{Kiko. A cat beastkin. An elite sentry of the fourth division of the empire.}
[20+ years after the empire’s founding.]
I sat at the bar enjoying my drink as I watched the youngsters be merry amongst themselves. I pleasingly smiled while remembering the past. I have grown old in my years, and the litters I’ve had with my wolfkin mate have grown enough to be on their own. Now, I merely watch over a city of one of the empires territories. To think that just twenty years ago there wasn’t a empire, and I was a slave prostitute. I took a glance at the group again, then I saw a new recruit looking at me. He was a dragon1dragonspeciesnewt in his late teens. I wonder if he was born in one of the keeper tribes, or was one of the freed slaves. I thought about that for a moment, before he moved over to me with a fresh mug.
“Teacher, I heard you once saved my father’s life during the war.” (Dragonnewt Youth)
I blinked for a moment at him, unsure about whenever I ever saved a dragonnewts life during the war. He could just carry his high dragon blood more in him than his other parents bloodline.
“How do you know it was me?” (Kiko)
He blinked at me, then pointed at my badge.
“Kiko, the iron wall. A master of the tower shield. The emperor himself recommended you for knighthood after the war, but you turned him down.” (Dragonnewt Youth)
I became intrigued after he said that.
“Oh, you did your research. Did you join this out of the way mining town just to see me?” (Kiko
He then shook his head in response.
“No, I was assigned to the mountain wall for six weeks before coming here for the week.” (Dragonnewt Youth)
His words caught the attention of some of the youngsters around us.
“You! On the mountain wall for six weeks, and not a scratch on you. My father says that the humans hit that place at least once a week with magic5magicstory mechanic bombardments.” (Tigerkin Youth)
He simply nodded.
“It seems like a vacation compared to my mother’s training. Flying from one city to the next, then walking back after defeating the defending captain of the location in a spar. All without rest. When I get back, it’s back to my studies in statecraft.” (Dragonnewt Youth)
He suddenly paused for a moment. I heard about the elite academy that was founded last year, but this seemed like something else.
“Ah, an elite cadet. Makes sense now that you’re at the top of the rookies.” (Kiko)
He laughed for a moment in response.
“Yeah! I’m in the academy.” (Dragonnewt Youth)
He then looked at me and pushed the drink in front of me.
“My father told me when I met you that I should buy you a drink to thank you for your service. He also wanted me to ask you something if the opportunity presented itself.” (Dragonnewt Youth)
He then spoke with his mind directly into me.
‘Are you satisfied with the results of the promise back at Star City?’ (Dragonnewt Youth)
I couldn’t help but laugh as I picked up the drink that he offered me. I drank it in one go, realizing who this individual was now. I’ve been living it easy for almost ten years now. I guess he kept his promise.
{Narrator}
The first years for the new empires detizens was very hard. It’s been estimated that with a population of about one hundred and sixty thousand, over fifteen thousand died due to blood loss, continued assaults from the south, lack of resistance to local diseases, and other such incidents. Even with the help of the dragon allies, very few people lived comfortable lives for over a decade. However, the death rate of children was low. The elderly passed on their knowledge as much as possible while sacrificing their health in order to secure the hope of the next generation. This turned the beastkin of the north into an even heartier breed than those in the south. The dragonkin breeds of the north also began to appear weaker than the empire as well.
As one encounter of a lizkin farmer refusing to yield to a dragonnewt warrior traveling from his tribe to gain worldly experience had a fight. With a garden hoe, the lizkin beat the dragonnewt half to death before throwing him over his fence and continuing to dig up his turnips. He then acted as if nothing happened.
