"Chemista? Can you heal him?" you ask quietly.
"What?" Chemista retorts with her eyes wide. "What exactly are..."
"You said you'd follow my commands if I chose your path," you reply harshly. "Then so be it.
Follow. My. Orders. Patch him up."
"Why?" she asks then, but her 'why' is actually followed by a very same croaked out of Knighthowl.
"Because killing him won't change anything." You reply, looking back at her. "But showing him the truth like you did to me will."
"I don't have Mindium to erase his memories."
"We don't need to do that," you reply. "I'll talk with him. I'm good at talking sense in people, and wounded as he is he won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Call back the others. We have a base to rebuild."
Knighthowl closes his eyes and exhales slowly, before falling unconscious. Chemista hesitates for a moment, but then nods. "Very well then, your Overlordness. I will do as you command."
And with that, you slowly help her carry the Heroic Hero to your -admittedly poorly stocked- infirmary.
You're watching over the breathing -and bandaged- body of Knighthowl when the Heroic Hero finally cracks open an eye.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why am I still alive?"
"I'm not a monster," you reply. "I don't know much of you. I don't remember our past together. But I am not a heartless monster."
"There were thousands of bodies littering the road," Knighthowl speaks slowly, "Men, women, children..."
"I was enraged. The association took my daughter. Had it been an Evil Overlord taking your daughter, would you not have faced his minions to save her?"
He looks towards you and then exhales. "Yes. Minions, however...are not children."
"I gave the order," you reply. "I understand now it was immoral, but...what do you expect me to do? This system must change."
"No system that changes with the deaths of innocents will ever be worth the blood spilled," Knighthowl replies. "None."
"But the system needs to change," you reply. "The system needs to change!" you stress out. "I made mistakes. I made grievous mistakes that I will pay for, but right now, in this moment...I ask you to lend me your strength."
"What?" Knighthowl closes his eyes. "My hearing must not be working properly. Why would I do that? I'm a Heroic Hero. I will not change my mind about what is right and what is wrong."
"Yes, I know," you reply. "Still, I can't let you leave and tell the Heroes association where the lair is."
"Who says I haven't already?"
You freeze, and then look at him.
"I haven't," he adds slowly. "You're as easy to tease as when you were a cute little puppy."
You frown.
"W-"
"Why? Because I was blinded by my desire to avenge whom I considered my son, that is why. If this is the path you wish to follow...I cannot condone your evil ways, I cannot condone your murders...but I can hope you find back what made you a Hero in the first place."
"Will you help me?"
"No," his reply is quick and to the point. "I will not...but neither will I return to the HEROES association. You spared my life, and that showed me there is still some good left in your heart. I hope...I hope you use it for the wellbeing of the people, and not just the monsters. I think I'll leave B-city behind. Still..." he frowns, before looking at you, "If you plan to overthrow the Heroes association...then you know there is another person from your past you will have to fight?"
"My past? Who?" you ask back, perplexed.
"Your real father," Knighthowl replies. "The Director of the HEROES association...and the past THE Hero."
"Father?" you blink. "My father's alive?"
"Yes, but he's also extremely busy," Knighthowl replies looking downcast. "There is a reason I all but grew you up."
"I'm sorry...I don't remember anything..."
"That molding jelly sure did a thorough job with you, puppy," Knighthowl deadpans. "Still...your old man is not a pushover so be careful."
"Are you sure you can't help me?" you ask once more.
"I'm sorry puppy, but...they ingrain into us Heroic types to dislike and kill the monster. I'm having a normal chat with you because you're human but...my blood starts to boil whenever I see a monster, and frankly I do not trust my blade not to fall upon the back of one of your 'friends' if I ever had the chance to do it."
You look at Knighthowl. He's tired and will probably require to rest before even thinking about leaving. You could talk with him some more for a while...
Ask Three Questions if you wish to/ three bits of Fluff around an aspect of your past.Don't worry. He'll be in the LAIR for at least Four Turns. So you've got EightX3= 24 questions you can ask him before he leaves...IF you let him leave and don't try to mutate him/kill him.
The first Quest Arc is complete! That Thing Also Known as the Tutorial!
Choose a Reward:
A Standing Ovation.
An Offering of Nordic Mead.
A Clap on the Shoulders.