PaulHaynek

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

Kozukata Cemetery

YURINE, DEATH KEEPER

~ @Hammerman, @Restalaan (SKA & GRI), @AzureKnight (HIN & ATS), @The Irish Tree (LIL), @Enkryption ~

"What's that?"

Gringor

"Oh, just a little charm that makes a person itchy." Yurine answered. "Dragon Warriors need to be concentrating when using their Chi Shields. You can either wait for them to exhaust themselves doing it or stop it themselves, or you can use harmless spells to break their concentration. Anything physical will not work."

Meanwhile, a feral Hinami had her eyes on a newly-arrived Takeshi. The young lord gripped his sword for a fight, only for the Jiangshi to switch targets. Her new prey was Alice, who had made herself attractive in order to bait Hinami's hunger. But when the undead lunged at the Wonderlandian, she was interrupted by Skarsneek who attempted to lock her body down with his own. Gringor also came, holding the robes of a Dragon Warrior.

"The robes aren't anything special." Yurine pointed out, unamused. "Unless the Jiangshi is as strong as an average man, the cloth will rip."

Takeshi watched as Alice slink away from it all. She was probably gearing for a showdown with Hinami, only for the male Goblin to put a stop to all that. Takeshi sympathized with her, having a good duel denied left a rought aftertaste. Even if that was the better outcome. "Atsuha!" The young lord called over the Jorou-gumo. "Bind your sister before she escapes!"

As the situation seemingly died down, Yurine approached Lunatea and Liliana, who had found themselves near each other as they gathered around the body-locked Hinami. "Don't tell me this is a normal occurrence in your little squad." She crankily told the two monsters. "Else, Takeshi's trust in you is doomed from the start."

---

Shizuyama Wilderness

A TIME TO HEAL

~ @Xaltwind, @Rezod92, @The Irish Tree (EUL) ~

Consuming a scrap of armor from the Varjan Warrior...

The armor of a typical Varjan Warrior was a signature design smithed by none other than Varjo's namesake: Varjan Caldeyron.

Its thick and bulky design offers high protection from physical attacks for its wearers while also looking large and dominating, providing a psychological intimidating factor in battle. Of course, such a heavy design means that prospective Varjan Warriors must train their bodies to be able to carry the armor's weight.

Not really a problem for them since in order to be a Varjan Warrior, one would already need to be a honed fighter in physical combat.

After the exchange of pleasantries and the looting of the fallen Varjans, the monk has come back and the peasants have gone away. "I told them to head for Terauchi Temple, and that the yokai are harmless. Well, at least to the locals." He explained. "However, I also learned that they were from the survivor camp that we are heading to. The illness struck when they gave all their food to a Varjan patrol that found them."

"I'm starting to think that the illness is born out of hunger. The body begins to be more susceptible to disease if it weak." The monk continued. "But then, there are the Varjans. So there might be something more sinister to this than a simple outbreak. Regardless, we need to move before it gets any worse."

"I am glad that, even if on accident, I aided those in need. I'd like to bring this scrap back to the task force's base, but I imagine you all have come for a mission of some kind,"

Eula 039

"Right you are, madam yokai. We are on our way towards a survivor camp that is in dire need of a healer. The camp has been afflicted with an illness that I do not know yet and I must be there to properly take care of it." The monk replied to Eula. "I know you said you wanted to return to the temple, but why not join us in our mission? Traveling with a group is much better than going at it alone." He offered to the Automaton.

Relica and Kerry can also weigh in on the matter.

---

Kazenosuke's House

KAZENOSUKE, DANCING BLADE

~ @AzureKnight (SHI), @Crowvette, @Nakushita ~

"I've heard tales of the Dancing Blade, but I wonder if this time perhaps, it has taken on more than it bargained for. Io-san, Yuki-kun, on me! Act as my support for now, I'll engage him directly starting off."

Shizuka Kannazuki

“Just tell me what you need, and I will do my best”

Yuki Akamata

"Understood."

