Cyberknight: One Path

⁕ Sea of Broken Shards (part 5)

Said Athena before throwing McCree against the wall with surprising force.

After biting on the lollipop in her mouth in regret, Athena leaned against the wall while McCree took a few breaths in shock.

[McCree] - "God damn it, you are one dangerous lady considering your size. "

Though McCree thought of fighting back, he knew he was no match for Athena, as he knew the best course of action was to hold back his grudge for now. However, things took an unexpected turn as Athena showed a solemn look before she took off her officer's cap and pulled the candy out of her mouth.

[Athena] - "I'm sorry for my behaviour. Please forgive me. "

McCree was left speechless as he felt every ounce of sincerity in her voice.

[McCree] - "Oh... well... I guess I wasn't the most rational either. "

Said McCree, embarrassed and confused.

[Athena] - "I feel shame for what the cyberknights have become as well. Mike... he was always so forgiving. I never understood why until I was on my own after the Revolutionary Crusade. People with pure hearts are rare in this selfish world. If you acted so unforgivingly toward every single person who had committed a sin, would there still be anyone left in this world? "

Athena closed her eyes and placed her hand against her armour, which shone with the rows of cyberknight symbols clearly not native to her chestplate.

[Athena] - "I realized that most people are selfish. In a hundred men, maybe a few possess the heart to do the right thing. Yet, in these hundred, none is without guilt. By letting you or Jerry live, I'm not choosing to absolve you of your sins, but to let you follow the path you were always meant to follow. Those cyberknights symbols all over my chest, each represents one heretic I had killed. Each of them is a person whom you had described as evil at the depths of their heart. "

At that moment, there was a feeling of admiration but also fear as McCree realized just how many cyberknights Athena had killed.

[Athena] - "They betrayed their ways and used their power for the wrong purpose. Many of them were my friends, soldiers, or allies, yet I value the heart above all else. I wear their insignia because I wish to restore the honour they had tainted. To let the reason for their ascension into knighthood shine once again in the service of justice. All I say is, you should not just be an executioner, but be a human with flaws and a heart. "

As the heart-to-heart moment fell silent with Athena's last phrase echoing inside McCree's mind, she suddenly stood up and began to walk away. McCree felt admiration for Athena's nobility. For the first time in his life, McCree had witnessed what a true cyberknight is like: A flawed saint who refused the crown of divinity and only accepted the call of duty.

[McCree] - "If you kill those whom you deem irredeemable, then what do you see in him that deems him worthy of assisting us in this mission? "

Said McCree, referring to Jerry.

[Athena] - "Because he is willing to admit his guilt and set on a different path. I count on his action, not his past. Besides, if Jerry did lie to us, his fate is already sealed in death. "

Said Athena without turning around.

[Athena] - "Come on, we still got a mission to accomplish. "

Though McCree had spent so little time around Athena, he had learned more lessons than he could've ever expected. Despite Athena being younger than him, he felt as if he was just a student listening to the wisdom of an old teacher. Every single one of her words and actions was not there to humble him, but to enlighten him to a new perspective.