Cameraman Never Dies

"Haha, you obviously can," the man chuckled, his voice carrying a slightly condescending warmth. "You are not here as a captive. If you were, you'd be in chains or... maybe in a much less scenic spot. Captors don't usually offer flower fields, you know."

Flora turned to the flower field, her gaze sweeping over the vibrant colors as though trying to memorize every petal. The soft hum of bees and the occasional rustle of the wind made her feel like she was in a dream— or maybe a very well-funded art exhibit. She sighed contentedly. "If this is captivity, I need to send my enemies thank-you cards."

"I know I'm late to ask," Flora continued, squinting at a patch of particularly radiant flowers, "but... who are you? And why are you so ominous? That mask isn't exactly screaming 'friendly neighborhood helper.'"

The man adjusted the mask, the sun glinting off its polished surface. "Oh, apologies. My name is Gabriel. Gabriel, virtue of chastity, if you want the full effect. And, well, the mask stays on. It's a rule. Dramatic mystique is part of the job description."

Flora plucked a white flower, giving it a sniff before twirling it between her fingers. "Gabriel, huh? Sounds strangely holy. Did you swoop down from the heavens to pluck me from the jaws of doom?"

Gabriel shrugged. "Something like that. Though, I do less swooping these days— bad for the knees. As for getting you out… let's just say I'm blessed by my lord." With a practiced gesture, he extended his hand, and a stunning ice flower bloomed in his palm, glittering like it had stolen a piece of the moonlight. "Would you like to take revenge on the vampires?"

Flora stared at the flower, a mix of awe and suspicion crossing her face. It looked beautiful— too beautiful. Like it might explode if she so much as blinked wrong. She hesitated. "Why would I?"

Gabriel froze. For a moment, his confident aura faltered, and he blinked behind the mask as though he'd been slapped with a fish. But his tone didn't change. "Uh… because they attacked your home? Killed your people? You know, the usual revenge triggers?"

Flora carefully took the ice flower, holding it as though it might start reciting poetry at any moment. "Yes, they did. But does that make them evil?"

Gabriel tilted his head, genuinely baffled. "I mean… yeah? Pretty straightforward definition of 'evil' there."

Flora turned the flower over in her hands, her tone thoughtful. "Is it, though? What even is evil? If killing makes someone evil, then what about those who kill to protect their families? Are they evil too?"

Gabriel scratched the back of his head. "Well, uh… I mean, the reason for killing probably matters. You know, like… context?"

Flora nodded sagely, as though she'd been waiting for this moment. "Exactly. So, if context matters, then what about us? Haven't we killed vampires just because we think our ideals are better? How is that different?"

Gabriel paused, visibly trying to juggle her words in his mind like they were oddly shaped puzzle pieces. "...You're very good at making this complicated."

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Flora smirked, the corners of her lips quirking mischievously. "I prefer the term 'thought-provoking.' What do you think is truly evil, Gabriel?"

He sighed, sitting down cross-legged on the grass like a man who realized he'd just walked into a debate he wasn't equipped for. "All right, I'll bite. What is truly evil, Flora?"

Flora leaned back, gazing at the sky like a philosopher about to drop a life-altering truth bomb. "Nobody does anything thinking they're pure evil. Everyone justifies their actions. And that justification, that reason they create to make their actions okay— that's the root of evil. Evil isn't in the act; it's in the excuse."

Gabriel clapped slowly, his tone dripping with sarcastic admiration. "Wow. That's deep. I feel like I should be writing this down."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "So, by your definition, evil is… bad excuses? Like, someone saying, 'I burned down the bakery because I don't like croissants'— that's evil?"

Flora chuckled. "Exactly. Burning the bakery because it's a front for vampire smugglers? Maybe less evil. Depends on how you justify it."

Gabriel tilted his head, staring at her like she'd just handed him a recipe for philosophical chaos. "You know, you've really got a knack for making me question my entire worldview. How do you even sleep at night with all this existentialism bouncing around in your head?"@@novelbin@@

Flora smiled wistfully. "I don't. That's why I spend so much time staring at flowers. And a little context for you, it is actually never night back at the city— so we usually sleep according to our schedule. And that makes life so uncomplicated, trust me."

"Uncomplicated, huh?" Gabriel said, picking a daisy and twirling it dramatically. "So, what if I told you our cause— joining the Recorders— is also simple? We don't justify violence. We record history, Flora. We keep it honest. No excuses, no bias. Just the truth. Isn't that exactly the opposite of the evil you just described?"

Flora raised an eyebrow, caught off guard. "...I… suppose that does sound… less evil."

Gabriel leaned in, sensing victory. "And by recording the truth, you could stop others from justifying their actions with lies. You could hold people accountable. Isn't that what someone who hates excuses would want?"

Flora opened her mouth, then closed it, her brain visibly spinning its wheels. "I… Well… That's…"

"Exactly," Gabriel said smugly, tossing the daisy over his shoulder. "Welcome to the Recorders, Flora. Your first assignment: debating a vampire about the moral complexity of stealing chandeliers. You'll fit right in."

Flora groaned, realizing she'd been completely outmaneuvered. "You're insufferable, Gabriel."

"And yet," he said, standing and offering her a hand, "here you are, joining my insufferable cause. You're welcome."

"Can I create ice flowers if I do?" A smile crept up her lips.

"Of course you can," He created another flower, this one more thin and delicate. "As a matter of fact, the power to create ice is not mine, I borrowed it from a friend with my... our lord's grace. You too can share and receive powers."

"I guess I shall give it a try then, I do like to travel the world, and power means not being weak in the night." She took the flowers, but they quickly broke. Leaving her with crumbles of ice.

"Then," Gabriel produced a mask, "This is for you."

"... Thanks? What is this?" Flora took the mask, the signature plain white mask of the recorders with a smiley face.

"You will be known as Uriel, the virtue of temperance." He said as soon as she took the mask, "Of course, that is only while you are wearing that mask, you still could go on about in your daily life."

"That is strangely unconvincing," Flora laughed dryly, "But I guess it is too late to turn back." Flora put on the mask.

Gabriel did not name her randomly, the observer, Judge, was watching. He told Gabriel to do so telepathically since the use of scriptwriter was not possible in the scenario.

Gabriel won't name her on his own accord, and scriptwriter would only work if the script somehow aligns with the person'c behaviour.