Claire Merigold 

I knew that they’d try and escape as soon as I gave them my warning. Petty, cheap, third-rate criminals like them were all the same. They all thought that they were better than they really are. And so, when the blast of fire had erupted through the roof of the Sky bridge hall, and the two clowns began to fly upwards. Freedom but inches away from them. I struck  

I was as fast and as strong as a bolt of lightning, zipping past them with such speed, that the swift flow and movements of my blade had gone unseen by the untrained eye. My blade slicing through one neck, then another, before I landed forcefully yet gracefully on the centre stage. The headless bodies falling helplessly to the floor. Their heads bouncing and rolling at my feet. Their crimson blood dying the wooden stage red. 

As I turned to look towards the two remaining clowns and badger mole, I could see the fear building up in their eyes. If all went well, no more blood would need to be spilt. And the rending two would spend the rest of their lives locked behind bars. However, I seriously doubted that that would be the case. After all, they were but petty, cheap, third-rate criminals. 

“You had your warning. Now, face retribution for your crimes. My name is Claire Merigold. Commander of the third division of the royal guards. And your executioner.” 

I said confidently and without fault, my serious eyes bearing daggers into the two clowns. From what I could see, the two were barely first ring magicians whereas I was a fifth ring magician with an advanced form of fire magic. If even one of them so much as twitched in the wrong way, they would taste my blade. And they knew it. Clearly the badger mole knew this too as, in a heartbeat, the creature borrowed itself back into the earth and fled. Smart creature. 

“We only require one of you to stay alive for interrogation, so tell me. Which one of you will bow your heads and accept your death. And which of you will be interrogated, before being locked m up in jail. Oh, of course, you're both welcome to surrender and spend the rest of you lives behind bars… though, I doubt you clowns are smart enough to take that opportunity.” 

I taunted, the magical pressure that I was releasing from my body pinning the two down in place, sweat dripping like rain down their entire bodies and causing their painted faces to run.  

Unfortunately, my warnings didn’t seem to save any lives, despite them not deserving it, as the largest of the two seemed to begin to gather his courage. The ground at his feet beginning to rumble.  

It was over in an instant. Golden Lightning danced around my entire body and coiled around my golden rapier. Then, there was a snap, crackle and pop of lightning, and before he knew it, I was behind him. His head rolling across the destroyed stage, blood trickling out of both ends as his giant form slumped over and collapsed to the floor. His clown painted face frozen with the expression of pure and utter shock. 

Seeing this, the final clown, fell to her knees, her head bowed in defeat, her hands raised above her head in surrender. It was truly a pitiful sight. She was quivering and shaking as if she herself had been a simple bystander, caught up in all this mess. As if she hadn’t been one of the main assailants of this ploy. It was truly disgusting. 

Holding out my hand and using my Mana to activate the spacial rune engraved into my glove, I put away my golden rapier and summoned a pair of manna suppressing handcuffs, which I snapped around the clown's wrists.  

“Anything you say, can and will be used against you when you are put to trial before the king, Von Astraea. If you cooperate with our investigation, you may find that your sentence is recurved based on good behaviour. Though of course, that all depends on the mood of our noble king.” 

As I finished reading the clown her rights, I effortlessly hoisted her up by the Mana chains of her handcuffs and left her standing, shakily, on her two feet. Whistling, I called for my familiar, a giant, scarlet and golden feathered phoenix with a curved, sharp black beak, amber eyes of fire and talons as sharp as daggers.  

As my familiar descended and landed next to me, she let out a small caw of pleasure to see me and then a violent snap of her beak towards the clown. Who, in shock, fell back to the floor. Landing hard in their rear, her pants slowly growing darker and darker as the floor puddled beneath her. 

“Is that a-a-a-a a p-phoenix? An A rank magical creature?” 

The clown spluttered in absolute terror, her legs shaking even more uncontrollably on the ground. Her jaw trembling, her eyes quivering in there sockets. The sweat that was raining down off of her as fast as trains, removing more and more of her clown make up. Revealing a tanned and freckled face. It was rather fun to watch. Despite how often it happened around criminals of this level. 

“This is my Phoenix familiar, Ember. I’ve raised her ever since she was just a little chick. Now look at her. Eight foot tall. Gosh, they grow up so fast.” 

I said as I patted her beak. Her bowing down lower so that I could reach considering the height difference. It was hard being only five foot five. 

“Ember, take this criminal to HQ, I’ll deal with her there. I’ve got some things to deal with here before I head back.” 

I said to her, as I looked all round me at the massacre that had befallen the Sky bridge hall. There was fire, smoke, discarded body parts and blood everywhere. Spikes of stone shot out at jagged angles from beneath the high-rise seating areas and slashes of wind had been torn into them as if someone had taken a blade to cardboard. 

However, amongst the damage and death, there were signs of life. As I scanned around the room, locating any signs of movement by enhancing my five senses using my lightning magic, I became acutely aware that I was being watched by curious eyes. They were different from the other gazes that I was receiving. The others were filled with joy and great fullness. Whereas these, these eyes were calculating. They were observing me… like a predator would observe they’re prey. Taking in any and all details that they could about the way I moved and acted.