Eventually the party ended and it was time for the Trial to begin.

The voice though seemed to have other plans as it had just gone on and on spouting what spells not to use.

“I think I heard it say that one before,” A voice nervously said.

“Yes, I suppose it did. Good job Arvil, now only if you get a little courage you’d finally become a person.” Santurn said “Which bloody idiot was it that thought putting the AI in autorepeat was a good idea?”

Suddenly a large presence was felt and a voice emerged from right behind Santurn.

“That would be me” The voice said “Have a problem Honorary Elder Santurn.”

“Of course not Elder Quane, I was just disciplining some petulant brats.” Santurn said “May I know what brought you here?”

“Heard that a Trial of Separation was ongoing and decided it was best that it was preceded over by a real Elder”Quane said, not hiding his derision for Santurn.

“Begin Trial” Maurise said, halting what he knew would become a power play very soon.

A blindingly bright light shone from the altar as it began spinning at speeds that broke the sound barrier. It transformed the room, making it seem like thee world was spinning and at the same time was expanding and retracting as light reflected of surfaces at angles it would never normally reach.

Eventually the altar slowed down and rose up higher in the air, its bottom portion opening into a transparent cylinder that descended all the way to the floor.

It created a circular cubicle that likely served no purpose other than showcasing the importance of the Trial.

A part of the cylinder opened and Maurise stepped in.

“The Trial of Separation has begun. You have accused the council of not moving forward with the times. The Council has answered this by quoting the thirty fifth recommendation of his Prestigious Self, Earl Donald. ‘The Arlfords must forever be prepared to protect all that they hold dear against threads both big and small’.How do you answer?” The AI said

“The recommendation was made 17 millenia ago, in a time much different, I deem its use in the current era to be minimal. Besides, the Council has been going overboard with its preparation.” Maurise answered

“How does the Council answer?” the AI asked

“It was decided years ago that only the Praetor or the High Council may deem a recommendation of our prestigious founder irrelevant. Neither of them have shown any indication of doing that in relation to the thirty fifth recommendation. As for going overboard, we have in fact cut funding to several sectors of the military in recent years.”Matilda answered

And right there and then Maurise started getting what he wanted from the Trial, for he was never going to pass a trial that was built to only be invoked on a corrupt council. This Council wasn’t corrupt, they were conspiring.What Maurise did not yet know but the fact that Matilda had named a recommendation suggested that at least one of the recommendations was under scrutiny, and funding was being shifted, after all Matilda only said that they had cut funding to the military, not where that money went.

Unnamed Baby, also known as the brick

I was happy! So so happy, I do not know why but I keep getting happy. Is reading supposed to make you happy? Then I should be happy! Why am I happy? Or am I just going mad? Uh who is that? Why is she picking me up? No No! I wanna read! I srcreamed as loudly as I could, hoping someone would save me. All I got was an irritated voice saying

“Shut up! Stupid parents! Leaving their babies alone in a magic library full of magic books and with a magic spring. Don’t they know that these can lead to insanity? Poor baby must have gone absolutely mad over all that dopamine.”

It’s owner then carried me outside the Library. Taking me to a place that I did not recognise. Wait, didn't the Library door go to the estate? How’d I end up here?

Roseway hall, Trial Of Separation Ongoing

After several hours of proceedings Maurise was reasonably sure of a few things.

The Council had lost most of their power

The High Council was back and was controlling things from behind the scenes.

The Praetor had apparently been away.

The offworld holdings had something the Council wanted and the High Council claimed possession off.

There was some kind of threat coming.

And, this was the most doubtful of them all, contact with the Earl had been re-established.

Overall it meant that someone or something had alarmed everyone in the upper levels of the Arlford family and the Council was enacting prevention mechanisms throughout the family.

Nearly half of the family’s assets had been liquidised and the army was being completely reformed and no one knew why. Hopefully Maurise could change that

Interrupting the Trial proceedings, Maurise began “So, Honorary Elders, It seems that you have been hiding…”

“What exactly are you doing Maurise!” a voice suddenly bellowed, interrupting Maurise “You’re baby nearly went mad in that stupid library your stupid Great-Great-Grandfather built, and you are here playing politics! I did not expect this from you.”

“Meemauy! I can explain!” Maurise said suddenly turning into a little kid.

“Yes, yes those bunch of overgrown brats on the High Council are playing games again. That’s no reason for you to leave your baby unattended. And I do NOT COUNT!” Meemauy bellowed once more, appearing in front of Maurise this time, swatting the altar away. “You kids have become too dependent on me, always leaving your kids in the Library expecting me to take care of them. Why just yesterday little Matilda dropped off her 7 children and 26 grandchildren at the library. You need to understand that I am not a babysitter. As punishment I’ll be taking a few things in my hand now.”

Suddenly, as if receiving some distressing news, Matilda cried out,“No! You cannot do this, we are a democratic institution!”

“We’re nobles honey, the democracy ends at the door. And the new owner of the land, yes that poor baby all of you forgot about, just gave me permission. So I guess i’ll be seeing you later.”