War is an intrinsic aspect of all mortal life. Be it from petty
squabbles, as Lord Aegis has said, or the defending of the culmination
of all your mortal beliefs, this value lies within all hearts, be them
good, or evil.

But, as is also human nature, any and all aspects of mortal life are
double-sided, debateable, and the countless number of interpretations
one can hear is impossible to exactly number.

I am reminded of the Great Prophet, Nikolas, who valiently led the
crusade against Shallam, and Ashtan during the Time of the Black Wave.
Later being choosen by Sarapis himself, the later-renamed Nicator, took
it upon himself to found the Selucarian Empire on O N E founding basic
principle: Peace.

Brave Nicator led an army the likes of which no mortal alive today has
ever seen before.
And yet, one must question this historic fact: Why does one use an army
of violence to quench the thirst of blood in us all?

As stated before, the interpretations of Nicator's intentions and
beliefs are innumerable.

Why does one need war? Why does war start? What does war change?
These are all questions that are easily answered to the simplistic soul,
but the true meaning is far more vast and diversive than mere one
sentence responses.
War is created inside the human mind, with one idealist, or sufferer, or
leader being tainted by a thought, an urge, a vision to prevail, or
justify actions over someone, something, someplace else.
This thought is then spread like a virus, infecting most who listen to
it, like so many diseases. This affects the mind, the function, and how
one perceives thoughts and rationality.

We all live to survive, and use others as a means to use ourselves to
better the world around us.
This common philosophic notation is easily countered with, "What does
one do when one is at the top of command?"
What ensues is a battle of wits, of the most basic of human instincts,
given to us by Lord Sarapis himself, and overseen by Great Mother Maya;
The will to survive.
The will to survive is the strongest of all our emotions, and it
transcends love, friendship, hate, malice, scorn, empathy, compassion,
justice, and all other mental occurences one may possess.
And so, I pose the question for all of Achaea, and the entire Garden,
including You, Lord Aegis, "Why does one have to cut out the rot to stop
it from spreading?"

The answer, Achaea, I will leave up to you.

There are always two paths to every decision, always two roads to every
choice, and they spread like so many dusty spiderwebs in Azdun.
Make up your mind, Achaea, will you choose the easy path, The Path of
Daggers?
Or will you choose the hard path, "The Path of Peace?"
Reflect on your childhood, and let the words of Nicator, nay, Nikolas,
the Great, echo in your mind!

PEACE.

Penned by my hand on the 12th of Ero, in the year 404 AF.