Nova Peak Skeptic

Her surprise was expected. He responded easily. There are very few people on the planet I respect as much as you, and you've earned that respect, he explained. Most of the people in his life that he loved or respected were dead. People that he cared about had a tendency of dying on him, which meant that he had developed something like abandonment issues. So, when he found people he cared about, he stuck by them almost no matter what. Lunaria was another person that he cared about and respected, but she was busy doing her own thing, living her own life.
Taikon was loyal to people like her. For him, he would much rather have seen her as a leader than either Mahler or Wylla. But that just wasn't the way the world was designed.
I'm not obligated, and that's why I will stay, he answered, finally giving her a small, meaningful smile. It'll be fine — don't forget I am also a warrior. The reminder was for both of them. He was so out of practice that he could hardly call himself a fighter, but he didn't mention that. He realized in that moment that it was sort of ironic they had never sparred, and made a mental note to start doing that in case things really did lead to war.