Eizen & Rokurou[]
| “ | Family, friends... everything I have ever tried to hold onto... all of it trickled away, fell from my grasp. But a certain idiot once told me, 'If you can't hold something in your hand, then make a fist and take it by force!'
— Eizen
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” |
Eizen, whose true name is Ufemew Wexub, was "born" on a mountain, materializing from the Earthpulse as most Malaks do. He lived there, and eventually encountered another Malak materialized from the same place. He named her Edna, and the pair decided to become siblings. After some time, he realized his Domain was attracting misfortune, and left his sister behind to protect her. He joined up with the legendary pirate Van Aifread, and went on many a misadventure with the him and the crew of the Van Eltia, who took his curse in stride.
Years later, Aifread was captured by The Abbey. In a bid to free him from their clutches, Eizen takes command of the pirate crew, planning to demolish the fortress of Vortigern to regain sea passage to Midgand. There, he comes across Velvet Crowe and her group, and enlists their assistance. Velvet and her band take Eizen in as well, not only taking his curse in stride but using it to grow stronger. Eizen uses them to gain information on Aifread, eventually coming to trust and care for the rest of Magilou's Menagerie in full.
After Velvet kills her target, Eizen returns to the Van Eltia, continuing to travel with Aifread's crew despite Aifread's death and the crew losing the ability to see him. 800 years later, he ends up in conflict with a Lord of Calamity, with disastrous results. One of the only members of the fight left standing, Eizen allows himself to be corrupted by malevolence, turning into a dragon. He immediately eats the Lord of Calamity, saving the world from disaster at the cost of his sanity.
Two hundred years later, the idiot Sorey would slay Eizen's dragon form, with the help of Edna and Eizen's old friend, Zavied, who had promised to kill him if he became a dragon.
Eizen fights with his fists, using a self-taught brawling style. He infuses his fists with mana rather than using any normal weapon, due to his Reaper's Curse. He additionally utilizes Malak Artes, basically magic spells, to attack at longer range, and his Break Souls allow him to float for a brief period of time. His Malak Artes primarily utilize Wind and Earth elements. His mana is channeled through a bracelet on his wrists.
His Break Souls hit his enemies while they're down, and as such the initial strike only usable on enemies who have been stunned or knocked down. His Break Souls are used as combo extenders, and cost one Soul each to do. He starts with three Souls, and can have a maximum of five. He can regain Souls by stunning or inflicting status ailments on his foes, or utilizing Plundering Ghost and hoping it works.
See here for a full list of his Artes, including his Mystic Artes which have their own tab
| “ | I'll forge my friend into a sword to kill my own brother. I'm a jerk.
— Rokurou Rangetsu
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” |
Rokurou Rangetsu is the youngest and only living brother of Shigure Rangetsu. He has a massive inferiority complex towards his older brother, which caused him to lie that Shigure was planning to overthrow the clan and get him exiled or killed. After Shigure defeats Rokurou and humiliates him by breaking his copy of Stormhowl, Rokurou is consumed by his jealousy and rage and turns into a Yaksha, or a War Demon.
He follows Shigure to the Midgand Empire, where he is captured by the Exorcists and thrown into Titania, an island prison. After a few years there, he meets Velvet Crowe while the latter is staging a breakout. She tells him where the prisoner effects room is, and he pledges his service to her in exchange for helping him retrieve his broken Stormhowl copy.
He remains one of Velvet's most steadfast allies, and he travels with her and Magilou's Menagerie to fight Shigure and put a stop to Artorius Collbrande's schemes. He succeeds on both counts, aided by the demonic swordsmith Kurogane who forges himself into a pair of shortswords and the Kurogane Stormquell. He goes on to hunt down Demons on his own, and dual-wields the Kurogane Stormquell and Stormhowl. He teaches bits of the Rangetsu Style to travellers, and parts of it were eventually taken up by Rose, a companion to Sorey.
Sometime in the thousand years between the end of Berseria and the start of Zesteria, Rokurou would fall in combat to an unknown opponent.
Rokurou uses a pair of daggers in combat, utilizing the dual-blade variant of the Rangetsu Style. His Martial Artes consists of various slashes and stabs, which also tend to include movement frames to maneuver around attacks and around the battlefield. He additionally utilizes Hidden Artes, which conjure elemental effects from bursts of fire to lightning to mines of Earth energy.
Rokurou's Break Soul is unique in that he enters a counter stance. He parries an incoming attack and retaliates, taking no damage and extending his combo at the cost of one Soul. As he teleports behind the enemy (nothing personnel) to execute this strike, it will always hit. His retaliatory strike changes if he's used his break soul more than once without taking damage, and this can be extended into a third strike with the Kurogane Stormquell that costs an additional Soul. Rokurou starts with three Souls, and can gain more up to a maximum of five by stunning or inflicting status ailments on his foes.
