The Collapse of an Empire | RP Topic

“It’s exactly the same! We only have hope that our plans will work! There is no certainty, but it is cowardice to not try!”

She nodded. “I tried to stay calm, but…let’s just say she started to make claims about things she couldn’t possibly know.”

“What do you know about cowardice?” She asked, stepping closer. “What do you know how it feels like, to have someone’s life on your hands…” She narrowed her eyes, she took a serious tone, staring into his own eyes. “Have you ever killed before?”


“Sweetheart, I think you were both right and wrong at the same time,” Alina said. “No one knows for sure, but certainly it won’t hurt if we just try.”

“Are you questioning my resolve?” He asked, narrowing his eyes at the blurry figure.

“I wasn’t talking about her main point. It’s other comments she made that made my blood boil. But that’s as far as I want to get into it.” She said, breaking the antlers of cleanly and seeing them aside as they finish skinning the animal.

“Ever since you’ve been with us, all I hear is killing, killing, killing. As if the only thing you know to every solution is killing.” Amelia said. “You say this is war, yet I see no armies clashing against each other. I know we are only prolonging the inevitable.” She nods, looking at him, standing her ground with no fear.

"But if there is one thing I know for sure, is that killing hasn’t gotten this world any closer to peace at all. "She put her emphasis on her last word. "Because every time, somebody tries to win a war by killing someone else, innocent people die, all the time. "She said.

“If all you see in front of you is vengeance towards Bloodfang, then you are no better than the one you are trying to kill.” Her tone was stern and serious. “Have you thought about the consequences of killing a King? If everyone had your mentality, everyone would be blades blazing at High King Versing, Bloodfang and heck, what I know of other Tyrants around the World.”

“Violence against violence does not equal peace.” She said. “If it did, then yes. I would gladly impale my rapier right where Bloodfang’s heart’s at. But you talk so lightly about killing, it makes me question if you know how it is to kill in the first place. If you do, then speak your mind.” She sighed.

“Once again, violence and killing should not be our first option. We are supposed to be better than this. We aren’t mercenaries, we are people who try to do something good for this world, even if the world doesn’t give you anything back. You think, someone hired us to do this?” She asked. “No, I decided that we should take a stand against Bloodfang, and luckily I have my friends who are beside me.” She said.

“But the greater good has always been outweighed by people’s personal beliefs. It always has been this way. It is hard, I know you are trying to do something good by sacrificing yourself. But we don’t even have the means to perform such things. And even if we did, Ernesto, from curses, nothing good comes out of them.” She seemed to be ending her monologue.


“Hence why I said you both were wrong,” Alina said with a smile, as she continued to help Reyna skin the animal and eventually they finished. “Well, I suppose we should grill this baby.”

This statement does not sit well with Candall. “Tell me, lassie… How’d ya determine what is ‘the greater good’?”

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Amelia glanced at Candall, fire in her eyes. “Candall, you should ask your wife that question.” She said. “She has been the only one that used her brains and thought reasonably, instead of her hand and sword.”

“Still your tongue, woman,” Candall replied. “Was a genuine question, not an assault on your character. I’m no barbarian, I only kill outta self defense. You’ve seen that.”

Marybird also becomes defensive. “Perhaps I have used my brain, but I don’t use my tongue to shut people down! Nor do I imply people are brutes!”

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“This Woman has a name, Candall.” She corrected him. “Use it.” She said.

“I did no such thing,” Amelia said. “Am I the only one who thinks about the consequences?” She asked. “We kill Bloodfang, what then?” She scoffed. “What, you think, King Versing is going to live? He may have been chosen by your Gods, but let’s not forget that he almost exterminated an entire race.” She mentions. “But if we do kill him, who becomes the new King? A Kingdom without a King is bond to fall into chaos.”

I suspect that is for the Isotixians to decide… not you Amelia. For better or Ill, it is their decision to make.” chimes Aldrich, as he stood next to Marybird and Candall.

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“Clearly not,” Marybird said. “As I mentioned these things earlier. But that was not my dear’s question. He was more concerned about your idea of ‘greater good’, like it is definitive. Donchaknow that’s such a subjective thing?”

Candall crosses his arms. “Apologies. Ya angered me by say’n I think with me sword first. You know that ain’t true. But regardless, personal beliefs ain’t the opposition to the greater good. The ‘greater good’ comes from protecting those beliefs. Family, home, enjoyment in life. Where that comes from is traditions.”

