Shosuro Honzo
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Shosuro Daimyo * Ninja* "Master of Shadows"* Loyal * Unique
Posts: 194
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Post by Shosuro Honzo on Feb 18, 2012 5:02:45 GMT -5
Honzo smiled beneath his mask as the blade came towards him. Although he needed full concentration to keep the spelll going, he did not need to do anything to avoid the katana hurtling towards him. He simply stood his ground, concentrating on keeping control of the Flame he had summoned.
Po and Yosuto saw that their master was not moving. With a burst of air from Yosuto, the gale deflected the katana and sent it skittering away with metallic clangs onto the marble floor. Po, sensing the earth kami being disrupted and causing the audience chamber to shake and come down around them, acted swiftly. Holding his tetsubo of earth in both hands, he held it aloft and chanted, channeling his energy.
Large boulders that were about to crush the Shosuro daimyo shattered and turned into sand. With the assistance of Yosuto, the sand was blown around the chamber harmlessly. The pillars that supported the domed ceiling rumbled and cracked. Po calmed the earth spirits and bid them to grow stronger and fuse together. The stone ran like clay and reformed, hardening again in moments. Although the daimyo was unaffected, there were several guards who were crushed by falling masonry. Their cries of alarm were cut short, turning from anguished screams into a wet, pulpy squishing sound.
Next, Po turned his power to appeal to the earth spirits. He soothed them with his chanting, bidding them and pleading with them to stop their panicked throes. The audience chamber shook, then shuddered then stilled. The kami were unsettled, disturbed, afraid. This thing that called upon them used dark magic to force them to do his bidding. They wailed their torment and only the shugenja could hear them. To the guards that were still alive, their ears were deaf to all but the crackling flames of the giant, fiery scorpion.
"You are beaten", Honsou said. "Don't make me destroy your body. Leave this place and I will not hunt down your heart. I have no vendetta against you. Senshi does, but he is not me. Though you are an abomination against the Celestial Order and your very existence offends me, I have no agenda against you. Not yet, anyways. Leave my city. If you do not, I will lead the hunt that will destroy you utterly. I was going to confine you to the Tanuki Grove, but I can see now that it is too risky to chance that some demented follower of yours would release you someday. It is better if Senshi did the honors of ending you. So I say to you one last time...LEAVE."
The Flame moved closer to Shoju, snapping its pincers and lifting its tail high above its head, poised to strike. Your move, monster Honzo silently said, daring Shoju to call his bluff.
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Post by Shoju on Feb 20, 2012 8:43:13 GMT -5
Under the maho protective ward, Shoju's body was racked with the pains of the poison forced into his system. Without the Kami to aid him, he was fighting a losing battle. His strength residing in the duality of the Kami and Maho.
He closed his eyes, and tried to clear his mind. The earth kami still out of reach, He was desperately searching for a solution. The Scorpion seemed to have him right where they wanted him.
As the Scorpion yelled at him to surrender, the voice from his dreams returned. "You are beaten Tsukai." The voice spoke in his ear.
"It seems it was hopeless from the beginning. " Shoju said, turning his head to search for the speaker.
"Your body wont last against his onslaught." The voice spoke in his ear again.
Shoju nodded. "I just want to see him destroyed." Sadness welled in his words.
"For the death of your beloved?" The voice whispered back, with a tinge of sadness of its own.
"He murdered her. He destroyed me." Shoju's voice was angry.
"What if I could help you? What if I turned the tables for you? What if I gave you what you needed to crush the Scorpion, and their murderous champion?" The voice almost whispered at this point.
Shoju grunted. "That would come at a steep price. "
"I ask for two things. One you carry like a curse, one you cherish most. " The voice whispered again.
"I will not be a slave again." Shoju replied. His voice firm.
"I said nothing of slavery. You wish to avenge your love stolen from you. I know that kind of pain all too well. As long as you follow out your intentions, you will never be a slave." The voice was quiet for a second. "Time is running short Tsukai."
Shoju exhaled. "What is it I carry like a curse?"
"Taizin" Was the only reply.
Shoju frowned at the name. "Take it.[/i][/color]
As the words left his mouth, the ward grew in size. Shoju could be seen lifting into the air inside the ward. And as he did, something was being drawn out of him. As that happened the floor fell away momentarily, and a human shape rose, and stood.
What was taken from Shoju, entered the new shape, and then it roared. The roar wasn't human, or animal. The shape held what looked to be a No-Dachi made for a giant.
