Yurien Legend(FIN)

Yurien was late. He stood in front of his dorm, and then opened the door to a rather tall individual. The tall man was leaning out the window, a cigarette in hand. Yurien decided to introduce himself, rather then be rude and just stand around. "Hello, I am Yurien Legend. What may I address you as, Sir?" The tall man turned around, an imposing frame in all. It'd have intimidated Yurien, had he not been use to people like his father. "The name's Indigo. I heard I was getting roommates, but you seem a bit young." Yurien raised his eyebrow, but said nothing. He moved his things into a separate bed, and laid there himself. "I'd figure I must know a bit about you, if we're to work together. I'll let you know who I am first. I am the only child of a man known as Mr.Legend. I'm a hunter in training who can manipulate fire and use a blade. No, I'm not crippled, that's my sheath." Indigo nodded, and took a long drag from his cigarette.   "As said, my name is Indigo. Father of a man of the same name, user of the same weapon. Sister figured that, since I've been branded multiple things, I should try being a hunter. It's better then trying to prove anything to anyone."

The two continued their conversation for over half an hour, before a woman walked into the room.  She had a blade, awfully similar to his, on her hip. She threw her stuff on the third bed, and just glared at the other two. She wore clothing akin to that of a very wealthy woman, someone from an opulent family. She had a stand-offish air, although both Yurien and Indigo figured it was because she was saddled with two guys, one her age and one much older. They continued their chat, and as the night went on, she finally introduced herself. She was Irelia Foun. She inserted herself into the conversation about 10 o'clock, and the three chatted till midnight. It was primary a matter of introductions and what hurts each of them personally.

Somewhere in the first week, Irelia decided that she wished to spar with Yurien. It was clear she was interested in why he hid his blade in the cane, and why he rarely even brandished the blade. He practically only used his cane as a weapon, only against grimm had he drawn it.

They met on a mat, with wooden swords given to them as replacements for their own blades. They bowed to each other, and then got into their stances. Both seemed reactive, but that didn't stop what happened next. It was a flurry of wood and speed, a show of sorts. They clashed, dodged, hopped and at one point, one caught the others blade. They were complete equals. It was almost a terrifying display until a very decisive thing happened. The man overseeing the spar stopped them after four minutes. It was clear wooden swords weren't getting them anywhere. They were both tossed their real blades. It was almost the same, but there were slight differences. It was...more fierce. No. No, it wasn't more fierce, it was a different kind of fierce. The cuts were there, but it was like they were both possessed. This time, the fight was to go till either fell. It took a grand total of ten minutes, ten long minutes, before Yurien fell to his knee, stopping the match.

He couldn't believe it, someone was better then him by this much? He thought this, at least, until she did the same thing as he. Neither of them were so injured that a few nights rest couldn't fix, but it was more so that 10 minutes of such a battle had them exhausted. That's how intensive it was. They were truly equals, which meant that with this noted, he always respected her a little bit more.

It was the day the last member was to arrive. He arrived in spectacular fashion. He arrived late at night, when everyone was asleep, purely so he could wake them up. He walked in, rocket-powered sledgehammer in hand. The only one to wake up, however, was Indigo, and even then, that was mostly from instinct rather then the guy coming. The guy introduced himself as Shen, and ended up passing out on the final bed. It was finally the team. The team IYSI was finally formed.

It was a year and a half into their education, and they had went out on a picnic at Finnek Forest. It was midday, and they were having a lunch time picnic. They were having a lovely chat when, out of the forest, came the sound of a Nevermore.. They had trained to fight grimm a large bit, and were quite competent. However, they all knew that Yurien's strength was mollified when it came to a forest. Since all his power came from fire manipulation and his skill with the blade. Even worse, it was a nevermore. A large, angry nevermore. It happened in an instant, Yurien and Irelia took place in front, while Shen waited for his time. Except, there was a problem. It wasn't coming down, just flying around. Indigo had positioned himself in a tree, and was ready to fire when it decided to fire first.

The bird fired its wings, and they flew fast. While Irelia and Yurien got most of them, and Shen blocked all but one that flew past them, the one he didn't block would prove fatal. Not right away, though, as seen by Shen having stayed standing and talking for a moment afterwords. The bird started diving, before getting a bullet to the eye and it turned back and into the sky to scan for where Indigo was. Using this time, Yurien and Irelia used their scrolls to call for help. This was a lot bigger then they were used to, and with two blades, this fight wasn't going to be easy.

