> (Im)Mortality > by Knight of Crows > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cain POV "And that makes 30." I said to myself after crafting another weapon. I live alone so no one can disturb me when I'm doing something important, well, important to me, anyone else had better have a good reason or money. When I'm not working I'm either gaming or smithing, I only make weapons if the person pays extra, otherwise they're getting a durable, but dull blade. At the beginning of this month I finished my last order of a few Warriors franchise weapons, Cao Cao and Xu Shu's were the last ones the client asked for. This month though I made a limited time offer for the Mortal Blades from Sekiro, as per usual I kept 2 for myself and sold the rest, I always keep the originals for home defense, decoration, and if I need to I'll sell it. If it weren't for me knowing how to craft weapons and replicas I wouldn't be able to afford half the shit I've got. Minimum wage at what may as well be a dead end job likely wouldn't allow a car much less a house like mine which is far enough away from anyone that I can't get noise complaints with everything I own on top of it. If it weren't for my forge I'd still be living with my parents, don't get me wrong I love them, but we've had limited interactions for as long as I can remember, didn't help that I was always in the basement on the Xbox. I spent a few weeks making these and I made pretty good profits from the weapons. I earn about $10.50 an hour at my job and work 7-9 hour shifts 4 days a week, 5 a week every other month. Depending on the buyer and popularity of the product to name a few variables I've sold weapons for up to $300, these Mortal Blades sold for $180 each. After getting them shipped off I went to my room and went to bed early. Probably not my smartest decision. I'm running, from what I don't know. All I know is that I feel the need to keep running through this forest that literally looks and smells like ash. I hear whatever is chasing me getting closer and safety has yet to enter my sights. The scenery changes, my pursuer gone, and the forest looks as good as new, like nothing ever happened to it. I stood there confused before everything around me vanished and was replaced with an empty void. I tried yelling, but nothing came out. After so long in this void I collapsed on to my back and just stared at whatever counts as up in the void until I thought I saw something. My eyes immediately locked on to it only to be filled with fear shortly after. I saw Earth and I was quickly falling towards the surface. My eyes shot open as sweat dripped down my face. After spending a minute and a half calming myself down I noticed a few things wrong with my location and me. Stone floors or whatever, no roof, blanket, bed, 2 nodachis in red-ish and black scabbards nearby, and I'm wearing my usual clothes instead of pajamas (white shirt, black pants, black coat that reaches my ankles with grey fur lining). 'Alright, where the Hell am I? I don't remember drinking or anything that could've landed me here.' I thought to myself. Standing up was a struggle, I noticed both swords had straps on them so I put one on and used the other for balance. Exploring my current location I've found I'm in what's likely the ruins of an old castle, though I don't remember any castles or ruins in Washington DC, then again I never paid much attention to such things. Finding the exit took much longer than I would've liked, hours passed apparently since I called it a night. It wasn't even 9 pm and now it's a few hours in the afternoon at least. Turns out that exit just lead to a courtyard, taking a seat by what was a fountain I took a minute to rest. I blacked out for probably half an hour, the sun doesn't appear to be in a different position so it couldn't be long. I tried standing up again, but I still feel weak and had to use a sword to help me get around. I continued trying to find an exit and managed to do so after another hour of what felt like going in circles. There was a bridge that was in very poor condition over a large and deep gap and I was reminded of my fear of heights. I closed my eyes as I crossed the bridge and pushed those thoughts away. A plank broke about half way across and nearly gave me a heart attack, relief washed over me when I reached the other end, now to try my luck in an unknown forest. I felt better after a while and no longer needed the sword as a makeshift cane, though this forest is giving me the creeps. After what felt like an hour at least I stopped because I felt something was off. No birds or bugs making any noises should have tipped me off sooner, but I wasn't paying much attention until now. I kept looking around me every so often and had my hands ready to draw the sword, I doubt I'll be able to defend myself very well thanks to how weak I feel, but a weapon should make that easier. Minutes passed and nothing changed, but I still progressed with caution. That feeling of unease didn't fade for a while, or rather not at all and after getting annoyed with the lack of any signs of safety I took a hand off the sword to fake being off guard. Still nothing after several minutes of walking so I had thought maybe it was just me being paranoid in unknown territory. A few