"So, what's wit' dis place, anyways? Why all da isolation? Ye know ye'd have an easier time with those Varjan focks if ye' had friends. If ye' catch me drift?"

"We do have friends, they're supposed to be fighting alongside us against you. But instead, they're here invading my home." Takeshi sarcastically quipped. "If you mean friends other than the Varjans and their Order masters, there are other islands that oppose yokai and who can come help us. However, the Varjan fleet has blockaded all routes to them. Not even our most elite shinobi could get past the barricade."

Then the Hornet kicked up a fuss about how there were male yokai in the group. Come to think of it, Takeshi realized that the small amount of yokai he did encounter in his life up to now had all been female. However, his teachers never mentioned that yokai were all female so everyone, including Takeshi, assumed that both sexes existed. Takeshi was about to give his opinion on the matter when Shizuka sensed someone approaching and the other yokai followed suit, readying themselves for a fight.

Roku had walked in the dead of night for a while when she began to see something, a light. More accurately, a campfire. At first, her mind went to the Varjans and she hid away in the trees nearby. However... it dawned on her that she was now some way from the beach and while the Varjan forces were immense, she doubted that they could assemble and set up camps this quickly that parties already made it this deep. No, this was something else.

Upon closer inspection Roku identified them as...Monsters?! She could see them with clarity that she herself did not understand. Whatever happened to her seemed to have sharpened her senses as well. She saw two with wings as well as some who looked more like fighter types and a bloated, grotesque monster with tentacles that was all smiles. Worst than that however, and Roku's heart sank in her chest when she saw it, was the son of the Oja Clan, Takeshi, held prisoner in the camp. As a Shizuyaman warrior, Roku was a retainer of Clan Oja and bound to protect her master. She knew he was a capable enough warrior in his own right and deduced that if she could provide an appropriate distraction, he may be able to escape...

Clutching the sword at her side, Roku's mind was set.

She rushed out of her hiding spot surprisingly fast and made her way to the camp without trying to hide her presence. When she judged she was close enough, Roku called out to everyone within earshot. Her voice was stoic, unflinching and with no traces of fear;

"Monsters! If any of you still have some form of honour, face me! Your kind is not welcomed on these shores and I, Yoshihara Roku, will see that your corruption is erased here and now!"

After de-escalating the situation with Takeshi, Shizuka was supposed to go over to the two newcomers when he sensed the presence of a stranger to the campsite. Upon showing themselves, he immediately saw that it was not a Varjan pursuer but appeared to be an island native. Although, several striking features set her apart. Her garments were heavily damaged, covered with burn marks and a bit of blood her and there. Going even further, one could see her darken eyes and sickly pale skin. She instantly gave herself away as an undead, Shizuka could tell just by her chi.

She was an Ochimusha. That, at least, was a monster that Shizuka was familiar with. Warriors who were servants to nobles who died, but were brought back due to lingering regrets. But, this was Shizuyama, and yokai territory laid much further within the island. What was she doing here, why is she seeking combat? Not welcome here? Funny coming from someone who's a mamono themselves.

He noticed some of the other members stepping to his side, also wary of the scene unfolding. However, it's best they keep a low profile for right after what's happened tonight. Besides, he felt he alone would be more than enough to asset the matter.

"It's all right, I will address this matter. Just stay back for the time being."

When he thought about it for a moment, he saw what little was left of her armor was reminiscent of what the island defenders wore. Could it be?

"Yoshihara Roku, my name is Kannazuki Shizuka. We mean no harm to this island, quite the contrary we're here to save it. We've saved the life of Takeshi Oja and indeed to aid him further. Please, be at ease."

A human? Furthermore he looked like a Shizuyama warrior. In looks, at the very least. Could he be telling the truth? For the most brief second, Roku lowered her guard...

...but her eyes quickly fell upon Takeshi Oja again. She knew her mission, and Roku's mind would not be waived. Ghostly flames appeared around her as her chi flared up.

