The Valkyrie (Rogue Cheney Love Story)

Chapter 44

He holds out his hand for me to shake. I gaze at it before I sheathe my sword and shake his hand.

"Vivian Hunter Knight. I mean it, though. Thanks for saving me," I say.

"Don't mention it," Iroh says dismissively as we drop our hands. "You know, we make a pretty good team."

I have to smile at that as I agree, "Yeah. We do. So, where are you headed, Iroh?"

"Me? Nowhere, really. I'm a travelling mage. I take on jobs as I travel. I have been since my parents died four years ago."

I gasp softly. So he's like me.

"My parents have also died recently," I tell him, much to Iroh's surprise. "I've been travelling to Fairy Tail since."

"Fairy Tail, huh?" Iroh murmurs. I nod happily.

"Hmhm! I really wanna join and meet my idol, Erza Scarlet! Maybe you can come, too, Iroh?!" I suggest.

"Maybe," He murmurs.

"From then on, we've travelled the country together," I continue. "We took on jobs and fought together. I didn't have much to worry about as a younger child than Iroh because I always knew he'd have my back. But then, one day, as we were passing through a town, Iroh heard of a lava monster lying in a dormant volcano not too far away, and that it's a Takeover Magic spell. He'd insisted on going after it, but I wasn't so sure. But I went along with him anyway. This was three months after we first met."

I gaze at the dormant volcano wearily as I follow Iroh to one of the caves where he told me the spell was "sleeping."

"Errr," I mutter, hesitating at the entrance as Iroh was about to enter. He pauses to look back at me.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're scared, Viv!" Iroh says.

"I-I'm not scared!" I deny, frowning. "It's just... are you sure about this?"

"This is the cave the person back in town said the spell was, so, yeah! I'm sure about this," He responds confidently.

"But! You already have Fire Magic. Isn't that enough?" I query.

"And miss out on being able to turn into a cool lava monster from Norse Mythology?! No way! Come on!" He waves his hands impatiently for me to follow. Iroh gives me an exaggerated expression, rolling his eyes. "Look, Viv, if you're that scared, just wait out here. I won't be that long."

Then the dark haired boy turns and enters the cave. I gaze around for a minute before I follow after him. Iroh doesn't glance back at me as I grip his sleeve and we walk through tunnels of harden lava.

We soon stop before a mound that seems to be breathing.

"Is that...?" I whisper, trailing off. Iroh smirks back at me before going up to it, but I remain where I am. I watch as Iroh touches the mound. Then blue light flares as he absorbs the monster into him. The light grows a bit more and I turn my head away. I look back with a soft gasp as it dies down, to see Iroh appears to be normal. "Iroh? Are you okay?"

I step up to him and reach out a hand to place gently on his shoulder. Iroh turns and I start at the sight of his right arm being in the form of magma and rocks, like how the volcano is currently.

"Your arm!" I gasp, pointing at it.

"It's fine," He says, gazing down at his arm. "I can control it easily." I watch in amazement as the rocks and veins of lava fade away, reverting back to his human appearance. Iroh smiles at me. "I got what I came here for. Let's go, Viv-chan."