<span style="color: #0080FF">"You're smiling too much."</span>Gil said as he turned to Lethe, leaving Brynhildr after giving out final instructions. Again, he had turned fast enough to miss Bryn's sigh and her eyes dropping a tone.<br/><br/>Keen eyes looking at her fellow Seraph, Gil figured it was that new sword that's making Lethe feel special.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Like a child with a new toy. I wish I could feel that way with mine."</span>he paused, chancing a glance at his own sword. He recalled the history of his sword, how he forged it, and why he gave it the name<span style="font-style: italic">Nirvana</span>.<br/><br/>It was a cold night in the front lines, two days before the final assault on the God of Sin's last stronghold. He was but a very young and inexperienced knight. He was unsure of himself, his power, or what he could do to help the knighthood defeat the God of Sin. His resolve weakened, his mind wavered, his will bent with each passing day. Despite all the hardships he endured, all the training he completed, whatever meager combat experience he had gained that time, at the face of their greatest adversary, everything simply felt like they amounted to nothing. He was afraid... very, very afraid.<br/><br/>In his despair, he could only think of his own survival. Not even the sight of the strongest knights in their camp could calm him down. He needed power for himself, he needed to make sure that he would live, that he could live through the ordeal that waited. Steeling his resolve, Guilford headed to the camp's forge with a rare mineral he stumbled upon during one of their squad's exploits. He performed the ritual of enlightenment on the mineral using his own blood before tempering it and forging it into a blade. It was a success, he had created a powerful weapon.<br/><br/>The moment he held the sword in his hands, he felt a state of mind hard to explain. It felt like the sword severed his entire connection with the mortal plane. There was no pain, no worry, freedom from oblivion. He felt different, like he had become something else. Yet at the same time, he could also feel something entirely different from the sword, like it would extinguish his life should he use it the wrong way.<span style="font-style: italic">Nirvana</span>, it was the perfect name. In the end, he never put the sword to use. Somehow, he had found a way to convert all that he feared into strength, something that he could use.<br/><br/>Thoughts drifting back to the present, his deep purple hues glanced back at the white knight before him. Her hands were wrapped around her, indicating she was savoring the moment, overcome by emotion. Sighing a short one, Gil figured it would have to take extra effort to snap her out of it. Oh well, he could always just let her wallow in the moment a little longer, it's not everyday he could get to see her smile like that. She was beautiful...<br/><br/>Stepping back to the front of the room, he earned the attention of all knights present.<span style="color: #0080FF">"If there are no further questions, let's move out. Our Wyvieras are waiting at port."</span><br/><br/>When each of the knights made their way out, Guilford was about to follow when he felt a tug on his light armor. He turned around to see Bryn with a concerned expression. "A word if I may..." she trailed, quietly asking her captain to follow her to a corner of the room. Upon making sure nobody else could hear, she looked at her captain straight in the eyes.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"What is it Bryn?"</span>he asked first, concern also evident in his tone. Brynhildr glanced at the white sheath latched to his back. "I thought you feared that sword? What changed? Why bring it with you?" she questioned.<br/><br/>Guilford paused but took a lot longer before he could respond. He looked at Bryn's topaz colored eyes and forced a faint smile.<span style="color: #0080FF">"It just means I fear something far greater than this sword."</span>he finally responded and turned around, stopping a brief moment to glance back at his vice captain.<span style="color: #0080FF">"Let's go Bryn, we don't want to fall behind."</span>he finished and walked on ahead.<br/><br/>Brynhildr couldn't help but feel sadness well up in her heart. She may have gotten an answer, but she never felt like her captain opened up to her at all. Shoving the thoughts aside, she steeled herself and followed Guilford. Now was not the time for sentimentality.