Path of Dragons 18 - Chapter 3 - Consequences (Patreon)

Sadie Song wasted no time with the niceties, instead barging through Ironshore’s gates as if she owned the place.  The guards stood aside, watching as she and the rest of her Adjudicators marched unimpeded into the city.  For her part, she looked neither right nor left, instead holding her head high and her shoulders back.

After all, she had a reputation to uphold, both as an Adjudicator and as the Prime Judge.  That was one lesson taught to her by her grandfather that she would never forget.  Despite society’s insistence otherwise, appearances mattered.  First impressions were incredibly important, especially when someone wanted to convey a sense of authority. 

That was why she insisted that every Adjudicator’s armor maintained a cleanliness and repair function.  Each piece of armor had a limit to its potential, based mostly on t he materials used in its construction.  But the skills of the Blacksmith who made it also came into the equation.

So, most people would’ve rather spent all of that potential on more useful enchantments and traits.  More attributes.  More durability.  That sort of thing.  Those people would have called the Clean and Repair functions entirely superfluous, especially considering their metaphysical weight. 

Not Sadie, though.

Those were even more important than a few extra attributes.  Because she knew that the armor wasn’t just armor.  It was a symbol.  When people saw that gleaming white-and-silver armor, they knew that justice had come to town.  It engendered equal parts fear, hope, and faith, which was the only reason they could do their jobs.

After all, they were outnumbered by the criminals, much less the population.  And though they had great equipment, powerful classes, and enough levels to make them dangerous, the average Adjudicator was no stronger than an adventurer. 

But they were more respected.

Far more feared as well.

Sadie wasn’t sure where one ended and the other began.  Either way, she felt that the backbone of their reputation was rooted in appearance, so she’d made certain to ensure that her people valued those aspects accordingly.

That philosophy paid dividends as she led her squad through the city. People scattered to the sides of the cobblestone street.  Most of the normal, law-abiding citizens did so out of respect, and they lacked the look of unease that decorated the faces of the shadier residents. 

Sadie didn’t really pay much attention to either.  She’d seen it all before, and often enough that it no longer came as a surprise.  Instead, she continued to march, leading her squad deep into the city.

Ironshore had changed quite a lot over the past decade or so.  Ever since Saraalinisa had taken over, the city had experienced an unprecedented level of growth.  That was not surprising, considering that the previous mayor – the goblin Ramik – had been a Sorcerer by archetype.  He’d taken an ascendent class that incorporated some administrative abilities, but it would take more than that to put him on par with a dragon like Saraalinisa, who not only possessed the power of her race but the advantage of the Administrator archetype.

The combination had produced a drastic effect, with Ironshore growing considerably during her stewardship of the city.  Ironshore had always been one of Earth’s greatest and wealthiest cities, but with every passing year, it drew further ahead of its competition. 

Part of that was due to its reputation as a crafting hub to which most serious Tradesmen dreamed of making a pilgrimage.  The Forge of Creation saw to that, but the city had also embraced that identity, encouraging those craftsmen to stick around.  Many did.

Of course, Ironshore also benefited greatly from its well-developed whaling industry.  They’d partnered with the nearby Hartwood Grove – and the resident Crying Dragon Soap Company – to ensure that they maximized the profit.  They used every part of the whales, which brought a tidy sum even before they sold the fat to the soapers. 

There were plenty of other industries in Ironshore, which was typical of a city its size, but everything they touched seemed to work out. 

Not really surprising, considering that Saraalinisa seemed to take after her mother, who was known as Prosperity in the Empire of Scale. 

Sadie had visited the empire on two separate occasions, which had opened her eyes to the wider multi-verse.  Sure, it was one thing to know that Elijah’s adopted mother was a transcendent, but it was something else altogether to stand on the surface of a planet under Kirlissa’s control. 

One of many, she’d had to remind herself.

Even if Elijah hadn’t been so special on his own, he would’ve been a relative prince in the Empire of Scale. 

