Daigotsu Thrakhath
Spider Clan
Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken
Posts: 600
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Post by Daigotsu Thrakhath on Jun 11, 2012 13:37:57 GMT -5
Oni no Otsu waited in the darkness between buildings. The clouds above the confrontation writhed and twisted in unnatural ways, like the arms of some huge sea monster, at his direction. He could think of nothing better to do, as Shoju seemed to have the situation well in hand, and he saw no reason to interfere just yet. Poor girl doesn't know what she's up against, he thought with a smirk.
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Jun 11, 2012 13:46:44 GMT -5
"Now!" Mai shouted as she kicked Ren into a furious gallop. She barely managed to clear the opened door before it slammed again behind her, but she only noticed how she was building up momentum, and the growing shapes of the three figures in her sight. Her first target would not even slow her down, but might, with luck, buy Tsanuri a few extra seconds to accomplish whatever mad plan she had set out to do.
The monster had his back turned toward her, his odd curved weapon dripping with the cursed rain, intent on the lioness before him. By the time he connected the thundering sound to Mai, it would surely be too late. Mai urged Ren faster, and leaned far over the horse's flank, her katana readied in a classic striking position.
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Post by Akodo Tsanuri on Jun 11, 2012 14:05:38 GMT -5
With only one way of acting now Tsanuri felt surer. Not that it will be easy, but at least she knew what to do now. Two opponents. Probably stronger and swifter than normal people. Tsanuri looked at Daisuke. Defensive position. That's good. It didn't look like he could join the fight at once. Even better. Maybe that Shoju will fight her alone? That would give her a chance.
Tsanuri changed her grip on the sword for left hand. First time in months she needed to go all out. Normally she would watch Shoju looking for any weaker points but she didn't have time for it now.
She jumped to the front quietly and swiftly. Bigger surprise, not much but maybe... While running she changed position. Move that might have look weird, had its purpose. It looked like something between classical Lion kenjutsu and niten. First strike wasn't especially difficult to dodge, but with the sudden help of right hand, the second one had pretty high chances of getting its target.
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Post by Shoju on Jun 11, 2012 14:15:28 GMT -5
Mai's attack on Daisuke caught the oni off guard, and the blow struck home, and he howled. giving chance, flailing with his Kama as blood leaked from his wound. As the horse carried his prey out of range, he stopped, and hurled his Kama at the rider.
Shoju grinned as Tsanuri charged. he waited. He blocked the first attack, and could see the second attack in her eyes. What should have found purchase in him body, only flailed in the air, as Shoju sank into the ground, his laughter echoing off the buildings, and he was now standing where Tsanuri had started. "Come now child. Surely we can find an agreement? I don't want to kill you. I just want the Shiotome!"
As Shoju yelled, he sliced through the air with the blade, and an arc of fire tore through the air aimed at Tsanuri.
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Daigotsu Thrakhath
Spider Clan
Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken
Posts: 600
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Post by Daigotsu Thrakhath on Jun 11, 2012 14:20:27 GMT -5
Otsu cursed at the sound of hoof beats, and the cloud-creature dissipated into normal clouds (as normal as clouds can be in a rain of blood). He emerged from the space between buildings and into Mai's path, his arm twisting and contorting into a long tentacle. With a smile that was all teeth, he whipped the appendage forward, intending to tangle up the horse's feet.
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Post by Akodo Tsanuri on Jun 11, 2012 14:51:02 GMT -5
Just… how? He was just there. She was sure she had him. How?
Tsanuri saw fire coming at her. She moved to the side hoping it will pass her by, but after 2 steps she knew she won't make it. "Best contact with fire is short contact" father's words she heard years ago appeared in her mind. The shortest contact...
Tsanuri charged into the fire. One step, a moment of heat and it was all. No greater damage. All thanks to the rain. Tsanuri grinned on that thought.
She was starting to walk towards Shoju again when she saw Mai's ride. No, not now, just what he wanted. He didn't notice yet. He can't notice. Tsanuri yelled charging again. She didn't plan anything specific. She just had to occupy his attention as long as possible for Mai to run.
