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Zeka and Matsuri arrived at the location where they were told Lady Kyouko was currently residing, the port of Otomo in Akamagaseki island. The morning sun illuminated the port, which was very clearly preparing for battle if not outright war. Huge ships were docked while crates full of weapons and supplies littered the corners as sailors, soldiers and other staff took stock of them and loaded them to the vessels.
"Well, hello there." A gentle, female voice greeted the two monsters from behind. It was a beautiful Ryu with bluish hair and golden eyes: Lady Kyouko herself. "Ah, Miss Zeka Willows. I'm glad that you have arrived. A little late, if I am to be honest, but better late than never. My taskforce will need any help they can get."
"Hmm?" Lady Kyouko turned to Matsuri. "And who might you be, little one?"
When Umami and Ripcord took off in search of the kitchen without even responding to the greetings, Ayu pinched the bridge of her nose. "And I requested Lady Ayu not to send weirdoes..."
"Where are they going?" Takeshi watched the sisters leave. He would have chased after them to make sure they didn't cause trouble... if this was part of his clan's domain. The young lord remembered this temple was but a front for yokai spies.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but this place seems rather...ill-fit to be a base for a war,"
"That's because it's not a base for war." Ayu returned to her true, dry-witted self. "This is a base for Lady Kyouko's spies masquerading as a temple. So no, we don't have armories filled with weapons or tall walls and watchtowers." She finished. "Although, if what Lord Takeshi is true, that the Shizuyaman army was destroyed just recently, then we could certainly use those right about now."
"It goes against my code to do this but... I must ask for your aid, yokai." Takeshi reluctantly spoke up. "Without an ally nearby to help us, we all knew this Varjan invasion would be the end of us. But now that you're here, we can have a chance to drive the Varjans off Shizuyama. It's a big risk, but I'm choosing to put my trust in you. For now, at least."
"There are people I know who weren't on the beach. Strong, capable warriors. If they're still alive, we can gather them to our side then we'll have a force large enough to take on a Varjan warband." The young lord explained. "If they are being smart which I'm sure they are, they'll be hiding here in Onrai. We'll need to comb the region for their whereabouts, and perhaps we can establish a foothold somewhere in Shizuyama."
"I advise taking a major port, my lord." Ayu suggested. "With a friendly dock, Lady Kyouko can land some of her troops here to serve as our reinforcements. Not to mention, needed supplies like food and medicine." The spymaster said. "And don't worry about her fleet's power, my lord. I assure she and her forces are capable of taking on the Varjan armada. Not a big fan of any kind of losses, though..."
Takeshi sighed deeply. This was unraveling his world faster than he thought. "...Very well. We'll do that." The young lord replied. "Oh, I almost forgot..."
The young lord addressed the taskforce members present. "Almost all of you are yokai so at best, my friends won't listen to you and at worst, they'll try to kill you." Takeshi closed his eyes and cupped his chin for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "...Tell them that I sent you and that I couldn't come because I was still dressed up as a miko. They'll know what that means and should be all ears... I hope."
"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 our cause."
"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 can 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 kind of glad she couldn't be on the beach and hoped that maybe she'll find a way to escape and live a full life elsewhere. But I know she would never do that.
If she's coming back, she would definitely head for Port Wadatsumi in the southeast. We should find her before she does anything... drastic."
"I, myself, will be looking for Kikyo. She's the last of the exiled Kinkakuji Clan." Takeshi finished. "And... she's someone special to me. I'd go alone, but I suppose any of you can tag along."
"And if I may add, yokai..." Ayu stepped in. "It'll also be a huge step if you helped the locals with their problems. This island doesn't trust you right now and we'll need their trust if we want to really help them."
The monks and refugees moved out of the way as Umami and Ripcord made their way to the temple's kitchen. Following the scent of rice, they find the temple's kitchen: A sizeable wooden shack with a cooking area that also functions as a storage space judging from the sacks and barrels of rice over to the side.
"You don't look like locals. Are you from the taskforce?" A male voice greeted the sisters from behind. "Hungry? I hope you like rice since I'm afraid recent events will limit the variety of dishes for the foreseeable future."
There was a villager woman, crying alone near a large tree within Terauchi Temple.
"Yokai, could I speak with you? A group of bandits is terrorizing Sanjo. They slaughtered my whole family, like animals!
They were killed at our home, near a river. I am Saki, please avenge my family and stop those bandits."
