The sound of shuffling feet echoes through the vast, marble-lined hallway as the dozen rebel angels and Blaine are led towards the courtroom. The angels walk in a line, their heads held high and their eyes locked straight ahead, while Blaine trails behind, his expression grim. They have been stripped of all weapons and other belongings and are dressed in simple, white robes that mark them as prisoners.
As they reach the entrance to the courtroom, the double doors swing open with a heavy creak, revealing the hushed and solemn atmosphere inside. The dozen rebel angels and Blaine walk through the doorway and onto their seats, their movements watched closely by the stern-faced guards who flank them on either side.
The courtroom is hushed as the judge, a tall and regal figure with piercing blue eyes and shimmering golden wings, takes his seat at the bench. He looks down at the accused with a stern expression, his gaze seeming to penetrate deep into their very souls.
The jury, a group of twelve angels of various ranks and stations, are seated in the rows to the left and right of the judge's bench. They look intently at the accused, their expressions unreadable, as they prepare to hear the evidence and make their decision.
As the prosecutor rises to give his opening statement, the courtroom falls silent. The prosecutor is a stern-faced angel with a sharp, commanding voice, and he begins to lay out the case against the forbidden with unyielding conviction.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," he begins, his voice ringing out clearly and firmly, "we are here today to hold the forbidden accountable for their crimes against Heaven. These angels have caused chaos and destruction in our once-peaceful home, and they have shown no remorse for their actions. We will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the forbidden were involved in the destruction of the temple of the seven, and that they sought to bring about anarchy and chaos in our society. They must be held accountable for their actions, and justice must be served."
As the prosecutor finishes his statement, he sits down with a flourish, his expression cold and unyielding. The courtroom remains silent, the tension palpable, as the defense rises to give their statement. The defense is a group of angels, led by a strikingly beautiful angel with shimmering silver wings, who speaks with a soft, soothing voice.
"Your Honor, members of the jury," she begins, her voice gentle but firm, "we stand before you today as the voice of the accused, the forbidden. We acknowledge that a great crime has been committed, but we believe that the true nature of that crime has been misunderstood. The forbidden do not seek anarchy or chaos, but rather a more just and equitable society. We believe that all angels should have the right to free will, to choose their own paths, and to express themselves freely. Blaine, too, is innocent of the charges against him. He was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. We ask that you look beyond the surface of this case consider the deeper issues at play. We ask that you find justice for all, not just for the prosecution."
The defense finishes their statement and sits down, their expressions hopeful but uncertain. The courtroom remains silent, the air thick with tension, as the judge signaled for the trial to continue.
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Jonas is sitting back at headquarters in an office along with Amelia. They are listening to the court being broadcasted through a shell. "I think we should be there Jonas, at least to let Blaine know I'm okay," Amelia says, her voice cracking as she struggles to keep from crying.
"I know you want to be there by him, but it might be too dangerous for you to be there right now," Jonas starts to respond, "I promised Blaine I will look after you and keep you safe."
Amelia looks down and loses control of her emotions and begins to cry, "this is not fair Jonas, why is this happening?"
Jonas walks over to Amelia and wraps his arms around her in comfort and support. "Don't worry, we will make it through this, no matter what the outcome is on the case."
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The prosecution calls their first witness to the stand, the Archangel Gabriel. The courtroom goes silent as the archangel takes his place in front of the judge's bench. He looks stern and unapproachable, his eyes scanning the room as if daring anyone to challenge his authority.
The prosecutor begins his questioning. "Archangel Gabriel, can you tell us what you saw on the day of the temple bombing?"
Gabriel clears his throat before answering. "I witnessed Blaine leaving the Temple of the Forgotten. When I questioned him about it, he said he was just passing by and wanted to see what it was like."
The prosecutor nods. "And what did you make of his response?"
"I found it suspicious. The temple is not a place for idle curiosity. It is a place for reverence and remembrance, as I explained to him."
The defense lawyer stands up, ready to cross-examine the witness. "Archangel Gabriel, did you have any reason to suspect Blaine of wrongdoing before you saw him at the Temple of the Forgotten?"
Gabriel hesitates for a moment before answering. "No, I did not."
"Then how can you claim that his visit to the temple was suspicious?" the defense lawyer pressed.
Gabriel glares at the lawyer. "As an archangel, it is my duty to keep a watchful eye on all activities. His visit to the temple, coupled with his comment that he 'wanted to see what it was like', raised suspicions in my mind."