Io

Kazenosuke chuckled. "At least put up a fight, yeah?"

He quickly unsheathed his blade, which began spinning at an incredible speed, almost a blur from what the taskforce could see. Kazenosuke let his opponents admire the whirling sword before moving it around him, daring the taskforce to attempt to intercept the spinning. His feet also started moving, approaching step by step towards the taskforce.

Kazenosuke's eyes were firmly on Shizuka and his steps were definitely heading towards the azure swordsman. But then he leapt back, doing a spinning kick that hit Yuki. With the Oni staggered, Kazenosuke delivered a heavy slash at Yuki that definitely hurt but her monster physiology prevented a single drop of blood from being shed.

The dancing blade spun his sword again as he backed away. A smug, confident smile on his face.

---

---

---

~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~

*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*

~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~

Teacher And Student

"Lord Takamori said that his traitorous daughter, Setsuna, is training Varjan archers in Ōmiya. I know this frightens him, even if he tries to hide it. If we don't find her and end this, there may be no stopping the archers, and no hope for Ōmiya Springs. We need to see Lord Takamori immediately."
-Takeshi Oja

~~ SORAE TALES ~~

*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*

~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~

Whispers In The Woods

A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by.

"You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood."

"People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..."

Lost At Sea

A villager woman was sitting beside a bonfire as the taskforce member approached.

"There's a man, yokai, swinging his sword... slashing the air on the beaches of Hama island. I'm not sure if he is a survivor of Sanjo Beach, or a mere bandit. But I'm fairly sure he was crying."

"Hama island is just off the southern coasts, but you'll definitely need a boat or something to reach it."

The Other Side Of Honor

A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news.

"Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause."

"Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him."

Shizuyama's Freedom

A villager sitting on some stone steps in the temple stood up when the taskforce member approached. "Yokai, I've heard of a small resistance group gathering in the Imahama Area. I believe they're headed by that shrine priestess that started a fight here not too long ago."

"They're recruiting farmers and fishermen to their cause. Brave, but it'll be dangerous if they're not trained."

~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~

The Heavenly Strike

"Dealing with these students of the Heavenly Strike was more difficult than we thought. They have already thrown back two of the taskforce. However, the yokai fought them separately and at different times, so perhaps a more cooperative approach would be more fruitful."

-Takeshi Oja

Magus Reaver: Scions of Sorcery

~ Hideout ~

- @Silverstein -

Duck. A one, two punch combo. Move to the side. A nasty right hook. And just like that, Einer had knocked out two bandits with weapons far more advanced than his knuckles. The bard gritted his teeth for this was a battle, but was he actually smiling?

Einer felt the rush of a fight. To be the master of his own violence, not needing others to do it for him. Here comes a new challenger for the bard to test his mettle against. A thug with a sword that hissed with machinery. Step to the side to evade the vertical swing, then a jab to the face--

*SLASH*

Einer did not expect a follow up to the vertical slash with one that went upwards. Even so, the bard believed himself quicker and would have landed the jab before the bandit could do anything else. But he was wrong and now, Einer felt his burn with pain. He dropped to his three limbs, with one hand clutching his wound. He looked up and saw the thug ready the killing blow. He was on top of the world mere moments earlier, how could this all happen? Einer cursed it all. Why was he born helpless?

”You should be more careful, you’re a sitting duck like that!”

Evelyn Grace

The blow never came. The sword bandit dropped after getting hit by a vermillion bolt of magic from Evelyn. Still, Einer silently cursed. To be saved once more by those more capable. He was trapped in this kind of life, wasn't he? He would always be that one guy that needs protecting. No, no. Now was not the time for despair. The bard reminded himself with patience. He can find something in the Eon Tower to change his fate. Heck, maybe he could find something here.

Einer pulled himself up back up, just in time for the thieves' trump card. A dark purple orb held by a particularly armed bandit glowed eerily, its aura dispelling all the magics of the Reavers. Evelyn, having fallen from the air, attempted to cast another spell that barely manifested. "Magic nullification..." Einer muttered.

