[b][i]Ken[/i][/b]

Ken ended up behind the mysterious girl and concentrated on empowering her and Reverio, although he made sure to boost the latter more as it was his call and his show. He then shouted, “Once the enemy is subdued or dead, make sure to see if he has any weapons on him or magical items which aren’t cursed! That may give us a boost!”

It seemed his newfound morality was still flexible enough to condone murder and theft (or was it looting as the guy would be already dead)? Then again, extreme measures were sometimes - sometimes, and never with glee - needed to protect the smiles of his people, which did not necessarily rest on his shoulders, but… Actually, some of it did. Izumo needed someone who knew what a [i]Constitutional Monarchy[/i] was in order to make sure that its smiles cannot be undone by a future Emperor.

Either way, the boy watched Reverio as the latter handled the darkness-wielder, confident that the former would win against the latter… If only because he saw in Reverio’s eyes someone who had killed before, someone who had taken on the burden of taking life. Or was he just misunderstanding? After all, he wasn’t experienced or omniscient… He just had a gut feeling that Rev and the strange girl were more ‘worldly-wise’ than he was, and for now, all he can do was support them while waiting for their victory.

[i]This man Rev is fighting is an experienced murderer - But we are prodigies and thus have the element of surprise. We will prevail.[/i] 

And it was thus that Ken discovered something he had long disregarded and even dismissed: Faith. Not faith in the Gods, although he had a conventional amount of that, but rather [i]Faith in other people[/i]. Don't get him wrong, he liked other people, maybe even loved them and definitely felt fondness too easily, but he didn't have faith in them to come through for him when needed or their justifications for not coming through when he [i]felt[/i] he needed it. But now, when he hadn't even asked, people were coming to his aid, and while their reasons weren't completely selfless, they were, impressively, not selfish as well.

Even among the Vigilantes, Ken had not allowed himself to feel like he was fighting by others' side; he had thought of his previous battles as a way to show off how valuable and special he was. But now, without his magic items and with only his support Gift, Ken was able to put the needs of the group first, to put others' needs and time in the 'spotlight' first. 

And it was liberating.

[i]I'm learning to trust, I'm learning to shrug off the chains I put on myself. Now that I can put myself second and let others have the center of attention... I know we can prevail.[/i]

[@KillamriX88][@Dezuel][@Lewascan2]