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Iskah - A seemingly average Lizardman who has set her sights on a carpenter-turned-warrior named Aun, now known as the Incubus Knight of the Lot Order. Serious, loyal and diligent.
Rie - A Gyoubu Danuki looking to make easy money peddling monster-created products in the untapped market that is Ortus. Sarcastic, helpful and kind.
Ortusians
The Incubus Knight (a.k.a. Aun) - After training deep in the monster realms and becoming an Incubus (essentially, a human with increased attributes), he pledged his service to the Lot Knights of Ortus after his heart was broken. Playful, kind and depressed.
The Incubus Knight raised an eyebrow at the sudden appearance of Vanessa beside him, who casted a spell at him with her staff. "Oh. So we're really doing this, aren't we?" He smirked.
When the earthen arms jutted out of the cobblestone streets to grab at him, the Incubus Knight slammed his bardiche at the ground and used it as a pole to vault over the arms that Vanessa summoned. Another wave of arms sprouted from the ground and came at him, only these were made of ice. The Incubus Knight simply went faster and braced himself, crashing into the arms. The speed combined with his Incubus physiology shattered the ice quite handily, and Aun continued on his way.
"Sorry about this, Madam Dark Mage!" With Vanessa keeping up with him, the Incubus Knight suddenly shoved the shaft of his bardiche in the Dark Mage's path. Vanessa didn't have time to react and she ended up tripping. Perhaps she was still quick enough to stop herself from tumbling across the cobblestone but regardless, the Incubus Knight managed to shake her off and the Dark Mage could only watch him disappear around a corner.
Iskah finally managed to catch up and immediately helped Vanessa up. "You alright?" She asked the Dark Mage before looking to Aun's direction. "Damn it! We've lost him again..."
"So, do you still think we're bold when we hear that one of these invisible walls that's blocked an entire piece of our world off from our kind has been broken and taken down? A whole new land, with sights we've never seen and people we've never met, suddenly opens up before us and we can go there, without fear of torches, pitchforks or burning stakes."
The Incubus Knight chuckled. Albeit, sadly. "You act like we don't get chased with torches and pitchforks by visiting the wrong places either." He replied. "The Ortusians know this kind of persecution just as well as you do, Madam Dark Mage. The humans of this kingdom and the humans of The Order never saw each other eye-to-eye, even before Ortus broke off. Did you know that?"
After embarking on the wagon and Vanessa conjured the winged summon with a message, the Incubus Knight's eyes seemed to have seen and watched the translucent summon take off in search of Iskah and guide the Lizardman back to this location. Despite that, however, he simply faced Vanessa and flashed her an amused smile but said nothing about it and continued on as if he never noticed.
"An most curious phenomenon indeed... As a scholar and student of magic, I'm very curious."
The knight laughed heartedly at the distraction-question. "Heh, you're not the only one curious, Madam Dark Mage." If he knew this was something to simply occupy him, he did not show it and played completely along. "I was a carpenter once in a small monster-friendly town near Ortus called Falkran. Some... things happened and I found myself training to become a warrior deep in the Emerald Demon Realms. The time I spent there and the thickness of Demon Energy turned me into an Incubus by the time I returned to Falkran." He relayed his story quite honestly. "I joined the Lot Knights not long after to... protect those I love from The Order." The last part seemed he was hesitant to share.
Moments after the Incubus Knight parked the wagon at a suitable place, someone has been pushing through the bustling crowds on the way to Vanessa and the knight. "Aun!" Iskah cried as she emerged from in-between two people. "There you are!" Her eyes sparkled at the sight of her beloved, which then turned serious. "As a proud warrior of the Lizardman race, I demand that you duel me in a contest between arms!" She pointed a claw at the Incubus Knight.
"Ahhh, so that's who you're working for." The Incubus Knight said to Vanessa while still looking at Iskah. "Oh, but I am just a simple knight who can barely fight. Why would you ever challenge someone like that? Should you not seek stronger men?" Aun tried to 'reason' with Iskah.
"You lie! I know your combat prowess! You're one of the strongest knights in the Lot Order, right up there with The Fighting Knight!" Iskah retorted. "Now draw your bardiche and face me!"
"I'll see you around, Madam Dark Mage." Aun bid farewell to Vanessa before quickly hopping off the wagon and jogging off. "Help, help! A Lizardman's harassing me!" His calls for help were insincere and the town guards who arrived to see the commotion simply shook their heads and resumed their patrols.
