Audio

[dragonsgrasp]

[Kain sounds exhausted when he speaks. He's still got some recovering to do, clearly. He ended up in a hell of a shape after being defeated by his double, and now he’s only just coming to enough to really think about what that battle had meant… Failure. He had failed to defeat his darker self, the one thing he’d devoted his life to achieving…]

[He's seriously wondering again if Hadriel is some sort of eternal punishment.]

So… it sounds as if the doubles are gone entirely? A shame. I for one wouldn't mind if mine returned. He owes me a rematch.

[No, it's probably not a good idea to even wish for such a thing, but he doesn't care. He needs this to happen, one way or another. He has so much to prove.]

Did anyone manage to defeat their other selves? If so… how did you manage it?

Comments

audio;

[dragonsgrasp]

[Yeah, wow, this does make him sound sort of crazy, doesn't it? Whoops.]

Don't misunderstand me. I loathe those doubles as much as anyone. I don't wish for that threat to visit the population again.

I just want mine to return, none of the others. It's important.

[hotspurred]

It sounds otherwise. Nor do you seem particularly concerned about the damage just yours might do.

[He's not sure that he wants to listen to the foolishness which will likely follow, yet still asks:]

How could it possibly hold import?

[dragonsgrasp]

[If he had more time to really consider it, enough to let it go, he might see how wrong this is. But the defeat is still much too recent.]

Because I've devoted my life to defeating my dark self, to the point where I left my home behind in order to go after it, back in my world. I saw that same darkness in that double... I wanted a chance to conquer it.

[hotspurred]

You had that chance. Now it has passed.

[Henry states, an edge to his voice.]

Ask yourself whether your quest is worth any cost.

[dragonsgrasp]

Of course it's worth any cost!

[No, wait a moment. That's not right at all. Kain takes a moment to steady himself. Yeah, he's on a pretty dangerous edge with that thought.]

Almost any cost. I meant that it's worth any personal cost, to me. I know it's wrong to risk others for this... and I won't.

[hotspurred]

How shall you prevent that? Especially when by your own implication you lost your last encounter.

[dragonsgrasp]

I'll have to train harder, to be better prepared next time. I can't let this opportunity slip away again. I must be strong enough to defeat my other self, next time.

[hotspurred]

Bettering oneself is a noble goal. Yet be not so arrogant. Your words [HINT] and actions impact more than just yourself. Forget that at cost to your honour.

[dragonsgrasp]

[Well, talk of honor at least snaps him out of it for a moment, making him give more consideration to his words. He's gone a bit mad with all of this, hasn't he?]

To lose that honor would be to lose everything... This may be a world removed from my own, but I can't allow disgrace to befall the dragoons through my actions.

[hotspurred]

'Tis the same for us knights. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard.

[dragonsgrasp]

It seems we come from a very similar background in that regard. During this incident, I may have... lost sight of what it truly means to be a knight.

[He's shamed the dragoons yet again. He has a lot of work ahead of him, clearly.]

[hotspurred]

One is bound to stumble, afflicted and tormented by these so-called-gods. What is important is that one returns to the right path.

[dragonsgrasp]

There's no end to the trials they'll throw at us, is there? [He sighs, knowing there's not much to be done but just deal with it.] I'll try to keep that in mind. I've been astray from the right path for too long as it is.

[hotspurred]

Do more than try. Succeed.

[dragonsgrasp]

I... [No, stop that. He must not falter or fail. Kain clears his threat, returning to a much more confident tone,] You're right. There's no room for failure. I will succeed.

[hotspurred]

[Much better.]

Good man.