Strange Vulcans! (Part One) with Yukine and Zenneth

Spoiler:

Alexander had returned to this forest of nightmares again, the first time Alexander had to face his guilt and inner fears. The pain and suffering of survivor’s guilt as the ghosts of the children laughed and sang nursery rhymes. It was back then, but this was now the present. Now her had returned to this forest and waited at the entrance for Yukine to arrive. This was going to be the first job with him and he made a decent impression on him. There were not many people that would show off their drinking capabilities upon joining. Alexander sat on a rock and waited for Yukine to come by, this was going to be his day to show off.

Upon meeting Yukine, however he did it, Alexander would stand up and debrief the member. He offered him a bottled water as he said, “Glad to have you join me. Here is the drift, we have several Vulcans that have been stealing food. We are going hunting and reduce the Vulcan population so that nobody gets hurt. You are new at this, so we are now going to make you experienced. We will start your first step in making you into a bada**.  My only rule is that if you need help, then don’t be afraid to ask it. I’d rather we make fun out of each other in glasses of vodka than having to bury a fellow team member.” Alexander chuckled slightly as he waited for the man’s response, this was a mission all right and needed to be taken seriously. No point in not having a little fun too to go with it.

Yukine found himself at the Spooky Forest for the second time, recalling those scary moments when he had to face three monsters, and aid a stabbed guild mate. It was the first time he could remember tearing up during a battle, and showed sympathy during a fight. Overall, it was a dreadful experience to endure. Albeit, he had to move on now, and focus only on the present. He was prepared to use Yato to the utmost extent in order to slay these Vulcans, and show that he is not one to screw around with.

Upon meeting Alexander, only seriousness and anger were revealed on his face; none towards Zenneth, however. On the contrary, this man was responsible for starting a long-lasting challenge that Yukine wanted to overcome, and that was to be one of the best guild members out there. He showed no fear in wanting to defeat these beasts while Alexander spoke to him; no hesitation or concern written on his face. "Becoming a bad*** no longer means anything to me." Yukine stated, "The only thing I wish to prove is that I should be honoured in a guild, and not just treated as an average, D-Rank-no- an average Mage, in general!" Upon putting some enthusiasm in his voice, a grin appeared on Yukine's face. "Today, we don't come here to amuse ourselves..." Yukine commented, "Today, we are here for success." With this being said, Yukine examined the safe zone he and Alexander currently settled in, ensuring there were no potential hazards.

Alexander chuckled at Yukine eagerness, such a thing would be killed when experience set in. One learns that patience and proper attitude would set things right. Still the boy’s ambition was there, he could not deny that in the least. He would not be some noob for long with that can do attitude. He spoke up as he drank his bottle of water, “Good I like that can do attitude, but never take a job too seriously. We may be the guild of heroes, but that does not make us the guild of stupid. I was a D-rank as well Sparky, we all had to start somewhere.”

Alexander set the bottle down and threw it in his bag for disposal later. Priscilla would kill him if he was busted littering in a forest. Alexander stayed frosty as he took point, but decided to maintain a conversation. Alexander said, “So why do you want to be stronger? You don’t decide to become as such just because you felt like it. You have a goal in mind.” Alexander was talking from experience, for his was a very personal one. Alexander kept his eyes and ears at ready for any sign of dangers that would be coming for them. Alexander had a plan, but wanted to see Kichiro’s actions.

"I want to become stronger to protect those most important to me: my guild, my family, and my friends." Yukine remarked, "There are other reasons, but they are quite personal." Yukine took into account the other information Alexander spilled. He would remember what he said, and live by the code he addressed when it most counts. Until then, Yukine continued to stand in the safe zone, still prepared to fight, if not kill. "In the last job I completed, a guild member was hurt." Yukine mentioned, "I killed him immediately, though a bandit stabbed Viola. He wasn't even profiled in the mission, though he was still there. He taught me a lesson: Only complete missions with your best effort." Tears dropped down Yukine's face as this topic was brought up. He remembered thinking Viola was gonna die in that mission, but thankfully, she was okay.

