I had switched from using my breath attack to using Firestorm to harass the baron’s lands. Black fire that never extinguishes is too cruel to release on peasants. It was during one of my daily fire raids that I saw a new banner flying from a guard tower. It had replaced the old flag of the baron and was not a standard that depicted a black dragon’s head on a white background. I threw caution to the wind. The baron was mocking me. I flew to his mansion. It was a large house surrounded by gardens. I landed in the garden. Smashing the fence, destroying the fountain, and trampling his flowers with just my weight. I roared with enough power to shatter the windows. In under a minute the baron came running into his backyard. “Lord Anon! It’s good to see you again.” His smile was fake, his words had taken on a sacarin tone. “Why do you mock me?” I ask, rolling my head to the side. “Mock you? We would never.”

“The flag. The new one with the dragon. Why do you fly it?” my voice comes out like gravel.

“We wanted to contact you, but you weren’t responding to our messedges. The king has given control of this city to you.” What a lie. This must be one of the king’s political plays. I laugh in the baron’s face. The force of it blowing his clothes back. “The city is mine then? I control it?”

He nods. Let’s test this then.

“Where is Edmund?”

“My son has resigned from his position as guard captain. He resided at my estate.” So he’s in the house. “You know he tried to kill me, right?” the baron nods. He readjust his clothes and run his hand down his face. “You wish to convict him of treason don’t you?” His voice has almost gotten as deep as mine. I nod. The baron recoils, his face looks perplexed. Then he rubs his hand down his face again. The sad expression is replaced again by a sacarin smile. “We will prepare him for execution immediately then.” I can see the baron’s teeth outlined in his cheek as he bites the inside of his mouth. He is trying everything he can to keep his composure. I take in his appearance with wide eyes. He would sell out his son for the sake of his city. He obviously isn’t happy about it, but he is probably held by some noble duty. He’s lucky. Lucky that I base my morals off of modern standards. “Give him to me.” His body is shaking as he calls out Edmund. Edmund steps out of the house. I look at his face, but it is more stony than ever. His father is now trembling.

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“Which room is your library?”

The baron’s trembling stops. He is now confused. He raises a hand up to one of the lower rooms. I reach my claw through the walls and grab a bookshelf. Then I grab Edmund in my other claw.

“I will be keeping him as a guest again. Do try to follow my orders to the best of your ability.”

With that I take to the skies.

“Here is your food.” Marice slides a plate of fresh fish and vegetables through the bars to Kan. “Thanks.” Kan says with a dull voice. Marice hands another plate to Jack “Thank you very much.” He smiles at her. She smiles back. The flapping of large wings draws all of their attention. Anon is flying back from his daily exp grind. He floats and comes to the ground in front of the cage. “I got you some books along with a new friend.” He smiles at his prisoners. He pulls off the lid and places Edmund inside the prison. Then carefully places the book shelf in a spot that would look good. Like a child arranging a doll house. Anon places the lid tightly back on the prison. “Get along now.” With that he flew away again. Edmund dusted himself off. He went to an unused bed and sat down. The other two prisoners poked their heads into the main room. They both inspected him. “You’re not a Chosen.” Edmund nodded. “What did you do?” Edmund shakes his head. Holding his emotionless face in his hands. “Betrayed him.” Jack and Kan look at eachother. “An actual criminal.” Jack speaks up. Kan shrugs. “I belong here too.” Kan admits. “For all the pain I’ve caused to those single mothers.”

“Dude, you were brainwashed. It’s okay.”

“I still did it. I still remember doing it. It’s like if I was drunk. You still are you, you still get the DUI when you crash your car.”

Jack tried to talk Kan out of his slump. “Then shouldn’t the airdwellers be punishing you, not Anon?”

Kan shrugs. “Anon leads the tribes now. His punishment is as good as any.”

“Anon leads the tribes?” Edmund speaks up. Curious on this development.

Jack takes a sarcastic tone “Yeah a real benevolent ruler. United the tribes in peace with only one meeting.”

“Amazing.” Edmund smiles. He doesn’t understand Jack’s sarcasm, but his words give Edmund hope. If Anon is such a benevolent ruler, perhaps his transgressions are forgiven. He won’t continue to take his frustrations out on the people. Maybe the future is bright.

The other two shrugged. They were beginning to get Abnormal Status: Boredom(medium), but these books should help relive that.