more minutes passed and I heard something roar in the woods ahead of me. A lion of all things jumped out so that was already a good reason to panic, especially in my condition, but there were a few things wrong with this. It's almost as big as me even on 4 legs, giant bat wings, and a scorpion tail. "Okay this has got to be a dream. I'm nowhere near Greece or Rome or where ever manticores originate so WHAT THE FUCK??!!" My shouting caused it to start running at me and my first instinct was to draw the sword. I saw red and I think I saw a sort of red aura around the blade before I fell to the ground with an intense pain in my chest and darkness clouded my vision. I awoke in another void like place except this one was, well it's as if what I saw before was the 'dark' side and this is the 'light' side. Something or someone appeared seconds later, all I was able to see was a flash revealing a white figure with long multi colored hair before I experienced tunnel vision and saw darkness again. I awoke in the same place I was before I fell over. The manticore backed off a little after seeing me get back up, it even looked uncertain(?), as if it's questioning the same thing as me. I grabbed the sword and it lunged at me, with reflexes and agility I don't remember having, I slid under it and it swung it's tail at me as it tried to turn around. It barely missed and I stood back up as I tried to process what just happened. It thrusted it's tail at me so I dodged to the side and moved in close, it tried to swipe at me then bite me, both times it missed. I tried to attack it, but I was forced to avoid it's claws and attempts at biting me before I was able to slice it's eye. While it was backing off from the pain, it began swinging it's tail wildly as it tried to recover. I stuck to it's new blind spot and cut off it's wing, it responded by thrusting the tail in my general direction. I caught it and redirected it over my head so I could cut the fleshy area between the segments. It pulled it's tail back, taking me along with it as it scratched my hand when I let go to land on it's back. It lifted itself up and tried to shake me off so I held on to it's mane to until I had a chance to slit it's throat. It fell to the ground and me along with it. I quickly crawled away and turned to it, breathing rapidly. What the Hell was that? It's like my body just moved on it's own throughout that whole situation. I lifted the sword into view and saw what I thought I did earlier, a red blade with a red aura seeping off of it. I pulled out the other sword and saw a black blade with a black aura. What the Hell is going on? Why do I have both Mortal Blades? Why can I use them? Where am I? So many questions were going through my mind and I started panicking, it wasn't long before I lost consciousness only to be awoken by pure pain in my arm and chest. I looked at the hand that was scratched and saw it was black with my arm being a dark purple. Realizing I had been poisoned I took a gamble with the manticore. I cut out one of it's claws and used it to kill myself. The same thing from before happened except this time that figure from earlier tried to say something that I couldn't make out as I was pulled back. I looked at my arm and it worked both to my dread and joy. I was alive and not poisoned, but somehow had the either the effects of the Rejuvinating Waters, the Blessing/ Curse of the Dragon's Heritage, or the Immortal Oath, or whatever it's called. Okay think. I bled and was poisoned so the bloodline is a no, the Waters aren't as potent as the Oath if Genichiro was only able to use the Black Blade a limited number of times which I didn't seem to have trouble with, so that leaves self resurrection bullshit. Also the possibility of dying so much I give stage four cancer to everyone around me. Where did I go wrong in my life? Princess Celestia POV (after Cain's first death) Has another Alicorn been made? I quickly sent my consciousness into the Astral Plane to find what that disturbance was. I only caught a glimpse of the pony in front of me. It happened so fast I couldn't tell the gender or even their attire. I didn't have enough time to learn this pony's location. Dread found it's way in my heart as the thought of a failed Ascension came to mind and the damage the last one caused. I was lucky to have found Cadence when I did or else her old home would've been nothing but ashes. I teleported out of the dining hall to my room to try and find where it happened. While it's possible this happened far away I don't intend to do nothing as my ponies could be in more danger than the guards and other teams can handle. I saw no damage, but moments later I felt the same thing happen again, a second Ascension so soon after the first? No, this can't be a coincidence. I went back to the Astral Plane and saw the same pony again. I tried to ask what their intentions were as I tried to find their location. While I didn't get a response I did learn of this pony's location, the Everfree, near what used to be my and my sister's old castle. Just who is this and what was going on? > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cain POV After trying and failing to make sense of recent events I continued towards wherever this road leads. While I was doing