"Ichimonji-Giri !"

She drew her sword in a horizontal slash. A wave of fire came out of the sword and launched towards Shizuka; the violet flames looking like a fire sword whipping in his direction with great speed.

"Huh?"

Was all Shizuka was able to get out before the next scene played before him. He took note of the speed with which Roku moved as she shot her next attack toward him. A horizontal flame strike was fast approaching, would it find it's mark?

"Kirisame"

Most probably wouldn't have realized that Shizuka even drew his blade. He whirled his blade in his hand, creating a light blue energy that suddenly burst out from it. The hazy shockwave collided with Roku's attack and the clash created a small mist that gathered in front of them a bit. It cleared after a few moments; Roku would then see Shizuka again with his blade back in its sheath.

"Roku, there is no need for this. As I said, neither I nor anyone with me desires conflict with you. We are allies of Shizuyama."

He then wiped back strains of his hair that were blown by the wind.

"Besides, we are a bit winded from today's events and could use a rest. Why not join us for some supper? While she's rather peculiar at times, we have a really good cook."

He said with a friendly smile.

Roku was good in Iaijutsu, but even her trained eye missed the moment when Shizuka had drawn his sword. His abilities far surpassed her own which, Roku got to thinking...her own? What she just did was something she shouldn't have been able to. It was like her mind glossed over her, it came naturally to her in that moment. Even now, realizing this, her mind was still in scrambles...not fully able to think. She was still so angry, for unknown reason. Having just now come back from the dead a few hours ago...one could expect Roku's mind to be shattered and confused. If there was another reason she was drawn to this camp, to the dragon or to this human or even Takeshi, she was in no mental state to notice.

"No...you're lying. There is no way a warrior such as yourself would be with Monsters...unless you've been corrupted."

She said, after a few moments of silence.

It made sense, how he protected them and how he could use such powerful moves. Her first and foremost objective remained the same, however. To allow Lord Oja an opportunity to flee.

Shizuka could barely finish his sentence that Roku was charging at him. She was quite fast and her attacks were powerful in their own rightys, although there was no doubt that Shizuka - a travelled warrior trained in Teikoku Arashi – ryū and personally chosen by Lady Kyouko - was the superior swordsman. Roku did not know this.

As she got close to him and began to draw, Roku's eyes lit up with the ghostly energy that surrounded her.

"Morote-tsuki !"

She yelled as the sword came slashing at Shizuka. Whether he blocked, deflected or dodged it, Shizuka would realize the first hit was a bluff, a bait. Roku was prepped for a second hit which was a thrust. Her sword lit up with energy as she thrusted it towards his heart. The next attack would be different from the one before, and quite possibly meant a lot of trouble.

Shizuka's smile quickly faded into a neutral expression as Roku refuted both his claim and offer, instead opting to continue her offense. Apparently she took his strength as a side of him being corrupted by demonic energy. Odd, being a monster herself she should have been able to deduce that Shizuka had no demonic energy in him. Perhaps she's not well versed in chi-reading; Although earlier he felt that some of Nyla's essence still resided in him. But, that was beside the point. It was almost like Roku wasn't aware of her own monstrous nature; if Shizuka's hunch was right then she may have only recently revived.

At any rate, it was time to put an end to this.

Shizuka's expression did not change, even when Roku came within striking distance. As she exclaimed her technique, Shizuka effortlessly phased out of the blade's attack path. However, it would appear that the first strike was a feint. Roku prepared to thrust her blade directly at his heart while he was caught off guard. Or, so she thought.

"Bofuga"

This would be all Roku heard as she promptly felt her blade along with her hands blasted with a powerful gust of wind. Shizuka made sure not to use so much force that it would sent her flying, just her blade. Being shot back a little bit, Roku would see that her opponent was holding his blade vertically above him with small ripples of wind still swirling around it. Her blade, still twirling in the air, would then fall a few feet behind her head first into the ground. In an instant, Shizuka's attack had extinguished the flames Roku had generated and completely disarmed her.

