Robin opened her mouth to ask, but was cut off by Jasmine.
“I'm asking because we came across something that looked very similar recently, in the hands of someone who was definitely not Marvin Billefonse.” Jasmine tilted her head. “Odd, isn't it?”
“‘S’not odd et all. It coulda been swiped by bandits, traded fer another device, thrown out and picked up, heck. Someone mighta even killed tha bloke. Things ‘appen.” Magi Aaren shrugged.
“But in this case, things ‘Happened’ to go in a very bad way. Do you know what this device was used for?” Jasmine asked.
“What it was s’posed ta be used fer, I reckon. The taming of animals without the taming talent.” Magi Aaren snorted.
“Then…are you saying that elves are animals?” Robin interjected. “Are you saying humans are animals? Are you saying that I’m an animal?”
Magi Aaren looked at Robin with a sardonic smile. “Steady there, lad. What's this all about, ey? I thought we were talking about my creation, not philosophy.”
“We are. Your device was found in the hands of an illegal slave trader, and was used to capture elves and humans alike. How could you be unaware of this?” Jasmine scolded.
Robin was watching Aaren while Jasmine was saying this. She recognized the look he had in his eyes. It was similar to her false-hearted relatives that she had ditched some years back.
He knew. He knew that’s what the device was to be used for. And he had made and sold it anyways.
Furthermore, he was trying to distract them from something…but what? Robin quickly glanced around the room, finally settling on a familiar sphere on the table beside him.
Just as he lunged for the sphere, Robin lunged for Jasmine and tossed her back out of the range of the device. She had just placed her hands on Hikaru's hilt when she was stuck. Once again, there was the terrible feeling of cold and pins and needles as Robin could not move.
“Robin!” Jasmine shrieked as she understood what Robin had done.
‘Skye…link me to Hikaru.’ Robin requested.
The crest seemed like it was just about halfway done when Aaren grinned wickedly. “Heheheheh. You thought that you could get the drop on me, did you? You thought you had me backed into a corner? Well now I have your Hero captured! If you don't want anything to happen to him, then you better do as I say from now on!”
Jasmine grit her teeth and said with difficulty. “What do you want?”
“Want? I want that dragonspawn off the throne, that's what I want! I want a pureblood dwarf on the dwarven throne, that's what I want! D’ye think I spent all this time learning, and gathering knowledge just to let some scaly halfbreed sneak in while I wasn't looking?”
Robin jolted and blinked, then her eyes looked dazed.
“Heh! Now yer gonna hafta lissen ta me. That's if’n ye don't want yer precious hero ta get hurt!” Aaren smirked. “Come closer, and stand to my left.” He ordered Robin.
Robin walked forward sluggishly, and turned about to face Jasmine as she stood on Aaren's left side. Aaren had a smug grin on his face as he watched Jasmine’s expression of dismay.
Jasmine looked at Robin, and scowled at Aaren. “You’ll never get away with this. The magi council will never let you get away with this.”
“Heh. Yer a right little fool, Jasmine. Ye think tha jus’ because yer a magi that yer a trusted member of tha magi council?” Magi Aaren sniggered.
“What…do you mean by that?” Jasmine asked.
“Of course, the magi council need never know about this. But, if’n they ever do find out about et, et’ll be my word against yers. Which will they trust first, ah wonder? A spring chicken? Or someone thas been with them fer a long time, a reliable member of tha council?” Aaren’s smug look deepened.
“And if'n ye did try ta do ennything, I can make sure yer boyfriend here will get the punishment for et.”
“WHA- BOYFRIEND!?” Jasmine exclaimed in utter shock.
“Oh come naow, ye can't expect me tah believe that tha first person ye bring ta the magi researchers’ center Isnae yer boyfriend. He's tha bloddy hero! And Ye’ve been off traipsin’ around with ‘im all over the bloddy place. O’ course everyone knows he's yer boyfriend!” Aaren snorted.
“And naow, what will ye be doin’ in order tah save that boyfriend of yers, I wonder…” Aaren said, getting a certain look in his eyes. “Hmm? It would be quite tha story if the pride and jewel of Ekkinshire were ta suddenly get married-”
Aaren’s words were cut short when he suddenly flew back into the wall, hitting the solid stone with a heavy thud, before falling to the ground, unconscious. He didn't move after that. On the table, the sphere of slavery fell apart in two pieces, broken.
Robin stood there, panting, quivering with rage. Her fist dripped blood onto the ground, but Robin didn't even notice the pain. Multiple thoughts raced through Robin’s mind.
‘He’s just like them. There's no telling what further evils he will do. He's just like them. The only way to stop him completely is to make sure he can't ever move again. But what about healing invocations? No... He's just like them. Never again. Not to Jasmine, not to anyone. He’s just like them. No one should ever experience that again. Make sure he can't do it again. Make sure he can't….kill him’
The disgust and pain and rage that had accumulated in Robin over the course of six years had suddenly been triggered to burst out. All her thoughts seemed to converge upon that last and final thought. Robin took a step forward.
Jasmine looked at Robin in shock. Robin had been angry before, but this was the first time she had ever seen Robin so enraged. She had gotten this angry for her?...No. Robin’s rage seemed to have a different source. She had put everything behind that punch.
Robin walked step by step over to the downed dwarf, and turned him over. ‘Because of people like him…’ Robin grit her teeth, and grabbed hin by his robes. She lifted her fist to punch him again, when a hand grabbed her fist.
“That's enough, Robin. If you punch him again, you might actually kill him.” Briar said. “Do you want Jasmine and Christian and your uncle to see you become a murderer?”
Robin came back to her senses. ‘What was I…about to do?’ She let go of the dwarf, and stumbled back a few steps, putting a hand up to her face.
“He…he can't be left to his own devices. He can’t be allowed to do that ever again…never again. I…” Robin didn't know what to say, but she had to convey it.
“I know…I know.” Keith placed an arm around Robin’s shoulders and guided Robin away from the dwarf. “Let us take care of it, lad. We’ll make sure that he can never harm another person ever again.”
Jasmine stepped over to the dwarf and put mana into her voice. “By the power invested in me as a magi, I declare you to be in violation of the magi code. Your source is forfeit, and your robe expelled.”
Everyone heard a thud like the slamming of a door as Magi Aaren's source was closed permanently. He was now an ordinary dwarf. No one felt sorry for him.
“Furthermore, your hands will never again be able to lift up the hammer or tools of an artificer, blacksmith, alchemist, or tinker. You will no longer be able to craft anything. Nor will you be able to teach others how you made your evil devices. Neither in speech, nor in writing, nor in gestures or symbols. Your hands will be sealed. Your tongue will be sealed. Your research will be forfeited. And your crimes will be read publicly for all to hear. Thus saith I, Jasmine of the Magi Council. So I have said it. So it shall be.”
Jasmine stomped her foot on the ground, and a glowing inscription appeared around Aaren's wrists.
“...Send him to jail.” Jasmine spoke the last words in a whisper.
Aaren was teleported out of the room. His crimes would be dealt with according to the law. There was no one who would be able to see him below the level of a Magi. And there was no one who would want to see him without first consulting Jasmine, otherwise they would be setting themselves against her in the future.
Jasmine turned to look back at Robin. Keith was patting her on the back, watching over her with concern. Robin was shivering, unable to regain her composure, as she tried to calm her already frazzled nerves.
It was over.