Eternal
As you think about your own possible future and if your “time” has come to settle into old age and compromise, you also think back to another who was struggling with his own future…
“Eternal, come drink with me one last time!” Klemto says sitting in a very basic chair near an equally unimpressive table. He’s not drunk yet, but he will be soon, if he keeps drinking.
You take a quick glance at his home and most of it is very simplistic and lacks the luxury that he once had. It’s obvious he’s fallen on hard times now that the civil war has wrapped up. He no longer wears a suit; instead he has on a drab torn shirt and a pair of plain pants. Even one of his shoes has a hole in it.
“No that’s okay, Klem…it is my understanding that all of the remaining gnomes in the kingdom are leaving on their own accord. I thought that you would be busy making preparations to join them.”
“Of their own accord? Hah! That’s rich! Richer than me anyway! No, my dear Eternal, I think the change in the regime has made it quite clear that our kind are not wanted in any capacity. In fact I got a personal warning from that bastard calling himself king right now. After all the shit we did for him too…oh well. At least they’re letting us leave peacefully this time. Lot more than I can say for the Empire.”
You aren’t exactly sure how to respond, but it doesn’t matter because Klemto is in a talkative mood.
“Y’know though, I don’t blame him.”
“You don’t?”
“Pfftt no. He’s a fucking human. And all humans are alike, power hungry and ready to backstab someone as soon as they get it and crush all those when they get on top. I get it. They got short life spans. Gotta get shit done a lot quicker. All of them do and if persecuting, enslaving or killing an entire race stands in their way, so be it.”
“You seem to be taking all this well.”
“Well? Well how else can I take it? I certainly can’t do shit about it can I? Hell, I’m just lucky I backed the right side of the civil war, otherwise we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation and I’d be in a mass grave right now.”
“That’s a good way to look at things. By surviving you can still make a life for yourself and rebuild.”
Klemto bursts out laughing, spitting out most of his drink.
“Ohhhh, that’s a good one Eternal. I guess that’s why I don’t blame you either. You don’t know any better.”
“Blame me? I didn’t put you in your current position.”
“Oh and you mean to say you had NOTHING at all to do with the current change in regime? The expansion of the Felkan Kingdom? Hell, even the rise in nationalistic fervor? You can stand here and look me in the fucking eye and say you had absolutely NOTHING to do with that?”
“…very well. Perhaps my actions did set certain events in motion, but I did it for the kingdom!”
“Right! You’re right. You DID do it for the kingdom and that’s why you don’t know any better. You aren’t even human. You look like one. You sound like one. Hell, you must even have some feelings like one given your marriage. Still a little surprised about that one…but like you once said to me, you aren’t human. You’re a fucking abomination that managed to finish a job that a corrupt dead society set in motion long ago.”
“And what is that exactly, Klemto?”
“Conquest and genocide. My people…my people escaped the slavery of the Empire centuries ago, and for what? For us to be practically destroyed by YOU. Whether you did it knowingly or not, you managed to complete the job. The Felkan Kingdom? It’s not the Felkan Kingdom anymore. It’s the fucking Empire. My people? My people are scattered and more divided in away that we’ve ever known! We…turned on each other…(sob)…we KILLED one another (choke)…you…you did so…(sob) much damage…”
Klemto breaks down completely at this point and cries softly to himself. You really don’t know how to respond at all. Part of you actually feel sorry for him, as odd as it may seem. You and he didn’t always get along; you never really trusted him and you certainly never forgave his kind for what they did to Warrick...
And yet, besides Dawn, he’s the closest you’ve had to a “friend” since you’ve been in the Felkan Kingdom. Despite all of what he is saying to you, the fact remains he did help you several times.
And that’s where the problem lies…
“(Sniff) And despite all of the damage you did, you are not to blame. We are, or rather I am. I was the fool who believed that you could bring about change for the better. I was the fool who helped you the entire time. There is no way you could’ve gotten away with most of what you got away with had I not intervened with my connections and even convinced some of my fellows to go down the path to hell. If I had any of the great intelligence that we gnomes are supposed to be known for, you should’ve been executed the first time we met, but I had to be an optimist. Idealism…the disease of idiots.”
