A good swordsman is more important than a good sword.

All bleed who fight with the sword. All confront, with greater or lesser difficulty, the worship of their own flesh. The swordmaiden faces particular obstacles in this matter: she will have seen, in the temples and elsewhere, many images of unscarred women.

Sometimes, reality is the illusion, and the truth only visible where our eyes can’t see.”- Lady Lalaigne

He might have perfect form and better swordsmanship, but I had one thing on my side that stacked the deck in my favor. I was absolutely crazy.

This, then, is what counts: a lightning reaction which has no further need of conscious observation. In this respect at least the pupil makes himself independent of all conscious purpose.