Re: Part 74 - The Art of Peace.
More interesting information from Banglen-Yp, all of it filed into Cyan's mind. The picture becomes more clear with every discussion. The existence of such a being seems impossible...contradictory, even. But there are, as the great bard said, more things in heaven and earth....
"I do trust you," Cyan replies quietly. "I do not know the 'other' you, but the you that sits before me? I trust. And if you say I can trust all of you, then I believe this."
And a question.
Blinking topaz eyes, Cyan sits back. "When?" She considers, carefully, for long moments as Berd raises his head, studying her with some curiosity. Finally she speaks, beginning slowly. "It is a matter of perspective. In the beginning, I knew nothing of the Archons. I viewed them as singular - the enemy. I had no idea they were a race of their own. In time, I became aware of this. But even then, my perspective separated the Archons into two groups: the enemy - the Seraphim - and those who were helpful - the Nephillim." A sad smile shadows her features. "It is an oddity - a painful oddity - of living beings that we tend to label, to group, and then to steal away truths with these labels and groups. The enemy becomes nothing more than that, and we cease to see them as anything but. It allows us to take action against them, actions we could not take against friends. Perhaps...perhaps it is a survival instinct, something allowing us to circumvent morality in times of danger or threat allowing us to act without hesitation. Unfortunately, it is often the cause of all manner of atrocities; if those beings, there, are not part of 'our' group, if we have labelled them otherwise, we no longer see them as individuals or even people. If they are not people, well, they can be treated as we desire."
The bard runs fingers through her russet hair. "In time, in experience, and mostly due to my...tenure as the General, I came to realize that Archons are, indeed, people. They became no longer a faceless enemy. It seeped into my mind that they were merely individuals like myself, struggling with their own situation. Perhaps, from my point of view, they made poor choices and those poor choices had terrible consequences. But such has been the case of people throughout the history of the universe itself, and should a people be extinguished for that? No." She waves a hand toward her father. "Berd had similar experiences with Archons. Both of us, independently, came to the realization that this war should not be won - rather, it needed to be stopped."
With a small sigh, she closes her eyes in thought. "Had I the need to pinpoint the time, I expect it began shortly after I met you, Banglen-Yp. Freed of my...programming, I began to explore other choices in my mind, search for other options than annihilation. I had already given too much of myself to that, had already been the cause of so many deaths. I wanted a better way."