Takashi

The Horde of Evil - Tresspassing through treacherous tribes' territory! (RP closed)

Everyone is assuming That gets hit. You guys forget that he can teleport.

@Elitestpotato

Might be a good idea to take his punishment like a man. Offending the Master by running away from punishment could only result in worse punishment.

The Horde of Evil - Tresspassing through treacherous tribes' territory! (RP closed)

So long as Kor gets his chair, he'll be happy.

Roll to Dodge!

I am absolutely mortified that I am not allowed to join the orc army just because I'm not an orc. I find the best lawyer in all the land and sue the orc army for everything they have on the grounds of racial discrimination. In addition, I post my heart-wrenching tale on the anti-orc website #humandiscrimination.

The Horde of Evil - Tresspassing through treacherous tribes' territory! (RP closed)

While the Master's minions squabbled and schemed in the dungeon, Kor simply skulked in the shadowy corner of the caves that he claimed as his own. He had no room; he had no need for a room. Every last one of his possessions was already on his accursed body. The impaled human still hung from his sword, but he had absolutely no use for it so he let the meat sack slide down to the floor before it became completely dried out and a pain in the ass to remove. He simply kicked the corpse to the side for the imps to play with, or perhaps that Kobald would use it for one of his mad experiments. Either way, there was little from the spoils that interested Kor. What use had he for a slave? He was a Darkwraith, he ate, sowed chaos, and basked in the dark. How could a human slave help him with that? And the humans, now captive, would not even make a decent meal. Their spirits were broken, their hope depleted; they were morose shells of their former selves; they were rotten. It was well that the master took them away.

However, there was one thing in the spoils that caught Kor's eye. It must have come from the manor, for it was so finely crafted, and it was an object that any bipedal creature, no matter how depraved, could appreciate. When the Master made one last call for his minions to lay claim to the spoils, Kor stepped forward. When he approached the Dungeon Keeper, he dropped to one knee and bowed his head in deference without demeaning himself as the other groveling minions had. "My lord," he began in a tone that was surprisingly formal for a creature born in a black Abyss. "When your imps looted the manor, they brought back one object that has caught my attention." He gestured toward the the pile of loot that still remained and pointed to the object in question. "With your permission, I would like to lay claim to that chair." It may have seemed like a strange request, but hell, even minions of darkness want to rest their ass on something other than stone.

However, one could suspect an ulterior motive. After such flagrant displays of, greed, disrespect, and insubordination, Kor was the only one to show their Master -- and indeed few seemed to realize the meaning of that word -- truly proper respect. And, he was the only one to ask before taking.

A Game of Heirs

Tetsuo was surprised at how quickly Chiharu opened up and began talking about personal matters. Nervous as she appeared to be, she was certainly showing great courage and putting her heart into her familial duties. Tetsuo found this to be an admirable trait, but at the same time it caught him a bit off-guard; he was not used to plunging into such deeply personal conversations so quickly. Yet at the same time, this boldness was wrapped in a shawl of such modesty that he found it impossible not to smile at the balance of virtues. He thought it was strange that not even the male heir would be taught the family trade, especially if Shigeru was as masterful in his craft as Chiharu claimed, but he was not so insolent as to criticize, or even question, something he knew nothing about. Perhaps Shigeru simply had higher aspirations for his children; that much was at least evidenced in his offer for marriage into the Aroi family.

"If we are speaking frankly," Tetsuo said, maintaining the pleasant mood that seemed to be established, "then until this morning I thought I would be receiving the Nakashima family myself, and I was unaware that he had a daughter around my age, doubly unaware of the prospect of marriage. It seems your father is not the only one fond of secrets." He dared a small laugh to show that he meant this as a point of amusement, not of inconvenience. "I can see that you are a kind and loyal woman, and it is good that you show deference to your sibling, but please do not speak so lowly of yourself. Beauty comes in many forms, and I fear that if such self-deprecation continues that I may find my own appreciation of beauty insulted." He looked Chiharu in the eye and smiled as he said this. Perhaps there were some who would be displeased by her small stature, or would complain about the hue of her complexion, but Tetsuo could find no fault there.

"Wedding a suitable spouse is a heavy responsibility for me as a member of the Aroi family," Tetsuo continued. "My father often reminds me that I am but one misfortune away from coming into command of all of our armies, and every decision I make must benefit my family as much as possible. It is a wonder that I am afforded the luxury of choosing my spouse, but this being the case I will say now that it will take a great deal of consideration before I am ready to make that decision. However, to my knowledge I am free to make friends as I please, and I would gladly share your company at every convenience."

