Page 5

Ashlyn took a deep sigh, "But I cannot trust us to be infallible. What I can trust, is General Tarupin's decisions. He knows where there are camps of people who seek to do this. He would know where there may be justice needing to be met out. If we let ourselves become the blade in the dark for General Tarupin, we let him free up Immortal Flame resources to be used elsewhere. We take something off his chest, and these people are outlaws anyways. They have already had their chances."

The Viera took a moment to pull herself together. "That's why, I want the three of us to band together. To unite as one, to help bring this land to safety, but do so in a way, to not cause more regret." She looked between the pair.

"But what about the families of those bandits? What about the ones we will hurt in the crossfire of it? How is this any different?" Regret instantly began asking.

"Those bandits have done irreparable harm. Unlike us, they have no sense of remorse, nor a desire to change. Yes, people's feelings will be caught in the crossfire, but think of those innocents who will die if we do nothing."

The smaller spectre fell silent. Finally, Justice spoke once more.

"So, your plan is for us to pick the blade up, but not to go back to how we once were, but as blades for one of the corrupt city-states? How is that any different to being criminals? Would we not just be executing those they themselves deem unworthy?" She asked raising a brow.

Ashlyn shook her head. "Not the city-state. But specifically General Tarupin. I trust Pipin to have good judgement. He is not corrupt like the monetarists on the Syndicate. While yes, the Brass Blades are under the Immortal Flames, they're a subdivision. He is too busy with other issues to be able to handle that. Maybe... just maybe... us doing this can let him deal with that."

The two contemplated her words.

"Okay, I'm in. As long as we are dispensing justice and working to keep the star safer as was our goal when we picked up that crystal. Then it's fine. I'll... cool on the push of us going back to how we were back then..."

"Likewise, as long as we aren't taking it fully into our hands, as long as we are using someone else's judgement, we could save a lot of lives... I... think this could help the regret and pain we feel..."

Ashlyn nodded solemnly. "Then we are agree. This will be our path forward, our path... to healing..."