Unyielding Ambition

Campaign: Destruction and Domination

Chapter 12 / 4-4

Unyielding Ambition

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Rightful Ruler

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The Unshackling

Summary

At long last, the prince and his friends lay Leonidas low. However, the elder brother refuses to yield, forcing the prince to argue beliefs with him. They finally reach a sort of peace when Alex intervenes, but the calm is shattered when Phares suddenly attacks.

Dialogue

Haaah! Gaaaaaaaaaaah! Did we win?! You have won nothing, Brother! It will take more than such trifles to vanquish me! Oh man, I'm gettin' the mana heebie- jeebies over here. It's just like what happened with those Phobos goons! Leonidas, stop! If you keep this up, you'll suffer the same end as your Phobos and Deimos units! One cannot be a conqueror if they stand apart from danger cowering in fear. To be a conquerer is to stand at the apex! To lead the vanguard of glorious battle! My path forward is paved by the blood of all who fell before my strength! This is the crux of leadership: You lead that others might follow! Rend tree from root, rip down mountains, let rivers run dry as bones! If you would see your will done, all must be laid before you in sacrifice! There is no other way! Aaaaaah! Unngh... S-stop this, Brother... You have to...stop. You think to order me about in that tepid shapeshifted form! Know your place!

Why, Leonidas? Why do you feel the need to sacrifice so much—including yourself? Have you really capitulated to the Other? Have you sworn such fealty to Dyrenell?

You know nothing of Morsayati OR Dyrenell. In fact, have you ever stopped to consider what this all DOES mean? The world must shatter the dragon's yoke! How can you not see this?!

The yoke? Leonidas, the dragons are the very FOUNDATION of our world! They are kith and kin to us! That you would say as much only proves how deeply they control you. I will crush their deceitful pacts and see the world placed back under our control once more, or die in the attempt. Deceitful pacts...? Leonidas, you're not making any SENSE! There is no point in bandying further words with one who believes a bond with a dragon to be inviolable. The only path forward now is one I blaze for myself. There has to be another way. Even if what you say is true, there MUST be a better way to rectify the situation. Surely so many people don't need to die in order to make us whole again. Do you think I alone bristle under the dragons' yoke? What do you mean? There are others besides me who detest their tyranny and would see them eliminated from this world. And what do you think will become of the world if one of them were to shatter the dragons' rule? Those who prospered in the time of the dragon—those who accepted their false peace—will have to face the judgment of those who end their rule. And thus I, a human myself, must wrest the world free of their hegemony! Leonidas... Don't you see? That's all the more reason not to join forces with Morsayati. You have to show more faith in people! Blind belief in others is what led us to this world—and I have nothing further to discuss with someone who cannot understand that! Now die flailing in the ashes of history! FULL ALCHEMIC BUUURST! Aaaaaaah! Nnngh... You stand in the way of progress, Prince Euden. The more who find their hope in you, the stronger the dragons' choke hold on our world becomes. That is why I will see your life ended here and now! Hrrrgh... GRAAAAAAAGH! *pant* *pant* M-my body... can take no more... But all that remains is the finishing blow... Prepare yourself. I won't let that happen. A shame to see you poisoned by his ideas as well, Alex. Do you not see the folly of finding your hope in others? How could you say that? You created Valkaheim! Valkaheim is a place where the strong devour the weak. A place where all must fight and claw to lift themselves up. Precisely. If one would see their hopes made manifest, they must do so by their own strength. It is folly to entrust a dream to the whim of another. You're wrong. We fought because we believed we COULD lift ourselves up. Because there was someone who made us believe in the rule of might.

It was YOU, Leonidas! YOU were that hope! I was your...hope? Yes. But you surrendered that path when you chose to suborn yourself to Morsayati. Instead of trying to lift yourself with your own might, you wanted it given to you. But His Highness is different. He claws his way up by his own strength, not by selling out to power. HIS is the true path of might! You speak poison with two tongues! ...... Gurgh... I have been...defeated? I'm sorry it came to this. Go on, my brother. Deliver the final blow. Such is the duty of a king. No. I won't. I want you to break ties with Morsayati and return to Valkaheim. You fear to make the hard choice. Ah, but you are still such a child. No, Brother. I am the victor this day. And as such, you will obey MY command. Then you would sentence me to live with ignominy and shame? Better to remove my head and have it done with! The duty our father bestowed upon you was to oppose threats from the north. I think it's time you fulfilled that duty. ...Is there something you know? I'm only saying— Wh-what the...?!

Those dragons are controlled with black mana! What are they doing here?! Aaaaaah!

Heh heh heh. You! Wh-why are you...?

Now...let it begin.