[Video]

[secondborn]

[Alastair is sitting on a roof, looking out at the city. He has a couple of blades next to him. It looks like he might have been in the process of sharpening them when he took a break.]

The change of seasons here is pretty dramatic, isn't it? One moment we still have green, the next...

[He nods out to the suddenly awe-inspiring fall colors of the trees.]

Did it happen like this before? I'm ashamed to say I didn't notice if it did, I was... [He wets his lips and ducks his head a moment,] ...preoccupied. [Preoccupied with being corrupted. Oops.

He lifts his head and smiles.]

Regardless, it's lovely, even if it's a bit sudden. Back home... [A distant sort of look comes over his face as he remembers.] Back home it was always very slow. There was never any one day you could say "now is the end of summer," because when things were Balanced, or at least close to it, it was a slow transition from one season to the next. Maybe our seasons were longer, it's hard to tell.

[He sighs deeply and is quiet for a long moment, then smiles again.]

There's beauty in the world, everywhere. Sometimes it's hard to find it, but every now and then you have to stop and look around and remind yourself why you're fighting.

[His grin turns sheepish and he shakes his head.]

It may seem silly, and believe me, I sound a little ridiculous to myself sometimes, but do me a favor and take a moment out of your day to just appreciate the beauty around you, and remember the beauty of home.

Comments

[pushesgently]

It's tempting to search for some meaning in who comes and goes, and when. But I think any meaning that exists is the meaning we give it. If there is something to the magic that decides—if it is beyond the gods to say so, it is certainly beyond my skill.

[secondborn]

I agree. They've told us many times that they can't control who comes and goes and for how long and when, and I believe them.

[He sighs.]

Still, you're right, it's hard not to try to put meaning to it.

idk private now or something

[pushesgently]

It's a human trait. I once killed a man in front of his master with nothing but my blade and my will, and he still called it the work of God when it was done.

yaaay private

[secondborn]

[Well that surprises Alastair a little, but not that much.]

I'm not really one to judge. I'm sure my world's dedication to the Balance can seem very similar.

it's good to avoid 'you did WHAT now' from nosy peanut gallery members

[pushesgently]

I would say that the difference is that you know for a fact that such a thing exists in your world.

tru dat

[secondborn]

That didn't stop certain parties from regarding it as some kind of archaic religion. But I digress.

[pushesgently]

Perhaps it was more convenient for them to disbelieve in that case.

[secondborn]

I don't doubt that it was. It made things more difficult, but I suspect that was their intention.

[pushesgently]

I would not be at all surprised if that were the case.

[secondborn]

It's something of a story, but they were rather despicable.