Dimensional Descent

James was startled for a moment before he lowered his head. Things weren't much different from what they always had been, he was too used to this.

"Wherever there are people, there will always be in groups and outgroups. Even when there are no tiers of separation, people will find them. If it's not race, it will be skin tone. If it's not skin tone, it will be culture. If it's not culture, it will be wealth.

"Even if there are two groups of people, both of the same race, with the same skin tone, the same culture, the same wealth, people might try to separate themselves based on who is a nouveau riche and who comes from old money, or on who was born in the north of the city versus the south, or on what gods they choose to follow, or what foods they like to eat most.

"When you sit here and try to lecture me on what the Cloud Race may or may not do, or on how they may or may not treat us, do you know how absolutely foolish you sound? Even the Ascension Empire was forced to use the Slayer Legion as a scapegoat to maintain peace for decades because there can never be true peace, even when such a thing is achieved, it will only be a fleeting moment from vanishing.

"It only takes one man's greed, one wife's dissatisfaction, one child's grievance. This is the nature of life, of evolution.

"Do you know why you can stand here and listen to this lecture from me?! It's because you hold power! They infuriated you, so you slaughtered them and they could say nothing about it.

"Do you know why they tolerated my questioning them?! It was because I provide them with resources they need, power they need, connections they need!

"Who cares whether they share our race or not? Can you provide them value or not?!

"Did the Ascension Empire care when your grandfather was schemed against by the Leum family and lost our Governor Duke position? Were we not fellow humans? Further than that, did we not share the same status? The same wealth? The same nobility? Even further than that did we not bleed for the Fawkes family? Did we not lose brothers and sisters for the Fawkes family? Did we not help them to build their Empire to what it is now?"

the louder he seemed to become and the further his son's head seemed to

criteria you think to be so important and even surpass them? And yet we

the wrong people and he suffered for it. In this world, you can trust no one but yourself. There are no goals that are worth more

an investment in you because you are my seed. I invested in your growth, I've protected you, and now you are the

me?!" Governor Duke Bennett's voice

he didn't answer immediately. When he did speak, he asked a

if there was ever a reward worth more than your investment in me and better than

Governor Duke Bennett said

Bennett saw his son's crimson gaze, his own

Bennett family forward, you would sacrifice

crimson in his gaze slowly fading. His lips separated slightly, but no

"Don't you feel lonely?"

time. Inwardly, his

no right to feel such emotions. You are cut from almost the same cloth as me, James. You don't fall easily for women no matter how pretty they are, you aren't good

you are. His ability to sever emotions is beyond mine, his ability to focus is beyond the both of us, and he has no holes in either his emotional or raw intelligence. Staying near him, you stood no chance. Your separation was necessary, it was the only way

looked into the