SP-F3 "Trial of the Justicar"

[Xanatos 0]

I sat and pondered what had occurred over the past few days, my quests and adventures. Especially my meeting of King Minos...It was surreal to find such an amazing adventure...I knew that I had to learn more about the Clan Minos. I decided to travel to the third floor into the Forest of Wavering Mists, where I first encountered the Hoya of Minos. There I may be able to find some answers as to how the Minos Clan came to be and why it is the way it is now. Stepping onto the transport pad in Starting City, I murmured "Third Floor". Almost immediately I was transported to the small village outside the forest. "Home sweet home" :D

[Xanatos 0]

I ventured further out into the forest finding familiar markings and landmarks that I had seen in travels past. The sounds never felt so homey, even the scarier ones. The eyes staring at me did not phase me as much as it used to. I knew whatever came at me I could handle. I found myself near the Cave of Harmonies. I decided not to enter, but search around the outcropping its entrance laid hidden from the rest of the world. I climbed rock faces and cliffs, looking for a sign of a place I had not seen yet.

[Xanatos 0]

Upon reaching the top of the cliff I was climbing I discovered something odd about the placements of the clearings in the forest itself! The clearings created dots that seemed too patterned to be a coincidence. The pattern formed a star shape when connected by an imaginary line. At each point of the star seemed to be a rock face similar to the face where the Cave of Harmonies entrance is. I climbed off the cliff and sprinted to the next point on the star. Why would they be this way if not to identify something?

[Xanatos 0]

Upon reaching the rock face, I found myself a bit puzzled. The rocks were clear of any cracks or crevices, unlike the Cave of Harmonies entrance. Although the rocks seemed to be shaped in an arch like way, there seemed to be no means of opening it. I sat there for a few minutes and searched my surroundings. The sun shone brightly above me, while the trees swayed to the winds embrace. I paced myself until I began to feel frustrated with the puzzle...."What could I posibly be missing here my King?" I shouted aloud. "Such as the sands of my dune lay, this entrance lay also. As barren and blank as the memories of the sand. Blown away, never to be seen again..." a voice perked my ears. "What the...?" I muttered. The whisper seemed to carry on the wind...memories?....Why is the slab barren?....

[Xanatos 0]

I pondered the words of the whisper, what memories cannot be swept away? I thought of my memories, my friends and family as they were. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of them. I walked up to the rock face, a small stone laid in front of it. I took the stone and carved the family motto on the wall: "True Hearts Reveal True Evil". The wall began to shine and a shape was outlined in light. The archway formed and open for me. The inside was not unlike the kind the King stayed in. The halls were marble, the tables made of oak. Five men sat at thrones at the end of the hall, each bearing a different special item. A sword, A hammer, A spear, A rapier, and a stave. I approached them cautiously.

[Xanatos 0]

"Welcome young Xanatos, squire of Minos. We invite you to stand before us, here in the Hall of Justice. The high court of the Clan Minos!" The middle occupant boomed. I approached what seemed to be a stand, similar to what you would see in a courtroom. "Am I to stand trial?" I asked half-serious. "You will be judged, but not for any crimes you may or may not have committed. But to discover whether or not you are worthy of our King. If you are worthy, then you will be rewarded, if not...we will be forced to punish you according to the laws of our people." the man explained. "I...I will accept the judgement of the courts!" I spoke firmly.

[Xanatos 0]

"First there is the matter of your health and strength. Do you feel you could carry out the orders of the King or his court? Are you strong enough to resist the alluring scent of power you will encounter in your services to the King?" he asked. "I am not the strongest player in Aincrad, Judges. But I have the drive to become stronger everyday. Surely, the court sees the Kings confidence in me. Why else would he show me his prison?" The judges reacted strangely to this statement. "You have spoken to the King?" he asked curiously. "Yes, he revealed himself to me in the dessert of the fifth floor. He told me of the Hoya's of Power, and bestowed upon me the quest for them." I answered.

"So...you have been deemed worthy in the strength of your heart, but what of your body?"

[Xanatos 0]

"My body is as strong as the game allows, judges. I grow more powerful everyday with training and determination. I have slain 4 field bosses, countless mobs, strong creatures. I have no intention of getting lazy. Let us not forget, as you seem to know. I slayed the darkness in the tomb of our King. Slain his treacherous brother deep within the Caverns of Harmony" I spoke up. "I am strong, I have strong allies, friends. They add to my strength in my service to the King. They add to my strength in the service of each other." 

