Extra's Ascent-Chapter 82: Meeting Of The Brave

Ten figures occupied a shadowed chamber, their chairs arranged in a flawless circle around a grand, circular table.

Each youthful visage radiated vitality, while every posture exuded a quiet, commanding grace. They donned the customary green-and-cream attire of Eldora Institute, yet each also sported an additional pristine white coat, an unmistakable mark of distinction.

Affixed to the right side of every garment, a bold Roman numeral from I to X signified their rank within the esteemed cohort.

These were the Bravehearts, the ten most exceptional students chosen from the institute’s vast body, celebrated for their unparalleled prowess in both academia and martial training.

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The room, its heavy curtains shielding it from the piercing glare of day, possessed an air of grim solemnity. At its center stood Callum Damarion of the Damarion House, the highest-ranking Braveheart.

His seat, slightly removed from the rest, symbolized his singular authority as their leader. With measured calm and an unyielding tone, he broke the silence that had enveloped the gathering.

"We are assembled today to deliberate on the conduct of a second-year student, Kyle Dandada of the Dandada Clan, a lineage celebrated for its mastery in spatial arts." His voice, firm and resonant, carried the weight of responsibility as it echoed against the stone walls.

Callum’s eyes swept over the circle of attentive peers before continuing, "Kyle Dandada stands accused of multiple grave transgressions. First, he manipulated the trials designed for first-year students, perverting what was meant to be a controlled exercise into a perilous battle for survival. Second, he recklessly endangered the lives of his fellow students, showing utter disregard for their well-being. And lastly…" His gaze hardened as he fixed his eyes on each member of the assembly. "…he made an overt attempt to commit murder."

A ripple of murmurs passed through the Bravehearts as the charges were laid bare. No one dared to dispute the severity of the allegations, the gravity of which pressed upon every heart in the room.

"Bravehearts," Callum declared, his tone brooking no dissent, "what punishment befits one who so flagrantly violates the sacred laws of Eldora?" His words seemed to weigh down the very air.

The incident in question was not a minor lapse.

Kyle had subverted a sanctioned trial, an event meant to test, not to maim and in doing so had transformed it into a chaotic melee.

The calculated structure designed to preserve life had been shattered. Several students had brushed with death, and in the midst of calamity, Kyle had offered neither aid nor contrition, leaving his peers to fend for themselves amid the unfolding disaster.

For such heinous crimes, leniency could not be contemplated.

With unwavering authority, Callum announced the sentencing options, each accompanied by a specific gesture:

• Five fingers: Execution.

• Four fingers: Deployment to the Northern Front for military service.

• Three fingers: Expulsion.

• Two fingers: Ten years imprisonment in Eldora’s subterranean dungeon.

• One finger: Class demotion.

A palpable tension gripped the chamber as the first Braveheart designated with the numeral (X) raised his hand to cast his vote.

One by one, the remaining members followed suit in solemn sequence, each decision sealing an irrevocable destiny for Kyle.

The ritual proceeded methodically, the quiet precision of their gestures underscoring the burden of their collective judgment. Finally, only Callum remained, poised to deliver the decisive vote and thus determine Kyle Dandada’s fate.

In that decisive moment, when the silence threatened to become absolute, the double doors swung open with sudden force.

A striking figure strode into the chamber, his silver hair billowing like strands of tempered steel and his presence radiating unyielding resolve.

Shock rippled through the gathered assembly.

"Please, wait!" the newcomer commanded.

Callum’s gaze narrowed, his voice tinged with disapproval as he addressed the interloper. "Dwayne Aldaman. You have no business here."

Unruffled by the rebuke, Dwayne met the leader’s scrutiny with calm determination. "I am aware," he replied evenly. "I apologize for my intrusion, but I had no alternative, I had to be present."

The Bravehearts exchanged furtive glances, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and cautious curiosity.

Dwayne’s words carried an undercurrent of defiance that could not be ignored, being the youngest of the LORD’s Candidate.

One of the figures finally ventured, "And what compels you to insist that you ’had’ to be here?"

Though Dwayne was a remarkable second-year student in his own right, he was not among the elite Bravehearts, whose membership was reserved for the institute’s fourth-year luminaries. Individuals proven superior in every facet of academic study and combat training.

Yet Dwayne’s unwavering tone and resolute bearing suggested that his motivation was more than mere ambition.

"Kyle Dandada is a second-year student," Dwayne stated, his voice steady and resolute. "The transgressions he committed unfolded during a second-year event. Thus, the decision regarding his punishment should reside with us his equals rather than with the Bravehearts."

A ripple of amusement danced briefly across several faces, yet Callum remained impervious to levity.

His eyes, steely and determined, fixed on Dwayne as he responded, "While it is true that the incident occurred within the confines of a second-year exercise, the ramifications of Kyle’s actions extend far beyond a single cohort. He has imperiled not only his immediate surroundings but also the reputation of Eldora itself and by extension, our own esteemed standing."

Dwayne’s expression remained inscrutable as he delivered a proposal that would forever alter the course of this hearing. "If you are prepared to cede all authority over Kyle Dandada’s judgment to me, then I will incur a debt of honor to the Braveheart gathering."

A moment of intense silence followed. The chamber, once burdened solely by the grim prospect of retribution, now pulsed with a new tension, one born of the potential for unexpected alliance and the strategic value of an indebted favor.

The faces of the Bravehearts betrayed a blend of surprise and calculating interest.

A favor from Dwayne Aldaman, a rising LORD’s candidate, was a currency too valuable to dismiss lightly.

Individually, the Bravehearts were formidable adversaries, yet even their collective might would pale in comparison to the influence of a promising LORD’s candidate poised on the brink of greatness.

Dwayne’s offer promised not only immediate relief from the vexation of punishing a second-year but also the long-term advantage of a future alliance.

Wordless, the members exchanged glances that spoke volumes, a silent consensus forged in the fires of ambition and pragmatic calculation.

Callum, ever the mouthpiece of his peers, turned his measured gaze toward Dwayne. "Very well, Dwayne Aldaman. You have struck a bargain with us. You shall assume full responsibility for the judgment of Kyle Dandada, and in return, a debt will be recorded against your account with the Braveheart gathering. Do you accept these terms?"

Without hesitation or equivocation, Dwayne’s response was immediate and resolute. "I do."

A collective exhalation seemed to sweep through the room as Callum leaned back in his distinguished chair. "Then the matter is resolved. Kyle Dandada’s destiny now lies within your hands. However…" His tone shifted, darkening with an unspoken admonition. "Understand this clearly: we will be vigilant. We expect nothing less than an impartial trial, a decision untainted by favoritism or bias."

The warning, stark and unyielding, left no room for misinterpretation.

Though the authority to determine Kyle’s fate had been transferred, the Bravehearts were unwilling to relinquish oversight.

Their watchful eyes would remain fixed on Dwayne’s proceedings, ensuring that justice was dispensed with both fairness and integrity.

Dwayne inclined his head slightly, his silver hair shimmering under the chamber’s dim illumination. "That is understood."

In that charged moment, the chamber underwent a subtle transformation.

The oppressive anticipation that had once presided over the grim prospects of execution was now replaced by a volatile blend of uncertainty and cautious hope.

No longer was the fate of a troubled student the sole burden of the Bravehearts, it was now a test of Dwayne Aldaman’s resolve, his judgment, and his capacity to balance the scales of justice under scrutiny.