Klemto takes a long swig of his bottle draining it completely before throwing it to the floor.
“Klemto…I did appreciate your help when you gave it. I mean that.”
“I know you did, just wish I could help myself.”
“You can. Like I said, you’re a survivor and intelligent. You can rebuild somewhere else maybe even better than ever.”
“Heh, while I appreciate your words of encouragement Eternal, I don’t think so. You see, I’m not just an exile from the Felkan Kingdom, I’m also an exile from my own people now, or what remains of them. Seems they blame me for what’s happened as well…I guess I can at least take solace in the fact that their hatred of me has kept them united them on some level.”
“But, surely you could make it on your own, somewhere!”
“I don’t think so. We gnomes have always been communal in nature. Perhaps in some ways we DO rely on integrating into other societies to protect us. Hopefully one day we won’t and we’ll carve out a land of our own. But in any case I won’t be there to see it, and I’m too old to try to make it on my own even if I was going to attempt such a mad plan. No Eternal, there comes a time in your life when you realize it’s time to retire. I think I probably should’ve done so a LONG time ago, but I stayed in the game because I thought I could do some more good. Instead I just made things worse, A LOT worse. Sometimes you have to look back at your past, smile at the good times, forget about the bad and enjoy old age. Unfortunately for me there are too many bad times to forget and no place for me to enjoy the good times…”
You begin to get a little apprehensive by Klemto’s tone and words.
“Klem…”
Klemto suddenly pulls out a flintlock pistol and points it to his head.
“Goodbye Eternal.”
And with those last words you saw Klemto blow his brains out.
Naturally you don’t have the same problems as he did, but perhaps he could’ve been right about there coming a time to retire. Quitting while you’re ahead so to speak, and not screwing up your past accomplishments by being too stubborn.
You certainly wouldn’t want to end up in a hopeless position like poor Klemto.
“Eternal, come drink with me one last time!” Klemto says sitting in a very basic chair near an equally unimpressive table. He’s not drunk yet, but he will be soon, if he keeps drinking.
You take a quick glance at his home and most of it is very simplistic and lacks the luxury that he once had. It’s obvious he’s fallen on hard times now that the civil war has wrapped up. He no longer wears a suit; instead he has on a drab torn shirt and a pair of plain pants. Even one of his shoes has a hole in it.
“No that’s okay, Klem…it is my understanding that all of the remaining gnomes in the kingdom are leaving on their own accord. I thought that you would be busy making preparations to join them.”
“Of their own accord? Hah! That’s rich! Richer than me anyway! No, my dear Eternal, I think the change in the regime has made it quite clear that our kind are not wanted in any capacity. In fact I got a personal warning from that bastard calling himself king right now. After all the shit we did for him too…oh well. At least they’re letting us leave peacefully this time. Lot more than I can say for the Empire.”
You aren’t exactly sure how to respond, but it doesn’t matter because Klemto is in a talkative mood.
“Y’know though, I don’t blame him.”
“You don’t?”
“Pfftt no. He’s a fucking human. And all humans are alike, power hungry and ready to backstab someone as soon as they get it and crush all those when they get on top. I get it. They got short life spans. Gotta get shit done a lot quicker. All of them do and if persecuting, enslaving or killing an entire race stands in their way, so be it.”
“You seem to be taking all this well.”
“Well? Well how else can I take it? I certainly can’t do shit about it can I? Hell, I’m just lucky I backed the right side of the civil war, otherwise we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation and I’d be in a mass grave right now.”
“That’s a good way to look at things. By surviving you can still make a life for yourself and rebuild.”
Klemto bursts out laughing, spitting out most of his drink.
“Ohhhh, that’s a good one Eternal. I guess that’s why I don’t blame you either. You don’t know any better.”