Irelia told Yurien to fight, and so Yurien did. Except, there was something off about this fight. They were winning, but it was clear Yurien wasn't in it. Yes, he was attacking, but he was distracted. Not distracted enough to make a mistake, but it was obvious he wasn't fighting at full strength. He and Indigo managed to finish off the Nevermore, but when he turned around, Shen was dead. Completely limp, but it didn't seem like the unconscious limp. No, no. It was the dead sort of limp.  Yurien shed no tears. He refused to. Irelia cried, but he knew that's how he felt. He just refused to show it, and even Indigo lit one up in honor of Shen. It was a somber time around the room for a long while. The death of a teammate impacts even the strongest. Sometimes, it impacts the strongest the hardest.

His education had ended without any more faults, and until he was 25, he hunted with his teammates. However, it was at 25 he split off to travel. He traveled many places, and this included during the winter of the year he turned 25.

He had holed himself up in a village. He had holed himself up in the place, knowing that the nearby bandits were ready to raid that day. Rather, demand tribute. The leader of them was supposedly a nasty woman who had a terrible temper. He had a laugh when he first heard that, as it had sounded like someone he knew.

It was about Ten O'clock. They came on time, but the person who came to meet them was Yurien, in only a pair of white pants. He hadn't worn a shirt, and the cold would balance his body heat once he got into the groove of it. He didn't have much to say, hell, a man like him walking out with the support of a cane seemed strange. A woman came out, a hood over her face. A sneer, a glare and and attempted threat later, and Yurien was unphased. Intimidation had no effect on him. It really didn't, and it seemed the woman managed to get the message. She drew the blade on her hip. It was the same as his. He was already on edge, and that meant he drew his blade right away, and put his cane into the little belt loop on his pants.

"I can't convince you to leave these guys alone, can I?"

This comment was met with a blade slashed at his face. He barely managed to dodge it, and slashed back. The game was on. The ground was icy, and the ice itself was hidden. All of this combined made for a wildly unpredictable field of battle. There was something that unnerved him, this lady fought just like Irelia had. It couldn't be her, though. She had went home after he decided to travel. That was... what, a year ago? No, she had left a year earlier, so it was a year and a half. She wouldn't have turned to this would she? Yurien shook his head. It was impossible. In such a short amount of time. The fight was dragging on, it was going on five minutes, and he knew he had to end it soon. His body was going to give, and he didn't want to use his sembalance on another human, or even maybe fanus. He wasn't quite sure what this woman was.

It happened in a second. He parried one of her blows, and as she went in for a counter blow, he brought up his sheath. Her stab went into his sheath, and he pressed the button he used to lock his own blade it, to lock hers in. He pulled her in, and nailed her in the back of the head with an elbow. The fight was over, and after de-hooding her, he realized that he was right. It was Irelia, but it made no sense. She had come with two others, who had started leaving. So much for loyalty. He dragged her into the village, and into the room in which he was staying. He laid his blade, and her blade, right next to each other, and he just sat there. He waited for her to wake up. He had questions.

"Irelia. Your two friends left you, and now you're left for me. I've got a few questions. Why are you doing this?"

"I just returned to my family, you idiot. What in the hell are you doing here?"

Everything suddenly made a lot more sense. Her skill with the blade, and the clothing. That's why she hated it getting cut and tarnished. She had a very, very limited supply.  He sighed, and told Irelia to punch him a good one in the chin, for thinking she was a part of an opulent family in the first place. She took her shot, and tried getting up, but failing. He had a laugh, and showed that he couldn't get up either. They both had a mix of frost-bite and exhaustion, although the frost-bite was to a far lesser degree. "This... is strange, isn't it. Seems oddly familiar, doesn't it?" He let his head hit the wall and just sat there. "I told them you were a helpless woman whom they just happened to bring along. Don't tell them you lead that brand of brigands, or that they're your family. If you want both of us to survive the night."

He forced his body to fall on the ground and fell asleep, and after awhile, so did Irelia.

They woke up the day after. Both were very, very sore and in quite a bit of pain, but both got up. It was just the fact that this was a normal day in the life of a hunter. If they were normal, they’d probably be in so much pain but it’s a simple matter of they had been hurt far, far more.

Irelia had switched the blades, and had her blade.  They talked to each other, and decided to get her reinstate as a hunter. That, he learned, would take far more effort and preparation than originally thought. The reason they didn’t have her being a hunter, was she was the sole heir to the stolen fortune.