See here for a full list of his Artes, including his Mystic Artes which have their own tab
While he has the Kurogane Stormquell with him, he only utilizes it in his third Mystic Arte.
| “ | "It's time to settle which of us..."
"Is the better fighter!" "But first..." "This enemy here..." "Has to die! Last Laugh!" — Eizen & Rokurou
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” |
| “ | Don't become like me. Don't try and imitate Eizen/Rokurou. Please?
— Rokurou and Eizen, respectively
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” |
- Brutality
- Both Eizen and Rokurou are more than capable of killing someone, whether in the heat of battle or in cold blood. Eizen believes that death can be a form of salvation, while Rokurou simply sees it as the end result of a fight. This leads to a seeming callousness, which puts them at odds with Zavied and his strict no-kill rule. This isn't to say they don't value life; they do. They just have no problem ending it.
- Independence
- Both Eizen and Rokurou are quite capable of operating on their own. They have done so prior to meeting, and will do so after the point in time I pull them from. They're strong independent men and don't need a buddy to help them at all times.
- Teamwork
- That being said, Eizen and Rokurou have solid teamwork. They're very aware of the others' abilities, and move flawlessly to set up openings or cover for vulnerabilities. This is typically alongside the rest of Magilou's Menagerie, but there's no reason to think this would suffer from just being the two of them.
SoyMilk[]
| “ | Some fine lipstick on that pig.
— Mikleo
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” |
Sorey was raised in Elysia, a colony of Seraphim, by the Seraph Zenrus. He, alongside Mikleo, was saved from the village of Camlann at the start of the Age of Chaos. The two boys grew up together, and as the only people their age in Elysia they grew close. One day, during their hobby of ruin exploration, they came across an injured human girl, Princess Alisha Diphda. Over Mikleo's objections, Sorey rescued her and restored her to health. After she leaves, Elysia is attacked by a Hellion trying to kill her. Sorey and Mikleo head out, seeing to warn her.
He then pulls out a ceremonial sword, contracting himself with another Seraph named Lailah to become the Shepherd and end the Age of Chaos by purifying the Lord of Calamity, a Hellion that releases enough Malevolence to affect the entire world. He travels across the kingdom of Hyland with Alisha, meeting Edna along the way, and eventually parts ways with her as he enters the rival kingdom of Rolance. There, he joins up with the super special sociopath Rose.
Together, they travel across the continent of Glenwood and fight the Lord of Calamity, Heldalf, and his minions. Their quest also shows them the history behind Heldalf and the corruption of Maotelus by his malevolence. He fights Heldalf, and the four Seraphim with him sever his bond with Maotelus, leaving him vulnerable. Sorey kills Heldalf, and enters suspended animation to purify Maotelus over the course of hundreds of years.
Sorey uses Ritual Swords to channel the power of the Seraphim. He has access to Martial and Hidden Artes, which take the form of various sword strikes and elemental effects. While a Ritual Sword by itself is normally not an effective weapon, Sorey's status as a Shepherd allows him to use it properly.
Note that he will not have Shichisei Shuukihou, as that is exclusive to a Japanese 7-11 pre-order bonus.
| “ | Yes, Mikleo, we all know your opinion.
— Sorey
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” |
Mikleo, sometimes known as Meebo, was raised in Elysia, a colony of Seraphim, by the Seraph Zenrus. He, alongside Sorey, was saved from the village of Camlann at the start of the Age of Chaos. The two boys grew up together, and as the only people their age in Elysia they grew close. One day, during their hobby of ruin exploration, they came across an injured human girl, Princess Alisha Diphda. Over Mikleo's objections, Sorey rescued her and restored her to health. After she leaves, Elysia is attacked by a Hellion trying to kill her. Sorey and Mikleo head out, seeing to warn her.
Mikleo is Sorey's constant companion and emotional support during his travels, despite initial insecurities. Due to his age, Mikleo is less knowledgeable about Seraphim than their other companions, often learning from Edna, Lailah, Dezel, and Zavied. He and Sorey complete the Trials of the Shepherd together, learning more about the history of the continent and their foe, the Lord of Calamity.
The group continues to travel across the continent of Glenwood and fights the Lord of Calamity, Heldalf, and his minions. Sorey fights Heldalf, while Mikleo is one of the four Seraphim shot out of a gun to sever his link to Maotelus, a god corrupted by the Malevolence Heldalf emits. After Sorey enters a state of stasis to purify Maotelus, Mikleo continues their ruin exploration hobby alone until he wakes up.
