Re: Epic Clash Round 1 - Dungeon of the Crimson Fish
02-06-2010, 01:46 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by suomynonAyletamitlU.
"Alliance?" Spender looked a little taken aback for a moment. Then, he smiled, a little sadly. "My dear boy, I think you grossly misunderstand."
Thomas turned to look at him, now a little suspicious, but Spender went on, a little steel in his voice.
"Alliances happen in times of war, you see. They are nations trading on each others' strengths to protect that which they hold dear. They occur because one nation cannot raise enough of an army to stand against a threat. They are used to defend what you hold dear, in the face of unconquerable storms of blood and steel."
"What you must understand" he continued, his eyes losing a little determination, "is that I am in no alliance because I am in no war. I am not a nation, with things to lose. I make no alliances because I have nothing to defend."
"That is why I will defend what anyone--everyone--else holds precious."
He stepped into the center of the corridor, making a sweeping gesture, as if to invite not only Thomas and James, but the walls themselves, and whatever beyond, to listen. His voice was less emotional, now, and more like a professional actor, full and loud. "I am a soldier! I have seen the Darkness. I have fallen into despair so deep my heart drowned, and the Light itself could not revive me. And though you may never understand it, when that same despair rose again to threaten others, it was I, who had felt its horror and knew that fear-beyond-fear, who stood against it once more."
His voice held a quavering note, as though he were particularly enraptured by his own speech; it seemed to drown out his own feelings.
Thomas saw his eyes, and he began to wonder exactly what the man was really saying.
Spender turned with a flourish to point at James. "No, James," he said, his voice still wavering with excitement, but his eyes cool, guarded. "I see in your heart a nightmare, and I will not stand in its defense. I would stand against greater evil with you, or with any, but I do not call myself your ally."
"Alliance?" Spender looked a little taken aback for a moment. Then, he smiled, a little sadly. "My dear boy, I think you grossly misunderstand."
Thomas turned to look at him, now a little suspicious, but Spender went on, a little steel in his voice.
"Alliances happen in times of war, you see. They are nations trading on each others' strengths to protect that which they hold dear. They occur because one nation cannot raise enough of an army to stand against a threat. They are used to defend what you hold dear, in the face of unconquerable storms of blood and steel."
"What you must understand" he continued, his eyes losing a little determination, "is that I am in no alliance because I am in no war. I am not a nation, with things to lose. I make no alliances because I have nothing to defend."
"That is why I will defend what anyone--everyone--else holds precious."
He stepped into the center of the corridor, making a sweeping gesture, as if to invite not only Thomas and James, but the walls themselves, and whatever beyond, to listen. His voice was less emotional, now, and more like a professional actor, full and loud. "I am a soldier! I have seen the Darkness. I have fallen into despair so deep my heart drowned, and the Light itself could not revive me. And though you may never understand it, when that same despair rose again to threaten others, it was I, who had felt its horror and knew that fear-beyond-fear, who stood against it once more."
His voice held a quavering note, as though he were particularly enraptured by his own speech; it seemed to drown out his own feelings.
Thomas saw his eyes, and he began to wonder exactly what the man was really saying.
Spender turned with a flourish to point at James. "No, James," he said, his voice still wavering with excitement, but his eyes cool, guarded. "I see in your heart a nightmare, and I will not stand in its defense. I would stand against greater evil with you, or with any, but I do not call myself your ally."