Judgement.

Turns out the way back was longer than it had any right to be. Longer than the very battle our little Bird Brain returned from.
And far more draining.
Short **** steps carried the Sexy-Knight, so called, through the transparent tube linking the dormitories and the Arena. Her tired gaze lingered on the end of the passage– distant and empty, as if the slaughter never ended in her head.
The time for wielding the gold spear fiercely in the stance of a warrior was over. Instead she cradled it tenderly in her quivering arms, as if carrying it for the actual warrior until the battle begins.
Kind of like a squire.

The contestant up next marched towards her on the way to her own match.
I had seen that massive, overdesigned armor before. She was another member of Goldfish Knight's little clique. I guess that'd make the both of them friends. But the kind of friends, by the looks of it, who'd much rather meet a stranger after that kind of incident than each other.
Not like a walking talking trainwreck could be ignored though. So Bird Brain looked her in the eyes as they approached.
Bird Brain, the overly metallic knight said as they met. I imagine.
Miss Tin Can, Bird Brain answered.
They passed each other without another word, leaving them to their respective fates.

As much as I enjoyed watching the gloomy parade away from Bird Brain's most devastating loss, I didn't stick around until she left the tunnel. I had to get to the dormitories myself, after all. Make sure Goldfish Knight didn’t do anything stupid. Well, more stupid than what he does usually.
I bolted off back to the second floor. That's obviously where he was gonna be. Cause that's where Bird Brain was gonna end up. Sure, he wasn't there to send her off, but quite a few things happened since then in case you haven't noticed. Besides, he'd likely be there to send off Miss Tin Can at the very least.

Yeah, not exactly airtight logic over there. My abdominal muscles were still aching from the last time I ran from the second floor to the stadium post haste. Still, I didn't hesitate a second to run all the way back. Boy, there was a great chance I'd look like a complete idiot when I got there!
I think I'd rather turn out to be a complete idiot in this case though. At least then I'd be a complete idiot who could offer our Bird Brain a hug.

Turns out I was spot on though.
Goldfish Knight waited with arms crossed. The light echoes of shuffling approached from the tunnel. His helmet turned, facing the direction of the sound. The footsteps momentarily died down just short of the entrance, but resumed after a brief respite.
Bird Brain entered the room, the bathrobe which the Tournament officials had offered her hanging off her shoulders like a cloak. His gaze followed her while she wandered through the room. She couldn't even look at him. His golden visage was poison to her eyes. She merely reached the gilded weapon towards him. It reeked of smoke from dust incinerated by its holy light.
"My Lord, the Holy Lance Jaivardhan... Once again with its rightful wielder..." She **** a smile as she faced him.
He snatched it from her hands, aiming it at her as he looked upon her with righteous fury.

"My Lord, I was not aware. I– I would never knowingly disregard your will. Have I not served you fatefully until now? I know you are compassionate, my Lord. And wise. I know you serve but the rightful will of the Graceful Goddess. Will– Will you not give me a chance to repent? So that once again I can be of use to you?"
Goldfish Knight didn't respond. He gripped the shaft tighter, stepping forward.
She looked up hopefully at the Goldfish Knight, "I won't do it again, my Lord. I promise. Y– You know I always gave my everything to be your sword. So let me be the instrument to your divine will yet again. That's all I really want. I know there is so much more I could do for you."
Goldfish Knight remained silent. He raised the Lance over his head.
Her eyes welling up with tears, and her lips quivering, her gaze sunk back towards her feet.
"P–please. Can– Can you not let me walk away? I know I'm not welcome in your retinue anymore, but... You can pretend I never existed. As if I was nothing more than a bad dream. I will never bother you again. I'll disappear from your world. You do not need to do this... Please, don't do this..." She shook her head in desperation, her voice breaking into a shrill whimper.
The Goldfish Knight didn't utter a word. Only intermittent hissing, echoing from within his helmet, growing louder as it reached its crescendo.

Her legs grew limp and she sank to her knees, burying her face in her arms. Her trembling hands clawed at the floor.
The big-not-tall knight guy stepped up, "My Lord, if you will... Consider delaying your retaliation for now. Matters of this significance can benefit from reflection."

Bird Brain's eyes shifted between the Big Knight and the Goldfish, awaiting his response.
He didn't so much as flinch.
He drew his Lance way over his head, staring down at the perpetrator pitilessly.
The dam burst, and tears welled from her eyes. An ear-shattering shriek escaped her as she sobbed into her arms.

The Holy Lance fell upon the unmoving Bird Brain with divine fury.

...
...
...
...

So, I stepped in the way.

His spear stopped short of piercing me, a mouse's eyelash away from my throat.
"Miss Allison... No..." Bird Brain whimpered, as if I'd be able to do anything that could possibly make the situation worse.

Through the visor I found the desire to **** Bird Brain was gone from his eyes, and instead they burned with the desire to **** the world population. I answered that with a contrived smile, and...
Oh, yeah. I had no idea he was gonna stop the Lance. That could've been the end of me.

