The Red Hand

Chapter 492 – Responsibility.

Following Penelope to a secluded outdoor corner of the base, Halifax could guess what the antsy Demi-God wanted to discuss. Penelope's entire attitude had changed after her defeat at the Divine Blade's hand, and Halifax's conversations with Arcus gave her additional insight into Penelope's thoughts and emotions. As done with the Gods and their progeny as Halifax was, she couldn't bring herself to completely ignore the girl, though that didn't mean the coming discussion would be a pleasant one.

"If you intend on groveling or pleading for some kind of forgiveness, or Demon Kitty forbid, trying to act all cutesy in an attempt at tugging my heartstrings, don't." Halifax warned Penelope as she turned to face her. The Demi-God was visibly sleep-deprived and frankly looked like a mess in what the Divine Blade assumed were some sort of fluffy pajamas. Internally she compared her appearance that that of someone that had one too many drinks the night before with how awful she looked. "My patience for such nonsense has long since worn thin, so don't waste my time."

"I..." Penelope balled her fists in frustration, seeming not to know how to start the discussion.

"Arcus, leave us alone." Halifax said, looking at the bow resting on the Demi-God's back. "This conversation doesn't concern you. So scram."

"I'll stay if it's all the same, thanks." Arcus replied defiantly as he hopped off Penelope's back and formed his body next to her. "I have no interest in leaving Penelope to her own devices, especially when she's in this mentally unstable. So I'm staying right here. If you want me gone then you'll have to toss me away with your own two hands." He said, a bit more stern than Halifax had expected.

"If only you'd learned to talk back a bit sooner, then perhaps..." Halifax sighed as she shook her head. "Fine, and Penelope..." She paused for a moment as she took in the sight of the clearly distressed girl in front of her. "Let's tackle the Gorock in the room right off the bat. I will not forgive you for your actions. I cannot and will not absolve you of whatever sins you've committed over all these years. I don't have the right to do so, nor do I care to even if I did." She continued. "From what Arcus has told me, you've finally wised up to just how awful you've been, and while I'm glad to see it, you must know full well that you can't undo that which has already been done just be asking for forgiveness. You've far too much innocent blood on your hands, Penelope."

While not the worst offender amongst the Demi-Gods, Penelope was responsible for her fair share of atrocities. As a Demi-God, she took part in the slaughter of plenty of innocent people, many of whom were merely bystanders who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Such things were always done in the name of the Gods and their desire for 'justice' or 'peace', and while those things were sometimes true, more often than not, they weren't. Penelope had not directly taken part in the Spirit War as Demi-Gods were kept out of the affair, but in the immediate aftermath, she'd been sent to clean up stragglers, with predictable results. Of course, there were far more examples of her behavior than that over the long decades since the two had parted ways, and as Halifax said, the Demi-God had plenty of blood on her hands during her short four centuries of life. She'd entirely bought into not just the Gods' lies but also their beliefs, and was widely known as a bigoted woman who held most mortals in contempt. This attitude was on full display by he handling of the Demon Army, who she'd driven straight into a massacre without second thought all because she wanted the glory of slaying Akagi and Halifax.

"I... I did what I thought was right." Penelope said as she balled her fist and bit her fist in frustration. "The Gods were the Gods. Anything that stood in their way was to be destroyed, as the Gods could do no wrong, and those who opposed them only did so out of selfish greed or wicked malice. That was what I'd been told so many times. That was what I believed to be true for so long. That... That was just the truth..."

"And, what do you believe now?" Halifax asked.

"I... I honestly don't even know what to believe anymore." Penelope replied while looking at the ground, unable to meet Halifax's harsh gaze. "Lady Reflia... She... I was her Knight, her defender. I'd always believed in her and her words because that was just what made sense. My Mother was a God and I was a Demi-God. It was my duty to do as I was told and ensure that her will be done."

"There is a difference between duty and taking pleasure in service." Halifax scoffed at such a cheap attempt to avoid responsibility. "I've dealt with you enough over the centuries to understand that you acted not simply out of a noble sense of servitude toward the Gods but because you believed in the cause. You killed plenty of innocent people and slept comfortably at night believing that your actions were in service to a 'greater good' just like so many other disgusting people throughout history. Just following orders is already a flimsy excuse for committing atrocities, but you were doing far more than just following orders."

{Some of the worst things imaginable have been done by people with the best intentions. Akagi said it was the same thing in her world's history, and I'm convinced that would hold true throughout the countless other worlds out there, too. As they say, the worst kind of tyranny is one performed for the oppressed's own good.} (Halifax)

"Halifax, while I agree that Penelope's actions over the decades could easily slip into the category of problematic need I remind you that at the end of the day, you're asking a lot of a mortal being to rebuke a God." Arcus interjected, hoping to emphasis that Penelope's position didn't really allow for any other path. "Penelope is still part Human, and in all honesty, Demi-Gods really aren't much more than mortals with a bit of extra power. If a God is telling you to do something under the guise of it being the right thing to do, few could or would refuse them." While he wasn't wrong, Akagi had said something similar, that still didn't sit right with the Divine Blade.

