Yoritomo Raiden
Mantis Clan Mod
Mantis Clan - Shugenja - Water - Thunder - Damiyo - Not Kolat
Posts: 437
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Post by Yoritomo Raiden on Nov 17, 2011 19:04:20 GMT -5
With the Mantis troops pressing an advance with aid of Raiden's thunder spells and Daichi's earth construct. Raiden knew the time was now. He kept his eyes keen looking for the signal. Raiden reached into his sleeve and pulled out a apple. He breathed heavily on the apples skin then rubbed it against his sleeve and then took a bite as arrows shot past him.
"Its delicious Daichi you should really try one." Raiden savored another bite.
The Saboteurs With alot of movement in the opposite directions Eisho knew the time was now to go. She gave the motion silently to execute the plan. Ten People pulled themselves up dressed in colors similar to the surrounding environment. They rushed quickly towards their target.
Raiden has just finished his apple when he saw a yari be thrown through the air letting a bright red cloth flap behind it. It stuck to the ground near a grouping of Crane troops some on horses. Raiden pulled in alot of his powers and let raw emotion help fuel the spell.
Crane Officers The Crane officers saw a yari land ten feet or so from them a red cloth tied to the end. Mitsouko could see some Mantis troops in the direction from where the yari came from. Alesha noticed them as well. Then came a loud crack and sudden light as a lightning bolt shot down from the heavens right towards the yari.
Men and women were thrown everywhere. Most of the men that were next to the yari lay blackened and burnt. The Mantis troops moved swiftly in towards her and the remaining men.
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Alesha
Spider Clan
Fallen Crane * Duelist * Bloodspeaker * Tactician * Maho-Bujin
Posts: 418
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Post by Alesha on Nov 18, 2011 2:53:23 GMT -5
Being in the skirmishing avant garde, ahead of main collumn he notices aproaching Mantis troops, than hears explosion in the collumn a distance behind him. He can't even trust Hitoshi and Mitsuoko to organise screens to snipe down shugenja... He drew his sword, as did the ten hanpicked warriors beside them...
"Charge!" As the riders charged amidsts the rank of enemies, Alesha's eyes were drawn to the man who seemed to be leading the group of saboteurs they encoutered, splitting his head and helmet in two as he charged by, his horse trampling another men as he countinued carving the crimson road among mantis... There was no particular tactic in the groups actions, it was noticable, but as they drew more blood, the more vicious the Kakita warriors became. It was highly unusual for Cranes.
As his horse fell under him, as one of Mantis planted a Yari in it, he dismounted in a swift move, his motions were quick as lightning, almost inhuman, or perhaps quite inhuman, as they let themselves loose on the mantis, unleashing a true carnal display, ignoring the collumn and focusing purely on bloodbath before them. Mitsuoko can prove herself, all he wanted today was blood. Mantis or Crane... Didn't matter much, for it made him and his students stronger with each spilled drop...
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Yasuki Chad
Crane Clan
Crab Clan
*Crab Clan Courtier *Experienced *Samurai *Daimyo *Hero *Experienced *Commander
Posts: 476
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Post by Yasuki Chad on Nov 19, 2011 0:26:44 GMT -5
"Are you sure these are the right ranges?" Yasuki Yagyu was tired of that question. The Loyal Crab troops had been at Seawatch since just after Toshi Ranbo. The Castle was not an especially large one and They had been busy helping get the Fortifications up to snuff. The biggest addition was just about to be tested, but the engineers distrusted the crane range estimates.
"The Next samurai who asks me that gets to find the range firsthand....as ammunition!", he barked. The rest of his trip down the line was quieter, and he shortly was able to return to the Command tent. Upon entering he bowed to his Daimyo. "The Catapults are ready, and our estimates put roughly half the Mantis fleet in range. They don't seem to think the crane have much in the way of seige engines here."
Yasuki Chad rose from the table. He'd arrived only a few days before, having been freed by the Lion Champion after being captured in the defence of Toshi Ranbo.
"Fire." The order was given without emotion. He turned back to the intellegence reports on the table. Yagyu left the tent.
Moments later, Burning balls of pitch began to streak through the air toward the mantis fleet.
The Mantis fleet That turned out to be very much in range.
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Kakita Sojiro
Crane Clan Global Mod
When you die, will you be remembered, or will you be just another strand in the tapestry?
Posts: 900
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Post by Kakita Sojiro on Nov 19, 2011 3:08:18 GMT -5
Hitoshi and Mitsouko led the cavalry attack into the mantis forces on land, driving them back with hoof and steel. The counterattack was going well, when out of nowhere a yari trailing a red cloth arced through the air.
