CHAPTER 3: Blood in the Water
Raven turned suddenly, pulling Tried and True from his side to shove it in the boy's face.
"I'm an old drug using chain smoking drunkard with a habit for fighting, I don't think there's a part of me that hasn't been broken or damaged in the last near century. This firearm in my hand is an antique, fit in most minds only for a museum. The monk on one side of me threw a rock into a wall, jumped on nothing but air, and dug it back out with his bare hands. The knight has a kickass magic sword and the skill to use it, while my brother Tex over there has four guns he can shoot at once. If I pull the trigger, I could be shot multiple times, my neck snapped so quickly I don't even feel it, or have a blade driven completely through me.
"I the biggest weapon, I'm old and have been hurt many times in the past, and there's fighters who are far more skilled than myself. According to you, that's all that matters; I'll even admit there's no way I'd make it off this bridge after decorating it with your gray matter, but you'd still be dead.
"Open your eyes and look for yourself, you arrogant little bastard. Does it look like we hurt it, or even slowed it down? Do you think it just goes, 'oh, I'm damaged and there's nothing I can do about it?' If we can repair our ship, they can do the same. If we can make a deadlier weapon, guess what?
"Right now, there's a little girl on her knees of her former home. One hand is clutching a filthy teddy bear to her chest while the other shakes the cold shoulder of her mother, the words 'Mommy, mommy, wake up mommy!' said pointlessly over and over. Do you think she believes we've done a thing to the Vivo? And, if you do, you're even more stupid than I gave you credit for."