A ripple went through the realm, disturbing Mavron’s attention on his Shard, the Nightmares, and the Seven.

  ‘Tuner,’ Gazer sent, joy dimming, and curiosity rising.

  The new presence radiated out a pulse, a decree for attention, and Mavron turned some of its awareness to it. It was followed with another wave, a scanning of the realm. Mavron had seen this before, an act committed before judgment. It was going to be the first time though, that it was to be the one judged.

  Partially joining Gazer at the roof of the realm, the two of them to be sentenced, The Tuner took form.

  A light to rival Gazer’s own appeared, but while his friend’s was a warming, and healing yellow. The new one was a searing white, intense and meant to cleanse. It took on further shape, a figure housed within interlocking armor, and covered in silks. On their surfaces were Sigils telling the rules of conduct, and the price of disobedience.

  The thousand lights that was Gazer’s form brighten, its curiosity growing. Not to be left out, and to make a point that Mavron was not going to try and hide from sentencing. It also took on a shape, one it had used before.

  It clad itself in a worn cloak, its face hidden by a long hood, and form wrapped within healing bandages. Underneath the gown was an attire full of pouches and pockets. This form was one of aid, a traveler ready to help those it came across, for it had seen, that life was a place of struggle.

  Another ripple pulsed from The Tuner’s form; this time aimed at them.

  ‘Gazer,’ The Tuner sent, the willing masculine, and deeply hued with unhappiness. ‘You have failed your charge, a Sovereign has acted outside allowance, and the realm forced to send warning. How do you plead?’ The male figure added, tone devoid of emotional thrills.

  ‘I do not,’ Gazer sent in return, its form radiating joy, and amusement.

  Mavron saw the gauntleted hands of The Tuner clench tightly into fists. This meant annoyance or anger, perhaps both. How it very much wanted to experience what it felt like. But that would be later, once it and its Shard, had rejoined.

  ‘You must choose,’ The Tuner said, tone again devoid of anything Mavron understood.

  Gazer let out musical laughter, its form spinning faster. ‘I did.’

  More for show, The Tuner manifested a richly crafted tome, along with a quill. Opening it, the pages fluttering to where they needed to be. The being made a mark.

  ‘Guilty of negligence,’ he said, and they both felt the weight of what was to come next. Mavron felt Gazer’s attention, and it nodded its hooded head.

  ‘I accept Gazer’s Seal in its stead.’ Mavron announced, causing The Tuner’s own head to snap upward. Seconds passed with the two of them staring at each other, Mavron at a loss of what the other was going through. Mavron had not the emotions to understand, its perspectives much smaller than The Tuners. With each moment in The Tuner’s presence, Mavron longed to rejoin with its lesser self, to learn and live through everything Dailin had experienced.

  ‘The toll of the Seal shall be doubled; do you still accept?’ Asked The Tuner.

  Mavron let out a pulse of its own, one of approval, and the moment after, it was struck with the binding. Possibilities began to lessen, its sight narrowed, and its free reign to go as it pleased, dwindled.

  ‘Now it is time for your own judgment, Mavron.’ The Tuner began, and he looked down at his tome. ‘You had a perfect record, were a model of how Sovereigns should conduct themselves. Perhaps you will learn the state of regret, once this verdict is over.’ Looking up, The Tuner’s full focus centered on Mavron.

  It felt, as the other gazed upon it, that The Tuner was looking upon the actions it had committed in the realm, and the aid it had been providing its Shard.

  ‘Not even subtle,’ the agent of judgment announced. ‘If you thought acting out within this fallen plane would go unnoticed, or allowed, know that you are wrong on both accounts.’

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Mavron remained mute, offering the other no insight, or correction.

  ‘There is no need for a pleading,’ The Tuner continued. ‘The facts are clear, and the event plainly seen. For blatant interference against mortals, you shall be bestowed a Seal of the fifth degree.’ So it was proclaimed, and so it came to be. Mavron was struck again with binding, its awareness dwindling even more, and its allowance to act, to aid its own Shard—or others—rapidly fading.

  ‘For overly supporting your Shard within this realm, and causing harm to others in doing so, you are found guilty of disobedience.’ It added, and Mavron readied itself for a final lessening. ‘A Seal of the first-degree shall be applied.’

  Mavron was struck again.

  ‘It shall last three hundred years.’ The Tuner announced, turned a page, then gazed upward. A communication was happening, an unexpected event, and Mavron filled with curiosity.

