"You're just being selfish." "This is for the greater good." "Why can't you see the bigger picture?" Their voices echoed in my head.

I sat down on the balcony of my castle and gazed out at the ocean. Jericho and Foxx's castle was quite a comforting place to return to each night, unlike the menacing green castle Mot and Alyssa lived in. Spark's tree wasn't that bad, but it was almost entirely unfurnished. He was still in the process of decorating it.

"Why is it so bad that I don't want to fight a war?" I said to myself, resting my chin on top of my hands. Is it a bad thing to value my life? Is it a bad thing to want to decrease the amount of bloodshed in this land? Why does everything have to be solved with violence?

There was nothing I could do today, unfortunately. The sun was already down, and everyone was asleep. I had no choice but to do the same, or I would be a sleep-deprived mess the next morning.

I opened up the secret staircase that led to the basement. There was a bed down there that I slept in. I could, of course, have a normal bedroom, but I felt a larger sense of security in that room. In a world where everyone is against you in some way, being as isolated as possible is calming.

The next morning, I decided to approach Mot and tell him how I felt in a way that wouldn't offend him. I was sick of dealing with complicated situations like children. It always ended in someone getting hurt, and the problem at hand getting worse. It solved nothing.

I approached the enormous green castle and saw that there was no door for me to knock on. "Mot?" I called into the vast room in front of me. "I wish to speak with you, if that's okay."

After a moment of silence, I saw a tired-looking Mot come up the stairs and glare at me. "What do you want now?"

Alyssa appeared behind him. When she saw it was me, she drew out her sword and stepped protectively in front of her unarmed father.

I held up my empty hands. "I have brought no weapons with me, Alyssa. I don't wish to fight. I came to reason with your father, that is all."

The little girl narrowed her eyes at me. "Sounds like a trick. Don't talk to him, Dad."

I sighed in exasperation. "Oh my gods, how on earth would this possibly be a trick? What would be the point of a trick? It doesn't get anybody anywhere!" When I saw that she was refusing to move, I turned to leave. "Forget it. Be as stubborn as you want. Continue trying to protect your father from all the evil in this world. Because I'm telling you right now, the god of evil will not be intimidated by it. And don't expect me to take your side later, when it's too late." I glared at her one more time, and then left.

The problem with leaving was that I had nowhere to go. I was lost, walking a path of emptiness. I had no god, and no friends. I had nothing." Caught in a whirlwind of depressing and existential thoughts, I jumped when I heard someone speak behind me.

"Jeriah? I sent Alyssa off to Mianite. What was it that you wanted to talk about?" Mot was looking at me with a blank expression. I couldn't tell whether he was angry at me like he usually was, or if he was sorry for how Alyssa had spoken back at the castle. This was unlike Mot, who was typically one to let the world know what his opinion was.

I took a deep breath and faced him. "Before I begin, I request that you hear me out. What I am about to say is completely serious, and I need you to treat it as such."

He frowned slightly, but nodded. "I don't like the sound of that, but I suppose you can continue."

I cleared my throat. "When I said that I didn't want to attack Dianite and start a war against him, I didn't say it because I 'can't see the bigger picture' or whatever you were telling me. I don't like the fact that we were unwillingly put here, and then forced to do the bidding of the gods. Believe it or not, this is not our fight. This is a fight between the three gods."

"But..." Mot began.

I shot him a glare. "I said, hear me out completely. Complain afterwards." He stared at me for a moment longer before (reluctantly) shutting his mouth. "I know that the gods, Mianite and Ianite, are good people in grave danger. However, can you understand why I am not as willing to risk my life for these people? If I die fighting their battle, I can't return. Ever. I'm done. If the gods fight their own battle, however, they can keep coming back. But they feel like returning after a long period of time is too bothersome, can't you see? They want us to do their dirty work. They're throwing us out."

Mot clearly hadn't realized that. He stood there for a minute, his mouth hanging open. At a loss of words, he leaned against a nearby tree and put his head in his hands. The poor man must have been under quite a bit of stress.

"I... I see your point, Jeriah," Mot said after a while. "I shall consult the gods about that. However, this battle will not be purely offensive. I request that, at the least, you train to protect yourself if the battle becomes defensive. Can you agree to that?"

I nodded. "That is fine by me. And, ah, one more thing, Mot," I said, seeing that the man was turning to leave. This was difficult for me to say, but it had to be done.

"Yes, Jeriah?" he asked, turning back around.

I sighed. "I'd like to formally apologize for our arguments in the past. If it's okay with you, I'd like to let all past arguments go, and go into the war as allies instead of enemies. Do you agree?"

He looked shocked, but agreed, much to my relief. "I apologize as well. Perhaps I have underestimated you. I believe we could make a decent team."