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 19, 2012 15:18:27 GMT -5
It took a few moments for Otsu to recover from his encounter with the Utaku steed, but eventually he managed to regain his feet. Still can get dazed by charging horses; check, he thought to himself, shaking his head. His tentacle arm seemed to still be there, waving idly at his side, and he decided to leave it that way for now.
Otsu surveyed the situation and frowned; Daisuke seemed to be dead, Shoju's arm hung limply at his side, and there was a very angry battle maiden staring Shoju down. He circled the confrontation at a respectable distance, watching all of the participants but unwilling to intervene just yet. Shoju looked as if he was in rare form, and Otsu wasn't willing to put himself in that one's path. So he watched, and waited, and muttered something that made the sky darken even further, and water rain start to come down to mix with the blood.
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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 20, 2012 11:43:44 GMT -5
Mai had no time to rejoice in her victory over the oni before she was shocked back into action. She rolled frantically to dodge away from the arc of fire, praying silently to avoid the worst of the blast. The smell of burning hair and cotton filled the air already saturated with the metallic stench of blood and gore. Her outermost layers seemed singed beyond repair, but either luck or adrenaline kept her from feeling any burns.
She unsheathed the wakizashi from the fallen oni's chest and ran toward Tsanuri, answering Shoju's taunts with silence. The bloody rain had abated in favor of actual water, and Mai could only hope it would be enough to keep the budding flames catching on the stables at bay and buy her a few moments. "Tsanuri...come on, get up..."
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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 Jun 21, 2012 14:39:04 GMT -5
The dark sky swirled, an evil mix of smoke and blood over the Dragonfly village, screams of madness and despair echoing throughout the once-peaceful town. He walked with a purpose, stripped to the waist, dark red lines of blood streaking across his tattooed and scarred body, matting his hair to his head, staining his black hakama with a dark red tint. Barefoot, with naught else but his obi and daisho, the rest of his mortal belongings lost upon the way. Even the cloth covering the scar where he lost an eye gone, his good eye burning with a dark fire that saw nothing but his goal. The sounds of battle reached Saiko's ears over the cacophony of torment and chaos that permeated this town, and he knew that his goal was close. Refocusing his attention, he drew his blades from their sheathes, the glinting wakizashi a stark contrast to the hungry darkness that seemed to permeate from the obsidian katana, as the blade seemed to pulse as it soaked in the corrupting rain falling from above. As he neared the sounds of the melee, a cry came to him from a nearby house, a peasant man and his family huddled together in protection from the storm. "Dragon-sama," the man called out, his voice tinged with fear and pain. "Please, there is a demon nearby! Save us, I beg of you, will you lead me and my family to safety?" As the fallen Dragon continued to walk by, seeming to not hear the man, his wife ran out and reached out to grab a hold of him, to get his attention, for all they wished was salvation from this great evil. A second later, she fell to the ground, neatly decapitated by a flash of the dark blade before she could come close. The family cried out in pain and horror, seeing her body collapse into the mud, her head rolling a short way away, the pained expression forever locked on her face, and still he walked on, as though nothing had happened, disappearing around the corner, closer, ever closer to his goal... ***** He came upon the scene before him, the fallen Daisuke, Otsu pacing around the edge of combat like a hungry predator waiting to strike, and Mai, standing defiant before the man he sought. He paid no attention to the battle maiden; her presence here was simply an inconvenience. He had eyes only for Shoju, as he stood on the far side of the road, blood streaking down his body, and Saiko knew that he had chosen his moment well. "Shoju!" he called, his voice dark and angry, a fire burning within him that was only amplified by the corruption growing fast within his body. "You called, and I have come." He raised his blades in an offensive stance of Ha no Arashi, the storm growing around him, as he locked eyes on the tsukai's assailants, preparing himself for what he had to do.
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Post by Akodo Tsanuri on Jun 21, 2012 18:47:22 GMT -5
When Tsanuri fell from Shoju's blade she hit the ground hard. She was already halfly-suffocated because of the blue monster firm grip on her throat and the fall made all the remaining air leave her lungs immediately. She started gasping. Blood that didn't soaked into the earth and was falling from the sky made her cough. With each fierce, uncontrolled spasm of her thorax muscles she felt the wound in her abdomen was in fire. Interrupted with another gasp a quiet moan left her throat. She forced herself to elongate and calm her breaths which caused another attack of pain in the stomach. But at least she wasn't suffocating any more.
She heard a new voice. Somebody else joined the scene. She heard that voice somewhere, not so long ago, but where? She moved a little to be able to see the new arrived. Didn't he go with Mai that day when they quarreled before the Emperor? A friend?
Tsanuri readied herself for the pain to come and stood up leaning on the sword she was still holding and trying to spare the wounded side as much as possible.
"Mai-san, go back to the camp. They must know."
She looked at Shoju. "We haven't finished yet." She wasn't scared, she knew her chances and was ready for what there were to come.
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Post by Shoju on Jun 22, 2012 10:23:25 GMT -5
That voice.... Shoju thought, and spun his head around. The dragon! Shoju began to laugh heartily. "Your timing, is impeccable, Saiko-san. "
Shoju turned back towards Tsanuri and Mai, and grinned. "I'll deal with you in a moment, girl." He mused as he pointed his finger at Tsanuri. and then cocked his head at Mai. "Do you remember dear Saiko, Mai? Do you remember who he is?" Shoju's voice was taunting. "Stick around, I think you will.... enjoy this."
