Now, my dear reader, do you understand what is about to happen?
Jebediah and Jordan looked upon the jumping shinobi from a distance, Jebediah's eyes calm with fury.
Almost as though a man angrily looking upon a pair of gossiping fools.
That fury...
He... gently... scratched his chest, before pulling his halberd from his back.
Jordan himself waited patiently, for it was his senior's command to which he would answer.
Jebadiah: (coldly) Ready your bow to fire.
Jordan: Sir....
And he did as asked, drawing an arrow upon hos bow.
Jebadiah: Fire on my mark.
Jordan: Sir.
Now, dear reader, I simply must interject.
Why?
Well... I have a question for you.
Mmm?
Yes, a question.
Hmmm?
Now now, it is a simple one.
Yes. A very simple question.
That being, ... are you a man?
Hmmm?
Well, I do suppose all the manner of people do end up reading these writings.
That much being said... be ye a man?
Hmmm?
An odd answer...
Well, I suppose I may explain as to why I have asked this of you?
Know ye of manliness?
Hmmm?
Maniliness
Yes, simply... manliness.
Manliness.
The art of being a man.
Or, perhaps simply, the being of a man.
Hmmm?
Well.. yes, I do suppose my questions are a bit vague.
So, now you must be thinking, what does this have to do with this situation?
Well... of that I would tell you, that the answer to that, is the answer of a man.
Hmm?
Why men?
Well... know ye not of manly pride?
Hmm?
Why, yes... manly pride.
Ah... I see.
Still a bit too vague, I believe.
Well, why not I go a bit further?
Have you, dear reader, pray tell ever seen an angry man?
Nay, even better. Have you ever angered a man?
Hmmm?
Why yes, it does seem amusing at first, does it not?
However, I would like to say something about men.
Tis true of the fact that men are generally not angry, however, men are prideful.
Prideful?
Yes. And of that very so.
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Men are prideful beings.
Beings who put their pride upon their abilities, upon what they care for, upon who they are.
Fascinating, are they not.
However, with that pride, comes a strange cost.
Yes, and a strange one indeed.
Whenever a man's pride is challenged, he is angered.
And of that anger, much could be said.
Why, anyone who has seen it first hand can testify...
That anger....
Be it his family, his work, his own image...
Attack a man there, over his pride, and be almost certainly attacked without hesitation.
Such is a man.
It is anger.
Truly, anger.
Have you felt it before?
That anger?
Yes.
Anger.
Anger that makes your back straighten.
Anger that burns in your chest.
Yes, truly.
Anger that maketh the back straight.
And of that, yes, that very anger.
That would describe the man by the name of Jebediah.
And this anger, dear reader, it and your experiences with it.
Use them.
Do use them while you visualise this scene.
And also, while you imagine just how loudly the man by the name of Jebediah Morningstone roared.
Jebediah: Shinobi!
Truly, he roared.
And so loudly did he roar, that even the very shinobi he was facing turned to him in shock.
His very voice sent shutters down their spines.
Ray: Kn... kn...knights?
Derrick: Tch... Quick, we must make haste.
As for Jebediah and Jordan...
Jebediah: Fire!
Jordan: Sir!
And fire arrows he did.
And many flew from his hand.
However, they only managed to scrape the skin of their faces as they dodged, running as far as they could go from the enemy.
Jordan: Tch....
Jebediah: Give chase.
Jordan: Sir.
And so it was, the chase.
The shinobi jumped effortlessly form building to building, while the knights followed doing the same.
Hmm?
Knights jumping on buildings?
But... of course?
Know ye not that knights have enough strength to leap over buildings?
Tis a mere game to them.
Moving on...
Ray: Derrick, they are almost upon us.
And that they were...
Derrick: Tch... prepare an incantation! We must not lead them to the others!
Ray: Right!
Arrow after arrow fell upon the walls, each drawn with enough force to tear through stone.
Hmmm?
Unearthly strength?
My...
Know ye not that the knights of Vesturia are strong enough to crush rocks with their bare hands?