Several minutes passed, and soon after Yukine made his speech, the Vulcans began to move around the safe area Zenneth and Yukine stood in. There were ten of them, and they all looked hungry...for anything. He had never seen such fearsome creatures before. Even the Vulcans he defeated in his last mission were wimps compared to these ferocious monsters. "Ready?" Yukine asked in an emotionless tone, "Let's defeat these pests. Kill them all." With this being said, Yukine awaited being noticed by the Vulcans, more than prepared to show them true suffering. He would never be the same again from his previous mission, and so on.

Here they are

The member 'Kichiro Yukine' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

Alexander answered Yukine, “And why would more power protect them? Are you planning to accumulate more power that it puts those you protect in danger? Also there will come a time when you will fail to protect those that you care. Disease, accidents and other causes do happen as well. What then? Will you then try to resurrect those that have fallen at the cost of others? Many people have had same altruistic goals that lead them into darkness. It comes from experience, you are still young and see the world in black and white Tsukine. I see the world in shades of grey for there is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.”

Alexander immediately started running towards the closest Vulcan possible, igniting his entire body into white flame as he charged the stampede. The flames were beautiful, if not judging. He immediately impacted a Vulcan into a tree and suffered major bruising in his shoulder. His artifact held up though and the damage was minimal. Alexander was now the focus of the vulcas as they surrounded and taunted Alexander. They really did not want to do that, but Alexander responded in kind by slamming his fist into the ground and throwing all the Vulcans onto their backs. There was screams of pain and burns, but he set them up for Yukine to kill. However he also set small brush fires that needed his attention, no pint in burning his partner after all.

"I'll find a resolve, then." Yukine replied suddenly after he noticed Alexander single-handedly punishing the ten Vulcans. "Power alone cannot break walls, though if there is a certain power that can break through walls, it is..." Yukine planned to finish his statement after finishing off these Vulcans. First, he utilized the power of Yato. "You who would desecrate this land of the rising sun, with the advent, I, Kichiro Yukine, lay waste with the Sekki, and expel thy vast defilement!" The sword appeared in Yukine's grasp as he took it forward. He brushed his index and middle finger across the side of the blade before making his first tactic, which allowed him to unravel the true effects of Yato. Yukine's speed immediately boosted drastically as he performed a side flip across the fallen Vulcans. While doing so, Yukine had himself rotating in circles with Yato pointed straight out towards the opposition. As a result, a huge cut was now seen, ripped through major organs in the Vulcans' bodies. To ensure himself safety afterwards, Yukine swiftly bounced back to his original position. "The power of feelings..." Yukine finished his statement, "I live to satisfy, and will not allow the image of defeat get in my way."

Yukine watched from a distance as he wished to determine whether the Vulcans would still manage to get up. As he noticed so far, the weakest monster was dead, while the others were sliced in vital areas, also being incinerated by the flames Alexander once expelled- this was Yukine's plan. Could one still stand up, however? This was the ultimate question. Yukine looked over to Alexander. He seemed like a completely different guy in comparison to that man who shoved alcohol down the Sekki host's throat. Was this his true self? Yukine was rather intimidated by the performance he saw before his own, though he chose not to comment on it. He wondered what rank this man was, and where he originated from. The other question was about Yukine, himself. Since when did he develop such emotion and motivation to kill monsters like this with ease? Yukine definitely did not look like the type of guy to slay monsters, though he did it. He could tell his bond grew with Yato as his performance improved drastically. He wondered what Alexander thought about his demonstration.

Alexander callously watched as the Vulcans were taken out by Kichiro, there was no hate in his eyes. There was just a tinge of sadness in his eyes, but not cause of anything said. Words meant nothing to Alexander, only actions. So while he was impressed for Kichiros resolve and combat potential, he felt sadness for the loss of life that were given. Was this all Alexander could aspire to be? To be solely a being of holy destruction? He said, “I take no joy of taking another beings life, only if it is deemed absolutely necessary does it ever happen.” Alexander grabbed hold of the fire and gave the dead Vulcans a cremation, it was the least he could do.

Alexander spoke up as he watched the creature’s burn, “Don’t be too quick in trying to go for an undefeated image. Only through defeat and the humiliation of such does one get stronger. However if one thing was to determine a person’s strength, it would be ambition and conviction. Ambition to aspire to achieve a goal and the conviction to go through with it.” Alexander then chuckled slightly as the flames died out and there was only ashes left. Despite being enemies, this was the least honor that they deserved.