In response I contrived a smile while staring him right in the eye.
"Go away." He snarled.
"Oh, it's just, I think your little henchman is... Oh, hi by the way." I raised my hand high towards the henchman.
"Uh, hello?" He waved awkwardly back.
"Like I was saying, he's really on to something there. I mean, if you just held on to your pants a few hours, then who knows? Chances are even a hot-head like you will chill the fuck out. Sure, maybe you'll end up wanting her dead either way. But then, would you even remember that you had to wait? If you kill her now, though, nothing is ever gonna bring her back. She'd be gone. For good. Changing your mind? That's easy! Giving back a life that's already been taken? Not so much."
Yeah... I know. Using logic against that raving berserker amounted to little more than throwing peanuts at a dreadnought. I didn't say it for him though. Not really. I said it for... Myself, I guess? Cause it was something that needed to be said.

"And what do you know, Heretic? I have slain hundreds of her ilk before. Not once has the **** of any of them touched me the slightest. Why should her execution be any different?"
...Easy there, Allison. Keep calm.
"That's a good question! Why not ask yourself that from back when you obviously didn't kill her a ba-gillion times?"
"And how, pray tell, has my leniency been rewarded? With a blithe on my legacy that will outlast generations. She betrayed me. Humiliated me. She used my Lance. And then lost. Now, I am left with nothing! Yet the I am expected to pursue peace, when the audacity of this insignificant vermin has costed her not so much as an inconvenience?"

"But she didn't lose!" I blurted out, "I mean, she didn't win the match, I guess. But there are things that are more important than some game!"
He moved the point of the Lance away, stepping into my space, "Do not dare to lecture me about what is important. You have never treated anything like more than a game."
"Sure I have!" I shrugged, "But only if it's not too important to be taken seriously!"
"...You can't be serious."
"Hell no I ain't! That's how you know I mean what I say!" I offered a playful grin.
"Hah!" He shook his head, "You keep outdoing yourself with your absurdities."
"Well, look... I've never understood the big idea about being serious. Like, is that really the boost in performance everyone makes it out to be? The way I see it, if you just do something for fun, treating it like a game, all that matters is how you play the game. Once you start taking things too seriously, and make it about something other than the game... That's when you lose control over how you play!"

His eyes lingered on me for a good few moments, before shifting towards his stout friend.
"Sir Mueller..." He stabbed the gold spear in the floor, "You brought with you the traitor's sword?"
"My Lord... Yes."
"Hand it over."
The big knight reached into his satchel, pulling out a short crossguarded sword in its scabbard. He presented it to the Goldfish, its flat resting between his hands.
I peered back at Bird Brain. She had calmed down, somewhat. Yet her eyes grew numb with dread when eyeing the way her Lord took the sword by its grip, slipping it out of its scabbard. He handed the sheath back to the Big Knight with the care of a practiced ceremony, holding the sword up so as to look the shimmering blade up and down. Then, he positioned the blade orthogonal to himself, pinching the flat of the iron with the golden fingers of his left hand, formed in a dagger shape.

CLINK.
The sword split in half.

Bird Brain flinched, as if slapped. A low exasperated squeal left her slacked open mouth, as if knowing that no utterance could do justice to the despair in her heart, so didn't even try.
Whatever made Bird Brain into Bird Brain slowly drained from her face. Her body froze up, staring blankly at the shards as if she witnessed something impossible.
I never imagined someone could look so defeated as she did at that moment.

Goldfish Knight stacked the broken pieces of the sword, one on top of the other; briefly yet methodically inspecting the integrity of the pile.
He stepped forward. By the time I realized he was gonna walk through me like a mist, I had already reflexively stepped out of the way. He approached Bird Brain, kneeling to her level. He handed the broken blade to its owner, who looked down at them in her hands. Crestfallen.
"Never again will you be a knight." He rose to his feet, "You are hereby dismissed. I suggest you leave this town forthwith. Before I change my mind."
The Big Knight stacked the scabbard on top the heap of scraps.
"I am sorry," He said in a soft voice on the way past her, "One day you will find what you were meant to do all along."

He picked up the Holy Lance, walking off with the Goldfisht Knight the Big Knight in tow, their armors rattling in sync with one another. The Goldfish stopped momentarily, peering over his shoulder at me.
"Nothing will please me more than to shatter your toxic ideology before everyone."
...Wait, wasn't I the one who was supposed to say that?
Well, he went away. Not exactly where I thought that discussion was gonna go, but hey! I was ahead one Bird Brain by the end, so can't really complain.

The Sexy Knight remained motionless staring down at the shards in her hand, as if turned into a doll. She opened her mouth, but no words came. It's safe to say she was passed being broken. Passed despairing. The only thing left in that Bird Brain was bewilderment.
I mean, what was she supposed to do? As far as she was concerned, her last moment should have passed long ago. And yet, there she was. Alive and free.
But free to do what? What kind of life awaited her, when all her dreams have been broken to pieces? If she wasn't gonna be a knight, then who was she?
Suddenly, every road imaginable lay open for her to walk, except the one path she always knew was meant for her. But if she could be mistaken when dedicating all the faith in her heart to that destiny, how could she be ever be sure she was going the right way?
What if she failed to pick the right road? Just like how she failed at being a knight?

"Miss Allison...!" She was on the verge of tears once more.
I turned away from her, getting ready to leave myself.
When I reached the exit, I stopped to speak, "You did amazing in the Arena back there. Just got a bad matchup, is all. Keep up the good work!"