Dear reader, have you ever once been caught up in a kerfluffle?
Especially one that resulted in you exchanging blows?
Hmmm... yes.
I do indeed believe that it is a necessary part of life.
Most especially if the person in question was born male.
Yes.
I do believe you all know of what I speak.
Rough housing, if you will.
Yes.
Truly and truly, it is an incredible art.
The punches, the kicks, even the odd use of equipment.
That being, something of the sort as... a stick, or perhaps a stone.
Hmmm?
Too far?
Why... you really haven't then, have you?
Well.. I suppose mere kicks should suffice.
That being said, tis true.
Many a male have indeed excavated themselves from the thralls of battle.
Yes.
Hmmm?
Excavated themselves?
But... of course.
Know ye not that tis a man's life to fight?
If a boy has not caught himself in battle at least once in his life, then, dare I say, tis a failure of both his parents.
A man should know to fight, I would say...
Moving along...
The man by the name of Derrick Hessenger stared this man in his eyes.
Wel... to be more precise, into his one eye.
Derrick: Hehehe... It's melted nicely.
The Hessenger clan warrior was proud of his accomplishment, but even then, the thrall of fear could be heard from his voice.
Yes.
Even his cackles bore the thralls of fear.
Yes.
That is what the man by the name of Jebediah Morningstone could awaken in a man.
That is the power of a mighty man.
That is the power of a man who can get up after losing an eye.
Yes, indeed. A mighty man he is.
And so, his cackles and smile soon disappeared.
There was no hiding it. No.
The fear.
The fear of what may happen to him soon.
As for Jebediah, he seemed almost as though perplexed by something.
But, no.
This mighty man would never let that stop him from hunting his quarry.
Such remained the battle.
Derrick Hessenger...
One hand to Jebediah.
The other hand to Jordan.
Jordan's hand on his bow string.
Jebediah, simply standing....
None of these men even so much as moved.
No.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
I do believe you've heard of such, dear reader.
A stalemate.
Yes.
Simply a stalemate.
Neither side so much as drawing a move.
Truly, I say unto you, know ye of the thralls of battle?
Mayhaps you've heard of such
The excitement, the fear, the worry, and... of course, the anticipation of victory.
The what if.
And, perhaps, ... the what if of the victory.
Yes...
This is battle, dear reader.
Who knows and what ifs all around your life
That is battle
The courage to face the what ifs head on
That is true battle
As for these very men...
... it was almost certain.
The battle was about to begin.
But, before that, I would like to repeat my first question.
Dear reader, have you known battle?
Well, I suppose you've already answered that.
But... dear reader... do you know battle?
Hmm?
Tired of the same old question?
Well... you must simply see it in a different direction.
Hmm?
What direction?
Well... do you know battle, truly?
Mmm...
Yes.
Do ponder upon that.
For a terrible truth about most battles is...
... that the ending is almost always swift.
Remember that, dear reader.
A battle may only last as long as a man can keep himself from defeat.
And, at times, that is not very long.
As for this fight...
... well, do I really need to repeat myself.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
And as for the one who made the first move, ...
.. it was none other than Derrick Hessenger
He blasted Jebediah with flames coming forth from his outstretched arm
Truly a powerful display of fire
However, Jebediah Morningstone was simply... too fast.
Without warning, he dashed to the side, hiding behind a building and running thereafter.
Derrick: Tch....
As for Jordan, he simply jumped to the air, firing many an arrow to Derrick.
Each arrow aimed with an intent to maim, as per Jebediah's orders.
However, Derrick was not so simply stopped.
He pulled his own blade out, soon using it to deflect as many arrows as he could.
But, unfortunately...
Derrick: Gahhh....
One arrow did indeed find itself in his thigh
Jordan: Got you!
And then, dear reader, as I said before, a fight does not usually last very long.
Nay, dare I add.
It only lasts for as long as both men can keep fighting
The man by the name of Derrick Hessenger felt true terror.
