Seven-hundred-sixty-four. I can't stop thinking about that number. That is how many are dust now, with a myriad more injured. Most had tags or engraved armor marking their names. I should be helping collect and sort the crystal dust. What is left of many will be lost to the wind and former chaos of battle. Some schors are drawing the parts of the behemoth's body and taking samples while scores of their kindred smash the corpse to harvest the rge crystal inside.

  Humans would ugh if they could see me right now. Sulking, brooding, being miserable over a few hundred dead familiars. While I was theirs thousands of my creations would perish in petty wars and I would feel nothing. My polluted mind saw it all through a fog as if I was having a lucid dream. They would simply command me to make more, always more.

  Now, none are forced to follow me or to fight for me but regardless many do it instinctively and this makes me feel even more guilty for each of my crystalborn that perishes. Sentient ones have bigger freedom of choice but the beast-types would almost all innately die for me in a heartbeat. I could command them to leave, not to fight, but I need them. I can't stop a behemoth alone—the Southern City still bears scars from the previous attack.

  There is shouting and commotion outside. It negates the sounds coming from the crushing of the behemoth's corpse. I get up from the table and leave the tent, with my brooding hopefully left behind.

  A hulking and brutish creature is brought in chains in front of Kali. He dwarfs many of his kindred around him. Despite his being shackled, others are wary of his mere presence. She holds a ridiculously oversized ax in her right hand. The ogre kneels in front of her accepting his fate, knowing it would be pointless to try and attack her. If anyone else was his executioner the ogre would probably rage and fight until his dying breath. Even kneeling he is slightly taller than her.

  Silence spreads as soon as Kali starts speaking. ''There can be only one punishment for cowardice.'' Hundreds of her kindred have gathered around her to witness the decapitation. Her cuirass is stained, almost fully covered with shiny dried behemoth's blood, contrasting her fwlessly smooth face. Just like her kindred, she is blessed with long-sting youth.