Failure, Eternally Retold, Part Three: Morality

After Applejack left, Kai had some time to think on what she'd said. She'd given him a rough approximation of what had been written on the wall, and Bright Eyes hadn't seen it there when he'd stormed the place years ago, so he was no help in deciphering it.

"I suppose it's there as a result of my actions," he lamented, thinking back. "It's meant to be a safe place for those who need to hide. If you have no good reason to hide from the populace at large, why would you be going there in the first place?"

Kai nodded. "That's a valid point, but it bars the reason I would need to go there. I need the help of one who hides in the dark. I do not need a place to hide myself."

"I destroyed the balance. Some hero I turned out to be."

They heard hoofsteps approaching and quieted their conversation. This seemed to be a larger group than the one that usually brought them food, or the two that would come in to torture Kai. Six paladins, heavily armored, stepped into the room and turned to Bright Eyes.

"The paladins have reached a decision," the foremost scowled. "For your acts of treason, you are to be exiled."

Bright Eyes stepped forward. "I raised you better than to lie to me, Open Eyes."

The paladin stepped forward, and Kai couldn't believe what he was seeing. This big, strong paladin who had been particularly forceful with his lashings, was crying. His armor rattled as he trembled. "They're going to kill you. You're to be beheaded tomorrow morning."

Bright Eyes and the paladin embraced each other. Some of the other paladins looked around at each other, worry written on their faces.

"But we're going to overturn their decision. We're going to sneak you out of here tonight." He turned to the other paladins, and each of them produced some spare armor. "We're going to dress you up and walk you out the front door. We'll find you somewhere safe to live, and protect you throughout the rest of your life."

Bright Eyes pulled away slowly. "No, that is not my fate. I am eighty-four years old, and the bulk of my life is now over. While I have not committed the level of treason assigned by your uncle, if the council of paladins has decided that I am to die, then I shall accept that my time has come."

"Don't be unreasonable, father," he scowled. "I love you! I can't sit idly by and watch you die! You've been such a force for good in the world; don't let them just throw it all away!"

Bright Eyes took a deep breath. "Do you truly wish to halt the injustice of the world?"

"More than anything! I can't lie to you; All I've ever wanted was to improve the world!"

The room fell silent as Bright Eyes prepared himself. There was no easy way to say this. "If you truly believe I am innocent, that all I do is for the good of the world, then you must believe that I would only skip the chain of command if it was crucial to the safety of those who deserve it."

"Of course."

"Here's what you should do: The other prisoner here is about as evil as I am. Dress him up in armor, take him to the location of his choosing, then you need to disperse. I don't care where you go, but you've all committed treason by conspiring to break me out of here. If you wish to protect the lives of the average citizen, do so, but not from here. Your lives are now in your own hooves."

Some of the paladins turned around to look at Kai, still bound to the cage wall. Many of them had been in there with him at one point or another, and it had always felt right to torture him, but then again, they were outright told that he was evil. They'd also seen the damage he'd caused trying to escape, including the paladin he'd hit with a lightning bolt. It was easy to vilify him as a servant of darkness, but now being told that he was a desperate rat in a cage, he looked the part. Hearing the words directly from their watcher, they could detect no deception in his words.

Kai was taken down from the wall and dressed up in the paladin's armor. Open Eyes approached and instructed him on how to behave. "First and foremost, don't talk. Don't do anything to draw attention to yourself. Just walk with us and try to look normal. Second, you do everything I tell you until I give the all-clear order. Third, don't take off the armor until I say. Do I make myself clear?"

Kai's joints were stiff from hanging all day, but he did his best to give a convincing nod. One by one, they filed out of the room and down the stairs, the only sound being the clatter of their armor. As Kai went along, he tried to keep in step with the others, but every movement was a searing pain that he just had to ignore for now.

They were almost to the door when Cloud blocked their path. "I don't recall hearing of an order for you to vacate. What's the meaning of this?"

Open stepped forward. "You said at the council meeting that I am too close with our late watcher as we are blood relatives, and that I cannot put my impartiality aside. I have taken those words into account, and for that and several other reasons, I cannot stand to watch my father die tomorrow. If I am made to be in attendance, I fear I may go against the wishes of the others and try to save him. I do not wish for a gross miscarriage of justice, so I am leaving before the ceremony. Some of the other paladins with a like opinion have decided to join me. We are going out into the world to do some good."

"When will you be back?"

"When justice has been properly served."

Kai swallowed hard as Cloud looked directly at him. "Do you all feel this way? You do not wish to see justice carried out?"

There was a brief pause, then Open placed his hoof on Cloud's shoulder. "Are you suggesting that we need to see it? I trust that the other paladins would be able to handle the execution just fine. It is enough for us just to know that it is happening, and that there's nothing that's going to stop it. It would be best if we were not around to see it, as we might be tempted to interfere. You wouldn't want us interfering, would you?"

With a slow nod, Cloud stepped out of the way and let them pass. Kai's heart was pounding as he walked past, but he did his best to act normally. If he was caught, it would mean the end of his life, and possibly the end of these paladins. As crazy as he considered them to be, they were doing something good for him, at great risk to themselves. There was little he could say against these ones in particular.

They made it a few kilometres out before Open turned around. "Everypony, remove your armor and leave your weapons. We are no longer worthy of calling ourselves paladins. Our crusade of good now walks on its own. Fillies, gentlecolts, it has been an honor to serve alongside you."