The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Frederick jumped off his seat triumphantly and displayed His Ein as a Middle Apprentice Exalt, staggering Oscar backward. The presence and Ein of a Middle Apprentice Exalt was truly a difference in quality from Oscar's power.

"I'm so hungry." Frederick rubbed his belly and dispersed his Ein. The advancement had sapped him of nearly all his energy, causing his immense hunger.

"Breakfast is closed. You'll need to wait until lunch. Tell me! How did it feel?" Oscar wanted all the information on the process. Emily said it should be up to him to find out when he does it. But Oscar did not like wafting in the unknown if there were clear references to look at.

"Painful. Extremely painful." Frederick's face paled as he recalled this morning. The thought of how the next advancement might feel made him tremble from dread.

"Just painful?" Oscar pushed on for more.

"Same as before, my core felt hot and excruciating. This time, however, my skin started peeling off."

"Your skin?"

"I felt every piece tear itself off. It was pure torture. Look at my skin now, though." Frederick rolled up his sleeves, and Oscar carefully observed them and even felt them. They were soft and completely devoid of any scars.

"My hand has also lost the scars on it." Next, he showed the hand that Austin's 'Acid Coat' brutally corroded. Although Ivanka used an elixir, there were still remnant traces of the damage. Those traces were now gone.

"Amazing!" Oscar exclaimed. For advancement to have this kind of effect on the body was shocking. There were still so many mysteries on Exalts.

Frederick noticed the smooth black buckler that Oscar had on his back. "What is that shield? Where did you go?"

Oscar took the shield off his back and briefed Frederick on how he and Emily went to the Foundry.

"You should have just waited for me! I wanted to get a weapon as well!" Frederick felt wronged by both Emily and Oscar. Having released his grievances, Frederick turned his attention to the shield. "A shield? A strange choice for a first weapon. People usually take up a shield to complement their main weapon."

"Don't worry about that. I got a secret weapon on this." Oscar smiled with a cheeky expression as if goading Frederick to take a guess.

"A secret weapon?" Frederick tilted his head. But he quickly gave up trying. "If it's you, it's sure to be a surprise." He knew Oscar never did anything that was a waste. Everything was deliberate in Oscar's actions.

The two chatted as they waited for lunch to open at the Commune. But a knock on their door interrupted them. Oscar opened the door and saw Ivanka staring at him with those overpowering yellow eyes. "H-hello?"

"A-aunt?" Frederick was shocked and tidied himself up, even buttoning up his top collar.

Ivanka was expressionless as she stepped into the room, glancing around. "This place is pretty clean. Let me guess; Oscar does it all?"

"Can't you believe in your nephew?" Frederick meekly said.

"The same nephew that leaves his room like a hurricane had passed through." Ivanka's eyes locked onto Frederick, who stood rigid. All the confidence from before, when he broke through, had vanished. But Ivanka's tone became slightly warmer. "Congrats on becoming a Middle Apprentice Exalt."

"Ms. Klein. May I ask what you are here for?" Oscar was curious why a Judge came to their dorm room. Even though it was Frederick's aunt, it was still unconventional.

Ivanka looked at Oscar and Frederick and said, "I need the two of you to follow me." She did not wait for their reply and waved her hand, dragging them away. She ignored the prying eyes of the curious students around them.

"What is this about?" Oscar asked.

"The two of you must come to the Record Hall and testify about your mission. Emily, Samuel, and Austin are already there." The Record Hall was the place of records and the court that dealt with internal affairs.

Her speed was incredible as Oscar and Frederick were towed along. They arrived in front of the Record Hall in a matter of minutes. Its impressive thick walls and guards clad in great armaments were intimidating.

Oscar's steps were heavy as they went inside. He knew Samuel and Austin were at fault, but he worried about the repercussions of killing another student.

"Don't worry, Os. Just say what happened, and we should be fine." Frederick had an intense expression on his face.

Oscar nodded and calmed himself down. They were led into the courtroom of the Record Hall by Ivanka. Inside were three large wooden desks where three elders of the Blue Ocean Pavilion sat.

At the top was someone he recognized, The Trial Master Robert Levitt, who administered the trials to enter the Outer Hall. Next to his sides were a middle-aged gentleman with a well-trimmed bread and mustache and an elderly woman with white hair tied in a bun. To the side, he saw Emily, who stared at them with a carefree look. On the other side, Austin closed his eye and stood firm while Samuel stared daggers into them.

"Great Elder Robert Levitt, Primary Elder Jane, and Second Elder David. I have brought Oscar Terr and Frederick Klein." Ivanka knelt on the ground in respect to the elders. Oscar and Frederick copied her.

"The two students may rise and stand with the girl Emily. Judge Ivanka, you are dismissed." Second Elder David spoke up. He would be presiding over this matter.

Oscar and Frederick went to join Emily; they had no seats, so they had to remain standing.

"The court is now in session. Each of you will have a turn to speak of the events. Remember to tell it truthfully." As the last word left David's lips, everyone's heart sank.

Emily and Frederick gave their accounts of the events, from the team's formation to the Night Raptor hunt and Samuel's interference. The elders remained silent during their testimonies. Their lack of reaction made Emily and Frederick nervous, but they pulled through and finished talking.

Next was Oscar's turn. He breathed deeply to calm himself down but could hear his heartbeat quickening. Stepping forward, he made his opening statement. "This all began when we first entered the Blue Ocean Pavilion…."

The benefit of reading many books was that Oscar was eloquent with his words. He explained in detail Samuel's pettiness and behavior towards him and Frederick during their time here.

