They were stronger than he was.
Berrod had always known it -- it was in fact, part of the reason he had invested himself in them. The ones who were weaker never lasted. Those were more numerous than he would have liked to admit.Â
The Highlander found himself suffering his own moment of weakness -- a moment when his own selfish pride had managed to eclipse the pride he'd felt for those who had entrusted their learning to him. It was not a feeling he wanted to fester. After all, he had devoted himself to making them stronger, and to help them become leaves on the wind to both preserve and better what had nearly been lost.Â
An obvious answer had come to him; if he was so stuck on being weaker than them -- at least relatively -- then he would just have to work harder to maintain his ground. No, not maintain, he'd reasoned, to climb higher, to always be able to teach and guide them.Â
He had stagnated, and it was time for that to end. True, he had accepted his fear, anger and jealousy, and had decided to be content with that...but that acceptance had not come in moderation, and he had let it all bring him to a standstill. Now, more than ever he needed to raise higher -- and also sink deeper. Playing at retirement and a so-called normal life was not going to fix anything.Â
Learning and growing was.Â
The Goldsmith's guild. Little Ala Mhigo. Mor Dhona. The destinations instantly etched themselves in his mind. There was work to do before the dam burst and plunged all into chaos and blood.
![[Image: BSoBGcR.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/BSoBGcR.jpg)
Berrod had always known it -- it was in fact, part of the reason he had invested himself in them. The ones who were weaker never lasted. Those were more numerous than he would have liked to admit.Â
The Highlander found himself suffering his own moment of weakness -- a moment when his own selfish pride had managed to eclipse the pride he'd felt for those who had entrusted their learning to him. It was not a feeling he wanted to fester. After all, he had devoted himself to making them stronger, and to help them become leaves on the wind to both preserve and better what had nearly been lost.Â
An obvious answer had come to him; if he was so stuck on being weaker than them -- at least relatively -- then he would just have to work harder to maintain his ground. No, not maintain, he'd reasoned, to climb higher, to always be able to teach and guide them.Â
He had stagnated, and it was time for that to end. True, he had accepted his fear, anger and jealousy, and had decided to be content with that...but that acceptance had not come in moderation, and he had let it all bring him to a standstill. Now, more than ever he needed to raise higher -- and also sink deeper. Playing at retirement and a so-called normal life was not going to fix anything.Â
Learning and growing was.Â
The Goldsmith's guild. Little Ala Mhigo. Mor Dhona. The destinations instantly etched themselves in his mind. There was work to do before the dam burst and plunged all into chaos and blood.
![[Image: tumblr_ojgu7zoaag1robwlio1_540.png]](https://68.media.tumblr.com/80be4033cdf57fb6268473ef9ce37db6/tumblr_ojgu7zoaag1robwlio1_540.png)