He then held his blade so it was just at her throat, but didn't touch the skin.

"I said that's enough. Continuing any further is pointless. A thrusting attack won't work unless it's faster than a certain man's Gatotsu technique."

It would appear that the battle had been decided, but Shizuka did not sheath his weapon. He couldn't be sure of what Roku might try to do in this situation. He wanted her to concede, as he feared that further conflict may attract the attention of any possible Varjan stragglers.

As all this was going on, it seemed that Takeshi himself was getting riled up and appeared to be stepping forward...

"Stop, Kannazuki-san!" When Shizuka was at the verge of victory, Takeshi placed himself in-between the two belligerents. "You too, Roku."

When they were fighting, the young Oja had to take a few moments to remember the name 'Yoshihara Roku'. At first, Takeshi thought this was yet another yokai having entered Shizuyama. But then she started attacking, and gave her name. It was then that Takeshi finally remembered, she was one of the samurai with them in the beach. How was she resurrected as a yokai so easily and in such short time? Well, that didn't matter. Right now, Roku was alive - albeit undead - and as a retainer of the Oja Clan, Takeshi was felt he was obligated to look after her.

Takeshi turned around to face Roku and assumed a friendly face and a goofy smile. His true face when not under stressful circumstances, a face that many knew, probably including Roku herself. "I-I think there's a huge misunderstanding here, Roku." The young Oja gulped, unsure of how he would explain things. "These yokai... they, uhh, saved me actually. We were defeated in the beach and I... almost died. I would have died, if it weren't for them." He tried to explain as best he could. "So... I actually owe my life to them. I admit, I don't know what we should do about that but..."

At the sound of Takeshi's voice, Roku immediately turned to him and bowed as if she had not been fighting a mere second before. Before he could even continue she attempted to speak;

"B-but my lord! These are monsters...how can we..."

Roku stood back up to look at Takeshi directly and inspect his young lordship. He indeed seemed fine, mostly. Upon closer inspection even, it seemed like he had been... drinking? Now and only now, as anger seemed to withdraw, Roku actually took in the rest of the scene. This camp didn't look like a war camp or a monstrous den... instead, the monsters seemed to be kind of...lax.

"A-Anyway, I'm glad you are alive... Sorta." Takeshi looked at Roku from top to bottom. She was definitely a yokai now. "Umm, do you... do you realize that you're a yokai now? An Ochimusha, if I remember correctly."

"What? It's...impossible. I was on the beach, too, my lord! We...we were fighting, but my group was separated. We tried to regroup when we heard a sound followed by a great explosion and...fire..."

She said, worry in her voice as she took a look at her hands and arms. Both hands were soon on her forehead, it seemed she was thinking out loud and trying to remember what exactly happened was straining her.

Takeshi placed comforting hands on Roku's shoulders once she started recalling out loud her memories of the Varjan landings on Sanjo. The area was probably overrun by now, and Castle Oja would be the invaders' next target. It should be an easy task for them, considering his father summoned everything the island had to offer to Sanjo Beach and left their castle undefended. Of course, the logic was that if they could not defend the beach, then there was no way to defend Castle Oja.

"My lord Oja! If I am as you say, then you have to slay me! I shouldn't be back, I should be dead with the others - my existence is shameful to my family, and to Shizuyama!"

Roku said stepping up to Takeshi and knelt down. Pleading her case, she grabbed his hand and put it on his sword at his side. So close to her lordship, at his complete mercy, Roku did not realize the changes that were taking place inside immediately.

"Whoa, whoa! I just said I was glad you were alive and you want me to slay you?"

But Roku was right, there was only one path for those who were changed into a yokai in Shizuyama: The peace of death... but that only happened, like, half the time. Takeshi was well aware of the other unofficial, unsanctioned path: permanent exile. Like what happened to Kikyo's clan, some people of Shizuyama were too loved or respected to be put to death. So they were simply sent away, never to return. His father never approved of this, but he made no actions to put a stop to this.

