Page 42 of The Night Prince 2

“No, not really.”

Finley let out a disgusted sound. “He’s the most powerful Mage the planes have ever known. His heritage is not especially storied.”

“That depends on who you ask.”

“They weren’t wealthy or powerful,” Finley said. “I mean… according to the books I found. The authors tried not to give too much credit to this, but it’s clear that Vex came out of a no-name family with no contacts and simply earned his way up through out of the box thinking and incredibly hard work. No one expected anything of him and then… he became what he became.”

Rhalyf pursed his lips. “Put that way, I now understand why he appeals to you. You see yourself in him: someone who can rise to greatness from nothing.”

“Well, no, I wouldn’t say that. I don’t think I could be anywhere near as powerful or anything. But I admire his doggedness.” Finley shifted in his seat. “He is also known as the most evil being out there. Even if a fraction of the things claimed about him are true, he’s likely a sociopath, at best.”

“And at worse?”

Finley bit his lower lip. “Someone who knows and feels what he is doing is wrong on a deeply moral level, but does it anyway. He’s able to simply act even if it hurts him, because he feels he must.”

“And you feel that is worse?”

“Yes, because that kind of… of strength is terrifying. The sociopath feels nothing. So it costs them nothing to be evil. But if he isn’t a sociopath. If he feels and thinks like we do then… then it is through sheer force of will that allows him to behave that way,” Finley answered and looked deeply disturbed.

“Do you expect the heroes in your game to defeat him? If you really played him to form, do you think they could?” Rhalyf asked.

“No,” Finley admitted with a shake of his head. “No, they couldn’t. Not unless…”

“There is no unless, Finley. They couldn’t.”

“Unless he chooses to let them win,” Finley suddenly said.

Rhalyf let out a choked laugh. “Vex allowing someone else to win? I think not.”

“So there would be no reason you could see why Vex would allow himself to be beaten?” Finley asked.

“Not unless it allowed him to win a greater victory down the road. You’ve read about him and thought about him alot, do you really think there could be any other reason?” Rhalyf challenged.

This wasn’t a serious conversation. Or it shouldn’t have been. He’d been in his uncle’s presence a mere handful of times, but he couldn’t forget any of them. He’d seen what Vex did to his enemies and what he was willing to do to win. Finley hadn’t and he prayed he never would. Yet he found himself interested in hearing what this intelligent, driven young man had to say.

“There was a time in the past when he wasn’t that way,” Finley said quietly. “When he had friends and family he cared about very deeply.”

“Perhaps. But, knowing him, they were likely just pawns in his rise to power or, as I told you, people he collected to keep their power to himself,” Rhalyf shrugged. “So if you want to be true to Vex in your game, your heroes will never win. It will be Vex alone who remains.”

“Well, perhaps you’re right. It will be fitting then, I guess, where I’m having the game tonight,” Finley said.

“Not at the Dawn?” Rhalyf lifted an eyebrow.

“No, I’m…” Suddenly, Finley bit back his words and watched Rhalyf carefully as he asked, “Why do you know so much about Vex? Every Aravae I’ve ever met has only known the boogeyman version of him. They’ve never had anything good to say. But you… you talk about him differently. Why?”

“Maybe I admire him too.”

Finley’s eyes became invisible as the reflections in his glasses obscured them. “Considering how powerful a Mage you are, Rhalyf, that would make you…”

“What?” He asked lightly, but he felt as if he’d maybe said too much.

“Very dangerous,” Finley answered.

Gemma returned at that moment, filled with “hot gos” about various people that Rhalyf did not know, but Finley did. He tried to concentrate on what she was saying and get a lay of the land from the human perspective, but he kept thinking about what Finley had said. And he wasn’t sure what he felt about it.

They finished their drinks and headed out in the crazy, loud and lively streets of Hope. Immediately, Rhalyf was surrounded by a group of children.

“Ah, hello,” Rhalyf said, wondering if they were about to get jumped.

---