Mikleo utilizes a staff in battle. He either uses it as a focus to cast his Seraphic Artes, basically spells, or to just whack someone. Mikleo is more specialized in using his Seraphic Artes than physical attacks. The staff should, lore-wise, make it more difficult to cast artes, but this doesn't appear to have any actual visible effect.
A full list of Meebo's artes, including the Mystic Artes outlined in the next tab, can be found here
When not in battle, he can create a bubble of water to hide from a foe's sight. And only sight; it doesn't mask sound. Or, presumably, smell.
Mikleo has two Mystic Artes available for this match. The first one is Crystal Rod, where he whacks his foe a few times with his staff before leaping back, charging it with magic, and yeeting it at the target. The second, Rhime Slaughter, involves him striking his foe with his staff while creating a bunch of icicles. He then creates a spout of water underneath his foe, launching them up where the icicles impale them.
As it is pre-order DLC, Final Player will not be available.
| “ | My bow is the heavens! The vortex swallows you!
— Armatized Sorey & Mikleo
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” |
The Armatus is an Arte which fuses a Seraph and a human vessel. Originally created by Melchior during the events of Tales of Berseria, the Armatus was initially a forced connection between a Seraph - then called a Malak - and its tethered Exorcist. The Arte came with great cost, as the Malak would turn into a dragon after a short amount of time; in order to counteract this, Melchior embedded a self destruct timer into it.
After the Elemental Lords were awakened, a group of Malakhim refined the Arte to not only be safe for both parties but to further boost the general powers of the combined being. The new Arte now requires a Divine Vessel, in this case a bow, and for the armatizing human to know and call the Seraph's true name, something which only typically happens with a willing bond.
When initiating the Armatus, the general status of both Armatizing characters are combined, and when releasing it any volatile status is divided in half. For example, if Meebo has 25/100 health and 10 strength while Sorey has 75/100 health and 90 strength before initiating the Armatus, the Armatized pair will have 100/200 health and 90 strength; should they deactivate the Armatus immediately, both Meebo and Sorey will have 50/100 health, but Sorey will retain 90 strength and Meebo will retain 10 strength. However, should they be killed while Armatized, both of them will die.
Armatization can be used even if one member of the team is knocked out, and utilizing a Water Armatus will cure the Poison status effect. The splitting and combining can be used in rapid succession, and has been used to dodge attacks.
In Mikleo's case, the Divine Vessel is a large bow, and his true name is Luzrov Rulay.
When Armatized, Sorey and Mikleo utilize the bow that is his Divine Vessel. They primarily attack from range, shooting projectiles made of water. They are also capable of healing themselves with the potent spell Elixir Vitae, and have several different Seraphic Artes - essentially spells - that attack a wide area.
A full list of Water Armatus artes is here, including the Mystic Arte mentioned in the next tab.
The Mystic Arte available to a Water Armatus is Aqua Limit. The user fires a barrage of water arrows, and as these strike the target the bow changes shape into a blade; the user then stabs the foe with the blade, creating a large burst of water.
Aqua Limit Ultima is not available as it is only usable with the Siegfried, which Sorey will not have with him.
| “ | Sorey and Mikleo are probably having some sort of conversation about the history of sauna or something like that.
— Rose
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” |
- Brutality
- Sorey and Mikleo are markedly unwilling to even consider killing through most of their journey, preferring to purify Hellions or convince others to reform. This puts them at odds with Zavied, who over the years has taken Eizen's philosophy that death can be salvation to heart. They are, however, not above closing their eyes while super special sociopath Rose does the deed instead, provided all other options have been thoroughly exhausted. They only warm up to considering personally killing a foe as an absolute last resort if everything else has been tried at the very end of the game.
- Independence
- Sorey and Mikleo have been together since the day they were born, and almost never work separately. Save for the few millennia when Sorey was in stasis, but that's after the time they're being pulled from. Unlike the other members of the party, they have also acted alone a total of three times between them in their entire 17-year lifespan. They also lose access to the powerful Armatus if alone, and its range is unknown but likely not very large.
- Teamwork
- This is Sorey and Mikleo's strongest suit. As mentioned under Independence, they have lived, played, and fought together since they were babies. Sorey even knows Mikleo's true name prior to forming a pact, something considered a declaration of love amongst Seraphim. Their abilities only grow stronger when fused with the Armatus, and even an imperfect version of that technique gave Magilou's Menagerie trouble.
Notes & Voting Guidelines[]
- While Sorey and his party fight Eizen in Tales of Zesteria, this is after he's turned into a dragon and thus cannot access any of his abilities from this form, nor can he think.
- Sorey will not be able to purify Rokurou. The full might of Maotelus himself was not able to do so; there's no reason to believe Sorey with his inferior offshoot of an offshoot of the Silver Flame can. Plus Lailah isn't here so he can't use that anyway.