An upset woman noticed the taskforce member approaching.
"As if losing our homes wasn't bad enough, we have to see Varjans in them as well.
They took a home nearby a few days ago. The man who lived there won't leave the area. He keeps begging for help."
A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by.
"Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force."
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 a shrine priestess who wasn't present in Sanjo Beach."
"They're recruiting farmers and fishermen to their cause. Brave, but it'll be dangerous if they're not properly trained."
The pain burned like hell. Einer writhed in the ground, clutching his shoulder that had a bullet tear a clean hole through it. His hand was drenched in blood, crimson spread outward as more of his clothes absorbed it. He wanted to scream all sorts of profanities, but his voice got stuck in his throat due to the pain. The musician was blind and oblivious to everything that was happening. If it weren't for his allies, Einer would have been finished off moments ago.
"Be still, and try to observe around you. You're lucky the bullet went clean through,"
Einer's tear-filled eyes looked up to Hector. The latter's healing spell relieved some of the pain, but there was no relieving the hurt to his pride. Arguably, much more damaged than his shoulder was. As Hector guarded him, tears streaked Einer's cheeks. The musician wondered why was fate so unkind to him? He enjoyed himself in his previous quest, he supposed. This was fate's retribution for having a small moment of pride. It was too much to ask for, wasn't it?
The fight continued on, with Ruecian and Shavis and the latter's familiar battled the remaining bandits. Einer watched with unabashed envy as they made short work of their opponents. But then, three bandits correctly thought that he, Hector and the carriage were vulnerable targets. Einer lamented again. That if he was any stronger, he could have done something about this. Fighting's a no-go, and his Thaumaturgy repertoire was unable to help Hector unless the enemy cast a curse every swing of their weapon. Truly, the situation could not be worse...
Suddenly, however, a bright light shone from the carriage. A warrior from inside took down a bandit, moving like a blur. When the person stopped moving, the figure revealed herself to be... "Madam Imre?"
A ringing sound in the head drowned out all noise as Einer's mental functions ceased as he stared at Imre. His ears heard the words, but none made it to his mind. Einer's body obediently followed the group as they embarked back into the carriage and quickly drove to the village to treat Einer's wound.
”Milady, I will lead Sir Devaron to the town physician post haste.”
As Nathaniel escorted Einer to the local physician, it was only that time when the bard regained his faculties. "She... could fight... ALL THIS TIME?!" He practically bellowed.
"...I feel this discussion is something, deeply personal." Revuel awkwardly observed the banter between Eula and Kerry. "I shall excuse myself."
The spellcaster moved to leave but had some parting words. "Oh, and you are very welcome, madam Automaton. Once we have some free time, I shall attempt to repair your eyes as well. Simply seek me out."
"Would you care to have us tag along, my young lord? ...Kikyo-san, is there anything more you can tell us about the encampment that the prisoners are being held at? Warrior types, the surrounding layout?"
"Of course, Madam Atsuha." Takeshi quickly answered, the words almost getting stuck in his throat. "You're very much welcome to join us."
Kikyo glared at the Hangai sisters, making her contempt for the yokai clear. Takeshi wanted to intervene but he feared setting off his already fuming childhood friend and so, could only look on nervously. However, Kikyo closed her eyes and sighed before adopting a softer expression. "I suppose it's also a pleasure to meet you, Hangai sisters. I heard you also saved Lord Takeshi in Sanjo Beach. You have my gratitude for that."
"As for your question, the prisoners are held in Fort Tanabe. The fort is pretty small and the Varjan garrison is relatively light... but that's more than enough to defend the place. The fort is on top of a plateau, with only one road going in and out. The garrison only needs to guard and fortify that one opening." Kikyo explained. "The plateau is steep and rocky. Climbing it is nigh-impossible."
"Alice-san and Carroll-chan seem to have left the taskforce, I can confirm because I sensed their chi fading further from the vicinity. Where they plan to go, I don't know, but I felt that you all should know regardless."
"What...?" Takeshi did not wait for a response. He turned around and whistled for his horse, Kuro, who quickly answered his master's call and galloped to Takeshi's side.
"You're going to leave me with yokai?!" Kikyo demanded from her lord. "I thought you were going with me?"
"I am going with you." Takeshi assured as he embarked his horse. "Go on ahead to the watchtower at the bottom of the Fort Tanabe plateau. I'll either meet you or catch up with you there. Don't worry, this won't take long." The young lord then rode off in search of the rogue Alice and Carroll.
