The Apologue of Rydar Study

"‘Pride before the fall’ means things are going so well for you, you’re blinded by pride in yourself and so cause your own demise. ‘Plight before the fall’ is for when things are going so badly you give up believing in anything at all and fail due to that.”

The pale figure at the gate watched them talk with unblinking eyes. Everyone on the wall felt it, and turned back to regard him, a skretchy voice obliged their attention. “You are correct, bard, this city is already fallen, my claim on it was given me by its own citizens, my acquiring it is mere formality.”

The wall guard had a degree of pride in his city, so defiantly asked, “And who are you!?”

The pale figure twisted its neck at an odd angle as it sucked in more air, then cocked it back in their direction and whispered as if telling a secret.

“Despair.”

Although it was a whisper, everyone on the wall heard it as if the lips of the speaker brushed upon their ears. All present clasped the sides of their heads at a pain that wasn’t truly physical, as the word echoed in their minds until it filled their thoughts, and from there seeped into their hearts like swamp water filtering down through layers of muck. A thick wave of grief, of loneliness, of loss, and emptiness washed through them. All of them considered for their own moment that all that was to be done was to fling themselves off the wall top and die. It was that profound thought that pushed Rydar too far, and gave him the determination to call out to the others.

“It’s lying! Don’t listen! It’s just lies!”