so I was inspecting the Mortal Blades, Japanese writing was on the blades unsurprisingly, but I at least knew the translation (no I am not bilingual), "Open Gate" was on the black blade and "Gracious Gift of Tears" was on the red blade. I had hoped there would be DLC for Sekiro involving these weapons, aside from only being usable by the very people they're designed to kill and Gate's connection to the underworld there was practically no lore to them that I could find. Finding nothing else on the blades I slid them back in their sheaths and kept walking with one in hand. Thankfully nothing bothered me for a while longer, birds and other animals were making their presence known so I had some confirmation I was going the right way. I'll admit to being startled a few times because of things jumping out of bushes, and seeing a giant ass spider which I did not almost piss myself upon seeing the 8 legged abomination consuming a manticore. Nightmare fuel long behind me I reached a river, feeling dehydrated I knelt down to drink from it after making sure there wasn't anything nearby. Immediately after I did so the water splashed far to my right. I wasted no time drawing the blade only to regret not running after the first sign of danger. A giant purple serpent rose from the water, it almost looked like a Chinese dragon upon further inspection. All I could do was just stand there like an idiot as it turned to my direction and... Stretched? "*Yawn* OH! Sorry, I wasn't expecting company *yawn* excuse me. As I was saying had I known I would be having company I would have made myself more presentable." The dragon said. "Uuuuuuuuummmm hi?" I said slowly backing up keeping my sword ready to strike. "Oh no need to- I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Steven Magnet, no need to be afraid. And you are?" He asked. "Cain, just Cain." I answered now reverse gripping the sword in an attempt to show just enough trust that I won't be attacked. "So not that I mind the company, but what brings you here to the Everfree? Normally you ponies steer clear from the forest." He said as he continued stretching. 'Ponies? The fuck is he going on about? Do I look like a small 4 legged horse?' I thought. "Everfree?" I asked. "You know, the forest you all claim is cursed, unnatural, you all avoid it like the plague? Just where did you come from?" He asked after he finished stretching. "I woke up in a destroyed castle with 2 swords by me and barely survived an encounter with a manticore like halfway here. I don't exactly know where I am or how I got here." I answered. "You didn't get pierced by the tail did you?" He asked concerned. "It grazed me hand so I wrapped some vines around my arm and been sucking the venom out since in an attempt to slow the process." I lied, don't exactly want people learning of me being immortal, or at least the kind that can't stay dead. "Then you'd better hurry to the hospital, there's a town not far from here, less than an hour. I'd take you myself, but you ponies tend to be skittish when you want to be. OH! One last thing, you might want to keep those swords away. I don't know what it is, but something other than that sword's crimson aura is unsettling. " He said. "Alright. I guess I'll be going." As I was about to swim across he lifted body to act as a bridge, I thanked him and picked up the pace. Princess Celestia POV These Ascensions or whatever they are haven't happened in hours which might be a good thing. The guards have been scouting for almost as long so they should have found something by now, hopefully they remembered to not engage. Just what was happening here and why? "Your highness, the scouts have returned." Captain Shining Armor informed me. "Their findings?" I asked. "Not far from here they spotted an armed pony or something of similar appearance, they were too far to get an accurate description of the target. The target wore mostly black and was armed with 2 long swords that one of the scouts identified as nodachis." He continued. "How far would you say?" I asked. "If we were to take our time and walk, about 20 minutes." He answered. "Then let's get a move on." I ordered, the captain and the rest of the guards following close behind. The forest left us alone as we made our way to whoever this is. Eventually we heard howling and followed the sounds, we saw a pack of timberwolves surrounding one pony. Black, two swords, the same thing we were after. He sighed and drew one of his swords, a crimson mist covering the blade. He flipped the blade into a reverse grip and held the scabbard as a weapon before getting ready. One wolf attempted to attack him from behind, but he just stepped to the side and cleaved it in two. After seeing one of their own die so easily the rest grew more cautious. He sheathed his sword and turned to walk away. Seeing this as their prey trying to escape 2 more went after him, he jumped onto a tree, jumped off the tree, launched the sheath at one and dropped on the other. He retrieved the sheath and finished off the wolf while it was down. Cain POV I am still very confused at recent events. I've never exercised a day in my life and now I somehow feel healthy as a horse, insane reflexes, and now I can pull off stunts you'd see on something like Ninja Warrior. Don't