"When this is over, and you have your blade from the Crane, you will seek me out in the Shadowlands, and bring me your heart." And the voice was gone.
Shoju looked over his body. The wound was there, but he felt no weakness. As he looked at the new shape, it was as if he were looking into a twisted vision of his past.
It was a man, it what looked like destroyed armor, burnt and fused to his skin, and made of stone. It turned and looked at Shoju, and the face.... It was the face of Taizin. "Greetings, Shoju.. "
The mouth didn't move, and Shoju was aware of the connection. Hello Taizin-san. He replied in his mind.
"Shosuro, "
It is you who are defeated It is you who are defeated
The voices said together. As the ward fell The Oni stood next to Shoju. Its features menacing, its eyes hungry for death.
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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 Feb 21, 2012 4:38:10 GMT -5
(OOC due to waiting for a good long while for certain threads to have their respective parties do something, I have decided that I'm not waiting any longer. I will deal with the adventure surrounding how Sojiro gets the nodachi at a later point, when said people are available. I will not hold this thread up any longer with the waiting, though.)
Another trip through the void, this time with a greater understanding of why he felt so comfortable here, thanks to Shodai.
Sojiro's head was still spinning a bit from what he had discovered about himself with the Void Master's help. He had always thought that he was calling on the air kami to assist him when he did... whatever it was he did. He had been quite mistaken. Instead, he had been pulling on void energy, and its effects had been formed and channeled through his own beliefs about what was going on. And still, he had no real answers as to why he could do this, aside from a cryptic statement spoken by his mother's nurse the night he was born, and Shodai's explanation of what he had seen in Sojiro's thread - a thread that was interwoven with energy from the void in a pattern so complex that it was almost as if the void energy had tried to swallow it in a way.
Or, as Shodai had put it, as if the void itself had marked the thread and laid claim to it.
He hurtled through the void passage, random tendrils of energy snaking out to touch him as he did so. It was still no less exhilerating than it had been the first time - and suddenly, he found himself in the middle of Ryoko Owari, a city he had visited several times in his past.
There were several people staring at his sudden arrival, heimin and eta, and he could hardly blame them for it. After all how often does a fully armored samurai simply show up out of thin air?
He quickly took stock of himself. His katanas, the third katana and the nodachi on his back, his two tantos tucked into his boots, his father's armor and mother's obi, his custom made jade studded gloves...... and the pack holding his "surprises". All was as it should be.
He felt a "tug" from the cursed sword, nudging him in the direction that it's owner was in, most likely. However, protocol still had to be met, as time consuming and annoying as it would be right now. Looking to one of the gawking heimin, he asked, "How do I get to the residence of the daimyo overseeing the city?"
The heimin stammered out the directions, and Sojiro was on his way. It took him a few minutes to realize that he was heading towards where the nodachi was nudging him.
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Shosuro Honzo
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Shosuro Daimyo * Ninja* "Master of Shadows"* Loyal * Unique
Posts: 194
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Post by Shosuro Honzo on Feb 22, 2012 3:44:10 GMT -5
Shosuro Honsou could not believe his eyes. This Shoju, once a fellow Scorpion like himself just gave up a piece of his soul. The Taizin no Oni was truly a monstrous beast. The burned and scorched armor, fused to the skin was a chitinous shell that only weapons of magic and jade could penetrate. The eyes, blazing with an infernal light, seared to the core. The voice, haunting and resonant, felt like glass shards in his head.
Shosuro Honsou was terrified. He lost his concentration, and the Flame roared. The large, fiery scorpion flared, guttered out and died in a wash of flame and ash.
Never before had he been in the presence of an Oni. His brother, Shosuro Honzo and true daimyo to their family had been beyond the Wall and had survived. What happened to him over there, he would not speak of. The only thing that Honsou knew for sure was, after he returned he refused to show his true face to Honsou or anyone else. What had happened to his twin, he could not say, but whatever it was, it was enough to make his twin shy away from even him, who was identical to him in every way.
Honsou had wondered if his brother's true face had been scarred or changed in some manner. Honzo had commanded him to do as he did, and never show his true face to anyone. He had followed that order, but had inwardly questioned it. But still, 'loyalty above all else', as was the motto of the Clan.
Honsou took a moment to master himself. Although his bowels turned to water inside, and his hands trembled, he used his training to fall into 'Heart of Stone'. Once that was accomplished, his heart rate steadied and his fear vanished. He could see that Po and Yosuto had done the same. Both of his shugenja masters had erected wards now, and Honsou followed suit.