Iskah immediately went after him. "Hey, hey! Come back here! You're not escaping me again!"
"A Dark Mage who can't handle a horse?" The Incubus Knight raised an eyebrow, skeptical of Vanessa's words. But then shrugged in acceptance. "Well, I suppose Dark Mages don't really use horses to get around. Being able to teleport anywhere and all."
The knight climbed the wagon and sat beside Vanessa, the thickness of his Spirit Energy outright invading the Dark Mage's senses. He took the reins and the horses began trotting to a less crowded space in the street. "So, what takes you to Pagras? On your way to the capital, I assume?" The Incubus Knight decided to start some small talk. "You monsters sure are bold, aren't you? The moment you guys found out that we don't enforce the 'no monsters even if we're no longer part of The Order' rule, monsters frolic all over Ortusian territory as if they were welcome."
"I say, it's been a real pain for an Incubus like me. Me and my companions in the Lot Knights have been tinkering with spells that hid my Spirit Energy so as not to rile up the monsters near me. We tried masking, scrambling and all sorts of stuff." That probably explained why neither Iskah nor Rie could pinpoint this guy. "Anyway, I'm glad you didn't immediately try to court or flirt with me despite being an Incubus. Are you married, by any chance?"
"BARGH!" Na'kratz screamed in pain as one of his wrists was bent out of shape when Skarsneek decided to meet the Amethyst Prince's mailed fist with his monster-strong head.
With one hand disabled, Na'kratz was powerless to fight back against the skeletal hands that sprouted from the black magic circle that Io conjured. There were far too many of them and the Amethyst Prince only had one hand. He struggled as best he could but there was simply no escape. He was pinned and immobilized there.
And then came Shizuka with his slashes of wind and lightning. Na'kratz could only stand there and take them, his armor being sundered in many places. Shizuka then delivered the final blow, a powerful downward strike with his sword. The Amethyst Prince, breaking one of the skeletal limbs grabbing him, raised his remaining arm in a futile attempt at defense. All it resulted, however, was a sliced off arm with the slash continuing to hit the main body.
Seemingly mortally wounded, Na'kratz fell to the ground with a thud. Bleeding from his missing arm and multiple slash injuries as well as being electrocuted from Io's earlier trap, it was kind of a miracle that the Amethyst Prince still held onto life.
Regardless, the taskforce trio had finally won and the Varjans' top leader here was eliminated. They could hear sounds of fighting outside and should probably check, but they can also inspect their wounds first.
As Liliana predicted, the Varjan Elite immediately attempted to grab the Fairy after the latter blocked his attack. However, his hand missed when Liliana shrunk in size and was slashed in the arm for his trouble. Despite wincing in pain, the Elite made no sound.
Putting some distance between her and the Elite, Liliana watched the Varjan swing his mace upwards despite being nowhere near her. But striking her was never the plan, the mace head made contact with the muddy ground and so, a splash of mud and water was sent flying towards the Fairy.
Liliana only had a second to react to this surprise maneuver. Regardless of what happened, the Varjan Elite immediately trudged over to continue his assault.
"In truth, I don't think anyone of the task force would, logically, or emotionally, be traitors to anyone in Shizuyama. If so, the Varjans could easily have torn the temple apart and lain waste to us all. As for why this map was in her possession...perhaps, there is another branch of resistance to be found somewhere. Or, her connections as a noble allowed her to procure it,
Sorae scoffed. "Need I remind you, yokai, that Ayu has been spying for your Lady Kyouko for what could be a decade. She may be fighting the Varjans, but that doesn't make her Shizuyama's ally."
The warrior woman was silent for a moment, pondering her words and relenting. At least, a bit. "...But I suppose it's not much evidence. At least, not enough." Sorae said. "I will continue my investigation and look for more leads other than this. In the meantime, I want you to ask Ayu about the map. Coax the truth out of her. Use threats if necessary..." She asked of Eula before realizing just what kind of person the Automaton was. "...If you're capable of that. You seem to be unwilling to hurt even the most annoying fly."
"Regardless, we'll part ways for now. I'll see you back at the temple." Sorae nodded at the Automaton.
This quest was done. It was up to Eula to head back to Terauchi Temple, or go somewhere else.
“If you can’t fight, then tell me, any fighters on the Varjan side that are strong? Or important? Anything they can do? How many bois they lead? Where are they?"
