"Really? That's all there is to it? That's your problem?"<br/><br/>The disinterest in Akira's eyes were heavy, accented by his clearing of earwax from one of his ears. He held a bored glance over Gil which lasted approximately two and a half seconds before lying back down to the couch. "Boring..." he added with a huff and closed his eyes. Guilford felt a nerve swell for the lack of support he received from his so-called 'friend', then again, Akira was never known to give much sympathy for others. Perhaps that was his gift, impervious to matters most normal people would consider sensitive.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"You did ask..."</span>Gil trailed and drew his gaze away from the man before getting himself more annoyed.<br/><br/>"I just thought it would be something more interesting, like you're going to be sent to some place where there's a high chance that you would die..." the other sleepily mumbled. Guilford had no retort. "Yet here you are, worrying about matters of the heart."<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Well, sorry for being human."</span><br/><br/>"Bah! You're missing the point! It has nothing to do with being human or not y'know."<br/><br/>Suddenly, there was life in his tone. What was once absent in his words came gushing out to slap Gil in the face. Somehow, there was a certain sting in the words of the other that made him feel stupid. Still, Akira seemed like he wasn't done with what was most likely, an upcoming lecture.<br/><br/>"It's all about timing. And you couldn't pick a better time than<span style="font-style: italic">now</span>to worry about..." he briefly trailed. "...stuff."<br/><br/>Like a final barrage, it struck him dead on and everything clicked into place. He understood what his friend meant all along, they were thoughts he already had, repressed by his selfishness that it blinded him from the truth that was laid bare before his eyes. How could he have been so... He didn't dare finish his self-loathing. Akira was right, now of all times was hardly the appropriate 'time' to be lost in such insignificant matters, compared to what they were facing now. An impending war was knocking on their doorsteps and here he was, a delegated Seraph, protector and keeper of the Divine Light, wallowing in his self-serving quest for affection. How pitiful.<br/><br/>"I'm happy that you decided to come out of your shell Gil, I really am. But right now...<span style="font-style: italic">You're</span>not the one the people need... it's the other."<br/><br/>Coup de grace. Akira had efficiently destroyed him without having to lift a finger. Had it not been for the fact that what he said was probably right, they might be brawling their way inside this room right about now. However, there was bitter truth in the other man's words. What would Ricaud do in a time such as this? It was painfully obvious. A serene silence blanketed the room. Akira most likely knew that he had said enough and decided to keep quiet. He opened one eye to peek at Gil who had both elbows up on his table and his chin sunk between his knuckles. Perhaps it was wise to give him space.<br/><br/>"Well then, I'm off to train your pitiful squad." he blabbered on before disappearing behind the doors of squad eight's quarters.<br/><br/>Even when left alone, the bite in the previous words shared between them lingered. The silence of the room serving witness and giving no comfort to the stricken Seraph. Guilford toyed with the reports he now held in hand, shuffling them mindlessly while reflecting on the reality that caved in on him just moments ago. He was right. No matter what angle he approached, it all ended up at the same idea. Now was not the time. The contradiction before duty and personal matters within his heart was strong, like the impending war that threatens to consume the four islands had already begun inside his chest. How long was he going to stay this way? Why can't he come to a decision on his own? Never had he dealt with such issues before when he was but a different persona. Perhaps it was the reason why he could accomplish his duties effectively. He cared little for himself and gave everything to the cause.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">For the greater good...</span><br/><br/>Again the words tormented him, like an endless nightmare seeking to consume his every waking thought. Is this what it meant to be a knight? To give up everything for the greater good? Perhaps it was not Lethe who was running away, perhaps it was him all along, and he chose the wrong path to run away to. And now that he tried to embrace who he really was, the road back just seemed to be full of thorns and anguish.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: silver">"Don't follow me. Don't chase me."</span></span><br/><br/>The words stung. More than anything, those six words were easily one of the few most painful things he ever experienced to date. Enlightened by Akira, they only seemed more painful than the first time they came out of her mouth. Before Guilford realized it, the reports he held were already crumpled beneath the strength of his clenched hands. Suddenly he was feeling frustrated, a swirling mix of emotions he didn't knew how to keep in check anymore. He became restless, unable to find an outlet for the sudden increase in anxious energy that made him want to do something -anything- for the matter. Several seconds later and he quickly made his way out of the room, sword in hand.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________________________________________________________________</div><br/><br/><br/>"That's it, put your weight into it while keeping your rhythm and momentum balanced!" Lance instructed while parrying and deflecting two simultaneous sword strikes from the front. He shoved them away with ease, jumped back, and repositioned himself for another bout when both Georg and Joaquim both stopped and nodded to right of Lance. A smile immediately formed on the orange-haired man's lips when he looked.