Oh.... well.... pish posh
I suppose I simply cannot help myself.
Wallace Darlington was experiencing at this very moment...
.. the one thing that many a man fear without burden
The loss of his pride
The loss of what he was proud of.
The loss of what he may, dare I say, found purpose in
Now, one may say it is the mere loss of a daughter that is painful
But, as a father, nay.
It is far more than just death and loss.
Hmm?
You know something about that?
Funerals, tears, broken families, revenge?
Why... quite the active imagination you have.
Well, speaking on...
The pain of which I speak is far more than mere pain or loss.
Nay.
Be things as they may, but a mother and father, ....
Whether they prefer or take note of it...
Always manage to place hopes and ambitions into their children
Why... one can think of it as a farmer tending to a crop field
The farmer lovingly tends to it for a time
Be it for a year or sveeral
Each year bringing new fruit
Each new fruit and bud the promise of ever more
Every hustle and rustle of his life only to bring the farm closer to fruition
Ever gentle touch to the seedling
Every gentle touch to its roots
Even the change in rearing as it grows to a mighty tree
Why... one my even call this endeavour an adventure
And an incredible one at that
One that brings fruit
Fruit worth one's everything.
Hmmm?
Poetic, am I?
Why... thank you, dear reader.
Your complements are much appreciated.
However, I do believe that you are now aware of what this man was feeling
Yes.
True pain
Twas once said that the best way to kill a man
is to remove his future
So... tell me, dear reader
What future is to be held by a man...
... that has lost his dear child?
What future indeed?
Truly...
This was pure agony.
To say nothing of Thorton Hessenger's harsh words
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
Well... I suppose I have spoken enough of this.
Moving along....
As one would expect, those words did indeed write a great fury into Wallace Darlington.
But also, it did make one thing clear
Mmm... yes.
Without a shadow of a doubt...
... the murderer of Abigail Darlington...
.... was this man, Thorton Hessenger
This grinning man...
Thorton Hessenger...
As for his compatriot...
Dwight: How dare you!? You!? You!
... but the man by the name of Wallace Darlington... nay...
He said not a word
Not a single one
He simply... slowly... reached unto his back...
... to pull out his spear
And on pulling it....
Dwight: Sir Wallace...
However, this only served to amuse Thorton more...
Thorton: Oh... the father wants revenge?
Ah... the thralls of battle
Truly... more entertaining than merely slaughtering peasants...
.. wouldn't you say?
However, the father did not reply.
Nay.
Not a word.
He merely pointed his spears head at his opponent. Thorton Hessenger
... of course, serving only to rile the man up more.
Thorton: Haha! Alright then! Let us do battle!
The flames on his arms grew ever brightly.
Yes, he truly was prepared to burn them asunder
As for Jason.
Jason: (sighs) (thinking: I am working with a mad man.) Calm your fury... brother.
Thorton: Tch....
But Thorton would not relent.
Nay,
He wanted this.
He wanted to put this man to the ground.
Jason: Refuse to let your guard down. Your opponent is... motivated.
Thorton: Tch... Why... of course.
Truly, I say unto you, dear reader, this man had what many would refer to as blood lust.
Hmmm?
You've heard of that?
Why?
Do tell....
I see
The desire to kill.
Yes. That is really what it means.
But, permit me to take a step further into the matter
Yes...
What you and I refer to as blood lust is what a... say stranger man would refer to as simply... letting go.
Hmm?
Letting go?
Of what, you say?
Hmmm. Well....
Dare I say, there are many fascinating things about the human mind
Some that even escape my notice
Well... I suppose that is enough of that for now...
Hmm?
Really?
You'd like to know?
Well...
I suppose I could try.
If I were to put it...
I would compare it to the love of liquor
Wait, no. That is not quite right...
Perhaps another time, dear reader
Perhaps another time
Moving along...
The man by the name of Jason Hessenger was a cautious man, yes.
Calm and clever he was.
Clever enough, that even in this situation, he could think clearly.
Surely, he would have the foresight to know one thing.
That even in such a situation... yes.
Time is of the essence
After all... mere moments earlier...
Say.... a few moments before the knights that now stand before them arose
The pair did happen to see a green and red flare go off into the sky
Indeed
To a shinobi these colours meant nothing
However, to a smart shinobi, or even one capable of common thought...
... indeed.
The flares need not mean something
No
It is simply the fact that they mean something
And of that something...
Indeed.
The man by the name of Jason Hessenger was wary
Simply... what could it have meant....
Amongst other things...
Thorton: Now then, ready yourself
Ah yes, the call to battle
Truly an art as old as the Earth istelf
Why.... twas not just his words, but his body as well moved
His posture adjusted
His blade poised
Yes
Truly, he was ready for battle
However, Wallace did not give him even a second to consider these words, seeing as...
... he simply rushed towards him without a second thought.
Yes
Indeed.
Spear first, he lunged straight at his opponent without so much as a warning
Truly, I say unto you, the man by the name of Thorton Hessenger simply had not the time to react to this attack
Nay
Despite his ardour, he now found himself mere seconds from decapitation
Quite funny, I would say
May that be a lesson to you, dear reader
Be wary
Do not let the moment catch you
For battle is a fickle thing indeed
Yes
One minute, you are on top
And the other, you may well find yourself dead
Amongst other things....
Moving on....
His spear did indeed shock Thorton Hessneger, but...
... to his fortune...
... he was quick on his feet.
He changed his posture, turning his face to the left....
... just enough that he may dodge the frontal assault
And indeed He was quick enough
His actions allowed him dodge the attack, leaving Wallace at his back.
However, the Hessenger did not escape this unscathed.
Nay
For his right cheek now had a deep cut to it
Had he been a mere second slower, dare I say
This battle would be over faster than many
Yes.
And of that... Thorton had learnt his lesson
Thorton: Tch....
Jason: (sighs) Did I not tell you... brother?
As Thorton turned around to take a look at his opponent, something of an awakening was written within him
Yes
This was the look
The look of a man who would do all in his power
All in his life
To end his
Truly
A terrifying thing
Hmmm?
Why?
Ah, of course, because he was angry, you say
Truly, that is right
But... may I intrude a bit further, yes
There is more to it than that
After all, what man can say he has stared death in the eyes and lived
Truly, I say unto you
The look in Wallace Darlington's eyes
Yes
That was death
However, Jason Hessenger, while all was occurring about him, was no disloyal man
Nay.
Even in the midst of a foolish comrade...
Jason: I suppose....
.. he drew his blade...
Jason: ... I shall have to assist you.
To that, Wallace changed his position not.
Nay.
Not a word
Not even so much as a gesture
But as for the one who did speak...
Dwight: Nay!
Truly, his defiant words turned both Hessengers around...
... truly.
Perhaps was Wallace's fire so ferocious, yes...
That they had long forgotten of the other knight.
Dwight: I shall fight you.
And of him, while his fires burned not so brightly,
I do say this, dear reader...
There in his eyes, did indeed a fire lay
