"It seems like you actually somehow made it, Leith Laziel."
"Congratulations."
The commander remarked, entering the room—encompassed in darkness.
Leith stood at the opposite end, overlooking the expanse of fog burying the town's lights.
"Say, Commander."
"What is it that defines 'right,' and what is it that defines 'wrong'?"
The commander stopped abruptly—puzzled.
"That's quite the tender topic, Laziel."
"I think it would be entirely up to interpretation—as such, it doesn't really have an answer."
He said, taking a puff of his cigarette.
Leith rested his cheek on his hand—his hand placed on the railing.
"Would 'right,' be that which you desire, even if the rest of the world saw it as wrong?"
Leith asked.
His breath fogged in the cold.
His face proved barren—vacant of emotion.
"Or.."
"Would 'right,' be that which the world all consolidated to be the only way, even if you saw it as undesirable."
"Your perspective is deemed to be unfair, and invalid once it involves rejecting other perspectives—selfishness isn't sanctioned in today's society."
The commander replied.
"So would you say it's wrong to dream?"
Leith asked.
The commander remained silent—the smoke of cigarette spiraling in the air.
His gaze sharpened.
"You wanted me to be that monster—didn't you, commander?"
"Even if you knew harbouring such a dream would require a compromise conflicting with the beliefs of society, and even your own—you still went ahead and asked if I was the one who did it."
"What makes you think I didn't simply wish to invoke justice?"
"Because you're human, commander."
"You dream—just as everyone else does."
"Your longing to see the sun wasn't said as simply bait to 'invoke' justice, no—it was a genuine cry for help."
Leith remarked, looking behind him to meet the commander's gaze.
"Are you really willing to take this gamble, Laziel?"
"You were right, commander.."
"I was the one who orchestrated that purge, along with the death of Malric Dast, and the disqualification of Kiren Voss."
The revelation—befitting of a shameful expression, arrived with a cold demeanor.
His hollow eyes looked into the commander's as they shook with shock.
"You're insane, absolutely insane.."
"But make no mistake, commander."
"My actions are not fueled by desire, rather they are a result of what this world has led me to become."
"Damn you…"
"Drop the childish act."
"Isn't this what you wanted to hear from the very beginning?—You shouldn't let pride, of all things, get in the way of your dream."
"You really believe I won't subject you to justice, Laziel!?"
He asked, clenching his fist.
His eyes shone a bright flash of white.
With an expression of fury, he promptly took a step forward, grasping the hilt of his blade as it rattled in its sheath.
"Don't underestimate me, you pathetic brat!—"
"That's right."
Leith interrupted.
"Your resolve to see your dream realised ultimately outshines your strive for justice."
"And that's why—you won't lay a finger on me, even after what you now know."
He added, a slight yet noticeable smirk on his face.
The commander buckled—his action regressed upon hearing Leith's words.
Attention.
May All Top Ranking Candidates Please Enter the Stage.
"But then again—this is all a big gamble, right?"
Leith said, as he began to march towards the doorway.
"Let's see what you'll really do, commander.."
He whispered as he overlapped the commander.
His voice—disturbingly calm.
The stage—a huge slab of stone adorned with velvet carpets and red curtains held together by gold anchors.
A vast crowd stood before it—members of society all prevailing in status.
The rest of the candidates were already stationed, ready to receive their honors.
Blinding streaks of light illuminated the scene, clashing with the fog enveloping the sky.
"My greetings and salutations to you all, as we welcome the newest recruits of the prosperous 10th Division—may they soar in their endeavours as they reach to protect and serve those in need of their valiant aid."
A roaring voice commended the candidates as it spoke to the crowd.
The general walked up steps of velvet—his red cape trailing his path.
His white hair gave an indication to his old age, as wrinkles traced his face.
"Drelan.."
"I must say, I'm not in any bit surprised to see you here, boy.."
"What else did you expect, general?"
"It sucked I couldn't top anything else though—the dumb exam ended early because of some small inconvenience.."
"So I've heard.."
He replied, averting his gaze to face Leith.
Breaking the ceremony's protocol, he passed by the other candidates without batting an eye—heading straight for Leith.
The air was tense as whispers echoed throughout the crowd.
Each step the general took, increased the wariness within them.
His gaze was dead set on the boy—cold and calculating.
"Although we must spend this ceremony in hail for our newfound comrades and heroes.."
"We mustn't forget our enemies…"
He finally stopped as he took his final step, reaching Leith.
"Kiren Voss was a hotheaded brat fixed on paving his way among the ranks of the ASPs."
