Knight of Humanity (High School DxD/FGO - Mash Kyrielight SI Chapter 3)

"Cry war! Louder!"

I awoke to the sound and image of memory from my life bond with Big Sister. It was already fading away from my head, as I just woke up and couldn't focus on it.

"Big Sister Mash is training again." I muttered as I rubbed my eyes.

If the memories are audible, than Mash must be "in the zone" as they say, and I shouldn't bother her till she's done.

"Let the earth shatter with every step, and move as light as the wind." Shouted a mountain of a man. His face covered in a Greek helm, a blue cape and kilt were his clothes, and he held only a large shield and single spear, along with arm and leg armor.

All the metal on him, his armaments, helm, greaves and gauntlets, seem to emit a small glow. Likely an effect of Light Magic. (So he must be a Light Magic User!)The most being, his helm, head of his spear, and center of his shield.

No. Looking closer...his weapons and armor were made of solid Light. It was simply hard enough, it seemed like metal. (I thought only Angels can do that?)

The one thing that truly stood out, was the sheer number of scars he held on his bare chest. Especially the large gapping one in the middle of his chest. It was the size of an apple. Maybe a bit bigger?

"Teacher, that's paradoxical." Facing the opponent, on her knees, beginning to stand from having been knocked back from the last exchange in their spar, was a much younger Big Sister Mash. She was holding her iconic shield, which seemed much too big for her then-that it engulfed her in its shadow-and an iron spear. (She's so cute! I wanna hug her!)

"Then break the paradox itself!" Screamed Mash's Teacher like a lunatic, as he charged the small child, swinging his spear as a sword, not seeming to hold anything back.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Shouted Mini Mash as dismissed her shield to lunged and dive away. The sand blow up into the air from the force of the man's hit. Rolling and then jumping back to her feet, Mash summoned her shield once more.

"Battle is chaos! It's not meant to make sense, but to test the will of men. Shield up, Soldier! BLOCK!"

"AAACK!"

I frowned as I went about washing up.

It's been a week since I enrolled in Kuoh Academy and have been living with Big Sister Mash. We mostly started recently to fall into our own routine. I've been mostly focusing on school, lessons, catching up of my education, along with learning Japanese, as Mash didn't want me to use the translation spell for too long, and it becomes a crutch.

Mash has been training.

Not all the time. She goes with me to school, teach and interacts with other people, but before the first light of dawn, and deep in the evening till midnight, she spent her time training.

I asked her why, and she said it was a good habit to have. It didn't feel like that was the whole truth.

I wonder if she trains because she's now weak because of me.

I wanted to train with her too, but she said to wait till we see how I do at school.

Usually the memories that comes from the life bond feature Big Sister as the focus, unless she was feeling strongly about something. Since yesterday, I have managed to finally see what her teacher looked like.

Now that I could see the full picture of Mash and her opponent fighting-I know it's "sparring", but it looked too violent.

Finish my morning routine, I went to the kitchen to make some lemonade, and drink some water.

Big Sister...really went through a lot of harsh training growing up. She never talked about it when we were at the Church. She never talked about it. I sort of...just assumed she was granted such power by God because she was worthy of it.

"Strike now! Strike harder!"

The sound of iron rang out, as Mash thrusted her spear over and over at the man, only for his shield to stop her cold.

"Let every blow be one of conviction. Every step, every breath done with intention. Kill doubt before you ever step into war!" The man shouted, holding his should with both hands. He had lost his spear at some point. It was stuck in a boulder, some meters away.

"I'm not fighting a war, Teacher! I just wanna be good at using my powers" Shouted Mash, before her eyes widened, and she jumped back bringing her shield up.

"LIFE WAS ALWAYS A WAR!" The man slammed his fist into Mash's shield and launched her into the air.

I shook my head and pushed away the memories. I wonder how Big Sister's teacher was. He reminded me of Father Strada, but he wasn't as...wide, as the Cardinal.

I finished the lemonade and took the backward where Big Sister trained.

Mash was wearing a track suit, and on top of it was her usual armor, but made from Light Constructs. She moved far slower than she usually did. I don't think her armor is helping her. It seemed to make her movement heavier, making it easier for her opponent to hit her.

Her opponent being a Light Construct as well.