The next thing Hitoshi remembered was tasting white as a flash consumed all his senses.
He picked himself up off of the ground, not really knowing how he had gotten there, and noticed his horse a few meters away, dead, the bottom portion of it's legs charred. he couldn't figure out why everything had gone so quiet, but he didn't have time to worry about that.
Something was running towards him. Something with a weapon in it's hand, and it wasn't alone.
Hitoshi didn't have time to stop and think - and he may not have had access to coherent thought at that point anyway. Training took over, and as the first mantis rushed him, he rose to his feet with a vertical iaijitusu slash...
one strike...
that caught his assailant on the right side of his pelvic bone and erupted from his left collar bone.
one kill.
The next one came running in, and the young Kakita Elite pivoted, bringing his left foot and hip behind his right. His body and katana followed suit, creating a horizontal arc that went through the mantis's left upper arm and bit deeply into the ribs behind it.
One strike, one kill...
The mantis gurgled, blood pouring from his mouth as Hitoshi pulled the blade from his body.
One soul.
He was dimly aware that sound was returning to his world, and that some of his troops were rallying to his side, but the world still sounded like it was underwater somehow. He was also vaguely aware of something warm and wet running down his right cheek, from his ear. But he didn't have time to consider these developments.
A few seconds later, Seawatch Castle belched forth a guttering, scorching display of flame that lit up the night sky and landed amid the mantis fleet, igniting several of the ships as it did so.
But he didn't have time to stop and stare at this, either. Slowly, sound began to return to something resembling normal for him. Quickly, the tide of battle engulfed him and his men.
One strike. One kill. One soul.
Hitoshi gathered his Kakita Elite to him and waded into the conflict.
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Kakita Mitsouko
Crane Clan Mod
::Daimyo::Kenshinzen::Hatamoto of Crane Clan::Paragon of Duty
Posts: 1,952
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Post by Kakita Mitsouko on Nov 19, 2011 3:55:37 GMT -5
After the marking yari reach the soil she scremed orders that were quickly muffled by the following thunder attack. She should have time to react. But a wave of ionic air pushed her towards, the clarity of the air and the impacting booom so close to her! She grabbed the horse’s mane protecting the eyes and when she was able to see again, a devastating scene of the shugenja attack!
What in Jig…! Not that she was able to hear her own voice. Hitoshi was close, on the ground and overwhelmed by the numbers, she motioned her horse around, she was not trained to use a horse as a battle weapon but was really inspired today… Arcing sideward she swept some enemies at the reach of her blade, cleaning way to Hitoshi.
She felt the point of a lance scraping, piercing, pinching her left shoulder armor, with a glance she looked in the side of her oponent. The Mantis man seemed almost happy. Her right hand raised and sliced his own left shoulder... He screamed in pain, but forced the yari and her downwards before fall. Mitsouko fell. Rolled in the mud, and crouching waited, blade ready.
By some reason, the three Mantis around her seemed fearful to approach. What was the blood in her hear? The sound were quite distant now, muffled still.
Nevermind.
Who will be the glorious Mantis to kill the Kakita daimyo today?
She teased, trying the blade in her hand, the sharpest in the whole Empire.
With a kiai (or at least it was what she thought it was) an ambitious brave volunteer stood out, advancing against Mitsouko. Minutes later all the three were dead.
Will be good if I start to hear again, she thought, looking around. She glanced Hitoshi, now gathering his troop again. An officer brought her the horse, she mounted it feeling a bit dizzy because the temporary semideafness.
Reagroup! Line!
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Kakita Sojiro
Crane Clan Global Mod
When you die, will you be remembered, or will you be just another strand in the tapestry?
Posts: 900
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Post by Kakita Sojiro on Nov 19, 2011 6:32:26 GMT -5
As his troops reformed around him, Hitoshi took stock of the situation. He knew his horse was dead, and he was certain that the fire attack on the mantis ships was going to provoke a response of some kind.
They had to keep moving, or they were sitting ducks.
"Mitsouko-sama, take the cavalry and make a hole for us! I'll follow with the infantry and regroup with Alesha-sama!"
He looked around again. This battle was different from Toshi Ranbo, mainly because he wasn't ridiculously outnumbered and could actually apply his training.
"Form up! Swordsmen, front line! Yari, second rank! And don't forget to cover our rear!"
MOVE OUT!!"
His men responded with a resounding battle cry and began to carve their way through the mantis. Now, where in the hells was their shugenja and archer support?