The brigands came again, but the magics of their weapons were nullified too. They were still weapons, however, and Evelyn was forced back behind a rock before any of the thugs could open fire. She was joined by the wounded Einer who held up his knuckles. "Sir Leon seems to be... targeting the source of this magic-nullifying aura. I shall try to gain their... attention while you... do whatever you need to do." The pain was still burning, causing hisses between the words, but Einer threw himself back into the fold.

His fistfighting used no magic, so Einer's meager combat abilities was not affected. And now, there was no one to help him. No one to save him... and no one to humiliate him. The bard grit his teeth again, both from pain... and from joy. He was master of his fate once again. It was morbid to be thankful of the enemy's dark orb, but he was. Einer gripped his knuckles as the brigands came.

There were ranged gunners, though, so Einer would attempt put the melee fighters between them and him as he fought. Ducking and weaving and counterattacking, he may be bleeding from the side but Einer never felt so alive.

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

@Rezod92

Fourth-Born's Conquest

It's got political intrigue and harem shenanigans!

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

Update out! Sorry for the late post, but I got absorbed by a really good MGE fanfic.

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

Kozukata Cemetery

YURINE, DEATH KEEPER

~ @Hammerman, @Restalaan (SKA & GRI), @AzureKnight (HIN & ATS), @The Irish Tree (LIL), @Enkryption ~

"Well, this is… embarrassing…"

Lunatea Vern Farnsworth

"Oh, now you're embarrassed with having your underwear seen?" Takeshi sighed. "Come if you wish, but I can't make any promises of protection if your body gives in to exhaustion, okay?"

---

Skarsneek attempted to both distract Hinami and fight off the Dragon Warrior. A difficult task to say the least, but then a sword emerged from the Dragon Warrior's torso. A bare-chested Takeshi ran the warrior through from behind with a blade, killing him instantly. With his sword wet with blood, the young lord surveyed the immediate area.

Hinami looked feral and out of control, a rabid yokai loose in this cemetery surrounded by fallen Shizuyaman warriors. A haunting sight had Takeshi not known they were traitors trying to kill him. Besides, Skarsneek there was also a naked Alice who did not seem to be participating in the fight. "...Do I want to ask what's going on?"

While Atsuha was stunned, Liliana came to her defense by stopping a spear before it hit the spider monster. She then retaliated with torrents of water that blasted from her tiny sword, something that the Spearmen did not expect and so, they were swept away and crashed into some of the gravestones. After Yurine dispatched her current enemy, she saw what happened and could only sigh.

The Dragon Warrior did not respond to Gringor's taunts. Instead, he suddenly sat down with his legs crossed. He closed his eyes and relaxed, calming himself from the thrill of battle before glowing blue. When Gringor started attacking, his hits on the Dragon Warrior simply bounced off harmlessly. It seemed similar to Nobutada's ability, but it felt different. A paper talisman then attached itself on the Dragon Warrior's shoulder, breaking his concentration and allowing the High Orc to pummel him out cold.

"...Looks like that's all of them." Yurine approached Gringor, the source of the talisman. Indeed, the attacking Shizuyamans were either on the cemetery's stone floors or have fled to parts unknown. And would you look at that, Takeshi and Lunatea have come back.

Now, the only enemy the taskforce had was one of their own: Hinami.

---

Shizuyama Wilderness

A TIME TO HEAL

~ @Xaltwind, @Rezod92, @The Irish Tree (EUL) ~

"If you're not going to help, then don't just stand there. Head for the temple, it's not far. Get going!"

Kerry Maros

Kerry told the scared villagers. She had recently defeated the Varjan Warrior dueling her while the axe-thrower that had her in his sights was zapped unconscious by Relica's remaining drone. Despite the immediate vicinity clear of hostiles, the peasant couple still did not make any move to get to safety. Either too scared or simply did not believe a yokai's words.

