"This was a fool's errand." Barked the bearded man, Etoris, to the boy beside him. Slinking further into his chair, the boy covered his face in his hands.

"Now, what have you done, Anden?" A man wearing long blue robes, the judge, slid in front of him, his rough hands clasped behind his back. With his eyes downcast, the boy handed his higher authority his missive. Unrolling it, the robed man scanned his eyes over it with a gasp. "It says you have been charged with break in, stolen property, and…" the man gulped. "Murder? Is that right? This innocent boy committed this type of crime?" Infuriated, the judge crinkled the papers in his hand and muttered something unintelligible.

"And you, sir?" the judge said with a sigh. The bearded fellow beside Anden exaggeratedly slammed his stack of papers into the robed man's palm.

"Here." He grumbled. The judge nodded as he examined the parcel.

"Better than the first, but still bad. You have been charged with stolen property and break in."

"I didn't steal anything. It was that…devil!" Etoris jabbed his finger at the boy next to him.

"Don't touch me!" Lashing out, Anden tried to defend himself with his fist, but a taunt rope stopped him from any further movements of his wrists or ankles.

"You are still charged with it because you were there along with the stealer. It was your choice to go with the boy." The arbiter shrugged as Etoris began to protest.

Quirking an eyebrow, the judge sauntered to Anden, his tall form looming over the boy. "What exactly did you steal, boy?" his dark face bent closer until they were almost touching. Uncomfortable from the question, Anden jerked backward.

"It was a necklace, your honor. He claimed it was his father's and that it belonged to him. Bah! I was stupid enough to believe him! I knew something was queer when the boy killed the owner! I wouldn't blame him for wanting this possessed boy out of his house hold." Growled Etoris. Anden glared at the bearded man, his sandy blond hair waving into his blue eyes. The judge stroked his chin, still confused. "You keep repeating that this boy is some how possessed. Verify your comment."

"Once he got that confounded necklace in his hands and the man started chasing us, it flashed green. Then the boy roared –literally! I could swear it came from a beast! - and the light extended towards the pursuer and took his life out for good. After that the boy collapsed on the ground trembling. That roar couldn't have been made from that tiny voice box of his."

Anden blushed as he recalled the incident. Truthfully he had no idea where the boisterous growl had come from. He couldn't even fathom intensity such as the one it had until he heard it for himself. The necklace seemed to lock within his blood and bring forth some hidden power.

"Enough, I have come to a conclusion. You are both being punished, for you sir are in complete denial while the boy is a lunatic killer. Your punishment will be final tomorrow." With a wave of the judge's gnarled hand, the guards that had brought them in took hold of their ropes and led the prisoners to their holding cell.

"Grrroff! You can't you this to me! It's the boy you want! Oh you…!" Etoris's screams and curses were cut off by a gag. He thrust his body in all directions, but the centuries clenched their hands tightly onto the prisoner's arms.

Heavy boots plodded on the marble floor, echoing in the spacious courtyard of the building. Anden couldn't even glance at Etoris's enraged face. The boy kept himself occupied by watching his booted feet pass over the beige tiles and emerald stems of roses and deep blue stars that were encrusted in the floor. Hints of quarts shimmered in the tiles that were stained with age and use. The flowers that blossomed from the emerald burst out in ruby; loud and colorful. The pedals on each flower were finely detailed down to the last dewdrop.

Sometimes Anden pondered over why majority of people didn't halt and look around their surroundings. It was a wonder what people missed; insects, smells, and vibrant colors swirling freely in a world that most people didn't take the time to unlock. Anden had a passion for this world, his gelid blue eyes always glancing about. Sometimes he caught himself staring at people, which caused them embarrassment or a screaming rage. The main percentage of people that decide to have a yelling fit were women, for they thought he was staring at them because he had a certain infatuation with them. Anden wasn't the kind that would fall for just any woman though; he mostly studied everyone in the same way. Their actions, behaviors, and unique features were what drew his mind to them. This was why he was particularly good with drawing and painting. Staring had caused this whole mess also, for his eyes couldn't stop drifting.

The rusty creak of an iron door opening caused Anden to lift his head wearily. Hastily the guards rushed the hostels into the jail room. Small cells lined the wall like soldiers. Large gray bars jutted from the ceiling and reach the floor on the doors of the cells making it impossible to escape or see out clearly. A lump formed in Anden's throat. This couldn't have been happening to him; it was a terrible nightmare that he was going to wake up from soon. Taking a rust orange key off an iron ring, one of the centuries unlocked a cell near the back and began untying the boy and the bearded man. Once the chafing ropes were cut, they shoved the prisoners into the dark, frigid cell. The two felt tears drip down their faces as the click of the lock echoed in the atramentous hall. The laughter of the men who brought them there faded quickly, and soon all sound of the guards ceased to exist.

Morning came and slipped away unnoticed as the two were left in total darkness, their eyes blind of what was happening around them. The guards had left a refilled waterskin.