"...The yokai has thoroughly seduced him." Kikyo remarked as she watched Takeshi exit the temple grounds.
"He just considers them as his friends." Takamori said, in defense of the young lord. "He did the same thing for Kazenosuke, remember?"
"I thought we all agreed never to speak about that ever again." The aforementioned dancing swordsman complained.
Kikyo addressed the taskforce members going with her so far: Atsuha, Hinami and Gringor. "I shall hold my lord to his word. Let's go, yokai. I don't wanna find him already waiting for us there." The last Kinkakuji led the trio of yokai from the temple and toward Fort Tanabe, much to her consternation.
Ayu then spoke to the taskforce members going with her so far: Shizuka, Liliana, Io and Skarsneek. "Not gonna lie, this is going to be a huge undertaking. I advise taking a few hours of rest before heading out. I'll ride out first, though, to meet up with our contact and inform him about what's gonna happen. Here, I'll show you where his house is. We'll meet up there." The head spy then gave the taskforce members the directions.
The sun was setting, bathing the land with orange, when taskforce group found the solitary house some ways away from the Komatsu fortress. It seemed a simple wooden home of a typical peasant, albeit larger than most. The group also heard arguing inside with one of the voices belonging to Ayu.
"...keep everything quiet."
"You want quiet?!" A squeaky, male voice responded. "Don't ask me to rile up people who use blood as paint!"
"I wasn't asking." Ayu declared. "Not after Kirisame Shrine."
"That was a misunderstanding..."
"That was a scared Ronin warrior trying to wriggle out of trouble."
"And it worked! I offloaded that sour rice water and you--"
"--had to look over my shoulder, for a month!" Ayu finished. "You owe me, Shizuka."
"...I love this island as much as the next guy, but this is too dangerous. It'll never work." Noticing the taskforce that entered his house, he remarked to Ayu. "These the yokai?" He sounded unimpressed.
"You can call them 'Lady Kyouko's Taskforce'." Ayu replied.
The short man, apparently named Shizuka, gasped and quickly bowed his head. "Forgive me, my lords and ladies!" He then raised his head to introduce himself. "I am Shizuka! Upstanding merchant, renowned sake brewer."
"And the best swindler on the island!" Ayu interjected. "That's why he's going to help us sneak into Komatsu Bay."
"I keep telling you, that place is a fortress." The swindler Shizuka retorted. "You'll need an army to penetrate the walls."
"Or, a single delivery of sake."
The swindler let out a sarcastic chuckle before declaring. "It'll never work."
Under a setting sun, Kikyo and the taskforce group arrived at the base of the plateau where Fort Tanabe was situated in. Indeed, there was a watchtower here although unoccupied. The Kinkakuji lady looked up to behold the steep and rocky plateau, stony terrain covered all sides save for one: The sole entrance and exit of the fort. The rocks formed such a natural barrier that one could not even see the fort from the bottom.
"...and the road's winding too." Kikyo remarked to herself before turning to the yokai taskforce. "We'll wait here for Lord Takeshi, but I doubt he would want us to wait long so we'll begin the rescue in a few minutes. Assuming, of course, we have a plan to break into the fort and free the prisoners. Whom the Varjans will likely kill once they realize what's going on."
Lunatea had stayed in the temple to rest after exerting herself in the previous battle. She found herself in the company of Revuel Arvida, who was using telekinetic magic to lift rubble and debris into a neat pile to be cleaned later. "So if I am not mistaken, you are some sort of scholar? Neither seasoned fighter nor warrior?" Revuel spoke to the Wererabbit as he worked.
"I understand that the taskforce was formed to simply spy on the natives about their... deteriorating dealings with The Order. But as you can see, the situation has drastically changed. Combat is at the forefront of the taskforce." Revuel continued. "So why do you stay, Madam Lunatea? Out of pure kindness? I know some monsters who are like that. Or perhaps you fancy one of the locals?"
Before Lunatea could reply, however, a tired Takeshi arrived on his horse. "...I can't find them anywhere." He said to himself as he disembarked.
"No sign of this Alice--"
*SHINE*
Bright, white light shone from the teleportation pagoda, someone had arrived. Takeshi looked to Revuel, both men realizing that the usual greeter, Ayu, was not present. "Go meet them, milord. I shall join you as soon as I'm done with this." Revuel said to which Takeshi nodded and went off. "Going to join him, Madam Lunatea?"
