Valentine and The Dragon

Part 4: Loyalty and Comradery

Ivy: "So, you wielded other weapons and magics before you sported a gunblade? How interesting, let alone the mention of such power as a... what did you call it?"

Sarko: "Dark Knight."

Ivy: "Fascinating."

  Our heroes march through the deep snow-blanketed hills and pathways of Coerthas towards their destination, a city on the horizon with majesty unlike any other around it. The howling winds that chilled any to their bones of the mountains were at peace, for the time being, leaving the duo to travel unperturbed by such elements. Though their journey would take them a significant amount of time on their feet, long marches in the harsh realities of life were nothing compared to their indomitable will. Flora and fauna of all came to greet them, some naturally passive in their respective ways, others had to be dispatched with haste lest they risk a wound or a bite. But that would be little to nothing compared to what both would face before they could approach the towering gates of Ishgard.

???: "You've come again 'Roaring Shadow'... seeking more vengeance after all that you have done?"

  The pair stop dead in their tracks upon the loose stone slabs of the walkway just before the dirt and snow. Sarko outstretches his arm to his right on instinct with a look of pure focus and determination, giving Ivy reason enough to stand there, confidently, and conceal her living weapon. Chilling winds breeze through the area as a trio of dark-robed men and a woman leap down from their respective positions that were barely noticeable, landing without even a thump or gust of wind from their landing.

???: "You knew sooner or later that your actions would catch up to you, and your defiance of the elders surely has forced our hands."

Ivy: "Friends of yours dear?"

Sarko: "Former..."

  The lead male slowly marches forwards with his escorts trailing not far behind, each unsheathing a blade or two as their masks made it impossible to decern any facial features. With his free arm, our Midlander reaches over his shoulder and grasps the hilt of his weapon, unsheathing it just as slowly whilst his feminine comrade lowered his arm from her chest and threw back the coat for a moment, taking out her own blade. The obscured leader chuckles and twirls his tonfa with ease, stopping at a reasonable distance for a stand-off between them.

???: "So, not only did you tap into teachings that are not your own, not only do you wield a gunblade but now... oh ho ho, now you have a partner..."

Sarko: "Stand aside... there is no need for this to get bloody."

???: "Is that so? Then lay down your arms and kneel, only then will I be open to your pleas."

Ivy: "Oh come now Master Donoga, let's teach these ignorant and blood-thirsty cretins how to behave.~"

  As the air became thick with tension as fog, each individual simply stood ready, almost as if a tumbleweed was to roll through and initiate the bout. However, with a drop of water from a partially melted the battle began. The Ninjas lunged forwards at their prey, hoping for a relatively easy kill but doing so only sealed their fate as the leader found a boot smashing into his midsection and sending him flying back from whence he came before Sarko partially cartwheeled and locked blades with one of the lackeys who wielded a katana, his face of determination had shifted to rage. Meanwhile, the feminine assailant decided to be lady-like and engage our beloved Ivy which Valentine simply found hilarious, cackling as she effortlessly avoided the hard swings of daggers before her snake sword lunged out and found flesh, the chest of her attacker. Her cloth mask and black attire were slowly being stained red before Ivy leaped over her with the blade still within her opponent, yanking hard on it as it ripped through her top half before she finally wrapped it around her armored arm and thrashed the corpse into two halves of gore on the stone. Valentine flourished her blade a bit and whipped the blood from it as she watched her companion constantly bash his blade against the blade of his own attacker, until he twirled, laying the blade sideways on his forearm and smirking as the barrel erupted with a massive plume of blue and purple, blasting the attacker to flaming bits as he returned to a relaxed position. As the dust slowly settled, Ivy strode over to her companion, giving a low chuckle and a smirk of her own, stroking his chin before both approached the coughing leader on his back.

???: "S-Such power... h-how is this... p-possible..."

  The morning sun shined upon his black attire and even graced his eyes as the silhouettes of those who he was ordered to kill holstered their weapons but little did he understand, this was no act of mercy, instead, this was an act of intimidation and power as the young warrior gestured for his feminine accomplice to step away for but a moment.

Sarko: "Jin...Chi..."

???: "N-NO!"

  The panic was quickly silenced as lightning from the heavens barreled down and struck the poor man with authority, turning him into nothing more than a crisp corpse with static energy flowing from his remains. Meanwhile, the young man lowered his hands, only raising said hands to rustle his hair and wipe a bit of blood from his face. The woman who accompanied this staggeringly powerful warrior had retrieved her coat, returning to his side with genuine awe and yet again, more curiosity than anything but there was little time for such things as both raised their heads to notice a hefty sum of soldiers fashioned with chainmail and spears. One of the chief guards by the looks of him approached directly without a peep of his lips just a slow nod and a salute of his arms to the man across from him which Sarko returned in kind. 

Ishgardian Guard Captain: "Aymeric and Lucia await ser, safe travels, we shall tend to security and this mess."

Sarko: "My thanks. Let's go, Ivy."

  Both walked past this overwhelming force of guardsmen with relative comfort and reassurance that nothing would happen, but as they passed into the gates, gawking at the city before them, it felt as if something was more than destined to go awry.