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Kitsune Poxo
Mantis Clan
Mantis Clan | Shugenja | Earth | Thunder | Kitsune Blooded | Naval | Daimyo | Unique
Posts: 225
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Post by Kitsune Poxo on Nov 19, 2011 8:46:32 GMT -5
"I am surprised you can eat at a time like this. Daichi said over his shoulder."I hope I will see you out on the actual field." He added as he lowered himself onto a waiting boat.
The earthen construct of the kami smashed, and pounded. It flung those helpless near it and charged crushing more. It footsteps cause the ground to shake and shudder around it to the point that even people up to twenty miles away could feel the rumbling.
The long boat slipped effortless amongst the ships to open water and move a bit up the coast. A few arrows came his but most seemed aimed at the fleet. Daichi was thankful for this as his defenses remained down as he had to keep half his mind focused on the earthen construct. While he did not control it he had to remain concentrating to keep it there and give what commands he could.
A large crashing noise came from behind as burning pitch came down on the fleet. Daichi spun to look at it almost losing his concentration. Bearing his teeth, he spoke aloud "Here comes their heavy support and yet they do not summon their fog? These tactics are unusual for the crane. We need to hurry and get to the ritual site." He added the last part spinning to face the ones rowing the boat.
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Yoritomo Raiden
Mantis Clan Mod
Mantis Clan - Shugenja - Water - Thunder - Damiyo - Not Kolat
Posts: 437
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Post by Yoritomo Raiden on Nov 19, 2011 10:08:48 GMT -5
Crane Officers The ten saboteurs quickly were being dispatched, Eisho knew that this was a possibility, however this was all for the mission and she knew her anger and thirst for vengeance would give her cause for victory. Only herself and three of the original men with her from the cliffs were alive. They had quickly dispatched fallen men from the blast. As predicted they staggered to a defensive posture, they were crane afterall and knew how to defend. Good she thought to herself. In that moment the cranes had set a defensive posture and their focus was on Eisho and her men. Thats when the charge hit their flanks from the other 30 men that had been waiting for the lightning signal as well. The defense wavered for a moment enough for Eisho and her last men to charge into the thick of the Crane line. One rather large Mantis leap towards Alesha to tackle him off his horse while Eisho began to slip through the crowd and chaos of battle.
Mantis Fleet As Daichi was leaving, Raiden tossed him one apple and gave a foxish grin to him. Raiden thought to himself that the flank manuever was going well he wished he could see that far away. Soon his prize would be claimed then a whole different battle would be fought.
The water was becoming choppy, and the scent in the air changed to that of a burning pugant odor. The alarm was sounded by the watchmen of the boats. Raiden could hear other boats alarms being raised as well. Raiden thought to himself did the Crane grow gills as he looked over the side of the boat casually.
"ABOVE ITS ABOVE!!!!" the watchman screamed
Raiden looked up wondering what now. He saw multiple burning pitch soaring through the air towards the fleet. like burning stars in the ever darkening sky.
"Huh!? That can't be good." Raiden pursed his lips and gave a look on his face like he was trying to figure out a alchemy equation. A ball of pitch flew right over the deck of the ship Raiden was on about 30ft from his very position, he could feel the heat pulsing off of it. The pitch hit the water and the ship rocked to the right.
Other ships were not so lucky. Raiden could see some ships were on fire from glances, Moshi priestess' working to control and snuff out the fire from the attack. Some of the ships that had a direst hit were already sinking below the waves, the surviving Mantis leaping into the water to escape the ships fate.
"Crab tactics in a Crane defense......Interesting." Raiden had a slow smile creep onto his face. "It seems this siege wont be boring after all. A pleasant surprise it seems."
The watchmen told Raiden where the pitch had came from roughly, and then was dismissed to perform his next duty. The watchmen had colored larde pads used to direct movements on battlefields except these were four times the size. The thunder shugenja on each ship were to be ready in a courdinated attack on the castle itself.
Raiden growing tired from the usage of magic straightened himself and got ready for another display of magic to amaze the Crane. Raiden unleashed another bolt of lightning this time directly down upon where the watchmen had shown. The top tower spire on the southeastern side of the castle exploded outward in fire and light raining down upon anyone below. The other remaining Yoritomo Shugenja spread across the fleet to aid in ship movements and such then also unleashed their lightning. The castle was suddenly lit up in loud booms and flashes of light.
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Yasuki Chad
Crane Clan
Crab Clan
*Crab Clan Courtier *Experienced *Samurai *Daimyo *Hero *Experienced *Commander
Posts: 476
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Post by Yasuki Chad on Nov 19, 2011 11:09:09 GMT -5
"Predictable. Lightning, lightning....and more lightning. Yagyu, I heard there were a few Asahina here setting up and staffing a infirmiry. See if a few of them care to save a few of our lives and whip the wind up a bit. Blowing out to sea. Tell them it will keep more Mantis from landing." Unspoken was that it would also increase the range of the catapults. He had no authority over the Shugenja really, it would be best to frame it as a request.
