Abraham listened quietly as the other angels joined the discussion. There was, of course, a lot of uncertainty to be had about talking to the demons about peace. These were ideas that had, of course, been brought up many times before. Abraham was not surprised when disapproval arose. Disapproval always arose, and Abraham always listened quietly. He had listened to these discussions many, many times.
But Eros spoke up, and defended his position. And he defended it passionately. Abraham wasn’t expecting that.
“Eros is right,” said the Faith king, finding his voice. “There’s people suffering- on both sides. Hundreds of thousands have died on both sides. And as long as this war continues, we, as their leaders, are personally responsible for each and every ounce of suffering that is had. For that reason, we must do everything we can, try every idea, until we end that suffering, even if no one else is willing to help us.”
Abraham turned to address Mileani and Diaval.
“The war was little more than a thousand years old when I was born, and even then, it had been too long. Other, shorter lived peoples were already forgetting what had started the war. Thirteen thousand years later, does anyone remember? Do our people? Do they care?”
He turned to Locke next.
“Do you know how many raids there have been, on both sides, in fifteen thousand years of war? How many more there will be before there is nothing left? How much have you seen, in your own short life? Will you see many more before you become a casualty?”
He took a breath. “My point is, what are we fighting for? Do we know? Do the demons know? Or are we just fighting because it’s what we’ve always done? I don’t see a reason to perpetuate this suffering without even putting a fraction of an effort to ending it? Even if any of the demons oppose, what good are we as leaders if we don’t fight for the end of this?”
Abraham felt a bit winded. He was usually a man of few words, but Eros’ passion had struck a chord in a way Abraham he not felt in a long time. Trying to keep his people away from harm had cost him and his kingdom so much time, resources, progress... and he had resigned himself to letting it happen.
...but this did not change the fact that he was not accustomed to speaking up. Abraham averted his eyes from the others, a bit flushed in the face.
“Anyway, I say aye.”
But Eros spoke up, and defended his position. And he defended it passionately. Abraham wasn’t expecting that.
“Eros is right,” said the Faith king, finding his voice. “There’s people suffering- on both sides. Hundreds of thousands have died on both sides. And as long as this war continues, we, as their leaders, are personally responsible for each and every ounce of suffering that is had. For that reason, we must do everything we can, try every idea, until we end that suffering, even if no one else is willing to help us.”
Abraham turned to address Mileani and Diaval.
“The war was little more than a thousand years old when I was born, and even then, it had been too long. Other, shorter lived peoples were already forgetting what had started the war. Thirteen thousand years later, does anyone remember? Do our people? Do they care?”
He turned to Locke next.
“Do you know how many raids there have been, on both sides, in fifteen thousand years of war? How many more there will be before there is nothing left? How much have you seen, in your own short life? Will you see many more before you become a casualty?”
He took a breath. “My point is, what are we fighting for? Do we know? Do the demons know? Or are we just fighting because it’s what we’ve always done? I don’t see a reason to perpetuate this suffering without even putting a fraction of an effort to ending it? Even if any of the demons oppose, what good are we as leaders if we don’t fight for the end of this?”
Abraham felt a bit winded. He was usually a man of few words, but Eros’ passion had struck a chord in a way Abraham he not felt in a long time. Trying to keep his people away from harm had cost him and his kingdom so much time, resources, progress... and he had resigned himself to letting it happen.
...but this did not change the fact that he was not accustomed to speaking up. Abraham averted his eyes from the others, a bit flushed in the face.
“Anyway, I say aye.”
