|
Some scientists say that the difference between humans and animal is control. Animals act on instinct, on feelings, and spiring into action whenever enough of this stimulation is achieved. On the other hand, humans have impulse control. They are capable of tremendous amounts of discipline and training, able to control their emotions and to use these feelings for a better, if not later, method. The road to self-discipline however is not an easy road, for it is very easy to get swept up in the tide of raging emotions and to use these emotions as a driving force. This would often leave little time to think and to rationalize, as such it sometimes closes the door on a better plan of action. To succeed in a world of uncertainty, where one is sometimes just a breeze in the midst of a storm, discipline and planning can become the wind that silences it.
Likewise is the Chariot. To maneuver a grand vessel pulled by two large horses requires great discipline and knowledge, and only then can the chariot become a vehicle of success.
The Chariot is a weapon of war from ages past. Countless civilizations have used one form or another to bring victory to their armies and their nations in great battles, but it is not something a novice can handle. A chariot is a massive device by the standards of those ages, made of many strong metals and thus difficult to maneuver, and then pulled by two large horses who must be controlled simultaneously in order to be effective. As it's name suggests, the Chariot is the symbol of self-control and discipline.
The young Fool knows that as the days and the distance progress, he will encounter enemies who are far more experienced and far better trained than he is. Likewise he will also find himself in battles he cannot win, where discretion is obviously the better part of valor. These are the moments where his training and discipline will allow him to win the battles he can win, and avoid the battles he cannot.
And so it is on this ship crossing the sea that he meets his "old friend". By disguising themselves and coming on board they go after the white-haired swordsman who has supposedly crossed the sea. In some twist of fate they find the swordsman also on board, bringing with him the remnants of a powerful entity that could spell destruction for their world. In the engine room they meet again, but the swordsman claims not to know him. Our hero goes for his sword to fight him, but somehow backs down after remembering that event on that days five years ago, he was no match. Instead the swordsman leaves behind a relic of the creature to fight them: the creature's name is Jenova.
As the war continues, the battles only get bloodier and bloodier. Our hero slowly gets to see the true nature of war he was unable to see in the Unicorn Brigade. He sees the cruelty of man slaughtering fellow man, but he realizes that it is an unavoidable sin of war. He sees the chaos and the terror sowed by the opposing kingdom. He knows that without training and discipline he himself could fall in the middle of a battle, and his fall would also signal the fall of his army. He is the leader and the symbol of their freedom. If he is not careful and prepared, he may die before everything is over, and with his own death is the death of everyone. This fact lies on his shoulders, something he takes to mind as he seeks to improve himself.
The hero begins to realize that battles and difficulties are not always solved by a mere swing of the sword. He must learn that battles can be won even by a sheathed blade or a sharp word. The ideas of tactics and training must be taken seriously as not all opposition falls by the same methods. He needs to learn that his problems cannot always be solved through impulse and rapid decision-making. Sometimes a retreat to reanalyze the situation is better, sometimes even an all-out retreat. Some people might be better of as enemies, and sometimes as friends. The wisdom he has gained from such people as the Priestess and the Hierophant will take center stage from here, as he will use them to become a person not only of a sound sword arm but also of a sound mind.
When he has learned to tame the Chariot, even greater possibilities will open before him.
|
RSS feed
iTunes