Berra — Get Your Sword There

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Context

The Humakti Battalion in Nochet have several ritualised training questions. One is, ‘how do you get your sword to the correct place?’. It is a question of tactical understanding, but is also one that initiates are required to meditate upon. Some years after learning this, Berra is with a group of her friends, waiting to fight Broo and probably worse things.

Events

I need to protect Mellia. And Varanis. And to follow Rajar into any breach. And warn Farist about Rajar.

I suppose I should probably protect me too, but that’s beside the point. That’s not what I’m here for.

Have I got time to let Varanis know she’ll be fine without me? Maybe.

Maybe that should be everyone, as we go in. Or I could let Xenofos know for in case I die, so she doesn’t have to hear it unless I do. She’s nervous right now. Hearing about death makes people nervous. So does thinking about it.

I’m nervous right now. Mostly that I’ll die wrong. Not that I’ll live wrong. That wouldn’t happen. So, if I die, let’s make sure it’s with honour. I can demand nothing more than that.

I can try, myself, to do better, but I cannot demand. Honour is immutable. It does not change even if the enemy strikes me down. Let me stick to honour, and I am on the right path.

There is no good reason to stray from that path. The path itself is righteous. Honour is the torch that guides me. Honour lights the path that is correct.

Without honour, death would have no guide. It would be incomplete, a terror to pass through. Honour is the path from the first decisions we make, until we make no more decisions. My feet on the path will get my sword to the right place.

Oh.