The room was dark that Yugo sat in. He wasnt able to move, restrained by powerful magic at his ankles and wrists and neck. The spells made it impossible to attempt to break out. The black chair itself was a material he wasnt aware of, he had never seen it before. His clothing was black and skin tight, a mana weaved leather to keep him as drained on mana as possible without killing him. A single eye was afforded to him to see, and his mouth was free to speak, but beyond that all sensation had been dulled. He could have just been the eye and mouth because that was all he could feel. 


The darkness of the cell was broken as the door was opened. A figured stood there, several guards outside the door ready to attack should Yugo attempt to escape. The man informed Yugo that it was time for his trial, and walked inside to wheel the chair out with magic. Yugo sat there silently contemplating. He was still recovering from the absolute beating he received in Magnolia. What had hit him? What had even happened?


One moment he was preparing to fight by Gunter and Kratos side and the next... he was in this damn chair. He wondered what would happen now. He had never been to trial before, he had never been caught before. He was always the strongest, he was always the biggest and best... but then he wasnt. When had he stopped growing? When had he stopped progressing forward? He was silent even as the man who had got him explained what was to happen. Yugo didnt register it. 


As the door opened, the noise inside quickly subsided as he was set upon the middle of a raised circle. He was seen by every person in the room given how it was setup, and in doing so he knew they would not pardon him. The collective hate he felt for him was thick enough to cut. He was unable to fight or even stand. He felt helpless, and for the first time in along while felt small. The demi-human was surrounded by people worh more power then he ever had. 


As he was spoken to by the collective people, he was sentenced and judged before he had even gotten a chance to defend himself. But he knew the truth, the only reason they humored him with this was because the public needed to have this happen. He knew they had more then enough evidence to kill him outright. He knew he had lost his right to due process when he killed his first man. 


Yugo was silent for the first time in his life. Even as they pressed him to speak, he refused. He had nothing to say in his defence. The crowd stared daggers into his heart, the desire to kill him was strong for what he had partaken in. They were punishing him harshly to send a message to Gunter and Tomoe. 


But right before they declared their intentions a voice spoke out. A captain of the Rune Knights stepped forward and spoke to the audience. He argued that Yugo could potentially be redeemed through service to the Rune Knights. A public display of good will from the council would allow them to keep the public on their side. He argued that the demi-human could do more good then harm and even offered to join him in punishment should he fail to keep yugo in check. 


The captain spoke so fiercely and intelligently that the gathered crowd could not argue against what he was speaking. If yugo could be redeemed he would be the first in a long line according to the man who seemed to care so much for yugos future. Yugo didnt understand why. Why save him from a prison sentence? What did the man get from it?


Shortly after Yugo was taken from the trial room and put in a room with the captain himself. The room was isolated deep within the training grounds of the Era Guards Barrecks. Yugo watched silently as the man smiled. His blonde hair and rune knights uniform were clean and well kept. Not a single part of his uniform was out of place. It was annoying. He had a sword st his hip and he smelled like the ocean. 


Suddenly Yugo could move again as the man spoke a word. The chair and restraints melted away. Yugo flew forward to escape but was stopped by a wall of water. 


The Captain smiled once again and spoke in a tone that showed just how confident he was in his standing. Yet it didnt speak down to Yugo at all. He offered him a deal, a simple combat for freedom. If Yugo won, then the captain would let him go free with a full pardon. But if Yugo lost, hed serve the Rune Knights for his full term of imprisonment. Yugo didnt give him a proper response besides powering up. The Captain smiled and placed his hand relaxed on the hilt of his blade. 


The Captain achnolowedged Yugos strength and even complimented him on it. He said that compared to the average man, Yugo would be concidered a monster in terms of strength. But as Yugo rushed forward, he was suddenly beyond the target,m he had aimed for, and the Captain stood where Yugo once did, sheathing his blade as Yugo screamed as his eyes could no longer see, and were streaming down blood. 


Yugo cursed the captain and threatened to kill him. But the captain waited till he had stopped thrashing around before approaching and kneeling in front of Yugo. He placed one arm on his knee and used the other to lift Yugos face. He explained that he had blinded Yugo as punishment for his crimes and that he would spend a month in the jail cell to recover in the darkness. 


