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Most Recent Posts
~ Eon Tower ~
Another morning, another day wasted in the library poring through books that lead to nowhere. Einer was beginning to doubt that what he sought was not in this Eon Tower, or perhaps in the entirety of the Magus Association. Already, the bard was drafting a resignation letter in his head. But no, Einer decided it was too early for that. He would give this place one week to give him a lead. Or at least... something that could point him in the right direction. If not, well, he was not particularly close to any of his fellow Reavers so him leaving would surely not cause any commotion.
Einer got up from his bed and remembered that this Tower was due an inspection from the church. And it wasn't just any Church folk from Flugell, the inspectors included a woman named Tethys Aria Zaerado which surprised Einer. This Tower was more than meets the eye if she was coming here personally to see what was up.
Einer joined the rest of the Reavers in meeting with the Church inspectors. The bard had no intention of making himself stand out so he tried his best to stand behind the others. No reason to grab their attentions, not yet at least.
”That aside, why do we start having the Tower’s new recruits introduce themselves.”
Well, introductions shouldn't be too bad. To help him be more conspicuous, Einer allowed the other Reavers go first. First was Asterope, whom Einer briefly wondered where she went, then Renee and Lanus then Shavis then this new guy whom Einer haven't met yet then Leon, who seem to be already starting something with Tethys.
"Before anyone assists anyone, let me introduce myself first as Einer Devaron. If that is a familiar name to you, then that is because I am from Flugell just as you three are." Einer bowed at the inspectors with his lyre on hand. "If, ever, you meet with my family back in Flugell, err, may I request that you keep my presence here secret? I do not wish for them to worry about me."
Einer then looked at Alexandra Vander. He didn't know her personally, but the swordsmanship of House Vander was renowned in Flugell. The house was respected by the Devarons, amongst others, and felt he had to acknowledge it. "Now, while the presence of the Lady Zaerado was a pleasant surprise, may I also acknowledge that a member of the famed House Vander has also blessed us with her presence today?" The musician internally cringed at his words. That wasn't exactly being conspicuous.
Komatsu Bay
BREAKTHROUGH
"What the--?! Let go of me!"
Underestimating Io, Merneptah was caught off-guard when the Lich latched onto him and started draining his spirit energy. The lightning spell aimed at Skarsneek was interrupted as the required energy to cast it was stolen away. Io swelled with power as she absorbed a high amount of spirit energy from a spellcaster. She would feel as if she could tear the land asunder with a single spell.
Merneptah swatted Io away with his staff, just in time for him to block the first strike of Shizuka's Gale's Fang technique which negated the attack. Still, the attack was powerful enough to break the staff into two. Merneptah was sent stumbling back and upon noticing his shattered staff, he angrily threw the two pieces away before holding up his hands. Two ethereal khopesh swords manifested in his palms, and those who can sense energy would feel that this spell took the last of Merneptah's magical reserves.
"You all are little more than worms and maggots!" He pointed one blade at Shizuka and Io and the other at Skarsneek.
---
~ @The Irish Tree (LIL) ~
"Don't go thinking the minotaur's the only one that'll kick your butt!"
"Agh!"
The bite made the Champion release Liliana and the warrior Fairy used this chance to blind her Varjan opponent with a spell. "I can't see! What the hell did you do to me?!" The Champion flailed around, grasping for anything to stabilize him. He was defenseless against Liliana's onslaught.
At least at first. The Champion then suddenly blocked one of Liliana's swings with a javelin and kicked her away with surprising coordination. "My butt's not so easy to kick, as you'll see. You think blindness will deter me?! I'm a hearing kind of warrior, you know? I don't need to see you to defeat you!"
Unfortunately for the hearing-focused Champion, his environment was anything but quiet. The screams and shouts of the battle raging behind him prevented him from detecting an enormous being loom behind him. With one swing of his humongous axe, the summoned Minotaur sent the Varjan Champion flying and crashing through the wall of the barracks. When Liliana looked though the hole, she saw the unconscious, perhaps even dead, body of the javelin-throwing Varjan Champion.
The summoned Minotaur continued wreaking havoc on the hapless Varjans, who were routing and running away. In a few moments, the summoned monster would disappear back to where he came from so Liliana need not worry for his safety. Perhaps it is time to reunite with the others?
Shizuyama Wilderness
TEACHER AND STUDENT
~ @Rezod92 ~
"Now unless you want to end up like your two friends over there, where's Setsuna?"
"Somewhere where you'll never reach!" One of the Footmen archers answered before shooting arrows at Kerry. Spurred by his comrade's bravery, the other archer also fired.
They missed, of course, thanks to Kerry's mastery over flight and speed and soon, two arrows landed on both the Footmen's necks. Courtesy of Takamori, who strode to Kerry with heavy steps. Also incredibly unamused judging from his contorted face. "What kind of fight was that?! I didn't peg you the type to play with your food!" He immediately scolded Kerry.
