The midday sun filtered down through fractured clouds, casting slanted beams of light over the bloodied forest glade. A small unit of soldiers moved swiftly through the aftermath, their uniforms pristine, bearing the tri-colored trim of gold, silver, and green. On their shoulder plates gleamed an insignia of a half-lion beast with the serpentine tail of a mermaid.
At their front, a soldier ran breathless. His armor clattered with each stride as he reached a man in even grander armor steel woven with threads of green enamel and gilded filigree. His presence alone commanded attention.
"Sire!" the soldier called out, saluting sharply. "Bandits, sir. We found their trail. They've been defeated, but one remains alive. You might want to see this."
The commanding figure, his auburn hair streaked with strands of grey and beard trimmed with military precision, glanced sideways. His eyes were hard, unreadable.
"Lead me," he said.