Relica then used her drone to further incapacitate the Varjan Warrior thrown, and knocked away, by the Elite. His body only jerked when he was hit, showing no signs of stirring. The Gremlin's attack on him might be needless, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

The last enemy was the Varjan Elite, about to swing down his mace unto Eula. But the Automaton evaded the vertical attack and then he was ran through from the side by Kerry with her spear. He uttered nothing but he was clearly hurt, swinging his mace to the side which forced the Hornet away. With him distracted, Eula used the opportunity to slam both of her mechanical fists against the sides of the Elite's helmet.

The two monsters waited for the Varjan Elite's next move... but after a few seconds of standing firm, the Elite collapsed to the ground defeated. The taskforce has won.

"That was amazing, taskforce!" The monk ran towards the yokai trio to congratulate them. "I'll let you three get your bearings while I talk to the villagers." He then left Eula, kerry and Relica alone.

---

Kazenosuke's House

KAZENOSUKE, DANCING BLADE

~ @AzureKnight (SHI), @Crowvette, @Nakushita ~

"We are working together to protect Shizuyama. Even if Shizuyama considers us unlikely allies."

Io

"Oh? And what do you get in return for helping this yokai-hating island?" Kazenosuke asked. "Never mind, I think I know the answer. You just want Shizuyama to stop hating the yokai. Fair enough." The swordsman jumped to his conclusion. However, he did not seem to mind the false reason.

"Still, I don't wanna waste my time and efforts on a lost cause. You're gonna have to prove to me that you lot are worth helping." Kazenosuke said, completely disregarding the Oja Clan's authority on this matter. The swordsman began pondering, scratching his chin with his eyes closed. "Hmmm, but how...?"

His eyes then widened, having arrived at a suitable answer. "Ah, I know! How about a duel?" Kazenosuke suggested. "Not a one-on-one duel, mind you. I'll take on all three of you at the same time. Beat me, and maybe I'll throw in with this little resistance Takeshi has going. If I beat you, though, then I get all the money you three currently have."

"What do you guys say?"

---

---

---

~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~

*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*

~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~

Teacher And Student

"Lord Takamori said that his traitorous daughter, Setsuna, is training Varjan archers in Ōmiya. I know this frightens him, even if he tries to hide it. If we don't find her and end this, there may be no stopping the archers, and no hope for Ōmiya Springs. We need to see Lord Takamori immediately."
-Takeshi Oja

~~ SORAE TALES ~~

*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*

~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~

Whispers In The Woods

A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by.

"You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood."

"People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..."

Lost At Sea

A villager woman was sitting beside a bonfire as the taskforce member approached.

"There's a man, yokai, swinging his sword... slashing the air on the beaches of Hama island. I'm not sure if he is a survivor of Sanjo Beach, or a mere bandit. But I'm fairly sure he was crying."

"Hama island is just off the southern coasts, but you'll definitely need a boat or something to reach it."

The Other Side Of Honor

A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news.

"Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause."

"Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him."

Shizuyama's Freedom

A villager sitting on some stone steps in the temple stood up when the taskforce member approached. "Yokai, I've heard of a small resistance group gathering in the Imahama Area. I believe they're headed by that shrine priestess that started a fight here not too long ago."

"They're recruiting farmers and fishermen to their cause. Brave, but it'll be dangerous if they're not trained."

~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~

The Heavenly Strike

"Dealing with these students of the Heavenly Strike was more difficult than we thought. They have already thrown back two of the taskforce. However, the yokai fought them separately and at different times, so perhaps a more cooperative approach would be more fruitful."

-Takeshi Oja

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

Update out!

Fightin' all 'round!

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

Kozukata Cemetery

YURINE, DEATH KEEPER

~ @Hammerman ~

The next time Lunatea woke, she was sitting against a tree likely still reeling from the effects of her earlier outburst. She saw that she had a single piece of clothing on, Takeshi's red kimono top. Looking up, she saw the bare-chested young lord watching the cemetery... which no longer had the thick fog over it. Moreover, the sounds of fighting could be heard from over there and it was undoubtedly from Yurine and the taskforce. It seemed they had run into some sort of trouble.

