Chapter 277
He stepped closer, his voice barely above a whisper now, but filled with conviction. "We have a chance to change everything, to break free from the chains that bind us, to create a future where humanity is not just surviving, but thriving. A future where we are not merely the subjects of gods, but the masters of our own destiny. But to do that, we must be willing to embrace the struggle, to face the chaos head-on, and to risk everything for the sake of our evolution."
Nwadiebube’s gaze never wavered as he finished, "I do not expect you to agree with me, sister, but I need you to understand why I am willing to take this risk. Because if we do not, if we allow the children of gods to dictate our fate, then we will never know what we could have become. And that, to me, is a fate far worse than any war, any madness, any struggle."
The princess stood silently for a moment, absorbing her brother’s words, her heart heavy with the weight of his convictions. The room was filled with a tense silence, as if the very walls were holding their breath, waiting for her response. Finally, she met Nwadiebube’s intense gaze, her own eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and resolve.
"Nwadiebube," she began softly, her voice steady but tinged with sadness, "I hear your fears, and I understand the depth of your concern. You see a future where humanity is chained, stifled by the very beings who once protected us. You fear that the children of gods have become our oppressors, and that their peace has become our prison."
She paused, searching for the right words, her expression thoughtful. "But brother, I cannot share in your desire for chaos and destruction, even if it is for the sake of our evolution. Yes, the children of gods may have withdrawn, but I do not believe it is out of fear of our potential. I believe it is because they want us to choose our own path, to determine our own destiny without their interference. Perhaps they see that we have grown, that we are no longer the fragile beings they once guided, and they are giving us the space to prove ourselves."
She took a step closer to him, her voice growing more earnest. "You speak of embracing Björn’s religion, of using chaos and war as a means to break free from the influence of the gods. But Nwadiebube, at what cost? War may bring evolution, but it also brings suffering, death, and destruction. Is that truly the legacy we want to leave behind? A world torn apart by conflict, where humanity survives, but at the price of its soul?"
The princess suddenly stopped as she took a deep breath "That is what I would like to believe but as you said brother, the reality of our situation isn’t so"
"Especially considering the fact they are long lived, who is to guarantee that the next generation after us will keep the kingdom we built strong, in the current peace, a lot of our trained nobles and soldiers have grown complacent, weak minded"
"And what stops the next generation after them to take after. It pains me to say this after my denunciation for the path you have taken but you are right brother, they can afford to wait but we can’t"
The princess’s voice faltered, a tremor of realization shaking her resolve as she continued. "Right now, we have a lifespan of a thousand years because we’ve reached the fifth stage in strength, a feat that took generations to achieve. But even with our extended lives, our time is still finite. The children of gods—they don’t age as we do, they don’t face the relentless march of time. They can afford to wait, to watch as we grow old and fade, while they remain unchanged. "
"The drive from the past gave our kingdom, five fifth stage power houses but lately that drive is gone replaced with safety so for some years now we have had no breakthroughs"
She stepped even closer to her brother, her eyes now filled with a mix of fear and reluctant acceptance. "You’re right, Nwadiebube. The future of our people is not guaranteed, not in the peace we’ve come to know. Our soldiers, our nobles, even our scholars—they’ve grown soft, content with the world the children of gods have allowed us to build. But this world, this peace, is a fragile thing, built on the foundation of their mercy, their will. And when we are gone, who will be left to protect it? Who will have the strength, the resolve, to defend what we’ve worked so hard to achieve?"