"Is that what you'll do when you fight Setsuna?! You're gonna mouth off while letting her think of ten different plans as to how to escape from you or maybe even kill you?" Takamori was livid, his eye even twitching from abject anger.
Shizuyama Wilderness
THE HUSBAND
~ @The Irish Tree (EUL) ~
"Hmph. I said nothing about sending peasants to die. But if she wants to get herself killed fighting those students again, then who am I to stop her?" Sorae remarked as Alice left.
"Whatever. Let's go." Sorae then led Eula out of Terauchi Temple and into the wilds of Shizuyama, where the stone paths turned to damp dirt. "Look there." She pointed at the footprints on the soft soil left behind by the Varjans who attacked the temple during the last assault. "Mostly large Varjan boots, right? But look at that set..." Sorae pointed to a set of footprints differently-shaped from all the others. They were smaller and only led out of Terauchi Temple. "That's probably Kana. Let's follow it."
The tracks led Sorae and Eula a little far away from Terauchi Temple, towards a small cemetery situated on the side of the road. The other side of the road being several fields of rice paddies. However, the duo saw a group of Varjan Brigands in the middle of the road, appearing to have captured someone. Sorae quickly led Eula behind some gravestones so they could get a better look.
"The Varjans have somebody... Damn them! It's Kana!" Indeed, the small Varjan group have captured a peasant woman who was apparently the wife the duo were looking for. The Varjans laughed as they tied up their newly-captured villager, oblivious to the presence of Eula and Sorae watching them. "We need to deal with the Varjans before they take her away."
There were about three Brigands and two Warriors in the group, but there was also one Firethrower standing silently to the side. "You said you'll have trouble fighting, right? You wanna sit this one out while I take care of them?" Sorae asked her Automaton companion.
Fort Tanabe
SECOND CHANCE
~ @AzureKnight (HIN), @Restalaan (GRI) ~
The Wardogs arrived before their masters and Kikyo was ready to battle them . However, Hinami greeted the canines with her three-sectioned staff. The Jiangshi's powerful strikes made short work of the Wardogs, the animals whimpering as they fell.
Then there were the oncoming Varjan Brigands, but Gringor came upon them in return. With one horizontal slash from his axe, he dispatched one of the Brigands. The other ducked in time and attempted to retaliate against the High Orc but Kikyo used Gringor to launch herself into the air for a downwards strike against the surviving Brigand. The result was a head rolling away from its body.
The fighting soon died down as the last Varjan had a sword thrust into his back. When the imprisoned warriors realized they won, they raised their weapons and cheered. "Here's to Lady Kikyo and Lord Takeshi! I knew they wouldn't forget us!" More cheering occurred after and Kikyo approached the prisoners to ask them about their conditions.
Shortly after, Kikyo returned to Hinami and Gringor. "I've got some strange news, yokai. These men said they weren't treated badly by the Varjans. They were treated more like guests, just in cages." The warrior woman grimaced as she wracked her brain for possible answers. "The Varjans are glad to torture and enslave other Shizuyamans, but not these warriors? What are they planning...?"
---
~ @AzureKnight (ATS) ~
"Are you alright? Let me inspect your skin, you might get infected!"
The Wardogs let out pitiful whimpers when Atsuha summoned branches that jutted from the soil to impale them in their abdomens. No more Varjans approached the two and in fact, it seemed the garrison of this prison had been wiped out by the prisoners with the help of Kikyo, Hinami and Gringor.
Atsuha had quickly run to Takeshi's side to inspect his wounds. "Haha! Come on, Atsuha. I'm way tougher than what you give me credit for." The young master attempted to reassure the Jorou-Gumo. However, inspecting his left arm revealed bleeding bite wounds. "Uhh, I've had worse...?"
"What about you, Atsuha? Are you alright?" Takeshi asked. "Sorry that I couldn't get here earlier." He also apologized before looking at the prisoners gathering around Kikyo. "What of the prisoners? Did they give you any hard time when you were rescuing them?"
Terauchi Temple
~ @Enkryption (CRL) ~
"I understand, if you can't, of course. After all, I doubt you have much experience with Wonderlandian metals and smithing."
"Of course not, but the same could be said of a normal sword from a normal Shizuyaman warrior." The swordsmith replied. "For me, every blade is unique. As recognizable as a person, lady yokai."
The swordsmith then grabbed Benihime to examine it more closely. "Although, your weapons are... more unique than most. I have not heard of weapons that were also your arms. Truly, the weapons of the yokai are as exquisite as they are exotic." Putting down the scissor-blade, the swordsmith then grabbed both and brought them over to the side of his shop, silently urging Carroll to follow him.
