1.1

[edited for proof of content ownership on royalroad.com]

Captain Skellian stood atop the weathered castle top, looking down on the city of Greenfront.

Several fires burned below in the city, and people ran sreaming from house to house.

He laughed. “Dying, eh?” he asked his companion.

Joe mcshoots looked over to Skellian and rose his brow. “Yes, they are. How did you know?”

“Now, boy,” Skellian replied, “no need to be like that, now.”

Joe mcshoots had been in the city guard for only one month, and for some reason he’d taken a liking to Skellian. After all, he had taken the lad under his wing and taught him so much already.

“Why do we do it, Skellian?” he asked. “I mean, the people, just like you or I, and they’re burning to death at our command.”

“Yes, that is correct Joe mcshoots, we did this. But for good reason.”

Skellian took a long dredge of some whiskey that he’d kept in his sock.

Part 2