Sera - A Dungeon Revival LitRPG

The Grand Tribunal Hall

There was only one thought that inhabited Chancellor Alistair's mind: contempt. He looked impassively towards three prisoners being escorted by armed guards to the center of the hall.

The first prisoner was the Captain of the Royal Guard. His uniform had been stripped of all of its embellishments and emblems, a gesture that was both symbolic and intentionally humiliating. Filthy bastard, serves you right.

Next was the Head of the Royal Mages. Her regal bearing had not entirely been extinguished by the chains that bound her. She was a tall and slender elf, and her robes, though torn and dirtied, still shimmered faintly with residual magic. What a shame, she wouldn't have been here if it weren't for the mistakes of others.

But the person Chancellor Alistair had the most disdain for was none other than a fellow councilor. He was a bloated man with a balding head. He still wore luxurious clothes, though their glamour had been greatly diminished by the bruises and scars marring his skin. The worst among them without a shadow of a doubt.

All three prisoners were brought to the center of the hall and forced onto their knees, each one arranged in order of their status. The Captain knelt first, followed by their mage. Last was the councilor, his knees hitting the ground with a wince.

Silence settled over the hall, yet it was only fleeting. Soon, whispers erupted among the gathered nobles and dignitaries. Chancellor Alistair let the chatter continue for a time, observing how the prisoners' shame played against the backdrop of noble intrigue.

But eventually, he raised a hand, a simple yet authoritative gesture that commanded immediate silence. Once everyone was quiet, the Chancellor spoke.

"Esteemed members of the Tribunal and honored guests, we are gathered here not for a trial, but for a judgment. The three individuals before us have already been deemed guilty of heinous crimes not only against the Kingdom of Lizeria but also against the honor of the Lizerian crown."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "By the grace of His Majesty, King Regulus IV, I shall now read the crimes committed by each of the prisoners before you."

Alistair turned his gaze to the Captain of the Royal Guard. "You stand guilty of misusing funds allocated to the Royal Guard and selling equipment belonging to the Guard to third parties. Such charges, grievous as they are, would not ordinarily be sufficient by themselves to bring you to the Grand Tribunal Hall."

"However, your true crime lies in your gross incompetence and greed. You supplied insufficient and under-equipped soldiers to accompany Prince Leo's expedition to siphon more funds for your personal gain, which played a significant part in the disappearance of Prince Leo alongside his entire expeditionary force."

The Chancellor gave another long pause before continuing. "For these actions, you are sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered."

The royal guard captain’s shoulders sagged further. He offered no words of defense or protest as the guards stepped forward to escort him out.

The chamber remained silent as the captain was led away. The nobles and dignitaries watched with morbid curiosity, their eyes following his every step. Some appeared to show pity, but most held nothing but contempt.

Chancellor Alistair waited until the doors closed with a resounding thud, sealing the captain's fate. Only then did he turn his attention back to the assembly.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd as Chancellor Alistair's gaze shifted to the Head of the Royal Mages. "You, on the other hand, are guilty not of malicious intent, but of gross incompetence; due to failing to provide adequate mages to support Prince Leo's expedition."

"Yet, given the ongoing war," Alistair continued, "the severity of the charges against the Royal Mages has been mitigated. It is understood that resources are stretched thin, and errors in judgment, while unacceptable, are not tantamount to treason."

A slight movement from the mage caught his attention. Her shoulders saged slightly as the slightest hint of tears beaded from her eyes.

Chancellor Alistair almost broke his calm demeanor as pity welled within him. Yet, he knew that he had a job to do and pushed on. "Thus, the punishment decreed for the Head of the Royal Mages is public flagellation."

The crowd's murmur grew, but was quickly quelled by a stern look from the Chancellor. He then dismissed the Head of the Royal Mages with a nod, signaling the guards to escort her out.

She rose slowly, eyes remaining downcast as the guards led her away. Alistair waited for the Head Mage to be fully escorted out before moving onto the last prisoner.

"Councilor, you stand accused of multiple grievous crimes. You are not only guilty of siphoning funds meant for the kingdom's defense into your own pockets for years. But you also accepted compensation from the adventurer's guild in exchange for lobbying this very council to approve hiring an overpriced adventurer who was unable to protect Prince Leo."

The councilor's eyes widened in panic. "No, please, I wasn't paid that much by the adventurer's guild. It was a misunderstanding!"