Alice awakened in a dim, wooden, unfamiliar room. It was thematically Far Eastern, likely somewhere in the Zipanguese Isles in one of their temples. Four pillars stood to support the chamber and on one side, there was a simple shrine with some unlit candles and a few statues. On the opposite side were a set of sliding doors, sunlight shining through them.
One of the sliding doors opened and a young human man with brown hair and red robes clothing entered the chamber. "Hey there! I am Lord Takeshi Oja and welcome to Shizuyama." The young lord greeted, unaware of who he was talking due to the difference in appearance. "Are you sent here by this Lady Kyouko to join the taskforce? Because if so, then you're in luck! You've been successfully teleported to their headquarters." He told Alice with names unknown to her.
"You know, you look a lot like someone I know."
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
"Lady Kyouko needs a port to dock her fleet to properly engage the Varjan armada and deliver supplies, and that port will be Komatsu Bay. If we're going to liberate the fortress, we'll need help and Ayu says she has a friend for the job. We can join her and go to this friend's house, just outside Komatsu Bay." -Takeshi Oja
"We almost have everything we need to save my father. However, we cannot leave the refugees of Terauchi Temple defenseless. We need warriors to fortify and defend the temple while we are away. Kikyo knows of some imprisoned warriors who can help replenish our ranks." -Takeshi Oja
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
"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 ~~
"Lady Sorae told me that Kana, Sogen's wife, has disappeared during the attack on the temple. She wants help tracking her down as Kana is the only lead we have on the identities and whereabouts of the killers of Clan Tokinomiya." -Takeshi Oja
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
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..."
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."
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."
A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by.
"Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force."
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
"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
"Peace, Hornet. I may look like the Varjans, but I assure you they consider me more an enemy than you are." The Warlock-looking fellow said, noticing Kerry's hand nearing her spear.
"I am Revuel Arvida from the Scarce Legion. My legion has forsaken their oaths to justice and has joined forces with the evil and wicked Varjo. I am here to make sure they don't harm anymore of the innocent and further besmirch the name." Revuel introduced himself. "When I heard that a sizeable force of Scarce Legion was invading Shizuyama, I immediately sought passage. That was how I met Lady Kyouko, and she graciously sent me here to fulfill my mission."
Revuel wanted to say more, but he kept quiet since it appeared that Kerry and Eula has an unfinished conversation. Although, his senses told him it was not a particularly pleasant one.
“....Anyone can verify if we can repurpose those anti-magic obelisks, load them into a catapult and see if it shuts down their magic too?
"That sounds like a great idea! I think! I wasn't here, so I don't know if they even use magic. But if they do? Great idea,"
"Errm, I'm pretty sure those anti-magic obelisks need to be rooted in the ground to actually work. Breaking any part of the device will dispel the effect." Ayu was sheepish in her remark, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news. "I know portable ones can be built, but I don't have the slightest idea on how to build one. Nor do I even know if it's worth building one just to lob it at the enemy. Much less, en masse."
Takeshi nodded. "And the Varjans can probably destroy it before we can take advantage of its effects. The only way for us to use it is have it as a stationary device to neuter the enemy's magic. Problem with that is, our side also utilizes a lot of magic."
"I wonder how they achieve nullification."
"Since we're fighting the Scarce Legion, a legion full of spellcasters, I'm pretty sure they know half-a-dozen spells that can imbue an object with anti-magic properties." Ayu answered Io. "But as spellcasters themselves, we'll probably not see much of these in their ranks. I guess if a fort or encampment doesn't have a Warlock in it, then it's likely you'll see this."
"I can turn invisible! I can help with Komatsu!"
"I can help with any of these. Though perhaps the raid would be the best for me."
"So we have madams Liliana and Io for the sneak attack on Komatsu Bay. We can certainly use their abilities to really wallop the Varjan garrison there." Ayu noted cheerfully. "Anyone else? Lord Takeshi?"
"I... think I'm going with Kikyo in rescuing her men." The young lord replied, which prompted the aforementioned woman to raise an eyebrow.
