Mercer cocked his head as he narrowed his eyes, his demeanor gaining a certain cold edge to it that made his older brother alert.

"Beyond ourselves? Brother, what exactly are you accusing me of?" asked Mercer. 

"Do not mind my words. That was simply a minor point. A bit of lecturing come to surface," said Mason. "What I truly wish to talk about is the value of the Light and what it means, what it-,"

"I care nothing for the Light," said Mercer. "And speaking of it only wastes time."

"Because you take all the good the Light has done for granted," began Mason, but Mercer cut him off again.

"Taken it for granted?" Mercer's voice rose as he almost lashed out. When he spoke again, his tone quieter, but there was still something there, something that made it clear that emotion and hurt bubbled right under the words he formed.

"What did I take for granted? A father that walks out on us, abandoning two boys of twelve and eight, condemning us to the streets." 

"You know he did not want to leave us," said Mason. "I know you know this, deep in your heart. Father was a paladin – he had to fight when the calling came, and he did fight. Against night creatures that terrorized our very own soil. He fought nobly. valiantly."

"All that nobility and valiance and fighting for the Light, and he came back as a shriveled, blood drained corpse," said Mercer. "Tell me, brother, why did the Light not grace him with its protection? Did the Light send the debtors to our home and throw us to the streets?"

Mason shook his head. "That is all besides the point. Father had to fight a great evil, just as we must fight now, and he fought for a cause greater than himself. Yes, times of turmoil were upon this land when he passed, and the crown could not take care of us.

But look now. Any knights and paladins that fall in the northern border or the southern jungles or to any manner of monster within the duchy now sees their families cared and provided for. The debtors and rogues that plagued this city have now all rotted away in dungeons. 

Father's death may have played but a small part, but in the end, it did move our country to greater heights."

"That does not change the fact that in the end, he chose the Light, this land, over us," said Mercer.

"And I can understand him," said Mason. "In a way, he fought for us, brother. Not just for us, but the countless many lives that would have fallen should he not have raised arms. He fought for something greater than himself."

"And in fighting for something so much larger than himself, he lost sight of those closest to him." Mercer sighed. "There is a reason I do not argue about father with you. Not anymore. You will never change the way you think.

Even now, when so many tell you that the Light is not perfect, you cannot bring yourself to believe them. You break away from the truth to speak to me. Why? Did you believe I would take your side?"

Mason crossed his arms. "No, but I thought you would take a moment to listen to your older brother. You call me stubborn but look at you. Impulsive and headstrong and easily distracted. Do you not know that it is because of the new order's peace that you and I, street urchins with not a coin to our name, even had the chance to become an adventurer?

And you failed the curriculum because of your weak will. Because you could not bring it upon yourself to fight for something beyond yourself."

Mercer's lips screwed into a scowl. "You want to blame me for that? The years should not have worn our memories down that much. The two of us both failed the curriculum in the very same mission."

"Because you abandoned your position in the rear guard," said Mason. "You left two trainees to die. Thank the Light they survived through your mistake, though now they will never walk to pay for it."

"You cannot be serious," began Mercer.

"I am," said Mason. "You lacked discipline. Discipline you would have had fighting for something greater than yourself. I understand. You broke off from the rear for you thought the minotaur far too strong for those of us in the vanguard to handle. 

But your orders were clear, our formations drilled into us. There is a reason for orders. We in the vanguard could not have prevailed against the minotaur, but we would have stalled it enough for the rear and central parties to clear a path for retreat. 

When you broke rank to come to the vanguard, though, the rear collapsed – everything collapsed. Were it not for seasoned adventurers near us coming to our aid, all of us would have fallen."

"I came to the vanguard for you," said Mercer. He drew close to his brother, shaking his head. "You likely would have died had I not intervened. How can you not understand this?"

Mason looked down at Mercer. "I do. But that is what I mean by discipline. Vision greater than yourself. It is always better to fight for something more than yourself."

"Then tell me, brother, what did you fight for back then?" said Mercer.

"For the duchy, of course," said Mason. "To rid the borders of foul monsters. To that end, we adventurers must be willing to make sacrifices for the cause. I may have fallen, but more lives would have been saved elsewise." 

"Do you know what I fought for?"

Mason heard the accusation laced in that question and did not respond. 

Mercer jabbed a finger into Mason's chest. "I fought for you. Not for myself, not for others, but for you. And I am disappointed the Light or the duchy or whatever else greater it is stops you from seeing that."

Mercer turned around and headed back to the camp, leaving Mason contemplating in the dark.