He wondered if Roku knew about this, but now's not the time to think about her fate.

Takeshi gently removed Roku's hands from him but made no attempt to put distance. "I should be dead in that beach too, Roku. But we're not, and so is my father." He revealed to his undead samurai. "If we can rescue him, then all is not lost. I'm sure he'll think of a way to take back our island and..." He glanced at the yokai taskforce watching them. "...Maybe think of what we should do about them."

"So live for now, Roku. Think of taking back Shizuyama before anything else, okay? I'll need you."

To have Takeshi mention that he wanted her to remain alive and that he needed her was like a slap in the face. Roku had been selfish in her desire to die - her lord was standing right there before her yet she suggested to die - to flee. The Ochimusha Mamono stood back up, took a step back and bowed to her lord again.

"If your lordship believe that I can still be of assistance despite my curse, then I will give myself body and soul to you and your cause, lord Oja. Allow me to serve you once again as your loyal retainer."

Traces of doubt and weakness were gone from her eyes as she rose from her bow. Turning around to Shizuka and the...hornet lady? Roku bowed once more.

"Please excuse me my outburst I...I was not myself. I do not know why such aggressivity came onto me. If you forgive me, I would join your group as Lord Takeshi's servant."

As Roku began walking towards her sword which was a few feet away, her cheeks blushed without her realizing. Takeshi-dono said he Needed her...

After calming down the situation and letting the resurrected samurai settle and introduce herself, Takeshi looked at the taskforce's camp. Most of them were yokai, his and Shizuyama's sworn enemies for hundreds of years. He should be fighting them, not enjoying a night with them. But even if he could kill them, it would have been wrong. They saved his life, after all, and to repay them with death would never sit right with him. So what should he do then? Do the unthinkable and join forces with them?

Takeshi sighed from this dilemma. What would his father do? Wait, that was it. His father was much wiser than him, he would know what to do. All Takeshi needed to do is get his father back, preferably without the yokai's help. He was already indebted to them, if they saved his father too then Shizuyama will be even deeper in the yokai's influence. Besides, he needed to atone for his failure to aid his father in Sanjo Beach.

No, wait. He didn't even know where they held him. Does this... taskforce know? He doubted it. Even if they did, the Varjans probably have moved him somewhere else and he'll probably have to spend effort and time just finding him. And no doubt, he would be heavily guarded and he himself was still recovering. From all angles, Takeshi knew there was no freeing his father right now.

With a sigh deeper than the abyss, Takeshi returned to the group but said nothing. His heart was heavy, for not only could he not come to his father's aid immediately but he also had to join these yokai as well if he wanted to make any headway against the invading Varjans. There was another sigh, deeper and longer.

"There's a monastery east of here called Fung Temple.

There's a monk there named Nobutada. He's one of the most sturdiest people I know, able to weather blows that could shatter boulders. When my father called for the monks of Fung Temple, I didn't see Nobutada among them. If he's still alive, he'll be in the monastery and he can lend us his aid."

"Sorae's skill with the naginata is fearsome and second to none. She and her clan was summoned to Sanjo Beach, but never appeared. We should head to their estate in the west and find out what happened to them and, if possible, recruit them to rescue my father."

"Takamori is a warrior whose eyes allow him to predict his opponent's next moves. An ability we could have used in Sanjo Beach if he showed up... but maybe it was good that he didn't or else we might have lost him too.

He has an archery dojo to the southwest. We can start looking for him there. We'll certainly need his unique ability."

"Kageho is a shinobi who was supposed to attempt to sneak through the Varjan blockade alongside others. The last wave of shinobi that we could send. I... ordered them not to go anymore, behind my father's back, since it would have been a waste and the Varjans were upon us. It was too late to call for reinforcements from the other islands.