Marybird nods. “Indeed. I am afraid if Versing was ever taken out, the clans of Isotix may just go back to spilling each other’s blood. We’d need a good, wise king. Someone who stops this thirst for blood 'mong our people.”

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“Yes, if they decide, who knows. Perhaps next time they’ll successfully kill of the entire Starwalker races.” She said. “And you are hardly one to talk, to be honest. All you do is say arguments against us. Is there something personal or?” She asked, crossing her arms.

She sighed. “For the greater good, is to do what is morally right in every way.” She said. “Which is why it is so hard in the first place, for people to do it.”

“Hopefully.” Amelia agrees. “But only time will tell. That is why the Isotix needs to be kept in check.” She said. “Nothing against you two, but like everyone, there is good people and bad people. Versing is one of the bad ones, and I don’t doubt he has a few sick followers of his own.”

“That’s the problem,” Candall replies. “What is ‘morally right’ changes. Which is why us Celtic people have tradition for our morals. It’s firm, unending, and established by the dead, who now sleep upon the earth we walk. We wouldn’t be anywhere without them.”

Marybird begins to pack up her violin. “Perhaps us Celts could use some wisdom from the Starwalkers, then. That’s one thing we’ve missed: a sense of mysticism. Perhaps what Versing needs is a good spook’n to get himself in shape.”

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Turning to Marybird, his face saddened “Would they not form a moot and decide the next High King from that?

Aldrich turns back to Amelia, his face cold “I merely provide an alternate perspective… how you interpret that is up to you. And generalisations of an entire civilisation based upon the poisonous rule of a Tyrant is certainly not a reputable source of evidence

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“I s’pose you’re right,” Marybird says, disappointed by that truth.

Reyna nodded and started cutting the meat off of the bone. “Whoever wants to start cooking this go ahead.”

“You Isotixian people value honor, loyalty, hospitality, honesty, justice, and courage.” She said. “Those are the main things you people go by right when you are born. Am I not right?” She asked. “Those attributes hold a few key elements which make a part of the Greater Good. Honor is something that people tend to forget, forget what it means, and with time it will be lost if not kept sacred, the way it always was. And Justice always gets compared with injustice. As for the rest well, they tend to fall out of the window too.”

“Perhaps, but I can hardly talk about wisdom.” She said. “All I know is what Queen Cloudia taught me. And that’s that, but I am not a wise person like her. I am the best I can be.” She sighed. “I truly hope Versing will change, but even then, he will have to answer for his crimes…”

“I never said that the entire Isotix is poisoned by Versing, but the majority is, otherwise, Starwalker Tribe will still be standing.” She said. “That is evidence enough.”

“Granted, I don’t know exactly how things work on Isotix.” She said. “But one thing I know, if Versing has sick followers like him. They will continue with his Legacy, thus as Marybird said, they need a wise king.”


“I suppose we can cook it now.” Alina said. “And keep it on the grill in case anyone is hungry.” She suggested.

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“It comforts me you agree on that,” Candall says, sitting back down and tending the fire.

“And he shall,” Marybird replies. “I wonder if the druids would be willing to enact that justice. They seem to stand for it still. Either that, or we need some other faith. Something less volatile.”

Candall overhears his wife. “What other faith is there besides our gods? Don’t tell me ya believe in heresies.”

“No,” Marybird says with her voice trailing. “Simply a breastplate. A sense of spirit that protects us, around us, behind us, before us, above us. The embodiment of our traditions. Our people need conversion, something deeper for a spiritual experience.”

Candall becomes uncomfortable with the proposition. “The gods… They are our traditions.”

“Listen, my darling, to your shimmering soul. You know Versing was not chosen so divinely. What is divine does not come from kings. It comes from above.”

The couple stay silent, as Candall feels a sense of bewilderment come over himself from that thought. Marybird stares into the fire, removing her mask and revealing her elven face as she contemplates deeper.

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"Of course, I agree with those things. "Amelia said. “I was partially raised like that. With a sense of Honor, Integrity, Loyalty, and Justice.”

“I wonder that too…” She nods in agreement, however once the two started to talk about religion, she kind of backed away. It was something the two, should discuss, alone…

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