A Chronometric Defect

I look out over Achiton. Our city.

It was a lot of work getting this all set up. The people, the supplies, the planning. We just had to get the city guard out of the way. Somehow.

Then, thanks entirely to a stupid dragon, it all fell into place within a single day. It's one thing for the city guard to chase down a dragon. Except, the guard captain seemed to think this dragon deserved special attention. She took things a step further and put herself in harm's way. Which is why she promoted me to second-in-command of the whole guard.

What a joke!

Dealing with the too-powerful city guard after the fact turned into slaughtering the city guard in a series of organized ambushes. Almost like the damn woman was trying to help us out. I'd feel bad for her if not for the fact she's a goody-two-shoes bootlicker. She fervently appeals to whoever happens to have power.

One might think that's a good trait for a criminal. Since, if I was in power, she'd kiss up to me, right? Nah. People like her shift with the winds too easily. They're like a blank royal check— an opportunity mixed with so much peril.

Nope, she's off limits. I gotta make sure our syndicate stays solid and grounded.

"Haaah."

Just like any other organization.

That's because criminals are merely normal people who've been rejected by the masses. The common refrain 'no honor among theives' assumes politicians and their legal goons aren't also in it for themselves. It assumes we're somehow different from them. Somehow lesser.

Of course, those politicians like to delude us with righteous-sounding goals and principles, but the majority are bootlickers like the guard captain. The few who aren't?

They steal and kill more than we ever could!

In truth, so-called criminal organizations have their own laws and systems of norms. We kill, sure, just like normal leaders. We don't pretend it's because we're righteous.

In that respect, you could say us criminals have an image problem. Hire a good town crier and perhaps we'll cozy right up to the local nobility, elected officials, or best yet— appointed leaders.

Gods know those appointees love us. Heck, some in this city ARE criminals. 'Cuz the whole syndicate operates under them! They don't face any consequences since they enforce the law. They're above the law. It's only we who must follow the law.

Well, until now. I walk down to a lower section of the roof. I shove my heels into the roof's structure without care for the damage I'm doing.

I look down from my rooftop perch at the mayor. He's lying in a pool of blood on his pristine main street.

Good riddance. This city will be better off without shoddy facades like him. While I'll fully admit our leadership won't run the city much less hypocritically, at least it won't be mismanaged by THAT buffoon anymore.

I mean, that's the whole point of killing someone.

You can never fully erase the contradictions of humanity, but you can erase the humans who dare to contradict you.

I notice a team liaison walking up behind me.

"Sir Maro, we've received an emergency report from the west slum."

"What. Is it about that dragon?"

"Yessir. It's out."

I turn around to face him.

"Okay, why's this an emergency?"

"Err. The first thing it did was slaughter the entire team assigned to the mortally-wounded guard captain. Since then, it appears to be casting unidentifiable spells on her. They're not healing spells, but they also aren't lethal."

That BITCH! She really was siding with whoever had power. I knew she was like that, but to side with a dragon over humanity! She said it listened to her request— but now it looks like she was under its direction all along.

But, if so... If so, there's definitely a problem. She helped us far too much. By her own admission, this dragon is highly intelligent. If all of that was done at the dragon's direction, and now it turns around and slaughters our side.

...

The hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

Doesn't that mean it's using our army to weaken the city's defensive forces?!

"SHIT! This is bad, this is REALLY bad! Instruct the entire board to convene at the meeting hall. Level ONE emergency. If they don't want to come, put them on the kill list."

The liaison's eyes nearly bulge out. A level one emergency on the verge of victory? Yeah, even the revolt itself didn't merit such an order.

"Yessir. Right away, sir."

He runs off at top speed.

I turn back around and stare down at the dead mayor.

"I pray... Gods, I pray I'm wrong."