"From oneself, to begin with."

"So you generate soldiers out of your own body?"

"From your own will, rather."

"Do they not need to be fed? Do they not disobey orders? Do they not desert the instant you turn your back on them?"

"Soldiers are not the only people vulnerable to intimidation, persuasion, bribery, or trickery."

"And those last three are also rooted in violence, then?"

"For so long as anyone is willing to kill to oppose you exists. And there will always be someone who does."

"What a sad, small life, then."

She laughs. "For some people, maybe."

She considers Luc' for a few moments.

"Tell me, who in Creation is best at violence, by your measure?"

"The Scarlet Empress, before her disappearance. Right now, that title seems up for grabs. The Bull of the North's making a strong play."

"I would have said 'the Unconquered Sun,' but the Scarlet Empress works as an example, I suppose."

"The Unconquered Sun is cheating."

Small smile.

"Perhaps."

"Literally the embodiment of perfection."

She shrugs, and goes to answer - but then turns, focusing on something in the graveyard. There's a faint moan, just past where it'd be easy to hear.

"I think we're going to have to set this aside," she murmurs, eyes narrowing.

"It seems these ghosts are done waiting," she says, standing. Her hand moves to the handle of her whip.

She stands as well, glancing around. "The ones in the graveyard will be delayed in getting out, but they're agitated by something out here..." She gestures, and a set of armor settles around her, shining gold, illuminating the forest around them. A solid golden disk appears on her forehead.

There's a wavering form on the road behind them, opposite the graveyard, barely illuminated by the armor's glow. It's growing a bit more solid.

Nice to confirm she's a zenith, at least.

Luc' shakes out her whip, waiting for the figure to become fully solid.

The solar manages to summon up a sword, its blade gleaming like a torch, just before the figure materializes and charges them, axe raised.

Luc' stays behind the salt.

Fortunately, the solar's circle of salt is big enough for them both, if they're not jumping around too athletically.

"Watch the graves," the solar says, readying her sword - the ghost's axe materializes just enough to strike past the boundary. The solar parries, strikes back, sword biting deep into the ghost's side - it shrieks -

There's a scraping sound from the graveyard's direction.

Luc' turns.

A fully materialized ghost seems to have realized it can poke salt with a stick, and is scraping at the line of salt barring it from leaving the graveyard. There's at least one more lingering behind it.

That, she can do something about.

Out lashes the whip.