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
"Lady Kyouko needs a port to dock her fleet to properly engage the Varjan armada and deliver supplies, and that port will be Komatsu Bay. If we're going to liberate the fortress, we'll need help and Ayu says she has a friend for the job. We can join her and go to this friend's house, just outside Komatsu Bay." -Takeshi Oja
"We almost have everything we need to save my father. However, we cannot leave the refugees of Terauchi Temple defenseless. We need warriors to fortify and defend the temple while we are away. Kikyo knows of some imprisoned warriors who can help replenish our ranks." -Takeshi Oja
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
"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 ~~
"Lady Sorae told me that Kana, Sogen's wife, has disappeared during the attack on the temple. She wants help tracking her down as Kana is the only lead we have on the identities and whereabouts of the killers of Clan Tokinomiya." -Takeshi Oja
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
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..."
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."
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."
A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by.
"Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force."
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
"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
”Um, Sir Janus? I'm sorry, about Sidonus. He...he seemed like a good man. I...I promise to do everything I can to ensure that his death isn't in vain!”
Janus smiled at the Flame Demon. "I'm sure you will, madam."
"But please, do not beat yourself up too much about his death. He, as much as I, have sworn to uphold justice and to battle the enemies of mankind with our lives. Specifically your kind, madam." The spellcaster casually revealed. "But... complications happened and now those who we once called brothers are now our enemies, and those who we swore to be our eternal enemies are now our allies."
"All I'm saying is, Sidonus was ready to die. He, and I suppose I, had been ready to die for a very long time. So please, no need for regrets. Simply honor him by helping this beleaguered island." Janus finished.
"Thank you, young master though I assure you I can walk just fine."
"I'm sure you can, but we're on a tight schedule here so unless you're faster than my horse..." Takeshi pulled Nyla up with surprising strength and the Shoggoth was embarked on the horse behind his main rider. "Now, hold on tight."
"Well, thankfully I do. One of you ladies could ride with me, although that would still leave one of you having to ride in that wagon... Unless Janus doesn't mind having a riding partner?"
"I'm afraid I'll need both horses to pull the cart, Sir Kirei." Janus replied. "Forgive me, but we have no time to bicker about this. We need to get to Terauchi Temple as soon as possible. So hop on and let's get moving."
The taskforce group then set out, finding a road to follow all the way to the Onrai region.
"As long as you are trustworthy as our Boss, we have no issue with following your lead, That said, that courtesy only falls to you, Boss. This prissy walking ice cream cone is another matter."
"Grrr...Yeah! We follow you, Boss! But, anyone else... they ain't made no bones or broke bread with us yet..."
The Ryu sighed. "...As long as you serve the members of Clan Oja and don't cause trouble for them or the mission, then I suppose you need not like your teammates." Lady Kyouko then smiled at them.. "And never forget, keep yourselves alive in all this. Okay?"
"I should also mention, Lady Kyouko, we Glacies feed off of heat. Particularly, that of living things. Would you object to me "feeding" off of Varjans or bandits while I serve under you? I could just drain fire, but that's nowhere near as filling."
"I would be fine with it if your 'feeding' did not leave men with feelings of loneliness, feelings they might take out on the people of Shizuyama." Lady Kyouko responded. "If need be, there is a man amongst the taskforce whom I'm sure will be able you out in that regard. Although, the best scenario would be if you find a... special someone to help you." The Ryu had a serious look when she spoke, but finished with a wink.
"Well then, I guess we're all ready. Follow me." Lady Kyouko then led the trio atop the stone platform. "I will be teleporting you all to Terauchi Temple in Shizuyama. That's the base of operations of my human spies there. The head spy is named Ayu, a dependable girl if a bit irritable." The Ryu briefed the outgoing group. "Your job is to rendezvous with the rest of the taskforce. They are technically led by Kirei Kannazuki and should be joined by a spellcaster named Janus. Ayu can explain the finer details to you. Just ask."
The Claremont sisters and Vivian stood on the middle of the platform. Lady Kyouko then closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. The engraved markings on the platform began to glow, and the visions of the monsters were soon engulfed by a white light.
Takeshi and his group rode for Terauchi Temple in the Onrai region from Saikoten. The latter region's wide, urban roads soon gave way to the plain dirt roads of the former. They did not encounter anything of note in the road, merely peasant travelers who only caught a glimpse of the speeding taskforce. Some noticed that passing group wasn't local, but their minds were too occupied by the coming Varjan invasion to investigate further.