Benihime and Nozarashi were brought to the smith's sharpening setup. He first put the two swords leaning on a post before asking a passing peasant to fetch him a bucket of water from the well. "I hope Shizuyama's sharpening techniques will serve your Wonderlandian blades just as much as it does our blades. Unfortunately, our equipment here is limited. Please, do understand." Once the bucket of water was received, the swordsmith took a low chair as well as a wooden plank held up by thick sticks of wood. The assembly of the latter looked sturdy.
Rectangular blocks of differing stones were put inside the water pail. After some time passed, the swordsmith took two of the blocks and placed them on the plank. He then took Nozarashi and placed it on the block, also taking a handful of water to wet it. Then began the process of the actual sharpening, the smith sliding Nozarashi against the stone. His movements were precise and quick but also delicate and respectful.
---
~ @Enkryption (ALI) ~
Asking around as to the whereabouts of the storyteller Katsuhiro, Alice was pointed to a corner in the temple grounds. There, Alice saw a silver-haired musician surrounded by children and their parents. Apparently, he just got done regaling a lighthearted tale for the young ones. A simple, happy story to at least distract them from their bleak situation.
After the parents have taken their children away, Katsuhiro took notice of Alice. "Greetings, madam yokai. Hmm, you look familiar but I don't think we've met before. What can I do for you?" He greeted Alice, not recognizing the latter. "Nothing too physical, of course, but if you are interested in Shizuyama's legends and history, then I am more than happy to assist you there."
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
~~ SORAE TALES ~~
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
Kazenosuke's House
KAZENOSUKE, DANCING BLADE
"Dude, how did you do that? In all my years as a professional thief, no one has ever caught me....without having to see me. You're human, right?"
"A hundred percent human, my little mousey friend. A human who had to train all his life spotting sneaky, cheeky yokai like you." Kazenosuke answered Zeka.
"Speaking purely from a position of numbers, we can't even fight a warband with how many we have. I've never had someone I can call a friend, but...in the stories I've played part in, a bond between two can overcome virtually anything this world has to offer. Perhaps, the bond you and Takeshi share is one such instance. Oh and, don't worry about yokai, I imagine we'll all leave once this conflict concludes. For whatever comfort that is, at least."
"Pfft... bwahahahaha!" Kazenosuke laughed as if he heard one of the best jokes in his life. "Liberate a port, huh? For who? Definitely not one of the other anti-yokai factions in Zipangu. 'Cause I assure you that right now, coming to our aid is just asking for a death sentence."
"So most probably, yokai reinforcements. In numbers that could repel the Varjan invasion, so a lot of them. Hahahaha! I seriously doubt you're leaving after you're done with the Varjans. Oh man, Takeshi really did just put the people and the island above its traditions." Kazenosuke snickered again. "Good for him, making decisions independently and all that. However, you yokai should keep a close eye on him then. Once the people of this island realizes what he's doing, I bet someone'll stab him in his sleep."
"But we're getting off-topic here, you're here to recruit me for Takeshi's group. Let's get to that." Kazenosuke then crossed his arms. "Before I go, though, I want to know one thing: Are you even worth helping? Sure, Takeshi might be the best warrior in Shizuyama, but he can't be everywhere at once. Basically, I want to know if you three measure up to him. I don't want to join a group where I have to do everything."
"But how to measure that? Hmm..." Kazenosuke pondered for a moment before snapping his fingers. "I know! How about a spar? You three against me. What do you think?" The dancing swordsman issued a challenge. "Those are pretty even odds, no? You win, and I join you. Lose, and you go tell Takeshi that I wish him luck with whatever he's doing to this island."
Unknown Forest
KAGEHO, INNOCENT SHADOW
~ @The Irish Tree (MAT) ~
When Matsuri's Never-Ending-Starry Night popped off, the Varjan group flew into a panic. They scattered and tried to get away from the bright lights as much as they could, while also frantically searching their surroundings for any hostiles. Some of the Varjans began to bark orders, other demanding the ambushers to show themselves.
Matsuri inserted an illusion of herself in an obvious hiding spot to bait the Varjans. Upon discovery of the illusion, the robed people in the group raised their arms at the hiding spot. From their arms shot blue jets of flame that quickly set the hiding spot in a blazing inferno. The illusion bolted off, and the flame sorcerers tried to shoot it with their blue fire.
The illusion worked, but these five Varjan Firethrowers were quickly burning the forest down. The fires were spreading from tree to tree, bush to bush. Matsuri was quickly running out of places to hide. But she should still keep an eye on the Varjan group, though. The Inari saw a couple of Varjan Brigands suddenly get pulled into the grass with none of their teammates the wiser.
Terauchi Temple
~ @Enkryption (UMI & RCD), @AzureKnight (KIR) ~
The Claremont sisters returned to Terauchi Temple with the brewer crew safely. The crew gave their thanks to the sisters before parting ways and joining the rest of the refugees.
