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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Archon Basileus" data-source="post: 7202611" data-attributes="member: 6855545">ICOSAA low, soft laugh comes from inside the helmet, inside the illusion."That is the point, my friend. If I wanted to stop you, I wouldn't need to. In the end, you'll be stopping each other, you'll be stopping yourselves." - he pauses for a moment, pensive, before pointing out towards Icosa."What if I told you that, by reaching your objective, you'll foil all of the others'? What if, by uncovering your past, you make it impossible for the others to reach their own agendas? Would you still pursue it? Would you grasp it, bringind defeat to the others?"HARFIK"After all..." - he continues - "...are we not instruments of fate? Don't we all serve some cause? Maybe we just elude ourselves, thinking we have choice... Freedom.""Can you be at peace knowing that disobedience will end in your torture, your death, your destruction?" - he continues. "Can you be at peace if you act in servitude and you are commanded to torture, kill and destroy others, taking their peace away from them?""On the other hand, suppose your shackles are broken, slave. Would you have broken them, or would you simply be denying yourself your purpose? What if it is your role to serve? What if you can only be at peace while serving? Unless you are not at peace... Unless you seek freedom because servitude disturbs you, because you can't tolerate it. And even so, as you are, others are responsible for your actions. After all, they do not come from your will, but from theirs. What if this is the way to flee from the fear of being responsible for your own choices, for your crimes and virtues?"He pauses for a moment."Maybe, in the end, freedom does not matter. For you are posed with a dilemma far worse than this. What if, at the end of your journey, you realize you are forced to become the slaver? What if your task is only complete when you deliver your companions, your masters, your equals, into a form of servitude a hundred times worse than any other you have ever known? Even worse, what if, by relinquishing your quest and your freedom, you deliver the decision of everyone's fate into selfish, destructive men? Will you destroy by your own hand, or serve the destroyers as their hand?" - he points towards Harfik, a mix of mockery and friendliness in his voice.KETHRAThe guardswoman follows the noise as it hovers towards the others. As planned, she moves back, joining them, but she's still able to keep her attention at the noise's exact origin."See her, slave, as she comes down. Such an angelic feature" - the image mocks - "...and in flight she descends! Such unusual, ethereal beauty upon your skin and eyes. One might obsess about you for your qualities, no doubt. Your righteousness, your diligence, such perfection underneath cat-like grace... A shame your sister does not hold the same resilience. Down there, so vulnerable... Something even your lord overlooks. What if you could find a cure? How far would you go to make your sister stronger? Would you sacrifice yourself? Would you sacrifice someone else? A slave, a commoner... a Duke?"YTTRIANYttrian shakes away the hypnotic sensation with ease, breathing deep and looking towards the illusion. As his mind focuses once more, the twinkling image vanishes from his thoughts and, at second glance, can't be found again."Oh, knowledge... That, that I can spare! But I think a man like you is far more intense than that. I envision you fighting for love, compassion... Maybe, closure... Or perhaps... Revenge.Tell me, elf, what if your path leads you to help your worst enemies and hurt your dearest friends, without even allowing you choice? What if the ultimate price of justice is an even greater injustice? Are you willing to risk it?"LYLLIE'Hehehaha, feisty! Yes, petite, I can...' - his voice rings within Lyllie's mind as he speaks through the illusion, his speech and thoughts mismatched. 'Go on, alert the others! But before you do so... Realize I already uncovered how things unfold, for I already know who acts against this expedition even amidst your so-called allies. Will you grant a potential enemy such an advantage?' - his smiling thought steps aside to bring forth yet another flux. 'Besides... There are things that I might share with you... Things only you might understand. That paladin over there, for example, would never abide, but you... You know that certain losses can only be mended by taking risks... Big risks! Is it not... necromancer?'He keeps on as Lyllie attempts the spell. Despite his rambling, she keeps her concentration almost effortlessly, and as he finishes his discourse, fully aware of her actions as his superficial thoughts denounce, the ravens are already talking to her."You face great danger! The blind await upwards to ambush you! They're immune to the storm! And so are the giants that climb down to hunt you, from their caves above! Someone has summoned them, and if the blind won't kill you, they'll certainly do so! The caves below are safe! Go to them!" - a feminine voice reaches Lyllie through means of the spell."Indeed, giants come from the mountains. The blind await! Many others live here... But should you trust the ravens? They, too, serve their own purposes... And who's to know what are they?" - the mental voice resounds once more. "He is trying to fool you and your friends! Listen to him, for he tries to move you against each other!" - she persists. "We can help you, guide you! We will lead you to the Inner Sanctum!" - she continues."I warn you, forget her lies. My predictions are true, and your choices might cause even more pain and destruction... She serves a queen in the skies, the one who controls the tempests. She forces you down with magic and lies, for she needs you to accomplish your goals, no matter the cost! Think, think clearly, this is the game of gods, and we, poor mortals, are the victims, for they'll lie as they see fit, and we..." - he pauses once more, his thoughts showing some degree of compassion beneath the tough phrasing. "What if you can recover the lives that were lost, Lyllie? What if - for once - we mortals do not taste death and misery?"AANZUAs the prince indulge in barbaric habits, he realizes what the movements mean. The disarray is, no doubt, a warning about the tempest, as well as something else. The beasts point towards the mists. Something hides in there, ready to attack as soon as the climb is done. He is sure of it. His warrior instincts remind him of many patrols through the desert, attacked as the sands rose in a storm, hiding barbarian bands led by shamans and sorcerers. they'd jump from the sand clouds and from inside the dunes, trying to damage the soldiers as they went. This might be the case here...."Ah, the prince. Your quest is particularly intriguing. Do you wish to restore what was broken? Do you want to build something new? It matters not. Suppose that the object of your affections hangs in the balance of a huge conflict... And to have her you'd have to unleash the final days of your kingdom. Suppose the only way to restore your honor is to destroy what, for your honor, you've sworn to protect. Would you do it? How can honor be restored if the only course to restore it will ruin it forever?"THULWAR"As for you, little sage..." - he turns to Thulwar - "...I think we are most alike, you and I. Such curiosity, such thirst for knowledge. I wonder if you'd pay the same price I paid to... know. And even if you did, I wonder what you'd do with the knowledge you got." - as Thulwar creates supporting points for the ropes, the voice continues. "You are quite resourceful, indeed. Maybe you'll be the one to riddle me this: suppose you get the answers to your questions. Suppose you have uncovered the cause of your earthquakes. But suppose you'd have knowledge too dangerous for mortals to have; that you'd be a liability as long as you could think about such knowledge. Would you trade your freedom and remain here forever, only to... Only to know? Or, even worse, if the knowledge could be yours... In exchange of your life... Would you surrender it only to know? - he falls silent for a moment. @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=6776182" target="_blank">JustinCase</a> @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=6855102" target="_blank">Greenmtn</a> @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=4936" target="_blank">Shayuri</a> @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=8858" target="_blank">hafrogman</a> @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=23298" target="_blank">industrygothica</a> @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=5044" target="_blank">Charwoman Gene</a> @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=24380" target="_blank">Neurotic</a></blockquote>

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