The Accursed asks for a 'favor', to allow his champion to rest. But is granting such a request correct? Let this be said, before anyone accuses Hunger of hubris, that per the tags of the quest - hubris is a coward's word. The Accursed asking Hunger to give up Progression and accept 'Freedom' isn't some masterful stroke of a plan, nor is it objectively the best way forwards to a kinder world: it's the Accursed doing Hunger another favor by relieving him of burdens and allowing him to quietly rest. It is hubris and tyranny on the part of the Accursed to think such an action is the best course, because he is bound by and pulled down by those same inflictions. But to be saved isn't the purpose of a Cursebearer at all, least of all those vaunted elite who bear the emblem of Heaven, the power of Progression unlimited. It is the opposite, the collective effort of the Cursebearers given solely to provide freedom to the Accursed and save the world. It is their ultimate purpose to relieve a portion of the immense tribulations by which the Accursed is diminished, to mitigate their respective portion of Curses and thereby earn their gifted power.
And Hunger is no mere Cursebearer, but the very person who once was a Cursegiver, the embodiment of tyranny such that he inflicted the self-same Doom upon the Accursed. There may be literally no better person in the omniverse more suited to the task of undoing such a Curse than Hunger now, possibly in the long future as well. The Accursed isn't perfect, far from it. Maybe, once upon a time when he was not so diminished, his effectiveness and efficacy could be trusted in wholeheartedly, but he is under the pressure of countless Curses, for which even the slightest sliver of each can totally distort one's ideation of thought. And even before that, the Accursed was self-sacrificing at the core, spending of himself to oppose the world and better it. Even more so than heeding his words, should Hunger not emulate his actions? The Accursed is no arbiter of absolute righteousness, but he represents something more pure: the ideal of bettering yourself and bettering the world, as a result. And by his example, should Hunger not give once more, so that the person who has given so much already and will continue to do so much more for everyone else, may yet finally accomplish that grand ambition and attain their shared dream?
People view Vengeance as something grim or dark, but I think that's far too fatalistic. The Praxis is a dream of fairness, defiance blazing brightly against the universe until the world is forced to care. To walk the path incurs much suffering, but when one chooses to do so, can there be anything more admirable? This is the chance to truly and permanently improve the world, to allow the Accursed to become closer to what he once was and thereby come so much closer to the ideal universe that was dreamed of. That is progress not measured by the span of lives, nor whole multiverses, but infinities upon infinities of effort from countless Cursebearers working to mitigate their lord's burdens. And to one day wholly remove him of such a torment? That is a trial well-worth undertaking and one for which Hunger is very possibly the best suited individual in all of infinity for. As said, this is the final test, let Hunger show the world, the Accursed, the Hidden Ones, show them all, that he has the ability to pass it.
The Forebear was forced to undergo the Procession of Worlds, a journey that broke and reforged him into something unyielding, but still ultimately a pawn of the Hidden Ones. That is nothing less than injustice, an evil by which they diminished the Accursed and prevented the ascendance of the Victorious World. If not for Hunger, who shall become their executioner? Should they be able to escape their rightful punishment? There is no better individual than Hunger, once implement of their machinations now transformed into the implement of their demise, the Imprisoner himself to deliver their just desserts. They considered the Forebear to be an excellent puppet? Well then, let them be strangled by the strings of their own folly. Hunger represents a hope by which the Forebear can avenge not only himself, but every casualty, every lost world, every victim, and cast down the Hidden Ones into the abyss of their own making. Perhaps, this can't be called true justice either, but in the long dark of the universe, justice remains sleeping and Vengeance is a most appropriate substitute.
I've seen the opinion that Vengeance is an empty path, that it means Hunger lives devoid of anything but purpose, but it isn't about that. It's living with purpose, with that primary ambition elevated but the vigors of life are ever as powerful. The nature of blood is to run hot and passions are innate to the Ring of Hunger. Hunger is not only the Forebear; he is the Forebear Returned. He carries Blade, Ring and Mantle, balanced by a trinity of artifacts. In the quest itself we've seen him form bonds, lasting relationships, cultivate hobbies and enjoy himself outside the context of battle or preparing for battle. After all, what he would have been most attuned to would be the domain of the Fisher. And in a trillion years of life, surely there will be whole lifetimes for him to pursue joyous endeavours and past-times. The Forebear of Dynasties certainly found building empires that would improve upon those wretched worlds he came upon to be a worthwhile hobby. Hunger seems to take joy from things that are purely personal, and clearly that's an improvement over the Forebear. He is not Odyssial, not even quite Sesus Ulyssian (though I definitely wish he was!). Hunger understands the value of training, takes great joy in amassing power because it means that he has tried his utmost. The act of trying his best, of committing everything is what he finds most enriching.
I don't think that the Forebear was wrong. Certainly, Ruin Incarnate may cast a shadow upon things where things may proceed to an end. But that isn't bad. The nature of the Accursed is that of the End of Stories, a final happy ending to everyone and everything. And though, the rule of the Forebear Returned will come to a close, that ending is so far and away as to be nearly indistinguishable for eternity. Even the soldiers of the Channeler Legions, who experienced mere subjective millennia were entirely happy to offer their lives to support Hunger and protect the Human Sphere in his battle, and though a gentle passing may befall his subjects in a vigintillion eons, that's something I believe people within the universe would be totally willing to accept. But if the working of the victorious world were to come to fruition before then, which Vengeance pushes towards, that would not even be a concern. Entropy itself is not a bad thing; I firmly view it as a superior alternative to the probable natural state of reality in the Rihaku-verse where bleak worlds like those of the Procession seem to spring from the ether. Clearly, the world bends towards to darker times and given that the power of those good-aligned entities like Haeliel are not so vast as to encompass all of reality, the help the Forebear would bring to play would be incredibly valuable. Power begets power, and as seen from all the other quests we've engaged in before, with enough strength, consequences will slide away in time (as most exemplified by Nameless). Why not accept the gift of ultimate power beyond all reason (x2, with Blood Halo!!) and leverage that strength to help the world as much as we can, as quickly as possible?
More than anything else, I wish for Hunger to stay true to himself, to move forwards and not look back - not because he's cast aside his past, but because his aim is towards the betterment of the future. His decisions throughout the quest have spoken of specific themes: heroism, daring (nigh-recklessness), commitment and sheer will. It is not in his nature to do anything but his Uttermost, and upon this stage before his final test, Hunger can only try. Try to become stronger, try to free the Accursed, try to attain Vengeance and try to bring about a kinder world.
The first choice Hunger made was Vengeance and here and now after 169 updates, I can wholeheartedly declare my belief that it wasn't the wrong choice. And if every story spoken has been spoken before, why not speak again this story Hunger chose as a new beginning, as an ending that begins another story. After all, it's proven itself to be a great one.
Above was 1487 words. One last attempt to mine Arete before the end. Maybe, I'll comment on the Doom of the Tyrant and how it's the absolute best thing to have happened to the questers ever but for now, this is alright with me.