"Sure, he may have seemed violent, and malicious, but that boy was as noble in the heart as they come."
The general said, now looking Leith in the eye.
"Noble enough to acknowledge the fact his honor isn't worth risking over his goal…"
Silence followed the general's words.
Leith looked back at him, his eyes hollow.
"He was among the fourth group, alongside the likes of Ivan Sarric, Nyel Arven, Coren Vessan, the fallen Malric Dast, and lastly—the Print of Calamity…"
Gasps resonated through the crowd in harmony.
Leith's expression remained.
The general turned to the crowd, pivoting to show Leith in full view as if he was presenting him—he raised his voice..
"Now I want you all to guess who the last among those five managed to make it all the way here, despite his lacking in atheris, and his reputation as a devil!"
They remained silent in shock—studying Leith up and down as if they had seen a legend in the flesh.
The general puffed his chest once more.
"That's right!—The Print of Calamity made it through while being a part of the ONLY group littered with deficiency, while also having been the bottom ranking candidate at the beginning of the assessment—doesn't that seem kind of fishy to you all?"
He asked, turning to face Leith once more.
The general grasped the hilt of his sheathed blade—a smirk on his face.
"What an honor it is to finally meet face to face with the hex himself…—the only honor more redeeming—would be that of being the one to slay you, Leith Laziel."
He unsheathed his blade.
The crowd—now in an outrage urged the general to hurry up and execute him.
Leith remained quiet, holding back any rebuttal—still staring down the general.
Solace—the embodiment of a burden having been removed from the world encompassed the people.
Cheers echoed as the general pulled his arm back—readying his swing.
The rest of the candidates watched on, most without a bias.
The blade sliced through the air in one quick motion.
Drops of blood trickled down onto the ground.
The general's blade quaked as it came to a halt, breaking the skin on Leith's throat.
"Hey.."
"What the hell do you think you're doing, commander?"
The general whispered in surprise.
The commander gripped his arm, ceasing any further movement.
His eyes glowed a bright frosty white, as he opened his mouth.
"Let's not do anything hasty now, general.."
"He's docile right now, let's not aggravate him into causing anymore mayhem.."
The commander replied, looking over at Leith, gritting his teeth upon doing so.
Leith met the commander's gaze, not in an arrogant 'I told you so' manner no—his stare was… expressionless.
The commander's grip hesitated, as his face slowly contorted into one of defeat—disappointment in himself.
The crowd fell into an abrupt silence, as they all, confused, didn't know what to make of the situation.
"So you're saying we let this tyrant live?"
"Come on Commander!—I have my blade at his throat, no one will mutter a word if I behead him right here—right now!"
The commander's lips quivered—he was in conflict as he remembered Leith's words.
"Like I said, let's not take any unnecessary risks here, we don't have proof he was the one behind Mr. Dast's murder—"
"That's Bullsh!—"
"Stand down, general.."
The commander commanded, looking down at the ground.
The general's mouth gaped open out of shock, yet his eyes spoke anger.
"I pledge my allegiance to GAPP, and to rebelling against the empire conspiring the purges."
Leith declared abruptly, his expression still shallow, yet his voice stood firm.
"If you allow me to, I promise that I can, and will, fulfil my redemption to the people standing here before me, as well as the people whom I have wronged."
"You think.."
"You think people—can just forgive that easily?"
The general replied, a sarcastic grin on his face.
The crowd erupted in roars of insults.
"You've failed to understand me, general."
"I'm not asking for forgiveness here—words in this case serve as nothing but mere shallow promises.."
Leith looked back at the general.
"I'm asking—for this blade to be removed from my throat, and for its hilt to be brought to the palm of hand."
The general couldn't laugh this one off—he met Leith's gaze with both astonishment and confusion.
"Don't look at me like that, general.."
"You know damn well what I'm suggesting here, don't you?—If you allow me to become an ASP, then I will show you the full extent of my resolve.."
"And if you fail to do so!?"
"The idiots bluffing!—Kill him already!!!"
The crowd spoke, laughing in mockery.
"Then we'll come back to this very moment—without the commander's interruption…"
The general sheathed his blade after removing it hesitantly,
Murmurs sounded throughout the crowd—a debate of the authenticity of Leith's declaration erupted.
"Just so you know, Laziel.."
"Im looking at this situation through the lens of strategy..—Do anything shady, and I promise you—not even the commander can stop my blade the next time I unsheathe it before you…"
Leith looked back at the general with his same dull eyes.
The commander whispered as he walked past Leith—both of them refusing to meet the others' gaze.
"You're sick, you know that?..."