I was in awe when I first saw the Light Clone. It looked like Big Sister when she was younger and had shorter hair, but was made of yellow hard light.

I have heard about how Big Sister was considered a genius, and a divine gift for the large amount of Holy Light within her, and her skill in using it had people calling her the Angelic Maiden, or Angelic Knight. I never understood that till now.

But I've never care before. It wasn't why I liked Mash's company.

I placed the tray with lemonade glasses on the side, and watched the spar from a comfortable distance.

The Light Clone and Big Sister moved like a pair of lions circling and swiping at each other. I hate to say it, but the Light Clone seemed to be doing better. It was moving too fast and hits hard. Big Sister's armor didn't even seem to do a good job protecting her. I think she should let go of it, to fight better.

Just as I thought that, the Light Clone managed to get a swipe Big Sister's legs from under her with a low round kick, causing Mash to fall. My eyes widened in fear.

Mash reoriented to stab with the Light Spear in her hand, only for the Light Clone to use this chance to backflips away, and land in a pose ready to dash and attack Big Sister in her unbalanced stance.

"Mash!" I stood up in worry about to jump in and protect her, when another memory hit me hard, causing me to stumble.

The Light Clone lunged at my Big Sister, spear forward, pointed at her chest.

"Stand up, Soldier. The battle is not yet over." The man stood over the small child who was bloodied and bruised.

"Teacher, I can't." Panted the child. "I literally physically can't. I have nothing left in me."

The man unlike his harsh disposition, kneeled down and placed a gentle hand one the little girls's shoulder.

"The body may break, but it can be fixed. The mind maybe slow, but it can learn and grow faster. The soul may hold little mana, but such container can grow. Those can act as limits, but they must never be excuses." He explained.

"But...that's literally what limits are." The child shouted.

"You use that word a lot." The man chuckled. "As I said, they are limits, not excuses. And limits must be overcome. Again and again. For that creates who we are." His voice was kind but firm. "I have found my limit a thousand times, but still, I press further."

"I'm not as strong as you." The child looked down. Her eyes becoming watery.

"You are. You can be. If only you have faith."

"It's difficult to have faith, when it never feels like God answers your prayer."

"I do not speak of God, or the deities of any pantheon." The harsh tone, made the child look up in alarm. "I speak of what lies within you. Within me. Within every human alive and to have ever lived. The Light within every Human Soul. The spark that only needs to be ignited. The power that already belongs to every Human. Our Will."

"Willpower...can be depleted like anything else." The child said with hesitation. Wanting to believe the man's words, but the pain broke down belief with logic.

"That is the illusion of so-called gods and 'stronger' races." The man spoke, his voice growing louder. "We are born with weak bodies. What of it? We can train to grow stronger. Our minds are limited. So what? We can study to become more knowledge. But first, we must act as though our Willpower is infinite, and all else will come."

"But..." The child tried to argue.

The man stood up and spread his arms wide. "Unbroken. Thatis what your spirit must become. You wish to be the Shield of Mankind? That mountain is insurmountable, and you will fall attempting it! You have fallen." The man held a fist before his chest and closed it. "But you must climb. You must rise up, in spite of the weight of the world. This won't be the first time you fall, so the climb must become your destination."

The girl's body shook. She wanted to try, but was too tire, too in pain. Her legs were broken, and her arms fractured. She didn't even have mana to dull the pain, let alone heal herself.

"Do you know why I never bother teaching you beyond the basics, and only focus on spars?" The girl shook her head. "To teach you the Art of War."

"Sun Tzu?"

The man shook his head. "The Art of War is hearing your heart beating. Knowing you are alive!" The girl's breathing calmed. Through his words, she couldn't help but hear and feel her own heart, the pain despite its constant blaring was pushed to the side. She found herself closing her eyes and breathing deeply. Not out of exhausted, but to feel her heart beat. "Do you feel that? We are privileged to breathe, to taste the air! It is the last gasp of all who have died before us." The girl opened her eyes, the fear was gone, but doubt remained.

"I at least need to heal." Her voice was low, but she didn't deny it was possible for her to stand. She was beginning to believe.

