The questions and the answers

[greyerrant]

[ A video post to the COMP network ]

[ Garviel stares into the screen for a moment his helm removed, his expression... pensive. ]

What defines humanity? At what point is someone so altered they are no longer human, and what emotions can we lose before are are not even remotely humane? I am curious.

Comments

[greyerrant]

I thank you for the kind words then, many consider me a monster because of my stature and abilities.

[ He is quiet for a moment, considering. ] We have apprehension, and once I knew fear that my gene-father would die, if only because... no son wishes death upon his father. No son worthy of the name, anyway. [ His voice is momentarily very bitter. ]

As for fear of failure, loss of my brethren, or failure in my oaths? Well, I am sometimes apprehensive about those things, and our litany does describe our fear as only of failing, but my brethren are already dead, so I have nothing left to lose on that account.

[maybe_a_king]

[That gives her pause of her own, her eyes widening for a moment before she looks away, trying to find the right words. Yet all that comes out is....]

....they're already dead?

[greyerrant]

Yes. I saw them die on Istvaan III about a year ago. I was the only one left, and spent 6 months wandering a devastated world populated only be daemons and traitors, mad with grief.

[maybe_a_king]

I.... I....

[Pause, a deep breath.]

I apologize. I don't know what to say. Saying "I'm sorry for your loss" seems too diminishing of loss of that magnitude.

[greyerrant]

There is nothing to say. I thank you for your sympathy, but I still have my honor and my duty to the Emperor and humanity. I require nothing more.

[maybe_a_king]

Very well then. I shall say no more on the matter. [Yet she can't understand how he could go on after a loss like that. Wasn't avoiding a scenario like that why she'd fought so hard to keep the Blood Fort from killing her friends and schoolmates? Arturia could only see herself as nothing but devastated if she and Rin and their Servants hadn't stopped it--if Archer hadn't murdered Sakura's brother. And yet Garviel is able to go one without any of his comrades-in-arms? The people he calls brothers? Yes, he'd been mad with grief, but what had managed to pull him out of it? His duty and honor?

....wow. He really was the knightly type if such was the case.]

But I still believe that, if you see yourself as human, then you are. You may not be able to feel fear, but clearly you can feel grief, and sorrow, and are able to care about others and about your cause. Others might not understand it, and I myself do not presume to, but you are a good man, Mr. Loken.

[greyerrant]

Hmh. Thank you for saying so. [ In truth, he isn't sure anymore what he is becoming. The death of the Dark Angel at Aldurukh, driven by necessity though it might have been, has sadened him greatly. ]