The Gun, The Knife and An Empty Hand.

" You come to this fight with a gun, while I come with a knife. Tell me, are we equal?" "Equal...? You speak of equality as though you're some kind of saint." The gunman chuckled. "If you had a gun, would you still be talking about equality?" he asked. "Perhaps the tide of battle would be different. We'd be arguing over who's superior." "At least you're honest about that. What we both hold aren't merely weapons; they're the fate of another man's life." "But you hold the superior one." "Indeed. But don't underestimate the weaker weapon. Its wielder could kill you before you even realise you're in danger." "Sounds like you're wary of me," the knife wielder remarked. "I am. But that doesn't mean I'll hesitate to take you down." "Hmm... You're afraid for no reason." "Trying to convince me that I'm the superior one here? You'll have to try harder." The gunman chuckled. "Indeed, you are." A third man walked into the room, his hands completely empty. "Bold of you to walk in here without a weapon," the knife wielder remarked. "You speak as though you have the upper hand, yet the man who holds the key to both our lives remains humble," the newcomer replied. "You're acknowledging my superiority, then. But don't forget that you're the most dangerous man in this room." "Huh... You wield a gun and still fear a man with nothing. You truly aren't worthy of holding such power." "And you're simply blind to the danger because someone weaker has entered the room. Weren't you the one talking about equality earlier?" the gunman retorted. "Yes, I was. Because this isn't a fair fight." "But it seems you're only advocating for fairness because the odds aren't in your favour," the empty-handed man observed. "Then should the weak simply accept their fate because they lack the means to fight back?" "No. But those who advocate for fairness when they're disadvantaged, only to oppress others when the same power is placed in their hands, are hypocrites disguised as noblemen." "And coming to a fight unarmed is foolishness disguised as honesty," the knife wielder replied. "Tell me, knife wielder. Do you consider your actions noble?" the gunman asked. "A battle in which one side holds all the advantages is hardly a battle at all. True strength should be judged when both sides stand on equal ground." The empty-handed man spoke, seemingly in agreement with the argument for equality. "Everyone should be equal. That's the only way a peaceful society can exist." "But you hold a knife, while I stand here empty-handed. Don't you think you're contradicting yourself?" "There's also a man holding a gun who could end both of us at any moment. None of us standing here are equal." "Hmm... You speak as though holding a gun and granting equal rights automatically make a man noble. Your delusion is extraordinary," the gunman remarked. "Call it delusion if you wish, but society would be a much better place if everyone were treated equally." "And that's where you're wrong," the empty-handed man interjected. "Equality will never exist in nature, let alone in a society created by man." "I agree," the gunman added. "Just as the animal kingdom has its hierarchy, so does civilised society. Without it, equality will bring nothing but chaos." "Then allow me to end this empty-handed man's life and show you the chaos you claim equality brings." The knife wielder raised his weapon towards the newcomer. "You seem more like an oppressor waiting for an opportunity to wield the greatest power of all," the empty-handed man observed. "Indeed," the gunman added. "The weaker man never brought up equality. He simply acknowledged my superiority." "I tend not to involve myself in battles I cannot win," the empty-handed man replied. "Then why are you here?" the knife wielder asked. "For peace." "And yet you attack me for advocating equality?" The knife wielder chuckled. "Peace doesn't necessarily bring equality. It only brings understanding between two different parties." "And you came here to establish that understanding among the three of us? You certainly have guts to walk in here empty-handed." "A peaceful society can only exist when conflicting parties develop a mutual understanding. Tell me, peacemaker, how do you intend to resolve the conflict between the three of us?" the gunman asked. "What's there to resolve when you both are trying to establish superiority? The man with the knife advocates for equal ground, while you know very well that you can end both of us without hesitation. As things stand, I'm at the mercy of you both." "Quite an honest fellow, I'd say. But humility won't take you very far," the knife wielder commented. "A man should always be aware of where he stands in the presence of his enemy," the newcomer replied. "You sound as though you're paying homage to someone who holds your life in his hands," the gunman remarked. "Power and respect should be given to those who wield it. Sometimes, that's the only way to maintain peace." He grinned. "But you came here to negotiate, Peacemaker," the knife wielder pointed out. "Indeed, I did." "If you had a weapon, you wouldn't be standing here talking about peace." "True. You both currently hold the keys to my life, and the man with the gun holds the keys to yours." The gunman studied him for a moment. "But tell me something. A man who seeks peace must have already prepared his mind for war." "Indeed, he has." "Then tell me, what weapon do you have that makes you so confident you've already won this war?" His eyes narrowed as he studied the grin on the stranger's face. The empty-handed man laughed. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you." He slowly unbuttoned his shirt. And there it was. A time bomb strapped to his chest. The atmosphere changed instantly. "You are quite right. A man who seeks peace must indeed be prepared for war." He buttoned his shirt. "Here's the thing. If either of you kills me, the bomb goes off. And if the timer reaches zero, it goes off as well." The gunman stared at him. "And you claim that I hold the keys to both your lives. How ironic." "To the ordinary man, you do. But to someone who understands the art of war, I am just as much a threat as you are. That's why you were more wary of me than the man holding the knife." "You speak as though you're some kind of nobleman," the knife wielder remarked. "Nobility is merely a title men use to paint themselves as righteous. Even the noblest of men still carry weapons." "But a man who advocates equality won't necessarily play fair when the upper hand is given to him," the gunman observed. "What makes you so certain?" "The weaker man wants to play the victim, to be perceived as helpless. He'll demand fairness and reason while he's disadvantaged. But give him the same opportunity to exercise power, and suddenly, all sense of reasoning disappears." "True. And that's what makes man so pathetic by nature," the empty-handed man remarked. "Why come to a battle without a weapon, only to make yourself appear righteous? That's plain stupidity." "And talking about equality doesn't make you wise. It only exposes how helpless you are," the gunman added. He turned his attention towards the knife wielder. "Here we have a man who preaches humility while knowing full well that our lives are in his hands. Yet you still want to justify your position simply because you're disadvantaged." "But if he had come here openly with his intentions, he would have been the victim," the empty-handed man replied. "For it is human nature to portray oneself as a victim whenever the odds are against them." He paused for a moment, then let out a quiet chuckle. "And that's the sad nature of humanity."