02 Ambition and Expedition
Part 2: Alexion's Ambition and the Expedition
The Ambition
The temple's stone halls were cold, their walls lined with shelves of ancient tomes and scrolls that whispered of untold knowledge. It was here, beneath the towering shelves of the Great Library, that Alexion stood, his voice sharp, resonating with conviction as he addressed the gathered elders. Aetherion watched from a distance, his arms folded tightly across his chest, as his friend spoke with the kind of passion that made others sit up and take notice.
"This city is rotting from the inside out," Alexion declared, his voice cutting through the still air. His sharp features were lit with a fire that seemed to burn from within, casting a glow in his dark eyes. "We've waited long enough for change, and yet the corrupt continue to thrive while the people suffer. How long will we let this continue? How long will we sit by and watch as the world crumbles around us?"
The elders shifted uneasily in their seats. These men and women, the Loremasters of Oghma, were the keepers of the temple's wisdom, and they had heard such pleas before. Many young acolytes had come before them with ideas of reform, of change. But few had spoken with such conviction, and fewer still had dared to challenge the system so directly.
"You speak boldly, Alexion," one of the elders, a man named Loremaster Edris, said, his voice slow and measured. His gray hair framed his face like a crown, and his eyes, though tired, were sharp with wisdom. "But boldness alone does not bring change. What you propose is dangerous. You seek to challenge the very foundations of our order."
Alexion's jaw tightened. "What I seek is justice," he said, his voice unwavering. "I seek to rid this city of its corrupt leaders, to expose their lies and deception for what they are. Oghma teaches us to seek the truth, to reveal it to the world. But what good is that truth if we do nothing with it?"
There was a murmur of agreement from some of the younger acolytes who had gathered to listen, their eyes wide with admiration. Aetherion, however, felt a growing unease in the pit of his stomach. Alexion had always been ambitious—more so than anyone else Aetherion knew. But there was something in his tone now, something that hinted at a darker path. A desire not just for justice, but for power.
"Oghma's truth is meant to guide us," another elder, Loremistress Mara, spoke up, her voice soft but firm. "It is not meant to be wielded as a weapon. Be careful, Alexion. Ambition, unchecked, can lead even the brightest minds astray."
Alexion's gaze flickered to Aetherion for a brief moment, a silent exchange passing between them. Aetherion could see the fire in his friend's eyes, the determination to change the world. But he could also see the danger that lay beneath it—the temptation to use knowledge not just for truth, but for control.