"Uhh, all of them? Have you seen the weapons they swing? Gigantomassive, right?" The stranger shrugged, seemingly that Gringor has dispatched many of these Varjans.
Gringor, probably dissatisfied with the answer, continued on his way. But after passing by the mercenary, the High Orc would feel something incredibly hard hit the back of his head. It had enough force to actually send Gringor falling face-first into the soil. Upon looking, the High Orc saw a crossbow bolt right beside him. It appeared someone shot him with a crossbow aimed at his head from behind, and hitting the mark. Had Gringor been a human, he would be long dead.
Looking back, Keith could be seen holding a crossbow. Which he quickly hid behind him. "Hey, don't look at me. I didn't do anything!"
Takeshi and Kikyo's conversation was cut short when Atsuha asked the question. The former was the most confused. "Umm... everything's alright, Atsuha." He let out a sheepish laugh, wondering where exactly this came from.
"Indeed. Or perhaps you are jealous that I have Lord Takeshi's time to myself right now?" Kikyo accused the spider monster, albeit in a teasing, non-serious way. Although, such a jest was uncharacteristic of her.
"Ah, but Madam Atsuha's already married, Kikyo." Takeshi pointed out. "She only has eyes for Skarsneek."
"Hmph. You defend the yokai too much, milord."
The ominous feeling passed, but the Hangai was sure they felt it.
A whole group of Shizuyamans approached Terauchi Temple and despite their plain clothes, they did not appear to be mere villagers and peasants. They all had weapons on them and walked with a regal pride befitting of warriors. The group was headed by Kikyo, who simply gave a neutral nod at the present taskforce members at the gate as a greeting before leading the group inside the temple grounds.
Following behind this group, however, was Takeshi who was together with the Hangai sisters and having pleasant conversation. "...and that's why I plan on growing coffee beans here once I become Island Lord of Shizuyama."
"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
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
~~ SORAE TALES ~~
~~ 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
Kazenosuke simply readied his sword as the next wave of attacks came at him, a confident smirk on his face. Notably, he was not doing his signature spinning-sword technique.
He parried the swing of the first spectral copy, but slashed away the second before it could even think about swinging. He blocked the claws of the first copy again, and then blocked the third copy with his scabbard. Kazenosuke then spun, slashing the two spectral copies into nothingness with one stroke.
It was then that Camael came at him, a larger and hardier foe. Kazenosuke could only hold up his sword and scabbard to keep the draconic familiar at bay, and underestimated the speed of the fourth spectral copy which managed to land a slash on his back. "Urk...!" The swordsman then kicked the spectral copy away, while still figuring out how to deal with Camael.
After getting disarmed by a whip of light, the Varjan Brigand then received a full kick to his nether region from Matsuri. And it was no mere kick, for Matsuri was a monster and was physically stronger than an average human of her age. The Varjan was in so much pain that he was muted, unable to give voice to his anguish. He released the young Inari and clutched his groin before crumpling into the ground into unconsciousness.
Matsuri was now free to turn her attention to the other Varjans. But she quickly found that there were no more Varjans to distract. In that short time, her shadowy ally had dispatched the rest of the invaders and left the young Inari alone in the still-burning forest. The flames providing bright illumination for the night.
For several moments, Matsuri's only companion was the crackling fires burning the the trees down. And then, the young Inari saw it. She witnessed a figure emerge between the blurry line separating the fire's illumination and the dim view beyond, as if it was a mere curtain or veil. The figure was a fair-skinned girl, dressed in black with blood-red eyes and spiky, black hair. In one of her hands, was the packed lunch that Matsuri had left for the shinobi.
The shadowy girl then held out the packed lunch towards the Inari, as if wanting to give it back.
Ayu could only raise an eyebrow at her inquiry being met with indifference, but the Claremont sisters were left free to begin their construction of their dining hall.
The sisters' activities soon became the source of entertainment for a group of refugees who had nothing to do to pass the time. The group shuffled at times, people leaving and people joining. Right now, there were two men and three women in the group watching the Claremont sisters.
"What do you think they're doing?" "Heard they were building something." "Building what?" "Don't know. Why don't you ask them?" "Nah. They look like they'll eat me if I look at 'em funny. Wanna take bets instead?"
”Answer me. How have you come to know my brother? You can’t be his wife, he swore he would never love again. Not after what happened all those years ago. Is he here on this island? Did you come here with him under orders from Kyouko-san?”
