Fair.

Doll and Aella stood in the gateway to the palace, before them a thousand soldiers waited for them to cross through the portal. The atmosphere was tense, the men had all seen the pillar of fire that was fearsome even from miles away. Many of the guard hoped the warriors would just turn back, some hoped to become heroes by taking them on, all however were nervous.

“It’s a pain you wont kill them all at once huh?” Doll smiled over to Aella, who was a little shocked she would say something like that.

“Eh, I’m just kidding, don’t worry.” she patted Aella’s head “its just troublesome because I’ll have to kill them all anyway to get past.”

“Why?”

“huh?”

“If you don’t want to kill them and do want to get past… why are the two mutually exclusive?”

“So you would just walk through without attacking anyone?”

“yes.” Aella started walking into the palace grounds and towards the main building. A lot of the guards ran at her right away.

Doll smiled a little, this girl really was special. Time seemed to slow for doll a little, and the samurai spoke to her; “did you find it?”

“the right way to live? I think she has shown me.”

“so what next?”

“Well I don’t want to make her a hypocrite killer like me, and I also want her to live to make her world after winning the contest. But to make sure she survives to the end, I guess I don’t mind being the killer for her.”

The heads of all the soldiers running at Aella rolled off backwards and their bodies fell forward from the run, spilling blood across the cobbles.

“If any of you run away, you wont die!” Doll called out.

A loud hiss and a beeping noise echoed above the soldiers.

“This is Polot, I will personally kill any deserting soldier, hold your ground.” the sound system hissed again as it shut off, and as Aella continued walking towards the next wave of guards they were very torn and very fearful.

“Ignore that guy, he wont outlive the day anyway, there’s no reason for you guys to die for him.”

at that the soldiers parted for Aella and Doll and from their edges they began to run for the gate.

“Did you have to kill them?”

“I had to protect you.”

“If I cant live by my ideals, then it’s best I don’t live.”

Doll looked to Aella, even though she had just been shunned for helping her she didn’t mind, it was for her beliefs and determination that she would protect her for as long as she could.

The two walked across the cobbled palace grounds towards the palace building in silence.