Just then, a pair of servants arrived and announced that their tea was ready. "You are punctual as always, Midori-san. So long as Nakashima -san has no objections, I believe we are ready." With that, the two were lead into another room where a table with all the tea-ware was set up and waiting for them. The room was decorated with various Buddhist imagery, and there was an opening in one of the walls that revealed a lush garden filled with numerous flowers, bonsai trees, and a koi pond. Tetsuo was a bit dismayed that the weather seemed to be taking a turn for the worse, but fortunately the opening faced towards the west, so the cold breeze would not disturb their tea. "I hadn't planned for a formal ceremony, so please make yourself comfortable, Nakashima-san," Tetsuo said as he took a seat. "I believe we are in for a treat. The leaves that are used to make this tea are grown by our own groundskeeper, so it is impossible to find a fresher taste. I hope you enjoy it."

No One Escapes The Guilds

Kiori was stunned at first when Rylee threw her arms around him without warning. His body tensed up, ready to defend itself from an assailant, but Kiori allowed himself to do no more than that. There was no way he would allow his body to treat Rylee as an enemy; this time it was his conditioning's turn to get repressed. Slowly, the tension in his muscles eased and he felt the warmth of another human pressing against him. He felt compassion, genuine human compassion, for the first time in so many years. And then, a drug-like sensation came over him. He wanted more than just one moment; he wanted to feel joy again, to smile again, to laugh again. He lifted his hand slowly, hesitating at first, but then tentatively wrapped it around Rylee's back. She was already pulling herself close to him, but he gently pulled her closer. She whispered into his ear, and Kiori whispered back, "I missed you so much Rye."

Kiori wasn't sure how long they were locked in their embrace, but he reluctantly eased away from her when it came to its inevitable end. The warmth of the moment faded away as the reality of the situation sunk its icy fangs into him once again. They were going to die unless they came up with some kind of plan, yet they had ruled out every last option. Hiding in a village: impossible. Surviving in the wild: impractical. Banditry: inconceivable. What was left? Kiori let out an exasperated sigh and was about to suggest that they just enjoy the time they had left and face the guild when it came... but then a whole new possibility came to him. "There's one more option," he said, thinking aloud. "We stop running."

Kiori looked up into the sky as the details of his plan slowly fell into place. "Well have to fight eventually, so why not fight on our terms instead of theirs? Let's go to one of those villages, find a place for shelter, but we'll instruct the villagers to reveal our location immediately when the guild comes knocking. They wont be put in jeopardy since they'll be cooperating, we'll have access to the supplies we need, and we may be able to convince the villagers to postpone my lynching on the grounds that assassin blood will be spilled regardless of the outcome. It could work. What do you think Rye?" It was certainly an unorthodox plan, but as a boy Kio was never short of crazy ideas. It was common knowledge that challenging an assassin like that invariable resulted in death. But now it was assassin against assassin; the outcome was uncertain. It was a gamble, but at the same time it was their best bet.

The Horde of Evil - Tresspassing through treacherous tribes' territory! (RP closed)

I think that Athinar and Kor are gonna be bros, no matter what he thinks about Darkwraiths.

@Athinar

Yes, I'm sure that Kor would be able to appreciate his "entertainment" once he's fed.

A Game of Heirs

Shingo accepted the gift graciously and returned Rie's gesture with a small bow of his own. He took a moment to appreciate the design on the fukusa, then proceeded to meticulously unwrap the gift and delicately open the box. A grin crossed Shingo's face once he saw the painting. "It is clear that you are a master of your craft," he said, admiring the elegant brushwork that radiated the Nakashima soul. "I shall have to find a place for this in my collection. Though, I hope this one does not make my Kose landscape jealous." Now that the greetings were finally done, Shigeru seemed eager to have their children get to know one another, and Shingo was happy to oblige. "Indeed, my son has been eager to meet her and I could hardly deny him the privilege."

Tetsuo's mind was abuzz with what he learned from the conversation. Apparently, Shigeru had given him more than just permission to court his daughter. Even Chiharu seemed to be caught off-guard, breaking decorum with what seemed to be the beginning of an objection. Clearly she was very nervous, and understandably so. From what he heard, she came from a modest artisan family with little notable wealth to their name. A visit to Ido Castle even simply as guests would have been intimidating for the likes of them, yet it was now clear that Chiharu was to be considered a potential wife. It was curious that his father would arrange such a meeting with a family of their status, and Aroi Shingo was not one to toy with a family's honor. Tetsuo could only assume that his father genuinely approved of the Nakashima family, perhaps for reasons that remained to be seen.

Chiharu, nervous as she was, struck Tetsuo as a kind and virtuous woman. By the sound of it, marrying into the Aroi family would increase their power and wealth manifold. He could easily overlook a small breach of decorum considering the kind of pressure that young woman must be under. "I would be honored if Nakashima-san would accompany me for the afternoon," he said, looking at Chiharu, and then stood up. "If you would be so kind as to follow me, we may talk more over some refreshments." With that, Tetsuo lead them down a hall that was decorated with numerous paintings. He decided that this would be an appropriate place to begin the conversation; as the daughter of a painter, she would likely have some knowledge of the topic. "I am sure that my father will greatly enjoy your family's gift," he said in a friendly tone that he hoped Chiharu would be comfortable with. "As you can see, my father has quite an extensive collection of paintings, and among them landscapes are his favorite. I'm sure the two of them will have plenty to talk about."

