Chapter 105-Proven innocent

Chapter 105: 105-Proven innocent

"No matter what happens..." she paused and took a deep breath. "I am thankful for both of you."

Maisa’s eyes burned. Another tear threatened to fall, but this time it wasn’t entirely born from fear.

She lowered her gaze and took a quiet breath. Whatever happened next, at least she wouldn’t have to face it alone. That assurance made her heart a little lighter.

"Just wait and see. We will prove to Addessa thar you are not guilty. An demand she apologize to you for this drama she created," Lumi said boosting with confidence.

Maisa nodded. "Thank you... both of you."

Together, the three of them stepped forward and entered the circle, Kriza, Sophia, and Jane followed after. Unlike the three of them, the others weren’t as confident about coming out of the trial circle unharmed.

The instant all six crossed into the circle, the ancient markings beneath their feet erupted with red light.

The circle awakened immediately. The clouds above them twisted violently, thunder cracked across the sky and then the rain came crashing down at them.

At first, it was only a drizzle. Dark red droplets landed on the white robes. One, two, three... before hundreds and then thousands fell. The rain intensified until the entire trial circle disappeared beneath a curtain of crimson falling rain.

Maisa shut her eyes, she waited for the blood rain to pass judgement on her. She counted all the way to fifty and still felt nothing.

She opened her eyes. The blood rain was running over her robe, but instead of burning her, it seemed to disappear into her skin. There was a strange warmth beneath it that was almost like energy flowing through her veins.

She blinked as her body seemed to be growing stronger than before. The blood rain didn’t harm her. ’What is happening? I thought the blood trial was supposed to be scary?’

Beside her, Zolani stood completely still. The rain touched her face and shoulders, yet she didn’t react in any uncomfortable way.

Lumi looked equally unharmed. The droplets soaked into her skin and seemed to vanish instantly.

’Is the blood trial grounds broken?’ She was having her doubts about the scary trials.

"AAARGHHHH!"

Just then, a scream tore from the other corner of the circle. Kriza collapsed onto her knees, screaming in utter pain as every drop of blood caused pain heightened a hundred thousand times without harming her skin.

"Aaarghhhh!" Sophia screamed immediately afterward. She tried to resist a stand strong but she, too, soon fell to the ground and rolled around, screaming and shouting, "Get me off of here! I AM GUILTY. I ADMIT IT...PLEASE..."

Jane stumbled backward, clutching her arms as though she couldn’t escape whatever she was feeling. She gritted her teeth and tried to hold it in but couldn’t. "AAAARGHH!" She let out desperate cries.

The three girls screamed again and again. Their voices tore through the ancient trial grounds, echoing violently between the towering pillars and rolling across the stands.

The crowd erupted in shock. Students rose from their seats, professors stood frozen, and whispers spread through the spectators as everyone understood that the blood had found them guilty.

"The blood has declared."

"I knew they stood no chance against the blood at all."

"They should blame themselves for going after someone protected by the princess."

Maisa stared at them in confusion. "What...?" her voice barely left her lips before Kriza let out another horrifying scream.

She looked down at herself. The blood rain had fallen over her, yet it hadn’t hurt her. There was no burning sensation, no pain, and not even the slightest discomfort. Her white robe was soaked, but it remained completely white beneath the crimson downpour.

Maisa’s eyes shifted to Zolani and Lumi and their situations were the same as hers and neither of them had been harmed.

But Kriza, Sophia, and Jane were reacting as though the rain itself had become their tormentor. Their screams continued, raw and desperate, as they stumbled within the trial circle.

Yet when Maisa looked closely, she saw something strange. Their skin appeared perfectly intact. There were no visible wounds, no burns and nothing that explained the sheer terror in their voices.

The only obvious change was their clothing. The blood rain had drenched them from head to toe, soaking through their white robes until the fabric had become completely red. Their hairs were wet with the red water that looked like blood, they looked a picture right out of a horror movie.

Maisa’s breath caught. Her gaze dropped to her own robes again. They were still white even though she too was hit with the red rain.

"What is going on?"

All three of them stood beneath the same blood rain, yet the crimson droplets seemed to slide harmlessly across them without leaving a mark.

A chill crept down Maisa’s spine. She slowly raised her head as something about the trial felt wrong. The trial wasn’t behaving the way it was supposed to, and judging by the horror spreading through the stands, everyone else was beginning to realize it too.

"What does this mean?" She weakly mumbled the question under her breath.

Meanwhile, Zolani looked down at her own hands and she smiled. A relieved and almost triumphant smile as she witnessed Maisa untouched by the blood rain.

She turned toward the stands. Her gaze landed directly on Addessa. "See?" she called through the thunder. "She is fine!"

Addessa sat rigidly in her seat. When Zolani addressed her, she looked at her without a change in her emotions. ’The blood rain lasts thirty minutes. There’s still time and I bet a redblood won’t disappoint me,’ she thought, not giving up early.

Zolani lifted her chin, becoming more proud. "The blood rain has passed judgment. Maisa is innocent!"

Lumi stepped forward. "Maisa is clean!" she declared. "She isn’t guilty."

For the first time since arriving at the trial grounds, Maisa felt the weight in her chest disappear.

Relief flooded through her. She had been right and the trial had proven it. She hadn’t broken the law intentionally, she hadn’t done anything deserving punishment and the blood saw the truth.

A smile slowly spread across her face. She turned toward Zolani and Lumi. "I’m okay."

Zolani laughed softly. "I knew you would be. You are the best redblood that I know and I knew that the blood would see it too."

The rain continued falling yet it felt almost comforting now. Maisa stood softly under the rain, absorbing the empowering energy the seeped into her body with every drop.

Not only was she proven innocent, but she also got an opportunity to get stronger. That didn’t seem like a bad deal at all.

Zolani looked at Maisa. Her expression softened with love and concern. "You know," she said quietly, almost as though the others weren’t there, "I wasn’t able to protect Zoe."

Maisa’s smile disappeared at the mention of Zoe’s name. The guilt she carried in her heart flooded to the surface.

Zolani’s eyes remained on hers. "But I’ll protect you," she leaned close to Maisa and confessed. "I know the bond brought us together without prior warning or consent but in this few time I’ve known you and been your friend... I’ve grown to like as more than judging a friend, Maisa," she said. "I think I’m falling... falling in love with you."

Maisa froze at the sudden love confession. In her mind however, all she could see was Zoe drawing her last breath by her hands. ’Sorry... I don’t deserve your feelings, Zolani,’ she thought, saddened.