An Unlikely Alliance – Spirit of the Warlock

rei-sekiro:

Previous Reply / @nebula1984

Rei smiled absently at the ijin Elezen. He couldn’t mark where the bow came from, but it certainly wasn’t Hingan. Or Doman. And it wasn’t a salute he was familiar with in Eorzea either. His ears twitched lightly at the man’s full name which he already had forgotten.

“I…shall call you Lance,” he said decided on his own. He really had forgotten the man’s name. Ishgardian titles and names were so long and wordy. Though that wasn’t the reason he never went there. For most of his adult life, it was a snowy wasteland and Rei could not handle the cold. “I guess you can just call me ‘Rei’, then, since we are being so informal and familiar,” he laughed, “Plus it’s easier for me if we’re not screaming the Sekiro-kai’s name out loud every few seconds.”

He watched as Lance knelt by the dead man and canted his head slightly, “While kneel before them?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, “He tried to kill you and kami knows the GInro-kai are all horrible and deserve nothing short of death,” he frowned, his arms crossed even tighter, “In this case, I think they were no one’s enemies in particular. They were causing trouble in our territory and you are easy pickings,” he shrugged.

Rei moved a few steps forward, painfully aware his geta were now gone and his feet were frozen against the cobble stones, “Samurai are…” Rei’s voice trailed off, “Interesting?” he forced a smile. The Sekiseigumi hated him and he hated them, “Wha is a Skyfire Locks?” he asked, “Is that where you’re headed? I did say I’d escort you there…”

Lance knew all too well the political struggles and rivalries. After all Haillenarte was the least liked of the four Houses. Even if the rivalries between the Houses was more subtle in Ishgard.

“I was merely taking the blood from my blade. I will properly clean it later but they were the ones that sullied the steel. So it is only right to borrow their fabric to clean it. I am still alive. Halone’s justice guides me like it always does.” Lance said with a calm air. Clearly facing people trying to kill him wasn’t uncommon. A shake of his head at Rei’s question of his destination. “No. Skyfire Locks is my post when I am on duty as a knight. I am not here on business for Ishgard. I was here more for personal reasons. After all, the best defense is to learn about other forms of fighting and the best ways to combat against them.”

rei-sekiro:

Previous post (moved from ask) / @nebula1984

Rei had been outside walking for quite awhile. Today’s journey was pretty aimless. In fact, he was more so clearing his head, if anything. His gaze drifted idly over the stalls and other shops set up in the area. His usual itch to spend money had died down as he appeared to be lost in his own thoughts…or in a very, very foul mood. Or both. He walked with a stark frown on his face. His piercing crimson gaze straight ahead. People seemed to move out of the way as he passed them. And maybe they should? It was the Sekiro-kai’s turf, and he was the heir.

His geta clacked lightly on the stones under his feet as his legs pulled at the fabrics of his simple Yukata. He kept a haori over his shoulders, but the rest of his appearance was pretty nondescript. His ear twitched lightly, however, at the sound of a scuffle coming from a nearby alley and his gaze darkened.

The Seeker quickly turned the corner and, low and behold, there was a fight going on. Worse, though, Rei recognized the men by their tattoos and colors. But not the taller man, no. He had no idea what an Elezen would be doing back here. The Seeker clenched his jaw, reached towards his open to pull out a knife hidden in the fabric, and charged the group, “The fuck outa here, you worthless trash,” the Seeker growled, but not that loudly. He wasn’t shouting. No, he didn’t want to alert the Sekiseigumi.

He kicked off his geta as he ran and jumped up, knife first, to stab one of the men through the back of one of the attacker’s necks. The man let out a strangled cry, bleeding out as Rei withdrew the knife. The blood soaked parts of his Yukata and hands as the man bled out and fell forward, dead. He watched idly as the other man finish the rest, keep back while he flicked his dagger to get the blood off of it. He looked at the Elezen, his blank expression grew curious.

“No, they weren’t supposed to be here…” he said, bowing his head slightly, “The Ginro-kai have been impeding on our territory as of late. These mens’ deaths will only worsen the conflict. However…” he grinned slightly, “This fixed my mood quite a bit,” he bowed his head again to the Elezen, “I am Rei of the Sekiro-kai… I am sorry that our enemies disturbed your walk,” he lifted his head, “If you’d like, I can escort you to wherever you’re headed,” he said, adjusting his yukata so that his tattoos would reman mostly hidden, “I assure you, no one else will bother you if I’m with you.”

Lance seemed a little surprised at the idea of a territorial fight.Still he managed to give the man a proper Ishgardian bow. A chance to mask the bit of surprise.

“Ser Lancefer Aurifore of House Haillenarte in Ishgard.” Giving the man his full title. Keeping the same curteous smile though there was a little more warmth to it now that he knew Rei wasn’t out to kill him. He could never be too sure after all the drama with his family the year before. Especially after he’d married someone his mother surely disapproved of. “But you can simply call me Lance seeing we are a long way from Ishgard.”

Lance knelt by one of the dead men to wipe the blood from his blade before sheathing it at his side. He stood up and shook his head at Rei’s words. “It is fine. It gets hard to tell at times whether the enemies are mine or someone else’s. However they all bleed the same. I will not object to the company for the rest of my walk. I am still learning much about this city and it’s samurai when I have time off from my duties at Skyfire Locks.”