The Guardians

By: Mulkerrin Posted on: July 30, 2005

I wasn't looking for trouble when I walked into the inn. Now, on the job it's a different story. Off duty though, we've got an understanding between us and she almost never comes looking for me. Especially not here, amidst the welcoming confines of the Leaf. Today must've been an exception. There was this guy lurking in the corner, big fella. He'd looked up when I came in and his eyes were still on me. Didn't seem dangerous, just sorta intense. Earnest. And that always meant trouble.

I headed straight towards the bar steadfastedly ignoring his attempts to catch my eye. There was no way I'd be lucky enough for him to give up and go away, but I could at least make him work for it. He got up from his table and hurried over, clearing his throat. "Excuse me," he said, "Could you maybe answer a few questions for me?"

I gave him the once over. Wings, claws, tail, toothy snout, and all wrapped in a covering of black scales. Huh. Greater dragon. Which to someone like me meant exactly nothing. Not bragging, just how it is. Still, might be possible to salvage something from an otherwise ruined afternoon. "Tell you what kid, keep my glass full, and you can ask what you like until it runs out or you get on my nerves. The one is destined to follow the other."

"Agreed!" he exclaimed, far too eagerly for my liking. Earnest, but not too bright. "Could you tell me what a typical day for you is like?" he asked.

I gestured meaningfully at the currently unoccupied space in front of me until he signaled the barkeep. While a shot was being poured, I collected my thoughts. Most of the time, people asking are just curious. Sometimes, it's a little more sinister.

"What sort of things did you want to know?" I asked.

He got this funny gleam in his eye. Then words started tumbling out of him way too fast to stop, despite how much I wanted them to. "Everything! What's it like? Do you find it exciting? It is exciting isn't it?"

I could tell where this was going and I figured I'd better head it off while I still could. Kid practically had stars in his eyes. "All right," I said, "Lemme tell you what it's really like..."

***

We started out patrolling all the regular spots. Checking in on the villages first then the dungeon and the tower, you know, the usual. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until we went to check with the Queen. It's one of the best places to go to figure out who we'll be needing to keep an eye on for later. But when we got there, something was wrong. The village was quiet, dead quiet. Literally. Ducking into her hut, there was no sign of the guards that should have been standing watch. Inside the throne room, there was nothing immediately obvious, but we'd seen it before a thousand-thousand times. Slightly scuffed floor, disturbed furniture, and once you knew to look for it, a pool of blood staining the carpet so neatly defined it looked like it'd been poured from a glass. In actuality, the last futile heartbeats of the dying had pumped it out. That tidy, must've been a quick, clean kill. That spoke of experience, and experience spelled trouble.

I grunted at my partner. Didn't have to say anything after all these years. He nodded his head off to the side and I grunted assent. We'd head to the tower and see if we could head off our suspect. As we left, the oddly unsettling scent of rose petals drenched in blood lingered with us.

The tower was much the same, only here, no one had bothered to clean up the bodies. They lay as they'd fallen, quickly, brutally. The remains long cold, and often felled by only a single wound. The Lord seemed to have put up more of struggle, not that it had made any difference. His body lay ravaged, but he might have taken comfort in knowing it was surrounded by the corpses of his enemies. Including the Queen. The recently dead lay in stark contrast to the rug of patchwork skins they lay atop. No question what had happened here, a classic double cross. This time, it was my partner looking on in askance of me. I knew what he was thinking, by now we were too far behind to catch up, not without calling in a few favors. I weighed it over. He was right, and I had to get over any reluctance I might have had. I knew where we had to go.

The valley was outside our jurisdiction so this was just a fact finding mission, any trouble and we'd call in help. I waved my thanks to Auma, definitely owed her a drink after this. There was a sense of disorientation accompanied by billowing green smoke, then for the briefest of moments it appeared for all the world as though her scales had changed from green to blue. Poraeus smiled back at me. It was a source of ceaseless amusement for him how confusing this was for the rest of us. I grinned back a little weakly, and promised to be quick. As though I'd spend any longer than I had to in this place.

I got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as we approached the farm. I've seen a lot in my day, but some things still wrench your guts inside out. Damned if I wasn't still haunted by the place over two-hundred years later. I was thankful it hadn't happened on my beat. I don't think I could've gone on if it had. Blaan was still a wreck, though at least he was here. It was always hard to talk to him, after what had happened. Lucid isn't exactly the best way to describe him. Can't blame him. He was more interested in asking us about any possible trouble than he was in describing any, but we'd gotten what we needed. Our suspect hadn't shown up yet, which meant he must have needed sleep. If he was sleeping, then if we hurried there might still be time.

We hustled back to Poraeus for a repeat of our first trip, only this time watching blue change to green. There were only two possibilities left, and by mutual accord we split up to hit them both. He went high, I went low, and almost immediately turned around upon seeing what was seemingly the slumped forms of dead dogs off in the distance. Despite his head start, I beat my partner to the village by a full stride. And you'd better believe he was gonna get a razzing for that later. Right now, there was something more important to deal with. Screaming.

You would never have been able to tell by looking at him that this was the guy who'd been causing all the mayhem. He was a troll of average height, wearing a nondescript canvas backpack. Plainly dressed, could've fit in anywhere. Except here. Even as we arrived, he sprang forward and savaged a kobold child, killing it instantly. My partner tensed, but I held him back with a sharp glance. For now, we couldn't touch him. The scene repeated itself, over and over. Believe me when I say you need a strong stomach for this kind of work. Finally, we both sensed it coming. It came when, of all possible things, he slew a butterfly. We both gasped with the realization that it was time, then surged forward, grabbing his shoulders.

We dumped him in a heap just past the archway. He had this bewildered look on his face, completely at odds with the savage joy with which he'd been killing mere moments before. He tried to come back, and looked upon us with an expression of betrayal as we once again dragged him out. And again. Finally, much more subdued, he made his way across the road and was gone. It's hard to say goodbye. Some never do. People get accustomed to the sheltered life here, and enjoy being big fish in a small pond. It's a huge world out there, and some people need a little help moving on. But when it's time, it's time. For now at least, his days in Minia were over.

***

"So that's pretty much what it's like. Mostly, you go around, trying to anticipate trouble. You patrol, guard the borders, you talk to people, and you never, ever interfere. Until it's time. Then no exceptions, you do your job. Doesn't matter what anyone says or does, you uphold Divine Law."

There was a little more to it than that, but I doubted he'd call me on it. Like I said, earnest, but not too bright. Besides, my drink was running low. "So that's how one of my days go. What made you ask anyway?"

He glanced down, and I could tell how nervous he'd become. That never boded well. "So you think, what with me being a dragon, maybe I could...?"

I looked him up and down a moment, stalling for time while I tried to think of some way to let him down easy without embarassing him. I might have been an ogre, but I didn't have to be unnecessarily cruel. Finally, I tossed back the last of my drink and said, "Sorry kid, you're a little young for the job."