Still, I expected her to show up in Sanjo Beach with the other shinobi. But they didn't. Anyway, their hideout should be around here somewhere. Try looking for any suspicious clearings in the forests around here. We can use their help."

"Kazenosuke could deflect any attack with his spinning blade, and deliver slashes faster than the eye could see. I have no idea why he couldn't make it to Sanjo Beach. I know he's a ronin, but he still should have heeded my father.

Well, his house is near Terauchi Temple. Not very near, but just follow the river near the temple and we'll find his home and then we can ask for his help."

"Yurine has taken care of Clan Oja for as long as I can remember. Despite being a servant, I know she can swing her masakari axe pretty hard. I've little idea of her past but I know it involves tending cemeteries.

She should be in Castle Oja but my father sent her to Onrai to begin enacting some way to protect the graves from being desecrated by the invaders. I know of a famous cemetery south of Terauchi Temple. We can begin looking for her there and she'll surely help us."

"My childhood friend Kikyo was on an anti-yokai mission before all of this. I... was kinda glad she couldn't be on the beach and hoped that maybe she'll find a way to escape and live a full life. But I know she would never do that.

If I'm not mistaken, she was already heading for Port Wadatsumi in the southeast a day before the landings. We should find her before she does anything... drastic."

@AzureKnight

"Hmm, this?" Skarsneek touched the bruise lightly before waving it off, clasping her hand gently at that. "It'll heal right back up, I had worse but yea, I'll be careful. Can't believe I actually got hit-"

"What about the boat-" Skarsneek felt it in the air, his sixth sense honing that someone was approaching and made no effort to hide.

Without thinking, he tossed the stick he was holding close to Gringor feet and towards the direction of the interloper. Though Gringor needed no prompt as the latter was already to his feet and weapon in hand.

The high orc sniffed the air and discerned it before tilting his head at that, it wasn't a human. It was a mamono but the fresh blood, burnt charred, and familiar pork smell was concerning.

Gringor bristle rose, readied for a fight but he was beaten to the punch by Shizuka. The latter already taking the stage as Gringor watched from the sides annoyedly.

That annoyance turned into a fuming, boiling ache to simply dive into the fight regardless of the consequences but Shizuka got the fight first so by right, it was his.

Secretly, he hoped that Shizuka would've been overwhelmed so that he can step in but that turned into a fool's hope. The newly formed undead mamono was outclassed by their leader, which meant he would've taken the fight just as well.

Then when Takeshi asked them to stand down, it was over at that point.

"How boring." Gringor sighed before going back to his post for the night.

"Ah. Tomi. I wasn't aware you had a habit of sneaking into peoples rooms without their permission..."

Tomi briefly looked at Nyla entering her own tent before going back to the book. "Aww, Nylaa your house is my house, right? We fought together and all that, I didn't think you'd mind and..." she was about to go on when Nylaa cut her short.

"If you need advice on human relationships I would be happy to give. I happen to be something of a expert, you know."

"Wait, really?" the dragon answered energetically while sitting up. As she did so, her mind began spinning as if she stood up way too fast. But that was not it, no. It came back to her how but a few seconds ago she was taking a bite out of that cake that Nylaa had. It was good, but it seemed like it only now dawned on her just how good. In ways that Tomi did not find the words, in her current state, to express. She saw and...felt things that were indescribable for a few moments. What was it that Nylaa said she'd do again? Ah yes, Nylaa! Tomi looked at her with different emotions going through her stare; confusion, worry, content, interest and so on.

Having only taken one bite of the cake so far and being a Monomo herself it probably had less lasting effect on her than, say, Shizuka (at least if he didn't have all those breathing techniques of his). As the torpor was slowing fading Tomi heard the honeyed voice again;

"Or was there something...else you wanted?"

"Well...no - at least I...think? Now that you mention it though, care to give me some expert tips on...relationships?"
She said, literal fires in her eyes.