where we now sit was once the high city, where the King's palace stood."
"It must have been a magnificent sight in its day, but like so many of the great accomplishments of man, it is forgotten and left to decay. Men's hearts change as quickly as the wind." Darien had little regard for the race of man.
Ezra sighed and shook his head. "Perhaps, but they can hardly be blamed for that. Most are only trying to live as well as they can, for their short lives. You really must learn to be more forgiving."
"I have good reason to distrust mankind," Darien responded with resentful force. "They fear what they do not understand, and hate what they cannot control. They cherish their own blood and their own ways, ever seeking to destroy what does not meet with their approval. They are judgmental, short-sighted, cruel, and unforgiving. Why should I judge them differently than they judge me?"
"Are those your words, or those of your Master, I wonder? You should beware, Darien the Executioner, for just as using the sword's power can corrupt, so too can the evil within yourself. The monsters we carry with us can be far worse than those we fight against. Too often we overcome our foes without, only to be defeated by our foes within."
Darien did not immediately reply, considering Ezra's words. Finally, he shook his head and said, "Aren't we all equally monsters in the end, biting, scratching, grasping, clawing; doing everything in our power to take more for ourselves? The strong take what they wish, and the weak fight one another over whatever is left, leaving the weakest to perish and die. If we are not the monsters, then who is? I have paid back a hundredfold every injustice I ever suffered at the hands of men. I have grown strong and taken justice for my mother, and I have little doubt there are many who have suffered at my hands who would do the same. The cycle never ends."
The thin wizened mouth of the old man curled into a frown. "Perhaps we are, but we need not surrender so easily to hatred and prejudice. Some things are worth doing whether or not they have any chance of success, but I will say no more. You must find your own path to peace, if indeed there is one to be found." He stood up, leaned upon his staff, and looked up at the sky. "Dawn will not be far off now. You should prepare yourself. The longer you remain here, the greater the risk your enemy will be waiting for you on the far shore."
"Yes, I was thinking much the same."
"It will be an easier swim this time. The water is narrower on this side of the island," the old man said. Then he looked at Darien and asked, "What do you plan to do once you are across?"
The lad paused to think a moment. "I will be hunted by the Master, and the Order of the Golden Shield as well, once they discover what happened. I suppose I will head northwest and make for the city of Mintaka. It is a large city and it will be easy enough to acquire supplies for a longer journey. From there, I will likely go north. Eventually, I should be able to make my way to the Red Mountains. Dwarves rule those lands and they have little interest in the affairs of men. Many of their cities are quite remote and difficult to reach. It is the best place I know of in which to hide from both The Master and the Golden Shield… unless you have a better idea."
Darien peered at the man, waiting for some guidance, but got only another shake of the man’s head, strands of withered hair drifting back and forth with the motion.
"No, I suppose that is as good a plan as any." The old man looked up at the sky again and said, "I can do no more to aid you, but I will leave you with this advice. Avoid conflict and strife. Do not succumb to anger. Do not return to the path your master set you upon, or you will surely lose yourself on it. Above all, do not take life needlessly, for nothing fouls the soul more quickly, or more surely."
He then turned away and walked off. Darien watched the man walk away until his silhouette
"It must have been a magnificent sight in its day, but like so many of the great accomplishments of man, it is forgotten and left to decay. Men's hearts change as quickly as the wind." Darien had little regard for the race of man.
Ezra sighed and shook his head. "Perhaps, but they can hardly be blamed for that. Most are only trying to live as well as they can, for their short lives. You really must learn to be more forgiving."
"I have good reason to distrust mankind," Darien responded with resentful force. "They fear what they do not understand, and hate what they cannot control. They cherish their own blood and their own ways, ever seeking to destroy what does not meet with their approval. They are judgmental, short-sighted, cruel, and unforgiving. Why should I judge them differently than they judge me?"
"Are those your words, or those of your Master, I wonder? You should beware, Darien the Executioner, for just as using the sword's power can corrupt, so too can the evil within yourself. The monsters we carry with us can be far worse than those we fight against. Too often we overcome our foes without, only to be defeated by our foes within."
Darien did not immediately reply, considering Ezra's words. Finally, he shook his head and said, "Aren't we all equally monsters in the end, biting, scratching, grasping, clawing; doing everything in our power to take more for ourselves? The strong take what they wish, and the weak fight one another over whatever is left, leaving the weakest to perish and die. If we are not the monsters, then who is? I have paid back a hundredfold every injustice I ever suffered at the hands of men. I have grown strong and taken justice for my mother, and I have little doubt there are many who have suffered at my hands who would do the same. The cycle never ends."
The thin wizened mouth of the old man curled into a frown. "Perhaps we are, but we need not surrender so easily to hatred and prejudice. Some things are worth doing whether or not they have any chance of success, but I will say no more. You must find your own path to peace, if indeed there is one to be found." He stood up, leaned upon his staff, and looked up at the sky. "Dawn will not be far off now. You should prepare yourself. The longer you remain here, the greater the risk your enemy will be waiting for you on the far shore."
"Yes, I was thinking much the same."
"It will be an easier swim this time. The water is narrower on this side of the island," the old man said. Then he looked at Darien and asked, "What do you plan to do once you are across?"
The lad paused to think a moment. "I will be hunted by the Master, and the Order of the Golden Shield as well, once they discover what happened. I suppose I will head northwest and make for the city of Mintaka. It is a large city and it will be easy enough to acquire supplies for a longer journey. From there, I will likely go north. Eventually, I should be able to make my way to the Red Mountains. Dwarves rule those lands and they have little interest in the affairs of men. Many of their cities are quite remote and difficult to reach. It is the best place I know of in which to hide from both The Master and the Golden Shield… unless you have a better idea."
Darien peered at the man, waiting for some guidance, but got only another shake of the man’s head, strands of withered hair drifting back and forth with the motion.
"No, I suppose that is as good a plan as any." The old man looked up at the sky again and said, "I can do no more to aid you, but I will leave you with this advice. Avoid conflict and strife. Do not succumb to anger. Do not return to the path your master set you upon, or you will surely lose yourself on it. Above all, do not take life needlessly, for nothing fouls the soul more quickly, or more surely."
He then turned away and walked off. Darien watched the man walk away until his silhouette
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