Speak Not. Treat your captives as you treat yourself. Old words, old laws, old commandments from a tribal warlord for a tribal context. Lessons from an alien culture. Demands from burned out statues on the hills. Chains, a wall between a girl and her dreams. Old and pointless loyalties, the laws of ghosts. What were the Codes ever to the Empress?

She tries to retreat but it's not that easy; she knows how to be inescapable. She knows how to use a blade and how to use the blades of others. Solarel is a huntress; she fights with patience, knowledge and precision. An empress fights with loyalty, power and iron will. The circle is closing in and she's boxed off, driven back. Closer and closer to the balcony and the stained glass windows.

She doesn't want to compare it to fighting Mirror. Tactics requires her to. An impossible challenge. A dedicated opponent. A battle that takes everything she has and more just to survive. A claim on her loyalty. Is this not her function? Lie back into it, consider it objectively. This is the kind of challenge you sought. She has beat you before, fighting like this. You have the data. You have the skill. Overcome.

But it's different. It's different, it's different, it's different! No matter what Tactics says this doesn't feel right! She doesn't want the victory! Doesn't want to do the study that'd make her better at this kind of war! She never called herself a tactician, she shouldn't have to live up to that reputation in everything she does! This is different and she doesn't want to do it, and no matter how she tries she can't find the joy in it. She's losing. It's not a lesson. It's not a stratagem. She's just losing because she's just bad. 

... it's because she's not a God. It's because she's not wearing the armour. That's what this is. That's the only thing that's different. The only thing that's changed. She won't be happy until she's back.

Her back's to the balcony. She'll never get the chance.

[Defy Disaster: [b]6[/b]]