"On second thought Yagyu, I'll do it. Take some men and assist the Crane fighting at the beach. Mitsouko-sama is my host, it would not do for her to think we are ungrateful guests in her lands." Yagyu bowed once and departed, barking orders to his men. In short order roughly a third of the Yasuki formed up and marched out of the castle, moveing at a brisk pace toward the fight.
Now to find the Shugenja. He stalked off into the castle.
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Post by Asahina Yuuto on Nov 19, 2011 13:35:02 GMT -5
With folded arms, Hatsune guides the preparations with stern look as his shugenja lay wards and focusing fetishes along the beach ridge; his Kakita escort becoming increasingly annoyed as the minutes drag on, “I thought you came here to fight; when will you act Hatsune-san?”
With solemn refrain, his brow towards the brawl on the beach,”Patience in all things, as my sensei would say,”his words receiving a strange look from the Kakita, “let them do their job as I prepare to do mine.”
The Kakita’s teeth flashed his disagreement as he explodes in rage, “I did not come here to protect a pacifist while Alesha-sama bleeds for the clan; make your move Asahina, or I will make mine,”the bushi glaring at the now rampaging elemental moving along the beach.
The shugenja with looks of content slowly begin to assemble around their leader, startling the Kakita with their ritualistic harmony. Hatsune, face emotionless, unsheathes his folded arms, turning his back from caressing waves and dusky beach. With squinting eyes and centering thumb, he looks over the aligned fetishes and wards the castle ramparts far behind; his second hand quickly produces a signaling mirror from pocket, flashing twice towards castle defenders, and quietly acknowledged their returned response.
Motioning his men to step towards the circle’s safety, he warns, “The focusing iris is complete noble Kakita, our support will be amplified, our defenses doubled,” a teal glow flaring upon his words as wards and fetishes find life from beach head to castle front. Dead air turns to tempest within the iris, cloud churning in anger to the prayers and rituals of humble Asahina.
“I hope I can count on your defense, Kakita-san,” Hatsune's somatic movements beginning to draw and direct the kami in ritual – to fog and illusionary form – pushing it forward to bolster the backs of the embattled 1st legion; a tempest brewing in reserve to remove unwelcome guests. The Kakita can only steel his tongue as he forms his stance.
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Alesha
Spider Clan
Fallen Crane * Duelist * Bloodspeaker * Tactician * Maho-Bujin
Posts: 418
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Post by Alesha on Nov 19, 2011 14:18:32 GMT -5
He was already off his horse by the time that men leap towards him (My horsie died in my last post ) and grabbed him by throat as at that point his katana was stuck in a skull of another mantis... He headbutted the man with his helmet falling down with him onto the ground, letting his Kakita blade out of his hand in process, but drawing a tanto and beginning to stab the Mantis man repeatedly in the neck...
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Kakita Sojiro
Crane Clan Global Mod
When you die, will you be remembered, or will you be just another strand in the tapestry?
Posts: 900
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Post by Kakita Sojiro on Nov 19, 2011 18:05:53 GMT -5
Hitoshi was already well on his way to Alesha's forces when the Asahina's magic took effect. A thick bank of fog rolled in over the Crane forces, and suddenly one could see the mantis swinging at Crane soldiers that simply weren't there, while the more solid ones cut them down in their ignorance. He felt the wind at his back, pushing him along and speeding his movements as he struck down the Mantis his forces encountered. Off in the distance, he watched as another bolt of lightning came from the clouds, this time striking the castle directly.
Fools. What good is lightning going to do against stone?
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
At first, he had thought the faint rumbling in his feet was the result of the cavalry charge. Then he realized that it was too rhythmic for that to be the case. It was like.... the ground was shaking from impacts. Regular impacts.
That thought was driven from his mind as he got to Alesha's unit. Alesha was in the process of butchering a Mantis - excessively, in Hitoshi's opinion - and was so caught up in what he was doing that he hadn't noticed another enemy coming up on his blind spot. Hitoshi put the Asahina's blessing of speed to good use, dashing over and using his momentum to sever the man in half with a strike to the torso, before he managed to plunge a blade into Alesha's exposed back. As his fog encased troops - real and illusion both - linked up with Alesha's bloodthirsty 1st legion, the mantis resistance fell back or was slaughtered. The fighting style between the two units was marked and easily apparent - the Kakita Elite were focused one the One Strike, One Kill philosophy that they had become so skilled in, while the first legion was savage, not just slaying but brutalizing and destroying their victims, leaving pools of blood and mangled corpses in their wake. It was actually shocking to Hitoshi to see the results of their "work".