"Oh, you're awake!" Takeshi glanced back and noticed the Wererabbit was finally conscious. "Lunatea, are you alright? How are you feeling?" He asked as he kneeled over to her. "Yurine and the others are in trouble and I need to go help them. But will you be okay here?"

---

~ @Restalaan (SKA & GRI), @AzureKnight (HIN & ATS), @The Irish Tree (LIL), @Enkryption ~

It was chaos in the cemetery. From Hinami losing control and draining the energies a couple of the samurai to Atsuha using some ensnared samurai as some sort of makeshift flail. Gringor and Liliana dueled a Dragon Warrior each, while Skarsneek decided to attempt to take on and calm his Jiangshi sister-in-law. Alice, however, decided to enjoy the spectacle unfolding before her.

The Dragon Warrior dueling Gringor held his sword aloft in the ground, before smirking. A samurai swordsman hits the High Orc from the back, distracting the yokai enough for the Dragon Warrior to rise and get a few solid slashes in. The attacks hurt, but they didn't draw Gringor's blood. At least, not yet. The swordsman then jumped into the High Orc's back to try and get him off balance.

Meanwhile, Liliana harassed her Dragon Warrior with small attacks and feared no retaliation because of her small size and invisibility. Unfortunately, the Dragon Warrior did not seem to be getting hurt from the magical attacks and his grip on his sword was strong. The stalemate was broken, however, when an axe buried itself into his exposed rib. Yurine dragged the Shizuyaman to the ground and finished him off with an axe to the torso. "Little one, you need to help your spider friend!"

The old warrior pointed at Atsuha whose bludgeoning of the enemy was interrupted when two spearmen approached her. One of them swung his spear to cut the web while another leapt to the air, spinning as he jumped. His speartip glowed blue and it smacked Atsuha on the head. The hit, obviously, was not normal and the Jorou-Gumo felt like something exploded in front of her. Her ears rang and her vision became hazy. The two spearmen then started thrusting their weapons at her carapace in an effort to actually damage her.

Skarsneek made himself bait for Hinami with Alice watching closely. But before the Jiangshi can bite, the third Dragon Warrior slashed at her from behind. Hinami might be inclined to bite him and drain him of his energies, but she would find that his chi did not come out easily and she would be pushed off and receive a couple of hard slashed for the trouble.

---

Shizuyama Wilderness

A TIME TO HEAL

~ @Xaltwind, @Rezod92, @The Irish Tree (EUL) ~

While the Varjans' attention were on Eula, Relica's drones and Kerry came from behind. The scared peasants watched as the unwitting invaders were blindsided by the monsters.

The twin-axe Warrior was stabbed from behind by Kerry and fell to the ground, seemingly down. Meanwhile, the two shielded Warriors were zapped from behind by Relica's drones. They weren't taken down, but they were stunned long enough for Eula to close the distance, nab one of them and hurl him at the Varjan Elite, taking the Varjan's shield for herself in the process.

"Monsters! Kill them!"

The Elite violently swatted away the Warrior hurled at him with his mace and confronted the shielded Eula. He started with a quick, but powerful, side swing that knocked the Automaton's shield to the side and then immediately followed it up with a mighty kick to the torso that sent Eula sliding on her feet a meter away. The Varjan Elite was relentless, and was ready to do an overhead swing at her.

Meanwhile, one of Relica's drones were knocked out of the air by a well-placed thrown axe. The Varjan Warrior with the axes had recovered, and his gaze soon turned to a fellow Warrior fighting the Hornet with sword and shield, doing his best with shield thrusts and sword slashes. He raised his axe, waiting for the right moment to hit Kerry and give his ally an advantage.

---

Kazenosuke's House

KAZENOSUKE, DANCING BLADE

~ @AzureKnight (SHI), @Crowvette, @Nakushita ~

"My name is Kannazuki Shizuka, I am a ronin who was tasked by a benefactor of the Oja clan to assist in driving back the Varjan invaders. We've come to inform you that both Hideo-dono and his son Takeshi-dono are alive and well, and we've been assisting the latter for the past few days in gathering more allies for the cause. We were hoping you would lend your blade to our cause. Ah..."

