Грань будущего

           "Allthatshittheydrumintoyouintrainingisthebareminimum.Theytakeabunchofrecruitswhodon’tknowtheirassholesfromtheirelbowsandteach’emnottocrossthestreetwhenthelight’sred.Lookleft,lookright,andkeepyourheadsdownwhenthingsgethot.Mostunluckybastardsforgetallthatwhentheshitstartsflyingandtheygodownprettyquick.Butifyou’relucky,youmightlivethroughitandmaybeevenlearnsomething.Takeyourfirsttasteofbattleandmakealessonoutofit,youmightjusthavesomethingyoucancallasoldier-"Ferrellcuthimselfoff."What’ssofunny?"

           "Huh?"AsmirkhadcreptacrossmyfacewhilehewastalkingandIdidn’tevennotice.

           "Iseesomeonegrinninglikethatbeforeabattle,Istartworryingaboutthewiringinhishead."

           I’dbeenthinkingofmyfirstbattle,whenMadWargaritatriedtohelpme,whenmymud-stainedgutswereburnttocinders,whendespairandfearstreameddownmyface.KeijiKiriyahadbeenoneoftheunluckybastards.Twice.

           Thethirdtime,whenIran,myluckhadn’tbeenwhatyou’dcallgoodeither.Butforsomereason,theworldkeptgivingmeanotherchance,challengingmetofindawaytosurvive.Notbyluck,butonmyown.

           IfIcouldsuppresstheurgetorun,I’dkeepwakinguptoafulldayoftrainingfollowedbyadayonthebattlefield.Andwhatcouldbebetterthanthat?Almostbydefault,I’dkeeplearning,oneswingatatime.Whattookthoseswordsmentenyears,Icoulddoinaday.