The defense lawyer nods, then sits back down. Prosecution calls their next witness to the stand, Archangel Michael. Michael looks serious and resolute as he takes his place in front of the judge's bench.
The prosecutor begins his questioning. "Archangel Michael, can you tell us what you saw at the back of headquarters?"
Michael clears his throat before answering. "I saw Blaine leaving a back room at headquarters where no one normally goes. Later, I saw 12 other angels leaving the same room. I found it suspicious, so I sent a report to the other archangels of what I had seen."
The prosecutor nods. "And what happened when Blaine failed to show up to a call where his charge was nearly assaulted?"
"I investigated his disappearance," Michael replies. "I looked at footage that showed Blaine talking to someone and heading with them to the library building. Unfortunately, there was no footage of the library building itself."
The defense lawyer stands up, ready to cross-examine the witness. "Archangel Michael, is it not true that Blaine's absence could have been due to an emergency situation or misunderstanding?"
Michael shakes his head. "As a guardian angel, Blaine has a duty to protect his charges. If he had an emergency situation, he should have notified someone. As for a misunderstanding, I find it hard to believe that Blaine would miss a call without good reason."
The defense finishes and the prosecution then calls their next witness to the stand, Archangel Raphael. The prosecutor begins his questioning. "Archangel Raphael, can you tell us what you saw on the day of Blaine's disappearance?"
"I witnessed Blaine leaving the Temple of the Seven after being missing for over 48 hours, Raphael replies. "I tried to catch up to him, but he was too far."
The prosecutor nods. "And did you report this to the other archangels?"
"Yes, I did," Raphael confirms.
The defense lawyer stands up, ready to cross-examine the witness. "Archangel Raphael, did you have any reason to suspect Blaine of wrongdoing before his disappearance?"
Raphael shook his head. "No, I did not."
The defense lawyer continues, "Archangel Raphael, do you think that Blaine could have been captured by the Forbidden, and forced to help them against his will?"
Raphael considers the question before answering, "It is possible, but as a guardian angel, Blaine should have been better equipped to resist such a coercion. he is trained to resist temptation and stay true to his duties."
The defense angel nods and continues, "But is it not true that the Forbidden could have still manipulated Blaine into helping them?"
Raphael pauses before answering, "I have faith in Blaine's training and his ability to resist such manipulation. It is also suspicious that he disappeared for over 48 hours and was not at his assigned post when his charge was in danger."
The defense angel nods and sits back down, and the next witness is called to the stand. The next witness to be called is Jonas, Blaine's mentor. A portal opens and Jonas is made to come through into the courtroom to testify. Blaine, seeing Jonas come through the portal, notices Amelia behind him on the other side of the portal. He immediately feel a sense of relief as he now knows that she is safe. The portal closes behind Jonas and he takes a seat in front of the judge's bench.
The prosecutor begins, "Jonas, did Blaine ever confide in you about any unusual or suspicious behavior?"
Jonas looks hesitant before answering, "Yes, Blaine did confide in me about his feelings for Amelia, his trainee. He knew that such feelings were against the rules and could lead to punishment, but he was struggling to contain them."
The prosecutor nods, "And did you advise him to continue with these feelings and try to hide them?"
Jonas shifts in his seat before answering, "No I advised him to try and resist his feelings and focus on his duties as a guardian angel. I also told him that if he couldn't control his feelings, then he needed to report them to the appropriate authorities."
The prosecutor nods, "And did Blaine follow your advice?"
Jonas sighs, "I'm not sure. I tried to keep an eye on him and offer guidance, but ultimately, he is his own angel and responsible for his own actions."
The defense angel stood up to cross-examine Jonas, "You mentioned to Blaine that you too have feelings for another angel, and you have managed to keep them hidden. Is it not possible that Blaine was simply following your example and trying to keep his feelings hidden to avoid punishment?"
Jonas shook his head, "I don't thinks so. Blaine was struggling with his feelings and wasn't sure how to handle them. I never encouraged him to hide them or follow my example."
The defense angel nods and sits back down, a portal is opened behind Jonas and he is allowed to go back to where he was pulled from. Blaine looks into the portal to get a glimpse of Amelia once again then the portal closes again.
As the testimonies come to a close, the judge calls for the jury to leave the courtroom to review the testimonies and come to a decision. The courtroom falls silent as the jurors file out, leaving the forbidden and Blaine to await their fate.
The tension in the air is palpable as the courtroom empties, leaving only the accused and their lawyers. They huddle together, whispering and strategizing, as they wait for the jury's decision.
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