Battle is simple combat. Victory can come one of three ways:
- Both enemy combatants are dead at the same time
- Both enemy combatants are non-lethally incapacitated for thirty seconds or more at the same time
- One enemy combatant is non-lethally incapacitated for thirty seconds or more while the other is dead
The warriors will be taken from the following canons & timelines:
- Bersy Bros: Game only canon, just before the final battle with Artorius Collbrande
- Zesty Soyboys: Game only canon, just before the final battle with Heldalf
Voting guidelines are as follows:
- Please have at least couple paragraphs as to who you think will win and why
- Edges will naturally make it this long and are easier to read
- Evaluating the warriors used based on a different canon or different point in their timeline as given will invalidate a vote
- I have the final say on whether or not a vote counts
- Contact me via Discord if you think I made a mistake with vote counts
- Only votes on this blog will count.
- Rebuttals can reduce a vote by a half point or more.
- Counter-arguments can restore the vote to full
- Rebuttals will not be accepted less than 48 hours before the close of voting, save for the following:
- Should a vote be made less than 48 hours before the close of voting, rebuttals will be accepted up to 48 hours after the close of voting, and the voter waives the right to defend their vote to restore it.
- )
Battle[]
Prologue[]
Within DFederal’s Lower District, a dirty brick building stands in an alleyway. Above its door is a small wooden telescope, beneath which swings a wooden plaque with the name of the establishment. On the inside of the Spyglass PI headquarters, its three investigators gather around a well-lit table.
“So two jobs today,” Thancred Waters says, looking at the two papers on the table, “One from a pair of private citizens and one from a law firm.”
“I talked to the law firm,” Josephine March says, “Blind Justice, LLP – that’s the three Murdocks – wants us to investigate the trial cells at DF Penitentiary and make sure they’re actually the humane option Cfp claims.”
“And the citizens talked to me,” Eizen says, “Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya, wanting to check up on a mutual friend, Artoria Pendragon. They have concerns about her new boyfriend, Sundowner, and want to make sure she’s safe.”
“I’ll take the prison job,” Thancred says, “It’s going to require a little more stealth than you guys can do.”
“And you have a PhD in being a spy, yes,” Jo says, smiling wryly, “I can take on the boyfriend investigation; I have mutual friends with both of them, and I’ll call Thancred if we end up needing to plant a bug.”
“I guess I’ll stand by until Thancred needs something punched, then,” Eizen grumbles.
As if on cue, a knock sounds on the door, followed by the creaking of purposefully unlubricated hinges as it swings open. A tall Japanese man with long hair, covering one eye, walks in, trailed by a much smaller blonde girl holding a parasol, who strides towards Eizen. The pirate waves to his friend, Rokurou, before giving his sister a hug.
“Hey, Rokurou,” Thancred says, giving the siblings time, “What brings you here?”
“You know how the DFPD has an open bounty on information on Doctor Doom and his Wolves?”
“Yes, and we’ve decided not to pursue it because we don’t have leads,” Jo says, “If you’ve come to pester us again…”
“Well, just so happens there’s a potential lead,” Rokurou says.
“And even if there isn’t, you get to do your cute sister a favor,” Edna says, breaking the hug, “I’m worried about a couple friends of mine. Sorey and Mikleo.”
“Thought they could look after themselves,” Eizen says.
“I think they got caught up in this ‘Wolves’ thing. Idiots joining any organization that claims to help people. Probably would have joined the Abbey if I hadn’t warned them. Please?” Edna asks, giving her brother puppy-dog eyes.
“Fine, fine,” Eizen says, tousling Edna’s hair, “I’ll do it. Cashing a Wolves bounty will help our business, anyway. I’ll work with Rokurou; it’ll be like old times.”
“Guess we’ll put out the ‘Away On Business’ sign, then,” Thancred says.
“I can watch the place,” Edna offers, “it’s the perfect role for a delicate flower like myself.”
The entire room looks at her suspiciously.
“It’s not like I’m rude to people for no reason.”
“It’s exactly like that,” Thancred says.
“It is, but it can’t hurt too much, can it?” Jo asks, looking at Eizen.
“Sure,” the pirate says, leaping at the chance to get his sister more involved in his life, “Now be good.”
“Yes, yes.”
At the center of the city lies a shifting pyramid of shipping containers known as the Reservation Shelter. In two of these containers, modified by tearing down the wall between them, three teenage boys meet. Two of them, dressed in standard fantasy garb with too many belts, belong in the structure, while the third in an impractical suit is from the outside.
“The Wolves thank you for your service,” Lelouch vi Britannia says, “The two of you are making life better for all.”
