When we got back to our room we all laid down and started watching the aforementioned documentary. Well it may have been a gardening documentary but Bell watched it like a safari programme asking me questions about the plants that the documentary was explaining.
"Bell, just watch, it will tell you all about everyone and how to take care of it. I can't create living things but maybe you can with cross-pollination and a bit of experimenting. I can create the multi-compounds that resemble the herbs if that helps at all."
"I don't know, I never tried, I'll see what I can do!"
We then watched the rest of the documentary with slightly fewer questions, until she finally fell asleep hanging half way off the end of the bed.
"I think you managed to wear her out with her own excitement. We should get her re-positioned before she throws he stem out. Then we can go take a bath and you can try a new infusion technique, the babies asked for more when the movie ended."
"Sure, I guess I'll have to make bell her own memory viewer and give her all the documentaries I have tomorrow."
Then we did as she suggested and carefully moved Bell so she didn't wake up, then headed to the bath. I created another small orb, like I had made with Jekyll, then pushed it into the spot where the split in her spiral was.
When it was in I released the compression and let it act like a burst water balloon.
Eve yelped at the sudden high-density infusion, but then she said that it seemed to work. "Are you sure? You're giving me that look again."
"Yes, but sometimes it's because I need an infusion of you as well. I know we can't with Bell here though so let's go ba-"
"Eve, you told everyone to take me out all day tomorrow, Quatal hasn't been here all night. That means we're both occupied until the day after since Quatal will want to watch movies with us and Bell tomorrow night." I said before throwing up a privacy barrier of the barrier.
"Are you sure? You'r-"
"Just get in whatever position you want. I don't want tomorrow to be my last day because you forgot about you're own cravings."
Luckily her body was so sensitive she was satisfied pretty quickly and we cleaned up before returning to bed.
Bell was still sound asleep where we left her, but when we laid down as well she pulled us in.
"Thanks for having me Mum, Thanks for having Dad."
With those words Eve suddenly done a one-eighty, she was trying not to cry whilst holding her new daughter as tightly as possible.
The next day, Eve and I nipped over to grab Tyrland and Parcella, then we returned for training and a quick bath, then Tyrland and I went to find the guys at the house. It seemed like every man I knew was there.
Doran, Leeson, Halsan, Byurik, Rein, the young lad who I forgot about after apologising to him, Kriel, Felgorn, Tuglorn, Kadri, Gyaran, even Jekyll and Dusk were there.
It was not only a great guest list, but a terrifying party. If we wanted to, then between us all we could not only take over the continent but see it well governed, well educated, well trained, well equipped and well marshalled.
"Why does he have that look on his face like he is plotting something?"
"Well, he does have the continent in his grasp and only a glancing thought for humans, having us all here probably helped get some worn out gears turning." Gyaran yawned. "He's that old dragon's brother so I refuse to accept he ain't at least a little evil."
"You aren't wrong, I had another idea that never panned out. While we're out today I want to run something passed you all, if you don't like it, I'll drop it."
When we got to the forest we hunted enough to feed us all and after setting it to cook, I addressed my friends, my family.
"What is "evil"?" I asked, confusing everyone present.
"Anything that isn't good." Leeson joked, before taking a suspicious stance when I took his words at face value.
"What is "good"? I'm not joking, or posing a riddle, I ask an earnest question in the absence of a certain answer." I stated bluntly.
"Adam, I believe one is good when they do what they believe to be right and evil when they go against their own values. Something you made me realise. If you have forgotten that I am happy to remind you of it." Halsan said, his stoicism belying the fact he grew increasingly wary.
"I remember and I still believe that, but my values are changing. I know now that absolutes are unnecessary sometimes, but at the same time I know they were effective. You have all seen my memories, well most of you have. Why do you suppose I think they were effective?"
"Absolutes send a clear message, they draw a line in the sand and leave no shadows for people to take advantage of." Jekyll summarised with his own opinion.
"Close... They are effective because the times I decided to apply them negatively, by the end, those war-torn and fractured worlds were united completely against me. Even had I failed they would have been unified for a long time. On top of that, the appearance of an unbeatable foe made them produce people who not even the word "hero" does justice."
They all looked around at each other, the deafening silence backed by the crackling fire and popping as fit dripped into it.
"Adam, what is the difference between a king and a dictator?" Halsan asked, stoicism beginning to crack.
"Nothing at all my friend, they are the same role, if there is a difference it is merely public opinion and the vileness that tends to be synonomous with the people who are called "dictators" which feels strange to say as one who suffered first hand under such people."
"A king governs, a dictator dictates."
"A king writes laws, enforces those laws he strips away the freedom of choice in the same way the other does, as I said." I argued and to my surprise Halsan couldn't refute my words.
"What is this plan of yours that you mentioned?" Tyrland asked, finally and only after careful evaluation.
"Is it wrong of me to want to stop humans from wilfully doing harm out of greed and selfishness? What I want is to do manipulate humanity on a massive scale, dictate what they must do behind a wall an illusion of choice until they are simply peaceful by choice."
Everyone let out a heavy sigh of relief. "For Black's sake man! I thought you were more her damn brother than I pegged you for." Gyaran exclaimed before anyone else could speak.
"What? I thought it was clear I hated needless suffering." I stated more confused than they all seemed. "I thought I made it clear I was done with heavy absolutes as well."
"Just tell us what your blood plan is already... Damn you, you blood, everlasting pain the arse." Dusk interjected as he gripped his chest half doubled over.
"My plan is simple, with the redevelopment of the front-line cities under formerly oppressed races authority, the humans will be surrounded and they will be on edge. I want to use the opportunity to cleanse the darkness in their hearts, as I hope I have done in Eden. I will never make a direct threat to anyone, I will simply state a final ultimatum, be good or perish."
"That sounds a little heavy handed to me."
"Does it? I just told you what I believe it means to be good. My own kingdom is mostly humans, none have upset me in a long time and those that did have righted those wrongs."
"I see, so your point is that no one can say you are opposed to humans in general, simply have no room for mercy when it comes to evil. Fighting one who they recognise as fighting evil would in turn paint them as evil and they know that would essentially make them targets as well."
"I'm not stupid, I know it will not be a bloodless affair. That blood will be blood opposed to my values though, values you all know well, or at least will by the end of today. When it is done though, humanity will be unified under a mortal leader, the pope of the theocracy and gods, a tribunal of mankind rather than a lone judge, jury and executioner. All races will be equal and all resources shared and plentiful thanks to my power."
"What if? It's foolish not to ask."
"Humans multiply quickly, when the slate is clean, people from Eden, Kanelsia and Abelegia can move in and restart the human society. Take this orb, answer later."