This time the council is completely different from the last time that I visited here. Well, the place itself has not changed much. There is still the market acting as the heart of the place. Right now though none of the shops are open. Almost everybody here has come to look at me.

  If before the people knew little about me, now they know who exactly I am. I could see it in the way that the people here are crowding around to look at me. I am surprised that the people have not already begun to riot. The people certainly looked ready to do that. There is venom in the eyes of these people. Well, venom is the wrong word. I think it would be better to call it a kind of morbid excitement. It is the look they would give a convict on his way to the executioner.

  There is a clear tension in the air that was missing the last time that we were here. I can see the legendary aggression of the snow tribe now. I can see why the council has to be careful in dealing with these people. Just the smallest thing might set these people and you cannot who it will explode on. The people could just end up ripping me to pieces right now. More importantly, they might just start fighting the soldiers stationed here.

  (A couple of minutes.)

  It is time for me to focus on the matter at hand. This time the court is more familiar. I do not have anything to add to my previous description of the fort. This is a simple place with a simple purpose. Not that it makes it any less intimidating though.

  The arrangement of the five tribes is also the same as the last time. The people are also the same. Only the representative of the tattoo tribe is different this time.

  I am not able to get a read on the man. Compared to the lady the last time, he is much older. I would say he could compete with the commander in terms of age. The only thing that I can tell about him is that the man intimidates the people here. Even the men of the blood tribe are taking on a more alert posture.

  The man begins to speak, his voice heavy and has a gravitas that only experience can bring.

  "Well, we have come here to deal with this mess.", speaks the man, his voice a challenge to every person in the room. "This thing has gone on for a week too long. I call the trial of this legioner to head. Anybody that has a problem with that can voice it now."

  Nobody rises to the challenge. Thus the man speaks.

  "Well, do any of the other clans want to vote on this man's fate? The beast tribe and the tattoo tribe have already voted and have no desire to change it. Does any of the other tribes want to change their votes?" He speaks on. With the way that his presence magnifies, I understand that this is a threat. I wonder if the man would blow a blood vessel if the beast tribe were to take back their vote now.

  "Well, the last time the control of the council was in the hand of a leader that was a novice. It was her first time here.", he speaks, this time at me. "You shall find no opportunity to shoot your mouth here, legioner. Such obvious attempts at dividing us. As can be expected of the legion."

  "Well, my lord. I just answered the questions that were asked by the blood tribe.", I reply. I struggle a bit to get the words out but this is no commander. He barely caused me to stutter.

  He speaks to me again, some kind of a threat maybe.

  "The lord says that you do not need to answer any questions then.", Cloak speaks behind.

  The man shifts his attention away from me completely, now speaking to the blood tribe.

  "Lord of the blood tribe, do you change your decision.", he speaks. "I have warned you against the outsiders for centuries now. Don't fall to their words now. Trusting a man that is with the legion of all things."

  This time the man of the blood tribe speaks. There is still no fear in his voice but there is a clear edge to his words. He is threatening the blood tribe.

  "My lord, the blood tribe knows what is good for it and what is not. We do not need you to tell us that.", he speaks. "As for our vote, we shall change nothing. The man will not die due to this duel of yours, if we can help it."

  "As my predecessor must have pointed out this is not an execution. What can we do if the kid is arrogant enough to challenge a snowlord with his paltry strength? He must be ready for the consequences of accepting a duel and trying to cheat on it.", he speaks, his presence pressing on the man as it did with me.

  Well, it did not even have the effect on him that it did on me. If anything it just helped to piss off the other side.

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  "That is what you tell. Though knowing what the kid has told us, it would be wiser for you to take care of your allies before us.", he speaks. "The vote of the blood tribe will not change. The kid shall not duel your snowlord."

  "Fine, then, lord of the wolf tribe. Do you change your vote?", he asks them, the annoyance clear in his tone.

  Well, the lord of the wolf tribe is a man of a few words. Even during the previous trial, the man did not speak much.

  "We do not change it, lord of the tattoo tribe.", he speaks. "this is not a fair fight, my lord. Thus respecting the spirit of the duel, we do not approve of it."

  The man does not try and convince the other side more than this. With that, he turns to the spear tribe who will be deciding my fate.

  "Lord of the spear tribe, this council is then brought to you. You have withheld your right to vote in the last trial as well.", speaks the man of the spear tribe.