“Thank you,” Sorey says, “I’m glad we through our lot in with you instead of the Abbey. If Edna hadn’t warned us…”
“You’d be ‘reset,’ yes,” Lelouche says, “While I can’t deny they deserved it, it still stands testament to how much and how indiscriminate the power the Users wield over us. Speaking of your friend, though…”
“If you’re looking to recruit, don’t ask us,” Mikleo says, “Edna’s suspicious of you.”
“That’s her choice, then,” Lelouche says, “But my concerns are different. Some of my friends have spotted her in disturbing company. Come and talk to some of the other Wolves, and maybe we can protect her before they harm her.”
“Harm Edna? I doubt that,” Sorey says.
“That’s all I came to say,” Lelouch says, backing off, “Remember, if you ever need help there’s an entrance to the sewers nearby. One of ours will guide you.”
He makes an overly-dramatic exit, leaving the pair alone. They look at each other and sigh before setting about to prepare their dinner, a simple stew made from a selection of the vegetables and meats Lelouch brought as payment for their job. After they ladle their food into simple bowls, they eat in silence, reading beside each other.
“What’s wrong, Milkeo?” Sorey asks through a mouthful, “You’ve been staring at that page for a while.”
“I’m just concerned about what Lulu said.”
“About Edna?”
“Yes. You know how she is. She might bluster in over her head.”
“And you trust the Wolves? They’ve helped us, but it’s also clear that they want us to join them more closely.”
“I know, but…”
“Let’s check it out, then,” Sorey says, clapping his friend on the shoulder. The pair finish their meal, and head outside. They read in the light of the communal bonfire that lights up the entire shelter, half paying attention and half keeping an eye out for Edna. They eventually spot her alongside the tall man they had seen her with a couple times.
The man talks to her animatedly, clearly regaling her with a tale of some kind. One she clearly found amusing, considering the occasional laugh she gave him in return. He ends his story with a grand gesture – not unlike the ones Lelouch favored – and Edna smiles at him, her usual sarcastic glint in her eyes. She levels her umbrella at him as his eyes grow wide in mock horror. She playfully jabs at him a few times as he evades, before they say their goodbyes and head to their respective containers.
“That man’s a Hellion,” Mikelo mutters, “And a powerful one.”
“She did say her brother once fought alongside a Hellion and a Lord of Calamity.”
“And he turned into a dragon.”
“That’s right,” Sorey says, looking down, “I guess we should take Lulu up on his offer.”
The pair nod at each other, stowing their books and heading outside the shelter. They drag a manhole cover out and crawl down, replacing it as they descend. When they reach the bottom, they wave at the trio of warriors wearing winged helmets. The Grey Wardens wave back before handing each of them blindfolds, which they put on.
The Wardens then lead them through the network of tunnels, twisting and turning as they head towards the Wolves’ base.
Ch. 1[]
The group walks in silence, the Wardens’ stoic air intimidating Sorey and Mikleo. They emerge into a small room filled with people. The Wardens take posts on either side of the doorway, silent as ever. The two boys look around the room, curious to see who else was there. They had almost given up on recognizing anyone when they spot a familiar gloved hand waving languidly in their direction.
Lelouch – now wearing his full Zero getup – makes his way through the crowd towards them, drawing the notice of most of the room. Sorey and Mikleo awkwardly wave back, somewhat uncomfortable with the attention.
“You came!” Lelouch says, “And just in time, too. Doctor Doom, our current Alpha, will be giving a brief speech, soon.”
“I see,” Mikleo says apprehensively, “I hope he’s all you’ve made him out to be.”
The hall grows silent as a few makeshift spotlights converge on the elevated platform, and after a brief flash, a man in silver armor and a green hood appears onstage, as if by magic. Those in the room, who should be used to more fantastical sights, nevertheless applaud in wonder as the leader of their gang steps forward with a flourish.
“Doom greets his loyal pack! And I see that we’ve grown,” he says, nodding at the pair standing with Lelouch as well as a few others around the room. The gathered followers applaud, showing their pleasure as well.
“And grow we must!” he says, clenching his fist and sweeping out his arm, “For the Users have been derelict in their duties. Any good ruler must provide for all their subjects, yet their rule is rife with inequality. These very sewers are not only home to some of our great pack, forced to live in the leavings of others, but appear to be designed with that in mind!”
Sorey and Mikleo find themselves nodding; the excessively spacious design of the sewer system could only lead to that single conclusion. That the city’s people lived in filth was not a failing of the system, but a part of it.
“And when we rose against them for their tyranny, they collared us like dogs. But no more! Today, Doom has finally removed the collars on Eragon and Saphira, the last of the dogs to keep their fangs! Our time will come. But take care; the Users and their pet pigs don’t suffer us lightly. One of our brave friends has infiltrated the DFPD, and is blocking their requests to access this mysterious ‘Kadingir’ that the Users have provided. But even this is not enough; they hunt us, and the pack must stay together to survive. Return to your duties.”
