act48side

Shouldn't these plunderers of Minos's national treasure be severely punished, if you Minoans truly value it so much?

They will be tried according to Minoan law. As far as the punishment is concerned, though...

I have no intention of leaving the impression that Sargon is trying to bully the people of Athenius. We are emissaries of peace, after all.

This is a most sensitive time, however. Just because Sargon and Minos signed a truce five years ago doesn't mean that all is peaceful and well.

The padishahs are used to solving problems with force of arms. I would not give them a reason to get angry, if I were you.

Xanthos and Lykeion conspired to steal and deface a national treasure and sabotage the exchange ceremony...

Their actions are tantamount to treason.

They will be put on death row immediately.

Thank you, Astynomos. I look forward to the exchange ceremony in a few days.

Get in.

What's going on? It's not normal to transfer prisoners so suddenly, before we're officially sentenced.

I'm just following orders. Move quietly and behave yourselves... maybe there'll be a chance for clemency.

You really believed the Sargonian ambassador would protect the Minoans who tried to steal the harp.

We heard what she said to the officer. It would have been easiest to make the accusations while everyone was watching. But she didn't do it.

You can never tell what someone is thinking. Submit an official assessment of the damage, put pressure on the Astynomos and peace officers... there are many things that the Sargonian delegate can do.

Death row, eh? We're getting the royal treatment.

You should regret it, Lykeion. Destroying a hotel kitchen is nothing compared to the charges we now face.

All the more reason we had to take what's ours back from the bandits. The harp of Kereseira sings only for the stories of heroes. It will not, and must not, sing for a false peace.

I know your past, Master Xanthos. I may not have experienced war for myself, but I respect your decision. I couldn't let you risk everything by yourself, having known about your plan.

You saved my life two years ago.

It was your classmate from priest school, Hekádemos, who carried you down from the archery range after you were injured by an Originium shard.

I just took in a former student who wasn't willing to continue in the priesthood, that's all.

An Infected can never become a priest. It's divine work, communing with the heroes and guiding the way for the people. I couldn't do it.

As for Hekádemos, all he wants is someone to debate him...

Do not fool yourself, Lykeion. It will only make the pain worse, when you finally have to face it.

Master Xanthos?

My friend brought technology from the nomadic cities when he came to my homeland after receiving divine revelation. He built a village in the barren swamps with us.

The people in the village respected him a lot, but he always had a dark look on his face, late at night.

I lied to myself and tried to convince him that the river in his dreams wasn't red with blood; it was red because of iron that the river brought from upstream, and that the revelation was supposed to bring him to us.

But he didn't believe it...

He was prepared to go to war from the beginning. I was fooling myself.

River... hah... young people these days are foolish enough to fight the Sargonians to the death because of a dream like that?

And the two of you are here because you stole things from the Sargonians?

The harp of Kereseira belongs to the Minoans.

Even less worth it...

What truly belongs to the Minoans these days, after the Sargonians invaded a hundred years ago?