An Unfinished Requiem
Virtue Corrupted
Virtue Transformed
An Unfinished Requiem
The Avatar came to me one night.
He said into my dreams:
"I pass, and am no more,"
and I wept to hear it.
We had shared our lives,
my friend and I,
and he spoke to me as one dying.
"There will be no more of my kind," he said
and my heart near died.
"You must carry my story now."
I?
"No.
All of you."
All we who had known him?
Perhaps…
perhaps we, together…
"No.
ALL.
All who live and know,
All who shelter in Sosaria's light,
All who find humility and seek enlightenment.
All."
Virtue Corrupted
Hatred
Cowardice
Falsehood
Darkness fell.
The line of kings was sour.
(Do you know what they say about bad apples?)
The land was divided, the virtues corrupted.
Through the actions of the Avatar were we saved.
Here is what we learned.
Hatred opposes love.
Like love, hatred unites.
(we hate together)
Like love, hatred moves us.
(we rage as strongly as we care)
Everything that love is, hatred would destroy.
Cowardice opposes courage.
Like courage, cowardice can drive a man to fight.
(we fear looking weak)
Like courage, cowardice can bring a woman to denounce others.
(we fear being exposed)
Everything that courage is, cowardice would destroy.
Falsehood opposes truth.
Like truth, falsehood can bring harmony.
(we wish to believe the best)
Like truth, falsehood can bring pain.
(we feel the sting of betrayal)
Everything that truth is, falsehood would destroy.
Three move against three,
in like ways
in like hands.
You, o brave one,
o walker of the path,
you
must not
let those hands become yours.
Virtue Transformed
(upcoming section on the Gargoyle virtues)
