All That Is Evil Is Not Dark/Chapter 46

Jano swam through the warm water, allowing the effervescence to drain the stress from his weary form. He could almost forget that he was in a foreign land, among a race of people he could barely understand.

The social structure of K'eld Ner gave insight into Drakel culture but not understanding. He could not comprehend how people who so completely understood the nature of potential, who warred so vehemently against the Uncreator, could be so singularly ignorant.

The people deliberately prevented people from reaching their potential by locking them behind strict cultural barriers. The reason for this was quite simple from all Jano could tell: the Drakel feared disruption of their society. Those few who broke cultural norms were expelled from society very quickly, made into De'me'thar or worse. To make it worse, they punished the entire family of such a dissident.

Draslin approached from the main house. "Lord T'palo, all is prepared."

Jano sighed and rose, pulling the supplied robe around his flesh. While the Drakel who traveled to the outside were all of a singular fashion, within the K'eld itself comfort and color were far more common.

"I have a question. You said your name was Draslin, but the Drakel at the gate called you Le'tho. Is that your title?"

"No. Le'tho is the name my parents gave me at birth. The gate guard was a member of my family and so he drops proper decorum. When I accepted service to the crown, I was renamed to Draslin to reflect that I was no longer De'me'thar."

"They strip you of your identity?" Jano asked.

"Not really. Members of my former family can call me what they like, but culture dictates my name is Draslin, a bond servant of the council and now of you. It is the only way a person can be truly redeemed outside of their family."

"Hmm," Jano interjected. "But I was told Lord Tralin's family held a position of honor."

"T'palo are a different matter, my lord. I am not qualified, so I can redeem only myself, not my former family. My former wife and children have themselves joined in other assignments, I am happy to say."

"Yet you are no longer family."

"Aye."

"What is to stop you from merely remarrying your wife?"

"To do so would reflect badly. It shows I have not genuinely repented my life as De'me'thar. The masters would never permit such a marriage, and I can only marry by their leave."

Jano scowled, bothered by the tenor of the conversation entirely. "Repented of your life as De'me'thar? Repented? What did you do personally of which you should repent? How absurd..."

"Lord T'palo, no one is made to repent. Repentance reflects a true remorse about the wrong that was done in the past and a desire to redeem oneself."

"That sounds religious..."

"It is, deeply."

"Yet your people refuse the temple."

"We do not refuse the temple. We refuse to ally ourselves singularly, as doing so reflects choosing sides. We choose balance. To do so means that in the next world, none of the powers will have reason to hate us..."

"Except for the Devourer. Your people oppose him."

"Not so. The Drakel oppose how his will and purpose are interpreted in this world. He is a natural reflection of creation."

"That may be your people's official position, but their actions says otherwise."