Po and Yosuto backed away from the Oni. The elite guard did their best to stand their ground. Some fled. Others cowered. The shinobi above, ill suited to this task, melted back into the shadows and disappeared. Po and Yosuto made their steps cautious, heading towards the stairs of the dais, their elemental weapons held at the ready.
When they flanked Honsou they sent several signals with quick, deft movements. Honsou nodded and replied in turn. The Oni did not move, it simply studied the three shugenja, as if they were buzzing flies. They were an annoyance to it, not a threat.
Yosuto signaled to Honsou "We are outmatched, we cannot survive this."
Po sent his own reply "He is right Master. Even my powers will only wound it, but I cannot hope to kill the beast myself. We should flee."
Honsou became angry, sending his signals with quick, cutting motions. "Never! Where is your honor samurai? We do not flee the Shadowlands! This is our city, and I will not let it burn to this creature and its slave. Shoju is a puppet to another power. We must sever the connection between the two. We may not survive, but I will not allow Ryoko Owari to burn because we did not even try! Go if you must, but I am staying!"
Po-san's face reddened where his mask did not cover. His shame was plain for all to see. He sent a curt apology and readied himself to fight, and if necessary, die to save the City of Lies. He was a Master of Earth, and his daimyo had reminded him of his duty. He would obey.
Yosuto-san stood stoic and determined. The Master of Air of the Soshi family's eyes blazed with a bluish-white light. His robes fluttered from an unseen wind. The air kami were with him.
All around, Honsou could hear the kami wailing. The elements were in turmoil. Shoju and the Taizin no Oni were causing a rift in the Celestial Heavens with their presence. Their auras were heavy and thick like blood; the scent gave an awful tang that stung their nostrils, and left a nasty, metallic taste in the back of their throats. To Honsou's eyes, the very air trembled and wavered like heat coming off the Burning Sands.
[glow=red,2,300]"Utz!"[/glow] Bellowed Po, holding his tetsubo of earth high.
[glow=blue,2,300]"Utz!"[/glow] Cried Yosuto, leveling his yari of air at Shoju and the Taizin no Oni.
Honsou nodded and a blazing katana of fire burst in a wash of heat from his right hand. Holding it like an iaijutsu duelist, he slid his left foot forward into an attack stance.
The moment had come. This was the final battle that would decide the fate of the City of Lies. If they fell, thousands would die. If they succeeded, they would save the city, and perhaps even the Empire itself.
[glow=maroon,2,300]"BANZAI!"[/glow] Screamed Honsou.
The trio charged.
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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 Feb 22, 2012 4:42:03 GMT -5
Sojiro had pulled the hood of his Haori up and lit a tobacco roll as he made his way towards the daimyo's residence when two things happened.
The first was a sort of... lurch, from the energy in Shoju's nodachi. It was quite noticable, but he had no idea what it meant or why it had occurred. Until he felt that feeling. A feeling he had only felt one other time in his life, well before Shodai had given him the tools to sharpen his perceptions of things like this through his strange connection to the void.
Someone or something had called an oni into existence.
The last time it had happened, the beast had been a few scant feet away from him. This time he was far more sensitive to such things, but logically he knew there was only one conclusion.
His brisk walk turned into a flat out run towards the daimyo's residence, where the nodachi was nudging him towards in the first place.
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Post by Shoju on Feb 22, 2012 10:09:52 GMT -5
Shoju smiled as the men advanced on him. The new found strength that coursed through him was uplifting. His vision was bolstered by what the Oni saw. He body felt stronger, his mind clearer. Taizin no Oni roared as it brought the No-Dachi over its head and charged.
Meanwhile, Shoju shot a glance at an elite guardsman who was attempting to stay safe in a room still crumbling, and in the presence of true fear. Shoju closed his eyes, and just as had happened before with the shugenja, the Elite Guardsman was drawn to him, near instantly. As Shoju's hand grasped his throat, his dagger punctured his abdomen, and his blood began to flow. He crushed his neck, and dropped him, leaving the Scorpion broken, but alive, laying at his feet. The blood flowed freely from his belly.
The Oni tore through the elite guard closest to them, their weapons biting into his chitinous exterior, but doing no permanent damage, while the Oni advanced. As it brought the massive weapon down, and felled several guards it roared. It then swung the blade sideways barreling a few more over. As the men went flying the Oni let out another roar.