Soon, the taskforce finally reached Terauchi Temple: a sizeable temple consisting of multiple pagodas surrounded by trees with yellow leaves. A stone stairwell needed to be ascended to reach the temple grounds. "Here is where we must part temporarily, taskforce." Janus said, allowing the members on his cart a moment disembark. "I will go and hide this cart and join you later. Up the stairs is Terauchi Temple. Take Lord Takeshi and meet with a black-haired girl in green clothes. That would be Ayu."
After Janus left with the cart, the taskforce and Takeshi entered the temple grounds. Terauchi Temple seemed your normal temple but the monks inside were helping peasants unload their belongings in some of the corners. This place of peace clearly disturbed by outside forces.
"Hey, you! You're the taskforce, right? Must be. There hasn't been a yokai in Shizuyama until you guys." A woman with long, black hair and green clothes approached. "Hello, nice to meet you, I'm Ayu. Now then, peasants calling themselves refugees have been coming from Saikoten. What's the deal with that? Have the Varjans invaded or something?" Ayu then noticed the black-armored human amongst the taskforce. "L-Lord Takeshi Oja?"
"That would be me." Takeshi nodded. "And yes, the Varjans have invaded and defeated our army assembled in Sanjo Beach. The yokai taskforce rescued me from the battle... and I was told that Terauchi Temple was the base for humans spying for yokai. Do you mind telling me about that?"
"Oh, uhh..." Ayu scratched the back of her head, clearly thinking it was a bother by the son of the Island Lord red-handed. "Well, that's all true... but I assure you, Lord Takeshi, we are your allies. Especially against the Varjans." The head spy then wracked her brain for something else to tell the young lord. "We-We even have a way to get reinforcements to help us. Follow me!"
Ayu then showed Takeshi and the taskforce one of the seemingly unremarkable pagodas in the temple. "This pagoda has a magic circle that can teleport in people Lady Kyouko sends us. You know, reinforcements." A bright, white light then flashed inside the building. "Oh, speak of the devil..."
When the visions of Vivian and the Claremont sisters returned, they found themselves in an empty wooden chamber with four pillars supporting the ceiling. On one side of the room was a simple shrine with candles and nondescript statues. On the opposite side were a set of sliding doors that were the only exit of the chamber.
Exiting the room, the newcomer monsters were greeted by a sight of a Zipanguese temple grounds, presumably Terauchi Temple. In front of them were a group of monsters and humans with the latter being two males and one female. "Hey there! You all must be sent by Lady Kyouko. Welcome to Shizuyama and come say hello to Takeshi Oja, son and heir to the Island Lord, as well as the rest of the taskforce." Ayu greeted the newcomers with forced enthusiasm.
“Maybe if you did a better job defending the line, then the enemy would have never been able to infiltrate it in the first place, you are lucky Lunatea was back here as well, it cuts two ways you know…”
“She’s right, Someone had to stay here to guard these people from any stray enemies that you failed to exterminate. And it wasn’t easy. I had to exert myself quite gravely in order to handle all those dogs. I'll be stuck with terrible cramps for the next few days.
Takamori and Sorae were about to retort even more fiercely if it weren't for Ayu stepping in between the two groups, deciding to do something before the situation escalates. "R-Regardless, the Varjans have been beaten back and most of the refugees have been protected. That's all that matters, right?" She raised her hands to divert as much attention to her as she could.
"Oh, look! Lord Takeshi seem to be planning something with the others! Why don't we go join them?" Ayu shifted the topic to something more important than this feud, leading the group towards Takeshi and the others. Sorae and Takamori gave a look at the yokai, but ultimately said nothing and followed Ayu.
With one mighty swing, Gringor broke the obelisk. The splitting the body from the base, its glowing runes losing its light. Kerry felt magic slowly wash over her, indicating it was returning and she could cast spells again.
As she fought the Elite, Shizuka arrived to make short work of the remaining Varjans. It was fortunate that the obelisk was already broken when he arrived, or else he would have been in quite a surprise. Perhaps Kerry should break the news to everyone that the Varjans possessed such devices in their arsenal.
But after getting a short beatdown from Alice, it appeared Kerry has other things to worry about.
Regardless, Shizuka's attacks would be the last swings of this battle. The Varjan assault had been repelled and Terauchi Temple stood victorious, albeit heavily-damaged.
"Is everyone alright? I pray there weren't any casualties among the refugees. How did this happen, the Varjans shouldn't have known about this place!"
