A Human Weapon

The body of Bermar joins the rest of his people among the ashes. A peaceful village once filled with warmth and kindness is now a graveyard of betrayal and disagreeable ideals.

"It's finally over…"

Dozens of cuts across my body can finally find an opportunity to begin healing as the flow of blood becomes calm. I simply stand and stare at the sky until a soft tug can be felt against my mantle.

"C."

"Are you alright?"

Peo nods, but that doesn't seem to be the source of her motion. I follow her gaze to the corpse of Bermar as she speaks in her muffled voice.

"What are…morals?"

It's times like these that I forget some very obvious facts. One is that Peo is still young. There is much that she has to learn and asking questions is the only way. The second is that she isn't human, so many of our psychological quirks don't always apply.

"They're a tool."

I lean down and begin digging through the knight's pouches and pockets.

"Morals are a tool for those who believe the world should be exactly the way they want it. They target the part of a human that wishes to be seen as 'correct' and 'justified'.

Peo listens quietly as I hand her pouches to hold. I continue my explanation as I start undressing his magic cloak.

"With them, you can define your own rules and force others to follow. As long as the user has a few others to echo their beliefs, individuals have no choice but to agree. Otherwise they can be shamed or even attacked."

"Humans…scary…"

The thought of it seems to genuinely make her skin crawl. Beastfolk probably aren't strangers to conflicting desires but weaponising shame doesn't seem to fit their proud nature.

"Did your tribe not have unwritten rules like that? Ones that anybody with influence could dream of and use as reason to hurt whomever they pleased?"

"Laws have…no exceptions."

Her own pride as beastfolk begins to show in that unwavering frown.

"Not against law…then not punished."

"I assume laws can change under some organised process?"

"Chief…decides. Otherwise…defeat Chief."

Quite the primitive solution, but one that leaves little room for tricks. On Earth, theft and murder are universally written into law. Performing these actions results in some punishment described in text. However, humans have decided that they wish to create their own laws and exceptions. Crimes against 'ethics' can be used to fire people from work or outcast individuals from communities. Some condone even murder and theft depending on the victim or aggressor.

"Humans that believe they have a moral right are dangerous. Especially to people like us."

"Back…then…"

Peo doesn't elaborate, but I can picture the faces that she imagines. The knights who killed her people, the adventurers who attacked us in the alley, the mountain general and his knights, all of these people used the same tool.

"Exactly. Our enemies used their morals as the justification to end our lives. It doesn't matter who they hurt, as long as they uphold their own ideas of 'right' and 'wrong'."

The young beast stands in silence as my words begin to sink in. Maybe she regrets joining the world of humans, or maybe she simply struggles to understand their reasoning. It feels as if I'm not the only one thrust into an entirely new world with nothing but my fists and wits.

"In the end, what we do doesn't change."

Peo looks up as I rise to my feet with a cloak in hand. Multiple coatings of dirt, dust, and ash have turned the white cloth a murky grey, but that doesn't stop me from trading out my old blue mantle.

"We survive, by whatever means necessary. Even if the world turns against us, we fight for every last breath."

"Just…because…"

Clouds seem to clear away from Peo's eyes as she whispers those words. Life has no meaning, something we have both learned one way or another. That means we have a duty to carve out the life we desire, whatever form that takes. Today, it was Bermar. Many will stand in the way of our survival, but they will meet bullet and claw.

"Mr…Clark…"

Our determination is cut short by a soft voice from the rough stone path. Between two lines of trees is a girl with ginger hair and a blue bandana, her pale red dress blowing in the wind. Behind her is a trusty wagon and its brown engine.

"Bailey."

"What…happened…"

Her eyes don't know what to focus on with so much stimulus in such a small space. Between the knights and Norwin's champion, she can't seem to string sentences together.

"We were betrayed. Your army's general sought to kill me instead of saving your people. When he was defeated, Lord Bermar did not take my actions well."

"B-But he was supposed to be fighting the Titan!"

"He was, but he could not accept my existence and chose to kill me instead. I tried to help him see reason, but you can see the result."

I'm providing an explanation, but this is only delaying the inevitable. A witness is a witness, something that an agent can never allow to exist. Should the farm girl be allowed to live, all of Norwin would catch wind and a large diplomatic conflict would erupt.

"You should have stayed down the mountain…"

This isn't a person that I want to kill. There would have been no reason to allow her the ability to achieve her dream, even if we were to never meet again. That is no longer the case. I cannot take any risks that may lead to being despised by Melior's crown.

I can't see Bailey's expression from her downcast face and long bangs. Her voice still stutters slightly as she speaks.

"What…will you do now?"

"Our business in this nation is done. We will return to Melior and prepare for our next mission."

My revolver appears with its crimson cylinder and bullets. Silver metal glows in the sunlight as I carefully aim the barrel directly at the young girl's head. While my hand is unsteady, my finger still reaches the trigger.

A familiar scene unfolds from deep within my memories. That blazing mansion and the way it reeked of smoke is so clear that I may as well be standing there now. Just like before, a woman is to die. Just like before, I will pull the trigger and secure my future.

"Mr. Clark…"

Just like before, I hear a sweet voice calling my name. I hesitate for one final moment before pulling the trigger.

"I shall accompany you!"