"Hey, you two." Ayu greeted Umami and Ripcord. "Good job bringing those people here. Ayane's Sake Brewery is real famous here in Shizuyama, so having the crew safe will be good for morale. Even if the ruling Oja Clan doesn't drink." Ayu casually revealed. Thinking about that, the Claremont sisters recall that Lady Kyouko seemed to have not drank a single drop of alcohol in all the time that they have served her.
"Speaking of the Oja Clan, Takeshi has returned with Kirei and Nyla. It seemed the Shoggoth got a little too homesick and requested for a teleport home." Ayu pointed to the pagoda where the sisters first arrived with Vivian. "Say, don't you two personally serve Lady Kyouko too? Any of you feeling homesick?"
After sending Nyla back to Akamagaseki, Janus, Takeshi and Kirei emerged from the pagoda that contained the teleport chamber. "My sincerest apologies, Lord Takeshi, but please understand that the taskforce is purely voluntary and Lady Kyouko has allowed all members to leave and quit anytime they want." The spellcaster said. "Rest assured, however, that I, at least, will see all this to the end."
"I understand." Takeshi said, solemnly. "Thank you, Sir Janus."
"Of course, milord. Now if you'll excuse me, I am needed elsewhere." After a bow, Janus walked away.
The young lord let out a sigh, before bringing out his sheathed sword. "I suppose that's for the best. She did attempt to replace my sword, after all." He remarked to Kirei.
---
~ @FroggRFlowR ~
Tomi flew back to the taskforce's headquarters: Terauchi Temple. Having seemingly took a nap for a long time, she would undoubtedly be greeted with earfuls from the taskforce's captain. She would probably be asked where she went and what she did in the meantime. It would probably be wise for Tomi to prepare some alibis.
Upon flying over the temple, however. Tomi saw that it was technically the same: Refugees crowding the temple grounds, monks distributing food and medicine and people continuing to stream inside in search for a safe haven. But something was off, Tomi felt as if this wasn't the Terauchi Temple she knew.
Getting a closer look, she saw there were non-human people amongst the peasant refugees - her fellow taskforce members. However, none of them were familiar to Tomi. In fact, she saw none of the people she knew. Perhaps they were simply away at the moment?
The Dragon's eyes soon rested on a human man near a pagoda, dressed in white robes while also having white hair. He appeared to be talking to another human man clad in opposite colors, having black armor and short, black hair.
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
Komatsu Bay
BREAKTHROUGH
"Argh!"
The fan of ice from Io, cutting through the shoji, caught the Varjans inside by surprise. They were instantly struck down by the attack, hit in their heads and chest and leaving only one survivor. "Damn monsters! I'll kill you all myself!" The Varjan Warlock, Merneptah and the one plotting the scheme, wore armor typical of the Scarce Legion: Thick and blue, his helmet having long horns that curved upwards. In his hands was a simple golden staff with a blue gem on the end, suspended in the middle of a circular decoration.
As Skarsneek rushed at him, Merneptah teleported away before the male Goblin could attack. He reappeared in front of Io and shoved the Lich into the rain, stumbling into the mud. The Warlock stepped outside and raised his staff, lightning striking it amongst the rain. He then aimed his charged staff at his own manor, unleashing the stored lightning unto the structure.
Right towards Skarsneek!
---
~ @The Irish Tree (LIL) ~
The barracks erupted in complete chaos as the summoned Minotaur wreaked havoc in the barracks. Varjans either fled or tried to put up a fight against the ten-foot tall behemoth. Of course, no one there was prepared to fight such an enemy so it was doubtful any of the Varjans could hurt the summoned monster.
Liliana chose to assist her summon by targeting any Varjans that wielded bows or throwables. But just as she was about to attack a Footman archer beside a wall, a javelin suddenly stuck into the wall in her path and the warrior Fairy crashed into the shaft and knocked her out of the air.
Liliana was dazed and her invisibility dispelled. She was scooped up by the only one in the barracks who noticed her, the Varjan Champion with the javelins. "You tiny pain in the ass! This was your doing, wasn't it?!" He yelled at the warrior Fairy. Liliana could feel the fuming air radiating from the holes on his helmet, the only openings in the headwear, as he squeezed her in his hand.
None of the other Varjans were with him, however. Their attentions were all occupied by the summoned Minotaur.
Shizuyama Wilderness
TEACHER AND STUDENT
~ @Rezod92 ~
Kerry flew over to the watchtower and investigated alone. The watchtower was a closed building made of wood standing tall enough to oversee the valley. Near the tower's base, there was a small, makeshift archery range with training dummies along with bows and arrows ready to use. Presumably, Setsuna training the Varjan invaders with what she learned from Takamori. Other than that, there was not much else here.
Up until the watchtower doors flew open and out came a group of Varjans. Four Footmen with bows quickly surround Kerry along with a couple of Wardogs. An ambush!