Feverish applause the room as the spotlights turn off, plunging it into darkness. Sorey and Mikleo remember to breathe as the other lights turn back on, revealing that Doom had left the chamber. The tension in the room dissipates into a buzz of conversation as Lelouch turns to the pair.
“I’ll have the Wardens escort you to a room,” Lelouch says, “That man I mentioned hanging around your friend, the one with the big ol’ sword, is among the ‘hunters’ Alpha Doom mentioned. You’ll be escorted to meet with another Omega once you wake. I and another Beta will plan out how to stop him, and you will be informed of it.”
“I’m grateful,” Sorey says, taking Mikleo’s hand as the Wardens lead them away.
The next day, Eizen and Rokurou walk up to a uniformed security guard at Western University, showing their id. The guard pushes a button, letting them through the gates and into the Upper District school. They stroll through the hallways, currently bereft of students before the day starts. They knock on the Zoology Department door, and are told to enter by a very deep voice.
“Hello, Gentlemen,” Nrvnqsr Chaos says, strolling over to the coffee machine as Rokurou stares at his nameplate in confusion, “Coffee? Tea? Perhaps Irish style?”
“We’ve had some already, Nrvnqsr,” Eizen says, “This is a favor for my sister, so I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
“I see. Then please sit,” the vampire says, tapping the touchscreen. The visitors sit down in front of his desk as the smell of brewing coffee fills the room.
“Uh, Eizen? How would a high school zoology teacher know the stuff we want?”
“Simple,” Nrvnqsr says as a sparrow forms on his shoulder, flying off and landing on Rokurou’s palm, “I can have eyes anywhere.”
“Neat,” Rokurou says, feeding the bird a sesame seed, “Got anything else in there?”
“Like?”
“Lions or… or dragons or something!”
“Rokurou…” Eizen says, sighing, as Nrvnqsr retrieves his coffee from the machine.
“Sorry. Just seemed like he’d be fun to spar with.”
“I do sometimes compete at Mister Sinister’s ring.”
“Cool, so do I!”
“I’ll see you there, then,” Nrvnqsr says, giving a sinister chuckle, “Now, what did you want to see me about?”
“Just some names. Anyone who’s been into the Reservation Shelter with great frequency,” Eizen says.
“Indeed. A most unusual criteria, but I can help.”
“For?” Rokurou asks.
“Eizen knows my prices. Or you could tell me why you’re asking.”
“The money’s already in your account, Nrvnqsr,” Eizen says.
“Very well, then. Here’s the names,” Nrvnqsr says, scribbling them down on a post-it note, which he passes to Eizen.
“Thank you.”
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have tests to grade.”
The pair leaves Nrvnqsr’s office, Rokurou reading the note as they walk back through the hallways. Eizen gives Mirai Kuriyama a friendly wave as they pass her and walk out of the building. Eizen snatches the post-it back from Rokurou as they walk the two blocks to Central Mall, memorizing the three names on the list.
Bruno Bucciarati
Commander Shepard
Lelouch vi Brittania
Sorey and Mikleo groggily sit down in the mess hall the Wolves created by tunneling into the sewer walls. The eggs and bacon, not much different than their usual fare, go down quickly, before a very large man sits across from them with three plates.
“Hi,” the man says, “Daegbrena Greinkoensyn. You?”
“Sorey and Mikleo. Nice to meet you,” Mikleo says.
“Ah, good,” he says between mouthfuls, “I’ve been asked to help you. You’re the ones being pursued by that demon swordsman?”
“It’s the other way around, actually.”
“Well, that’s good, too. Lelouch’s group of thinkers wants to lure him down here.”
“With that big sword on his back, it’ll be hard to fight in a cramped space. It’s smart,” Sorey says.
“Indeed. Though you two would be the last line of defense; we want to try and contain him farther up. And that should, finally, be my time to shine.”
“What do you mean by that?” Mikeo asks.
“Well, I’m technically to be the representative Paladin for the Adventurers. And yes, that head tilt. You also think it’s supposed to be that bloody Marshal Umber. Even Helala got her chance to shine while Leo’s representative was a Black Mage, and she should get that again now that he’s a Sage. But I? Marshal’s been there to overshadow me every step of the way. I haven’t even had my name mentioned in a battle, despite being part of the group. That bloody milquetoast cardboard gets everything, while I…”
“Uh…”
“Sorry, got a little carried away. Anyway, you should probably try your hand at guard duty further up while we lay out our snare.”
“Alll… right then,” Sorey says, awkwardly getting up, “We’ll do that.”
Eizen and Rokurou sit down in Central Mall, placing the disappointing trays of mall food on the slightly-too-small table. Eizen wipes the table, removing whatever drink had been there just before, and places the sticky note between them.