Shoju closed his eyes for a fleeting moment and lifted into the air, His strength renewed. When his eyes opened again, they burned a bloody red. He raised his hands at his sides, and the man below him moaned. His blood began pouring harder from his wound, he had but seconds left to live. Shoju shot his hands out in front of him, and the blood began to fly towards the shugenja. As it flew through the air, it began to take on the shape of stakes. Sleek, sharp, and deadly.
As Taizin No Oni destroyed another elite guard, he turned and began bounding towards the Shugenja, flanking them from the side.
Give us The Shiotome and....
No one else has to suffer. No one else has to suffer.
The man and Oni were of one mind. Where Shoju was a master Shugenja, The Oni showed great prowess with the sword. They were complimentary pieces of the same existence.
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Saiko
Spider Clan
Here we stand, at the end of all things...
Posts: 355
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Post by Saiko on Feb 22, 2012 23:32:52 GMT -5
Waiting... He hated waiting. It was not that he was an impatient man, but with his victory so close, this last hurdle was more obnoxious than it usually would be. He stood in the shadows of the treeline near the gates of the Governor's mansion, his cloak wrapped tight around him as the two Scorpion guards looked suspiciously his way once again. The stream of people arriving and leaving, however, had not allowed them enough time to approach him to inquire as to his business, a fact that Saiko was thankful for.
He had tracked them from the middle of the city, following the echoes of Shoju's presence from the inn all the way here, though from the company that the tsukai had left in had led Saiko guess there destination long before he arrived here. A trace of worry had filled him as he had approached; hopefully, this was simply a routine questioning, but knowing the Scorpion, they may know more about the man than he would enjoy.
So he waited. The thought of trying to simply enter and look for the man had crossed his mind, but he dispelled such thoughts. He had spent enough time among the Scorpion to know that if he tried to wander off in those halls, he would not find what he was looking for easily. Saiko took a drag off of his tobacco roll, somehow managing to reach it through his black face wrap. He knew that he could not remain unquestioned for long, and so he closed his eyes and concentrating, feeling out to sense the presence of the man he hunted...
The fire kami all throughout the building were highly agitated; more so than Saiko was remotely comfortable with. He felt a slight connection, a ball of power, but it was hard to identify, for there were wards surrounding much of the mansion. He knew then that no normal shugenja were present there, more so than would normally be, and that the events inside were far more dire than he hoped.
Just then, he felt a powerful presence in the void, a blast of energy that was unlike anything he had felt since he had last seen the displays of Tamori Koichi. It was gone in a moment, though, but in it's place was a presence... a presence he had not felt since... He could not concentrate on it for long, for just then, the fire kami in the mansion entered a frenzy, instantly drawing all of Saiko's focus, and he knew then that he had to act now, or the opportunity would be lost.
He threw his tobacco roll to the ground and noticed that a lull in visitors had occurred, and that the two guards had their hands on their blades and were quickly walking towards him, angry looks upon their faces. "What is your business here, Dragon-san?", one of them called as they approached, but as they drew their blades he knew that they had already made their decision about whether he belonged here or not.
An unseen grin crossed his face as he readjusted his hands beneath his thick cloak, though all of these movements are unseen as well. "I'm sorry, my honorable Scorpion friends, but I am afraid that I can not allow you to hinder my business this day." The two guards looked at each other incredulously, and then began to laugh. They did not see him move, and died with smiles on their faces as he exploded into action. In a moment, his katana and wakizashi were gleaming silver and red in the cool evening, the bright blades casting droplets of blood across the snow as the two men's bodies fell to the ground, now free of their heads.
He charged towards the open gate with surprising speed, two more guards running out with blades drawn to intercept him, shouting for help as Saiko flew towards them with his eyes burning with a dark green fury, bloodlust raging deep within him. Their efforts were for naught, as he leaped into the air before he reached them, kicking one in the head and driving his katana into the shoulder of the other. The grounded guard was quickly dispatched with a flash of the wakizashi across his neck, and he pulled his katana free from the corpse of the other man, the snowy ground around them quickly staining with snow.
Saiko looked up towards the mansion as he stood at the entrance to the courtyard, the silver moon shining bright behind it, and he felt the battle happening within. He was so close now, and he would not allow himself to fail. A dark madness seemed to consume him, and he let out a feral roar as another group of men ran out of the barracks, readying their weapons as they approached him, and he flicked the blood off his blades before charging them. I'm coming, Shoju...
