Noble Red In Golden Light [Alastair, Arcadia]

Was that a hint of ambition in his voice? To change the world, one should strive to understand it. Specifically the changing it part that made her raise an eyebrow. It wasn't unlike Cyrus really except she couldn't say that either of them truly understood the world. They were aliens when it came to empathising with the people of the world, inadvertently in part for their complexes but he did want to change it.

"If you'd prefer, I trust that you know the way better than I. Perhaps you'd tell me what you'd change about the world from what you've seen and come to understand?"

Now that was an interesting topic of discussion she thought.

There was certainly an inflexion of ambition in his tone, but it was not laced with it. Alastair did genuinely want to achieve his goals, even as vague as they yet remained, though his intentions for such things remained noble. Even still, his previous statement had been so broad that it was something he had accepted he would never achieve in its entirety.

"Very well, we can walk together then."

He turned to lead the way, a hand moving to invite her to walk at his side. There was no destination that he had in mind, but it was easy enough to walk the streets of the City of Light and find oneself on paths unknown. It was one of the many things he found so interesting about this island paradise.

"As for what I might change about the world, I am under no illusion of my comparative insignificance but if I could do any little thing to make it a better life for the generations that come after ours then I would pay any price. The future is always so elusive, but if enough of us strive to make it just a little bit brighter then there is the chance for real progress."

"Is that so, Alastair? So tell me, is that better achieved by those who pursue individualisms or instead find order under a eikon?"

It was a bit out of nowhere and maybe a little echo of her philosophical arguments with Cyrus, her own view that freedom was unnecessary as long as the "god" was upstanding compared to his own view of individual freedom being the highest good. Where did Alastair sit on the fence as someone who had pondered these very things?

"Call it curiousity, you did say earlier about worshipping falsely. Is all worship and reverence false, or only specific instances? What is a "god"?"

"Better achieved? In my mind, there is no single best way to achieve this. Whether by individual motivation or at the command of ones who hold such views that you find accord with, if you strive for the betterment of society then I would support such."

Perhaps that was the first insight into Arcadia's personal philosophy, as the matter of gods and worship resurfaced once more. There were those that were worthy of being leaders of men, and thus commanded the respect of their followers and those unjust ones that deserved to be cast down for the false idols that they were. Was his own judge of character infallible? Unlikely. But it was also undeniable that there was still evil in this world and it could not be allowed to persist.

"To call all worship false is to paint so many with one brush, and is a root of evil and prejudice. Can it be false? Of course. But I hope never to be as pretentious to damn it all. Gods, though, are a concept I cannot perhaps comprehend. Beings of such divine power do certainly exist in the universe, but I can only put my own faith in what is tangible right now."

"I see."

Arcadia mused while she thought about what he had said, breaking it down and contemplating it. A man who sought the betterment of the future over benefit in the present. Faith in what is tangible, did that mean power only. Arcadia might've disagreed by view of a god as being a greater concept than any individual that showcased omniscient power at their disposal. It was an empty gesture when an individual lacked any merit to them.

"So, whom or what is deserving of your faith, in the here and now, Alastair? Do you view Cyrus in such a light if you faithfully follow him or do you only follow him as long as you deem him just and worthy?"

Perhaps it was always going to end up at this point of discussion, Arcadia steering the conversation as she had, but Alastair had expected such a question to land at his feet as soon as the topic had been broached. His stance was unchanged though, it had never wavered since their first meeting years before.

"I would not call faith in an individual and a deity to be exactly comparable, but I will gladly admit my faith in the Grandmaster. He has proven himself worthy of my trust and respect several times over, as I strive to do for him in turn. But if he lost my respect then I could not faithfully follow him, as would anyone I might hope. Blind loyalty is not to be cherished or rewarded."

It resembled worship certainly, and Alastair did not consider it to be unjustified, but his faith in Cyrus was not total. It was one of the few parts of Reida that, whilst he understood, he could never personally agree with. That driving belief in some vast omnipotent force that acted in some benevolent manner for reasons beyond mortal comprehension. Ultimately, he was a pragmatist.

"Do you agree? Or are there others that you might rather put your faith in?"

"I would. A deity is by all accounts, an individual in the sense of the word. We do not create pantheons without there being individuals to fill those seats; so Alastair what is the difference between individual and deity for you? Metric of power? Being incomprehensible or some other trait. So what is a God?"

She challenged while leaning back and giving him a thoughtful look, for Arcadia the faith in a leader and faith in a god were not different. The intensity may vary but zealotry could be seen in both leaders and gods in the same vein that one might forsake a "god" for another. A leader was also susceptible to those rules.

Arcadia didn't go on any further until that was clarified, who did she put her faith in? Was Cyrus her deity once upon a time, was she his? Was it all just nonsense born of hubris.

"I would say it most certainly is a metric of power, as a god simply operates in a different league to any mortal. To the level that this power could make them incomprehensible, regardless of whether they are part of a pantheon or a single all-encompassing divinity. And that does not inspire me to keep faith in any of them."

A theological debate was not exactly where he had expected this to go, but perhaps that only showed how little he knew of Arcadia. He had learnt very little either though, beyond her predisposition to discussing such matters, and that was also worthy of further respect. In a peculiar way, Alastair did appreciate someone that did not simply divulge every facet of their person at the first sign of decent conversation.

"Not that mortals are incapable of incredible feats. But perhaps there is a fundamental difference between the two?"

"So you view it as a matter of power."

She did not show an inclination as to whether or not she was disappointed or approved. It was just her taking in his views and contemplating them, analysing the perspective and comparing it.

I do not view it as such, not that it means that you're incorrect. The difference between God and Man is how they are seen, the light in which you want to view them and they may both serve the role as a leader but a God is an eikon at the day's end."

"A God is an ideal but a Man is an will of their own, to be a God is to not exist with freedom of will as you are an object of worship but a Man can forsake their mantle of leader and continue to exist as such. In the same vein, when a Man becomes a God they exist as such only as they are viewed in that light and to forsake it would no doubt return them to the status of Man."

It was all getting rather philosophical and complex now wasn't it?

"Humans, demons, things that possess individuality and self-awareness. They want and desire, a God represents those desires but becomes liberated from being able to have them for themselves. A Man may become painted in those desires, elevated to God by others around him but if he accepts that mantle then he no longer has that same freedom. Consider that masses of individuals usually want faith or succor, security from sufferring and in that they create a God..."

"Ah, I've began to drag on now haven't I? My apologies, Alastair."

"You view godhood as attainable then? I cannot quite reconcile with that stance, but perhaps it is the fault of my own ignorance."

That single comment perhaps best illuminated their differing viewpoints. To Alastair, to dream for godhood as a mortal man was to strive for perfection rather than actually achieve divinity. As the alternative was so utterly alien to his understanding of reality that it was simply incompatible with what he knew.

"But do not apologise, please. I have walked down this path hand-in-hand with you, even if we have ventured a little further than perhaps either intended then I would hope it has still been informative?"

That much was certainly true, and he could have continued their little conversation for a while longer yet, but if there were other matters on her mind then he was equally happy to hear them. He had offered to help her in whatever we had could, after all.