Rise Of Pandora

Rise Of Pandora: XLIX. No More Shadows

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IX. Stoic

Atlas sat back on the sofa and stretched his arms to the sides, his muscles slipping from the sleeves of his white robe. A yawn escaped his mighty throat as he glared individually at the three royal men.

Atlas turned and noticed Pontus. He had nearly forgotten Pontus was in the room, for he had been so noticeably silent and seemingly disinterested or rather taken by a heavy mood. It was ironic how someone who shone so brightly could go so easily unnoticed just by a silence of the tongue. Atlas wished to bring Pontus from the shadows.

"Pontus, would you like to sit?"

Clearly frustrated, Pontus shook his head to the sides.

The others in the room turned to find Pontus who had been standing just behind the three royal men. They, too, seemed to overlook his presence due to his preferred silence.

Atlas glared solemnly at Pontus who genuinely seemed conquered by something, a sentiment perhaps. Atlas knew Pontus well, and so he knew when Pontus was deeply troubled. The presence of discomfort was saturated throughout his face, filling in every pore and crevasse.

Alastor stared thoughtfully at Pontus.

"There is something bothering you, Pontus," Atlas asked.

"I just don't see how any of this has anything to do with me," Pontus said while scoffing lowly, his eyes fixed upon the flames of the fireplace.

"And you!" Pontus turned his attention to Alastor with much indignation as though he had reached his limit.

Pontus' aura burned a reddish purple and radiated so hot that the three royal men lept from the couch, timid and tense. Pontus was visibly distraught. Pontus stepped closer to Alastor.

"Try to silence me once again and we will truly have problems and if you have any trouble with this you will soon my days as a Rare Man truly rare!"

His face was bloodshot red and filled with emerging indignation. He was letting all of his emotions loose, uncensored and free. Atlas eyed Pontus woefully and thoughtfully.

"I'm done with it! Atlas, your methods have always been appreciated. But even the Bessarian agrees, we must rule from the foreground. No more shadows. We need to impose a strict order for the whole population. Setting good examples and coming to peoples' aid can only go so far. There is so much corruption because they don't fear us, they know we enable them. But setting a strict rule will keep all in line, both humans, and Dakini. They want power but they cannot handle it. I just know so many in powerful positions have had some form of contact and alliance with the Dakini. The Dakini do know how to communicate with man, we know this."

Alastor gripped the fabric of the sofa, "You would have our reputation crippled? And for what? Have the entire population work with us through fear rather of their own will? You would want to make slaves of them!"

"And that's just it. It's their will! It has always been their will! When people have freedom, they always choose wrong! But after hundreds of years of watching and experiencing, who do you think has better say over humans, us or them? I am not trying to make slaves of anyone and you know it! If someone commits a crime? Punishment. If someone does well for others? Reward. If an entire faction of the government decides they can align with the Dakini and plot mass genocide? You better believe there will be hell to pay! What I am proposing is crime and punishment, good and reward," Pontus fired back immediately!

"This man's brother has the proper mind for it," Pontus said, his finger pointing at Maddard.

"He knows there must be sacrifice in order to achieve anything of value. And that is why I will stand by his side when the time comes. But let me ask you all this. Have any of you actually seen a Deathknight? Apart from Baccus, have any of you humans actually seen a Deathknight let alone fight one? Truly step before those hollow vessels of magma and fire? Have you ever had to travel back and forth between two countries on the opposite ends of the continent in one day to try and prevent two gruesome wars? Have any of you ever had to risk your life fighting strange beasts from lands unknown and forgotten and had to keep your mouth shut about it for centuries? There are odder and odder things and the amount I have seen will drive any of you mad."