[Xanatos 0]

"Hmmm, this is all true. You have vanquished many foes...not to mention your struggles with the creature known as the Gemini, and the calming but dangerous waters of the falls of the 4th floor." The judges confered with mumbling and muttering before returning to me. "You are strong, Xanatos. You have been deemed worthy in the virtue of strength. The verdict: Not Guilty." The man with the hammer slammed it on the thrones arm three times. "Next is the test of your loyalty, what makes you worthy of our King's trust? Would you betray him for your own gain?"

[Xanatos 0]

"I have endured many things in my short life, judges. I have loved and lost in times way before I ever entered this game. I was once in darkness, I was brought to the light. I embraced hope and swore an oath to protect those less weak than I in honor of those I enveloped in darkness. I was and am redeemed in the eyes of my past. I am content with myself. I conquered my demons, I brought them to the light and slayed them. They will never bother me again. I would never betray the King. Not for power, fame, or money"

[Xanatos 0]

"I see, we understand your plights young squire. Throughout your life, your struggles seemed to define who you are. You have used your pain to gain strength, while simultaneously ridding yourself of that pain. Yet somehow you still retain the strength to fight. Do you require pain to progress? Are you reliant on destruction and chaos to fuel your drive to succeed? To get to the point, when the dust settles, will you be able to gon on without having to create chaos, just to destroy it?"

[Xanatos 0]

"I cannot speak that far ahead, judges. Although chaos does drive me in some way, we cannot disagree that there will always be chaos and evil. Thus is the nature of the universe. Whether it be in this world or another, harmony cannot exist without chaos and vice versa. As long as I draw breath, I strive to keep the balance. To deter chaos and promote harmony at all costs. I may not be able to eradicate chaos, but I can minimize it. I would never cause chaos for my benefit, for that would not be true harmony when resolved. Only a false sense of resolution."

[Xanatos 0]

"The words you speak are true, Xanatos. You have proven to us that you can be trusted with the knowledge and will of our King. You will be entrusted with much, young one. Our hope is that you will bring balance to a war that has been waging since before any other human arrived here. The verdict: Not Guilty." The judge with the hammer slammed it 3 times again. "The final trial will be of your greatest weakness, self-doubt. Although you give examples where your confidence is thriving and strong. You still doubt in your heart about whether or not you can truly help those in need. Explain." The judge boomed.

[Xanatos 0]

"I do not know what to say, judges. I do have some doubts of my influence over those that need hope in their lives. But I have come to accept that this feeling will not just simply go away in a few days. It will require me to be the strongest possible. It will require everlasting devotion and commitment to a cause worthy of my life...and eventually my death. I feel I will always have some self doubt about my purpose, my destiny. But I know that I will face whatever situation I encounter with the heart and soul of one who seeks justice!"

[Xanatos 0]

"Justice eh? Hahahahaha!" The judge laughed heartily. His booming tone echoes through the halls. "You are very correct, we do not approve of people simply accepting their weakness and doing nothing to solve them. You are interesting, you take your greatest weakness and make it your greatest strength. It gives you drive, it gives you power. You will be very successful in the service of the King with this attitude. You are judged to be worthy of the investment of the King and his court. Verdict: Not Guilty. The judge with the hammer once again banged it three times upon the throne.

[Xanatos 0]

"Xanatos, Squire of King Minos. You have been found not guilty of the charges of character laid out before the judges of this court. You will be granted a title and a claim to the right of passage into any and all territories of the Clan Minos. Kneel before us and take the oath of allegiance to our King" The judge spoke loudly. All five of the judges stood up from their thrones and surrounded me. Their weapons glowing brightly off of the marble surface.

[Xanatos 0]

I knelt before the judges on one knee, my bowed. "I am ready to take the oath." I spoke loudly. "Xanatos...do you swear loyalty and fealty to our King Minos The Martyr? Knowing full well the weight of the burden of the doctrines and expectations of our divine King and Country?" "I Swear" I shouted. "Do you swear to act and carryout orders according to not only our King, but also this court of our Clan?" "I swear." I utter. "Finally, do you swear to dispense justice and harmony to this world and worlds beyond?" "I swear!" I shout. "Then rise, Xanatos, Justicar of Minos!" The judge shouted.

[Xanatos 0]

I rose to the sound of huzzahs and clapping. The judges were smiling down at me, their weapons glowing and slamming the ground. "I am honored, judges of the court. I will uphold my oath, or die trying!" "Then go forth Justicar! Go out and begin your quest to uncover the secrets of our people. You're a Minoan now, you will become the next savior of our kind. Godspeed, my friend." The center judge spoke to me again. "Farewell, Judges of the Court of the Clan Minos"