I'm a sucker for fantasy, and this was some pretty great sword and sorcery action. I usually like more lighthearted stories and this is a pretty grim tale, though that's a matter of taste rather than a comment on your skill. I wonder to what degree the Free Mages are going insane and how much is propaganda? Obviously the two we saw here weren't exactly shining beacons of sanity, and the ending seems to imply Firecracker isn't gone either. Good work on the story, as I said I usually go for more lighthearted fare but this is a decent start to a dark fantasy epic if that's the direction you're going in.