get me wrong, these changes aren't unwelcome, but I still have to ask how. I looked at the rest of these wolves before speaking. "I don't care if you're mindless beasts, golems of some kind, or actual hunters. If you want to live then leave now." I said as I used the sword to try something. Sekiro when he used Mortal Draw looked like he would have been cutting his other arm if he wasn't using the prosthetic, since the game didn't exactly say how it's used I figured this might work as well given all the other changes I'm experiencing. The sword started glowing brighter so it looks like I was doing something right. The wolves chose to stay and fight instead of run, all of them started running at me, but I carried through with Mortal Draw and killed them, all of them dead before they got within the sword's actual reach. So that happened. An entire pack of wolves gone in under a minute. I sheathed the sword and spent a few seconds trying to remember what direction I was going, I would have used the sun as a reference, but the forest canopy was so thick I couldn't see anything past it. I sheathed the sword and continued searching for an exit from this forest. Princess Celestia POV How did he... What was that magic he just used? No... What is wrong with that sword? "Intercept, but do not engage." I ordered the captain, keeping my voice down. "Yes ma'am." He responded. He signalled the rest and they moved ahead to surround the target undetected. After everypony got into position they moved into the target's field of vision. "Ugh, what now? I've already had a pretty shitty day so far so can we just skip this and forget we ever saw each other?" He asked. "Our orders are to take you in for questioning and that's what we're going to do. So hand over your weapons and come along quietly." Shining demanded. "I can't hand over the weapons, you wouldn't live long enough to regret handling them, and w-" He started. "You do know threatening a guard is illegal right? Come along and we'll pretend you didn't." Shining demanded again. "I didn't threaten you, I warned you. A threat would imply I said I would hurt you which I didn't. Now as I was saying, why should I come with you? Especially after threatening to charge me with a crime that never happened so I would do so?" He asked. "Last chance, come with us, hand over your weapons, or we'll make you!" Shining threatened. He responded by drawing his other sword, it felt just as wrong as the other one, actually it felt worse. "I'd like to see you try. Just know that I gave you an out." He flipped the sword so he blade was facing him instead. I stepped in to stop this before it got out of hand. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" I shouted in the RCV causing the target to drop his weapon and cover his ears. Shining took this opportunity to knock him away from the sword. The rest of the guards took the opportunity presented as well and restrained him after snaching the other sword still in it's sheath from him. After he was restrained he looked to where his other sword was and looked on with dread as one of the guards moved to retrieve it. "NO! STOP! DON'T TRY TO PICK IT UP!" He shouted. The guard looked at him, but didn't respond and continued what he was doing as the rest tried to silence him. I did nothing to stop him as I'm certain he can be restrained and if necessary purified quickly. "YOU'LL DIE IF YOU DO! THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAN SAFELY USE THOSE SWORDS ARE- OOF!" He tried shouting as he was cut off with a blow to his gut. I'll have to say something to these guards later about the amount of force they're using. The guard picked up the sword and dropped it 2 seconds later, falling almost as fast. The captain ran to his side and checked for any damage magical or otherwise. "That FUCKING idiot. NOOOO don't listen to the guy whose only crime before trying to save him was simply trying to find civilization and live, no instead that dumbass wants to ignore my warnings and die! Can we add stupidity to the Deadly Sins yet?" The target said after Shining started checking for signs of life. "What did you do?" One of the guards growled. "I didn't do anything other than- AAAAGGHH!" He started only to be punched in the face and knocked over. "DON'T LIE TO ME BASTARD!" The guard shouted. I chose this moment to step in before this escalated any further. "That's enough! I've seen more excessive force and guard brutality in the past 2 minutes than I have in the past hundred years." The guard reluctantly backed off and made more room. I knelt down to eye level with the stallion before questioning him. "What is your name?" I asked. "Give me your name and I'll give you mine, after you call off your dogs and release me of course." He responded. The same guard from earlier took offense to that and moved closer ready to assault him again. I motioned for everypony to back away and loosened the bindings. "I am Princess Celestia, and you are?" I asked again. "Cain." He answered. "Would you care to explain what happened moments ago?" "Not much to explain really, your guards interrupted me when I tried to warn them about the swords and one of them died as a result." "Why did he die to the sword when you are unaffected?" "The only people that can use