There was a long pause before Phi spoke.
"Hero? Heroes don't exist." She stated.
"Wha...?" Arche was unsure on how to respond to that.
"Tell me, Archetype: What makes a hero? You're not going to say something cliche like courage, bravery and 'justice', are you?" Phi leaned further back in the chair. "Good and Evil isn't so black and white like many make it out to be. Morality isn't a flat-line; it's scattered, erratic, shifting whenever we find it convenient. Heroism relies and thrives on morality; I don't believe in them, and neither should you." She said as she twiddled with one of the arrows on her bow.
Archetype sneered. "You don't know what you're talking about. Look where you are, for Christ's sake! You're in the presence of the Resistance; a group comprised of heroes! Every day they fight to protect the citizens of RPM!"
"We fight because we're needed. We fight because it makes the world slightly less of a shitty place." Phi interrupted. "We do whatever we feel is necessary to win against 'evil'... But is it evil, or is it just 'more evil'?"
"What are you driving at, Phi?" Archetype tightened his fists.
"We'd do absolutely anything to prevail against the threat... even if it meant sacrificing a life to achieve our goal?" She said.
"You can't be serious. You think they sacrifice people to win?!" Arche shouted.
"That's not what I meant. What I mean is when we are pushed to make rash decisions to see through our ideals, our supposed 'moral compass' is shattered. When pushed, innocent people would do almost anything to protect our goal, our dream, our... future. Even if that meant taking a life or manipulating, going over the line, crossing over to what we see as sin. You know all about that, don't you, Archetype?" She glared at him.
"Phi..." It took every ounce of restraint for Archetype to keep calm and not shout at her, or worse. "Why are you telling me this? When has anyone ever killed someone to achieve a goal."
"Because I've seen it with my own eyes. My sister was one the kindest people you'd ever meet. Smart, talented, wouldn't hurt anyone... until that day." Phi looked away from Archetype for a brief moment. He saw a small glint in her eye when she turned away.
"My sister was forced to... take drastic measures to protect me." She rubbed her eye.
"She killed someone..." Arche spoke softly.
"Yes. She wasn't the same after that. She found food for us, clothed me, and sung little tunes to put me to sleep. She always had such a radiant smile... but I could tell she was hurting inside. That one moment, that one flash... she never was quite the same person. She wasn't a hero for saving me, but she saved me regardless and I couldn't be more thankful for that." Phi placed her hand on her arm and squeezed, likely trying to hide the trembling, but it was still apparent.
"Your sister... what..." Archetype begun to ask for her name, but decided it would be rude to ask.
Phi looked up at him. "You're wondering what her name is, right?"
"Uh, well, I guess. Sorry, I know it's a little rude to ask." He scratched his head.
She lightly brushed her pendant with her index finger. "Luna. Her name was Luna." Phi glared at him with melancholy. "That's right."
"..." Arche had no words. Much to his surprise, this revelation did shock him. Deep down he must've know or had a suspicion. He simply stood there thinking about his beloved.
Phi continued. "Anyway, that story dragged on for way too long. We may aspire to be heroes, but when push comes to shove, 'hero' is but a fantasy. We fight for good reasons, but at what cost? I've seen plenty of under-handed, twisted dealings by people we praise as 'heroes'. Point is, just watch out for yourself. Fight the greater evil, but compromises are inevitable... especially at this stage in the war." She seemed to still be fighting back some tears. Her past must be nagging at her in the back of her mind.
"Sorry, Phi... but you're wrong. I have blood on my hands, I know that. I'm sure many of these guys have done questionable things, there's no arguing that... but, becoming a hero isn't about being a perfect person or an idolized person. It's knowing that you're prone to mistakes, but continuing to fight to protect others no matter what." Archetype retorted.
A few seconds went by before Phi gave a slight chuckle. "Jeez, you sound like the back of a cheesy novel."
Archetype stood tall, never wavering.
Phi crossed her arms and sighed. "Guess your mind is made up, huh?"
"It is. If that's how you view morality, that's fine. But I'll continue to make up for my mistakes." He smiled.
"Different perspectives..." Phi started to say.
"Same goal." Arche finished her sentence.
She began to gain respect for him and stood up from the chair. He really has changed... She thought to herself. Phi leaned against the wall and gestured her hand toward the chair. She attempted a mild british accent, "You look exhausted. Would the great hero like to sit down on the royal seat?" Phi smiled.
Archetype grinned. "Don't mind if I do."