User blog:Redknight910/WWYD Living Armour JeielYozama

I look at her, her being the very thing I've been trained to destroy.

"Have you finally come to bear me? To take me into the world as your shield?" I nod, telling her my father's all but demanded I bear her as a hero. The burning light in the helmet seemed to flare brighter.

"It is my duty to protect your family, ever since your ancestors had me forged." She takes a step towards me, and my trained instincts are screaming for me to run. As she closes in I can see something within the armour, something slowly gaining solidity. When a gauntlet rests on my shoulder she's clear as day. A cute simple face with short hair. The tops of a pair of breasts clearly pressed into the armour. The most defining aspect of her appearance though is the fact that she's completely white.

"As is my duty, I will defend you." She removes the helmet and places it on a stand. Next she removes the gauntlets, then the cuirass and boots. The last thing she removes are the greaves, and as expected of a monster, she stands before me naked and completely at ease.

I begin to put the armour on, watching her the whole time to make sure she doesn't try to take me. The only change I notice in her is that he begins to fade away again as I place the armour on. Once I place the helmet on I can't see her at all.

"It feels so good to finally be worn again." I hear the voice, but I can't tell where it's coming from, seemingly coming from inside my head.

"That's exactly where I am, we are one, we are together. I am yours." I am more than a little nervous, and I make my way to the door, stepping out to face my father.

"Perfect. You look just like your grandfather did." He puts a hand on my shoulder, and I smile at him. As I march down the street there's cheers and congratulations are thrown at me, people recognising the armour more than the man inside it. I mention it to her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"Are you angry about it?" She asks. I answer with a firm no. They shouldn't know me, not yet. "I promise, I will never buckle, and will guard you against all blows." I mention that her promises are starting to get annoying. She'll protect me, I get it. I then feel a wave of discomfort, an odd pain growing in my chest.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"I'm sorry..." Her voice is barely a whisper. Paying more attention to her and the odd feelings I'm getting from her, I don't notice the guardsman congratulating me, and walk straight into him. I apologise, but he gives me a strange look.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"Are you okay, kid? You sure you're ready to fight? You look a little... Distracted." I shake my head and tell him it's fine. My first job as a hero is to take care of a werewolf den nearby. I leave that night and don't bother to set up camp.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">I reach the den early the next morning and find both werewolves sleeping. It appeared to be a mother and child, and I drew my blade to kill the both of them quietly and without a fight. My armour locks up when I try to move to one of them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"We can't!" My armour screams in my head. Preparing for another mental debate, I tell her it's my duty to protect people from monsters. "Even if they're only children?" I find my gaze forced to the younger wolf. Monsters are monsters, no matter how young.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"But I'm a monster..." The hesitant nature of her voice in my head tells me just as much as the pain in my chest. I tell her that, yes, she is. I tell her that the only reason I'm even using her was because my father forced me to. I can't move anything, the heavy armour suddenly a cage.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">I hear a whimper from within. "You... You don't... Like me?" I hesitate to answer, and that's answer enough for her. I feel warmth, a heated breath on my cheek, and suddenly she's standing before me. I can see tears in that pale face, and even separate I can't move an inch in the armour. She presses her lips to mine, and when I don't reciprocate, she pulls away.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">The tears are streaming down her face, and she gestures to the young werewolf.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"Please... Please don't kill her." She begs. As she kneels before me, the young wolf opens her eyes, and scrambles away, screaming. The mother is awake in an instant, and pounces on my paralysed form. The girl crying at my feet vanishes, and I regain control of my limbs. I block the feral pounce with an ease I hadn't believed possible, throwing the monster with barely a hint of effort. She snarls and pounces again, I bring my blade up, and hear three cries.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">One of the mother hitting the ground, clutching her chest.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">One of the child, screaming her mother’s name.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">And one of the armour, a feeling of horror flowing with it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">We fall to our knees, her feelings flowing through me are intense, the horror at what I've done, the fear of what I could do, and the despair for the child.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">As it rolls through me I utter two words I never thought I could say to a monster. I'm. Sorry. As the words leave my lips I look at the child, frightened, terrified even, and clinging to a small doll. I reach up and remove my helmet, placing it next to the woman. My trained instincts tell me everything I'm doing is wrong. This was a monster, her death was my duty. But then I look at the girl, and instantly I know. This was wrong.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">I bow my head, presenting my neck as if I were before a headsman. "Now you see... Don't you..." The words are barely a whisper, sending a chill down my spine. Now I see. Now I know. I was wrong. THIS is wrong. The child before me, now doomed to a life alone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"We could help." I smile at the compassionate thought. But, I tell her, I've just killed her mother, who am I to help her? "We need to make this right." There is no way to make this right. I stand, trying to think of what to do. I can't leave a child alone out here, I can no longer bring myself to finish my duty.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">I crouch down against a wall and begin to cry. As I cry, I can hear her, she's trying to comfort me. I don't know what to do. I feel claws against my throat, and look up. The child is standing before me, murder in her eyes. I raise my head to bear my throat more, giving her the perfect angle to end me.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"Why?" She whispers, rage in her voice. "WHY?!" I look down at her, looking deep into those brown eyes. It was my duty, it was meant to be right. But it wasn't right. Why didn't I listen.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"I should kill you... Why can't I kill you..." I feel the claws around my throat shaking, trying to pierce my throat, but failing. Even a child knows better than me.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"She wasn't trained like you." I hear her again. "She wasn't taught like you." I sigh, standing up. The girl scrambles away from me as I pick up my blade, and sheathe it. I've made a terrible mistake, and I will pay for it in time. But I will train her too. Train her to be better than I was.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">I start to walk out of the den, then begin digging. It's late afternoon, the sun hanging low in the sky, by the time we've buried the werewolf. I say a prayer to all of the gods, and look to the young wolf girl. I swear a new vow. A vow to protect all whom I encounter. Man or monster, I will defend them. I begin to walk away, when a small paw wraps around my hand.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Looking down I see the werewolf girl, her eyes boring holes into me. "I'm going to make sure you keep that vow." She growls, bringing a smile to my lips.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"TimesNewRoman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">"As will I." The armour adds, her voice much brighter than I recall.