Shizuka Kannazuki

Kazenosuke's hand immediately went to his sword's hilt when Shizuka appeared, but relaxed when he heard the 'Oja' name. He was still wary, though, since this azure swordsman seemed to have come with two individuals; individuals who were clearly not human. Regardless, he still listened to Shizuka's words to the finish.

"They're alive, huh?" Kazenosuke seemed conflicted on how to feel about that.

"Also, if you don't mind me asking, who were those men you were speaking with just now? In addition, Takeshi-dono was wondering why you didn't join the battle on Sanjo Beach days ago."

Shizuka Kannazuki

"I was... sick at that time." Kazenosuke answered the last question, rather hesitantly. "By the time I recovered, it was all too late."

"Anyway, you don't recognize those people? Those are Varjans. Y'know, the same Varjans you said you were driving back?" Kazenosuke continued. "The one who came here seem pretty high up, though. He claimed to be answering to Serek'uar himself, the Lord Of The Conquest Of Shizuyama." He revealed. "They offered... things to me. Pretty nice things..."

"But enough about me, you say your assisting Takeshi but you've got yokai with you, don't you?" The dancing swordsman suddenly laughed out loud. "How the hell did Takeshi listen to you? Did you cast a spell on him or something? And what of his father? Did he agree to this too? Or is this something done behind his back? 'Cause let me tell you, Lord Oja's so gonna slice Takeshi's head off if that's the case." He then laughed some more.

"And what of those two? Are they your wives?" Kazenosuke pointed at Yuki and Io who kept their distance. "Hey, you two! Don't stand there awkwardly! Come closer and help your boyfriend better his pitch."

---

---

---

~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~

*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*

~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~

Teacher And Student

"Lord Takamori said that his traitorous daughter, Setsuna, is training Varjan archers in Ōmiya. I know this frightens him, even if he tries to hide it. If we don't find her and end this, there may be no stopping the archers, and no hope for Ōmiya Springs. We need to see Lord Takamori immediately."
-Takeshi Oja

~~ SORAE TALES ~~

*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*

~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~

Whispers In The Woods

A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by.

"You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood."

"People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..."

Lost At Sea

A villager woman was sitting beside a bonfire as the taskforce member approached.

"There's a man, yokai, swinging his sword... slashing the air on the beaches of Hama island. I'm not sure if he is a survivor of Sanjo Beach, or a mere bandit. But I'm fairly sure he was crying."

"Hama island is just off the southern coasts, but you'll definitely need a boat or something to reach it."

The Other Side Of Honor

A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news.

"Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause."

"Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him."

~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~

The Heavenly Strike

"Dealing with these students of the Heavenly Strike was more difficult than we thought. They have already thrown back two of the taskforce. However, the yokai fought them separately and at different times, so perhaps a more cooperative approach would be more fruitful."

-Takeshi Oja

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

Man, you guys post fast. :O

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

Update out!

_{I wish writing was easier...}

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

Kozukata Cemetery

YURINE, DEATH KEEPER

~ @Hammerman ~

Upon learning of the samurai's true intentions, Lunatea went ballistic. After being struck by an arrow and a near-death experience from a sword inches away from her face, the rabbit monster unleashed immense power upon the unwitting samurai. Driven with rage, she started slaughtering the assassins with her lightning and her speed.

Takeshi was witness to Lunatea's rampage. He had slain his opponent just in time for him to see the Wererabbit's clothes get shredded from her power. He paid no attention to her half-naked form, instead he was at awe at her power. Even though she was destroying traitors to Shizuyama, he could not help but be a little afraid. He supposed he should be glad that Lunatea was on his side... right?