If her grandfather had known that, he might not have objected so fervently to their relationship.  He always was status-obsessed, and it really didn’t get more high-status than what amounted to a dragon god. 

Briefly, she imagined what life would’ve been like had he embraced Elijah.  Would her brother still be dead?  Probably.  Nico was never satisfied with what he had, but he wasn’t talented enough to take more.  Not without violating every principle he should’ve held dear.

So, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out so differently.

Either way, the past was the past.  Sadie refused to dwell on it, save for when she periodically returned to Hong Kong to visit their respective memorials. Few others did so anymore.  There just weren’t enough Hong Kong natives left in the world.

But Sadie made certain that the memorials were well maintained.  She owed her family as much.  She owed it to Dat most of all.

Despite the distance, it didn’t take long for Sadie and her squad to reach the central square in front of Ironshore’s government building.  It was a grand affair, the architecture patterned after the goblins’ preferred look.  However, it had been renovated often enough that other stylistic influences had crept in.  Despite the eclectic mix of domes and spires and what seemed almost like Victorian themes, the overall aesthetic worked.

The city itself followed a similar theme – an intentional choice made by the city’s last administration.  Saraalinisa had continued down that path, creating a unified identity for Ironshore.  That choice had probably been made in order to foster pride amongst the residents, and it worked.

The people of Ironshore were fiercely dedicated to their city. 

Sadie glanced to her left, and though her view of Elijah’s island was blocked by the dense array of buildings, she could easily imagine it.  Wreathed in ethereal mist, it was a paradise unequaled on all of Earth.  She had spent many nights there, and in some ways, she still considered it her true home.  It was not unlike the way she’d felt about her parents’ house after she had left for college. 

But she knew she could never go back.

The moment her relationship with Elijah had ended, so too had her relationship with the Hartwood Grove come to a close.  Certainly, some of her friends on the island might have welcomed her back, but she would have been an outsider.  What’s more, her position as the Prime Judge would have left everyone there ill at ease.

It was better that she stayed away.

She barely even visited Ironshore anymore, much less the grove.  And that was just how things had to be.

In any case, she couldn’t afford to concern herself with such things, because there was a huge problem brewing in the square.  Ten people faced off against a full century of the Iron Legion.  In the center of them were a few of Ironshore’s heavy hitters, including Miguel and Carmen.  Saraalinisa was there as well. 

Even from afar, Sadie could feel the tension.

The ten people opposing the Iron Legion and the city’s champions were obviously dragons, and not weak ones.  Deities. 

The reports Sadie had received claimed as much, but she had hoped that they would be proven false.  That was not the case, though. 

“Fan out.  Be prepared to bind the criminal,” she ordered.  “Nine point star.  I will take the lead.”

The other Adjudicators didn’t vocalize their agreement, but they didn’t need to. Instead, they broke formation, with everyone spreading out to encircle the dragons.  For her part, Sadie didn’t break stride, and she soon reached the confrontation.

“By order of the Adjudicators, I demand to know the situation,” she announced, her voice booming across the square.  “What is the accusation?”

“What is this little thing?” sneered one of the dragons.  He stood in the center of the line, his chest puffed out.  Oddly enough, he cut quite a small figure.  That would obviously not remain the case if he chose to take on his dragon form.  He laughed. “A baby angel?  Here?  On this backwater planet?  Their recruiters must have been getting desperate!”

“This asshole killed a woman because she wouldn’t discount the sword he wanted to buy,” Miguel stated.  “Then, he attacked a member of the Iron Legion.”

“She should’ve known better than to refuse me,” said the dragon, his voice haughty.  He raised his head and looked at the crowd.  “You should all kneel before me and worship me as your god.”

“No one is going to do that, Kino,” Saraalinisa stated evenly.  “My mother –”

“Your mother isn’t here,” the dragon cut in.  “Neither is your brother.  Besides, no one could blame me for taking a planet or two.  After that debacle of an ancestral world, I am owed at least that much.”