"Alas... I am not Shizuka's wife. He was very strong for a human, but kept refusing my advances. It was not meant to be... So I'm still on a quest to find a suitable mate! Who knows... Perhaps you're looking for a mate as well?"
Tomi, upon a realization that Takeshi did not fully comprehend, was no longer fazed by Kirei's agitation. She even tried seducing the blacksmith-warrior, as if he was not ready to lunge at her with an attack at a moment's notice. Takeshi felt it would be best to leave these two to resolve their issues or misunderstandings. On the other hand, he felt responsibility for this taskforce not to fall apart, or at least not hurt anyone falling apart, and decided to intervene.
Despite the fierce chi that Kirei emitted, Takeshi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sir Kirei, please. This golden Dragon seems to be only lost, at best, or a ditz, at worst. I think patience is the key in resolving this situation." Takeshi said. "And besides, a fight between you and a Dragon here would only lead to wanton destruction of this refuge."
Takeshi then addressed Tomi. "Greetings, Dragon. I am Takeshi Oja, heir to my father Hideo Oja, the Island Lord... Well, perhaps the Island Lord now since I know not of my father's fate." Now this was clear evidence that something was off, since Tomi knew Takeshi to be... brighter in color and not at all gloomy like the young man before her now. "Why don't we start over to clear any confusion? Do you mind introducing yourself and telling us how you came to Shizuyama?" The young lord asked.
Meanwhile, Ayu and Lavinia watched the tense exchange from afar.
”Ms. Ayu, it seems our new friend is already making things a bit more lively. Hopefully Lord Takeshi and help quell things before they get too…extreme.”
Ayu sighed as she scratched the back of her head. "I sure hope so. The new dragon girl seems to have struck some of Kirei's nerves. Last thing I want is for a Dragon and a dude blowing up half of Terauchi Temple because they couldn't keep it in their pants."
"Speaking of the young master, I'm surprised he's this accepting of a yokai's help. His father, the Island Lord Hideo, is absolutely strict in keeping yokai out of Shizuyama. In a morbid sort of way, I think it's best that his father is not here to see this." Ayu remarked. "Err, don't tell him... anyone else, that I said that."
"That said, there are people in Shizuyama who will disapprove of Lord Takeshi's decisions. I mean, really disapprove." Ayu continued grimly. "I just hope they will see the reason in the young master's choices."
~~ TAKESHI'S JOURNEY ~~
"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."
"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."
~~ TALES OF SHIZUYAMA ~~
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 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."
Iskah and Vanessa traveled with Rie towards the Ortusian capital, riding on the driver bench of the Danuki's wagon to save the Dark Mage's energy. They had one more town to pass through before reaching their destination: The town of Pagras.
Pagras was a lot like the previous town of Sinjid, full of humans with no monster in sight save for the arriving trio. The midday sun was high up in the sky when the three monsters rode into the town. Much like in Sinjid, they were met with strange, suspicious looks from the local Ortusians. There was also an increased presence of the Ortusian military here, evidenced by a small unit of them passing by the monsters. Uniformed in cuirass and open sallet helmets, they marched in formation with their signature weapons: The musket.
But all that were probably of little import to the monsters, for they detected an incredibly thick and potent Spirit Energy emanating from somewhere within Pagras. "He's here." Iskah said, her eyes distant. She was clearly focusing on the thick spirit energy in the air than on anything else. "Aun's here."
"Wait. You're trying to seduce the Incubus Knight?!" Rie was incredulous, but even she was feeling a bit flustered from the spirit energy she was sensing.
To Vanessa, she immediately knew this energy could only belong to an Incubus. When a human male absorbs enough Demon Energy, he becomes an Incubus. Unlike human females who physically turn into monsters, males maintain their appearances but receive increased attributes. They become stronger, healthier and produce more Spirit Energy; the lifeblood of monsters. Typically, human males only turn into Incubi after coupling with their monster wives enough times. This, however, also meant that the Spirit Energy of the new Incubus was marked and would, usually, no longer be attractive to other monsters.
But this potent Spirit Energy was unmarked. Unclaimed. Vanessa could feel the temptation of simply seeking out the source and taking it for herself. Whoever this Incubus was, he became one without a monster wife. How he managed to stay single all this time could be one of the greatest secrets of this world. "I need to find him!" Iskah stood from her seat and hopped off the wagon, darting past the bewildered human crowd to the deeper parts of Pagras.
