Excerpt: Pedantic Requiem

Excerpt 1 (2nd person POV, told by the book):

Well, hello there! I see you’ve had the fortunate opportunity to pick up this unique book, quite a wise choice if you don’t mind me adding. Now, you may be wondering, who is this person that suddenly popped out of nowhere and started rambling? To put it simply, I am Pedantic Requiem, or should I say, I am the one born from this book. Confused? That’s to be expected. Maybe a bit of background information before I move on is for the best. Now though, before even that, let me ask one more question? What compelled you to pick up this book? There’s no need to answer, simply think it over a little. Meanwhile, I think I’ll pull the clock hand back a couple of years, to the time when my author was still in the midst of pouring his heart out writing this book.

Excerpt 2 (3rd person omniscient):

A small smile played on her lips as she turned her head slightly, just barely enough for him to catch a glimpse of her left eye and so that she could see him peripherally.
“You’re such an idiot,” she laughed softly, in the same voice she had used to comfort him so long ago when they were children and he had always been crying, “I told you didn’t I? I’ll always protect you, no matter what. You don’t have to be strong. You don’t have to be a hero. Forget what everyone else expects. No matter what happens, I’ll always protect you. I don’t care if you find it frustrating. I don’t care if I have to make enemies out of every single person in this world. Even if you hate me for what I’m doing, as long as I can protect you, then it’s alright.”
Her smile turned bitter at her last words and for the first time Siegfried realized exactly how much he had hurt her that time, when he had realized who Sinbad really was and, in retaliation, had so violently pushed Gwendolyn away.
“Gwendolyn…” he could find no other words as he forced his tired legs to stand, driving his sword into the ground and using it for support, “Stop it…Gwendolyn…”
Gwendolyn didn’t move, simply continued to stand there, her arms outstretched in a protective gesture as the black shadow fell once again, slashing across her shoulder. His eyes widened as her red blood splattered across the crystal floor, contrasting sharply. She hadn’t even moved to protect herself. Her eyes were expectant, as if she was waiting for his reply before she would move. His voice, just a moment ago faltering and lost, strengthened as worry and anger overflowed within him.
“Stop it, Gwendolyn!” he shouted, his frustration mounting as he realized he could do nothing, trapped as he was behind her barrier, “That’s enough Gwendolyn! I understand! But it’s not your place to interfere! This is my fate! I’ll be the one to fight it!”
Gwendolyn’s smile widened, this time into her signature confident, cocky smile. She turned away from him as the shadow-like whip fell again, this time raising her silver spear to meet it head on. The Rhinestone tip cut smoothly through the black whip, a sickening squishing sound like cutting flesh accompanying it. The black tentacle immediately retreated as the Warsfeil let out a screech.
“Fate?” she scoffed. With a deft motion, she swung her spear downwards, the black blood flinging off of it. The Warsfeil had backed away several feet, screeching sickeningly as it found its tentacle suddenly severed.
Gwendolyn turned to Siegfried fully, staring at him hard, almost as if she was trying to see through to his inner thoughts.
“You think just because it’s fate I won’t fight against it?” her voice rang out, confidently and scorn-filled, “Like I said, you’re an idiot.”
Siegfried didn’t answer, meeting her gaze head on, as uncomfortable as it was. He took a step forward and pressed his palm to her barrier, closing his eyes. The screeching of the beast grew distant as he concentrated solely on the barrier, trying to feel the wavelength that kept the magic weaved together.
“Are you trying to break my barrier?”
He heard Gwendolyn’s voice clearly though, even though the cries of the Warsfeil had all but disappeared. It had softened now, the contempt disappearing. He knew her better than anyone else. She was incurably cruel, harsh in the worst sense and never allowed others to delude themselves for even a moment. But it was because she was an awkward person who couldn’t express her care in any other way. Her wavelength was the same. It was grating and thick, as if thorns grew out of it. Yet it was completely orderly, each piece carefully overlapping the other and, underneath it all, he could feel a silent, soft strength radiating.
“I’ve always been stronger than you.”
Her voice came again, this time with a slightly playful, nostalgic tone to it. He felt his own wavelength falling in line with hers and opened his eyes to find that the silver haired girl has walked up until she was right in front of him, a wry smile playing on her lips. It was odd; her eyes only reached his shoulder yet he felt as if she was the one who was looking downwards, her gaze heavy.
“Well Siegfried, I never did get an answer last time,” she whispered, still smiling wryly, “What are you going to do? Who are you wielding that sword for? Yourself? The world?”
Although her voice was barely audible, he heard every word ring clearly in his mind, as if she had shouted them. His right hand tightened around Ragnarok’s hilt. He felt a small smile grow on his own lips as his own wavelength finally mirrored Gwendolyn’s perfectly.
“If I have power, then I’ll use it to protect everything dear to me,” he replied as, at same moment, white shards suddenly burst forth, Gwendolyn’s barrier shattering.