His thigh
As any man well versed in acrobatic and manouevric acts would know...
... a shot to the thigh would most definitely mean death
Absolute death
But before this man could even ponder upon these emotions, Jebadiah Morningstone, yes.
The great man...
returned,
Running from the side of a building at a terrible speed, mind you
Why, Derrick Hessenger only had but a moment to react
But, nay.
He was too slow.
Jebadiah rushed to him at full pelt
Faster than many an animal
And prepared his fist with which to jab the shinobi
As for the Hessenger... well...
He did make an effort to survive
He prepared his "spit"
Yes, quite revolting, I know
And was to spit upon Jebadiah,...
However, before he could, the mighty man punched him in the face,
Yes, indeed.
In the face.
And oh, what a punch it was.
To send the full-grown man flying straight to the wall
Face first, of course
And, there after, he collapsed.
Bear this in mind, dear reader
A battle is a battle
But a battle can end in a mere moment
Bear that in mind
Moving along...
Jordan: Sir Jebediah!
The archer jumped from his place in the rooftops, landing upon the ground
Jordan: You have done it!
However, Jebediah did not return his statement
He simply silently looked upon his now unconscious quarry
Jordan: S... Sor... J... Jebediah....
Not a word was said.
Truly, this was a perplexing thing to Jordan
It was then, in fact, that he simply remembered the injury upon his eye
Truly, who could not feel pity upon a man who had lost his eye?
No one, dear reader.
No one, I tell you.
So, as Jordan began to feel pity towards his superior,
... sympathy, even...
Yes, truly sympathetic words were to leave his mouth...
However...
Jebediah: Sir Jordan, son of Heath
Jordan: S... SIr!
Jebediah: Tell me now, what is a shinobi mark?
Jordan: S.... Sir? I... i do not..
Yes, indeed.
Why ask a question that be elementary to a knight?
Jebediah: Answer me!
His very words did shock Jordan off his balance
Truly, this man.
Jordan: It... It is from a mark that a shinobi gets his power
Jebediah: Good.
A massive breath of air escaped Jebediah's mouth.
Jebeidah: Now... tell me...
His words, yet again briught Jordan to his toes
Jebediah: .. how many marks should a shinobi carry?
Jordan: J... just one... sir.
Jebediah: I see....
Yet again, the mighty man took another deep breath
Jebediah: Perhaps you had not seen it. However, what robbed me of my eye was not a flame, but a liquid
Jordan: S... sir?
Truly, twas a moment of shock for Jordan as well.
Jebediah: A shinobi with two marks.... nay... cannot be.
Jordan: Sir...
Jebediah: Had he not said... incantation?
Jordan: Y... yes sir
Truly, the pair soon made heads and tails of what their assailant was.
Both a shinobi, and a wizard
Jebediah: I see...
Jordan: A... shinobi.... versed in the arts of magic....
Jebediah: Sir Jordan, son of Heath
Jordan: Yes, sir!
Jebediah: I thank you for your assisstance.
Jordan: Sir...
Yes, yes...
.. even Jordan was proud of himself to hear that.
Well... what man wouldn't be?
When a great man calls you great.
And what a great man indeed
To be more worried for his nation than for his own missing eye
Truly, Jebediah Moriningstone...
Jordan: Thank you. The pleasure was all mine.
Jebediah: Hmph.
The great man took a look back to the atmosphere, watching the violence and burning around him
Jebediah: Notify the other knights
Jordan: Sir?
Jebediah: The arrow of unknown danger. Use it.
Jordan: Sir!
Hmmm?
The arrow of unknown danger?
Yes.
Unknown danger.
Well, dear reader, it would simply make sense
If an archer has a different colour code for each threat that may attack Vesturia
It only makes sense, that a marker arrow for something unknown would exist
And that colour, dear reader, is blue
Blue to mean, something beyond their understanding
A shinobi and a wizard
All at once
Truly, a terrible threat.