“So. Bruno, Shepard, and Lelouch,” Rokurou says, “Pretty sure it’s not Bruno.”
“Yeah, he’s working with Wass. If he were part of Beast’s retinue I’d be more suspicious, but…”
“Yeah, so that leaves two people. Shepard and Lelouch. You’ve been doing this detective gig for a bit; what do you know about them?”
“Well,” Eizen says, keeping a close eye on the crowd as he speaks, “Shepard is one of the more… malleable warriors here. Even if he’s not a Wolves member at the moment, his personality and allegiances can change.”
“So he’s a tricky one to place. How about Lelouch?”
“Secretive, overly dramatic, and kind of a douchnozzle,” Eizen says, again checking the crowd carefully as he speaks, “Honestly out of the three on the list, he seems like the most likely to be part of the Wolves.”
“So we’re going after him, then?”
“No, he’s too obvious. Let’s investigate Shepard for a bit.”
“Sure.”
“And let’s head back to Spyglass; I want to grab a couple things.”
The pair exits the mall, and as they get on the bus, Rokurou mutters to Eizen in a low voice.
“We’re actually going after Lelouch, right? I saw you looking at how the crowd reacted.”
“Exactly. You felt how tense they got,” Eizen mutters back, “He’s not only a member, but a well-known one, too. Be ready.”
Ch. 2[]
One tailing session that would have been very boring to read later, Eizen and Rokurou find themselves in the sewers. The pair looks at each other, and Eizen nods at Rokurou.
“I know you’re there,” Rokurou calls, “Come on out.”
Sorey and Mikleo step out from behind the rim of yet another oversized pipe, staring the pair down.
“Edna’s worried about you two,” Eizen says, “Enough to ask for help. And how can I refuse my sister a favor?”
“And we’re concerned about her,” Sorey says, “She’s been hanging out with a Hellion, and she’s a Seraph. She’s at risk of being corrupted.”
“By Rokurou? Not a chance. He’s an old friend.”
The two pairs stare at each other, realizing the other won’t budge on their viewpoints. A split second later, the four fighters draw their weapons. Eizen and Sorey both run in, each convinced they’d have to beat sense into the other. Sorey pulls his fist back as he charges, surrounding it with a blue aura.
“Lion’s Howl!” he yells, punching forward with his signature attack, only for his fist to be stopped dead in Eizen’s palm. The pirate gives a malicious grin before slamming his fist into his opponent’s stomach, pivoting and ragdolling him towards Rokurou. As the daemon and Shepard square off, he turns and casts Flash Step to bring himself in range of Mikleo.
The Water Seraph tilts his staff to block Eizen’s jab, but gets caught by the uppercut passing beneath. It breaks his stance and the jab connects. Mikleo spins his staff as he recovers, only for Eizen to snatch it out of his hands and throw it aside. A pair of punches slam into the Water Seraph, leaving him open to be stunned by a knee to the stomach.
Eizen leaps in the air, wreathing himself in pure Malevolence. He releases a fireball as the purple fire surrounds him, seeming to give him wings. The explosion knocks Mikleo into the air, allowing the pirate to grab his face before diving down, slamming the boy into the sewer floor. He purges the malevolence from his body, creating a pillar of malevolence that picks his opponent off the ground.
He kicks upward, juggling his foe as he concentrates power in his fist. As Mikleo falls, the pirate launches a punch, connecting and sending the youth through the air and slamming into the side of the pipe. He turns as Sorey continues flailing at Rokurou, barely able to keep up with the erratic movements and oddly-timed slashes. The two purple daggers meet the ritual sword with a sharp thwack, and the war daemon disengages to take an odd stance.
Sorey, not missing an opening, strikes, only for the blow to be parried and Rokurou to vanish. A blast of wind knocks him off his feet, flipping into the air, yelling a short phrase.
“Luzrov Rulay!”
Eizen’s eyes widen as a blue light streaks past him as he runs to Rokurou’s side, the unconscious body of Mikleo fusing with Sorey. The two boys, now Armatized and wielding a bow, fire a barrage of water at their foes. Eizen blocks it while Rokurou evades, and they glare at their foe as the Armatized duo quickly casts Elixir Vitae, healing most of the damage they had taken. Sorey, feeling Mikleo shaking in fear, sends him good vibes, the fusion of their body and soul allowing him to comfort his ally.
I’m with you, Mikleo, he sends as a thought, We can do this. Together.
Mikleo gives a nonverbal agreement as Eizen casts Flash Step, bringing himself in range for a haymaker. The duo split apart as he throws the punch, which passes harmlessly between them. Sorey brings his ritual sword down on Eizen’s back as Mikleo launches a flurry of icicles at the approaching Rokurou, who parries them and vanishes. As Sorey’s sword cracks, dealing little damage, the duo Armatize again to dodge the explosive quake Rokurou unleashed.