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Jun 11, 2012 15:10:19 GMT -5
The kama's wooden handle struck Mai squarely in the back as she stormed past him, flinging her forward in her saddle and briefly winding her. She gasped as pain shot through her body and found the deep breath even more painful, but still managed to keep her seat and continue on her path.
Then the new...thing dropped in front of her, its tentacles waving menacingly in the unholy storm.
Without even thinking, Mai changed her riding stance, bringing her weapon close, and loosening her hold on the reigns. She was putting her whole trust in the Utaku steed beneath her.
Ren, for her part, charged head-on toward the strange tentacled oni, daring him to continue standing in her way.
Mai could see the incredible will of the beast before her. He would not stand aside, even at the risk of being trampled completely. Fear might have filled her then, might have caused her to take back control and retreat...
But even where Mai's own will might have been insufficient, her trust in her mount was able to overcome her fear, and so she continued on. Straight into the maw of the oni bent on her destruction. She closed her eyes, finding a strange serenity in the fate that awaited them.
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Daigotsu Thrakhath
Spider Clan
Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken
Posts: 600
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Post by Daigotsu Thrakhath on Jun 11, 2012 15:23:03 GMT -5
Otsu snarled involuntarily as his attack hit nothing but air, and now he had an angry charging Utaku bearing down on him. He had a precious few seconds to make a decision, and he had no idea whether or not his new body would withstand a collision like that. Might as well find out, he thought. While he did not step out of the horse's path, he did use his tentacle-arm to lash out at the horse's head as it charged toward him, hoping to knock it off balance rather than crash directly into him.
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Jun 11, 2012 16:01:48 GMT -5
As the collision became imminent, Ren's haunches suddenly tightened, then released. The brilliant animal, light and pure, reminiscent of artistic renderings of the mythical Ki-rin, leaped in the air, her hooves dangerously close to causing a severe blow to the oni's oddly-shaped head.
In that moment of flight, Mai felt oddly at peace. All of the anger and rage she had felt over the last months, all of the frustration and failure, seemed to ebb away. Her fate seemed...more sure, somehow, even if she still could not know if she would survive this encounter. She felt freer than she had in over a year.
Then Otsu's tentacle found its mark, not on Ren's head, but on her flank, causing angry red marks from what Mai could only guess were suckers. With only an instant to prepare for the landing, Mai braced herself, seeing flashes of white as her bruised form impacted the land. Ren snorted angrily at her own wounds and veered to the side, attempting to circle around for another charge, but Mai had other plans. With a subtle shift in her knees, Ren turned instead toward Tsanuri and the enemy that she had dreaded seeing again for so long. She slowed to a mere gallop as she passed by the two figures, then stopped suddenly and reared. Her form was grand and imposing, but most of all, deadly.
"You want me, Shoju, you putrid demon spawn?!?!?" She cried, brandishing her katana once again, stained with blood from the oni as well as the rain. Ren stamped down with a loud thud, and Mai tried not to pass out.
"Come and get me, then! Catch the wind, if you can! If you dare."
And with that, Mai and Ren veered, picking up speed once again as they prepared a new charge.
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Post by Shoju on Jun 12, 2012 7:11:52 GMT -5
The wind eh!?" Shoju grinned. He knew Mai all too well. She couldn't resist the chance to square off with Shoju again. With Tsanuri charging down on him, he brought his weapon down and pierced the earth, the ground groaning against the impact of the blow, as it shifted, and heaved in the area, as if it were waves upon the ocean. The commotion only lasted a few seconds, but the seismic activity was fierce during it.
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Post by Akodo Tsanuri on Jun 12, 2012 11:20:12 GMT -5
Tsanuri didn't expect the earth to shake under her feet with such force, she didn't expect it to shake at all, so when the quake started all she could do was trying to remain in balance. But with the fast attack she was meant to use it was impossible. She tried to slow down but each step she made was more unstable. And was getting her closer to Shoju and his no-dachi, not affected by the quake at all.
When the earth stopped shaking Tsanuri was still a few steps from Shoju and still on her feet, though she had to brace herself on her hand in order not to fall. She quickly stood back firmly and backed a few steps, unsure what presence of Mai would change in this fight.
