11. Master of the Unyielding Blade
Our last foe was a practitioner of an ancient style of swordplay known as the Unyielding Blade. Never did I think I would behold such techniques with my own eyes, so the encounter was a pleasant but deadly surprise. In the real world, the swordmasters of the Unyielding Blade were systematically slaughtered in the war against the Garlean Empire. While some apparently survived this purge, they could not bear imperial oppression and rose up in a failed rebellion. At last, the final swordmaster was taken captive and met an unjust end, or so I have heard. Stories say that in ages past, the esoteric order would offer demonstrations of their skills as a show of loyalty to the royal family─yet another tradition that was stamped out under the imperial heel.
Recalling such displays reminds me of a scene in an edition of The Merchant's Tale written for children. In it, the characters reach a stage which shone in rainbow hues. It was built not for a king or queen, but as a ceremonial place to make an offering of friendship to a different race of people. If kings take pleasure in displays of martial prowess, what would pique the interest of an entirely different race? Gaining an understanding of the story's cultural background should allow us to anticipate the tale's twists before they happen, and use that insight to drive our actions while within the book.