"Hey, wait! Don't just go off!" Surprisingly, Rie also hopped off the wagon to chase after Iskah. Leaving Vanessa all alone with the Danuki's wagon.
After a few scant moments, someone whistled to Vanessa. "Hail, Dark Mage!" A handsome young man approached the wagon. Fair of skin and gold of hair, he wore an attire consisting of chainmail over leather-colored brigandine armor with a short, dark yellow cape flowing down his back. On one of his hands was a well-crafted bardiche, his signature weapon. "Your fancy wagon is kind of disrupting the traffic. Do you mind moving it to the side before spacing out? The town will greatly appreciate it."
There was no doubting it. The Spirit Energy was coming from this man. This was the Incubus Knight.
After the assembly had begun parting ways following the announcement of a join exercise with the Church, Einer could not help but release a long sigh at the development. "Oh, dear. I haven't been here long and I'm already being sent back to Flugell's direction. A sign that I should be heeding, perhaps?" The musician mused to himself. "Well, there's little to be done about it. My fellow Reavers, I shall all see you later."
Einer also made his exit back to his room to make preparations. He noticed that the Church members were more interested in the veteran members of the Tower plus that Leon fellow. In fact, Einer's words were flat-out ignored as the assembly moved on as if he had not spoken a word at all. A tinge of annoyance and envy was felt by the bard, but he supposed it was for the best. Einer certainly did not need the Church meddling in his search for power.
But before actually leaving, Einer passed by Hector on his way out. "Training under Sir Ruecian, are we?" The musician greeted, hiding his envy quite well. "Well, best of luck. I would join you, but my frail body isn't suited for... physical exertions."
"I don't have any money on me, mind you. But how about this mana crystal? Would you be interested in trading goods, Miss Merchant?"
Neither Iskah nor Rie were particularly amused at Vanessa's choice of storage. The latter, however, changed moods when the Dark Mage presented her with an azure jewel known as a mana crystal.
Rie's eyes sparkled as she beheld the gem. Her hands moved to grasp it, but stopped short of her own volition. Money-hungry as she may be, she will not take anything that was not given to her. "Oooh! You got yourself a deal, Miss Vanessa!" Rie said, never taking her eyes off the mana crystal. "To answer your earlier question, Zipanguese magic ain't all that different from magic here in the continent. However, we do have something called 'ofuda'; slips of paper with a marking or markings on them. These markings imbue the paper with magical properties. From simple magics like turning the paper into a fireball when thrown to sealing magic when the paper is affixed to something."
The Gyoubu Danuki then handed a stack of ten of these 'ofuda' to Vanessa. "I can give you these for your mana crystal. These ofuda are pretty basic and just need to be thrown. But there's some good spells in here like those fireballs I mentioned and some make flashes of light amongst others."
"Don't worry. I told you I'd help you get your man, and I've every intention of doing just that. I really don't like breaking agreements after all."
Iskah smiled at Vanessa's attempt at reassurance. "...Thanks. I'm sure with the two of us, we can get Aun out of there." But then the smile turned mischievous. "Just don't attempt to steal Aun from me in the meanwhile, okay?"
Rie laughed at the exchange and also spoke up. "I'd help too, but I've got a business to run. However, if you need something for your mission, just come find me in the capital and I'll see if I can sell it to you for a fair price." The tanuki monster declared with a grin.
"You know what? Since we're all going to the capital anyway, why don't we all head there together?" Rie offered. It would certainly make the trip livelier, but would also take more time considering Rie's cart full of wares.
"I certainly wouldn't mind." Iskah surprisingly said. "With Rie's cart, it probably will only take two or three days for us to reach the capital from here." The Lizardman and the Gyoubu Danuki then looked to Vanessa for her opinion on the matter.
Na'kratz's beatdown of Io was interrupted with Skarsneek swinging down his weapons at his head. The force made the Amethyst Prince stumble back, but he recovered just as quickly.
Before Skarsneek knew it, he was dodging and taking punches and jabs from the half-maddened Na'kratz. The fists flew and came too fast for Skarsneek to mount any counter. The Goblin could see openings in-between the swings, but he could not be fast enough to actually exploit them. He had to watch for the next punch as soon as the previous one ended.