<br/><br/>"Gil! How nice of you visit! I know you've entrusted us with training your squad but all I can give you now is that they're a work in progress." he happily informed while hoisting his spear over his shoulder and walking towards his Seraph friend. "So, can I help you with something?"<br/><br/>It took a moment before Guilford could find Lance's eyes, as if trying to avoid a scrutinizing stare that would no doubt come from him if he caught wind of what was bothering him. It would seem Akira who was busy instructing both Hyuga and Natalia had decided to keep his mouth shut. How nice of him. With a deep breath, Guilford mustered the courage for one final selfish request.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Spar with me."</span><br/><br/>The request came as a surprise not only to Lance but to everyone else who heard it. Lance hesitantly cocked his head to the side, eyes leveling a questioning gaze towards the other. "Now where did that come from? You know I'm in the middle of training your squad and sparring with you isn't really a light exercise right?"<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Please..."</span><br/><br/>It was his soft spot being taken advantage of by Gil. Of the many things he hated to see, one of them was having to see a friend beg him for a favor that was well within his capabilities of granting. With a sideways shake of his head followed by a free hand grasping and tying his hair back, Lance bounced the pole of his spear on his shoulders and cracked his neck twice. "Try to go easy okay? I would very much appreciate it if you could spare me an ounce of my energy to keep training your squad."<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"No..."</span>Guilford trailed.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Don't hold back. Give me everything you've got."</span><br/><br/>With his words, the eagerness that was lacking in Lance came on the brink of vanishing into thin air. His eyes focused and his expression sharpened into seriousness. Memories of their numerous sparring bouts flashed in his head. Of the many times they fought in a spar, it was always him who asks Gil not to hold back. He would often do so to clear his mind of any doubts he had with himself and his skill. Not once had Gil ever asked him to spar with him, let alone ask him to give everything he's got... Until now. It didn't take Hyuga's intellectual mind and smart-ass retorts to figure out that his friend needed to get something off his chest. Without word, Lance simply nodded to the open space of the sparring grounds and slowly walked his way to it, Guilford trailing not far behind.<br/><br/>The tension in the air could be widely felt, almost like there were tangible electrified strings all over the place. Not one of the many spectators dared to continue what they were doing. As beads of sweat rolled down their faces, many gulped air in anticipation of what was coming next. This was not a spar but a duel between their Seraph and someone who was once considered his greatest rival after many long years. Taking position several yards away from Lance, Guilford raised his sword before him and slowly drew Light's Requiem from its sheath, creating a slight grinding metallic sound as the blade of the sword was freed from its confines. Lance in turn spun his spear around a few times before falling into a unique spear stance he was most comfortable with. Gil wanted him to go all out, no reason for him to be stingy with advanced combat.<br/><br/>"Keep your eyes peeled all of you. You will learn a few pointers from these two." Alona mumbled to the remainder of Guilford's squad under their tutelage.<br/><br/>"Sparks will fly soon and when they do, you'll all understand why you need to be trained."<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________________________________________________________________</div><br/><br/>Sigfried found himself scratching his head before a staggering stack of reports on his desk. He had returned to Kaiser Outpost after a fruitless venture within Palaugrim following the culprit's trail that had gone cold. There was so much to be done and with so little time and manpower. Most of his men who did not qualify for the Light's Wrath selection test were stationed in Sharen and Rasova to bolster their defenses while the town's respective Knight Commanders were undergoing training in the usage of Light's Wrath. Their absence made him the de facto leader of both town's knight garrisons. With the problem of having only a handful of squads left to protect Kaiser Outpost, Sigfried was also charged of dealing with the affairs of both Sharen and Rasova, hence the mountainous stack of papers he was loathing at the moment. For a second, he wondered if the Seraphs who governed them all had to constantly deal with this much paperwork.<br/><br/>"Yes they do, and they deal with more than just that Captain." Yulia smirked in the side after reading exactly what his Captain's thoughts were.<br/><br/>"How do you figure?" Sigfried sighed in disbelief.<br/><br/>"I was a Scribe when I was younger. I had the chance to bring in paperwork for Master Guilford once after he returned from a week's skirmish in the Barrens." she drummed her fingers on her sword hilt while recalling the memory. "It was a cart's worth." she added and went off into whistling a random tune.<br/><br/>Sigfried sunk further and further in his seat against the face of this formidable sheets of written reports that threatened to swallow him whole. A cart's worth?! Is she serious? How in the world could Master Guilford or Master Lethe survive that? His admiration for the two renowned figures increased further at the revelation. But his curiosity got the best of him. "Wait, sometimes they are sent on missions and are away for months! What happens to their paperwork then?"