Chancellor Alistair raised a hand to signal to the guards below. One of the guards stepped forward and delivered a swift punch to the councilor's face. The councilor staggered, blood trickling from his nose, his cries reduced to pained whimpers.

Alistair turned his attention back to the assembly. "The role of the royal council is to serve the kingdom's best interests in accordance with King Regulus IV's will. This councilor has betrayed that trust, placing his own greed above the welfare of the kingdom."

He paused, allowing his words to sink in, the gravity of the situation hanging heavy in the air. "For his crimes, I hereby sentence him to the blood pits. There, he will face a fate befitting a traitor to the crown."

The councilor, though battered and bruised, cried out. "No! Please, have mercy! Alistair, we've been friends for years! You know me, I can make amends!"

The guards moved in as they dragged the councilor away. He struggled weakly, his pleas growing more frantic as he was pulled towards the exit. "Alistair, please! Think of our friendship! I can—"

But his words were cut off as the heavy doors closed behind him, sealing his fate. Chancellor Alistair took a deep breath as the traitor was finally removed for good. The entire hall was silent now, but his work was not yet finished.

“There is still one more matter to be discussed,” Alistair announced.

An aide approached, handing him a neatly folded paper. Alistair unfolded it carefully and cleared his throat before addressing the assembly. “As you are all well aware, Lizeria has been embroiled in a protracted conflict with our neighbors. The war, though necessary, has stretched our resources thin, including our manpower and provisions."

“Moreover, the presumed death of Prince Leo cannot be left unanswered. It is a grievous wound to our realm, one that demands retribution and resolution. Therefore, with the council’s permission, I propose to authorize the use of the Inquisition to support this matter.”

Countless murmurs and whispers ran through the crowd, but Alistair’s presence kept it subdued. He looked over the faces before him, gauging their reactions, before inviting further discourse. “Are there any questions from the assembly before we proceed to the vote?”

A hand rose from among the gathered nobles, and Alistair nodded to the questioner, an older man with a distinguished bearing. “Why was the Inquisition not involved in Prince Leo’s expedition from the outset?”

Alistair inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Since the inception of the war, the resources and personnel of the Inquisition have been redirected to foreign espionage and disruption operations far away. It was deemed at the time that the Prince’s expedition, while important, did not necessitate the involvement of the Inquisition. Obviously, the situation has changed now, which is why I have brought up utilizing our kingdom's greatest asset again."

The noble nodded thoughtfully, accepting the explanation. Alistair’s eyes swept the room once more. “If there are no further questions, we shall proceed to the vote. The motion is thus: to authorize the deployment of the Inquisition to investigate and address the circumstances surrounding Prince Leo’s expedition and presumed death. All in favor, raise your hands.”

The decision was completely unanimous as every single person in the hall raised their hand. It was an expected outcome, given the direness of the citation.

Alistair allowed himself a small nod of satisfaction. “The motion is passed. May justice prevail and may Prince Leo’s legacy be honored through our actions. With this, I declare this session adjourned."

While the nobles slowly filed out of the tribunal hall, Chancellor Alistair remained at his post. He called for an aide, a young man with an attentive demeanor who approached quickly.

Alistair leaned to the young man's ear “Send an urgent request to the Inquisition. Inform them that I will be arriving personally soon.”

***

Chancellor Alistair stepped down from his carriage. As his boots touched the cobblestone path, he was immediately surrounded by dozens of acolytes in black robes. Their hoods cast deep shadows over their faces.

One of the acolytes, distinguished by a silver thread woven into the hem of his robe, stepped forward and bowed deeply. “Chancellor Alistair, we have been notified of your urgent request,”

Alistair nodded. “Is she ready?”

The acolyte hesitated for a moment, then replied, “It would be best for you to see for yourself, Chancellor. Please, follow me."

The headquarters of the Inquisition was a formidable structure made of dark stone that rose sharply against the night sky. Tall, narrow windows were set deep into the walls, while heavy iron doors, adorned with intricate carvings of protective runes and grim visages, stood at the entrance.

As they approached, the doors swung open with a deep, resonant groan. The air inside was cool and heavy with the scent of aged parchment and burning incense. Long corridors stretched out before them, lined with blue-fire torches.

