The Paladyn's Past
The Paladyn's PastSummary
Elisanne's thoughts drift to her past—to the moment she walked away from the Church and cast aside both her Paladyn's pride and her lifelong friend, Alex. And to Alex's outrage at this decision...
Dialogue
Ranzal: Everything okay, Elly? Ya been standin' there awhile just...standin'. Cat got yer brain?
Elisanne: Ah, Ranzal. Yes, I was just reflecting on the strength of conviction that leading an army demands. His Highness fights to keep the people safe, while Valyx struggles to keep the people united. Both wield their blades without an ounce of hesitation in those beliefs. I...envy them.
Ranzal: Huh? But yer a Paladyn. Yer oath ain't so different from theirs.
Elisanne: ......
Ranzal: Actually, hang on a tick. Paladyns usually defend the Auspex and clergy as an arm of the Church, yeah? So, uh, why ARE ya here, actually? Shouldn't ya be off doin'...I dunno. Church-y stuff?
Elisanne: ...I cannot tell you. But yes, there was a time when my own beliefs felt nigh unshakable. Beliefs I shared with my former comrades...
???: Are you MAD, Elisanne?! How can you think to leave the Church?! Help me understand how a Paladyn can betray her oath like this.
Elisanne: The betrayal is not mine. The Church itself has changed—its present course is wrong. The Scrolls of Perdition are base apocrypha, and I cannot stand with those who would sully Ilia's name with such lies. Therefore I must leave. It is that simple.
???: The greater part of the Church accepts the scrolls as canon, Elisanne. The demon was born of Ilia's womb. The bishop himself declared—
Elisanne: No man or woman can sway my beliefs. That the all-merciful goddess could have borne the force that threatened our very world's existence twice? ...No. If this paints me a heretic, so be it. I will go and live with those who share my faith in this.
???: Don't go, Elly! Please, just... Don't leave me. I was saved by you, and now you're just going to abandon me?!
Elisanne: I wish you all the best in life, Alex. But it was not I who saved you. It was merely Ilia's will. The goddess will watch over you long after I am gone—provided that you do not stray from her truths.
Alex: Then your faith means more to you than our friendship? So be it. In that case, I have no choice but to... To...
Elisanne: I believed in Ilia, and nothing more. I believe in her still. But I cannot return to a time when I believed without question. I still question why it is that I wield this lance. I haven't yet—
Ranzal: Sheesh, lady! Yer laced up tighter than a skinflint's purse on payday. And for what it's worth, ya don't seem like the type to just poke that lance into chumps just for the fun of it. So maybe ya don't quite have all the answers yet. So what?! Keep thinkin' about it while ya fight. There's plenty'a things to believe in besides gods. Go find yerself a few.
Elisanne: You make it sound so easy...
Euden: I want to create a place where the people can simply live and be happy, Elisanne. Will you help me?
Zethia: I can see that you have a pure heart, Lady Elisanne. As the goddess Ilia is my witness, I know it to be true.
Elisanne: Meeting the prince and the Auspex has given me so much. Perhaps I need look no further than—
Luca: Incoming! Look lively, everyone! The Empire's at our door!
Ranzal: Time to go, Elly. That lance ready?
Elisanne: It's ready. And my worries will keep. For now, my allies and their vision of justice is cause enough to fight for!