text: A villain is what? Who determines what a villain is? Why does there have to be a villain? When did the conflict between superimposed figures of good and evil come into play? And how long has it been since I was forsaken by my own world, shunted into this path of supposed darkness in which I have no choice but to partake in? *You know better than to ask such questions in the face of this world, Commander...* Perhaps I do, but after all this time, all these ages that have passed. Worlds built and destroyed. You and I, side by side, with no determination of what is wrong or right aside from our own perspectives. After all that, I have no other words left to speak. For what choice do I have? They have put this mantle before me, and ordered me to step upon it, in such a means to create a great evil to put down. And for what? This fake? This twisted glory? Are they so desperate to find themselves that they don’t even see that they are lost? *The battle approaches. I trust that you shall put away your words and fight?* ...Yes, I shall. For as I have said, what choice do I have? *There is no choice, just the illusion of one, Commander.* Then I tire of this collection of smoke and mirrors. I believe not in what we do, up here on this pedestal of lies and mysterias. Our path is one of a self-fulfilling prophecy. But it is not one we created, merely the one we live in. *I must prepare our troops, Commander... But, as parting words... I must say, it was an honor to fight by your side. I hope that you do not carry guilt into the next world.* Guilt and shame is all I feel, Lieutenant... And I hope that you may pass over in the blaze of glory you have always wanted to. Now, go. And carry the burden of my own unwilling will. *Goodbye, Commander.* Goodbye, Lieutenant. >*A noise is heard as the Lieutenant departs the observatory for the very last time, to die in a battle, their name never known. History would be quick to erase the happenings of the conflict between this Commander, doomed forever to be a Villain, and the Heroes, who knew nothing of the truth. There would be no grave for those who fell today. But the Villain would not lose. The Villain was forbidden from failure. Condemned for actions that were not theirs. What good was it to fight a Villain so against their own Villainy that they would seek to sabotage their own actions? The answer would not be found today. The Heroes forced their way through the Villains forces, only to find the Villain having awaited them, their head low with shame and regret, and a hollow determination. Today, like many other days, would be just another movement that aligned with the lost cause that was the governments that had knowingly installed a Villain to take the fall. There was no hope, and no despair. Just the illusion of choice.* > >*And so, to the Heroes, the Villain had but two words, empty as all else in this farce was:* > >*“Release me.