A Chronometric Defect

I don' know wha's wrong wit' tha' dragon. He comes here ta learn healin', I can' teach 'em nothin', an' he jus' flies raght back off.

At leas' we both learn'd somthin'. Pure Evil ain' able ta cas' healin' magic. It's not that he didn' know tha spells, but he jus' can' cast 'em.

I see Yenim walkin' into tha healin' room. I see lady Yenim is doin' well. She stops and looks a' me.

"Adelia, I'm seeking to expand the city guard. More and stronger monsters are coming from the west. It's getting to the point where even if I had my original guards, we'd still eventually be overwhelmed. We're only able to hold on thanks to Achiton's city walls at this point."

"You lookin' for some fresh recruits, then?"

"I am, anyone you have in mind?"

Now's as good a time as any, I 'spose.

"My job's information, princess Shridenia."

"Aha. How long have you known?"

"Since b'fore the revolt."

"Why now?"

"Raiz capitulat'd. To Pure Evil, I mean. So, I have too."

"Didn't you already?"

"Please, your mast'r was jus' playin' wit' us. So now ya can tell me awl-a his plans, yea?"

"I've told you— many times. I'm not on his side. I'm on the city of Achiton's side."

"Odd, seems ta me yer on Fridellia's side, too."

"I'm definitely not."

"So, what yer father told Raiz was true?"

"That I fled the capital to start over? Yes."

"And the rest?"

"Well, there were other... Things. Particularly, my brothers. I'm not about to dredge that up."

Yer much easi'r ta lead than tha dragon, hun.

"So, ya didn' kill 'em?"

She grabs 'er head and goes screamin' weirdly.

"WHAT?! No, I—kkkkkkkkuuuuuuuuu!!!!!"

'er eyes go wide and wild.

"PHILLIP, WHY WON'T YOU JUST D------FFTTT --- No, NO! I didn't!!! NOOOO!"

She's shakin' and pullin' 'er hair like a madwoman. Godsdamned. She really did do it.

"No, I... I—"

*err-err*

*glup*

...

...

"Adelia... I... I killed my brothers."

Uh, she came 'round quick.

Oh, I see. Tha dragon's makin' it easy.

"Why, hun?"

"I don—erk, I don't know!"

What I dunno is if we should keep this psycho aroun', dragon or wha'ever. Why tha hell would he be showin' this ta me? I can' wrap my head 'round his goals.

"Look hun, I'll get ya all tha recruits ya need. Ya sort yerself out, mm'kay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, alright..."

Boy does she look frazzl'd, though.

I leave the room. I'm goin' out ta see Raiz.

"Adelia, just the woman I was looking for. What do you think of these statues I'm planning?"

I'm stunn'd. How MANY did he MAKE?

I gesture ta the dozens a' fig'res laid out on tha table.

"They' all dragons."

"Yes, I'd rather he's pleased. I do prefer living."

This place 's becomin' a madhouse.

"Why don' you ask his 'pinion rath'r than wastin' all tha tax money? Ya heard what he did in Tengerii, righ'?"

Raiz's face turns whate, so I nab 'em.

"Imb'cile. Ya used ta be a lot sharp'r when it came ta'dis."

"You're right, Adelia. I've found myself unable to get any sleep at night. I have so many nightmares about our god. Not ones where he's killing or hurting me, oh no. They're all nightmares where he picks out the mistake I didn't myself notice and then he condemns me to death. The Achiton citizens gleefully execute me just like Maro."

I had no idea. Sheesh, hun. Talk ta me more.

"Look, he's a big skaaary dragon, aight? But so long as ya have tha best int'rests of tha people in min', he don' care. Even if ya screw up. Dragon statues won' be in tha bes' int'rest of tha people, but I feel he'd jus' overlook it and tell ya not ta waste tha money. I mean, nah... He will like it. Pro'ly give ya more money, hah!"

He looks at me wit' surpris'.

"You know this from your information network?"

Nope, but I can see tha pat'ern.

"'Course, hun."

"Then what should I do?"

Agh.

"Jus' contact 'em and see wha' he say's 'bout tha statues."

"I... Suppose I could. Thank you, Adelia."

"Yer welcome hun."

I walk back ta tha healin' center. Yenim hasn' gone yet, and she's lookin' at me.

"My mind's been tampered with."

Oh. Well, aigh't then. I ain't got a damn clue what he's playin' at anymore. God indeed.

"How do ya know, hun?"

"When I think about what I did... What I clearly did, it's like something in my mind tries to hide it from me. Tries to take control of my thoughts. I worried, for a split second; am I crazy? In that moment, it pushed itself into my fears and tried to take over. I felt it trying to break me. This thing... Whatever it is, it isn't an illness. It can move under its own Will."

"I see... Ahm impressed ya could figur' tha' out so quickly."

"Royalty is trained to resist mental manipulation from a young age, Adelia. You know it. But this? This isn't normal."

So she's implyin' it ain't tha dragon's doin'?

Ha, she's a real firecrack'r!

"Think it was tha drag—"

She shakes 'er head.

"No. He reconstructed my brain. He had every chance in the world to make this... Thing, far stronger. He didn't. Which means, this isn't his work. Besides Adelia, didn't you tell me he showed up three days ago? My brothers died years ago."

"Yea, I was testin' ya, hun. It ain't like there only has'ta be one mind manipulatin' spell. I hav' somthin' to share with ya, though, 'cuz it ain't addin' up. Tha syndicate works... Worked, under Tha' Purified Heavens."

"Then—"

"Nah, hun. We're subordinated ta tha dragon. Raiz is scared as all heck. Jus' tol' me he's havin' endless 'ightmares."

"Oh."

"Righ', easy ta see why, yea? Anyhow, I'm gonna break anoth'a of ma covenants, but I ain't of a mind ta care righ' now. Hun, they instruct'd us tha' ya had ta die. Tha's why we had near as many troops on ya as tha mayor. But I also knew ya were gonna be tha new queen of Shridenia. I KNOW why they need ya as a pawn so badly, ya get me? Which is 'xactly why a kill order jus' don' add up."

She lowers 'er head somberly.

"This... Whatever it is? It wants me to do only one thing. Calmly, carefully, and quietly."

"What's it, hun?"

"Kill everything."

Oh dear.