"Indeed, how did those barbarians find out about this place? It seems highly unlikely…"
"On the contrary, Sir Shizuka and Madam Atsuha, this place isn't exactly hidden. No invisibility spells or anything like that. I'm guessing that once word got out that Terauchi Temple was a safe haven for refugees fleeing from the invasion, the Varjans immediately caught wind of it. This attack was, I suppose, inevitable." Ayu spoke up as she approached along with Yuki and Lunatea as well as Sorae and Takamori with Nobutada and Kageho close behind. "I guess they only needed a bit of time to prepare the assault."
Most of the taskforce had assembled along with the warriors that Takeshi had asked the former to gather. The battle for the temple was over, with the villagers and refugees emerging to clean up bodies and the debris.
“We’ll need to move the villagers. They know our position, and can keep the pressure on us now. There’s the fishing village we cleared, but that’s a temporary one. You don’t happen to know another hiding place? Like some hidden cave, harbor or mountains?”
"No." Takeshi bluntly declared. "There's too many refugees here to move into something smaller. Not only that, moving them will expend resources and time and put them in even higher risk." He explained. "We can only fortify this position... but we are in dire need for reinforcements." Takeshi then glanced at the line of Shizuyaman warriors who fell in the battle.
"If I may, Lord Takeshi..." Ayu spoke up. "Me and other taskforce members have been discussing earlier about an attack on Komatsu Bay. We understand that the place is a fortress taken over by the Varjans, but a sneak attack from the inside can catch the Varjan occupiers unaware." The head spy explained. "Lady Kyouko has a mighty fleet that can punch through the Varjan blockade. She only needs a port to dock her ships and Komatsu Bay can be that port. Once we liberate the fortress, Lady Kyouko can send us as many reinforcements and supplies as we want."
"Invite more yokai to our island?! I will not allow it!" Kikyo protested before approaching Takeshi. "Lord Takeshi, I have recently learned that a whole regiment of our warriors are imprisoned in a Varjan outpost not far from here. They can be our needed reinforcements. We have no need to rely on the yokai." Kikyo was close to begging her lord.
However, Takeshi thought for a moment. His eyes were closed and his gaze downwards. "Why not... why not both? Why choose one over the other? We desperately need supplies to defend and support the refugees, and the rescued warriors can help keep an eye on the yokai. Make sure they don't do anything... suspicious." The young lord decided, a confident smile on his face as if he had made a brilliant move. "We and the taskforce are strong enough that we can split up to do both tasks. Or barring that, we're strong enough that we can do both tasks in a short period of time. Short enough that the Varjans won't have time to prepare another attack."
The young lord looked to Kikyo's reaction, hoping he said the right words. Unfortunately, he only found a frowning face and narrowed eyes, making his confident smile disappear. "Sounds like a plan to me." Sorae remarked. "But some of us will need to stay here to ward off any more attackers. While a full assault isn't likely to happen anytime soon, small bands of raiders might think this is a prime opportunity."
"Fully agreed. I can be part of the home guard since I have... personal businesses to attend to too." Takamori said.
Breaking eye contact from Kikyo, Takeshi turned to Ayu. "How do you plan on sneaking into Komatsu Bay?"
"Long story short, I know a guy who can infiltrate the Varjan garrison there." Ayu answered. "I can explain the details later, milord."
Then, Takeshi turned to the taskforce. "Well, what do you guys think?"
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
"Lady Kyouko needs a port to dock her fleet to properly engage the Varjan armada and deliver supplies, and that port will be Komatsu Bay. If we're going to liberate the fortress, we'll need help and Ayu says she has a friend for the job. We can join her and go to this friend's house, just outside Komatsu Bay." -Takeshi Oja
"We almost have everything we need to save my father. However, we cannot leave the refugees of Terauchi Temple defenseless. We need warriors to fortify and defend the temple while we are away. Kikyo knows of some imprisoned warriors who can help replenish our ranks." -Takeshi Oja
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
"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 ~~
"Lady Sorae told me that Kana, Sogen's wife, has disappeared during the attack on the temple. She wants help tracking her down as Kana is the only lead we have on the identities and whereabouts of the killers of Clan Tokinomiya." -Takeshi Oja
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
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..."
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."
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."
A peasant man warming his hands on a bonfire noticed the taskforce member passing by.
"Yokai, you must do something! It's Ayane's sake brewery in Imahama. That brewery is the pride of Shizuyama, but soon there will be none left. The Varjans are taking it by force."
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
"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
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