They leap over Eizen’s back, only to be bound by spectral chains and slammed into the pirate’s elbow. The duo separates, breaking the chains and dodging a downward swing from the Kurogane Stormquell. They fuse again as Rokurou sheathes his nodachi, aiming their bow at the defenseless daemon. Eizen punches them in the face before they can unleash their attack, leaving them dazed as Rokurou dashes in, slashing them with his daggers and sending them flying.
Eizen dashes behind them and strikes with an uppercut, launching them into the air as Rokurou slashes them back down. A flurry of punches and a barrage of slices strike them from both sides as the pirate and demon execute Last Laugh, before Eizen unleashes a roundhouse kick on the dazed Shepard and Seraph.
The Armatized duo is launched back onto Rokurou’s blade, which penetrates their heart. The pair’s fusion comes undone, and a two teenage boys collapse in the sewers, blood pooling under their corpses. Eizen and Rokurou take a second to catch their breath, until they notice approaching footsteps. They scoop up the corpses and run to evade their pursuers.
Expert’s Opinion[]
Rokurou and Eizen get this for three reasons. One is that they are jacks-of-all-trades who can cover each other rather than the more specialized Sorey and Mikleo. Two is that they were more willing to brutalize and kill, allowing them to take an early advantage both in injuries and psychologically. Three is that they don’t require a gimmick like Armatization to compensate for their weaknesses, instead being able to cover for each other innately.
Epilogue[]
“You can see them now,” a blue-haired woman in a white robe says, walking out of a DFederal General Hospital room, “Just be aware they have been restrained.”
Edna closes her umbrella as she, Eizen, and Rokurou walk into the room, where they see Sorey and Mikleo handcuffed to their hospital beds. Edna sighs and steps forward, looking at her friends in disappointment.
“Stupid. Idiots. I can’t believe you got involved with terrorists. Seriously, why are all my friends numbskuills?”
“Ouch, Edna,” Rokurou says, “Kinda hurt my feelings, too.”
“You were friends with my brother first. You’ve got a cushion.”
“He’s a Hellion. We thought his malevolence might corrupt you like it did Eizen,” Mikleo objects, “And The Wolves offered to shield you from that.”
“We parted ways long before I turned into a dragon. A few centuries, at least. He may be too demonic for Maotelus to purify, but he’s not the cause.”
“So… you mean…”
“You could have just asked me, idiots,” Edna says, “A delicate flower like myself knows where to put its roots.”
“And Doom isn’t the magnanimous person you think,” Eizen continues, “Sure, he has some points, but he’s never fought for change, just his personal power.”
“Besides, he’s called Doctor Doom,” Rokurou says, “I don’t think the universe would allow him to be a good person.”
“And you’re going to ask us to testify against him? In exchange for not going to the penitentiary?” Sorey asks.
“Yes, I am,” Eizen says, “Thancred’s investigations are revealing DF Penitentiary as somewhere you really don’t want to go.”
Sorey and Mikleo look at each other for a second before turning back to the other three, followed by a nod.
Deep in the sewers, an unusually timid Lelouch vi Brittania walks into a large hallway, carved by magic out of a section of sewer wall. The hall contains a large throne, on which sits a man encased in silvery armor and a green hood and cape. Lelouch kneels in silence, while Victor von Doom stares at him.
“Lelouch,” he says, “You have been an effective commander, and Doom cannot hate a man with a flair for the dramatic. You and your poorly-pronounced Geass have helped the Wolves much. Yet you have grown careless and overconfident, and led investigators directly to our door. Because of you, my plans must be altered. Tell me, Lelouch vi Brittania. What shall Doom do to a man who has absolutely fucked up, yet has been loyal?”
“Well, my lord, I believe you should…” Lelouch says, massaging his forehead as he thinks.
“Yes?”
“Listen to me!” Lelouch declares, looking up, Geass symbols glowing in his eyes. It was his victory; a little earlier than anticipated, but the Wolves were finally his.
“Listen to you?” Doom’s mocking voice asks, “Why, you’ve told me enough already.”
Lelouch gasps, hearing the door open and metallic footsteps shuffling in.
“Yes, Lelouch. A Doombot! Did you think I would just sit in front of you alone after knowing your powers? You have spent too much time amongst the feeble, and not enough with those greater than you. But fret not, none are greater than Doom.”
The cold metal hands of the Doombots close around Lelouch’s arms and torso, holding him still. One grabs his face and wrenches it back, exposing his neck.
“Besides, I’ve been experimenting with more viruses than you know. Alex has been quite a boon.”