Shoju leveled his No-Dachi in a defensive position, and looked back at Saiko. "Yun, a being of Yume-Do, tells me that you and I..... " Shoju paused for a moment, and inhaled. "That despite our past, you and I could be allies. That you could take the gifts I offer, and aid me in righting the fallacies of the empire." Shoju's voice was loud enough for all to hear. "Is that why you have come? Have you come to join Otsu and myself?"
Shoju adjusted the No-Dachi in his hand. "Or have you come to finish what we started in Ryoko Owari?"
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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 22, 2012 12:24:35 GMT -5
Mai put the lion woman's arm around her shoulder to give her something to lean on, though it was difficult with her short stature. She brought her arm around Tsanuri's waist, staunching the wound with her bare hand as best she could, still holding the blue steel wakizashi in her other hand. "Not a chance am I leaving you here. You're as good as dead if we don't find a shugenja soon, and I'm not going to give him a fresh corpse." Her eyes flashed in a way that indicated that she would not hear arguments on any other course of action.
Mai had much more trouble taking in what else was going on around her. She looked in Saiko impassively, her eyes taking in everything happening around her her, before she dared to speak again.
"Saiko...think about this, please. Think about your family...your cousin." She made a somewhat conciliatory gesture with her free hand, the blue steel of Sojiro's wakizashi gleaming in the presence of so much corruption. "You don't have to do this. You can still help us, you can help these innocent people..."
"...We don't have to be on opposite sides any more."
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Post by Shoju on Jul 16, 2012 8:51:09 GMT -5
Shoju laughed at Mai's comment. "You sound more and more like me, everyday, Mai." His face held a mocking smile, one that would remind Mai of the time in the inn, when she lost control of her body. "I will still give you the chance to take me up on my offer too, Mai." He circled around, watching Saiko as he moved towards Mai.
"I would even save the Lion, and give her the choice, even after...." Shoju pawed at the blood and held it out towards them. As he did, the ground heaved again, and walled them in again. They would need to come through Shoju if they wanted to leave.
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Post by Akodo Tsanuri on Jul 20, 2012 12:05:10 GMT -5
Tsanuri withstood the quake only thanks to Mai's grip. She gazed around on the walls surrounding them. The only way led through Shoju. The wound she inflicted should be fatal, yet he behaved like it was nothing. Freaking monster. Too powerful, she couldn't reach him, so she laced into Mai.
"You stupid Kirin"she murmured. "Why did you come? You should have got away. Inform Akodo-dono about him!" "Use every opportunity you have to leave here" she added calmer.
Tsanuri tore loose from Mai's grip.
"Who said I want to be saved by you?!" "And don't call me 'girl'."
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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 Aug 13, 2012 15:30:47 GMT -5
Walls were closing in, again and again and again. Mai could feel the old fears rising within her, the childlike terror at being closed off from the sky as the earth began to form up around her. Shoju's maho had trapped her, again. She grasped at her fallen sword, knowing it would have no effect on him, but trying to ground herself all the same in objects and symbols that she understood. Trying to keep a reign on the fear within her. She calculated numerous plans in her mind, each more hopeless than the last, as Shoju and his lackeys reveled in their victory.
She raised her katana in one hand, gave a fierce, visceral warcry, and began charging straight toward the one opening in the earthen walls. To Shoju and the nightmare that he had become. She prayed Tsanuri would be able to find the strength to follow behind her. One last, futile effort to kill the monster before her, or die like a samurai in the attempt.
But Mai did not charge with the hopelessness of a warrior rushing to die. As she ran she brought two fingers to her mouth and gave a loud, piercing whistle. A sad smile crossed her face as Ren's hoofbeats began to reverberate through the earth, as the brilliant white mare came to answer her mistress's call. Even through her own injuries, the Utaku steed rushed toward the opening, and toward the creature blocking Mai's path. Even Shoju's new form could not stand firm against it. They clashed in front of Mai's obscured view and disappeared again in a flash, leaving the opening, for seconds at most, unguarded. Saiko and the other oni running to dispatch the horse as it attacked their master.
Mai grabbed Tsanuri's arms across her chest in a sort of half-dragging run, and rushed through, not stopping as they reached the opening, not slowing down as Ren's cries and screams began to fill the air behind them.
Their only chance, Mai knew, was to disappear into the treeline, through the meandering deer trails and mountain-fed streams where no horse could follow them, and trailing on foot would be time consuming and dangerous. She ran with the wounded woman in tow for hours, until the sun's rays began to shine through the valleys between the mountains.
Only when she was sure they had covered enough distance, when she was sure her body would collapse, did she allow herself the luxury of exhaustion.
Exhaustion, and grief.
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Post by Shoju on Aug 14, 2012 8:21:18 GMT -5
The Steed dropped Shoju, despite his size, as though he were a straw man, and then held him on the ground for a few precious seconds. Shoju yelled as he could make out the figures escaping. He cursed as the horse held him against the ground.
As the horse relinquished its position, and the wounded Akunin Lord pulled himself upright. The Battle Maiden and the Lioness had escaped. "Giving your life for your master is a quality that I can.... appreciate. You will be a wondrous companion." Shoju's grin held a sinister quality to it, and the steed bristled at the being's touch.
Shoju turned back around and surveyed the carnage. He may not have defeated the Battle Maiden, but he had taken one more prize from her. And The Dragon had made himself known. All in all, Shoju grinned, It wasn't a bad day.
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