Greyson was torn between the values he had held for years as a loyal soldier and man-at-arms to the Lord of Thalion, and the values of the mercenary he had become afterwards.
The mercenary told him to accept the terms. The package was delivered, and he would survive. He didn't owe any of these people anything, he none of them. Tree Viper, and Aki would survive, but they struck him as survivors. Aaron, the priest, what was he to him? The man was a fallen priest, reeking or some strange drink that he seemed to lack. So many had died for the priests and their ways, perhaps it was fitting that in this case, the priest die for others instead.
He looked towards Deja, kneeling in the circle commanding the pagan god to strike her down for her trespass. Either she had great courage, or was patently insane. The mercenary whispered the second was the truth, and the gods looked out for the insane, or so the proverb went.
Eliza, my beautiful Eliza, she too had such spirit
The soldier, the one he had been for far longer than the mercenary spoke differently. It was the duty of the soldier to protect, and defend those who could not do so themselves. For two long decades his sword and shield had protected the young, and the weak, the women and the laborers. Shara-Gur's words rang inside of his head, stinging him with their barb of truth. 'For your precious gold,' Soldier for twenty years, mercenary for three, and he had neatly, and obliviously tucked away everything he had stood for. For him to stand aside and let the wild men slaughter the priest and the woman would d**n him more surely than any blasphemy, or gross sin.
"Shara-Gur, there is one thing I prize above all else, and it is not the shine of gold." Greyson said, his heart began to race as the weight of what he was going to do started setting in. "That is the honor of battle. Your terms are generous. I challenge your bravest warrior to a single duel, here in this holy place. Let our blood make apology for the trespass given unknowingly."
"If I should win, for my companions, all of them, I would ask the forgiveness of your gods, and youself, and the freedom to leave this place unharmed. I will speak nothing of the packages, for they are not what is important now.
"Should I lose, let my death atone for the trespass of one of my companions." Greyson said. He sheathed the heavy falchion, and unbuckled it. He unbuckled his shield, and armor, letting both fall to the ground in a heap.
He drew a wicked long knife from it's sheath. His skin prickled in the night time heat, bare to the stars and the stones.
"I am ready, Shara-Gur."
