I, Arete, child of the stars themselves, servant of the Kingdom of Adiart, defender of truth and hope, do hereby challenge you to a duel.
For too long, we have allowed you to turn us on each other. For too long, we have allowed you to dishonor the kingdom, to take on the appearance of a member of the Blue Dragon while in secret you conspire to bring down our downfall. For too long, we have allowed you to take innocent lives under the pretense of treason.
That ends today.
I have sworn a sacred oath to safeguard the ideals you toss aside as meaningless, and I shall not allow you or your co-conspirators to intimidate me out of pursuing what my soul knows is right. This is what I was chosen for, and this is what I choose.
It has long been said that the true measure of virtue is the willingness to lay down one’s life for their ideals. And perhaps I shall give up my life for this. Yet I would rather lay down my life for my kingdom – as Hector, as Beowulf, as Lorenzo tried to – than to allow your poisons to fester in this court for even another day. Will you have the courage to face me, Marshal, or will you perish with your cause?
Ancestors guide me to carry out my judgment swiftly. Fill me with your strength, that I might defend the honor of this kingdom. Fill me with your courage, that I might protect our kingdom unfalteringly. Fill me with your wisdom, that I might dispense of the traitors, and the traitors alone.
May the gods in their wisdom choose the victor.
Vita, sine honore, inutilis est.
I challenge you to an honorable duel at dawn.