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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 Feb 23, 2012 15:54:17 GMT -5
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4kVBdVBn9w(OOC here's the theme song for this scene. I suggest you play it in the background as you read this - absolutely fitting for Saiko and Sojiro fighting as one) Sojiro's impression of the situation went from bad to worse as he made his way to the front gate of the residence. While he imagined that it was fairly common for the gates of such a place to be open this late in a city nicknamed the City of Lies, he had a hard time believing that those gates would be unguarded. The sounds of combat beyond the gate seemed to confirm this. He had no idea why Shoju would even be here, but given his history with the Scorpion clan, it couldn't be for anything good. And really, the list of people who were capable of unleashing an oni in the middle of a Daimyo's personal residence was a very short list - there was only one name on it that Sojiro was aware of. As he cleared the gate at a run, the sounds of combat grew louder, and the fight came into view. Several scorpions were attempting to subdue a man dressed in black, his face covered completely as he easily dealt with the guards. The crane's eyes narrowed as his hand went to the hilt of his katana. His first instinct was to charge the strange man... Until realization hit him like a brick to the head. The warrior's katana and wakizashi wove a complex pattern as he used them simultaneously to deal with multiple attackers, much like Sojiro. His individual strikes were aimed at odd angles, making it nearly impossible for an individual to block or parry more than the first attack, much like Sojiro did - although this man used far more thrusts than Sojiro did. The Crane would recognize that fighting style anywhere. After all, he had invented it. And there was only one other person in the empire who had mastered it to that degree. Sojiro altered the course of his charge, using a combination shoulder/elbow/iaijitsu strike from his right arm that send a scorpion flying backwards as he bled from his torso. He struck a modified version of Niten's fifth stance, with the lower sword still in its sheath and prepared for a second iaijitsu strike, as he positioned himself to cover his cousin's rear flank. "Saiko," he said conversationally, an almost comic counterpoint to the violence surrounding them, "What in Jigoku are you doing here?"Block, counterstrike, push and feint. Switch positions, draw, duck and kick - the two masters of Ha no Arashi seamlessly wove their assault together based on years of experience fighting together. Sojiro didn't know why Saiko was here, or why the scorpions were attacking him, and he didn't really care - they were attacking the one man that, when this whole mess had began back in Kyuden Otomo, he would have chosen before anyone else in Rokugan to accompany him on this trek. And now, by some twist of the fortunes, here he was. The Storm of Blades was breaking over Ryoko Owari, and there was no shelter to be found for those caught in it's fury.
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Saiko
Spider Clan
Here we stand, at the end of all things...
Posts: 355
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Post by Saiko on Feb 23, 2012 22:18:57 GMT -5
He slashed, he stabbed, he dodged, he parried, he executed series after series of flawless kata that left the Scorpion guards assailing him confounded. They would slash at where he was, only to find a blade sweeping their strike aside and a vicious counter would be the last thing they ever saw, if they even saw it. Saiko was lost in his bloodlust, the haze of battle overflowing him, and he was blind to almost all else. This was almost the source of an unfortunate action, as he heard the sounds of a man charging from behind, and as he disemboweled another guard he spun to face this new attacker.
Saiko stayed his blade, turning the spin into a duck as he avoided the flying Crane, and he grinned a little beneath his face wrap as things began to click into place for him. He stood into another strike, fending off a charge from a man hoping to surprise the new attacker, and circled around again so that they were fighting back to back for a moment, their strikes almost in unison as the man and his former sensei methodically carved through the attackers surrounding them.
"It's a long story, old friend," he replied to his cousin when he found the chance, "One better told perhaps when we're not outnumbered twenty to two." Saiko's green eyes still burned with the fire of battle that they had before, but now there was something else; a twinkle, a glimmer of something that had not been seen there in a very long time, and he laughed as he swept his blades around again, disarming one guard by destroying his spear and disarming another by removing his torso from his legs.
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Shosuro Honzo
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Shosuro Daimyo * Ninja* "Master of Shadows"* Loyal * Unique
Posts: 194
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Post by Shosuro Honzo on Feb 24, 2012 1:27:08 GMT -5
Outside, in the streets of Ryoko Owari Toshi--
Peasants, merchants and fishmongers milled about the market selling their wares. Local guardsmen bearing armor colored bright crimson and black and holding yari in their hands patrolled at regular intervals that changed every so often, to keep the populace guessing. The cold winter wind blew with a bite and the snows blanketed rooftops in soft, velvety white caps. Lord Sun peeked through a dismal grey overcast sky, failing to give any warmth to the day. Babies were born, the sick and old died. It was another day in a string of days in the City of Lies.
Except it wasn't.
