His words didn't go unheard, and yet Hugo felt that he might've heard them wrong. But that look that he had was deathly serious. Even so, he couldn't quite believe it. They were so perplexing that even Roswell seemed quiet muddled by them.
"Azdin.. what do you mean?"
Was he about to show pity for him? Seeing his desire to help and go through with saving the captives it till the end had proven he had become more compassionate, but even this was too foolish.
"if I am to be more the clear, then I mean I don't just want to understand my allies, I want to understand my enemies too."
But the certainty in his voice was clear. There was no doubt in what he said as per usual.
"I want to learn about people as they are, and understand why they do the things they do."
From the moment he awakened on that boat, his understanding of the world was like that of a child. What was good and bad was obvious to him of course, but he wasn't satisfied with just that. That understanding was shallow.
No matter what people did, he believed that there would always be an underlying desire behind that action. Azdin wanted to understand this, because if he did then maybe he would be able to understand who he used to be better.
Of course, Roswell seemed to disagree.
"What are you? Stupid? What is there to understand about the enemy?"
Despite being a native of storm he had lived the life of war, so he knew that showing any kind of pity towards the enemy meant death more than most. He had felt It first hand himself too, after all it was what started this whole mess. It opened you up to betrayal, and ultimately death if you weren't too careful.
Even though that fact was obvious between the both of them though, Azdin did not back down. Instead, he pressed harder.
"You see, I'm fairly new to this world. There's a lot of things I don't understand, and alot of things I don't get yet."
"Slavery, being one. What could possibly drive you to take away the freedom of other people? What do you think gives you the right to do such a cruel thing?"
Just then, Roswell felt something strange. He wasn't usually one to get riled up in a conversation.. unless a drink was involved.. but right now he didn't think that was the case. For some reason, he felt the strange need to defend himself.
"Money! It's money of course! Tons of it! There's plenty of money to be made in selling gullible idiots like you to those with full pockets! What other reason does there need to be?? Money is what moves this world!"
Azdin quietly laughed.
"That's true I guess.. greed is a common desire. But it's not that simple for you isn't it. Why are you lying?"
Once more, he felt that something inside him had been pricked. Instead of uselessly denying him again though, he asked,
"What are you basing that on?"
This time, Azdin did not say anything at all. Instead, he just tilted his head as his eyes landed on the sleeping youth laying next to him. Roswell glanced at the boy for a moment, before looking away quickly.
"What does it matter if I have a personal reason or not anyway?? Do you really think that every single person out there has the same kind of excuse as I do? As long as profit exists in selling the weak. No one will ever stop!"
Humans were naturally selfish, and money was the greatest symbol of their greed. It didn't matter how deplorable something was, as long as there was enough money on the line someone out there would be willing to do it. On the other hand, if there wasn't enough money, then people would abstain from doing something altogether, even if it was for a good cause. This was something Hugo had witnessed himself.
"Azdin, this conversation is going nowhere, let's just go."
But when he looked at him, whatever seriousness he held was now enhanced further with something even harder. As the firelight danced across his bandaged form, his eyes remained unwavering, steady with an unyeilding determination.
It was the same determination that he felt when he decided he wanted to free the captives. It was the kind that would ignore reason, regardless of how he truly felt. Hugo was fed up of seeing it.
'He's going to say something stupid again.'
And so, Azdin had come to his conclusion.
"Then I will abolish it. I will prevent the thought from even forming in their minds."
If it existed, he should simply get rid of it. It was a foolish sounding, yet obvious conclusion.
And to that, all Roswell could do was laugh. Regardless of how exhausted he was, he just couldn't help himself. The declaration was just that ridiculous to him.
"Do you know who the greatest pillar in the slave industry is?? It's the war empire of course! Are you saying you'll make all of them your enemy?"
He hadn't seen it all just yet, but he had heard stories of their conquest across the world. They had claimed ownership over not just the center realm, but over all of the divine realms that their hands could reach aside from storms. And not just that, but hundreds of mortal realms that were being protected by their divines and sacreds alike, all had fallen under their rule without fail.
Once they finally managed to grasp a proper hold over this realm, it would only be a matter of time until it fell under one banner too. Of which, belonging to them.
But to all of that, Azdin had only one answer. It was just as simple as the last, if not, even more ridiculous.
"Then I will destroy the war empire."
To that, Roswell couldn't even laugh anymore as he was truly left speechless. He wanted to believe it was just another ridiculous claim, but as he stared deep into those blue eyes of his, he saw how much he meant them. He was still, completely and utterly serious.
Hugo too, was rendered unable to even come up with any words. He wanted to deter him away from such a thing as even just making such a declaration was dangerous in it's own way, but he could already tell that it would be fruitless.
"There are powers in this world that go far beyond what you and me are capable of. To declare something like that, is to declare them your enemy too. Are you saying that you, a mere awakened could possibly contend with them??"
Whatever amusement Roswell had felt from the whole thing, had dissipated. And yet again, he felt as if his heart had been pricked by something sharp.
"To say that you will destroy the war empire, is to declare that you will slay the goddess of war herself! It's heresy!"
But still, sounding carefree Azdin pondered out loud,
"So I must slay a god huh?"
It seemed as though he were actually considering it.
"It doesn't matter. I'll find a way."
And to that, Roswell let out a nervous laugh.
"You know.. it's people like you who always die in the worst way possible."
His voice was low and sharp.
"Especially people like you who manage to awaken young. Such a big dreamer you are, but it'll be your ambition that gets you killed in the end."
Roswell had lifted his head fully by then. The chains scraped faintly as he straightened, defeated eyes meeting Azdin's without retreat as well as that awkward pain still lingering in his chest.
"I don't expect you to understand the way I think. But if that's how I'll die, then so be it. I still don't know why you did all of this. But if you're doing it all to protect someone, if I were that person then this is how I'd feel."
A cold sweat then trickled down his cheek, as he suddenly felt terribly small, as though he were being gazed down upon by giant. But all that sat before him, was that same boy from a few moments ago.
"I'd find it repulsive. Knowing people were sacrificed to save my life would leave me feeling guilty just to live. Putting someone through that is quite possibly the worst thing you could've done."
Using his crutch as a support, Azdin finally rose from the barrel as he turned around and then kicked it open. The moment it tipped onto it's side, the wooden lid that covered it knocked open.
"Everyone! Listen up! It's time to eat!"
All of its contents spilled out in only a couple moments, but what exited could hardly be called food. Instead, it was only 5 small loafs of.. presumably stale bread.
But when Roswell looked around and counted, including himself and Drewey.. there were only people.
Looking back at Azdin, he could feel a faint sense of foreboding.
"Go on then."
He was smirking.
Everyone stared at it, patiently, a little slower to understand than Roswell had been. But once they did, the gloomy expressions that they all wore gradually began to be replaced by something more alive.
It was more instinctual really, it was their desire to survive.
"You all know what comes next right?"
They all did.
"Fight for your lives."