Eighteenth Star

[heavenfang]

All this talk...about murders and redemption.

Well I've got a reality check...no matter what any person, government, or deity might say...there are no pardons. There is no redeeming a bloodied hand. Once someone has killed, there's no turning back to innocence. It's impossible. Once someone has...murdered...they will never have a clean soul again.

That burden will be carried with them to the end of their days...and for some of them, that end will never come...

Comments

[loverofinnocence]

With or without it, it would be unlikely that a man who has killed many would react any differently.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

Those, I guess...I envy almost.

[loverofinnocence]

It is more a burden to kill without remorse. They are not worthy of envy.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

You'd be surprised.

[loverofinnocence]

Hardly.

You have been in that position. The one where you kill mercilessly then.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

...yes.

It was not self defense. It was not even a battle. It was a beaten man...

[loverofinnocence]

Perhaps he deserved it.

Death comes to all eventually in various ways. It is an inevitable event. You did not prolong it, and that was best.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

He...he would have rather died than surrender, in the end...even to his own son.

[loverofinnocence]

Death by pride.

He would have had more honor if he'd killed himself instead of letting someone else have the glory.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

Suicide is considered shameful in Toran culture.

[loverofinnocence]

Either way, you did what needed to be done. There's no need to have remorse for his passing.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

It didn't need to be done at all! I could have recruited him like the others!

[loverofinnocence]

If he wanted to die, what does it matter? You cannot change a person's feelings. They ultimately decide what they want. Even if you had recruited him, his feelings would not have been altered. You simply would have restrained him and caused him more unhappiness.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

...the others changed...the other generals joined me...

[loverofinnocence]

It is common for those to be influenced by others, and negate their own considerations in favor of others. It is a distinct possibility that you were joined by some who did not join of their own accord, but rather... yours.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

THEN WHY DIDN'T IT WORK ON MY FATHER!? IF MY CHARISMA IS SO GREAT, WHY DID I HAVE TO KILL HIM INSTEAD!?

[loverofinnocence]

I'll assume that inquiry is rhetorical.

I don't have an answer for that either way. You can blame yourself all you want for it, but you'll never progress with that nature.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

that's...that's just how it is. I know what I'm to become.

The Balance of Life and Death...in the hands of a lad.

[loverofinnocence]

You're giving it too much thought and reading too much into it. You have control over who and what you become, whether you choose to believe it or not. It's up to you to decide what is right or wrong.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

You don't understand. I have no more control. That was surrendered to the Rune.

[loverofinnocence]

I didn't claim to understand.

I see the forfeiting of control to be subconsciously desired--with, or without 'Runes'.

[tenkai-soul.livejournal.com]

See it that way all you want...