The Beginning After the End 11 - Untitled by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-05-27T00:00:00+00:00

Kezess’s nostrils flared, the only sign of his irritation. “Soulless figureheads? What’s next, will you snipe at me about my actions against the djinn again? I told you before, Arthur, I won’t hesitate to sacrifice one lesser life for the greater good, or even two hundred, and neither will my soldiers. But then, you understand this well. Was it not you who said you wouldn’t kill millions of Alacryans to save thousands of Dicathians? You’ve done the moral arithmetic, just as I have.”

“I’m not here to exchange barbed words, despite having plenty of choice ones stored up,” I said after a few seconds of silence. “What matters is our agreement. Your soldiers aren’t doing what you promised, and you yourself aren’t telling me everything you know. I saw how Charon and Windsom reacted to news of Oludari’s ramblings. They knew more than they wanted to let on.”

Kezess’s posture softened as he relaxed. “You are right. Your insight into aether will be of little use to me if Agrona wins the war in your world. I cannot afford Agrona to learn everything I know, or even what I guess at, and so I have insulated you from certain information. I will continue to do so, but I can see now that there is a need for certain things to come to light.”

I crossed my arms and leaned back against the wall, relaxing slightly. “Maybe you can start by telling me why you’ve allowed things to come this far? You could have washed Alacrya away in a tide of blood centuries ago. An army of asura against one clan?”

“Agrona left Epheotus with his entire clan in tow, yes, and that was part of the problem. And not just the Vritra, either, but some allies as well.” Kezess began to walk slowly around the worn circle that was the Path of Insight. “This action was an existential threat to all lessers and asura alike. A conflict of that scale on your world would have been devastating.”

“The lessers, yes, but for the asura as well?” I frowned and shook my head. “What’s the part you’re not telling me?”

“Agrona was practically daring us to go to war,” Kezess answered, staring down at the path as he walked its slow circle. “His clan and their allies had been placed very strategically to ensure that any battle would almost certainly result in the destruction of your world.”

I was careful to control my tone and facial features, suppressing a disbelieving scoff. “Assuming that is true, you had already committed genocide against the world’s dominant culture. Where is the line? What stopped you with Agrona but not when the djinn—”

“Everything!” he snapped, his mask of complete control slipping for an instant. “Everything I’ve done has been to keep this world alive, and it would be wise for you to place that firmly at the forefront of any further assumptions you make about me.”

In the silence that followed Kezess’s unexpected outburst, remembered words echoed back to me from the last keystone trial.

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