by Reaperbones » Mon Aug 27, 2018 10:00 am
Alex had been thrown around a lot during his training. Being chucked into a wall wasn't an uncommon end to a sparring match with some of the larger teachers, but this was the first time that the object Alex was thrown into didn't hold strong. Alex felt the pieces of wood slide underneath him as he flew into the room, and his sword slid around alongside him. He groaned but quickly got up and looked around. He felt panic as he saw the assassin draw a blade, the room with no quick escape routes except where the assassin entered, but most of all the beautiful child Empress sat on the bed afraid. Alex heard his dad's voice in his head as he grabbed his blade off the floor and fought back his fear. 'You need to stow that fear and fight.'
'I have no way of winning, he's got a real sword, I've got a blunted piece of metal.'
'A weapon is a weapon no matter what it's made of. You're right though, you can't win against him. At least not in the fight you plan to have.'
''Then what do I do? Distract him so the Empress can escape?'
'No, change the conditions for victory so that you can win. Think about what you consider a victory and look at the objectives.'
'The objectives for victory are: Empress lives, I live, the room receives minimal damage, and the assassin dies.'
'Alright now choose what objective is the most important.'
'The Empress lives.'
'Alright now remove the other objectives until you are sure you can fulfill your primary objective.'
'Alright well the door is already broken, so fuck protecting inanimate objects. The assassin has to die for the Empress to be safe, so that needs to stay as a primary objective.'
'Alright well just because you can break the room doesn't mean victory is assured, what's left that can be removed.'
'Me living...I am a Dragon Guard, my life is meaningless without the Empress...Fuck trying to survive. She lives he dies.'
Alex felt a powerful calm fill his mind and he straightened his back. He took a defensive sword stance and spoke again. "Surrender and I guarantee you a swift death."
Alex prepared to block any attacks thrown at him.