
Artist's commentary
Ship-Killer
I nock an arrow to my bow and loose it. Its arrowhead easily bores through its target's body. Broadly speaking, human bodies are little more than bags of meat and water. At high speeds, anything sharp can penetrate and, most likely, cause them to cease functioning.
So then, what if... What if a monster, like myself, were to fire upon people? My arrow gouges out five, ten bodies at a time, and destroys castle gates as though they were made of paper.
So then, what about a ship? ...See for yourself. My arrow tore it apart, dooming its passengers to drown.
While I should perhaps be elated over this accomplishment, my heart also cannot help but ache a bit. Dying to an arrow may be glorious, but dying because your ship was destroyed, without even setting foot on a battlefield, must be anything but.
The arrow I fired was not one of mercy. Far from it. So please, Master, I implore you to remember this. We may find honor in battle and death, and are thus unafraid to face them. But what is rarely discussed is how countless people have met cruel...far too cruel ends like these.
No, as ridiculous as it may sound coming from a machine built for battle like myself...there is nothing good about war.