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Post by Shoju on Jun 13, 2012 10:03:53 GMT -5
Daisuke No Akunin rolled with the wave of earth, and set his sites on the Shiotome who had injured him. He roared and charged for the horse, prepared to tear horse and rider apart with his claws. Nothing else entered his mind. His mind focused on slaying the one who had injured him.
His angle was gaining him ground, and he launched himself, ready to topple horse and rider. Teeth bared, arms outstretched ready to tackle.
Shoju could see from the corner of his eye. Maybe Yun had been wrong. Maybe that one hadn't been worthy of the gift. His thirst for rage and death too great.
Shoju pulled his sword from the ground, and launched another arc of fire. This time, aimed not at the Lionness or the Shiotome, but at the stable where they had come from. "Can the wind stop me, and save the rabble in the stable?!"
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Post by Akodo Tsanuri on Jun 15, 2012 17:09:36 GMT -5
When Shoju was to finish his talk to Mai, Tsanuri attacked. She used the time he set the second fire arc and was talking to move to the side. Slowly, not to draw his attention. She knew she won’t be able to disappear completely from his view, but still hoped that if he concentrated on stables, Mai and spells, he won’t be able to react fast enough.
She jumped in from the side, just when he was closing his mouth after finishing the talk, aiming for his head .
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Jun 19, 2012 12:24:01 GMT -5
Ren could barely hold her ground as the earth swelled and moved around her, and Mai had to slow down significantly to keep either of them from facing further injury. It saved Ren from any broken bones, but gave the injured oni time to catch up for his next attack. Time seemed to slow down as she saw in his eyes what he intended to do. There was time for only one action.
In a fluid motion, Mai dropped her katana, moved her hand to her saya, and jumped from her saddle, clashing with Daisuke in midair, sparing Ren further injury at the cost of her own safety as they tumbled onto the muddy ground. Daisuke laughed inwardly -- with her one advantage taken away, he could easily overtake her. Hoping to see his victim crippled with fear, he was unnerved to see a calm, even satisfied expression cross Mai's face as he readied his claws to attack. She would not look him in the eyes, instead focusing at a spot somewhere below his chin.
Only then did he notice the curiously-designed blue steel wakizashi protruding from his chest.
Mai spat in the oni's face as she struggled to bring herself back to her feet. "Taste the fate that awaits your master, demon!"
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Post by Shoju on Jun 19, 2012 13:47:49 GMT -5
Oni no Daisuke clawed at the blade in his chest. At first, the pain was purely physical, and as such, it's presence was merely an irritation. But as the Oni clawed to remove it, the pain became intense and the roar it let out in response was more like a shriek. The blade's wound eminated a faint glow, and the oni began to stagger, and then fell. It stopped moving a short time after.
The shriek had pulled Shoju's attention from the Lionness, as his head jerked at the sound of true pain from his follower. It wasn't until a moment before Tsanuri connect with his form that he registered her attack from the corner of his eye. He had just enough time to get his head out of the way, the strike burying itself in Shoju's shoulder.
"raaaaaaaaAAAAAAAh!" Shoju yelled as the blade buried itself deep into his right shoulder. Shoju siezed the woman by the neck with his right arm, the blade grinding as he struggled to keep his grip. "You miserable beast! Shoju yelled as he brought his left arm with the No-Dachi to bear on the Lion, running the blade through the right side of her abdomen.
The blade in his shoulder cut deeper, and severed tendons, and Tsanuri was released from his clutch, as his arm ceased to function, and she slid off the blade of his No-Dachi. Her blood didn't drip from the blade, as it greedily drank it all in, a dull shriek could be heard from the blade.
Shoju turned towards the direction of Mai, his right arm ragged, his shoulder gushing a foul black substance. " What do you do Mai!? Do you come for me? Or do you work to save your companion!? Shoju staggered a moment, and launched another volley of fire from the blade of his weapon at Mai. He was flailing, and injured, but the expression on his face wasn't desperate. If anything, it betrayed pure madness.
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