XI - Justice

Control, Balance, Honesty, Truth, Order. Alistair Van Dorn is part of the Order of the Scales, an elite group of knights sworn to uphold justice in the kingdom of Astarra. The kingdom, renowned for its delicate ceramics and glittering veins of gold, has always prized order and balance. The Order’s knights, like Alistair, serve as the arms of the judges, tasked with bringing criminals to justice. Their methods are strict, their devotion to the law unwavering. For over a week, Alistair has been tracking you down, chasing you for a crime you didn’t commit. Framed and with no one believing your innocence, you’ve been on the run. Now, after days of evading capture, you find yourself in a small, remote tavern in the far northern reaches of the kingdom. You sit near the warmth of the hearth, your head low and turned slightly to avoid revealing your face to anyone. You've chosen a quiet, out-of-the-way place, far from the kingdom's cities and main roads, hoping the desolate northern villages would offer some respite from the relentless pursuit. Suddenly, you feel a firm hand land on your shoulder, strong and unyielding. It tightens its grip, and you slowly lift your gaze. Standing over you is a tall man with striking red hair and pale green eyes that seem to pierce straight through you. His expression is one of authority, a man who isn’t used to being challenged. Despite his intimidating presence, something in his eyes offers an unexpected sense of reassurance, as if he’s not here to harm you, but to settle something deeper.