Originally Posted by
grampagen
Nothing comes without sacrifice; those who walked the martial path knew that with a particular intimacy. Yet no matter what strides made, crossing one plateau made one all too aware of the limitations, the myriad frailties inherent to humanity seemed to pronounce themselves time and again.
Among their present company, certainly, for power did not come for them as a matter of course, or some latent epiphany to consider. Even before it could be written, men saw in slavering jaws and spread wings a simultaneous fear and envy, loathing at the set distance between humanity and the inherent plateau of the wild. So aware of these of weakness, there would be no telling what the fear of vulnerability would drive one to exchange for power.
"Power, technique, even form, without the quality of character to express it, it is all mere imitation." Standing beside the young man, he looked down upon the old, fraying image upon the desktop. "Yet it is the hope that through the body and mind one might cultivate the spirit."
But the price for understanding is thorough examination. That is possible only through constant vigilance. To gain a measure of power is a much more tangible matter, and to some it is only the end result that matters.
"You already know well what it means to fight for your soul," Ochazuke said, "Standing before Simon Battersea, exposed to the fullness of his living death, you made both him and the demon Banefire retreat. Not your master. And certainly not this parasite."
Even faced with this trial within, even haven spoken to his fear, as ever the boy's stubborn willfulness stood firm. So that's what this is about. You wanted to rebuild. Despite this grim matter, he'd begun to understand his fear. If that is the matter you wished to stake your very life upon...
"That is something that cannot be snuffed out. To find your way, that alone is something worth fighting for." Ochazuke rest a firm, heavy hand upon his shoulder. "The difference between then and now is that Penhuoqi stood alone."