Skarsneek must find a way out of this besides technique, or hold Na'kratz off long enough for his allies to intervene.
"Alright busters, you've got no chance now! Let's mess them up, then go help Shizuka and everyone else,"
Ayu was got a bit flustered from the hug and simply laughed. "Heh, this is the least I could do for the things you did for Shizuyama."
Liliana and Ayu resumed their attack on the Varjan encirclement, their master unaware that the circle had been broken. Because of the Fairy's and the spymaster's actions, the manor was no longer surrounded as the Varjan forces descended upon the two to deal with them.
As Liliana continued the assault, Ayu covered her with arrows flying from her bow to the Varjans. The invaders fell to the duo, up until a fearsome-looking Varjan approached with a two-handed mace and more armored than the typical Varjan Warrior. A decaying skull affixed at the top of his helmet. "Watch out, Liliana! That one's an Elite!" Ayu warned.
The rain continued to fall as Varjan Elite charged the Fairy with a horizontal swing.
"Lady Sorae. I promised no undue harm would come to her. Just because she swore on her life doesn't make it forfeit. If anything, sparing her will prove an important point. You are not like the barbarians that have come to slaughter. You have come for justice. Not vengeance. Correct? We have the map. That will suffice."
Sorae made a dark smile to Eula, unfazed at the Automaton's strength and piercing eyes. "...Perhaps I have come for vengeance, yokai."
However, Sorae relaxed her grip on her naginata but allowed Eula to continue holding onto it if the latter felt she could not trust the former. "You owe this yokai your life, Kana. Remember that, for the rest of your pitiful life." Sorae then gestured with her face. "Now go. The next time I see you, you'd better be licking the mud off this yokai's soles." Despite the venomous words, the last Tokinomiya watched Kana flee for her life back to Terauchi Temple.
"Now then, let's see what this map's all about."
The map was simple, but coded. However, Sorae immediately recognized what it all meant. "This is a map of supply routes, utilizing Shizuyama's relatively-unknown trails to deliver supplies inconspicuously." She began to explain to Eula. "Ayu told me that they were using these trails since there are hidden refugee camps all over the island. Not everybody can make it to the safety of Terauchi Temple."
"You... you don't think Ayu has anything to do with my family's murder, do you?"
“But can help, if you help me bash some Varjan ‘eads in.”
"Of course, of course! I'll bash in as many Varjan heads as you want!" The stranger replied.
He watched, with bated breath, Gringor use his axe to free the cart from the muddy terrain. Despite the High Orc's muscly appearance and powerful axe, the stranger didn't seem to believe the male monster could do it. He was proven wrong, of course, when the cart's wheel was taken out of the mud and was perfectly useable again.
"You did it! I knew you could it! Never doubted for a second!" The stranger lied as easily as he breathed. "Err, about the Varjan bashing thing..."
"You see, I'm actually working for those guys. And while I do have a bit of privilege regarding... disposing some of them without consequence, I really don't wanna push my luck on that. Gotta look like an A-okay boss, you get what I'm saying?" The stranger rather casually revealed. "So, uhh, if we can discuss alternative modes of payment, that'd be real swell. If you're looking for something like cash, then we can definitely go somewhere with that!"
A moment of silence passed before a realization dawned on the stranger. "...Aaaand you're part of the taskforce, aren't you?"
As Carroll did more of the shop hunting, and Alice did all of the whining as the Demon Sword taunted her, they would serve as an odd source of amusement for the citizenry of the restored temple turned makeshift village. Likely, there was still some sense of dread, as Alice had, single-handedly, restored the besieged temple to not only its former glory, but its original splendor from the center to the corners.
Such power was terrifying anywhere, yet she'd barely done more than a cantrip in Wonderland.
Alice hoped to change that, however. After all, she wouldn't rule a people through fear and threat, as she wasn't that kind of Monarch. Her people would no not strife from leadership, but kindness of a just leader - something Wonderland lacked in spades.
Still...
"How serious are we taking this place," Carroll asks. "As far as I can remember, we just got our shit kicked in by my mother, and now we are here," she says, "Here being a crumbling, fledgling Kingdom with no sense of loyalty to their leadership and a divided citizenship of Humans and Mamono with equal hatred and fear of the others."
"That's why they need someone like me to guide them, a Mad Hatter, the bridge between Humanity and Mamono," Alice says, "I can link them, unify them, because I am them, both at once."
