Tirigan's First Age Story

Shadows of the First Age

An Island in the Great Western Ocean

Only the smoke marred the perfect blue of the island sky.

It was a pretty little town, buildings sloping down the hill to a small harbour, all clean and white in the warm sunshine. The burning pirate ship in the harbour and the scattering of burning houses on the shore spoiled what would have been a serene view.

I was in the town square with the huddled, frightened townsfolk. My fire aspect Terrestrials had a brutally efficient method of turfing people out of their homes; either leave or burn. It didn't take many demonstrations to convince the islanders to follow orders. Five thousand men, women and children were keeping away from the square's edge where I'd had the pirates impaled. I'd also had the mayor, her husband and their three children impaled. Such is the price of collaboration.

A gull landed in the square and glared at me with its mad yellow eyes. I looked calmly back. "Hello Clariel" I said. The gull became a woman, though kept the glare. "Was that entirely necessary?" said Clariel with a glance towards the dead mayor.
"All the independent settlements know the rules. If they want our protection they must acknowledge our rule, if they want to be left alone we will not disturb them; but they may not shelter our enemies otherwise we will intervene".
"They weren't sheltering anyone.", Clariel's voice was calm but I could see the fury building, "The pirates were occupying the town, they had hostages".
"The locals outnumbered the pirates one hundred to one, they could have dealt with them; they didn't."
"The islanders aren't warriors and the pirates were armed."
"So why didn't you help? Isn't this archipelago part of your hunting ground?"
"And break your precious rules? I know what happened to the last lunar who did that."

Clariel was really angry now. Lunars can get very defensive about their protectorates and baiting them about it is unwise. No matter, we were both unarmed. "So what now?" she said.
"The law has been broken. Now there is punishment."
"What do you have intend?"

I flicked a glance towards the townsfolk, I didn't need to say anything. Neither did Clariel. She lunged forward, changing as she went, becoming a monster. Her war-form was a giant, salt-water crocodile, heavily armoured and with teeth like knives. Fast too. With a swift snap she bit the closest Terrestrial in half, his artefact armour helping not at all. Then she came for me.

Lunars fight using rage and instinct, it makes them fast but it also makes them predictable. A quick feint with my right hand distracted the beast. Only for an instant but that was all I needed. With my left I summoned and threw Swift Justice with one motion. The longfang plunged through the monster's eye and into its brain, killing her instantly.

I retrieved my spear unhurriedly as Clariel reverted to her natural shape in death. I faced the terrified townsfolk and pronounced their doom. "I, Supreme Marshall Ghanbarian, High Warden of the West, find you guilty of collaborating with the enemies of the Realm. In my mercy I shall spare your lives but an example must be made that you will not forget. I do this by my right as a Lawgiver, by the power of the Deliberative and in the name of the Unconquered Sun." I turned to my Terrestrials who stood ready to follow my order.

"Burn the children" I said.