"I am not ignorant of that fact, Arcus. But an explanation for her actions does nothing to excuse them, nor will I cut her slack on the blatant racism toward other mortals since that wasn't necessary." Halifax continued. "I'm not going to get on my high horse and act like all prejudice can be avoided or that it's even unwarranted, since there are certainly cases where it is. But Penelope here took after her cousins in hating the people of Enoris just because they lacked any divine blood. Not to mention, she joined in on the ale party by really hating on the Demonkin for no good reason. What was it that you said? That the Demons had tainted blood? If you ask me, your blood is tainted, one, Penelope. Your lineage is the one responsible for much more suffering in this world, while the Demon race has done everything in its power to chart its own path away from its origins. They did everything they could to break free of their past."

"I'd always been told that the Demon race was never to be trusted. They are the only race on Enoris created by something other than the Gods, and that is because they were created by the Arch Dukes that they could never truly fit in with the Gods' grand design." Penelope replied, still unable to meet the Divine Blade's gaze.

"Whatever, I'm not here to debate stupidity." Halifax shook her head. "What do you want from me, Penelope? Other than to waste my time? I've got more important things to attend to than you."

"I... I don't know..." Penelope said quietly. "I have no idea what to even say... All these years, I'd thought you turned your back on the world, and I felt betrayed... I never knew why you hated the Gods so much, and.... and... I'm sorry..." She said as tears fell to the ground. "I was so confused when you left, and I started to hate you. I was angry at you, and I never had any right to be. I said all those horrible things about you, called you nothing but a tool... I... I even said the same things to Arcus, too... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." She said as she fell to the floor. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Sister... I'm so sorry, Arcus... You both mean so much to me, and... I'm sorry for hurting you..."

"Pen..." Arcus sighed as he bent down to comfort her. "It's alright... It's alright." He said as he hugged her. “Its okay...”

"I don't even know how to react." Halifax said under her breath before shaking her head. "If I bear any blame in this, and that's very debatable, it's that I failed in my duty to steer you right during those decades we spent together." She paused, internally chiding herself for that mistake. "I... I knew the other Demi-Gods were bad influences, and yet I didn't do enough to keep you away from them. Not to mention I abruptly broke off all contact with you after that day... That... That was not the way I should've handled things."

{But what was I supposed to do? She'd slaughtered an entire village due to suspicions that they were hiding members of Vikes' Cult! Had I stuck around, I may well have killed her in anger... Dammit... I should've never allowed it to come to that. Penelope... When she was younger, she was everything I ever wanted to see in a Demi-God, and I genuinely enjoyed our time together. I should've done more to protect her, so I bear some responsibility for how she turned out. I... I should've taken her and Arcus away... I should've rebelled against the Gods centuries before I did... Dammit...} (Halifax)

"Listen, I cannot grant you forgiveness for your actions or absolve you of your sins. Not only am I not inclined to do so, I do not have that right." Halifax continued as Penelope cried. "But if you truly have regrets about your past actions, then you should spend the rest of your life atoning. That is the weight you must bear for the lives you've taken, for now they rest upon your shoulders. Whether or not you receive forgiveness is not something I can say, but I believe you have a responsibility to those you've killed either way." She said as she turned to leave. "Arcus... I'll leave our little Sister in your hands. Try not to fuck up raising her for a second time, okay?"

"I won't. I promise you. I won't." Arcus said as he held the crying Penelope while Halifax walked away, a twisted look of sadness forming on her face

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"Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Conversations like that are never fun." Halifax said as she flopped into a chair before cracking open the can of juice that Akagi tossed her way. "And I'm too old for this kind of drama..." After dealing with Penelope, she'd decided to crash with Akagi in the Demon's private quarters for a bit, mostly because she was hoping to fish up some kitty time before Akagi went back to the Dwarven Kingdom. Though Akagi could tell she was simply in need of mental support.

"Sadly, there is no avoiding it, no matter how old one gets." Akagi said as she leaned against the counter. "But at least you held firm and didn't give in to the tears."

"If she truly wants forgiveness, then she needs to earn it." Halifax replied as she took a sip. "Killing her would be a kindness, an easy out. It would rob the people she killed of any kind of peace. She needs to atone for everything she's done with her blood, sweat, and tears. I doubt the dead will ever be truly satisfied, but it's better than nothing."

"I'll ensure she's put to good use." Akagi nodded, seeming to have the perfect idea for how to use the Demi-God. "And while we're on the topic of Demi-Gods, quick question."

"Shoot." Halifax gestured for her to continue.

"Have you ever heard of a Divine Weapon that enslaves those it kills?" Akagi asked as she cracked open a can of juice for herself.