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Any thoughts Hitoshi had concerning Alesha's fighting were driven out of his mind as the source of the tremors came into view - a massive, humanoid monstrosity made of dirt and rocks. It was slow, but it was definitely coming towards them.
"Alesha-sama, how do we kill that thing?"
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Kitsune Poxo
Mantis Clan
Mantis Clan | Shugenja | Earth | Thunder | Kitsune Blooded | Naval | Daimyo | Unique
Posts: 225
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Post by Kitsune Poxo on Nov 19, 2011 18:52:14 GMT -5
How do you trick that which does not see? Illusions hold not effect to that which can feel where what is truly solid and what is not there. As the fog engulfed it it just kept piling on it's body count but as the numbers grew higher it's time grew shorter.
Sweat poured from Daichi while early he could hold a small concentration to keep his earthen construct around now took most of his will. The earth wanted to remain still. It wanted to return to sleep. It fought harder to return from whence it came. But the shugenja was just as stubborn as the the element.
He managed to smirk as the fog came as he knew time drew near. Though, it hurt him in heart as he knew what it meant for those men who got caught in it. Their fates grew as clouded as the field itself.
The boat rocked as it thumped into something and Daichi came dangerously close to losing his concentration as looked to the source. They had arrived to the site. It was a small outcropping and a small cave. Kitsune bushi stood guard, camouflaged to the point of if you knew not what you were looking for you would not have seen them.
Entering the cave, the daimyo could not feel a surge in emotions. His kitsune blood yearned to play and go wild. It could feel how close they were to Chikushudo. That surge cause enough of a lapse that the construct paused, it faltered, then it crashed down burying some poor soul it alive.
Daichi could feel the control breaking. It was like snapping threads in the back of his mind as the construct returned to the earth. It saddened him but the animal chatter and chanting soon reminded him of his real strategy. He had the last piece to the ritual.
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Kakita Sojiro
Crane Clan Global Mod
When you die, will you be remembered, or will you be just another strand in the tapestry?
Posts: 900
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Post by Kakita Sojiro on Nov 19, 2011 22:48:36 GMT -5
Hitoshi watched as the behemoth thundered closer, unsure of how to attack it. It wasn't fear that stopped him - although there was plenty of that, he WAS sane, after all - as much as sheer ignorance. He had no idea how one would even go about injuring something like that, short of one of the siege engines raining death from above on it.
To make the mater even more complicated, the illusionary forces that had been so effective against the mantis forces had absolutely no effect on it. They were simply ignored, as if they weren't there at all... which, in all honesty, wasn't far from the truth.
He braced himself to engage it as members of the kakita first legion, in their apparent bloodlust, rushed in to attack it. The monstrosity batted them aside like toys, and then...
it just fell apart.
It collapsed, burying the couple of men from first legion that were still hacking away ineffectively under a pile of earth and stone. Hitoshi blinked a few times, disbelieving what he had seen, but his vision didn't change. It really had just suddenly disintegrated.
"Alesha-sama.... did that..... just happen?"
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Yasuki Chad
Crane Clan
Crab Clan
*Crab Clan Courtier *Experienced *Samurai *Daimyo *Hero *Experienced *Commander
Posts: 476
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Post by Yasuki Chad on Nov 19, 2011 23:25:19 GMT -5
Yasuki Chad finally found the Asahina, and their strange "Focusing Iris". It certainly looked impressive, he had to admit, but he couldn't see how this was a good defence from repeated lightning strikes. Constant strikes would heat the stone, make it brittle, and eventually it would burst from stress. He approached on of the shugenja who didn't seem to be part of the ritual itself. She gave a small bow at his approach.
"Asahina-san, would it be possible for you ask the Kami to summon a wind, blowing out toward the sea. It would make the mantis ships somewhat harder to handle, and the farther away from the fortress they are the fewer times we get hit with this blasted lighting!" he kept his tone friendly and even.
A bright smile lit her face at his words. "We already are my lord. Return to your catapults. The Kami have heard of our need, and are happy to help us."
Outside.....
Another round of pitch flies through the air toward the Mantis fleet. At the apex of their flight they suddenly change course. They dive toward the fleet unerringly strikeing diffrent ships. The crab, for their part, could not see the results of their strike because of the thick mist that had permeated the area in the last few minutes. They could hear it though, as suddenly burning men screamed and jumped overboard in much greater numbers then before.
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