The Footmen nocked arrows into their bows and aimed at the Hornet, while the Wardogs worked on keeping her still for the archers by trying to latch onto her legs with their jaws.
Terauchi Temple
~ @Enkryption (CRL) ~
Seeking out a blacksmith to renew herself, Carroll was pointed to a refugee swordsmith who had set up shop behind one of the pagodas. He had been maintaining the weapons of what little remained of the Shizuyaman warriors in Terauchi Temple.
Carroll could hear a hammer striking metal as she approached, finding the swordsmith's setup behind the pagoda. The smith was a young man with an Eboshi hat on his hat, together with the grey hakama and a white kimono top as his attire. Next to him was a very simple and crude tatara furnace, with wood and charcoal nearby, and he was hammering away at a piece of metal on his anvil until he noticed Carroll coming to him.
"If your blades need work, Lady Yokai, then let me be of use." He greeted.
---
~ @Enkryption (ALI), @The Irish Tree (EUL) ~
Let’s talk, you and I, because I’m missing a lot of details, including how I got this scar on my side, and a no-sense bitch like you won’t waste my time with superfluous details...
"You don't remember how you got a wound?" Sorae raised an eyebrow, incredulous. Unaware that the Alice she was speaking to was not the Alice she knew. "Did you change your memories too when you changed your look?"
"Anyway, I believe you got that from pursuing the students of the Heavenly Strike. The aforementioned technique being an attack that strikes quicker than the eye could see. You can get the details from that storyteller fellow, Katsuhiro." Sorae explained. "From what I heard, you've been beaten back by the students twice now, so you and half of the taskforce trained a bit for your rematch against them. Not sure what the results of that training, though."
"Since it appears you've lost your memory, it appears all that training was for naught." Sorae finished. "If I were you, I'd just get strength from numbers. The students can handle one yokai, or two non-coordinating ones, but any more than that and they'll be overwhelmed."
Eula had also returned from comforting Carroll. "Welcome back. You sure you're not needed anywhere else?"
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
~~ SORAE TALES ~~
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
Kazenosuke's House
KAZENOSUKE, DANCING BLADE
"Your lord couldn't come, because he was...how did he put it? 'Busy dressed up as a Miko.'. I have no idea what that means, butt he was sure that you'd be troublesome to deal with unless we said that,"
Kazenosuke's eyes widened in surprise at hearing the phrase. His grip on the hilt relaxed as a genuine smile formed in his face. "Aha... Ahahahahaha!" He laughed heartily. "I can't believe Takeshi would share that secret with you. Willingly, too. No amount of pleasure would coax that incident out of his lips."
"So Takeshi's alive and well, and willingly working with you. Oh man, his dad's gonna kill him..." Kazenosuke remarked as he approached the sitting Vivian and leaned on the log. "So what's this about Takeshi mounting a counterattack? Did he find a thousand soldiers hiding under a mountain or something? What about his father? What happened to the army that was greeting the Varjan invasion in Sanjo Beach?"
"And for the record, Takeshi's not my lord. His father is. I am friends with Takeshi, no sworn oaths or anything like that." Kazenosuke closed his eyes after the correction, and took in a breath of air. "...And tell your other friend to stop hiding in the shadows. I'm not gonna fight any of you... At least, not yet."
Ayane Sake Brewery
BOTTOMS UP
~ @Enkryption (UMI & RCD) ~
(Currently in collab)
Terauchi Temple
KAGEHO, INNOCENT SHADOW
~ @The Irish Tree (MAT) ~
"Don't forget Lord Takeshi's code phrase that I told you in case you need it!" Were Ayu's last words to Matsuri before the latter left the temple.
---
Night had already fallen and Matsuri still haven't found a single sign of the shinobi Kageho. Even her enhanced monster vision was hampered in the darkness of the thick forest, where the moon's dim light was of no help. But before she could decide to leave or keep searching, she sensed the presence of a group heading in her direction.
A dozen of armed humans who were clearly not Shizuyaman arrived at the clearing. Most wore fur pelts and armor and held torches to illuminate the night but five wore very loose hooded robes that were dark blue in color. The robes appear to be too big that they manage to completely obscure their wearer. In a way, they looked comical in such an attire but when they move, they appear to be sliding across the grassy soil than actually walking.
Their intimidating appearance clued Matsuri that this group might be Varjans, the invaders that attacked Shizuyama. They also obviously outnumbered the fledgling Inari, so combat with them would be extremely unwise. However, fleeing from this place might also mean abandoning Kageho, the shinobi hiding in this area.
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
Komatsu Bay
BREAKTHROUGH
With the heavy rain and Shizuka's conjured mist, the three taskforce members were practically undetectable as they made their way to the estate. They spotted a couple of Varjan patrols in their way but not even their lanterns could penetrate the mist and the rain enough to discover the presence of the taskforce.