Off to the side, Samuel was red from holding in his anger. It would leave a bad impression on the elders if he made an outburst here. The only thing he could do was stare at Oscar with deep hatred.

The elders noticed his small actions, unknown to Samuel. They were paying attention to Oscar's testimonies and observing every reaction of each person.

The body betrays the unspoken truth.

"Greg and I fought against each other…." The details of how Oscar fought and won against Greg made David and Jane raise their eyebrows. It was quite a tale to hear about this boy's unyielding drive to win at the cost of his own life. They suspected he was lying, but one look at his face told them he was not.

"That is my testimony. I had no choice but to kill to protect myself and prevent Greg from helping Samuel or Austin against my companions." Oscar closed his testimony and went back to his friends.

"We have heard one side's testimonies. Now for the other." Second Elder motioned for Samuel to start.

The guilty son of a viscount stepped forward and launched into a long story—a story he had fabricated about the mission and his purpose. "I was gathering herbs with my companions when we ran into them. Frederick and Oscar never liked me, so they immediately jumped on us. We scrambled into the caverns to seek shelter and a way out."

Samuel performed quite the act, feigning innocence of the crime and sadness for the loss of Greg.

Frederick and Emily were angered by this shameless deceit and nearly spoke against him. Oscar seemed unaffected but balled his hands into clenched fists.

"I demand justice for Greg, who was my friend. I demand they be punished for their lies and deceit." Samuel ended it with crocodile tears down his cheeks. But none of the elders reacted in the way he wanted. They remained detached and firm.

Finally, it was Austin's turn. He stepped forward, wearing the eyepatch. He turned and glanced at Frederick with a stern gaze that made the young noble shiver.

"Austin Taylor, you may speak."

"Thank you for putting this court in session. I have but one thing to say." Austin's mouth stopped for a moment before resuming. "Everything was Samuel's fault."

"What?!" Samuel could not believe what he was hearing. He thought Austin would not want to get in more trouble, so the natural conclusion was to lie. This shift made him confused as he stared at Austin in a daze.

Scoffing at Samuel's pathetic figure, Austin spoke, "I am partly to blame for participating in it, but Samuel set out to kill these two."

Oscar, Frederick, and Emily all hung their jaws wide open in response to Austin's honesty. Like Samuel, they never expected him to do this, especially because Frederick took his eye.

Once Austin finished speaking, Second Elder David rose to ask, "Is that the truth? Are you certain? It would mean you will be punished for your involvement."

Austin paused for a moment but then nodded in reply. "I accept the punishment."

David and Jane admired Austin's declaration; even Robert smiled slightly in his chair. This was the proper conduct of a Blue Ocean Pavilion member.

"Lies. They're all lies. Elders, please do not be fooled." Samuel knelt and pleaded with the three elders, whose faces turned cold at his whimpering figure.

Second Elder David had had enough of this farce. He waved his hand, forcing Samuel to stare at him. "We knew the truth of this matter yesterday. After it was reported, we confirmed all the facts and investigated. You would be sent to the Abyss Prison regardless of this court."

"THEN! Why did we have this trial?" It was all wrong. Samuel believed he had a chance to turn things around.

"This trial was to see if you had remorse for your sins. You lied to our faces and made a mockery of our honor." David's eyes were emotionless, but his tone was laced with anger, making Samuel tremble in fear. David flicked his wrist, manifesting chains that wrapped around Austin. "Austin Taylor confessed his crimes and was willing to face the punishment. He will be sent to the Abyss Prison for two weeks. It should have been one month, but losing his eye is already a harsh punishment."

"Samuel Carter, for attempted murder and lying to the court, you are sentenced to three months in the Abyss Prison." The chains wrapped around Samuel and caged his mouth. David was sick of Samuel's warped tongue.

The muffled shouts of Samuel's pleas and begging were barely audible to Oscar. Frederick and Emily sighed in relief that the two were going away.

"There is one more." David got their attention, making them surprised. The trial should have been over with. What else was there?

Oscar gripped his hands as his face became pale. There was one other matter they had to consider.

"Oscar Terr. You fought to defend yourself and succeeded. Greg's demise was his own, but you ultimately put him down. You shall only be in the Abyss Prison for a week."

Oscar felt the chains wrapped around him. He stumbled to the floor on his knees as his mind went blank. These chains were heavy but also restricted his exertion of Ein.

"I object to this!" Frederick shouted in opposition. His loud voice echoed through the spacious courtroom. "What justice is this? Oscar should be locked up for defending himself?"

"It is only a week. He will be out before you know it." David said dryly.

"Is this how the Blue Ocean Pavilion operates?" Emily stood firm, side by side with Frederick and Oscar. She could not stand by and let this abuse of authority happen.

"Halt." Robert opened his eyes, one red and blue, shocking everyone, including the elders. "What you say is correct. Oscar had every right to defend himself. However, there is a reason he needs to go."

"What reason?" Frederick and Emily could not accept this answer, but Robert announced the end of this trial, and the three in chains were taken away.

Frederick and Emily left with sour faces; they were unwilling to let this go. Frederick hoped to find his aunt Ivanka to let her know and see what they could do.

Once the courtroom was emptied, except for the elders, Jane spoke to Robert. "Great Elder, are you sure about sending the boy there?" She did not speak up earlier because it was Robert's decision. She praised the two for sticking up for their friend, even against the elders.

"I am confused as well, Great Elder." David looked up to Great Elder Robert, so he could not understand why he would do something uncharacteristic. If it were the norm, Oscar would be let go for self-defense.

"There is no need to know." Great Elder Robert refused to explain further and disappeared in a flash of light.