[h1][color=Gold]Mars[/color][/h1]

"Yes," Mars said calmly as he brought his right hand up, the action done through instinct rather than conscious thought. The gem in his wrist glowing a myriad of colors before flashing briefly to blind them both. When vision cleared, Mars held a circular blade in his hand, holding it by a handle in the center, the edge somewhat close to Blood's neck. He stood there for a moment, looking down at the man, before dismissing the weapon and returnung his hand to his side. "I think I would like to know that."

Mars backed away slightly, turning towards the doir with thoughts to leave and sort out hishead, but Blood's words rung in his head, specifcally what he said about this other gem . . . Tiger.

"You're wrong about Tiger, Bloodstone . . . it wasn't his anger he hated . . . it was you." His voice rang off the walls of the temple as he turned, oushing down the emotions that weren't his own as he stared at the two gems that had awoken them. They were his friends, his enemies, and complete strangers, all at the same time. "He resented you for brunging him into this, for having him fight and kill both other gems and his own conscious, . . . for bringing him back, even partially, from the eternal rest he so badly craved. He didn't want to be brought back, he didn't want to continue fighting this war . . . he just wanted to pass on in peace and give into nothingness. And you denied him that, but the question remains, for what? For what did you bring attemot to bring him, or any gem back? And what right do you have to decide such a thing?"

Mars' eyes, while not as saddened a d weighed downmas Tiger's, were filled with a similar weariness and wisdom that only the old and broken should possess. Turning his head, his eyes found Aquamarine's, and he felt a need to impart his progenitor's final feelings to her as well. "Aqua . . . Tiger felt only guilt for his role in everything Homeworld has done, and his last wish was to see you again so he could beg your forgiveness. I won't beg, but I will ask . . . do ylu forgive him for what he's done? The many, many gems that he's slain that were likely your friends and comrades, the countlesshu ans ge'd stepped on in order to further Homeworld's mission. The . . . experiments . . ." 

Here, Mars' closed his eyes as a small ache pulsed between his ears. The memories of the last regret were heavily warded by emotions of wuch intensity that he didn't want to know what lied beyond. So he stopped there and awaited there answer. What he did next depended on them.

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