Snippet #2749224

Linde was mildly taken aback by Miriam's retort, but nevertheless she smiled.

"What do you think I am doing with you here, Miriam?" She asked softly.

She pulled Miriam to her feet and brushed her off.

"Killing in defense of your life, and in the defense of the lives of those you care about is not the same as becoming an assassin. Not even close." She said, putting her hands on Miriam's shoulders.

"You and I are, currently, the best hope of survival for everyone you see standing behind me. One demonstration of how Te'i Sai likes to move is not going to be the end all that protects them. They will have to practice what I showed them for weeks before it becomes a viable tool for their defense. And even then, it's just the beginning of what they must learn. They will still be relying on us for a long time yet to come."

She brushed a bit more dirt off of Miriam's left shoulder.

"Your blade is righteous, Miriam, and your heart is strong. No matter how many of Te'i Sai you kill in yours and our defense, you will never become an assassin."

She gently pulled Miriam into a hug.

"We are not stooping to their level, Miriam. Te'i Sai believes, unquestioningly, that their course is just and righteous. They believe that they are fighting to protect the peace and the balance of the five nations. But the Red-Eyed Demon learned long ago that this is not the case. Despite killing the Grandmaster who was pulling the strings, he has failed to prove to them the error of their ways. Te'i Sai's assassins are now fighting for a cause they don't even understand, following the orders of those who have lost sight of the organization's original purpose. And they have been brainwashed into believing a lie with all of their hearts."

She slowly backed out of the hug, but kept her hands on Miriam's shoulders.

"There is no honor in what they do, Miriam. They seek to kill because they believe it to be part of a grander scheme of balance and peace. But nothing could be further from the truth. There is no honor in killing those who have no defense. No honor in taking a life for a cause you don't even understand. And no honor in willfully following the lies of those who would kill you the moment you have outlived your usefulness... We are nothing like them, and we never will be."

Linde backed away, gesturing to everyone standing behind her with an outstretched arm.

"These people behind me are mismatched, uncoordinated, and have such varied personalities it is hard for us to find common ground outside of being thrown into this chaos together by pure chance. But to me, that is enough. I will fight for you and all of these people until my dying breath because I believe in what we are doing. Even if we don't agree on the same things for the same reasons, we don't have to. We just have to trust one another enough to help keep each other alive. And there is honor in that."

She removed one of her orichalcum daggers and held it up.

"The Red-Eyed Demon made this dagger for me on one condition: that I only use it to end the lives of Te'i Sai operatives who first sought to end my life. And that is exactly what I have done with them for the last three years."

She looked down at the blade with fondness.

"This blade, and its sister, have protected me through numerous battles with Te'i Sai. Their operatives are strong. Many of them physically stronger and more skilled than me. When I fight, and when I am forced to kill using these blades, I do so against people with equal power and potential to take my life in return. But Te'i Sai... They take the lives of normal people who have no defense against them. Where is the honor in that?" She asked.

She sheathed the blade, and once again smiled at Miriam.

"Like I said, Miriam. We are nothing like Te'i Sai, and we never will be. Though we are preparing to take lives, we do so only in defense of the lives of ourselves and those we care about. There is honor in what we do, as well as honor in why we are doing it. And that's why I want you to be more invested and serious about this training. Though Marcel is someone you care about, you should not be afraid to practice what would be a killing blow against him. But if it makes you more comfortable, I will take his place as your training partner until you are ready to face him again" She said soothingly.