Little Russia

[Kotomine_Rin]

Van

"Bah, don't worry so much, it's just a flesh wound." He pounded on his chest and puffed, looking at Lubei with a friendlier gleam. "Glad you made it through."

Then, he turned to the angel-like being. That same feeling of unease came back, but he wasn't sure why. Something about her flapping wings just rubbed him off.

"You don't deal with a threat behind a shield, you push it back with a spear. And my spear's as good as ever." Lightning crackled around his neck. "That armor was just some mild protection, it held me down more than anything. Honestly, I should thank the brat. Now my shoulder's all relaxed." He stretched his arm around nonchalantly. "A joke."

[YOLF]

Lubei

"Why are you so cheerful?" Lubei said. Immediately, he wanted to change the words. It sounded so harsh he was taken aback, shaking his head. He turned his face to the seraph's visage, even though she seemed to avoid the sight of him in turn. "It does not harm me."

It didn't, but her light seemed to linger in her mind, a threatening, glorious thing that made the inside of his eyelids uncomfortable. He understood now why she was so cautious. For Vanguard too to be unbothered, the demon was assured that his mind as well as his body weren't in danger.

"Have you discussed the situation?" He asked, an open note inviting either warrior or divinity to answer.

[SINIB]

Lubei

"Why are you so cheerful?" Lubei said. Immediately, he wanted to change the words. It sounded so harsh he was taken aback, shaking his head. He turned his face to the seraph's visage, even though she seemed to avoid the sight of him in turn. "It does not harm me."

It didn't, but her light seemed to linger in her mind, a threatening, glorious thing that made the inside of his eyelids uncomfortable. He understood now why she was so cautious. For Vanguard too to be unbothered, the demon was assured that his mind as well as his body weren't in danger.

"Have you discussed the situation?" He asked, an open note inviting either warrior or divinity to answer.

Ivanna

"Yes. This fool wishes to take upon the entire endeavor unto himself." She replied without lowering her wings. "Talk some sense into him, please."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Van

"You shouldn't talk to grownups like that, kid. Didn't your parents teach you manners?" He crossed his arms and pierced her with his stare. "I know it's not a problem that can be dealt with by one person. That's why we're working together to deal with it in the first place, right?" He glanced at Lubei, with far less harshness than you'd think he'd give him.

[YOLF]

Lubei

Lubei balked at the rudeness towards their host. Was the warrior daft or just doing it on purpose? After she saved his life and his limbs? Well hell, if Vanguard wanted to shame himself, that was his prerogative. The demon ran a calming hand through his hair, combing back some wild fallen strands before speaking.

"You mean for all of us to suppress the forest, and Uria?" He wrinkled his nose. "That would be ideal, but what of the summoner? He is not clean of this problem; where did you find him?"

[SINIB]

Ivanna

"Keh-fwahahahaha! Child!" Ivanna chortled at his impudence. She wasn't even upset-it was cute, if anything. She unfurled her wings and bared her full visage upon the two.

"The Forest is simple. I will purify every square inch of its unhallowed existance. You two only need to protect me while I focus my efforts."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Van


"Man, you're making this sound so easy." He managed to smile a little. "Sure, count on me. I won't let a hair fall from your head so long as I stand."

He gave her a toothy thumbs up.

It didn't look quite as cool without the whole cape and armor.

...

"I don't mind the breeze, but are there any clothes I could buy?"

[YOLF]

Lubei

The demon struck his forehead with a painful whap and proceed to nurse it with his fingers. "Have some shame," he said. "The Forest should be our priority, I agree. When do we go?"

[SINIB]

Ivanna

She looked up at the towering man and smirked. "No, there are not. You'll be given whatever clothing, armor, and weapons you need."

She then turned to Lubei. "After he is armed, we leave at once."

[SINIB]

Ivanna

The two had left for the corrupted forest, and the pair left nothing within it alive. Every tree was gone, every leaf, every bug had been scoured by the angel's divine flames.

Not a single square inch had been left untouched.

Afterwords, the unlikely pair had set back to the temple. She walked next to him in her humanoid form, looking up at his towering form as they conversed, when she suggested a detour. "Would you care to stop for a drink? We have much to discuss, and you didn't seem at peace within the temple." She reached up and tugged up his pantleg. "It'll be fun." She added insistantly.

[YOLF]

Lubei

Lubei looked down at her, suppressing a wince. Fun? What was fun? Could you eat it? Would it make him pass out and wake up at home? Of course, he wasn't able to say all of that. Even if he dared to strain his face, he just... didn't have the energy to be injustifiably spiteful.

"If," he began, blinking slowly. "They'll serve something other than god-killing cocktails."

He gestured forward with his chin, allowing her to lead the way.

[SINIB]

Lubei

Lubei looked down at her, suppressing a wince. Fun? What was fun? Could you eat it? Would it make him pass out and wake up at home? Of course, he wasn't able to say all of that. Even if he dared to strain his face, he just... didn't have the energy to be injustifiably spiteful.

"If," he began, blinking slowly. "They'll serve something other than god-killing cocktails."

He gestured forward with his chin, allowing her to lead the way.

Ivanna

The childlike angel cackled at his comment. "None of our cocktails are able to slay Them, Lubei!" She slapped him on the back before taking his hand and deftly pulling him with extreme precision towards the greatest bar within the city. They weaved through alleys, side roads, and atop the rooves, truly demonstrating her knowledge of the land. "Foreigners have trouble handling our harder stuff, so let me order for you, ok?"

[YOLF]

Lubei

He was fine with this. It counted as a form of hospitality. And she was strong, so what else could he do but keep up as they took this wordly, zig-zagging route towards the touted watering holes of the Seraph's land? Lubei took notice, from the roofs they leaped across, how much more of the city he could see under the pale sunlight. The gleaming roofs, smoking chimneys, and a twinkling sky lively with cool breezes, which brought another cold Winter-kissed expanse to mind.

"Very well. I'll trust my sobriety to your choice," he said, following her into the bar.

[SINIB]

Ivanna

A particularly frigid breeze rushed the temperature well below zero for a moment. "Aaaa~" Ivanna raised her arms and intoned a quivk prayer, and the cold seemed to continue lingerinb, the air rushing around both of them and clinging to their skin. After that, she tightened her grip around his thumb and hopped off of the building down to street level.

They were greeted by a cheering throng of her citizens. They dropped whatever they were doing to gaze upon the voice of god, upon the childish beauty of their saivor. Still, they remained at a respectful distance and kept the murmer of the crowd to a minimum.

"Lady Ivanna-I haven't seen her around here for months?"

"Who's that brash looking man she's holding onto? Doesn't he have an ominous aura?"

"If our angel deems him fit, there's nothing to fear. Be silent with your worries."

Ivanna carried herself with a regal air, prim and upright to set as best an example for her people as she could. She wasn't used to this sort of job, and it didn't come naturally to her personality, but one would never notice that from how naturally she carried herself. They burst through the door, and with an accomanying loud cheer, she lead Lubei directly to the bar.

[YOLF]

Lubei

Had she read his mind, or did she just feel the same comforting numbness that did not freeze and cool that did not prick or pierce, in the solemn breath of the icy wind? Easier to believe it was the latter. He was only so transparent with his displeasure, of which he often had much.

Lubei tried to not project that sensation as he accompanied the Seraph's stride. There was nothing unpleasant to cause it, but where her posture was easy and tried among her people, his silent poise was trained on reproach. Even the most regal iceberg was still an impassable natural obstacle to a mortal.

Icebergs did not feel exhaustion, alas.

"Perhaps," he said, tilting his head towards Ivanna. "I should eat. What do you recommend?"