<br/><br/>"More carts." was the only answer she gave him.<br/><br/>"Aaarggh!" Sigfriend cried out, ruffling his own red hair in the process. "I'm fine with just Kaiser Outpost's reports but why do I have to do Sharen's and Rasova's too?! This is brutal!"<br/><br/>"Captain, believe me, I'd help you if I could but if I'm not mistaken, I lack the authority to lay eyes on those reports. Sooooo... Hang tough Captain!" she cheered the man on. "It would be unbecoming if the men knew that the<span style="font-style: italic">Ferus Ensis</span>' weakness was paperwork."<br/><br/>He had just about all the quips he could take for one day. With a guttural growl of distaste, Sigfried pulled out a sheet of report and began reading. He sighed in relief after setting the report down. "It looks like we'll be having a celebrity visit us soon."<br/><br/>Curious eyes flicked over to her Captain. "They got your report?" she inquired even knowing what the answer would be. "Who's it going to be?"<br/><br/>Sigfried nodded. "Apparently, it's Master Lethe who got our report."<br/><br/>Confusion ruined the straightness of Yulia's brows. "I thought you also sent a separate, more detailed report addressed to Master Guilford?"<br/><br/>"I did but... The Council says Master Lethe would be the one who will investigate." Sigfried said with an evident frown formed on his face. "Though she's not going to bring her squad along for the ride."<br/><br/>Yulia jerked a little from her seat and nearly dropped the Judgement Sword she was maintaining. "No squad?! Why? Considering the number of villages already destroyed, it's clear that we're not dealing with your average Sinner Pack or Pure Sinners!"<br/><br/>Sigfried simply sighed. "I didn't include too much details into the general report. Had she read the one I addressed to Master Guilford, I would think she would opt it wise to bring in more firepower for this one. While I do not belittle the ability of both Master Lethe's and a former PMS member, I just have a gut feeling that we'd need more than just a Seraph and a former PMS to put an end to this."<br/><br/>"Captain... this is one of the times where I'm hoping that you're wrong."<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">____________________________________________________________________________________</div><br/><br/>Two figures lay wounded and exhausted, sprawled back first on the sparring grounds. It was already night time and most of the occupants who trained in the large courtyard have already gone home, or rather sent home by the authorities. Had it not been for two Councilors (Aurel and Mihai respectively) coming out to put an end to their so called spar just about an hour ago, Lance and Guilford probably would have kept going and torn the whole courtyard apart in their fight. Many who have witnessed it from start to finish claimed it was the most fearsome yet technical clash they have ever seen. Neither side wanted to yield, and not one from the two showed any quarter to the other. Though at first they were holding back their Magic, later on in the heat of battle, Guilford began firing off non-Light spells after being forced into a corner by Lance. The other responded in kind with his own array of offensive magic which rocked the normally quiet Grand Cathedral.<br/><br/>"It seems like you haven't lost your edge yet." the other offhandedly praised the Seraph.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Neither did you."</span><br/><br/>"Heh! Cut it out. You probably would have beaten me in a few more moves. I was quickly running out of options you know."<br/><br/>Guilford chuckled.<span style="color: #0080FF">"I've ran out of options when I started firing off magic at you."</span><br/><br/>Lance blinked rapidly at the notion. "You mean, you were just winging it out there until the Councilors stopped us?"<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Pretty much... yeah."</span><br/><br/>"Heh! Still trying to look cool huh. So, have you blown off enough steam yet? Or do you want to go a few more rounds?"<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Stop acting tough. I think we've both had enough for one day."</span><br/><br/>A hearty chuckle came from the orange head. "You cannot be more right. I can barely move!" He grunted and tried to pull himself up but gave up not a second later. "Yep, I'm sore alright. Man, this is gonna hurt for a few days even with Cora's healing."<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Sorry."</span>Guilford guiltily apologized.<br/><br/>"Don't mention it. I'm just glad I was able to help." he paused and closed his eyes. "One day you're going to tell me why, you hear me?"<br/><br/>Guilford's eyes rolled to his left where Lance laid. It was evident that the other had no intention to pry. The look on his face was a telltale sign that Lance was satisfied by just being an outlet for now. It was a fact that Guilford was thankful for. He had cleared his mind and his chest was starting to feel light. He had refocused himself and all that lashing greatly helped out in reducing the stress he was feeling.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"I hear you. Someday it is then..."</span><br/><br/>The two laid there quietly for a couple more hours, enjoying the moment that the two of them felt free. Moments like these are hard to come by. Guilford for the most part was thankful, though Lance probably felt equally the same after trading blows with the other. At least now, he had quite a bit of understanding of what troubles might be plaguing his friend through the truth behind his sword strikes.<br/><br/>"Hey..."<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Yeah?"</span><br/><br/>"We should probably pick ourselves up before anyone thinks we died."<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"Heh. You're right. Stop by my place later with the others. The least I could do is have Corwin prepare you guys a decent meal."</span>