[ As soon as she falls, Kasen moves swiftly, because he doesn't have the room to hesitate either. It's a quick step forward as soon as her back is on the ground, and one foot comes to rest on the wrist holding Yamato while a fluid motion of his sword gets the tip of his blade pointed at her throat.
For a moment, the look in his eyes is wild. It seems like he'll slit her throat, and she'll bleed it slowly. He's a warrior, a sword whose name was written in blood, so that would be the exact sort of thing to be expected. Inelegant, but brutal and efficient. Yet her words and the fact that she doesn't struggle, but rather accepts, brings some reason back to him.
His gaze cools from a fire to ice instead, though he's still breathing harshly as he tries to reign in his temper. It's not a smooth shift, but he's clearly making an effort, and actually, it seems like even this much is causing him to exert himself. From this angle, she might be able to see a patch stained dark with blood in his side, since his cape had hidden it earlier. It seems like she's not the first person he'd run into. ]
The way you fight— It's really very beautiful.
[ It's an odd compliment, and he knows that it's not one that she'll completely understand. As he had lamented, they don't know each other well enough for her to understand what a high praise that is from Kasen.
He won't show complete mercy, since he has no room to, but for a sword, this is also respect. The tip of his blade moves to her chest instead. It's poised directly over her heart, and he gives her a shallow nod. ]
Thank you, Pearl. I hope— [ ...No, he won't say that. He changes his mind, apparently, and instead speaks again after the moment's hesitation. ] An elegant death is the best I can give, and for that, I'm sorry.
[ ...Ha. He shouldn't say such things. He doesn't deserve to say them, he thinks, but before he can let that thought take too much of a root or before he can hear a reply that might shake his resolve, he plunges the blade down between her ribs and through her heart.
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For a moment, the look in his eyes is wild. It seems like he'll slit her throat, and she'll bleed it slowly. He's a warrior, a sword whose name was written in blood, so that would be the exact sort of thing to be expected. Inelegant, but brutal and efficient. Yet her words and the fact that she doesn't struggle, but rather accepts, brings some reason back to him.
His gaze cools from a fire to ice instead, though he's still breathing harshly as he tries to reign in his temper. It's not a smooth shift, but he's clearly making an effort, and actually, it seems like even this much is causing him to exert himself. From this angle, she might be able to see a patch stained dark with blood in his side, since his cape had hidden it earlier. It seems like she's not the first person he'd run into. ]
The way you fight— It's really very beautiful.
[ It's an odd compliment, and he knows that it's not one that she'll completely understand. As he had lamented, they don't know each other well enough for her to understand what a high praise that is from Kasen.
He won't show complete mercy, since he has no room to, but for a sword, this is also respect. The tip of his blade moves to her chest instead. It's poised directly over her heart, and he gives her a shallow nod. ]
Thank you, Pearl. I hope— [ ...No, he won't say that. He changes his mind, apparently, and instead speaks again after the moment's hesitation. ] An elegant death is the best I can give, and for that, I'm sorry.
[ ...Ha. He shouldn't say such things. He doesn't deserve to say them, he thinks, but before he can let that thought take too much of a root or before he can hear a reply that might shake his resolve, he plunges the blade down between her ribs and through her heart.
At the very least, it's a quick death. ]