The Light of All That Falls (The Licanius Trilogy, #3)

by James Islington

“Asar once told me that they did it because nothing is truly beautiful unless it can be lost,”

Truth can be a burden, but secrets are poison.”

“So they sent you here for having a difference of opinion, after explicitly saying that it was allowed?” asked Davian disbelievingly. Raeleth gave a cheerless chuckle. “I was told that I should not lose my life because I disagreed, but that my beliefs—and my desire to voice them—were… socially destructive. That it was fine for me to have them, but detrimental for everyone if I tried to convince others of them. They said that it was contrary to objective truth, and therefore misleading. So I was given the opportunity to think the right way, or be sent here.” He smiled wryly. “I still remember when they told me, completely unironically, that they were doing it to display the truth of El to people. To show me that if I desired His plan to be fulfilled, then I would have to accept that this was part of it.”

Faithful people suffer and evil people prosper all the time, Davian—you must know that is true. Besides, if our actions are driven only by reward or punishment—eternal or otherwise—then they are motivated by greed and selfishness, not faith or love. That is where so many people go wrong, even those who say they believe in El. They obey because they think it will make their lives better, rather than themselves. And that is very much the wrong reason.”

“Because it is like… like listening to a piece of music and judging the composer by how skillfully the musician is playing it. The question that needs answering isn’t ever ‘who acts better.’

You should never judge the sides of an argument simply by who is doing the arguing.”

“They are trying to convince everyone that our creator wished to create a world in which He could not take part. Could not help, guide, or save. In which He was functionally irrelevant.”

“The El I believe in is not just the creator of this world, but inextricably tied to it—if He were to withdraw from it, it would cease to be as we know it. It would become a place where all the things we value, all things that have beauty and life and meaning, are simply not possible. His absence wouldn’t mean a lack of authority—it would mean complete and utter desolation.”

“Because we’re meant to realize that this is important, and figure it out for ourselves. ‘No decision without doubt,’” he added, clearly quoting something. “El could convince the world in a heartbeat—but if He did, it would no longer be our choice to follow Him. Instead, He enables us to choose Him.”

Evil men rarely convince others to their side by asking them to perform dark deeds for no good reason. They will always start with the lightest shade of gray. They so often use what seems like a good cause.”

If something is not clearly right or wrong then it bears actually figuring out which one it is, not dismissal into some nebulous third category. If you have a basis for your morality, a foundation for it, then there will always be an answer—and if you do not, then trying to decide whether anything is right or wrong is an exercise in futility and irrelevance.”

but I also understand now that what’s right isn’t always what’s legal.

“Law is about order, not right and wrong,” Taeris agreed. “And the latter should always trump the former.”

“Because hurting someone is not teaching them a lesson, Davian. As you pointed out earlier—we can hate what they do, but we should never hate them.” He shifted. “And I’m not ‘better’ than you. That’s not how it works. Believing in El, trying to follow His rules, doesn’t make you in some way superior. If anything, it makes you more aware that none of us can claim to be truly good. That’s why forgiveness is so important.” He saw Davian’s dubious expression and shook his head. “I’m not suggesting that enemies should suddenly be friends, but I am choosing to forgive. Because if I don’t, I’m nothing more than empty words.”

“I thought you’d read his writings.

Tal gave a rueful nod. “I did. Many years ago.” Davian shook his head. “They obviously didn’t sway you then, so what’s changed?” “Me, I suppose.” Tal shrugged at Davian’s look. “Sometimes it’s not the message. It’s the timing.”

“It’s not enough to fight for the right side. You have to figure out how to fight the right way, too. If winning is truly all that matters, then we’ve lost sight of what’s actually right and wrong in the first place.”

“Remember that your past does not define you—no matter the consequences,” he said gently. “Choice is meaningless without consequences, and a privilege we do not deserve if we will not face them.