Show Me Your Ways

"There is little you can't do, if you have the strength for it." That sentence burned its way into Artorias' mind. His mothers had always stressed the importance of strength, but emphasized tempering it so as never to bring undue harm on anyone. But in Sirius' ideals, might made right. He could do anything he desired so long as he had the strength to back up his actions and desires. His mind felt conflicted. Resin preached strength, Tamsyn had urged mercy, and Sirius championed dominance. The concepts were not mutually exclusive, but they did conflict in many places. What was the right way? Was there a right way? Artorias didn't know how to feel about the dueling ideologies in his brain, and the conundrum showed on his face. "So... I can do whatever I want, so long as I have the strength to do it?" he asked, still trying to navigate these muddy waters.

Sirius described how the Armada treats slaves, keeping them in a low rank below all others to learn a skill. So were slaves just unskilled wolves? That didn't make sense to him, because the Hallows often brought unskilled wolves into its throngs, but his mothers had never addressed them as slaves. "Are all unskilled wolves considered slaves, or do they have to do something to get there if they're brought in like that?" He turned confused, curious eyes back up to Sirius. "What is the role of a slave then? If they're just learning skills, how are they any different than a student, or anyone else learning a skill? What does a wolf do with a slave otherwise?"

The Warlord's was answered far more gravely, and Artorias could understand why. The decision to take the life of another wolf was not one to be taken lightly. It was one thing to kill a threat outside his pack or an invading force—but what if that threat was internal? What if a wolf attempted to stage a coup and overthrow him? What if one wolf gravely injured, maimed, raped, or killed a pack mate? What if they weren't a pack wolf at all, but a prisoner taken captive during the commission of a crime? What punishments would fit the most severe of crimes? Artorias' brow furrowed. Was imprisonment just a slower death? Would his sword not be a greater mercy? Artorias made a soft sound of frustration, finding fewer answers and more questions the deeper he navigated this rabbit hole. Was this what ethics was like all the time?

"Artorias Carpathius"