She needed a husband for her to be a hunter, so that if she may fall, there will still be a heir. So, they made a plan. He’d pose as a rich heir, and then they’d manage to convince her parents that he is a worthy heir. Something, however, told him that it wouldn’t be quite so easy. He knew that she didn’t have any brothers or sisters, or this wouldn’t be a thing that was happening.

They left early, not to annoy the villagers. They didn’t exactly get into any spars, or any brawls with others. It went to plan, until they got to the house. When the house came into view, the plan kickstarted. He had her cut his shirt and pants, draw some blood. He put on his best limp, and was helped to the house by Irelia.

They were met by a smaller, wider man. He must be her father, and his idea was proved by the fact that Irelia called him father, and asked him to prepare a guest room. After about thirty minutes, and some bandages, he looked like he’d been stabbed. He was carried into the guest room by Irelia, who was glaring at him.

“This plan is risky, but it might just work.”

“My natural paleness is the reason this is working. I actually look like I’m in shock.”

She nodded and he laid on his side. He looked her into her eyes, directly into her eyes. She noticed, for the first time, how intimidating he could be. Even on his side, a direct stare almost made her back down. Of course, she knew what happened when he was standing. He had too nice of body language when he was standing up. His eyes were piercing, and he was rather attractive to the average person. None of this mattered to Irelia.

She knew his morals from the time spent long ago. He was the sort of fellow to leave a kid in the middle of a field to lure a dangerous grimm, just so he got take care of them. He was the most morally grey person she knew, even her father wasn't like that. Although, she figured she knew why. After all, he was the son of Mr.Legend, one of the most known hunters back in the day. Even she knew his father, and she paid no attention to hunting outside of jobs and her team.

Skip a few days of 'recovery' and Irelia's father came in to question him.

"So. You're her teammate, eh? You sure don't look like much." Her old man spoke, as though him being her teammate was terrible. "She told me you managed to best her in combat, how? You don't look like a warrior, refined or not, you still don't have the look, or even the aura, of a fighter. Not one fierce enough to beat my daughter." Her father looked like the typical barbarian warrior more than anything. Shorter, wide at the shoulders. He wouldn't have been surprised if that man went into a fight with some sort of blunt instrument.  

“I’m less a fierce fighter, but more an intense one. It’s the style that my father taught me, although I’m sure he’s on his deathbed at this point. Let’s get right down to it, alright? My name is Yurien Legend, and I know precisely why you’re not letting your daughter be a hunter, even though she’s one of the best. Her swordsmanship is nearly as good, if not better, than my own. It’s going to waste doing what she’s currently doing. If required, I will make myself available to you and her, as to become her groom. If that’s what it requires for her to continue hunting.”

Her father looked him up and down. Her father was clearly bias towards Yurien, as he had just beaten his daughter in combat. Something she’s nearly unmatched in. That was impressive, to say the least. He could really shine up to someone who could be his own daughter in a fight, a brawl. Little did he know, the man who stood before him had the explosive force of a truck. Literally, if he wanted to.

After about two months of living in that house, he finally earned the right to marry Irelia, if she so pleased. It’s just so happened that she did please.

There's one last part in his history that he doesn't like remembering. Indigo, from his team from Syne. The guy was old, and had terrible genes. Instead of dying from grimm, he died from cancer in his lungs. When they found out, it was too late to even slow it down. He had arrived on the day of the funeral, and this time, there was tears flowing. This was a man, who for quite a few years, had his back. Even at 34, He respected Indigo. With tears, came the fact that he was human. Very, very human. Something that came obvious if you saw him that day.

He had walked up to the casket, and inside he saw Indigo, finally at peace. Yurien had mixed emotions. This was the man who could shoot a nevermore in the eye from over 200 feet, yet god damn cancer got it. The one thing that not even he could see coming, got him. Cancer, in this case, was the ultimate predator that Indigo would always talk about. The guy wasn't that old. He was maybe in his mid sixties at that point. He had gotten into the hunting job late, but he was one of the best. His lack of youth, always was made up for by his life experience. It was obvious that the death of this man had impacted Yurien deeply, as this is the first time he wept openly.

Yurien was not a man who wept. Not when Shen died, and not when he almost killed Irelia. Yet, when Indigo died, he fell to his knees and wept tears. Real tears.

He was the last one there, and he had only one thing to say.

"Well. You're dead. Simple as that. I'll live on in your memory, though. You were a good twenty to thirty years older then me, yet you still could keep up. You were a man among men, and you couldn't even get the right to be taken out standing. You got taken out laying down, in pain. At least you're outta that pain now, right?"

He went home after that, and continued traveling.