“Blame me? I didn’t put you in your current position.”
“Oh and you mean to say you had NOTHING at all to do with the current change in regime? The expansion of the Felkan Kingdom? Hell, even the rise in nationalistic fervor? You can stand here and look me in the fucking eye and say you had absolutely NOTHING to do with that?”
“…very well. Perhaps my actions did set certain events in motion, but I did it for the kingdom!”
“Right! You’re right. You DID do it for the kingdom and that’s why you don’t know any better. You aren’t even human. You look like one. You sound like one. Hell, you must even have some feelings like one given your marriage. Still a little surprised about that one…but like you once said to me, you aren’t human. You’re a fucking abomination that managed to finish a job that a corrupt dead society set in motion long ago.”
“And what is that exactly, Klemto?”
“Conquest and genocide. My people…my people escaped the slavery of the Empire centuries ago, and for what? For us to be practically destroyed by YOU. Whether you did it knowingly or not, you managed to complete the job. The Felkan Kingdom? It’s not the Felkan Kingdom anymore. It’s the fucking Empire. My people? My people are scattered and more divided in away that we’ve ever known! We…turned on each other…(sob)…we KILLED one another (choke)…you…you did so…(sob) much damage…”
Klemto breaks down completely at this point and cries softly to himself. You really don’t know how to respond at all. Part of you actually feel sorry for him, as odd as it may seem. You and he didn’t always get along; you never really trusted him and you certainly never forgave his kind for what they did to Warrick...
And yet, besides Dawn, he’s the closest you’ve had to a “friend” since you’ve been in the Felkan Kingdom. Despite all of what he is saying to you, the fact remains he did help you several times.
And that’s where the problem lies…
“(Sniff) And despite all of the damage you did, you are not to blame. We are, or rather I am. I was the fool who believed that you could bring about change for the better. I was the fool who helped you the entire time. There is no way you could’ve gotten away with most of what you got away with had I not intervened with my connections and even convinced some of my fellows to go down the path to hell. If I had any of the great intelligence that we gnomes are supposed to be known for, you should’ve been executed the first time we met, but I had to be an optimist. Idealism…the disease of idiots.”
Klemto takes a long swig of his bottle draining it completely before throwing it to the floor.
“Klemto…I did appreciate your help when you gave it. I mean that.”
“I know you did, just wish I could help myself.”
“You can. Like I said, you’re a survivor and intelligent. You can rebuild somewhere else maybe even better than ever.”
“Heh, while I appreciate your words of encouragement Eternal, I don’t think so. You see, I’m not just an exile from the Felkan Kingdom, I’m also an exile from my own people now, or what remains of them. Seems they blame me for what’s happened as well…I guess I can at least take solace in the fact that their hatred of me has kept them united them on some level.”
“But, surely you could make it on your own, somewhere!”
“I don’t think so. We gnomes have always been communal in nature. Perhaps in some ways we DO rely on integrating into other societies to protect us. Hopefully one day we won’t and we’ll carve out a land of our own. But in any case I won’t be there to see it, and I’m too old to try to make it on my own even if I was going to attempt such a mad plan. No Eternal, there comes a time in your life when you realize it’s time to retire. I think I probably should’ve done so a LONG time ago, but I stayed in the game because I thought I could do some more good. Instead I just made things worse, A LOT worse. Sometimes you have to look back at your past, smile at the good times, forget about the bad and enjoy old age. Unfortunately for me there are too many bad times to forget and no place for me to enjoy the good times…”
You begin to get a little apprehensive by Klemto’s tone and words.
“Klem…”
Klemto suddenly pulls out a flintlock pistol and points it to his head.
“Goodbye Eternal.”
And with those last words you saw Klemto blow his brains out.
Naturally you don’t have the same problems as he did, but perhaps he could’ve been right about there coming a time to retire. Quitting while you’re ahead so to speak, and not screwing up your past accomplishments by being too stubborn.
You certainly wouldn’t want to end up in a hopeless position like poor Klemto.