knohole8

Al'Kabor was utterly silent and his face expressionless. A slight twitch in the corner of his mouth was his only movement.

Ognit asked, "Al'Kabor?"

Al'Kabor raised his fist, his eyes flashing in murderous rage as he looked upon the gnome, "Now I shall end your miserable gnomish life!" Wind charged with electricity seemed to blow directly up from the ground itself and enveloped the crowd as the wizards hands began to glow with sheer power. People began to take a few tentative steps backward.

At those words, the Erudite that was writing quickly put his book in his vest pocket and interposed himself between the gnome and Al'Kabor. The Erudite shouted, "Stay your hand wizard! I shall take it from here!"

The wind subsided as the energy drained away harmlessly. Al'Kabor recognized the man that shouted and he smiled to himself. Ognit saw that it wasn't a good smile. It was a smile that told him that it may have been better to have been blasted to bits.

The man identified himself, "I am Warden Lius of Erudin. I have been following these three since this catastrophe began!" He turned to the gnome and said in a commanding voice, "Ognit Eznertob! You are hereby under arrest for the crime of treason! You have imperiled the continent of Odus and have released unto the world a heinous criminal, the heretic of old Dartain!"

The Warden bound Ognit's hands and feet in heavy chains. "I doubt that there will be need for a trial. By your own admission made here this day, it is evident that you are guilty. Surely it will be 'The Hollowing' for you." Pushing the gnome roughly he commanded, "Move along criminal!"

As Ognit was led away, Dagda was surprised to find tears falling from her face. She knew that Ognit was guilty, yet she was not sure if execution was the just course of punishment in this situation. As a follower of The Tribunal, she was torn between her notions of justice and her loyalty and vow to protect her two gnomish friends. Indeed, she would rather that it was she who was being led away. At least she may have had the strength to break free and perhaps escape. She knew that the physically weak gnome would have no such chance and given that the Erudites are the most experienced and schooled in the use of magic, she had no doubt that they would take every precaution to prevent his casting any spell. She felt truly hopeless.