No Such Thing as Good and Evil

A tall white wolf wearing golden plate armor with a green cape coming down his back waded through the flooded auditorium. He looked around at the water confused, looked at the torn to shreds bodies that floated around in it and rubbed his chin. He then made his way to the back room and frowned as he scanned the half-melted room filled with piles of ashes and the distinct smell of hellfire. A horrible smell like oil, mixed with fish, mixed with spoiled milk.

The wolf took a tablet out of his storage bag he had tied around his waist. He drew a symbol on it, and the tablet lit up, then he put it to his ear.

“Hello?” A voice said.

“Hello Alexis, its Gaelin.”

Alexis sighed. “Gaelin, if you’re calling about….”

Gaelin cut him off. “I know, you didn’t want to hear about it anymore. I don’t have much time to talk myself. You see, I’m currently in the basement of a hotel in the town of Tyrael, in the southern part of Alessandria. The back room of the hotel is burnt to cinders from hellfire, and there’s ashes everywhere.”

Alexis sighed again. “Once again Gaelin, just because hellfire is involved doesn’t mean its Shade. It’s been 6 months since that tavern you were positive was him burnt down, and nothing’s happened until…”

Gaelin cut him off again. “Just listen for a second. There was a witness this time. A guard was posted outside of the event that was being held here. He was attacked by two assailants who forced their way in. He wouldn’t give much information on what the event was, but the bodies of dozens of important merchants and local lords are here, it looks like an entire damn army attacked this place. Their bodies are torn to ribbons like hundreds of spears tore through them at the same time. But that’s not the case in the back. The back of the event has the remains of melted chains and collars, I’m sure we can both put two and two together.”

“A slave auction, sure. Shade did enjoy taking those down, one of the very few redeeming qualities about that man. But it’s not like him to kill the slaves, wouldn’t that be more of a reason to prove it wasn’t him?” Alexis pondered.

“That’s what I thought at first as well. But when I asked the guard for information on the attackers, he said it was a human man, and a fairy girl with rainbow wings.”

“Rainbow wings?” Alexis gasped. “Royalty taking down a slave ring in a tiny town? Who was it?”

“That’s the thing, we have no idea. I have asked all around seeking if there was some special mission I wasn’t privy too, but there were none. All the royals from Alessandria are accounted for at the time of attack as well. I began to think it was maybe a royal from outside the kingdom, maybe Merellien trying to incite war by killing some minor nobility. But when I pushed the guard for more information, descriptions of the attackers, names if he had them. The guard looked nervously at me and said the girl apparently was named Faylen, then he said he only heard the girl use a nickname for her human companion. That nickname? The black devil.” There was a long silent pause before Gaelin continued. “I know you don’t want him to be alive, and I’m not sure myself if him being alive is a good or bad thing. Who knows what he’s been doing for the past 10 years, but I think what’s happening in Merellien and him popping back up all the sudden cannot be a coincidence. It’s him this time Alexis, I’m sure of it.”

There was another long pause before Alexis calmy replied. “Let’s say it is him, what will Alessandria do? There is a statue in honor of his death in the middle of your capital, is there not?”

“There is. I’m sure you recall what he did here, who he killed. Even so, if he’s willing to help in a potential war with Merellien, I will advise anyone who’s willing to listen within these walls to ally with him.”

“You would align yourself with that monster?” Alexis asked.

“Yes, in an instant. It’s better to have him as an ally then an enemy, would you not agree?” Gaelin replied.

“Maybe in the past, but we have technology now, technology that didn’t exist 10 years ago.”

“Technology that’s keeping Merellien at bay, sure. But what about a virtual demi-god? If you fought Shade one on one right now with all your technological might at play, what are the odds you win?”

There was one final long pause. “Thank you for the information Gaelin, I must go and discuss with the king.”

“I understand, I’m sure we’ll be talking again soon.” Then the tablet went dark. He went to put the tablet away when he paused. He looked at the tablet, groaned, sighed, then made another sign on it and put it to his ear.

After a minute, a female voice came through. “Hello, Leomoiras Herbery.”

“Hello, is this Aerith? This is Gaelin, Knight commander of Alessandria.”

“Gaelin? It’s been almost 30 years since we last spoke, how are you? What can I do for you?” Aerith said in a mock seductive voice.

“I’m currently standing in the remains of a slave auction that’s been melted by hellfire, with the only witness claiming a rainbow winged fairy girl and a human man the girl called the black devil attacked it. I was just wondering, you haven’t happened to see any decades dead lucifer dragons milling about, have you?”

“Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t. It depends, I could give you some info, but I would like something in return as well. Don’t worry, it involves this dead dragon of ours and the war I’m sure you’re worried about.”