[The day I lost her with the brutal image of a bloodied home - the woman's corpse wasn't among the strewn bodies in that house, but that doesn't mean she wasn't there. Doesn't mean something else didn't happen to her.

It's sobering and even as he presses his palms against his eyes to wake himself up for the few steps into the castle -

He notes it.

Azathoth's power still doesn't make sense, but-

It becomes clear why Maruki is able to wield it with such ferocity - how he's able to withstand the physical pain of battle and meet problems head on with anguish so close to his heart.]

I see.

[Is all he says - an acknowledgement. Akechi won't forget and he will prod this topic in the future. For a second, he almost mentions his own mother. The water's memory already fuzzy and lost to his own desire to remember a corpse and-

He wishes he had kept his eyes on her face a little longer.

Another few seconds pass and up he goes, standing up with a big stretch of his arms over his head - exhausted and refreshed in equal measure.]

For the record, I'm happy you're fighting with Azathoth and the world forced your hand. I would have been fairly bored without something powerful to train against.

[#priorities]