  "Well, I thank you, representative of the tattoo tribe.", he speaks. "We have reason to believe that your snowlord has lied about issuing the challenge to the duel. We shall verify the validity of the statements from the accused. Does the lord grant us the right to do that?"

  "Yes, I give you that right.", he speaks, contradicting his statement a few moments ago.

  (After almost an hour.)

  Right now I can feel my head slow down. It is almost like I have suddenly woke up from sleep. I have been spending the last one hour speaking continuously.

  The spear tribe has been continuously questioning me about the fight I had with the snowlord. They questioned me about every aspect of it for the last hour. This is to the point that I have been repeating my answers for a while now. I don't mind though, I can tell from their tone that I have convinced them.

  I don't know what exactly they are looking for in grilling me like this. They have finally stopped about a minute ago. I can still feel my head ringing from the amount of talking that they have made me do. I almost do not catch what they are saying. A few moments later I hear the translation.

  "The spear tribe has questioned the kid and finds that the laws of the duel have been violated here. The duel will have to be conducted" the man speaks, pausing for a moment. (He did that just to mess with me.) "At the same time, we have to agree that the wolf tribe is also right. This duel, while true to the laws will go against the spirit of the duel. We cannot therefore support the motion to conduct a duel. We therefore vote against this duel."

  As I am processing this, the lord of the spear tribe goes on.

  "We propose an alternative. We would believe that a winter's loop would be a more fair method of conducting this duel." He speaks. "After all, it began to be considered as a duel to answer for this exact power difference."

  "Are you sure, lord of the spear tribe.", speaks the man at the tattoo tribe, his voice taking a very dangerous edge. Anywhere else that tone would have meant swords would be drawn. Not that we are very far away swords being drawn here.

  "We are more than sure, lord of the tattoo tribe. The man has the relevant skills to control a sledder as well. Cloak has confirmed that to us. It is the ideal choice of a duel.", the spear lord replies.

  "Well then, we shall accept this alternative. We assume that the spear tribe has already voted on it.", he speaks. "Whichever tribe agrees to this raise their hands."

  None of the tribes speak, as the spear tribe, tattoo tribe and the beast tribe raise their hands.

  "With that cleared, we have to discuss about which tribe will be taking charge of the legioner.", he speaks. "With every passing day, the presence of the legioner is causing chaos. We cannot get away with putting him in the black tower anymore. I am surprised that black tower has not been attacked already. One of us will have to take charge of his security. We of the tattoo tribe will not take charge of his security though. We won't be able to assure his safety."

  "The beast tribe will not be able to manage to protect the kid. We will not take charge of the kid.", the beast tribe speaks.

  And then everybody starts speaking. Even Cloak behind me stops trying to translate them. Even he seems to be struggling to keep up with all the people suddenly speaking.

  (After about fifteen minutes.)

  I have no idea what the fuck is going on here. All I can tell is that nobody wants to take responsibility for my safety.

  Right now the main argument is happening between the spear tribe and the wolf tribe. I don't know why the Spear tribe is so passionate about this or why they are so worried about my safety. I can't help feeling that there is some ulterior motive there.

  I don't think I need to worry about it though. The wolf tribe is the one that is winning this particular debate. Unless the wolf tribe representative fumbles, they will be taking charge of my security.

  A voice in the room causes everybody to shut up. It takes me a moment to realize that it is the lord of the blood tribe that speaks. There is steel in the man's voice, even more than usual. Even as I can feel myself shivering the translation comes.

  "The lord of the blood tribe has taken responsibility for your protection. He has informed the council you will be taken to the bloody city.", cloak translates behind me. "He shall take you there immediately after the end of the council. He is asking the representative of the tattoo tribe to end the council so that everybody can be on their way."

  As I am hearing the translation, the tension in the room has taken on another new level. Everybody in the room has entered a state of fighting.

  Finally, the representative of the tattoo tribe barks something, which I have to assume is the command to end the council.

  Almost as soon as that statement ends all the figures present there rise at the same moment as if they are running a race. Again, it feels like there is going to be a fight as the council all leave, while cloak is dragging me out of the place.

  (After about five minutes.)

  I can feel the blood pound in my head like a drum as Cloak makes me rush through the complicated tunnels of the council. He does not even dare to stop for a few moments as we just keep running through the place even after leaving the council.

  He has finally stopped now, which is why I have started this thing again. The reason that he has stopped is due to a bunch of snow tribe people all armed to their teeth.

  I don't recognize any of them, other than the five that are leading them. This is the blood tribe's soldiers it looks like.