[He took the staff in the hand that did not already hold his own, steadier but hesitant. Too vividly he remembered coming within inches of smashing the Hexcore, how its compulsion had stayed his hand and how it had lashed out at him in retribution. Like a living creature, capable of being vindictive. Capable of too much, were it just given the vessel it had so often whispered to, twisting and corrupting it into the monster that had worn smooth expressionless metal and the split mockery of humanity.]
[...If he'd just had the strength to destroy it back then, none of this would ever have happened. Though this lacked the present and active threat he had faced down then, it was still a reminder of the power of a god and the will of a devil. He had to be rid of it, Viktor had to destroy the Herald if he was ever going to actually help a world rather than ruin it.]
[Violet light flickered from within him like sparks between wires as his grip on the staff tightened, arm brought down with all the strength he had in a thin body of steel.]
no subject
[He took the staff in the hand that did not already hold his own, steadier but hesitant. Too vividly he remembered coming within inches of smashing the Hexcore, how its compulsion had stayed his hand and how it had lashed out at him in retribution. Like a living creature, capable of being vindictive. Capable of too much, were it just given the vessel it had so often whispered to, twisting and corrupting it into the monster that had worn smooth expressionless metal and the split mockery of humanity.]
[...If he'd just had the strength to destroy it back then, none of this would ever have happened. Though this lacked the present and active threat he had faced down then, it was still a reminder of the power of a god and the will of a devil. He had to be rid of it, Viktor had to destroy the Herald if he was ever going to actually help a world rather than ruin it.]
[Violet light flickered from within him like sparks between wires as his grip on the staff tightened, arm brought down with all the strength he had in a thin body of steel.]