Soon, all the samurai assassins were either dead or unconscious. Takeshi warily approached the super-powered rabbit yokai. "Miss Lunatea? Are you okay?" He told her, sheathing his sword even if that might not be a good idea. "Y-- I saw an arrow hit you earlier. Do you... want me to take a look at it?" Takeshi knew he needed to get back to the others, but hopefully with a calm Lunatea.

---

~ @Restalaan (SKA & GRI), @AzureKnight (HIN & ATS), @The Irish Tree (LIL), @Enkryption ~

"Err, are you two sure you're on the same page here?" Yurine asked of Skarsneek and Atsuha. "I have a feeling there's confusion in the words..."

But before anyone could respond, the fog in the cemetery began disappearing. "Something's going on..." Yurine picked up her axe and stood on alert. "I have some empty talismans and ink over there if you need them, spider." She told Atsuha of some magical resources nearby. "Helping your sister has to wait it seems."

When the mist fully dissipated, a group approached. They were not hostile, at least not technically. Gringor arrived along with a cow-riding Liliana apparently holding a... bare, unclothed Alice. Yurine winced at the sight of the arriving yokai and immediately pieced together who they were. "Friends of yours, I assume?" She then sighed. "What has happened to the island..."

"Yokai! Show yourselves!"

Two groups of Shizuyaman samurai appeared on the other, opposite side. It was a sizable group, containing at least a dozen swordsmen and spearmen. But there were three who stood out, these warriors wielded long blades with their chests exposed and wore only robes for their lower bodies. "Lady Yurine, forsake these blasted yokai and help us reclaim our land from all our enemies!" One of these warriors pleaded.

"Dragon Warriors. They're our answer against the magical attacks of yokai. Resistant to the magic silver too." Yurine warned the taskforce before replying. "These yokai are the guests of the young master. You dare go against Lord Oja's son?"

"You leave us no choice."

The Shizuyama samurai charged. The cemetery has turned into a battlefield. At least, anyone who dies need not travel far for their wake.

---

Shizuyama Wilderness

A TIME TO HEAL

~ @Xaltwind, @Rezod92 ~

The monk was startled when Kerry suddenly arrived. He was pleasantly surprised that these two apparently knew each other, but was dismayed when the two yokai were running out of ideas on how to save the poor peasant couple.

As the two yokai talked amongst themselves, the monk noticed the situation developing. "Yokai, look!" He pointed.

-

~ @The Irish Tree (EUL) ~

Eula decided to leave Honoka without saying anything more.

The Automaton walked back to Terauchi Temple, the deception of the peasant woman and the complexities of humanity in general still weighing heavily on her mind. They even distracted her from noticing a scene unfolding before her until she was snapped back to reality by the loud voices.

"Where are you hiding the supplies?"

"We don't have any!"

"Liar!"

"Please don't hurt us!"

Before Eula was a group of four dark-armored warriors. She finally encountered Varjans in her stay in Shizuyama. Three of them were of the Warrior kind while the last one looked Elite, holding a large two-handed mace. They were harassing a couple of peasant villagers, holding them at swordpoint. Althought, not for long when they noticed the Automaton. "Don't run or you'll regret it!" The villagers were ordered.

The four Varjans confronted Eula while the peasants cowered where they were. "Well, well, well, lookie here. We got a lost little girlie." The dark warriors drew their weapons, swords and shields and throwing axes. "Give us the location of a hidden camp, or house, or just any group of little Shizuyaman cretins, and we'll consider letting you live."

"...She doesn't look Shizuyaman." The Elite noticed.

This problem was rather simple and perhaps the simplicity was just what Eula needed, morbid as that may be.

---

Kazenosuke's House

KAZENOSUKE, DANCING BLADE

~ @AzureKnight (SHI) ~

Shizuka followed the river per Takeshi's directions and soon found a humble peasant house nested in a depression in the forested land right beside the flowing river. The house was pretty unremarkable, but there were some simple fishing equipment laying about near the river. Although, what would catch Shizuka's eye immediately was the group of men in front of the house.

