It was often that he looked back on his mistakes. His wrongdoings. How could you not when you were surrounded by them? When your teammates, colleagues, and minions were all just as flawed as you? He wasn’t a corrupt being, as so many thought he was. He was just... desperate. Desperate for change, for hope, and for a home. He never intended to start a war. This much he knew as he kneeled before his king, the world around him burning. He only wanted his family back. He only wanted to do his people justice. He should’ve known that justice is not found within bloodshed, and that the dead cannot return. He knew now though. All too late. As those he had learned to care for abandoned him, leaving him to face judgement alone. Betrayal stung deeper than any wound or scar he now carried upon his skin, and such betrayal would typically be a spark. But now, it just shattered his very soul. The knowledge of a lack of morals when such was all that was needed does that to a person. And it is now that he has lost. “Your grace-“ he began, but was silenced by the king’s raised hand. He thought to himself, only for a moment, of how such a monstrous man could never truly fit into the inherited title of ‘king’. Though, he spoke not a word of such a thought, as it alone was treason. “Do you believe me to be a fool, Luci?” the king asked, and he quickly answered. “N-no sir. Not at all.” “I do believe you might be lying to me,” the king continued, stepping up from his throne and descending the stairs, creeping closer and closer to him, “as your generals have all but fled the land. Your army is in shambles, your reign finished, yet you still attempt to hinder the completion of my plans and cover it up with distraction after distraction as if I would not see behind such a feeble ruse. So I shall ask you again. Do you believe me to be a fool?” This time, he held his tongue. Whatever he said next would seal his fate permanently. “I take silence as an answer too, you know,” the king said silkily, laying a gentle hand on Luci’s shoulder. That was when the fine thread of control that was held within him snapped, and he spoke the truth. “I do, in fact, believe you to be a fool. Your father never crowned you king, but you still claim yourself to be one. Your land has long since been destroyed because of a war you never chose to stop, and now you’ve brought such a war here just because of a petty feud you have with a group of powerful children that have outwitted you time and time again. You’ve summoned a virtually indestructible entity, and for what? To try and dish out payback? You have no true fight other than the fight within yourself, and it is pitiful that you ever thought yourself to be a kind and just ruler.” An anger burned behind his eyes now. He was never supposed to try and fight for a long-lost cause. He was never supposed to invite this menace into his domain, nor was he supposed to let his crown be taken. He never planned on attacking those who were just trying to make a better life for themselves than the ones they’d lost. He didn’t truly want revenge. It was mostly out of misguidance that he wished his life returned. He didn’t truly want a war. Not even now. He never wanted to be the villain. But now, this monster before him had resurrected a war, a battle long finished, and meticulously denied mercy to all but one. They, in their fight so long ago, had brought the war to him. This is why he brought this pseudo-king back from what was supposed to be his grave. Now, he knew he was no exception to the lack of mercy. He had played his part in the war, and as the silver dagger clutched within the king’s cruel hand pierced his heart, he could only hope that such a war would end swiftly. For now, he breathed his final breath, glad to have fought against the true evil, even if it was just within a moment of defiance. And for now, returned to his people, in the only way he possibly could.