Thaidakar the Ghostblood

"They say you have a story to tell me. Is that true?"

"My family says a lot of things, lass."

"I couldn't tell..."

"Well, they're still a good family, but they don't understand what the word "important" means."

"What would you say it means, sir?"

"It means something that should take precedence over smaller matters. It means that something affects at least one life."

"What would you regard as important, then?"

"Hmmm..."

"You don't have to answer-"

"Yes, yes I do. I would consider this conversation to be important. You're preserving every word I say?"

"Yes, yes I am."

"Good. What sort of story did they want me to tell you?"

"Your story."

"My story?"

"Your life story. At least, that's what your daughter said."

"Mmm... my life story... If I am to tell my life story, I need you to promise one thing."

"And what would that be?"

"I need you to promise..."

"Yes?"

"I need you to, above all else, never show this to earnest people."

"What?"

"The people who will want to read my story will be those with world changing purposes. They shouldn't read it because they'll be dissuaded from making waves, whether for good or for bad. My story is not one of happiness. I didn't get a happy ending."

"You have a family, a farm, a large house in the countryside, a beautiful view... Yet, you aren't happy?"

"Perhaps I phrased it wrong. I got a happy ending, but who I used to be, that emperor, that dictator... he didn't get his happy ending. And, in a way, despite what I have said, I didn't either."

Note: we sat in silence for several minutes.

"I'm going to take what you wrote and make it a book. Can I put this part as the introduction?"

"Yes. For your true start... here's what I want you to write..."

I killed freedom with my bare hands. I strangled it. I used its corpse to reign upon the world, spreading its blood like seeds to remind those who rebelled that I killed their master. From that blood, it grew again. Many people assume I was overthrown by a tumultuous revolution. That is true. But little to no-one knows who led the revolution. You see, that person. That glorious leader who led their legions up the steps of the pagan temple of the Emperor, that man was me. 

That day when I marched my legions up the steps of that horrid temple, I slew the greatest enemy to freedom with my bare hands.

Me.