageous.
A dire rat was just a large, aggressive beast- dangerous, certainly, but still an oversized animal. But an owl bear? That was something else entirely. A chimera. Something far beyond the reach of any normal encounter.
Places like Thornspire were home to monstrous creatures commonly referred to as 'Revenants.' These creatures were classified by both their rank and their class, which were determined by their species and the level of power they possessed.
The usual ranks, from lowest to highest, were: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Disaster, Titan, and Demi-God. As for their classes, a creature of any rank could belong to one of the following: Beast, Monster, Chimera, Profane, Forsaken, or Damned.
A creature's power largely depended on its class. For instance, an Intermediate-ranked creature of the Beast class might not necessarily be more powerful than a Basic-ranked creature of the Chimera class, given that the latter possessed a higher-class designation.
This made the feat even more unfathomable: Four children- none of whom had reached the peak of the mortal realm of internal force or even the novice stage of their magical powers, had somehow managed to defeat a Basic Chimera. A creature that would normally require far more experienced warriors to take down.
"It's such a shame," one of the elders murmured with a sigh, stroking his long beard. "Children capable of such a feat would have undoubtedly been an asset to our clan," he added solemnly.
"Who cares?!" The nobleman, who had silently stood beside the elder, suddenly exploded. His voice was full of fury, his anger spilling out like a burst dam.
"Most of the children are dead, and the only survivor, who's suspected of being responsible, still hasn't said a word about why that's the case!" He paused for a breath, glaring at Seth. "I, for one, would like to know why my son was found dead, his hands severed by sword slashes, his face beaten beyond recognition. Last I checked, an owlbear doesn't wield a sword!"
His words reverberated through the hall, heavy with accusation and grief.
"Are you done speaking, Claremont?" the female elder asked, her tone unshaken despite his outburst.
Claremont? Seth's attention snapped to the name. After all, it was Boyle's surname.
So, he's his father, Seth deduced, his face darkening as he remained kneeling in silence.
"We must maintain absolute decorum, especially considering how many parties are involved," the elder continued, her voice calm and composed. "Even with this artifact, if the right questions aren't asked properly, the truth might remain veiled."
"Pardon my interruption, elders," a man with the unmistakable appearance of Blackthorn spoke up from the crowd, his voice laced with concern. "Though I was fortunate enough that my son was found only unconscious, I, too, would like to understand what truly happened. If everything this boy says is true, it only complicates matters, especially since, from what I can see, his force veins are crippled."
The female elder sighed, her eyes scanning the room. "Fine…" she muttered, her gaze now fixed on Seth. "It seems everyone here shares similar thoughts. In that case… enlighten us, boy," she commanded.
Mira, Sir Vince, and everyone else fell silent, their breath held in anticipation for what the young half-blood would say next.
Seth remained silent for a moment, the weight of the room's gaze pressing down on him. Just as the elder was about to urge him to speak again, he cut her off. A sinister smirk curled on his lips as he locked eyes with Sebastian Claremont, Boyle's father, before finally speaking.
"After we defeated the creature, we were injured and decided to stay in place, waiting for the instructors to find us. We'd heard the signal marking the end of the trial.
"That's when we were surrounded and ambushed by a group of seven noble children who wanted the badge we'd earned for defeating the owlbear. The group was led by Boyle Claremont."
A wave of gasps rippled through the room, murmurs rising among the crowd- especially since the lie-detecting artifact remained silent and unresponsive.
"And what happened next?" the elder asked, her voice now heavy with grim anticipation.
"With our weakened state, they easily overpowered us. They inflicted a grave wound on Casper von Blackthorn and murdered Jacob Fyer and Emily Hawke," Seth continued. His voice cracked at the end, and Mira, unable to hold it in any longer, broke down into a stifled sob.
The room was filled with an oppressive silence, the gravity of the revelation hanging thick in the air.
"Lies! My son would never do such a thing!" Sebastian Claremont shouted, his voice seething with rage.
"Silence," the female elder commanded, her voice sharp and foreboding. "So, are you accusing the council of colluding with the young boy? Believe me, that's not a path you want to venture down." Her words were laced with menace, and they seemed to force him into silence.
Seeing he had no intention of speaking again, she turned her attention back to Seth. "Tell me, then- who was responsible for the death of the remaining seven? And how did you survive?" Her gaze was intense, scrutinizing every movement of his.
Seth let out a resigned sigh and shrugged. "What could I have possibly done? It's not like I fought back and killed them in the most brutal way possible, making sure to give their leader special attention before killing him too. A cripple like me could never do that."
The room went still, and for the first time, as Seth spoke those words, the crystalline bulb atop the lie-detecting artifact flared to life, glowing a vivid red. It was an unmistakable sign: he had lied.