either of these swords are the very beings these swords were made to kill. Anyone else won't live to tell anyone about how they drew them from their sheathes. With that said I would like my swords back please." "Why? So you can kill the rest of us like you killed our friend??!!" The same guard from earlier shouted. "I didn't kill anyone, you did when you stopped me from warning him. You're the one who interrupted me which prevented me from finishing my warning. Really it should be you getting charged with murder." Cain said. This angered the guard who started charging at him with a spear. Shining tried to stop him, but I wanted to see how this played out. "BUCK IT! DIE!" He shouted. Cain dashed forward into the spear, but stopped himself and turned at the last second to step on his spear, embedding it into the ground. With the guard thrown off balance Cain used the same leg he used to stop the spear to kick the guard in the face and knock him into the ground. Cain picked up the spear and stabbed it into the ground just inches away from his head faster than we could react. "You know back where I'm from I'm pretty sure I would have been allowed to hurt you a lot more, maybe even kill you. Otherwise you would be losing your job at the very least." Cain turned to face me. "The swords?" He asked again. "Keep them sheathed." I answered as I handed him the sword we took as he reclaimed the other one. "Princess, are you certain of this?" Shining asked. "As long as he doesn't try anything all will be fine." I said. "NO! That's complete hor-" The guard started before being knocked unconscious by Cain launching one of his sheathes at the guar's head. "For the love of whatever God or Goddess you worship, SHUT UP!" Cain said as he went to retrieve the sheathe. "Princess-" Shining started. "Leave it. So Sir Cain, will you come with us please?" I asked. He thought about it for a while before answering. "Fuck it, not like I have anything better to do and not like you're going to leave me alone. Fair warning, I'm not parting from these blades and if anyone tries to take them I'm not responsible for them dying to them. Just know I still don't trust any of you, don't make me regret this." Cain answered as he started moving ahead. Perhaps I'll have the chance to ask him a few questions before Twilight does, he doesn't seem like the type that tolerates foals. > Chapter 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cain POV No one said a word for the longest time, various reasons I would assume. A dead guard, an unconscious, likely soon to be dishonorably discharged guard, fear, I honestly don't care. I shifted the red Mortal Blade so it could be drawn from the side with a reverse grip and kept my hand where the pommel would be as to warn the others not to try anything. Minutes passed and the edge of the forest was in sight, another group of guards as well. I ignored them and sat against a tree as the princess did her thing. The body of that one guard apparently lived in this town initially until he enlisted, so the body was left here with his wife and children. The fool, it's amazing how often people are wrong about how to act towards others. To my experience, being the asshole gets my point across and gets better results more efficiently than being nice to everyone, I'll refer to our introductions as proof enough. Eventually everyone started loading up into carriages and the ones with wings strapped themselves to the harnesses at the front. When they were finished, one of the guards, specifically the one who intercepted me first, walked over to me. "We're leaving, get in." He ordered. "The only one of you worth talking to is your princess, unless I hear it from her, I'm not doing that." I said defiantly. He glared and growled at me. "I'm Captain of the Royal Guard, so-" "You're a shit captain then considering how poorly you and your men handled first impressions." I interrupted as he tightened his grip on his sword. "Tell me, do your men frequently make mistakes or ignore warnings when they're out on missions? Especially when they're with you? Their princess? I have reason to believe this happens often considered the MANY red flags you all ignored. If you're losing at least one guard every time to the stupidest, most avoidable ways to die, then that speaks VERY poorly of your capability as a leader of any kind." "Don't make m-" "Don't make you what? Force me into a carriage? I'd like to see you try. Before you do that though, you might want to consider thinking back to the still unconscious guard and how well that ended for him. Though by all means, feel free to ignore my warnings again, though I can't promise there won't be casualties if you do." He was now clenching his fist enough to bleed. He turned away and went to the princess's carriage, she stepped out shortly after and made her way to me. "I hear you're giving my captain trouble, Cain. May I ask what the problem is?" Celestia asked, displeased with my refusal to cooperate. "He thinks he can order me around, I simply told him he's not worth me wasting my breath. You however, are a different story. Say the word and I'll get in." She didn't say anything for a few moments, she just stared at me, unblinking for that time frame. "You will be riding in my carriage." She said as she turned and walked away. 