High on the hill where the governor's manse stood, stoic and dominant, a pressure in the air was building. The enormous bronze gates lay open and the guards lay upon the snow, blood pools expanding beneath their cooling bodies, leaving steam contrails to wisp in the frigid air. A trail of the dead led along the causeway into the large courtyard where the gardens still bloomed despite winter's chill. The gardeners, so dutiful in their daily lives around the governor's manse, were nowhere to be found. Most assumed they'd fled the attack, but their footprints in the snow showed that they'd run into the governor's manse, not away. Some postulated that they'd sought the protection that the castle afforded.
The doors to the governor's manse, made of thick, warm, richly stained wood and polished to a high shine were hacked and broken off their hinges. More bodies polluted the area, with bloodstained weapons held in lifeless hands. Severed limbs and heads also littered the area, giving a macabre scene to behold to any who encountered the aftermath of the attack.
The sounds of battle and cries of alarm sent the citizens of the city into a panick. Most assumed that the Crab or Unicorn had somehow brought the war to the Scorpion lands. With the Scorpion army away at Kyuden Kitsune (or so reports stated), there was only the garrison to defend the citizens against an invading army. Babies wailed while mother's held them to their breasts, hoping that the garrison would be enough to stave off the attackers. Ashigaru and samurai answered the call to battle and ran in quickly formed ranks to the governor's palace.
As the bulk of the hastily formed militia, commissioned guards and local samurai came upon the scene of slaughter, the pressure in the air increased. An oppressive pall of some sort pressed against them, giving pause to most. The smell of smoke and fire began to assail their nostrils, with the tang of blood and death reaching their throats.
Without warning, a massive explosion rocked the governor's mansion, showering a ten block area in flaming debris of wood and stone. Some in the courtyards were crushed by falling masonry. Others were impaled by large chunks of wood, blown into fiery spears. And still others were concussed by the shockwave, thrown off their feet to land over twenty meters away.
Most of the roof of the governor's mansion was now missing. A massive hole gaped out, with flames roaring and clawing from the pit, as if a monstrous conflagration had come to life and was seeking release from its prison. Sounds of battle came from inside and the cries of the dead and the dying went unheard by those outside, as their eardrums had burst from the sonic boom.
Citizens in the city fled to their homes. Merchants hastily closed their stalls and carried what stores of goods they could away before any looting could commence. The gates to the city were being sealed, orders being called out in hoarse commands from chui and taisen.
War had come to the City of Lies. But it was not what the populace had thought. There was no invading army. No Toturi Kaneka with roving bands of ronin and brigands. Not even the barbarian tribes of the Yobanjin were rampaging through the mighty Scorpion city. It was more simple than that. More terrifying...
It was Shoju, and the foul creature of the Shadowlands, the Taizin no Oni that lay waste and ruin upon the city.
A Bayushi officer, clad in heavy armor and wielding his katana above his head sat astride his warhorse. He had wrestled the animal and was nearly thrown, but the warhorse was a trained animal, used to hearing the sounds of battle. The massive explosion had startled the animal, but it had not attempted to bolt. It simply was alarmed at the sudden concussion that assailed its senses. The Bayushi rallied the survivors of the explosion and called them to ranks. Even in his own ears, his commands though shouted at battle-pitch, were muffled. It took several minutes and much gesturing to get some semblance of order back.
When all was settled, the five-hundred or so warriors that were battle-ready began to march towards the governor's mansion again. With their hearing returning, they could hear an unholy roar of some unknown beast. Green and red flashes could be seen flaring from the broken roof and gale force winds threw more debris out, as if a hurricane or tornado raged within the halls. The sound of steel on steel could also be heard, along with the occasional death cry or battle shout.
"What in the name of Jigoku is going on in there?" The Bayushi officer muttered to himself.
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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 Feb 24, 2012 5:53:36 GMT -5
"Twenty to two? By the kami, that means the odds are in our favor for once!"
The chain of a kusari-gama wrapped around the blade of Sojiro's crystal katana, now also freed from it's saya. He waited until the exact moment the man wielding it began to tug before sweeping the blade of his other katana, the Kakita blade, though the chain, severing it and causing the scorpion to fall backwards on his butt from the force of his own pull. He flicked the severed end from his sword and continued fighting as if this was a normal occurrence for him.
"Can't remember the last time we were only this outnumbered."
He heard Saiko chuckle in response, and about that time the throbbing from Shoju's nodachi became something else, a steady vibration against his back. It was barely perceptible in the chaos of battle - in fact, something else quickly took Sojiro's attention from it.
