A Zombie's Path to Power

Raising his hand to knock, Colwyn hesitated for a brief moment before stepping away from the wooden door. Thinking for a moment about the best way to go about things, the fearsome drake knight flinched when a voice from the other side called for him to enter.

Opening the door, Colwyn looked at the man in the hospital gown with respect. After all, it was this pale, gaunt individual whose existence had inspired the younger generation of the Sunchaser's.

"Templar Oz." Greeted Colwyn with a softness in his voice reserved only for a few individuals, "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice,"

The haggard man looked at Colwyn through his messy bangs and smiled, "Why would I turn down my student in-law in his moment of need"

Colwyn nodded thankfully and removed his helmet, placing it on the table next to him. To the Templars credit, he did not flinch like many others had. Sitting down in the chair next to Oz's hospital bed, the drake knight looked thoughtful for a moment not quite sure what to say.

Speaking for him, templar Oz started "I heard you made quite the fuss about miss Rio, something about pressuring your new initiate?"

Colwyn scratched the back of his neck, "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about, I can't risk her interfering with me right now."

"And you want me to put down limitations for her, why?" The older man tilted his head, his piercing gaze cutting through the younger knight. "What's truly at stake here, Colwyn? Is it Your honour? Or something else entirely?"

For a moment, Colwyn was silent. His eyes wandered to the small window, where sunlight filtered through the sterile hospital curtains, casting faint patterns on the floor. Finally, he spoke, his tone heavy. "Rio's spy... Lyra. I had her pulled out of harm's way during the last operation. But she's not the problem. It's Rio herself. Her Regalia, her schemes... the way she manipulates everyone around her. She's dangerous."

Oz's lips curved into a faint smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Dangerous is a matter of perspective. To her, you're the dangerous one. Isn't that why she's so intent on undermining you?"

Colwyn clenched his fists. "She's not just undermining me. She's toying with the lives of people who don't deserve to be caught up in her games. Lyra included. I won't let her get away with it."

Oz studied him for a long moment, the weight of his silence pressing down on the room. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet but firm. "You remind me of myself, you know. Always so certain that there is only ever black and white. But the thing about Rio... she's a mirror. She reflects the worst of what we're willing to do to achieve our goals."

 Colwyn's jaw tightened, he leaned forward, his voice low. "I don't understand what you mean, are you trying to say what Rio does is good?"

Oz's smile softened. "The line between hero and villain is thinner than you think."

Colwyn's eyes snapped up to meet his, fierce and determined. "I'm asking for advice. I know what kind of person she is—what she's capable of. But I also know she's not someone I can afford to underestimate. If I make the wrong move, it could cost me everything."

Oz leaned back against his pillow, the faint creak of the hospital bed filling the silence. His eyes, sharp despite his frail appearance, lingered on Colwyn for a moment before he answered. "Rio is a master of playing the long game, Colwyn. She's patient, calculating. She's not someone who acts without reason. The question isn't just what she's capable of—it's why she's doing it."

Colwyn frowned, his brow furrowing as he processed Oz's words. "Her reasons don't matter. Manipulation, lies, treating people like tools—none of that can be justified."

"Can't it?" Oz challenged, his tone calm but piercing. "Tell me, Colwyn, have you ever made a choice that sacrificed the few for the many? Have you ever bent the truth to rally your men? Or kept something from them because you believed it was for their own good?"

Colwyn opened his mouth to respond, then paused. His silence was answer enough. "My personal mistakes don't absolve her," Colwyn said, his voice hard. "You've seen what her regalia does to people. It breaks them. Turns them into something... hollow. What if she is doing that to seize power within the Sunchaser's?"

"No," Oz agreed softly. "Rio is complicated and fearsome, but she is still loyal to her peers, she wouldn't do that. Understanding her might give you the edge you need." He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto Colwyn's. "I won't tolerate this nonsense any longer, Rio will be investigated for abuse of power but nothing more, I suggest you remain satisfied with that"

Colwyn's shoulders tensed, but he nodded, a hint of determination returning to his gaze. "Thank you, Templar. Your advice is... sobering."

"Be careful, Colwyn. Ambition and desperation make for dangerous bedfellows," Oz smiled faintly, his gaze distant. "You should go, I will be taking my medicine now."

Colwyn rose from his seat, the scrape of his chair against the floor echoing faintly in the sterile room. He placed his helmet back on the table for a moment, bowing his head slightly toward Templar Oz. "I'll keep your words in mind. Thank you."

Oz waved a frail hand dismissively, his smile returning, though it carried a weariness that Colwyn couldn't ignore. "Good. And remember, Colwyn, even when you stand for what's right, tread carefully. A single misstep on the moral high ground can send you tumbling into the abyss."

The younger knight hesitated, his fingers brushing against his helmet as he picked it up. "I'll tread carefully," he said, his voice firmer now.

Walking down the narrow corridor of the infirmary, Colwyn's heavy boots echoed, each step measured and deliberate. Outside, the sun was beginning its slow descent, casting long shadows through the windows. He paused for a moment, glancing out at the horizon. Somewhere out there, Rio was undoubtedly weaving her web, and Colwyn had no doubt she expected him to stumble into it.

But he wouldn't—not again.