Alice would beam confidently, "I will whip that Takeshi into a glorious leader worthy of being called King. Then, we'll move on. Just like we have done."
Unfortunately for the duo, this temple refuge offered no store from which to purchase supplies. Their search, however, caught the attention of Revuel Arvida who approached them as soon as he could. “Looking for a store to buy supplies? Well, you’re gonna have to liberate one from the Varjans in one of the bigger villages. Fortunately, we have something that could be just as good, if not better… I think.”
The former Warlock led Alice and Carroll to the emptier side of Terauchi Temple, basically the temple’s backyard. This area was empty of pagodas, but filled with peaceful ponds and small gardens. A great tree with leaves of gold sat in the middle of this area. At the base of this large plant, there appeared to be some sort of shrine full of offerings.
“The taskforce’s reputation is growing, you know? Stories of your exploits have been reaching far, maybe even to the other regions.” Revuel said to Alice and Carroll as he led them to the great tree. “Not everybody in Shizuyama trusts you, but those who do want to see you succeed.” Finally reaching the shrine at the great tree, Revuel gestured at the offerings. “These are donations from the Shizuyamans whom the taskforce has saved or believed in you. All of these are yours for the taking.”
The offerings included supplies like food fit for long trips, raw materials for making or improving equipment and other useful provisions. Some were mementos and memorabilia, though, like necklaces, paper charms (with no magic detectable in them), small statue carvings and other collectibles.
“I’ll let the other taskforce members know about this. Do let them know too, just in case I forget.” Revuel added.
Alice hummed, as she looked over the collection of provisions and paraphernalia; supplies, all rounds by their supporters. To get cause, the rations and medical supplies would be most useful, but, as she walked around the trinkets and the like, she could access their memories of the creator of it, or the one that purchased it for transfer, and could see the intention behind it.
"No idea what's special about me," Alice says, "I don't think I've done anything..."
“I don’t fully understand your story, but it seems you are known to Lord Takeshi and to the other taskforce members and have simply lost your memories. I’ve only just arrived so perhaps your previous self has been doing some work in service to this island.” Revuel replied. “Regardless, all these offerings are for the taskforce as a whole. A taskforce that you are a part of.”
"How terrifying, that thought... the idea of another me... another Alice... no longer existing... because I exist," Alice says.
"Oi..." Carroll says, elbowing Alice. "Let's get the stuff together, and then have an existential crisis."
Alice sighed, dramatically, "Fiiinnneee~~"
As the Mad Hatter and Cursed Sword duo gathered what they needed, Revuel helped them sort through the offerings while offering commentary. “Ayu briefly told me about this shrine. How it wasn’t here before the taskforce arrived. However, as the refugees arrived here fleeing from the Varjan invasion, the thankful villagers began giving Ayu tokens of gratitude for the taskforce. Eventually, there was so many that Ayu hastily built a shrine where people can put their offerings for the the taskforce.”
“I doubt the lords of this land would appreciate their people giving monsters like you offerings for your deeds, but that is a problem for another day. I hope.” The spellcaster finished.
Alice nodded, "Problem with those in charge for too long is that they lose sight of what matters. A kingdom, no matter the size, will fall, if the leadership and the citizenship is divided, and moreso, if the citizens are divided," she says, "Humans. Mamono. There is not a lot of difference between us. Beyond what lies on the surface..."
"C'mon," Carroll says, "I think that should be enough to set out on our expedition. The rest we can secure on-site and beyond."
Alice smirked. "Indeed. Thank you," she says, before collecting what they needed and moving to the next step of waiting at the gated entrance.
Sitting atop the arched gate, the first taskforce member to greet Alice and Carroll was the infuriated Kerry. The Hornet's mood was sour, likely from her venture with Takamori, but perhaps the sight of the intimately familiar Mad Hatter could lift her spirits.
The trio would have some time to themselves before the next party arrived. A whole group of Shizuyamans approached and despite their plain clothes, they did not appear to be mere villagers and peasants. They all had weapons on them, both Shizuyaman and Varjan, and walked with a regal pride befitting of warriors. The group was headed by Kikyo, who simply gave a neutral nod at the present taskforce members at the gate as a greeting before leading the group inside the temple grounds.
Following behind this group, however, was Takeshi who appeared to be closer with the Hangai sisters than with his fellow humans.
~~ 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
~~ TAKAMORI TALES ~~
~~ 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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