A group of gardeners were approaching the two cousins from behind, hoping to catch them in a pincer maneuver, and judging by the way they were moving and holding their "tools", they were far more than your standard gardeners.
"Saiko, behind us outside the gate, closing quickly. Drunken Dragon technique."
Sliding the crystal blade back into it's saya, Sojiro parried a strike aimed at his shoulder and side-kicked the scorpion that threw it in the solar plexus with his steel-shod tabi boots before reaching into his pouch of "surprises" and pulling out one of the two bottles it held - the bottle of plum moonshine that Tsi Kazekoto had given him as a gift at winter court.
"NOW!"
Sojiro hurled the bottle at the mass of "gardeners", and as soon as it hit the ground and shattered, Saiko unleashed a blast of the kami's own flame at them, far more powerful than Sojiro remembered it ever being. Following right on the heels of the flame strike, Sojiro reached out to what he now knew was the void and released a mighty gust of wind.
The result was an alcohol fueled firestorm that scattered the gardeners in all directions and ignited the trees in the courtyard.
And the vibration at his back grew ever stronger, matched now by a sympathetic pulse he felt from inside the castle. The vibrations shook the foundation stones they were standing on, and suddenly Sojiro knew that something very bad was about to happen. The only time he had experienced this sensation was when the Tsukai that slew Reina first called forth his oni and it had exploded from the building he was hiding in... and this sensation was far more powerful.
Instinct took over, or at least that's what he would remember after it was all over. He screamed "DOWN!" and grabbed his cousin by the front of his armor, yanking the Dragon down and behind him as he did so.
"What the..." was all Saiko had time to get out. For a second, he caught a glimpse of something swirling in Sojiro's eyes, a shifting pattern of colors, before the Crane whirled back around and extended both hands out in front of him.
For the life of him, Sojiro would never know why he decided to do what he did. He had heard of such magics being performed, but had never even entertained a fanciful, half-drunken notion of being able to perform them himself. And yet here he was, arms extended, forcing his will and the void energy that seemed to respond to him for a reason only the void itself knew out of his body and into a half-sphere in front of the two of them. A scorpion threw a shot at one of the extended arms that glanced off of his armor.
And then the castle exploded.
Sojiro would have no recollection of what happened next. He would never recall the sheer force of the shock wave as it hurled him and Saiko backwards, or the flying debris that deflected off of his hastily formed barrier. All he would ever be able to remember was his vision going white and a searing, white-hot pain shooting through his arms. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consciousness slowly returned to the Crane, his cousin extending a hand to help him up. The courtyard was a scene from a nightmare, covered in blast debris and the torn apart bodies of scorpion defenders.
And then it all came rushing back to him
Shoju was in there... that means that Mai...
A look of absolute horror crossed Sojiro's face.
"Mai! No! NO!"
He shoved Saiko away from him as he got to his feet.
"She was with him!"
[glow=red,2,300]"MAI!"[/glow]
He took off running into the flaming wreckage, oblivious to the scorch marks on his hands and arms, barely remembering to grab his katana from the ground. His "surprise" pouch was now soaked from the other bottle of moonshine shattering inside of it during the blast.
"SHOJU!!! I WILL END YOU!!"
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Post by Shoju on Feb 24, 2012 13:14:55 GMT -5
Spells unleashed by Shoju and the Scorpion Shugenja tore the building down around them, and the Oni destroyed those who dared get in between it and its prey. As they moved through the ruins, The Oni kept the Scorpion on the move, and the Scorpion's assaults doing the same to Shoju.
As the battle raged on inside the ruins of the governor's courtroom, Shoju began to feel a tug. His blade. It was here! The Kakita had been successful in tracking it down. It's power felt muted, but the blade hummed in his head, and he could sense the pain in its wielder. The agony. Then, he could hear Sojiro, screaming.
Shoju closed his eyes, seeing the battle only through the eyes of Taizin. Keep them busy. I will contain the Crane. He thinks the Battle Maiden dead.
Shoju brought a sickening red wave of corrupting flame crashing through, to give him time to move, and Shoju moved towards the sound of the Crane's voice. Sojiro! He landed on the remnants of the crushed marble floor and moved towards him, casting a defensive ward in front of him as he saw Sojiro's pain and rage in his face. Sojiro! Listen to me! The Scorpion have Poisoned her! If she lives, We will save her!
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Saiko
Spider Clan
Here we stand, at the end of all things...