A group of three Varjans, two were the typical Varjan Warrior kind while the third was unique. His black hair was bared to reach his shoulder and only wore a snarling steel mask in place of a proper helmet. There was a fourth individual standing in front of the masked Varjan. He was a young adult with silver hair wearing simple, but unique, clothes of white and red. This was probably Kazenosuke.

"..."

"Come now, there are already Shizuyamans joining us. This does not need to be a Shizuyama versus Varjo thing." The Varjan said. "Yokai have already reached the island, you know? We should be together against them rather than each other, should we not?" After a few moments of silence, the Varjan continued. "Or maybe, you care little for those traditions. Maybe, you covet Lord--"

"Leave. Please." Kazenosuke stressed.

The Varjan snickered at the response. "I shall relay to my fellows not to cross you, so long as you do otherwise." He then turned to leave. "If you ever make up your mind, you know where to find me. Or Lord Serek'uar."

Kazenosuke was then left alone by the Varjan group. The warrior was deep in thought from the conversation with the Varjan, and could not sense Shizuka's presence hiding behind the trees.

---

Terauchi Temple

~ @Crowvette, @Nakushita ~

Kikyo almost drew her blade at Alice reacting aggressively, only for... everything else to happen.

After all was said and done, a stunned Kikyo could only watch as the taskforce split up to do their own things. Mostly going off to assist her with protecting Lord Takeshi. Well, that was what they were supposed to do but it seemed they went straight to the young lord himself. Kerry went off to search for another yokai while Shizuka gave up in reining in the taskforce and went to see Kazenosuke. Kikyo wished the azure swordsman luck, the Dancing Blade was not a very social person. "This whole taskforce is insane..."

Kikyo let out a heavy sigh. "...And what of you two?" She muttered to the remaining taskforce members, Io and Yuki. "I suggest you go after the swordsman, I've got a feeling he'll need help with Kazenosuke. Although, you are yokai so he might flip out. Then again, better he learn he'll be joining forces with yokai sooner rather than later." She advised the Lich and the Oni.

Just doing the act already made her sick in the stomach. She then spurred her horse towards the yokai on Takeshi's trail. Their speed exceeded her horse's, though.

---

---

---

~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~

*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*

~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~

Teacher And Student

"Lord Takamori said that his traitorous daughter, Setsuna, is training Varjan archers in Ōmiya. I know this frightens him, even if he tries to hide it. If we don't find her and end this, there may be no stopping the archers, and no hope for Ōmiya Springs. We need to see Lord Takamori immediately."
-Takeshi Oja

~~ SORAE TALES ~~

*Finish 'Pre-Emptive Strike' to unlock next tale*

~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~

Whispers In The Woods

A villager woman remarked to the taskforce member as the latter passed by.

"You better watch out if you're passing Yabo Forest, yokai. It's haunted by angry spirits... Dead samurai, eager to spill blood."

"People go into the woods and never come out. Varjan and Shizuyaman alike! The bodies that turn up have all been killed by Shizuyaman blades..."

Lost At Sea

A villager woman was sitting beside a bonfire as the taskforce member approached.

"There's a man, yokai, swinging his sword... slashing the air on the beaches of Hama island. I'm not sure if he is a survivor of Sanjo Beach, or a mere bandit. But I'm fairly sure he was crying."

"Hama island is just off the southern coasts, but you'll definitely need a boat or something to reach it."

The Other Side Of Honor

A peasant man eating barbecued meat on a stick was startled when the taskforce member approached. It appeared he has news.

"Yokai! You have to tell Lord Takeshi, there is another samurai noble who survived Sanjo Beach. His name is Lord Tonchiki. He's in his abode southeast of here. If you go see him, I'm sure he would join your cause."

"Err, maybe not. I guess you'll need Lord Takeshi himself to convince him."

~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~

The Heavenly Strike

"Dealing with these students of the Heavenly Strike was more difficult than we thought. They have already thrown back two of the taskforce. However, the yokai fought them separately and at different times, so perhaps a more cooperative approach would be more fruitful."

-Takeshi Oja