Why, perhaps I was a bit too... unclear about the true meaning of a leader.

And of that, perhaps the man by the name of Vance Hessenger would be a great example.

Vance: I say now, my brothers, prepare your arms for battle.

He lifted his right and left arm, essentially doing what those of the modern age would call... a T-pose.

On his right, a single knife, and on his left, a strange magical ring floatong above his palm.

Vance: Remember your training, my brothers. Lift up your arms.

And, as he said this, in each two man cell, every man not holding onto the light stone, made the same pose.

Vance: Take your pride unto your hearts, my brothers. For who we are. For who we always have been.

From his words, a resounding pride resonated in all of their hearts.

For who were they?

Truly.

Vance: On your right hand, the arm that defines the mark of the shinobi in you. And, on your left, the arm that defines the artistry of a wizard in which you have all been well learned.

Kyle, Thorton and Ray: Sir!

Vance: Take unto your hearts, the blood that flows unto your veins.

And then, what could only be referred to as a siren song.

A siren, you say?

Why... yes.

Have ye not heard of pirates and shipmen being lulled into destruction by these mischievous mythical creatures?

Why... of course.

Using their hypnotic siren song, they lure unsuspecting shipmen to their doom.

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But... why?

Why does this song truly capture them?

Truly... a mystery of the ages.

Some may say that there is something truly hypnotic about the voice.

Others may say, that, oh yes, the voice is indeed calling unto something.

After all, as a wise man would say, if it can call you, you must be able to hear it.

Therefore I say, perhaps, when if a siren can seduce you, perhaps your following is not a sign of your weakness, no.

Perhaps, it is a sign of something hiding inside of you.

Something that you, dear reader, may be blatantly unaware of.

That much being said...

Vance: Our enemy... the knights... are fools.

His brother, Jon, even while holding onto the stone, nodded in tears.

Such is the admiration a younger has for his older.

Vance: Mere cowardly fools. Know ye all not what foolishness they believe?

Their teeth all gritted, their toes moving within the soles of their footwear.

Truly, they all held the same sentiment.

Vance: They see our magic as sin, foolishness, and beneath them.

Soon after, Vance Hessenger slowly dropped the magic ring unto the paper, where it then sank.

Vance: They see our shinobi blood as evil, corrupt and darkness.

His right hand, then placed his blade upon his paper.

Vance: Begin the spell, my brthers.

And with that, simply with his voice, he brought their thoughts unto being.

They followed his lead, doing as he said to, and doing as he did.

Vance: These knights... these prideful fools.... they find themselves believing in... what... honour?

And then... like poetry, his own countenance, yes, even his very voice changed its tone.

Like poetry, they all rhymed.

Why... is that not true of every great speaker of this world?

For they all, yes, they all, believe wat they say to the very core of their soul.

That, my dear reader, is true power.

Vance: Honour means not using magic, honour means facing an opponent head on, honour means being good to others, honour means beng neither a wizard, nor a shinobi.

Truly, the lines did rhyme.

Vance: So, my dear brothers, tell me. How do these people see us? As fools? As contemptible? As wrong? Nay.

As with many a siren, one may soon ask oneself.

What is it that makes a siren song so compelling?

Of that, my dear reader, I may say, that every siren song tends to have something of... a question.

A question, you say?

Yes. A question.

A question that it brings within you.

A question that it brings to make you curious.

And furthermore, a question that it promises to answer.

An answer?

Yes.

Know ye not that this question was meant to be answered?

That this question was meant to awaken a curiosity in you?

That... perhaps, ... this question seduces you, with the promise... to learn?

To learn?

Why, yes.

Perhaps it has fallen off of man to know this, but to learn, yes. Indeed to learn, is a beauteous thing. A thing... that all of human kind truly loves.

A thing. Learning.

That being said, all their ears perked up.

All ready to hear the siren song.

For, what question would it bring?

And also, what question would answer?

The question lying deep within them.

The question that even they may have not known of.