Drenching wet, the trio reached the lit up estate. There were occupants inside, judging from the shadows that could be seen through the shoji; All of whom oblivious to the taskforce's presence. Thus, the infiltrators were granted a trove of information via the conversation happening inside.
"Has Lord Serek'uar acknowledged my message to him?"
"Yes, Lord Merneptah."
"...And what is his response?"
"Err... the same, my lord. Lord Serek'uar believes that the fleet forming in Akamagaseki will never attack the blockade."
"Damn it. He's a fool. There are already monsters here. If a port in this island falls, that monster fleet will undoubtedly try to make contact with it."
"What do you plan, my lord?"
"I plan to attack that monster fleet. Not to destroy it, just a small but destructive raid to keep that fleet from doing anything. To do that, I may need to pull some strings to convince Lord Na'kra-- Wait." The main voice suddenly stopped. "I sense monsters..."
---
~ @The Irish Tree (LIL) ~
"Hey, this is my blanket!"
"Was that you?! You think you own this ass?!
Liliana's antics were causing misunderstandings amongst the Varjan ranks. Misunderstandings that turned into tensions. Tensions that turned to shoves. Shoves that turned into fights. Within a minute, the barracks erupted into one huge brawl not unlike ones that could be found in a particularly rowdy bar.
As fists flew and butts were kicked, a javelin flew in the air and impaled one of the brawling Varjans. The javelin-wielding Varjan drew first blood, but this act of murder managed to stop all the brawling. "You dunces! Can't any of you idiots figure out that someone's playing tricks on us?!" He reprimanded basically the entire barracks with his raspy voice. Now there was no doubt that this Varjan was the one calling the shots here.
The shorter-than-most Varjan Champion then plucked his javelin from the corpse and barked out his orders. "Start searching the perimeter. Culprit might be using magic to hide. Someone go to Merneptah in his oh-so-new manor and tell him to come 'ere and see if there's a monster skulking 'round here."
The Varjan garrison organized themselves and began searching with a couple heading out into the rain to warn the local Warlock. The many heavy boots stomping the floor seem to be irritating the Varjan Champion, though. "And for Caldeyrons' sake, BE QUIET!"
Fort Tanabe
SECOND CHANCE
~ @AzureKnight (HIN & ATS), @Restalaan (GRI) ~
Hinami, with monstrous strength and a mighty bo staff, destroyed the supporting beams and pillars of one of the watchtowers. She only needed to destroy a few before the remaining supports could no longer hold the structure. The loud cracking of wood splitting signaled that the tower was about to fall. The archers manning the tower all screamed as they fell alongside the watchtower.
Meanwhile, Gringor climbed the other tower with a speed that worried its occupiers. The Footmen with bows shot arrows at the High Orc, to no avail. When Gringor got close, though, the Footmen brought out their spears to try and at least push the High Orc into falling. While Gringor could very well defend himself, it turned he did not need to. Arrows from Takeshi and Kikyo flew and hit the Footmen who were too focused on Gringor to notice. The couple of Footmen who still remained fled from the ascended Gringor by flinging themselves from the watchtower and hoping for a soft landing.
With the archers and the watchtowers gone, the Shizuyaman warriors that hid behind Atsuha's protective barrier saw the opportunity to finally rout the Varjan garrison. They released their war cries as they charged the remaining Varjans in the fort.
But the jailors were not done yet, a Varjan Warrior unlocked some cages that were smaller than the others; unleashing a pack of vicious Wardogs against their enemies. The Shizuyaman prisoners clashed against the Varjan remnants backed up with their hounds.
A Wardog quickly pounced on Hinami, but it was quickly slashed away by Takeshi. "I'll regroup with Atsuha. Kikyo, stay here and handle the Varjans from this side." The young lord ordered before heading away.
Kikyo simply glared at Hinami before readying her sword. "Get ready, yokai." She said as she and the Jiangshi faced an incoming group of two axe-wielding Varjan Brigands and two Varjan Wardogs.
As the battle continued, Atsuha found herself surrounded by four of the Wardogs. They circled her carefully, using her blind spots to bite on her arachnid legs. "Atsuha!" She then heard Takeshi call her name. The young lord came to her rescue by throwing a kunai at one of the dogs, only to be quickly pounced on by another. At least Atsuha now only needed to deal with two of the canines.
Shizuyama Wilderness
TEACHER AND STUDENT
~ @Rezod92 ~
Takamori led Kerry out of Terauchi Temple and into the wilds of Shizuyama's Onrai region.
As they traveled, the master archer decided to speak his mind. "Since you said you didn't snag a native, I assume you shared beds with a fellow taskforce member then? That Shizuka guy seem to be the only choice, but I doubt it's him you got. Regardless, I suppose I should be glad you're not tainting our island. That tea party that Mad Hatter threw is still suspicious, however."