Of course, Tetsuo wanted to gear the conversation towards Chiharu and her interests, but at this point in time all he knew was her father's occupation. The last thing Tetsuo wanted to do was offend her with a presumptuous question, so he hoped that she would not be afraid to speak her opinion on the matter.

The Horde of Evil - Tresspassing through treacherous tribes' territory! (RP closed)

Kor emerged from the burning temple with his appetite satisfied from feasting on the humanity of two holy men. The scene he witnessed was... nice. Blood pouring through the streets, the delightful melodies of anguish and terror wafting through the air, and a rather lovely looking rune glowing ominously in the middle of it all. Such bedlam was a lullaby for his twisted soul. Alas, it seemed as though things were wrapping up. Already the peasants were being rounded up and lead away as captives, and any real resistance had been crushed. Oh well, he may as well grab a prisoner like he saw the others doing.

Kor clotheslined one of the last stragglers that was running away from some other horror, and then picked up the man by his throat. "I always wondered what the point of keeping prisoners was," he said as the man futilely kicked against the Darkwraith's armor in a desperate attempt to break free. "If you're hungry, eat. If not, just kill it, am I right?" The man could only give a garbled response, and then fell limp. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me! I wasn't even squeezing that hard!" With a sigh, Kor simply ran his sword through the man's torso and hoisted it up onto his shoulder. Eventually Kor met up with the line of prisoners that Athinar was leading, genuinely impressed by the man's efficiency at rounding them up. Some of the humans gave a horrified look at the fresh corpse whose blood and guts were dripping down his skeletal armor and leaving a crimson trail in his wake. Kor grinned beneath his helmet and said aloud, "Geez, its like they've never witnessed an impalement before."

No One Escapes The Guilds

"You're a monster!" Kiori was visibly hurt by those words. He had been called that many times before by nameless, faceless individuals, but the word seemed to hold a far more potent connotation coming from Rylee. At first he thought it was just a result of his magic and that soon she would come around, but as she went on he found out that there was something more fundamentally repulsive about him. He had lost himself. Despite all his efforts to at the very least remain human, he had become warped into something else. "Rye, I--" but she would not wait to hear an explanation. She began walking off into the woods, not seeming to care in the slightest if there was an assassin waiting for just such a moment to slaughter his prey.

Then, he felt something strange bubbling up within him: anger. Honest to God, human anger. He got up off the ground and began to walk after her. "Wait!" he said, his voice stern and strong, no longer the cold the cold and stoic voice of an assassin. "You don't get to just spit on me like that and walk away!" Indeed, it was clear that he was angry as he followed after Rylee, but it was also clear that there was none of the killing intent that coated every word the assassins spoke. "You want to talk about your Kio? Fine, let me tell you exactly what happened to that twelve-year-old boy after the Assassins Guild showed up out of nowhere and tore him away from his family and his best friend without giving him so much as a chance to say goodbye. It starts off innocent enough: they teach you how to hunt animals. Their fledgling assassins become expert trackers, learn how to handle knives and weapons, learn to kill another living thing, all while thinking 'hey, this isn't so bad.' Then, they don't tell you, but one hunt is for a human. You slowly realize that the tracks are human footprints, but all you can do is watch as they tie him -- or her -- up, leave them helpless, and then they hand you the knife.

"It is this moment that determines whether you get to be a human or not. Most kids cannot kill a human so easily. They hesitate, try to run away, or break down crying afterwards. However, the guild makes sure that the knife is in the child's hand when it cuts the target's throat, by force if necessary. Then, that child's conditioning begins. It is every form of cruelty you can imagine. Torture, blackmail, death matches, anything the guild needs to do to get you to stop feeling. However, your Kio was a special one. He knew what the Assassins Guild was about. He thought, 'I just want to get through this so I can see Rye again someday.' His greatest fear, above all else, was being made into one of those monsters he'd heard so much about. And your Kio was able to put two-and-two together. When they handed him the knife, there was no hesitation."

Kiori had never thought back to his first kill before; he had spent all these years trying not to think of it, trying not to show any of his feelings to the guild. But now, free from those shackles, his voice shuttered as he recounted that day. "I kept my hand steady, I held my tears in, and I didn't so much as allow myself to gasp. They said I was a natural, and they had no reason to break me. It was like that for every single kill, and eventually I got used to it. If I am a monster now, Rye, it could have been 100 times worse. Your Kio is still here. He's just a bit tired from a decade of not feeling anything. And I'm damn sure that as stubborn as you are, you would've become one of the broken ones." His voice tapered off at the end of the story, his anger subsiding after the release that he had been waiting for so long. "I'm sorry that I suggested something so disgusting, but I'm just trying to keep us alive. If you die, then I feel like it will all have been for nothing."