sometimes takes unsuspected turns and nothing goes as planned. Should have done it while you could,” he said. “Well, I’m not going to make you feel any worse. I saw you were in a fight today, almost got yourself killed there.”
I could feel myself turn red at the possibly worst first impression I had made that day on the commander. “I never thanked you for stepping in.”
“There is nothing to thank me for. I was just enforcing the rules.” He added with a grin, “But let me tell you, getting into a fight the first day takes a hell of a big mouth. I am surprised you made it eighteen years with that attitude.”
Even at this time he wore his full armor. A pelt of what looked like a wolf covered his bulky shoulders, and a broad long two hand sword was placed on his back. His eyes were alert and yet an absent glimmer was in them as he observed the stars in such a tranquil manner. “I never caught your name,” he said.
“I am Adam.”
“Tell me Adam,” he looked at me, “what do we live for?”
“To live,” I said surprised by the need for a purpose.
“Why? Are our breaths, our survival, and our mere reproduction all that we are good for? What makes us different from the animals that graze on the lawn? How can such an animalistic purpose give us the right to conquer and control the world? We live and we die, just like the paling star that disappears in the sky.”
I thought about his words for a while until I broke the silence, “I once asked the Inquisitor a similar question. Now thinking about it I believe that the purpose of our lives is to find a purpose.”
Terric made a grunt and tensed his face as if he were physically thinking about what I just said.
“There isn’t one purpose, one measure, for us all to live by. The only purpose we share is that we all seek a purpose within our life,” my glance caught Orion, “some find it young, some find it in their dying moments. For some it might be both. It all goes back to how we impact the world around us: Our loved ones, the stranger on the street, and the child of the future that opens a history book to our decade. The star only pales if you let it. My brother died not long ago, but his story lives on. When I was a little boy he would point to the stars, show me Orion, and tell me that he will protect me even when he is no longer around. Every time I see the stars I think of him. He never had children, he never reached his 30th birthday, yet his existence affects my very nature and my every move. Through me he lives on.”
Terric sighed and bowed his head, “You seem to have it all figured out for such a young man like yourself. Don’t tell anyone this, but as a military man I believe leadership should be based on skill, strength and wisdom, not on some antique form of tradition. We could don’t have faith in the Inquisitor?” I use a bright young mind like yours to lead us.”
Surprised and amazed I glanced over at Terric. “You asked him. I wanted to agree with him, yet was afraid that this was all a test of my loyalty and allegiance. “How do you know that your words do not offend me? My creed would oblige me to accuse you of sacrilege.”
“If you still had faith in the Inquisitor or God, you would not be up here pondering about life. You would have stayed in the cottage and prayed for the demons to stop taunting your soul,” he said.
“It appears to me that you are not praying either,” I remarked.
“To answer your question, I have faith in the Inquisitor to please a crowd and enchant them with illusions. However I don’t have faith in him aiding our survival any longer. People worship the Inquisition yet abhor the Guard. Resources enter gates under the flag of the Inquisition while the dead bodies of the sons of the city wear the armor and insignia of the Grey Guard. If it weren’t for his poisonous manipulation, the Guard would long be in control.” As he continued, his words filled with passion like the crescendo of
I could feel myself turn red at the possibly worst first impression I had made that day on the commander. “I never thanked you for stepping in.”
“There is nothing to thank me for. I was just enforcing the rules.” He added with a grin, “But let me tell you, getting into a fight the first day takes a hell of a big mouth. I am surprised you made it eighteen years with that attitude.”
Even at this time he wore his full armor. A pelt of what looked like a wolf covered his bulky shoulders, and a broad long two hand sword was placed on his back. His eyes were alert and yet an absent glimmer was in them as he observed the stars in such a tranquil manner. “I never caught your name,” he said.
“I am Adam.”
“Tell me Adam,” he looked at me, “what do we live for?”
“To live,” I said surprised by the need for a purpose.
“Why? Are our breaths, our survival, and our mere reproduction all that we are good for? What makes us different from the animals that graze on the lawn? How can such an animalistic purpose give us the right to conquer and control the world? We live and we die, just like the paling star that disappears in the sky.”
I thought about his words for a while until I broke the silence, “I once asked the Inquisitor a similar question. Now thinking about it I believe that the purpose of our lives is to find a purpose.”
Terric made a grunt and tensed his face as if he were physically thinking about what I just said.
“There isn’t one purpose, one measure, for us all to live by. The only purpose we share is that we all seek a purpose within our life,” my glance caught Orion, “some find it young, some find it in their dying moments. For some it might be both. It all goes back to how we impact the world around us: Our loved ones, the stranger on the street, and the child of the future that opens a history book to our decade. The star only pales if you let it. My brother died not long ago, but his story lives on. When I was a little boy he would point to the stars, show me Orion, and tell me that he will protect me even when he is no longer around. Every time I see the stars I think of him. He never had children, he never reached his 30th birthday, yet his existence affects my very nature and my every move. Through me he lives on.”
Terric sighed and bowed his head, “You seem to have it all figured out for such a young man like yourself. Don’t tell anyone this, but as a military man I believe leadership should be based on skill, strength and wisdom, not on some antique form of tradition. We could don’t have faith in the Inquisitor?” I use a bright young mind like yours to lead us.”
Surprised and amazed I glanced over at Terric. “You asked him. I wanted to agree with him, yet was afraid that this was all a test of my loyalty and allegiance. “How do you know that your words do not offend me? My creed would oblige me to accuse you of sacrilege.”
“If you still had faith in the Inquisitor or God, you would not be up here pondering about life. You would have stayed in the cottage and prayed for the demons to stop taunting your soul,” he said.
“It appears to me that you are not praying either,” I remarked.
“To answer your question, I have faith in the Inquisitor to please a crowd and enchant them with illusions. However I don’t have faith in him aiding our survival any longer. People worship the Inquisition yet abhor the Guard. Resources enter gates under the flag of the Inquisition while the dead bodies of the sons of the city wear the armor and insignia of the Grey Guard. If it weren’t for his poisonous manipulation, the Guard would long be in control.” As he continued, his words filled with passion like the crescendo of
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