Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

Jaegar lay back on his cot, staring up at the ceiling. He had declined Niko's offer, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this wouldn't be the last he'd hear from this mysterious group.

As the night wore on, Jaegar's resolve strengthened. He would face his accusers on his own terms, in the light of day and before the magical courts. But he would do so with eyes wide open, wary of friends and foes alike. For in this world of shadows and secrets, he was learning, nothing was ever as it seemed.

***

The morning sun had barely crested the horizon when Pierre and Jennifer once again found themselves at the Ministry headquarters, their determination to see Jaegar undiminished by yesterday's failure. Find more to read at empire

The atrium buzzed with activity, witches and wizards hurrying to and fro, their robes swishing as they navigated the morning rush.

Pierre, his red hair even more dishevelled than usual from a restless night, approached the reception desk with renewed vigour. "Please," he began, his voice a mixture of desperation and frustration, "we need to speak with Jaegar Ambrose. It's urgent."

Before the receptionist could respond, a familiar figure emerged from a nearby corridor. Ewen, his posture rigid and his face a mask of professional detachment intercepted the pair.

"Pierre and Jennifer," Ewen addressed them, "I'm afraid I must once again deny your request to see Jaegar."

Pierre's face flushed with anger. "This is ridiculous!"

"Ewen, something isn't right. Why aren't you allowing anyone to meet Jaegar?" Pierre knew very well that Ewen wasn't that friendly with them, and he had a side that hated Jaegar all the time at the academy. Seeing as he was now, Pierre was sure that, maybe he had a hand in whatever was happening here.

Ewen's expression remained impassive. "I understand your frustration, but the law is clear. Mr. Ambrose will have his chance to speak at the hearing. Until then, I must ask you to leave the premises."

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"You talk as though Jaegar is a criminal. Don't you know him, Ewen? We studied together," Pierre said, staring at him.

"Yes, we did. It had been a while since we graduated, so, who knows what happened in between these months? And we have hard evidence suggesting Jaegar was the one who committed the crime."

A vein popped on Pierre's forehead, and he was struggling to keep his anger in control.

As Pierre opened his mouth to argue further, Jennifer placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. "Come on, Pierre," she said softly, her own disappointment evident in her voice. "We're not helping Jaegar by getting ourselves arrested too."

Reluctantly, the pair retreated, but Pierre's mind was racing. Something about this whole situation felt wrong, and his doubts were only growing stronger.

Ewen watched them leave, a smile slowly crept up on his lips.

*

Hours later, in a grand courtroom deep within the Ministry, the room was imposing, its high ceilings adorned with moving frescoes depicting famous magical trials throughout history.

Three stern-faced judges sat at an elevated bench, their robes shimmering with protective enchantments. The council of the Ministry filled the seats to either side, their expressions a mix of curiosity and predetermined judgment.

Jaegar was now being led to the courtroom by the constables. He was told that they would hold his hearing. No matter how hard he thought about it he couldn't understand why they would hold his trial this early. It was too fast like they were in a hurry to punish him.

The doors to the courtroom opened, and Jaegar entered the room.

As Jaegar was led to the defendant's booth, still in cuffs, he could feel the weight of every stare in the room.

Ewen guided him to his place before taking up a position at the side of the courtroom, his face unreadable.

A thin, reedy-voiced announcer stepped forward, unrolling a scroll that seemed to go on forever. "Jaegar Ambrose," he intoned, "you stand accused of the following crimes: Breach of the Barrier between Magical and Non-Magical Worlds, Unauthorized Use of Forbidden Magic, Evading Arrest, and Endangering the Statute of Secrecy."

As the litany of charges echoed through the chamber, Jaegar's frown deepened. They certainly had prepared for this day and the crimes mentioned just now, he had no idea about them.

The lead judge, a severe-looking woman with steely grey hair, leaned forward. "Mr. Ambrose," she said, her voice carrying easily through the hushed courtroom, "what do you have to say for yourself?"

Jaegar rejected the judge offered by the ministry, and he thought, Why would they even offer him one when they don't let him talk to anyone? He clearly understood things around the ministry weren't going according to the law. So he thought it would be better for him to represent himself in court.

And the fact that the Imperial family didn't respond to his arrest means that something must have happened at the palace. And it wasn't like he had any real family in the palace. Though he wondered about Jacqueline and his grandmother, Why weren't they doing anything? Not that he blamed them for that. Just curious about the state of affairs in the palace.

Jaegar was unaware of the death of the late emperor and the crown system, which was now in effect.

Jaegar straightened, meeting the judge's gaze squarely. "How did you conclude that it was me who broke the barrier?" He asked directly, his voice clear and steady despite the gravity of the situation.

His way of addressing her irked the judge and retorted to him, "Mr. Ambrose, you need to watch how you speak." She glared at the boy as she spoke. She didn't like the way he was conducting, even in the presence of judges. She had been serving as a judge for over a couple of decades, but she had never seen one as arrogant as him.

Jaegar sighed visibly and said, "Apologies, Honorable Judge."

"I want to ask the court, is there any proof that I have committed such a crime as you claimed?"

A murmur rippled through the assembled council. The judge looked at him, squinting her eyes.

Jaegar continued, "I do have a right to know, right."

Then the judge waved her hand, indicating them to show it to him.

Ewen stepped forward, his hand moving towards his wand pocket, ready to present the evidence that would seal Jaegar's fate.