Yukine frowned as he witnessed the sadness on Alexander's face. Why would he get into such a state when these Vulcans had non-verbally threatened him for his life. It made no sense to Yukine until he heard Alexander speak. He smiled weakly, however, when he saw his upperclassman impressed with him. Was Yukine really this good now? Of course he expected to lose sometime, but hopefully without the cost of death. "I knew you had a caring side." Yukine commented. He was proud Zenneth wasn't just a person addicted to victory. Albeit, if Yukine could be disappointed in him for something, it was the fake initiation Alexander gave him in the guild.

To his surprise, Yukine laughed softly as Alexander mentioned being undefeated. "You shouldn't be humiliated by defeat." Yukine replied, "I have lost to someone before, and honestly, I was scared afterwards. I wanted to be alone after that moment, and hyperventilated in my room. However, then I learned that fear tells you your weakness, and so, after realizing this weakness, I became stronger. There are definitely more weaknesses for me to see in myself, but until then, I'll just aim for the best." After he said this, Yukine continued to investigate the scenery ahead. He was concerned about future traps that may lie ahead, and so he wished to get Alexander's attention. "Come on. I think I see something ahead." Yukine advised.

Alexander was silent for a bit longer as he paid the creatures for just a bit longer. Death was always following everywhere he went, fire consumed everything in its path equally. He watched as the ashes dispersed in wind and turned around to face Yukine. There was conviction in his eyes, but a more naïve notion of how the world worked. It would harden him soon enough, but for now there was still Vulcans that needed killing. Alexander was going to kill a bit more than the job required to maintain population control. That way human would not get hurt, because they were what really mattered. Wasn’t all life precious however?

He continued down the forest in search of more prey to hunt, but it has gotten too quiet. Maybe they scared them off, they did do a lot of magic. Alexander said, “Meh, fear itself is a weakness. Everyone has them though, it’s only natural. However true warriors face the fear with the conviction they wield. Fear is the true test of courage.” Alexander chuckled, if only he knew that one of his bigger fears was rabbits. The Vulcans in the next clearing were not so scary though.

The member 'Zenneth' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

"Anyone can overcome a weakness." Yukine explained, "That's what I tend to live for, anyway." Yukine grinned in accordance to yet another comment before he noticed yet another set of monsters appear. This time, there were only three of them that had been present, meaning the odds of Yukine's victory were even greater than before. He taunted the wild beasts before he utilized the potential of the trees around him. Yukine used the trees as trampolines, and bounced off one of them. As he descended, Yukine slashed through the neck of a Vulcan, then rotated from its backside to rip through the entirety of its throat. After this, Yukine teased yet another beast before having it slam its hand against the dead Vulcan. It obviously hoped to kill Yukine, though with his enhanced speed, Yukine evaded the assault, then manipulated the impact to send himself airborne. He quickly landed on the top of the second Vulcan's head, and penetrated its skull. Immediately after he performed this move, Yukine jumped off of the head of the Vulcan, and sliced through the center of the final monster. Yukine swiftly dodged the trembling of the dead beasts before he looked back at Alexander.

"Thanks to your assistance, I have been influenced to become a lot stronger." Yukine commented. He was truly proud to be a Mage during this time, and felt the potential build inside him. Eventually, Yukine would work towards becoming Fiore's number one ReQuip Mage, and he wouldn't let anything get in his way. Sabertooth would be the home of his training, and his comrades would be the inspirations of his power. Yukine smiled brightly as, in total, thirteen beasts were defeated. They had committed overkill, though it was for the sake of humankind, which was always an exception. Additionally, the two had completed the mission, meaning Yukine was one step closer to becoming a C-Rank Mage. "I can't wait" He muttered.

Alexander watched as the Vulcans were killed, all that Alexander saw was the pain and carnage of war, of his time in hell. There was no love or hate, just indifference. What was wrong with him? Alexander was more caring and compassionate than this. There was something wrong with him, watching Yukine kill was giving Alexander… peace. He was still disgusted, but otherwise there was a small amount of calm that came from the silence death brought. The screams were still painful to hear as ever though and thus would cause him not to be a murderer, but how far until that barrier was broken?

