As I step on the sacred ground of the dragonkin, a plateau on the highest mountain of the continent, and undo my dragon transformation, I can already feel the consequences of my actions at Meliria. Not that I care. The cold or frightened stares directed at me by those who have come to worship are of no importance to me. I even considered confronting some of them, but there is no point to it. I might have abandoned all shred of respect for the traditions and customs of the dragonkin, but I still know that this sacred ground has its own rules and thoughtless action may lead to one's demise. Besides, I came to this place to confront some bigger fish.

Of course the Council of Matriachs would send for me. They believe, as I once did when I was part of them, that they are the unfailing moral paragons of this whole continent, with special claims when it comes to the actions of dragonkin. They think, as I once did, that staying in the shadows pulling strings is the moral thing to do. dragonkin are too powerful, so we must not directly involve ourselves with the affairs of other races, but we will still manipulate them to do what we believe is best. At least the tengu didn't take half measures for thinking they are above the other races, they just completely cut themselves off from the rest of the world.

I stride through the sacred grounds with my back straight and a smile on my face that does not reflect my broken and grieving heart. I came to spite the Council of Matriarchs. I regret nothing, and if the same choice was given to me again, I would choose the same. The thousands of lives lost in Meliria are nothing to me.

Of course, as I walk by, people give me space and dare not approach me. In a way, it's not that different from before. Only that people used to supposedly be overwhelmed by the majestic beauty and nobility of the exalted. I wonder what new adjectives are they thinking up to describe me now that I have become a mass murderer? It seems that delighting in my newfound depravity and people's reactions to it might be one of the few ways I can slightly distract myself from my grief.

It doesn't take long for me to reach the Chamber of Judgment, a small building of marble that feels almost like it had been carved on one of the many rocks that dot the sacred ground. I stop in front of the beautiful wood door, full of ornate carvings that depicts some of the most famous moments in dragonkin mythology. The two attendants that would usually open a door for any visitors stand to the sides, staring at me in fear. I can't say I really mind. Opening the door at not the exactly required angle ought to ruffle a few feathers. I ignore the knobs and put my hands on the doors, making sure to slightly scratch the carvings with my talons as I push them open.

“The criminal has come to be reprimanded by the great and noble matriarchs! How shall someone as vile as I be punished? Oh, wise ones, answer me!”

I mock them as I open the doors only enough that I can enter the building. Before I even look at the ones who would considers themselves with the right to render judgment unto me, I survey the audience. I must say that I'm not sure whether there were too many people or too few. Of course, many should be excited for the Exalted to be taken down a peg for a monstrous act, but then again, many others should be quite afraid of me, with good reason.

“Judging from your behavior and greeting, I suppose that whatever madness took control of you when you decided to burn an entire city down still hasn't dissipated. What is someone like you, who clearly has no intentions of repenting, doing in this place?”

Cassielle, green haired with curled horns. She is probably one of the few people in this place older than me. I wonder if the same pride that keeps her from retiring makes her think herself above me?

“Madness, huh. I sometimes wonder if was mad before and that only now I am actually sane.”

I must say, it did pay off to ask that cheeky tengu about ways to provoke those who are too full of pride and certainty in themselves.

“Mad or not, I have doubts about whether or not you are actually Aurelya at all. I don't remember ever hearing such a mocking and disrespectful tone from you before.”

Milestraga, she was the closest thing I had to a friend during the time I had been part of the Council. I must admit her crimson red hair with streaks of black was quite beautiful. As always, I could barely see her horns, which were at the back of her head and pointed down and to the sides.

“You know what, Milly?” I suppose I should show a measure of affection to the only person in the council I slightly respected. “Perhaps you are right. Maybe Aurelya, the Exalted, died as she cradled her daughter's corpse in her arms, but an evil spirit that only seeks revenge took over her body.”

I wouldn't doubt it.

“Well then, I suppose we will be judging the evil spirit that now resides within Aurelya's body then. It's all the same to me. A crime is a crime and must be punished regardless of who committed it.”

Auryaha. It disgusts me that she has a hair the same color as mine own. The three small stumps on her forehead that she dares to call horns are as ridiculous as calling her wise. I know her daughter was with my son when he was captured by Teldarion. I refuse to even address her and merely audibly spit on the floor in her direction. Her face twitches but it seems she decided to ultimately ignore it.

“You know, considering your reputation. We were really considering letting this slide if you just showed some contrition and explained yourself. It's not like any other race knows that you burned Meliria down. Everyone seems to think that it was just some plot of the Broken Wheel gone horribly wrong.”

Theraxiona, ever the pragmatist. She is quite young, but I recommended her to take my place years ago, when I retired from the Council because she seemed quite intelligent and capable to me. Her short azure hair was well complemented by the quite big horns on her forehead that curved upwards.

“You know, you wouldn't be completely wrong in thinking that.”

Of course I wouldn't tell her more. If they were so wise, they surely could figure out what happened with minimal information provided.

“I would ask that you stop with your mocking quips. I understand well what happened. Saregon's and Annairelya's flames flickered, then vanished. It was my mistake, ordering that you be informed of the flickering. I don't think I am incorrect in my assumption that seeing your daughter and her partner dead led you to lashing out and leveling an entire city. I regret it, but I suppose we dragonkin are, in the end, passionate creatures. Which is why we should be involved as little as possible with other races. Take your place as the accused.”