"The mountain you wish to climb is one I traversed once before." The man looked up, as if seeing something far away. "When I look at it's peak, in my mind I have already fallen. And so, I climb!" He looked back toward her. "Your main weapon is a shield. Shields defends hearts, both yours and those beside you. Thus your heart must be the strongest." The girl's brows tightened. Her resolve was building. Unseen to her, Light glowed within her wounds. "The Forces of Hell and Pagan Gods can not shatter the world, if they strike us instead!" The man stepped back and materialized his spear, taking a stance, and pointing the weapon toward the girl. "But first, your Will must invincible. Now cast your doubts and excuses into the dirt, and climb!"

The girl summoned her shield, using it as a crutch, and with shaking hands, roared and stood.

I reoriented myself, but couldn't interfere in the fight.

But I didn't need to.

Mash brought her shield in time. A loud clang rang out as the spear struck shield, then both spear and Light Clone were pushed back as Mash dashed forward, covering the Light Clone with her shield and crushing it into magical mote dust.

"Hey, Asia." Mash said easily, as if she wasn't in danger all this time. "Sorry, did I end up waking you up again?"

I let out a deep breath as I started to calm down, then took a while to organize my thought.

"No, I slept well. The memories don't really interrupt myself." I explained.

Naturally, I had already told her about the effect the life bond has on me. Big Sister has been trying her best not to let it interfere with my day-to-day life, but it didn't really bother me. The emotions aren't a problem, and only come when we're close. The memories only come up when Mash was feeling intense emotions, or totally focused on something, and that's not something that happens all the time, or enough to bother me.

Also it was like having a shared sisterly secret with Mash, that no one else knows about. I felt a bit giddy about that.

"Good." Mash sighed and nodded, as she went about wiping away her sweat with a small towel. "Thank you for the lemonade." She took one of the glasses.

"You're welcome." I smiled, and found myself breathing easier, now that the tense spar and memories were done. However, I couldn't help but think about Big Sister's training, and the man who mentored her. Why did she go through such a harsh experience? "Mash, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," she said and sat besides me.

"You were..." I looked away for a moment, thinking on my words. "You are one of God's most blessed children. You had a lot of power and favor from Heaven from birth. Why...did you put yourself through such a harsh experience? Or did the Church force you to? I just..." I looked down on my lap, not wanting her to see my face, and think I was pitying her. "I can't believe you suffered so much as a child. That the Church allowed that to happen." The more I thought, the more I found myself becoming angry. "I just..." I looked back to Big Sister, now feeling angry. "I can't believe that brute man would treat a child like that. Would be so cruel to you."

Unlike what I expected Mash threw her head back and laughed.

"Wha..."

"Sorry, sorry," Big Sister said, smiling a bit, which blew away whatever anger I felt. "It's just that Spartan is one of the most gentle people I know. Sure, training is another subject, but outside of that, the man is one of the kindest people there are."

"Spartan?" It was an odd name.

"He...doesn't have a name anymore. Or rather he abandoned his, as a commitment to the purpose he want to give himself in this life." Mash explained.

"Was he an Exorcist?"

"He was the previous True L-I mean, he was a mercenary affiliated with a Church, working with them on joint missions. He's an old war buddy of Father Strada. It's actually him that recommended Spartan to me, to train under."

"Cardinal Strada recommended him!?" My eyes widened. For Father Strada to recommend him? I...what does that make him?

"Yeah," Mash nodded. "Father Strada felt the usual teachers wouldn't be the best fit for me, so he sent me to Spartan to train under him. Everyday felt like hell, but I'm thankful for it."

"Why?" I couldn't understand why Big Sister put herself through that.

"'The more you bleed in peace, the less you die in war'. Admittedly that's not the original saying, but the sentiment's same. Just has that Spartan intensity." Mash chuckled, and I found myself smiling in turn.

"Where is he now?" I wondered.

"Retired." Mash gave a happy sigh. "Last I heard from him, he opened a bakery. If you want, we could go visit him one day."

"That would be nice-"

RIIING! RIIING!

Mash's mobile rang out and vibrated. Big Sister grabbed the phone and answered with an annoyed huff.

"Sirzechs, I fucking swear this better be important, because if you're calling to whine at me to train your baby sister again, I'll... Azazel, how did you get this number?" Big Sister said calmly.

Is her eye suppose to twitch like that?