A Sabatine War Council
Don Valentino Sabatine, an impeccably well-dressed older man with white-streaked hair and gray eyes, glared across the conference room at his lieutenants and advisors. A few of those present barely resisted flinching from that soul-flaying gaze knowing describing it that way was not entirely hyperbole.
Have we made any progress at all in figuring out how to get payback on that Shigaraki monster?
Nervous silence was the only reply for a long moment. Then, his son, Giorgio, spoke up.
Honestly, father... no. We have made no progress on finding him, much less countering the freaks he has at his disposal. And the government is being extemely careful with that... factory of his that they took down not long ago, too. None of my men have been able to gain access as of yet.
Giogio sighed at that, and straightened his collar. He wore a rich, and heavily enchanted, cloak over his suit, with an imp familiar perched on his shoulder.
Don Valentino growled, and was about to speak when all the wards in the room shattered, the ensuing surge of magic driving a spike of pain into every mage in the room. Red runes expanded as a circle in the air, and then another runic circle appeared in the air behind that. A black-haired young man with red eyes levitated out of the circle, wearing an expensive black suit, with a blood red shirt and black tie underneath. Out of the other runic circle stepped a figure wearing obscuring black from head to toe, and yellow-orange armor in an eastern style forming a tabard of sorts, and also armor on his forearms and shins. The man, who had a dead gaze, and milky-white, pupil-less eyes, also wore an eastern style slashing sword on his back.
The room's doors opened, and two of the Sabatine guards burst in, magic and guns at the ready. The ninja shifted, instantly appearing between them, and, with a blur of kicks and strikes, dropped both men in a matter of moments. The floating wizard just smiled as he met the deadly glare of Don Valentino.
None of that, now. My associate and I have not come here to kill you all, only merely to talk.
Don Valentino, realizing his magic wouldn't work on this individual, stopped trying to draw the intruder's soul of his body, though his gaze did not get any friendlier.
And who are you, anyways? My family are not ones to take challenges like this lightly, Don Valention said coldly.
The floating man just grinned in response.
My name is Balaam, Don Valentino. I am one of the ranking members of the League of Violence, and a friend of the man you seem to be hunting. That said, I came to talk because, despite how my associates introduced ourselves to your fair city, your family and mine share a very similar mentality.
Don Valentino, now calming down, pondered this a moment before responding.
And what mentality is that?
Balaam's grin only got wider as he replied.
Why, the desire for power and freedom, unshackled by petty moralizing or inconvenient laws.
While that may be true, wizard, it still does not excuse your group's past actions, even if your intentions are easy enough to figure out, Valentino said. You wish an alliance, don't you?
Balaam, still floating, bowed.
That is correct. As I said, we have much in common. And as to our past actions, neither I nor any of my associates will apologize, as our they suited our purposes at the time just fine. That said, I think you will come to realize very shortly that the benefits of our working together will outweigh the costs of what you already lost.
For a long moment, Don Valentino considered this, and motioned for his council to remain silent while he did so. Then, he slowly began to smile.
You might indeed be correct about that. If nothing else, I believe we need to discuss things further.
Balaam's grin changed to a genuine smile as the negotiations began in earnest.
