[h2][b][color=black]Minor Confusion[/color][/b][/h2]
Motley nodded, his curiosity about as satisfied as it could be. And he was certainly the smith had pointed out that the spike was what drained the soul, rather than the hole; otherwise he might well have believed the opposite was true, essentially forfeiting the tournament over a stupid mistake. Then again, that could be wrong... but, in this case, he felt the man knew what he was talking about.

[color=black]'Well, I thank you for your exposition, sir,'[/color] he uttered as he put the phylactery back where it belonged, only to gaze somewhat curiously at the smith as he recalled what the man had said... had he ever actually admitted outright to being a murderer himself? He was quite sure he hadn't, and pointed out as much to the smith. [color=black]'Not,'[/color] he added to that, [color=black]'that you're necessarily wrong, either... but, much as it may seem otherwise, I tend to avoid killing those who don't deserve it. I imagine most people in this tournament wouldn't deserve it, whether or not their souls are forfeit if they lose.[/color]

[color=black]'Besides, you're quite one to talk,'[/color] he continued, gesturing to the man's half-polished sword. [color=black]'I'd argue turning another being's soul into a weapon involves at least a little murder, if not on the crafter's part. Or am I wrong, and your fresh-forged blade is in fact free of captured souls and associated mystical abilities?'[/color] He didn't exactly intend to sound standoffish- in fact, if he thought about it, the matter really didn't concern him at all- but it did rile him a little that somebody would gladly work with the fruits of that most ubiquitous of worldly acts, only to shy away from those who reaped the raw materials in the first place. It smacked of hypocrisy to him, which wasn't bothersome on its own, but had been made somewhat personal by the smith associating Motley with the latter activity by default.

And, in fairness, he [i]was[/i] curious about what the sword actually did. Those runes probably weren't just for show, after all... perhaps his subtle suggestion would drive the smith to demonstrate the powers of the blade in question, if he was lucky. Or, as the case may be, unlucky, should they be used on him instead.