London, England,

Clock Tower,

Uproar.

The Clock Tower, bastion of magical society, headquarters and ruling body of the Magus Association, inhabited by countless geniuses and talented monsters even by the standards of magi, learning place of nobility, brimming with knowledge, tradition and culture and gathering place of all those that 'mattered' was.... in uproar.

News of what had happened in Fuyuki had reached the Clock Tower in London, no longer withheld by the Holy Church.. The massive Japanese city had been laid to waste, nearly 3 quarters of it lying in complete ruin, returned to Mother Nature and the perpetrator was a man all there, from newcomers to old inhabitants, knew of...

Roman Trambelio...nay, that was what they called him.

Son of McDonell Trambelio Elrod, born to his second deceased wife, and the only son of the Trambelio main family as well as a complete and utter failure, disappointment even... Someone they were ashamed to call their own, constantly belittled by them and nearly all others save some...

Well, they'd come to regret that soon enough..no, that was wrong. They were already starting to, the evidence was too concrete... too complete for there to be any room for doubt...

Suspecting it wasn't him but rather his servant was futile, the Grail's alleged destruction proved otherwise.

The usual serene, peaceful and intellectual hallways of the sizable compounds, with old structures, brimming with mystery, were now enveloped by a different kind of 'peace'... To say none knew what to truly say would be more apt, the 'incident' had happened not a day ago.

Droves of magi hurriedly parted, making way for the Twelve Lords of the Clock Tower, for Roman's trial.....

If news of his activities wasn't enough, then this surely was.

The Twelve Lords, rulers of their respective departments, were convening, as were numerous others though, they didn't quite matter as much as the former... Unmatched powerhouses, prodigies commanding respect and influence few could even dream to have...

Perhaps the common masses may have felt that this was a bit of an overreaction and they would be right, a city wouldn't warrant their gathering.... No, someone had orchestrated it.

Perhaps some might feel that all this, an uproar in the headquarters of the magus association and the departments staying their activities was a bit too much... Then they.. would be wrong.

When was the last time the destruction caused by one man had gone beyond a city?

When was the last time someone had managed to pull the wool over the hawk-like eyes of the many nobles residing in the Clock Tower?

When was the last time a man many had thought a cripple turned out to be someone deserving more than just 'respect'....

The possible costs of his animosity, which was par for the course considering their attitude towards him, and the possible ramifications left many stumped... What were they to do?

While the older families would recover from possibly permanently losing a powerful ally, what of the newer lineages? What of those that had only recently entered the world of magi?

What would the ramifications for them be? For treating the plausible next head of the Democratic Faction of the Clock Tower as lower than themselves?

Nobles were haughty, vain, uncaring, selfish but they were also unforgiving, any wrongs done would be paid back several times harsher....

Bluntly put, they were pretty fucked if he was anything like a noble..

Their best hope... was a Sealing Designation or severe backlash for his rash actions.... Which, in all fairness, was well within the realms of possibility... or it would be if the Clock Tower was some banal place ruled not by intellect and might but by the whims of the populace.

Those that stood at the top would not be defied, they would not be questioned.

-

"Oh my...."

Marisbury Animusphere smiled warmly, closing his eyes and leaning on the table in front of him, resting his head in both hands, "How long has it been since we all met like this?" Clearly, the Lord of the Department of Astromancy, was terribly amused, humming to himself in a low voice... Mostly ignoring the talking between the 'lesser' lords gathered in the lower seating areas...

For of course, the Twelve Lords who were there for the founding of the Clock Tower itself, would be seated above the 'common' rabble.

"A Grand Roll..... All for a brat?"

A shrivelled old figure, dressed regally, gems sewed into his very clothing and numerous rings on his thin, lifeless fingers, perhaps as expected of the Lord of the Department of Spiritual Evocation (with it dealing with spirits).... It appeared that Rufleus Nuada-Re Eulyphis wasn't quite amused by the notion of meeting to decide something so 'trivial'.

.....Though, his fellow Lords knew full well Eulyphis was just bullshitting, as was his nature.

The old man was angry, enraged even, his daughter, Sola-Ui, had become a casualty of the war.

"W-Well.. it's not like that is it?"

In contrast to all others there, Karmagliph Meluastea Deluc, was a Lord lacking in all areas that made one a lord.. With parted brown hair, dressed in a white suit, he didn't exude any 'presence'... Though the truth of the matter was, he was THE Lord Meluastea, de facto leader of the Clock Tower's Neutral Faction and the Lord of not one but two departments, "I mean, he did.. destroy a whole city right?"

"Hmph.."

Eulyphis turned his head, displeased, this damn wimp had stolen from him what he ought to have gained from his daughter and Kayneth's union, the department of Mineralogy the blonde previously ruled.. Karmagliph had the Department of Archaeology to boot!

"Huh... Let us get along for this at least."

Old, a dignified stature, wearing nay OWNING a green dress that touched the floor, Lady Inorai Valualeta Atroholm, appeared as 'lordly' as ever, her demeanour calm and relaxed... A facade though, "Your boy's kicked up quite the ruckus, Lord Trambelio."