Posts: 355
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Post by Saiko on Feb 24, 2012 14:57:41 GMT -5
He was flying... but this was not the comfortable, smooth flight that he had become accustomed to. This was jerky, angry, painful flight, and as the man looked around him, he realized that could see nothing; and then he looked down, and saw himself hurtling towards...
Saiko's body hit the ground with a loud crash, his body bouncing painfully across the floor before sliding to a halt. With a shake of his head to clear his mind the man leaped to his feet, the adrenaline from his bloodlust pushing all pain from his mind, but he relaxed for a moment once he saw that there were no new assailants. He saw Sojiro lying moaning on the ground nearby, but could tell the man was not severely hurt, and quickly moved to help him up.
His cousin's outburst caught Saiko by surprise, but his words brought many things in to light. The identity of Shoju's traveling companion was revealed, and Sojiro's presence here, now, and even the no-dachi on his back. He resheathed his blades as he prepared to follow Sojiro to his mark, but it turned out to be unnecessary.
As Shoju floated to the floor before them, Saiko saw in person the face of the man he hunted for the first time, and his eyes burned with a fury, though he remained motionless. He swept his gaze across the tsukai, noting the defensive wards he had in place, and only then did he step towards to Sojiro. When Shoju spoke to Sojiro, asking him for aid, however, he stopped, and his hands drifted towards his blades as he narrowed his eyes at this new revelation...
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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 Mar 2, 2012 2:20:27 GMT -5
Covered in a dozen minor wounds from the battle, his armor battered and charred in places, the Crane made his way towards Shoju with murder in his eyes. Some part of his brain was telling him that the Tsukai's words meant something, that they were important and should be listened to, but this was the same part that was telling him that his hands were blistered, his body ached, and his head didn't feel right and he wasn't listening to it at the moment.
It was hard to say if the concussion had come from the blast wave, smacking the back of his head on the ground when he landed, or a combination of the two, but the result was the same. His head was filled with anger and physical pain, almost to the point of literally seeing red, and that anger latched onto the only remotely logical reason it could find - Mai.
Those mismatched eyes burned a hole into Shoju as he stomped his way forward in an almost drunken fashion, swinging his one drawn katana out of sheer rage. He didn't seem to notice that he hadn't even drawn the other blade, or that the sword was harmlessly glancing off of the ward Shoju had put up. The difference between this Sojiro and the one fighting against the scorpions was like night and day - before, the Crane had put on a clinic of skilled kenjitsu and battlefield poise. Now he was swinging like a madman, like one might imagine a lumberjack would swing his axe at a tree. No skill, no technique, just an unleashed fury.
"You said" swing "you would" swing "keep her safe!" hack "YOU GAVE YOUR WORD!!" chop
Each strike was harmlessly deflected. Sojiro seemed to take no notice until the final shot was thrown, when he stopped. Realization seemed to overtake him, and it became clear in his eyes and facial expression that, as quickly as it had come, the concussion fueled rage had gone, leaving only a gnawing ache in it's wake.
The Crane drew his second katana, but stopped his meaningless assault. He blinked a few times, obviously trying to clear his head of.... something.
"Shoju... I.... poisoned? They poisoned her? Why was she even here?"
Walking forward, he brushed the Tsukai aside with the back of his arm, deliberately avoiding contacting him with the crystal blade but blatantly forgetting the jade set into the back of his gloves. It hissed and reacted to the barrier, dissolving on contact, but he paid it no mind.
"Step aside, I'll deal with you later. Right now, I need to severely injure some meddling scorpions."
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Post by Shoju on Mar 2, 2012 12:01:22 GMT -5
Shoju looked at Sojiro with sadness in his features. The Scorpion caught me unaware. They summoned us here, and once here, Mai[/i] betrayed me to them.[/color] His voice was bitter. Angry. Despite that, I will level this city to put her in your arms..
As Sojiro continued to walk away, Shoju watched his form as it headed for the Scorpion, and felt something stir the Kami around him, something about the man.... He hadn't noticed it in the dream, but it was present now.
Shoju closed his eyes, and lifted off the ground again slightly, as he did, he saw through Taizin's eyes. He was closing in on his prey. Where their actions were bound by the physical limitations of the human body, his were not.
The Oni stopped his pursuit for a moment, and he and Shoju agreed they would need to bring the Shugenja down one by one. They both agreed that Po was the first target, and collecting the Shosuro who had started this would be best captured alive...... if possible.
As the Oni leveled his gaze on Po and began a more focused assault, Shoju landed on a crushed and broken pillar, and began launching blood red arrows of fire at the Shugenjas trying to split Po off away from the other pair.
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