'Your carriage? Hehehe, that certainly won't make anyone even a little uneasy. Okay then!' I thought to myself. I took my time, hoping someone would start trouble by the time I reached her carriage. I felt EVERYONE'S eyes on me, in the end, I was disappointed when no one did anything. Once inside, Celestia kept looking between me and the swords as if she wanted to say something, but kept silent. A few minutes after take off and nothing changed, slightly annoyed by this, I broke the silence. "You get one question." I told her as I stared out the window. "Pardon?" She asked. "One question, ask." She didn't say anything for a minute, I almost zoned out as a result, but she spoke up just before I did. "What did you mean when you said those swords can only be used by those who they were made to kill?" She asked, I can't say I'm surprised. "Let's answer that question with another question. To those who seek it, it is a blessing, those who have it, it is a curse, what is it?" "I'm...not sure." She responded. "Well let me know when you figure out the answer then, because I'm not going to give you a straight answer on this topic. I'm likely the only one who can wield these, I wouldn't trust anyone with these, especially if I can't kill them with a normal blade." She looked at me as if she was taking note of my choice of words, but said nothing. The trip was silent for a while longer, I'm not sure what to make of this world, though not much can surprise me now. Mythical creatures everywhere, sapient, humanoid animals, now they can defy physics and whatever other laws that state this should be impossible. Let's not forget the self-res immortality, two immortal killing blades, and all the physical changes like the enhanced reflexes. There had better not be any guardian/ headless apes, giant snakes, or God forbid demons. On second thought, the apes were worse than the demon, I never used firecrackers because bosses tend to be immune to crowd control effects and I didn't know headless enemies or demons counted as wraiths. Fucking misleading descriptions. "Do you have any idea why we were in the Everfree?" Celesta asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Me I'm guessing?" I asked in turn. "You were part of it, yes. The other reason was because I sensed not one, but two ascensions. Both times, I believe I saw you in the Astral Plane, but you left before anything could happen." That's definitely worth checking out. "Ascension has only happened three times that I know of in my life with the most recent being my niece, and as rare and amazing such an event is, it's not without it's risks." "Risks?" "If something were to go wrong, there would have been a good chance of a magic overload which at best will fire random spells everywhere until all the magic in the pony is drained. At it's worst, there was a chance for a magic explosion. You can understand my concern when two happened in a very short time in one of the most dangerous forests in Equestria." She continued. "I can...understand the concern then." Probably not a good idea to mention I saw something resembling her when I died, the dying part as well. "While I'm thinking about it, how is that forest, the Everfree I think it was called, why is it considered so dangerous? The only real threat was a manticore and that's because I was in a weakened state." Her eyes shot open with concern. "Before you ask, no, I didn't get stung, actually it didn't even touch me." I lied. "The land tends to itself as does the weather and wildlife, to put it simply, it's untamed." She answered. I think I'll respond to that using Ashina as my "home". "I'll ask about how it being untamed is a problem later." I said quietly to myself. "So basically it's like back home. If you think that forest is bad, try valleys with giant snakes with eyes almost as big as you, apes that somehow learned to dual wield swords effectively, giant man eating carps, or my personal favorite, giant centipedes that make the host damn near impossible to kill, or keep dead anyway, especially when they find themselves in creatures that are already extremely hard, if not impossible to kill." She looked at me horrified as I continued. "Have you ever seen a decapitated anything pick up it's head and scream at you while swinging a sword that's 5X your size? That is bullshit, and that's one of the reasons I have these swords, because I'm tired of dealing with everything I had a hard time killing getting back up." "What sort of place do you come from?" She asked, afraid of the answer. "... I don't have an answer that can accurately describe it so let's put a pin on that. When the fucked up wild life isn't trying to kill you nowadays, it's monks seeking immortality, soldiers, undead/ undying, and a few more I'd rather not think about. The only real safe place was a shrine, and the only person there eventually turned into a demon and had to be put down." "You shouldn't have to worry about such things here." She assured me. "I'll be the judge of that." I said as I thought of what other weapons/ tools I should get. First though, I should probably introduce these idiots to real armor and weapons, I don't care about them, but I can't have them dying without being capable meat shields first.