Chancellor Alistair followed the acolyte deeper into the building in complete silence. The further they went, the more intricate the architecture became. Heavy wooden doors with complex iron locks gave way to steel doors secured by arcane symbols and magical wards. Each entrance required the acolyte to perform a precise series of gestures or utter a specific incantation in order to be opened.

Descending deeper, they came to a spiral staircase carved from black stone that didn't appear to have an end. After what felt like an eternity of descent, they reached a final corridor that ended at a massive set of metal gates constructed of dark iron and reinforced with bands of enchanted silver.

The acolyte was joined by several others who stood nearby, each carrying a key. Together, they approached the gates, and in a well-practiced sequence, inserted their keys into corresponding locks. The mechanisms inside the gates rumbled and clanked as the gates slowly swung open.

Chancellor Alistair stepped into a vast, dark room. The chamber was cavernous, with its ceiling lost in shadow, creating an almost oppressive sense of scale.

At the center of the room stood a massive sarcophagus, its formidable presence dominating the space. The sarcophagus was constructed of jet-black stone, polished to a mirror-like finish that reflected the light from the torches lining the walls. The surface seemed to drink in the light, creating an eerie, almost liquid darkness.

The lid of the sarcophagus was adorned with a meticulously carved relief of a figure in repose, arms crossed over its chest. However, what was most striking were the countless chains and locks that bound the sarcophagus. Every link and lock was inscribed with intricate runes designed to compress the magical power within to something more manageable.

The acolyte moved towards Chancellor Alistair. "Chancellor, this inquisitor is still unstable. Are you certain about awakening her?"

Chancellor Alistair sighed deeply. "She is our only choice, while I dislike awakening her, I believe it is the best option for now."

"But Chancellor, the last time Haziel was awakened, over ten thousand people—"

"I am well aware of the consequences, acolyte. Now, fetch me the book of rites."

The acolyte bowed his head, retreating to a nearby pedestal where an ancient tome bound in cracked leather rested. He lifted it with care as he carried it back to Alistair.

Chancellor Alistair took the book from the acolyte's trembling hands. "Which pages should I refer to?"

The acolyte swallowed hard, flipping through the brittle pages with practiced fingers. "Page seventy-two, Chancellor."

Alistair nodded. "Good. Now, gather the other acolytes and step back."

The acolyte nodded, hastily moving to summon his fellows. They retreated to the edges of the chamber, leaving Alistair alone with the sarcophagus.

Chancellor Alistair walked around the massive stone coffin as he opened the book of rites to the indicated page and started to read aloud. "Raven, apple, tempest, stone."

The chains wrapped around the sarcophagus began to shudder. One by one, the locks clicked open, their heavy metal forms falling to the floor with a resounding clang. The runes inscribed on the chains glowed fiercely before they shattered, pieces scattering across the floor.

Alistair continued to chant, his voice growing stronger. "Ocean, ember, thorn, sky." Each phrase broke another chain, another lock. The heavy metal restraints shuddered and fell away, clattering to the ground.

"Ash, flame, night, dawn." More locks snapped open.

"Star, shadow, wind, earth. Blood, bone, light, fire." The remaining chains trembled violently before shattering, fragments scattering across the floor like shards of glass.

"Life, death, time, eternity," And with that, the last of the locks disintegrated. The sarcophagus lid burst open with a deafening crack, releasing a surge of magic so powerful that Alistair was thrown to the ground. The force of the blast sent him sprawling, his robes billowing around him as he struggled to regain his footing.

He struggled to his feet while the book of rites laid on the floor beside him, its pages fluttering wildly. But gradually, the magical surge subsided, allowing Alistair to take a steady breath. He looked up, his eyes widening as he saw the figure within the sarcophagus.

The room seemed to hold its breath as the runes on Haziel's skin flared with a brilliant light, casting an ethereal glow that illuminated the cavernous chamber. The light lingered for a moment, then dimmed and faded away, leaving the room in an almost oppressive silence. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing irises of a vivid, piercing red.

Alistair cautiously pushed himself up from the floor, the force of the magical surge still resonating in his bones. His breath caught in his throat as he met Haziel's gaze. Her eyes locked onto his, a mixture of fierce intensity and calm composure.

The inquisitor's movements were graceful yet deliberate as she sat up. The chain mail beneath her uniform clinked softly with each motion while the dark blue fabric of her uniform clung to her form.

Slowly, she rose from the sarcophagus, standing tall and poised. "Chancellor Alistair, it is an honor to serve once more."