The last of the five that currently made up the Council of Matriarchs, Baliona. She was always so fond of lecturing others, I almost think she does it without really thinking about it. Her hair was silver and her horns were boringly straight. I almost exploded in anger with the disregard with which she treated my daughter's death. She spoke like she was just reading something off a report. Full of righteous anger, I stomp until a stand in front of the small table that contains a crystal jar of water, next to a crystal chalice. It is there for the benefit of the accused. Of course, the five great tables where the Matriachs sit make a circle around it, allowing them to easily look down on anyone taking a drink from the chalice. Without a single wasted move, I grab the chalice and shatter it against the table, turning it into a pointy object with a base. I brandish angrily at the stupefied matriarchs around me.

“This, this is my heart right now, and this...” I grab the jar and pour its water on the broken chalice. Of course, all of it spills. “Is happiness. From the moment that my last child left this world, I became unable to drink from the fountain of happiness for even a moment. No, the only think that is allowed to me is drinking from the searing hot fountain of rage! Even as it scorches my throat with each great gulp I take from it, I can at least feel something! You have no idea! None of you have have any idea! The fire that burned that entire city down, taking the lives of every single inhabitant there is nothing compared to the flame that is in my heart right now against the world! I will have satisfaction for the tragedy that was the lives of my three children!”

I put as much emotion as I can behind my words, not because I want them to sympathize with me, but because I want them to feel my rage and tremble, because I want them to know that the destruction of Meliria is nothing compared to what is to come.

“That is quite the melodramatic statement. I'm sure you know that there is more to life than being a mother, especially to such long-lived races like we are. I don't have children, and yet I can't say I've had an unfulfilled life.”

Of course Theraxiona would say that. But the others were stupefied by her. How ridiculous could she be. To a society so obsessed with lineage such as ours, considering the limited amount of children each of us is afforded. The punishment a female could face for having a child with someone belonging to another race, thus denying a potential child to a male dragonkin, was beyond severe. How could she belittle with a straight face the importance of motherhood?

“You know, I did recommend you for this position, but really, does anyone else feel it's strange that someone who is not a mother can be a matriarch?”

That got a reaction. Good.

“Where are you going with this?”

Of course, I could only be going to one place.

“Maybe you shouldn't be a Matriarch?”

She stood up and replied instantly.

“Nonsense! This has nothing to do with my abilities!”

But I won't be stopped. It's not like I really care about the Matriarch point.

“Maybe I should rip your womb out, so you will never be a mother then! Maybe when you no longer have the option of being a mother if you so choose, your opinion will be different? Who knows, maybe I will find a skilled enough healer to put it inside me, it might calm me down to have three more children.” All of them looked at me disgusted. “Not really, who would want children from your eggs? As if they could ever hope to substitute for the three I have lost!”

With savage glee I tear at their sensibilities and offend them. Of course I know all the sore points to touch, I once sat at one of those tables myself.

“Enough! You will mind your words in this place!”

Baliona seemed quite uncomfortable with not really being in control of the conversation. But I doubt her irritation was even a tenth of my grief.

“Enough? I'm sure the tormentors of Aurenon stopped their sick experiments when he asked them. What a powerful word it must be!”

Cassielle quickly grasped where I would go with this.

“Is this about Antioch too now? You, of all people, should now that after Teldarion's defeat, every single officer in Antioch that was responsible for your son's torture was executed.”

Of course I did, I personally attended every single one of those executions and personally burned the remains. But now I realized the reason why I still felt hollow then, it wasn't enough.

“And what about the officers indirectly involved? I know of some that didn't touch so much as a scale of my son, and yet reported the results of those 'experiments' with such blase that one might wonder if he was actually writing about the breeding efforts of a farm somewhere. What about those that cowardly stood by and let it all happen? Are they innocent when they could have saved my son?”

Auryaha's eyes sharpened.

“Do you intend to hold the entire elven race responsible for your son's death?”

Oh yes, I am sure you fear that I will also turn the blame to your daughter, but don't worry, I won't tell you that I do, not until I deliver her corpse to you at a later date.

“Yes, and I promise you, if I have my way, 100 years from now, there will not be a single elf walking this world.”

It is not an empty promise. Milestraga stands, tears in her eyes.

“How can you say that! What would your daughter or...”

But she was interrupted by a broken chalice thrown her way. Without touching anyone, it shattered into a thousand pieces on the audience stands behind her.

“Don't. You. Dare. Mention. My. Children!”

Fueled by rage, I almost start to transform myself, but I am able to stop myself. It wouldn't do to be cursed by the First King for causing violence in the sacred ground. Still, full of power and rage that has nowhere to go, I channel it all into a roar that makes the building shake.

“How... can it be?”

My entire body glows with the many blessings I, my family and friends have carved over the more than a thousand years that I have lived. Even among Dragonkin, I am an extraordinarily powerful individual.

“I might have decided to stop interfering centuries ago, but I never neglected to increase my power, and now I am very glad for that. Make no mistakes, sisters.” I speak the word sisters with as much contempt as I can. “The day of reckoning has come and I am judge, jury and executioner.”

I walk out of the Chamber of Judgment with my back straight and nobody dares to stop me. I did not inflict a single wound on them, but I know that, at least for now, their spirit is broken.