Marco's Heart

[peccatore]

You find yourself in a bright white, circular room. It's nearly empty; too bare, almost clinically so. But the bareness of it means that what is visible here stands out:

A podium in the center, where a familiar figure sits, head buried in his hands. Three paths running from the podium to three different spots near the edges of the room - not corners; circles don't have corners - where three doors leading seemingly nowhere stand with no regard for their complete lack of structural support.

It doesn't take you long to figure out where you are, does it? You only have to decide where to start.

Comments

[pyrrhicviktory]

... Ah.

[ sigh ]

... I suppose I should not be surprised.

[peccatore]

"I had money. I had moneys. And unfortunately, I used them. I used them, when I should have just--" Marco shakes his head. He's curving, now, like he's trying to settle back into that tensed, curled-up position Viktor first found him in. "Just cut to the chase. If I wanted to go to Hell so badly."

[pyrrhicviktory]

Can you... tell me a little more about your beliefs? Your religion, I mean.

It seems to be very important to you. But I do not know enough about it to comment, whenever you bring it up.

[peccatore]

"Uh-- I, I can try. I'm not sure if you have any frame of reference to-- I-I know some people in Tributary are new to the concept of monotheism."

[pyrrhicviktory]

I understand it a little. Piltover was founded by a scientist, but started as a melting pot. A place of refuge for those who were fleeing war and persecution. As such, we have people of all faiths and many of none.

It has been explained to me... there are two afterlives in your religion. One for those who do good, and one for those who do not. That is the "hell" you refer to. And then there is a... saviour figure, who was the son of your god, correct?

[peccatore]

"Yes, uh. That would be Jesus Christ."

Why is this conversation ringing a bell. Why is he getting just the slightest bit of dejá vù.

[pyrrhicviktory]

I see. I don't know much more than this. What else does your religion say about your god?

For example... in Zaun, the most popular deity is Janna. She is a wind spirit, and people often pray to her for clean air.

[peccatore]

"Well... Er, God doesn't have a specific... domain like that. He's... omnipotent, as well as omniscient. Why is why He's... just the one, I suppose."

[pyrrhicviktory]

I see. What else? Did he... come from anywhere? What is he known for? What are his ideals?

[peccatore]

"He, ah, created the world and every single thing on it, supposedly. He's... good, and kind and merciful."

... Marco is anticipating an objection.

[pyrrhicviktory]

[ Viktor definitely has objections, but it isn't time for those yet. Instead, he says ]

I can see how that would be appealing.

[peccatore]

"... Yes." He sighs.

"Our holy book is comprised of... Well, of many different parts, actually, but it's more broadly split into the Old Testament and the New Testament. It's the New Testament that's especially important to-- Er, to this particular branch of the religion that I subscribe to, because it tells the story of Jesus Christ. And, uh, it amends, or... otherwise renders null some of the earlier teachings."

[pyrrhicviktory]

Religions can adapt and change over time, as the times change. It is not so unusual for the rules to be updated.

[peccatore]

"Right, of course. Uh-- What more did you want to know?"

[pyrrhicviktory]

Hmm. Your parents... or I should say, your perceptions of them, seemed particularly fixated on "God's plan." Is that common? Is there a dogma about how the world is supposed to go?

[peccatore]

"... No. Not necessarily. Some people... do believe God has a predetermined path for all of us. But I can't say that it's a tenet."

[pyrrhicviktory]

Then... what about you? What do you believe?

[peccatore]

His brow furrows in thought.

"I'd rather believe in free will, I think."

[pyrrhicviktory]

You don't sound very certain.

[peccatore]

"... I-- Even looking beyond... my life, on its own... Too many terrible things happen for all of it to be God's design. If you ask me."

[pyrrhicviktory]

Mm. I prefer to believe we have free will as well. To a certain extent, anyway.

[peccatore]

"To an extent...?"

[pyrrhicviktory]

Hmmm. Imagine you go back in time to the day of the press conference. But you do not get to retain any of your future knowledge or hard-earned mental well-being. You do not know how it will turn out-- you are again exactly as you were in that moment.

How do you think you proceed?

[peccatore]

"..." He frowns. "I do exactly the same thing I did before."

[pyrrhicviktory]

Mm. That is what I mean when I say "to a certain extent."

Our fate is not written in the stars. But at the same time, whenever we make a choice, we are not making it in a vacuum. Everything we have done and experienced up until that point in time factors into our decision. Who our parents were. How we grew up. Our mental state at the time. What we know and understand about the world. The decision is therefore, in a sense, a foregone conclusion. Decided ahead of time, by all the factors that make you... you. If you could have made a different choice... you would not be you. You would be a different person.