Yugo spat on the ground and asked about their deal. He had blinded him before they could properly fight. But captain informed him that had cut Yugos eyes when the restraints were first released. The words hit Yugo harder then Vice had. He called the captain a liar, but he new the truth deep down. How had he not seen the attack? Was there really such a difference between them?


The Captain then explained to Yugo he had 1 month to think on his crimes, without working eyes and with the only help being the passive healing provided by a monk who was instructed to use only enough mana to keep yugo from dying of his injuries, enough food slide in under magic to keep him alive. 1 full month in total, absolute darkness. 


Yugo roared that he couldnt do this. That he had earned his freedom when he freed himself from slavery, and that he would never be enslaved again. But once more the Captain assured Yugo. He explained that this wasnt enslavement. This was Punishment. The court had wanted Yugo dead, but the Captain made it clear he wanted Yugo to live. Yugo was silent as he heard the Captain stand up. He reached out and begged as he grabbed the Captains leg for him to just kill him. He had blinded him, hed never fight again. 


He may not have been born in icebergia, but his time there made him who is his. He didnt want to die of some prison infection. He wouldn't go to Valhalla that way. But the Captain smiled again, however Yugo felt that he could...almost see the smile. He struggled to hold onto the captains leg but he pulled away and walked toward the door. He got to it and stopped, ordering Yugo to Survive this 1 month and try to see the world in a different light. 


Despite not being able to see, Once the door closed, Yugo knew he was in total darkness. He raged then first 2 nights. He tried to break out but without his sight he couldnt even navigate his room. He was angry, but without anyone to take it out on, and no booze to drown himself in, he only had himself to hate. 


He sat in the darkness for days, eating what food he could stomach and the alcohol withdrawl hit. It was a living hell. He clawed and scratched at the ground as his body screamed for booze. It was a side effect of the healing magic, the magic was speeding up the detox process. Yugo crawled along the ground still unable to stand, until he reached a corner and curled into a ball in the corner. 


3 weeks passed and Yugo was finally fully healed. He had mostly recovered by week 2, but he had spent a week in a depression that threatened to consume him. But he pulled himself up and reminded himself to survive. He had been told 1 month, he would survive 1 month.  Even if he had to follow orders he would survive. He just needed to survive.


But he lost that ideal shortly after. He actually spent some time thinking on the things he had done. He was done survivng and was now thinking and reflecting on himself. Had he lived a life worth living? Had he been able to do better, could he? He didnt understand the purpose of blinding him, but he was glad it happened. He recognized that he would have jot ended up as he was right now without it. 


After the final week, Yugo was comfortable enough in the cell to walk around. He still coulsnt see, but hed learn. Magic could do many strange things. He wondered if the damage was bad. How scarred was his face now? The door opened, and Yugo felt the warmth of light again for the first time and he couldnt help but smile. 


"Captain."


The Captain smiled back and Yugo could almost see it. He was certain of it. The captain explained that Yugo would now enter the next part of his service, and would be washed and uniformed and fed properly. Yugo nodded and woth the help of the captain, who told Yugo his name was Clearwater. Yugo complimented such a straightforward and truthful name as the two made their way to a brighter future. 


Afterwards, Yugo was suited and sent to learn from the healer how to see with his new eyes. It wasnt the same, and it was more blobs then normal sight. The healer assured him that hed be able to fight still, but hed need to keep practicing his vision when ever possible. 


Yugo would later find himself standing before the final judge of his possible future, who after looking over Yugo and hearing him speak of ay least trying to see what happened could have made him in the wrong gave permission to allow him to serve under the captain. The man would keep Yugo under control with a strange relic that Yugo was forced to swallow. He didnt wonder what it was, he just agreed to their demands. He knew his place, and he wouldn't struggle. till he was at least closer to the top. 


Yugo took the first free steps out of the Prison, and felt a true sense of relief. He had only spent a month inside, but it would be a life time before he ever returned. Hed make sure of that. The captain turned to him and asked if hed like to go get real food from the town of Era and yugo nodded saying hed enjoy that. The two made their way out of the prison, with the Captain leading Yugo, treating him like an actual person, it caught Yugo off guard causing him not to talk much as they walk. 


The captain made sure however, to tell Yugo if he drank, the artifact inside him would kill him right away. Yugo was fearful and nodded. It was one way to make sure he didnt drink. 

2007/2000