Cardfight!! Vanguard: R

Episode Four: Wish You Were Here / Chapter 14

14 – A Dragon in Mourning

The Dragon Empire; a final bastion for those fleeing the occupation of the western nations. Months after the fall of the United Sanctuary and the annexing of Dark Zone, the clans of Dragon Empire led an assault on the invaders at their borders. They launched a blitzkrieg taking back a small portion of Dark Zone allowing Spike Brothers and Pale Moon to seek refugee status in the other nations. Dark Irregular remained at the behest of an aged vampire who had resurfaced recently, known only as Vladislav.

At the Blitzkrieg, Dragonic Overlord took his final form and used the overwhelming surge of power to create a divide between the nations – it's body sank into the abyss of the watery depths leaving behind an old friend in the Empire, who has remained in mourning for all this time.

Arthur tried to break through the guard of Dragon Knights who stood watch at the mouth of the cave.

"She mustn't be disturbed!" they shouted, "Please leave her to rest!"

"She's rested long enough; the enemy is at your doorstep! Hundreds die daily! The fate of our planet has its footholds here!"

As he forced them aside, Arthur marched deeper into the looming darkness later joined by his council of Merlin and Jophiel. With the aid of a light spell, they were able to make their way through to the end where they found the slumbering dragon, the blade of apocalypse clutched tightly to her chest.

"Please you must help us, you've had time to mourn your teacher but now you must take their place!" Jophiel pleaded with the beast but to no avail. She was brushed aside by a slow movement of its serpentine like tail.

"Enough!" Arthur stepped over the beast and gripped the apocalypse blade and hoisted it high, cutting into the dragons flesh, "If you won't use it then I will..." he looked back at the dragon, watching as its half opened eye closed shut again. "He would be most disappointed in what you've become."

After the mercenary commander and his council left the cavern, the dragon moved and watched from afar as the forces of darkness arrived at the shores of Dragon Empire.

*

"I want a rematch" Taichi declared placing his deck on the table.

Katuski looked up from the dog-eared book she was reading, "Hah? Wait I don't... I can't- "

"Sure you can, we fought the other day so what difference does it make?"

"Uh... well...." Katsuki sighed, "I guess there really isn't anything stopping me..." she reached into a weathered leather satchel and took out the small pouch that contained her Great Nature deck.

"Stand up, Vanguard"

"Stand... uh up! Vanguard?"

As Taichi and Katsuki were getting into the first few turns of the game, Yume and Tomoko sat at the head desk of the club room spectating the game for a while before talking amongst themselves.

"Well I'm glad you got a club advisor so fast, but what're you gonna do about members?"

"That's what I was hopping you could help me with" Yume reached into the desk drawer and pulled out a club registration sheet, "I know you're not a part of any clubs at the school, so I was kinda hoping you could join ours? I don't know if you've played Vanguard before, but its super fun! And you're pretty good at almost everything; sports, cooking, you even altered my skirt for me when I didn't know how"

Katuski's ears twitched, she glanced over to the two girls, "She did what now?"

Taichi leaned across the table, "Hey, I'm attacking with my Vanguard?! Focus!"