Songfic. Lyrics from the song, Lilium from Elfen Lied. I don't know what possessed me to write this, but I did it. Um… Enjoy?
he mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his language shall become clear. Blessed is he who suffers temptation, since he, with striving, shall receive the crown of life.
Lord, fire divine, have mercy.
Sparrow stared at the three cards in front of him. Sacrifice, Love or Wealth. Which one would be best? Well, if Sacrifice, he'll never see his family again until death. Love… He loved his family so much, as well as his companion, who was loyal from the beginning. Wealth… it was out of the question. Definitly not. Lives would seem like a waste at this point.
Haha, wealth. How could that be an option? It's a material thing…
Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam
Et lingua eius loquetur idicium
"There has to be some kind of mistake." Sparrow whispered, looking at Theresa with such a strange look. Such a look, the expression wasn't even known to the common man. "There must be some kind of mistake…"
"You must choose, Hero. One of these three, and only one can be made."
Sparrow stared at the cards again, trying to decide, even though if it were the hero's way, it would be all of the above. Though, that just makes him a bit greedy, doesn't it?
Slowly taking a step back, he stepped out of the heart of The Spire and stared at Theresa, a strange feeling consuming him. The other three figures around him stared at Sparrow oddly, but Sparrow gave no answer to their questioning looks. Theresa fell silent, and waited patiently. The others, not so much.
"Well…?" Hammer asked, anxious to see where her friends alignment lies.
"What's holding you back?" Garth questioned. Yes, Garth was a man of few words, but this caught his attention. Not that Garth himself could decide between love and sacrifice…
"Do get on with it. I'd like to get my reward, too." Reaver snipped.
"Theresa…" Sparrow said, now seeming calm… but so unreadable. He didn't respond to any of the three. Only stared with a stone face, displaying dispassion. "I don't think I can chose."
Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem,
Quonium cum probates fuerit accippient coronam vitae
He hits back when hit, and attack when attacked. His life was an accident, waiting to happen. His place could easily be taken by any other hero. Dispite everything he's done, every action and word, he could say without shame that he has lost. He could not win everything, and thought it sounds selfish, he was true. He would forbid himself to live, if he could not live with his family. Other families across Albion deserve family as well.
The reactions to Sparrow's words were not surprising for him to hear.
"It is a tough decision…" Hammer said quietly. Garth made no comment at all. As where Reaver…
"Well, if you're not going to take the money—"
"Oh, shut it, Reaver!" Hammer shouted. Theresa ignored the others, staring directly at the hero with her blind white eyes. Sparrow did the same, not seeing anyone else but Theresa.
"None of the options appeal to you?"
"It's a win-lose type of situation, which I just can't have… If I can't have it my way, then I guess… I honestly can't have it any way at all."
"You're not even going to revive your family?" Hammer interrupted.
"No. Why? We would all be happier in a perfect world. This world, like Lucien preached, is full of chaos. There will always be chaos. It's impossible not to have chaos. It's impossible to have peace. Don't you agree?" Hammer fell silent instantly at this kind of reply. "It's better if we're safe in the afterlife…"
Then Garth spoke up.
"At least revive those who had died to create this. All the work done, and no wish made… I have seen men jump to their deaths to get away from the suffering."
"Why?" Sparrow abruptly asked. "At some point, someone will abuse the life given to them. At some point, someone will die, someone will commit wrong deeds—everything will repeat itself—and what will happen? This will be written in a book. The book will be used to collect information from, maybe even taught or preached about… but like before, people will forget, Garth. The knew generation will push that book up to the highest shelf and let collect dust—"
"Then take the money." Reaver said. It was clear that Sparrow made his point for Garth… now there was Reaver left to settle.
"I can't. Money doesn't last forever. Nothing lasts forever. Not even you. You will die, Reaver, and when you do, the thousands of souls you tricked into saving your skin will be waiting for you in the darkest place in The Void. A special place will be reserved for you, in the fires of a foul and nightmarish hell."
Kyrie, ignis divine, eleison
All three seem to be at a loss of words. Even Reaver, who seemed the most lively at the moment, with the sad scornful look on his face. He ignored the looks from the others and just stared at the hero. Finally after a moment of silence, Theresa spoke.
"You're not pleased with your choices."
"… No, I'm not."
O quam santa, quam serene
Quam benigna, quam amoena
"You must choose." She stated. Sparrow sighed and looked down to his feet to think. Never did Sparrow test Theresa's patients until now. Now, he couldn't help but think that maybe she was getting irritated.
"The fourth option."
"There is no forth option."
"Sure there is; None of the above." Sparrow said. "Give the wish to someone else. You decide. I'm going to go to a place where I'm not pressured to be a hero."
Hammer, Garth and Reaver watched in complete awe. Theresa seemed to accept it, of course. Though, when Sparrow began to lean, the looks on the three's faces were priceless. He fell, knowing Sparrow would fall to his death, like Lucien. Maybe this would even their score… He'd never know. Sparrow may never know. Frankly, he doesn't care. So long as he goes to a perfect world.
O castitatis lilium