Truly, I say unto you, truly...
Hmm?
Never heard of such...
My...
You have much to learn.
That much being said, ...
.. the two men of the Hessenger clan simply continued their run, picking up the pace, all the while preparing an incantation.
Which one?
Well... dear reader, I regret to inform you of the fact that you will never know.
Why?
Well...
... as Ray and Derrick fled, Jebadiah suddenly stopped.
Of course, said action did indeed halt Jordan.
Jordan: Sir?
Jebadiah: Stay put.
He spoke these words with a finality. A cold finality.
Perhaps there is even more to be said of Jebediah Morningstone.
A proud man to be sure.
But also, a wise man indeed.
For an idea had come to his mind.
And a good one indeed.
Jordan: Sir.
As for our Jordan, he remained quite conflicted.
Why would this man halt?
Even the Hessengers did indeed stop for a moment.
Ray: Why are they stopping?
Derrick: Fail to question it. We must'n't tarry.
Ray: Right!
Truly, had it only been that they had turned around, then mayhaps, they would have seen it...
For, while they were still a ways away, and while it was only for a moment...
... it happened.
Through Ray's very chest did a halberd pierce.
And at quite an incredible force indeed.
Hmm?
How so?
Well... Jebediah simply through his halberd at him.
A smashing idea, would you not agree?
Twas truly an incredibly unsettling sight for Derrick.
Like a rabbit seeing a fellow of its kind get instantly devoured by a predator without warning.
Derrick: Ray!
Even the man by the name of Jordan Heath, did find himself quiet perplexed.
Truly, an incredible show of strength even from such a distance.
And, even more, the body of the late Ray Hessenger was now stuck. Impaled into a building.
Jordan: Most impressive sir. I would expect noth...
Jebediah: Waste no time.
This man was not one to do such a thing.
Why... wasting time is truly a waste of time.
He simply got on after the second shinobi, Jordan following after him.
As for Derrick Hessenger, he was dealing with loss.
Now, dear reader, I must also ask this of you.
What do you think was the most forefronting feeling in the heart of Derrick Hessenger?
Fear?
Rage?
Sorrow?
Anger?
Or... perhaps he was in too much emotional pain to go on?
Perhaps he felt all three?
Perhaps he simply felt shokced?
Perhaps he fell into a deep state of regret, having seen his dear brother in arms dead so easily.
Perhaps he was scared of his own death.
Well... that answer to you will remain, dear reader.
As for Derrick, tears of anger and rage did indeed fall form his face, as he watched the late Ray Hessengers body lifelessly hanging from the halberd.
Why, yes.
Late.
He is dead.
Surely and completely.
No need to question that.
As for Derrick Hessenger, he... for lack of a better word, was a man.
Perhaps, not a very brave man.
But a man none the less.
And, while the knights slowly caught up to him...
Derrick: May the storm flow with you, brother. May it flow true.
... he simply looked upon his brother's dead body, before crunching his fists, and fleeing further.
Hmm?
Honorably avenging his fallen comrade?
You would do that?
Hmmm?
Dear reader, truly....
... if you mean what you say...
Well... moving along...
Derrick Hessenger felt that pain.
That pain a man feels when he has not seen things through as he'd earlier planned.
That fear.
But also, that understanding.
As a man, he wanted to turn back.
However, as a shinobi and as a comrade to his allies, he simply had to make his leave.
After all, the enemy behind him was one with jaws of steel.
Yes, my dear reader.
That was what Derrick Hessenger saw when he turned back at his enemy.
Jaws of unbreakable steel coming towards him at a tremendous speed.
Yes.
Jaws of unbreakable steel.
Those jaws being... Jebadiah...
Yes, him. Not Jordan.
For the intimidating look on his face and the massive build of his body, yes.
It was unmistakable.
That was the look of a man who had made up his mind.
Made it up to the fullest.
Truly, he was the embodiment of jaws
Of jaws unbreakable
After all, the man had yet again given chase.
And all Derrick Hessenger could manage was to run.