Dust and blood

[Anastasia]

"We seek to overcome the ninth circle, for the whispers speak of the tenth and beyond." He answers, "Our goal is to find this greatest magic and use it to secure the civilized lands."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Secure them? For what purpose, and from who?"

[Anastasia]

"We are beset by eternal strife and war. What is unbound and uncivilized wishes to tear down civilization," The old wizard explains. "Thus it has always been."

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa inclines her head, "Tribals, then? What is your plan for them if you win against them?"

[Anastasia]

"Make a world free of those forces, a world where there's not war every year, suffering every day and loss every hour." A look at you, long and thoughtful. "You would be free of this, great lady, by your own will?"

[Iron Dragoon]

"Free of what, exactly? Let's be specific."

[Anastasia]

"A world free of war and struggle," Is his answer, "A war free of the uncivilized lands."

[Iron Dragoon]

"I can't say I fully support that at this point, unfortunately. If there are free people out there making war, they deserve to have a chance to exist, unless they're out to butcher everything in their path. Outright extermination is a bit beyond what I'm willing to back."

[Anastasia]

"How many siblings have you buried?" The old wizard asks, "How many mothers have you seen crying over graves?"

"Too many," Emily whispers, and then louder, "That doesn't mean to return evil onto evil. If the only choice is a war for safety and survival, then so be it, but every option before that must be considered. If a means of peace can be found..?"

"Yet they reject civilization and wage war on us," Is his answer, "They're always welcome to accept peace, law and order and settle down in the civilized lands. Every day they reject that choice."

[Iron Dragoon]

"And they have the right to reject it. If they were to offer peace and to hold the lands they have with no expansion, would you accept it?"

[Anastasia]

"They will not. Their very nature rejects order," Is his answer, "They will fight, they will take, they will maraud."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Hypothetically, if they were."

[Anastasia]

"Then the cycle would break and war would not be needed." Is the answer.

"If," Jarem says, "It seems a question of the rejection of both order and good, not just order. Were they goodly but chaotic, they would not attack you."

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa sends him a response, Possibly, but we have only one side so far.

[Anastasia]

Wise, but I also don't think he's lying to us. At least not obviously.

Wisdom is understanding that, but there's also wisdom in seeing when you truly do face unbowed and unrepentant evil.