Indeed, Hyborem is creating a false dilemma. Not surprising, considering. But I imagine a well educated ruler would see through his deception.
Well, it does break the analogy to building the Mercurian gate (initiating a sequence that would surely involve some innocent death) to stop Hyborem & the Infernals (the werewolf) or not (letting more die). So my answer doesn't answer the larger question of the story; in that case it is more of a "kick over the chessboard" answer that doesn't address the larger question.
To that, I think it largely depends on one's understanding of Basium's and Hyborem's respective A, power, and B, characters to decide. If Hyborem will make the world a hell and the Mercurians have a good chance to stop them and the other good nations cannot, and the Mercurians will not likewise doom the innocents, then Ethene is right and Einon a moral coward, or at least has a wrong appraisal of the situation, imo.
To kill yourself, to save 5 others MAY sound as a good idea at first. very "honorable" and "heroic".
On the other hand, is killing yourself the same as killing someone else. The Person is not there anymore. with all the consequences.
Who tells you that your life is less important, than the life of these five person? Especially as the ruler of a dark fantasy empire, the last standing hope against Demons and Dragons...
Some Elohim People COULD object the descicion of their leader to kill herself to save 5 random people.
It isn't killing yourself, it is going down fighting for others. But the larger point is that it is immoral to ask of others what you aren't willing to give, and immoral to take what they will not give willingly. Of course, there are hierarchies of goods & bads, such that a lesser sin to prevent a greater isn't in fact a sin--if (you can be reasonably certain that) there is no other way. (I.e., you don't have to tell the rapist where his victim went, it's okay to lie, assuming you can't reliably subdue him yourself.)
The most moral (imo, of course)course of action would be to ask the one man to try to slow down the werewolf. Don't remove his moral agency. If he refuses, then take it on yourself. (Assuming the Empire's heir is not a villian and all that. Monarchy is a bit of a gamble, after all; so rarely do benevolence and competence align, and how much rarer among pampered princes.)
