[b]February 27th, 1901, Lundburgh[/b]

A portly man in a fine suit walked among the charcoal ruins of the port city. It had been five days since the Imperium’s navy had burned the city… two since the fires had been stopped. The sudden and horrific shelling had killed a great many in the city, destroying nearly 70% of the dockyards and related districts. Possibly worst of all, not only did Avalian citizens parish in the blaze, but Imperium refugees, Legion soldiers, and whoever else the fleet had merely left behind to meet their fate. The fine suited man frowned and kicked a piece of burnt wood from his path. This massacre had proven one thing to many, both within and outside of Avalia. Ecruir Vyalviur was a madman. A voice suddenly pulled the man from his thoughts.

“Gunner? I’m somewhat surprised to find you here.” Gunner glanced up, seeing his fellow council member, and rival, approach him. Niklos Eskil was a thin man with a sharp, sunken face that gave him a hard appearance. He was Gunner’s biggest political rival, now that all of the nobility had found themselves under the blade of Adron’s vengeance. Gunner scoffed. 

Not all of them, apparently. 

“Yes, well, the Tears of the Sky had a fairly large following here, so I thought I’d pay a visit and give my local branch here my condolences. We’re currently trying to clean up the harbor, get it at least serviceable, but a lot of ships burned in that fire too it seems.” Gunner said, gesturing the sorry harbor before them. Niklos gave a small nod. He gazed out over the harbor, his face somehow even harder than its normal appearance. 

“We knew the consequences of our actions, certainly, but this… this is madness. I knew the Imperium cared little for its subjects, we all did, but this truly demonstrates how little. It shows that they don’t care to retake Avalia, bring her into the fold, or any of that sort. They just want to burn it to the ground.” Niklos said in a solemn tone. He turned back to face Gunner. “It at least burnt a hole in our upcoming election plans, didn’t it?” 

Gunner snorted “Of course you’d be thinking of such things at a place like this. The plight of the common man surrounds you in its most dramatic form and you don’t seem to take much notice.” Gunner finished, chin held high. Niklos was suddenly in his face, merely inches away. 

“Tell me Councilman Hampus, were you really out here to offer your sympathies, or merely sizing up how much union revenue the Tears lost here? Or should I ask how much that ridiculous costume of yours costs?” Niklos said a low whisper. Slowly, Gunner stepped back, taken back by the sudden move. Fury slowly replaced Gunner’s shocked expression, quickly stabbing his finger at Niklos. 

“Dare say that again, and I will call you out! I care about the people under me, and when I get a letter from a Union head telling me that half my workers perished in the flames while the other half lost their homes and jobs, I act, Councilman Eskil, and I do it personally!” Gunner said angrily. He was about to continue when Niklos held up a hand. 

“Good! Then you are a worthy rival. From what I had gathered on you, I thought your personality and motives were just as bad as your drinking habit and sense of taste. As it stands… I believe you. I’m here admittedly for a far more selfish reason.” Gunner’s fury suddenly abated and was replaced with confusion. 

“And what is that?” Gunner asked slowly. Niklos gave a small, sad smile, and gestured to a spot not far down the street. It was a burnt pile of timber, not unlike everything else on this street. 

“That, right there, was were I was born. I grew up in the fish market district of this city… It was here I saw the barbarism first hand when my Valkyrian friend was beaten to death by nobleman, right here in this street.” Niklos eyes seemed distant. “He’d ran out in front of a carriage by accident, spooking the horses and breaking a wheel spoke in the process. The duke had gotten out and beaten the poor boy. One swing after another as people merely kept their heads down and went about their business. It was here where my journey to free my friends and people from the shackles of serfdom and monarchy began.” He turned back to Gunner. 

“We don’t agree with each other on a great many things. We both know that this upcoming election is going to shape Avalian politics for the rest of our history. But we are not monsters. Not like them.” Niklos held out a hand. Gunner stared for a moment, before hesitantly taking the offer. A mischievous grin spread across the large man’s round face. 

“Don’t think that won’t stop me from whipping you in the elections, ya fish faced bastard.” Gunner said. Niklos gave an equally mean grin. 

“I wouldn’t expect anything else, fatman”