The duo soon found themselves in a cliff, one side of a wide valley path. On the other side of the valley, there was a lone, very noticeable watchtower. "Look there." Takamori pointed to a setup by the cliff's edge: Quivers of arrows and a bit of supplies needed to maintain them. "Arrows. Varjan and Zipanguese. We can pick up the trail again by the practice targets."
However, there were no practice targets nearby. That was, until Takamori took one of the arrows in the setup and shot it all the way to the watchtower on the other side of the valley. Upon a closer look, Kerry would see that there were straw dummies at the bottom of the watchtower, and that was what Takamori shot. The distance was almost half a league away.
"Fly to the watchtower, yokai. Find out where they went. I'll catch up with you."
Terauchi Temple
THE HUSBAND
~ @The Irish Tree (EUL) ~
"I've heard that a lord's wife has gone missing. Do you think that if we found her, it might help alleviate the people's worries a bit?"
"She's not a lord's wife, she's a killer's wife." Sorae approached Eula with a correction. "Finding her will alleviate my worries, at least."
"You're not part of the group that went with me back then, so I guess I'll need to explain everything to you." Sorae sighed before beginning. "The reason I couldn't participate in the battle of Sanjo Beach was because me and my clan were attacked by fellow Shizuyaman warriors at the time of the landings. I was the only survivor. Your fellow taskforce members and I have been investigating my clan's massacre and our searches led us to a man named Sogen, a friend of our clan, as the culprit. The girl who is missing is his wife. We found her hiding with a bunch of Sogen's hired thugs and we need to get her back if I am to have justice for my family."
"We should start searching immediately but if you have any questions, go ahead and ask away. I'll answer them while we look for clues."
Terauchi Temple
~ @Enkryption (ALI & CRL) ~
"Hey, has anyone come through here with a sword wound? I've lost track of my companion. She would have had a talking weapon."
The peasant refugees stopped their weaving to speak to Alice. "You're gonna have to narrow down your search more, madam yokai. Almost half of the people taking refuge in this temple has a sword wound." She answered the first question.
"Talking weapon? Haven't heard anything about that." The second peasant woman said. "If you're talking about the companion you were with, I believe she was hanging out with the metal yokai earlier. They stayed in your taskforce's barracks. I saw the metal yokai come out, but not your companion."
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
~~ SORAE TALES ~~
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
Shizuyama Wilderness
THE CODE OF SHIZUYAMA
~ @Rune_Alchemist, @AzureKnight (KIR) ~
"That said, if you'll indulge me my lord...do you have a favorite food?"
"A favorite food? Interesting question..." Takeshi pondered at the Shoggoth's question for a moment. "I've always had a fondness for fish, but I wouldn't call it my favorite since I've been also eating it all my life." The young lord then shook his head. "That's not true. If I had to pick something to eat, it'll be some nice, roasted tuna with a side of stir-fried vegetables."
The trio continued to travel until they happened a wood-walled encampment. The sight surprised Takeshi and he immediately took Nyla and Kirei behind a low rock near the encampment. "Since that is not a Shizuyaman encampment, I think it's safe to assume it's a Varjan one." The young lord peeked at the encampment again, noticing some rocks that could allow one to jump inside as well as some gaps in the walls that were large enough for a person to slip into.
"We're no doubt outnumbered, and Nyla dislikes direct confrontations, so we'll have to do this quietly." Takeshi told the two taskforce members. "We can also circle around but we might run into their patrols and alert this camp, forcing us to face them anyway. What do you two think?"
Kazenosuke's House
KAZENOSUKE, DANCING BLADE
"I imagine you have your reasons for not being at the beach, and won't pry into that matter. But I would like to know whether we walked out here to find a comrade, or a future enemy."
"I'm afraid it is my duty as a Shizuyaman not to be comrades with a yokai. And I very much doubt you want me as a future enemy." Kazenosuke replied, his hand still on the sword-hilt despite Vivian assuming a vulnerable position by sitting on a fallen log.
"And again I say, there's absolutely no way that Takeshi would willingly work with yokai. Have you captured him? Holding him in Terauchi Temple?" The dancing swordsman jumped to conclusions. "Perhaps I should slay you two here and mount a rescue. Then the real counterattack against the Varjan invasion can begin."
Kazenosuke was unwilling to believe Vivian's words. Not surprising as he was a man raised to suspect and be cautious of yokai at all times. However, both Vivian and Varã remembered Takeshi's phrase that can make the dancing, stubborn swordsman listen to them.
An invisible Zeka shortly arrived to the scene as well. Likely confused or surprised that other monsters, presumably other taskforce members, have already beaten her here.
Ayane Sake Brewery
BOTTOMS UP
~ @Enkryption (UMI & RCD) ~
(Currently in collab)
Terauchi Temple
~ @The Irish Tree (MAT) ~
"Sooo, what should I do?"