Still though Alexander put up a fake smile for Yukine and patted him in the back. There was hope for this boy yet! Alexander said, “Let us go back to the guild and brag about your victory over bottles of vodka then. I expect you to soon take the Avatar of Conviction at this rate.” Alexander was speaking truthfully, because he was leaving Sabertooth soon. One that would probably take other people with him, but Indar was family. And the Radiant Dawn stuck with one another until the end. It would be sad to leave Sabertooth however,  but the guild would be in good hands with people like Yukine.

Yukine smiled as he saw the smile Alexander had to offer. He felt a storm growth of power rise inside him. The moment was beautiful. Yukine loved the sensation of victory, and would not tolerate otherwise. Yukine believed victory gave him great fortune, which ultimately made him strive to win. However, no victory had influenced Yukine like this before. He was becoming a true Mage of Fiore. Even the four Regalia that currently existed in his body felt the sudden flow of magic. Every time Yukine had fought one of these Vulcans, it was like he was becoming less human, and more magical. This fact didn't bother him in the least. This was all before Alexander spoke to Yukine again.

"Vodka, it is!" Yukine cheered, "However, this time, don't shove the drink down my throat. It had effects on me I'd rather not mention." Yukine laughed as he recalled his first day in the guild. He had never experienced such a great moment in his life, though he was plastered in the end. He then overheard Alexander talk about what seemed to be a lineage. "An Avatar of Conviction, huh?" Yukine questioned with a grin, "Only time will tell what I become. As for fate, well, I suppose I'll make my own." The greatness Yukine was now embracing was immeasurable. He sensed endless amounts of potential within him, and was more than eager to see what this sort of potential could lead him to. Yukine had yet to know what the plans of his fellow guildmates were, though at this rate, he wondered if he should even care. Sabertooth seemed like an awesome guild, anyway, and was Yukine ever so proud to serve under such a name.

Alexander laughed at the boy’s enthusiasm and wanting to drink vodka. He chuckled a bit under his breath and continued to walk home. He was impressed with guy’s magic and the enthusiasm of the boy. There would be hope for Sabertooth and hope for the legal guilds in general. This put a slight smile on his face as he passed the bottle of Vodka to Yukine and said, “You earned it, after this I believe you will get your C-rank exam. I wish you luck on it. “Alexander grabbed his own bottle of whiskey and started drinking. Not like Alexander could get drunk from this, but he liked the taste of the hard alchohol.

He walked down the road and out of the forest with bottle in his hand. Alexander paused to watch the sunset and took another sip. He then gave the last piece of advice to to Yukine, “Just remember, even in the darkest nights will come the Radiant Dawn. You must only seek out to look for it." Alexander then clinked the bottle with Yukine and said, “To Sabertooth and to you becoming the best requipper the world has ever seen.” He then took a huge swig and continued home. There was a new Dawn that would rise in Sabertooth… too bad he was not going to be there to see it.

Yukine smiled brighter than ever before after he heard the words that escaped from Alexander's lips. To believe that, out of everyone in the guild, it'd be the one who shoved vodka down his who gave Yukine the best words he could hear: Fiore's Number One ReQuip Mage. "That's right!" Yukine confirmed, "And to you, all the best as well. I hope to see that fire of yours ignite beyond belief." Yukine was very excited to see that he was in the midst of becoming a C-Rank Mage. Oh, how that flow of power continued to rush through Yukine's adrenaline system. Yukine had never felt happier. "We did it, guys!" Yukine announced to his Regalia. Yukine couldn't thank them enough for their assistance in his battles. In fact, had he not possessed these spirits, those Vulcans would've had him dead in a flash.

Yukine was no longer some small boy with golden hair. If anything, that golden hair represented his endless amount of potential, and everlasting power. It was astonishingg to see a fully grown man appear (figuratively) from the inside of a youthful adult. Yukine could now picture himself in the ultimate stadium, prepared to fight the greatest of rivals. Who knows? Maybe Zenneth would be one of the many to appear before Yukine's face in the long run. Albeit, as he said before, only time would tell where success would lead Yukine; where his wins would guide him, and what flaws losing would show him. Yukine roared with excitement and took a sip of his vodka. "Time to tell the guild about our great adventures, Alexander!" Yukine declared. The dawn of a new beginning had officially began, and the heir to a new Yukine would follow along with it.