Vanguard
It seemed that the two were far too absorbed in the joy of battle to listen. How troublesome, children truly were easy to distract, yet so difficult and stubborn to obey. Perhaps more drastic measures should be taken. Yes, then she would learn.
But suddenly, he saw something different. Finally, it was about time that man took his task seriously. Or no, perhaps he had erred from the start. Looking at the way these blows crushed her body, he came to an understanding.
An inhuman smile crawled on his lips, perhaps he didn’t even notice it. He licked his lips and looked on, perhaps with the tiniest fragment of interest.
And to think he was about to do something hasty. He had truly grown to be a foolish man. But sadly, enough is enough. As admirable as both sides were, there was no need for this cheap comedy to carry on any further.
That girl’s look, her movements, her struggles, even if it took destroying them and everything she stood for, she would honor them to the bitter end. How cruel, to see one's own youth in the eyes of women and children. And he clapped, lying against the wall like a spectator who had just witnessed a skillful play, applauding the actors from the bottom of his heart.
"Magnificent, simply sublime.” He praised them in earnest, lowering his head as if ashamed.
“You are a great warrior. Perhaps one of the greatest I have witnessed. I had placed the blindest of confidences and the solidest belief in you, and it seems my faith was not utterly misguided. I could not have done any better. "
Yes, perhaps it was better that way. He would have approached the situation differently, surely, but restraint was never a strong suit of his. To hold an insect between two fingers without harming it takes immense self control. Humans were truly such fragile beings, he couldn’t quite understand them.
Nay, perhaps he never could. Such was the nature of the man who tried to hold the whole world, but couldn’t even keep a child from slipping between his fingers.
"Going for decisive strikes by ultimately closing the distance. That was good, it was an intelligent strategy. A staff's greatest strength and weakness is its long reach. But you’re not fighting a staff, now are you? When two dragons of equal size clash, the one with the sharper teeth will be victorious.”
He knelt ant kindly picked up the woman, whose strength slowly returned as the pain faded away. He smiled a little, perhaps even genuinely.
“A sword that does not think can cut down a god? Don’t make me laugh, infant. An empty blade will shatter even if swung in the air. Perhaps you will break first, if you do not learn. But that sword of yours, for a second it was filled with something. Do tell, why? Why fight so valorously when the outcome was carved in stone?”