"Hm..." McDonell only acknowledged the old woman with a nod of his head, visibly disinterested and not in the right state of mind.... As for the other Lords, well not many of them truly mattered considering they would probably go for supporting whatever decision their respective faction heads made.

The fact remained however, that even these, successors to ancient lineages, in all their wisdom, were left taken aback at the sheer magnitude of what a modern 'magus' had accomplished. It well warranted promotion after promotion, respect..... and yet... There was clear animosity thanks to HIS lineage... Undeniably, Roman was... a Trambelio.

"But still, it is a bit surprising for you to attend.. Gentlemen of the Aristocratic 'Alignment'." Marisbury made barely any effort to hide how much the situation amused him... Of course it did.. A man shunned for being a cripple and shame making moves that threw the Clock Tower to dismay... It was as if they'd been playing chess with him blindfolded... By they he meant the rest of the Lords.

He and Roman were already allied after all.

"Of course, it is my duty and, we can not simply overlook such a thing." Lorelei Bartholomei had already taken her seat and had been silent, staring daggers into McDonell, "You and I need discuss...matters." The Lord of the Department of Policies and Head of the Aristocratic Faction seemed not too amused with how she'd been effectively duped.

The chatter of other nobility went mostly ignored by the Lords on the twelve seats above them, and it seemed that they would have to pass the time with pointless idle chatter, being careful not to divulge more than necessary... Being in their positions would be rather tiring, no?

Alas, their 'peace' wasn't meant to last much longer, being rudely interrupted by a declaration,

"How're you cunts doing? All right? Enjoying your bickering? Fed your egos enough? Those sticks up your asses still firmly planted? No, they even further up thanks to the wooden seats?"

Silence enveloped the strangely built courtroom..... All too taken aback at the sheer audacity of the speaker to even be capable of forming words to retort.

"Ah.. he's here..." Karmagliph pressed his hands together, averting his eyes so as not to meet the speaker's gaze, "..." The Lord Meluastea still felt it strange that the man down below could speak so freely even in such a gathering... He was too nervous to even speak here!

"So you're here.." McDonell spoke solemnly, his gaze stern and unfeeling as he crossed his arms, staring down at his flesh and blood with a seriousness uncharacteristic of even his stoic self.

"Well then, begin with the Grand Roll, will you?" Lorelei tapped her hand against the wood in front, still annoyed.

"I, McDonell Trambelio Elrod, will be presiding over this trial..." The Lord Trambelio slightly tilted his head, exuding a pressure that made all feel the power of the man heading the Democratic Faction, "To judge the transgressions realised by Roman Trambelio....Hauth."

A small clap,

"You go!"

Roman Trambelio 'Hauth' had clapped his hands together, a massive unnerving grin etched across his face.

Many of the Twelve Lords felt that it was strange how little attention he attracted when he didn't want to and just how much he did when he actually tried... It was supernatural even.... Yet the nobility wanted nothing but to see him break down for the sheer audacity he displayed...

Disgraceful of them, the select few allowed here were supposed to be the cream of the corp....

"Silence, do not speak unless asked." Lorelei immediately shut the free spirited Roman down... only for her words to be futile..

"You're the woman here."

"....." Lorelei's lips twitched at his idea of a 'joke'.

"Roman, it'd be best if you were silent."

"Silence, brat!"

Roman snickered, "It's amusing how you get worked up.... See you'd matter to these..." He pointed at his audience, "Retards....." But then straightened up, letting go of his cane to hold out his hands, "But I'm done playing the guy you can look down on..." The Magician... nay, Deity smiled even wider, positively jovial when the 'audience' started shouting at his 'unfitting behaviour'.

Alas,

"Silence."

With one word from McDonell, all fell silent.

Roman only fixed his collars, dressed far too casually for the occasion wearing only a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the upper two buttons left undone revealing strange erratic writing all over his skin, and black suit pants with matching shoes and a few silver rings on his fingers.

"Yay...."

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Share thoughts.

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A bit of further expo for those still confused,

The Grand Roll is essentially a gathering of the lords of all departments that happens whenever shit like Roman's doings happens, it's the highest decision making body in the Clock Tower, the Head Quarters of the Mage's Association presiding over the entirety of the Magical World... It's a pretty big deal for them to converge over one person and while they're usually kept hidden, it got out because in actuality, it's supposed to be a trial for the crime of blowing up a city and all the possible implications.

The Twelve Lords are the Lords of the Clocktower's Twelve Departments (To be expanded on later) and only a few of them like Marisbury are actually impartial. With the only ones mattering being the three faction heads Lorelei, Karmagliph, and McDonell cause the other lords are also part of one of the factions and normally don't go against the head's decision.

Ah right, something I forgot to mention. Originally, Karmagliph took the Department of Mineralogy in the confusion following Kayneth's death, here he took it in the confusion of his finace's death, ignoring the man's despairing state to further his own power and standing.

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