“You do not deny your part in the woman’s murder?” asked Sadie, keeping her tone even.  She’d had a lot of practice doing just that.  As an objective judge, she couldn’t very well show disgust every time she confronted a murderer. 

The dragon scoffed, “Murder?  Please.  She was just an ascendent.  It was no more impactful than swatting a fly.”

Sadie flicked her eyes to ensure that her people were in place.  They were.  Each of them had drawn their swords.  Not to attack, but rather, to bind.

“Then by the authority of the Adjudicators, I command you to surrender,” Sadie ordered.  “If you choose to resist, you will be bound and forced to confess your sins.  If they are deemed severe enough, you will be executed.”

That last part was a mere formality.  The penalty for murder was always the same. 

“Surrender?  Surrender?!” bellowed the dragon.  “Ha!  I will kill you first, little angel.  Then, I will –”

Sadie didn’t hesitate to use her first ability, which was called Shackles of Faith.  The ability activated, draining ethera and faith alike.  A moment later, a host of golden chains burst free from the ground, wrapping themselves around the dragon’s arms and legs.  He fought back, but it would take more than simple strength to break free of that ability’s bindings. 

Next, she used the activated ability attached to her sword.  Grand Inquisition.

Suddenly, every other Adjudicator’s sword lit up with golden light that soon branched off, forming a nine-pointed star that funneled energy into Sadie’s sword.  She held it steady, extending the blade toward the dragon.  A beam of holy light fell from the sky, slamming into the dragon.

He fell to his knees, wailing in pain.

He tried to transform, but the combination of Shackles of Faith and Grand Inquisition prevented it.  Instead, he continued to scream.

Sadie advanced.

The other dragons stood by, stunned that he’d been subdued so easily.  They had no idea that Sadie had used nearly every bit of faith she had accumulated over the past year.  Nor did they know that Grand Inquisition was only available once every six months, and then only if none of the participants had used any of their swords’ other traits. 

“By the authority of the Adjudicators,” she said, stepping closer.  “I command you to Confess.”

Ethera and the rest of Sadie’s faith exploded out of her, along with her wings of golden rays of light.  The energy slammed into the kneeling dragon, settling onto his mind and soul.

Then, he obeyed Sadie’s command.

He didn’t stop at the murder, either.  He went on and on about how he’d lied, stolen, cheated, and killed his way to the top.  He confessed to sabotaging his fellows, which didn’t go over well with his allies.  And in the end, he isolated himself in a way that nothing else could have forced.

Sadie stood over him.  “Your actions have earned execution,” she stated, laying her hand on his head.  “Do you repent of your sins?”

The dragon did not.

Criminals rarely did.  Some said the words, but few truly meant it.  Most were defiant to the very end.

So it was with the dragon.

Sadie’s sword fell, and his head came free a second later.  It tumbled to the ground as the dragon’s body went limp.

Another criminal executed.

As easy as it had looked to outsiders, Sadie knew that she had been walking a tightrope.  The dragon had nearly broken free there at the end.  If she’d been even a little weaker, he would have.

And then, hundreds of people would have died. 

Probably more, because the other dragons surely would have joined in.  The possibility that they might’ve taken over Ironshore completely was very, very real.

But now, the crisis had been averted.

Sadie’s legs wobbled with ethereal exhaustion, but she didn’t allow it to show.  Instead, she turned to the other dragons and said, “You remain guests of humanity.  Should you abuse our hospitality, you will end up like your ally.  Obey our laws, and you will be welcomed.  The choice is yours.”

Then, without another word, she turned and marched away.  The rest of the Adjudicators followed.  It was only when she was out of sight that she let her shoulders sag.  She stepped into a nearby ally just before her legs gave out.  She fell to her knees before her subordinates could even catch her.

Breathing hard, she looked up and said, “I’m fine.  Just make sure no one sees.”

They had already formed a line at the head of the alley, meaning that, for now, Sadie could relax and recover.  But once she stepped out of that narrow corridor, she would once again find herself in the spotlight.

Such was the life of the Prime Judge.