  The moment of stillness passed, and the full weight of The Tuner’s awareness fell upon Mavron once more.

  ‘Another Seal has been earned.’ He proclaimed, shocking Mavron, and Gazer.

  ‘The degree of interference with your Shard, opening some of his memories, bestowing knowledge that his kind are not to know, has earned special judgment.’ The Tuner pressed his quill against the book, his writing slow, and methodical.

  ‘I place upon you,’ power rising, the realm shivering. ‘A Seal of the Tenth degree.’

  Mavron’s form nearly broke as the weight of the Seal struck. Its allowance to interfere, became almost nothing, and its right to gaze upon the higher realms, removed entirely. It was bestowed monitoring, its every action constantly watched. In an instant, Mavron had become more constricted than Gazer, who was releasing waves of shock.

  ‘This Seal is permanent,’ The Tuner sent, his communication marred in a tone that Mavron knew as sympathy. ‘However,’ he added, hope laden within his voice. ‘It will be removed, if you agree to certain terms.’

  Mavron’s form, which had fallen to its knees, straightened and faced its judge.

  ‘Relock your Shard’s memories,’ he began. ‘Strip away the knowledge you bestowed, destroy the construct that is watching its thoughts, and,’ The Tuner leaned forward. ‘Remove that Sovereign Core he has grown within himself. Do this, and the Seal shall be lifted.’

  ‘Do you accept?’

  Mavron had lost interest the moment the first condition had been revealed. It knew the secret, a game that could not be won, and the requests only proved it more. It had found the steps needed for its Shard to rise, succeed, and now the Conductors wanted it all taken away. Its Shard failing, and descending again.

  ‘I do not,’ Mavron announced, and The Tuner leaned back.

  ‘What?’ he sent.

  ‘I refuse these terms.’ It pulsed out, a declaration for all to hear, if they had the right.

  ‘Refuse? Refuse!’

  ‘What nonsense is this!?’ The Tuner boomed, his book snapping shut, and quill breaking apart within a clenched fist. ‘These are simple terms Mavron, joined with a generous offer, few get the chance to remove a Tenth-degree. It is normally reserved for those that have earned it.’

  Will, and power warped the area around The Tuner, the Sovereign touched by something Mavron didn’t actually understand, but it knew the shape now, anger.

  ‘You had a perfect record Mavron, and can have it again, if you don’t throw this chance away.’ The Tuner’s will expanded, anger rising. ‘Because of that record, and that you perhaps did not understand the rarity of this offering, I will offer it again—

  Mavron let out a greater pulse, refusal woven deep, and the message clear.

  Searing light radiated out from The Tuner. His pristine helm cracked where a mouth would be, and formed into a jagged scowl.

  ‘Unwise,’ the raging Sovereign sent, reopening the tome, and remaking his quill. The being roughly marked the page, and Mavron felt the Seal lock. It would forever be a part of it, till it left this fascinating creation.

  The act calmed The Tuner, punishment given out, but there was more to it. Again, Mavron lacked the means to comprehend, and yearned ever more to be one with its Shard.

  ‘You will regret this,’ The Tuner informed, the willing deeply intertwined with certainty. Then he closed shut his tome, the piece dispersing, along with the quill. Mavron expected the entity’s form to follow as well, the inflictor of judgment to leave this realm for others in need of his service.

  The Tuner remained, but his awareness on Mavron fell, and spread out, began focusing more on the realm.

  ‘Is there something else?’ Gazer sent, ever curious as it sent private pulses of comfort to Mavron.

  ‘Not with you.’ The being answered, not hiding that a growing amount of his awareness fell upon the Nightmare.

  The Tuner reached out a hand, an unneeded show, but the being wanted them to see. Will pulsed and condensed, the act focused on eggs yet claimed by Shards. There, they watched as The Tuner made changes to the weave, improvements upon the mind.

  The consequences of which would be most entertaining, but not for its Shard, nor the mortals that called themselves Vails.

  Mavron had no allowance left, and yet, one last warning had to be given. The very act would ensure another Seal, since The Tuner would notice. But it knew its Shard, without the touch of dread, Dailin would think himself safe, the danger passed, and he would become lax.

  Mistakes would be made, family lost, and Mavron didn’t want that. Family was another piece to Dailin’s rise.

  A warning must be given, thus, Mavron reached out.