"Well, Lord Takeshi gave the taskforce a mission to recruit a select group of people who can help mount a counterattack against the Varjan invasion." Ayu helpfully answered. "Let me recount to you Lord Takeshi's exact words as best I can..."
After listing the people that Takeshi Oja wanted recruited, Ayu continued. "As you already probably know, this island is, at best, suspicious of yokai like you. However, we do need their trust if we are to help them fully. So I also recommend going around this temple and helping out any refugee that needs it to boost the yokai's image. Sure, they may not trust you but I wager that they're desperate enough to accept aid from you."
"...Oh and, I guess I have a fox's nose now,"
"Huh? Are you formerly human?" Ayu noticed before pinching her temples. "Well that could be a huge problem with some of the people here. Best keep that a secret, alright?"
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
Komatsu Bay
BREAKTHROUGH
While Liliana has gone to the barracks, the rest of the taskforce group remained on the roof planning their course of action. Since they have now lingered long enough in this occupied fortress, the scent of death and decay finally reached their noses. Varjan patrols could sometimes be spotted passing by and fortunately, these patrols appeared to not bother looking at the roofs of the houses.
A water droplet soon splashed on Io's hood. Looking up, the moon on the night sky was gone. Covered by a thick layer of clouds that heralded rain. And rain it did, a downpour fell on Komatsu Bay which forced most of the Varjan patrols inside buildings. Many of the patrols opted to shelter in the barracks where Liliana went.
---
~ @The Irish Tree (LIL) ~
The warrior Fairy flitted inconspicuously across the dirt streets of Komatsu Bay. Now that she had spent a bit of time in this occupied fortress, the stench of death and decay made itself known to her senses. As she flew quietly, she would sometimes spot a lifeless corpse simply left to rot in the open. Varjan patrols would pass by and barely notice, as if it were completely normal to be there.
When Liliana reached the barracks' walls, a drop of water almost sent her crashing into the soil. Looking up, thick clouds have covered the moon and darkened the night further. More drops of water came down as the rain settled in. The sudden downpour forced nearby Varjan patrols to head inside the well-lit barracks. If a fight broke out inside, Liliana can expect more Varjans than to be expected.
Inside the barracks, the invisible Liliana went unnoticed by the dozens of Varjans inside. As they covered themselves with blankets and fur pelts to protect from the sudden cold, none of them appeared to be high-ranking. However, she did spot a Varjan much shorter than everyone else around him. He looked like a typical Varjan Brigand with no chest armor, a face-obscuring helmet and leather-reinforced trousers. He had a 'quiver' of javelins on his back and he seemed famous amongst his peers.
Could he actually be the one?
Terauchi Temple
TEACHER AND STUDENT
~ @Rezod92 ~
Kerry found Takamori in the more clear parts of the temple grounds. He was with a couple of peasants, the latter wielding bows and shooting arrows at some makeshift targets made of straw and black paint. At least, trying to. Some shots were way off the target while some didn't even make it to the required distance. Still, Takamori egged them to keep shooting until he noticed the Hornet.
"Yokai. You're looking positive today." Takamori noticed Kerry's unusually high spirits. "Had a good time last night? Finally charmed a Shizuyaman to share your bed?"
"Anyway, I found a lead regarding Setsuna. But I'm not sure if you are ready for her." The master archer told the Hornet. "I know I make her sound beyond human, and honestly that's not far off the mark." He remarked about his traitor daughter. "Setsuna is fearless. She may not be an initiated warrior of Shizuyama, or hail from any of the island's warrior clans, but she is a born killer."
"Some recent refugees saw Varjans training in an archery range not far from here. I suspect Setsuna is there."
Terauchi Temple
~ @Enkryption, @The Irish Tree (EUL) ~
Alice, Carroll and Eula had remained in Terauchi Temple for the time being. The conjured tea party was long over and the refugees even cleaned up the spontaneous feast without help from Alice. As soon as it was over, however, the doom and gloom of their situation returned almost instantly. Terauchi Temple might have been repaired, but the Varjans' oppression still weighed on their hearts.
Revuel was in the medical tents, using magic to heal wounds. Refugees still kept coming to Terauchi Temple, often tired and injured.
As the three walked through the temple grounds, they would overhear a conversation between two peasant women knitting baskets.
"But they have Lord Oja!"
"Nobody can break him. Not even the Varjans!"
"I guess we can hope... Wasn't it Lord Oja who fought off a pirate raid in Port Izumi?"
"Yes! And he escaped the trap that Lord Ichimonji set for him in that bandit island. Lots of people tried to bring him down, and they wound up dead!"
"Even so, everybody's luck runs out sometime."
"It's not luck. He is the most cunning Island Lord we've ever had. If he were a little more ambitious, he could have conquered all of the Zipanguese Isles."
"Maybe you're right..."
"Mark my words, we haven't seen the last of Lord Oja."
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
~~ SORAE TALES ~~
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
~~ LEGENDARY TALES ~~
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