In the center of a large circular chamber, Dustin took a seat. The floor of the chamber was tiled as a Yin-Yang symbol, Dustin sat at the cent, and at either of the dots sat one of the attorneys, the prosecuting on the black, and the defending on the white. On a raised outer ring sat the a bench for the tribunal, and seats for spectators, and all those who would be called to the stand there Leland sat. Archmage trials where convened differently than conventional trials, instead of having a third part present the case and then decide, the council acted as attorney, judge and jury. Both attorneys where chosen from the council, the remaining councilors would mediate and then finally decide the verdict and sentence.
The prosecuting mage rised from his chair and approached Dustin. Dustin recognized him, his name was Heinstrum.
He began to pace around the room as he asked his question, " Mr. Stitch, do you know why you are here?" as he spoke he adjusted his beige coat with his left hand and smoothed out his brown hair with the other.
"I believe it has something to do with you wrongfully accusing my son of murder." Dustin replied in a polite tone.
"We shall see about the wrongfully part." Heinstrum said, stopping right in front of Dustin, " Now tell me Mr. Stitch, what happened on the night of April 3rd 1923?"
"I have trouble in seeing how this has anything to do with this case"
"It has plenty to do with this case, now answer the question."
"In this very chamber, and with much of the same company, the Archmage council tried and convicted me of, hold on let me remember, 36 counts of murder, 3 counts manslaughter, 4 counts of resisting arrest, 2 counts of arson, 42 counts of abusing magic in a conventional city, and several others it's been a while since then. I had testified that all such actions where justified as I was defeating drug runners, human traffickers, mobster, hit-men, assassins, and corrupt officials, and so on. People that I had deemed to be, oh let me see, 'leeches on society of the highest order' all of whom part of a conspiracy to expose magical society to the world in an incident that would provoke one of the bloodiest wars in history. You, Heinstrum actually called me a hero the day before if I recall correctly."
" Now who was it that brought all charges against you and then decided the verdict."
"Perrault, he decided to put on trial and was able to influence the verdict sufficiently to ensure that ' no person of the Stitch household was ever to engage in vigilante activity' as well as confiscating several of my families properties that they deemed could assist me if I decided to attempt something rash again, I also spent 15 years in prison, rather light for Perrault's taste but he made sure I was sufficiently totured all the way through."
"So what were your feelings for Perrault?"
"The were negative through and through, I hated man, I still do."
"So can one say your son Tommy may have adopted this hatred for Perrault."
"Impossible, Tommy never learned the details of the event, he has no idea what Perrault did to me, while I may have made a few disparaging remarks about Perrault around him, I don't think that could prompt a son to murder, if that's what your getting at."
"Would the defense like to question the witness?" Heinstrum asked, looking over at another Archmage, an Englishmen named Conway.
"Indeed I would." Conway said rising from his chair.
"Mr. Stitch do you know where Tommy was the night of the murder?"
" No but I believe his friend, Leland Claidt, does, and he is with us right now." Conway raised an eyebrow at the mention of Leland's name, in fact many of the Archmages did.
"One last question, do you believe your son would be capable of defeating Perrault in combat."
" I don't think so, as much as I hated Perrault he was powerful, while my son is strong, I don't think he is skilled enough to get around Perrault's magic."
"Very well then, you are dismissed." With that Dustin rose from his chair and took a seat in the audience.
Conway turned to the Archmages seated at the desk.
"The defense would like to call, Leland Claidt to the stand." As he talked he looked at Leland and motioned to the stand at the center of the room.
"Allowed, Mr. Claidt would you please come forward." One of the Archmages at the desk asked.
