The forest stood in eerie silence, the trees whispering with the wind, as if holding their breath. In a small clearing, a woman knelt, her hands stroking the soft fur of a cat nestled in her lap. The animal purred, trusting, unaware of the glinting blade hidden beneath her cloak. Her touch was gentle, her voice soothing, a facade of warmth masking the coldness in her intent.
With a single, swift motion, she unsheathed the knife and plunged it downward. The cat barely had time to react before the betrayal was complete. A final, broken sound escaped its throat, and then, silence. The woman exhaled slowly, satisfied, as crimson pooled around her hands.
But the forest had seen. And the forest would answer.
A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the trees, shaking the very ground beneath her knees. Shadows twisted, the wind howled, and then, fire.
From the darkness, I emerged. Not as man, not as beast, but as something beyond. My form stretched and shifted, fur giving way to scales, talons gleaming like obsidian. My wings unfurled, massive and ancient, the air crackling with the heat of my breath. The Wolgan had awakened.
The woman turned, her eyes widening in terror as she beheld me. There was no time for pleading, no room for excuses. Judgment had already been passed.
A roar erupted from my throat, a sound that tore through the very fabric of existence. And then I breathed.
Dragon fire engulfed her, a white-hot blaze that consumed her completely. She didn’t scream, there was no time. In an instant, she was nothing but ash, a dark stain upon the earth. The wind picked up, carrying the remnants of her cruelty into oblivion.
I lifted my massive right foot and stamped upon the pile, scattering the last traces of her existence with a single swipe of my claws. The forest sighed in relief.
And then, from the shadows, they came. The animals, silent witnesses to her crime, now free to rejoice. They gathered around, their eyes filled with gratitude, their voices lifting in an unspoken cheer. The balance had been restored.
I stood there for a moment, watching the embers fade into the night, feeling the weight of justice settle into the earth. There was nothing left to say. The judgment had been carried out.
And so, without a word, I turned and vanished into the darkness, leaving only the scent of fire and the echo of wings trailing off into the distance.