The Legend of Valentineos

A long, long time ago in the Mountain Village, an ashigo was born unlike the rest, his wings were large. Larger than anyone had ever seen before. This fact had worried the young ashigos guardians, they feared that the wings would hold him back in his life and prevent him from doing what he truly wanted. The young Valentineos loved his wings, they were not something that he would ever consider getting rid of! It wasn't until Valentineos was on a mountain climbing trip with other ashigolings did he discover something about himself. As they were climbing one of them began to slip and fall, Valentineos grabbed them just in time but it had caused him to lose his grip and fall. As he was falling he thought of all the flying creatures of Azailia, the magnificent windgliders and how they elegantly flew through the sky. He had heard of fully grown ashigos being able to glide with their wings, maybe he could try to imitate that and try to grab ahold of the cliff.? As he struggled midair, trying to flap his wings as hard as he possibly could, something strange to happen. Valentineos stopped falling, he began to float midair The young ashigo had just done what no ashigo thought was possible, Valentineos was flying.

The others stared in awe. The ashigolings carried him and sang on their way home as the climbing teacher looked on with shock. The Mountian village celebrated and danced until the two moons rose. The Young Valentineos was unsure how to use his newfound gift, he decided to fly around the borders, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. He then began to be tutored by the Head of the Mountain Village. Before he knew he was training to become a Guard. Valentineos enjoyed it, doing it had really given him a purpose that he never had before. He became one of the youngest full guards ever in Azailia and after his ceremony, a large party was thrown to celebrate him. Valentinoes became comfortable in his life, he advanced the ranks of the guardship quickly and became the new Head of the Mountain village, but something felt empty. He had everything; he was gifted, had high status and was well-liked by everyone. It had felt like everything he had done in his life was for other ashigos and he had done nothing truly for himself. As he would sit on the highest mountain peak in the valley and reflect on his life, he saw something on the horizon. A large black shape.

Valentineos heart sank, he flew to the village and told everyone to begin to evacuate. Farronis was coming. the fallen god, the apprentice of Olmarine whose heart had crystallized and became full of hatred for ashigokind was coming for them. He was known for his destructive rampages across azailia. Burning villages to the ground, leaving nothing but a charred wasteland behind. As Valentineos was trying to help the ashigos evacuate he saw the shadow of the beast on the ground, looking up he saw farronis flying across the sky with a large grin on his face, He perched himself onto a tall pine tree and peered down at the village. The ashigos ran in fear in hopes that if they were fast enough they would miss the deadly inferno. But no fire came from Farronis' mouth, instead, he bent his neck downwards and spoke in a deep raspy voice.

"So the rumours are true." Farronis voice sent shivers down Valentineos back, he stood in the clearing, he was the only one brave enough to stare into his blank white eyes. "There is really a flying ashigo here" he laughed. "I will be back the next bright night, little one" he spread out his wings and flew off. He left the mountain village intact for now, but he will be back.

Valentineos knew that evacuating the mountain valley was impossible. The mountains were large and he wouldn't have the strength to lift everyone to safety. However he had an idea, all the ashigos of the village went into hiding inside a cave, while the guards and some others would stay in the village and try to fight Farronis. They wouldn't win, but it should trick Farronis into thinking that he won and move on, leaving most of the ashigos safe. And so the guards of the village waited in the rain,.waiting for Farronis to come, waiting to die.

When Farronis came he let out a great blast of fire, setting the village ablaze, Valentineos grabbed his sword and flew towards him. Farronis saw Valentineos coming towards him and flew higher into the storm, he was testing to see how well Valentineos could fly. The two were high in the sky, farronis breathed his burning hot fire at him, Valentineos dodged his attacks and came towards him to slice his wings. The two fought in the sky, valentineos became burnt, and holes began to appear on farronis wings, the two were in an eternal battle, Valentineos knew that he would not be able to fight much longer, his body was beginning to tire and he knew that Farronis could fight forever. Valentineos began to fly higher and came down with great speed. Farronis realised what he was doing but he didn't have enough time to move. Valentineos sword sliced Farronis's neck wide open, Farronis began to fall to the ground, but as he was dying he reached out his talons and gripped Valentineos tightly, dooming him.

The two fell into the ocean, their bodies lost to the tides, the only thing Ashigos could find was Valentineos mask. The Ashigos of the mountains celebrates Valentineos life and death every year on Valentinoes' Day. Nowadays the mountain village that Valentineos protected is known as the City of Valen.