[center][h3]Terauchi Temple[/h3][/center]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/88dciJb.png?1[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0zvnz6I.png[/img][/center]
[center][url=https://youtu.be/26MUv9nh-9A]🐉[/url][/center]

[@PaulHaynek][@Crowvette][@Rezod92]

Closing the distance between them within a moment, Shizuka already had a hand at the miko's ofuda. However, as he would soon find out, a slightly more cautious approach should have been taken against the priestess. In another act of aggression, she ran her blade into the swordsman's side. He winced as his blood began to drip onto the ground, but fighting past the pain he tore the talisman from her chest with solemn determination. He would then find himself blown back from the resulting shockwave, though still conscious and aware of his surroundings. Witnessing the native warriors retreat, it seemed that the conflict was finally put to an end. Although, any feeling of relief Shizuka held combated the pain he felt from his stab wound. Ayu quickly came rushing to his side, her face full of worry.

[color=0072bc]"Geh. Don't worry, I'm fine. Trust me, I've been through worse…."[/color] He said as he tried to ease Ayu's bewilderment. He held his side, applying pressure on the wound to ease the bleeding. He was about to use a bit of water and ice magic in order to clean the wound and prevent inflammation, but he then felt another presence make itself known.

It was a person dressed in strange, ragged robes. As her clothing fluttered in the wind, her body underneath was shown to be wrapped in peculiar scrolls. He could tell by the chi alone it was another undead mamono, also sensing she held powerful magic at her disposal.

She knelt down beside Shizuka, analyzing the wound. Ignoring her choice of words, he looked with curiosity as she gathered energy and began to heal his flesh. His wound was healed to the point where it didn't even appear that he was injured in the first place. Although, he took note that her spell seems to draw life from what's around her.

Now fully restored, the swordsman stood back up to meet with their new ally at eye level. He dusted himself off and honorably bowed before speaking to the yōkai who introduced herself as Io.

[color=0072bc]"You have my thanks, Io-san. Rather shameful of me, allowing myself to be injured in such a reckless manner. If not for you, I may have been stuck on the sidelines for a day or two! My name is Kannazuki Shizuka by the way, and it's good to see that Kyōko-sama had sent for more taskforce members."[/color]

He turned to Kerry for a moment, who fortunately caught the fleeing Varjan prisoner before he could escape.

[color=0072bc]"Kerry-san, it seems you were the first one to finish with your mission. Well met, in addition to recapturing our little friend there and assisting with the natives."[/color]

[color=0072bc]"Apologies Io-san, it seems you caught us at a…precarious time. But with everything settling down, hopefully we can take a small respite while we wait for the other members to return."[/color]

While he was trying to lighten the mood after the battle, he couldn't help but wonder what the miko meant by refusing to believe the lies of the yōkai. She also earlier mentioned that the yōkai had taken much from them, more then they realize. What was the whole story, then?

[hr]

[center][h3]Unknown Inn[/h3][/center]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/cDfjYN0.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/0u0wcUo.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/NporBQG.png[/img][/center]
[center][url=https://youtu.be/VmfH9vpp2aQ]🕸️[/url][/center]

[@Restalaan]

After beginning their trek back through the countryside, the group happened upon a trail of hoofprints that ultimately led to the Tokinomiya estate. Save for signs of a past skirmish, the estate was eerily empty. At that remained was the faint stench of dead; the chi Atsuha could sense mainly stemmed from the corpses of fallen warriors, most of which were from Sorae’s own clan. The scene made Hinami especially uncomfortable, fortunately the group quickly decided that there was nothing else of interest at the estate and the group continued to follow the trail of the assailants. After some time, they eventually found themselves facing a shabby inn on the side of a mountain. Standing in front of said inn were a few locals who held weapons on their sides, and they seemed to be discussing something. Motioning for her sister to follow her lead, she hid behind the inn’s walls and began to listen in. 

[color=9e0b0f][i]Unbelievable[/i][/color], she thought. It would seem that the assailants being fellow natives was true. They still couldn’t imagine why Sorae’s clan would be wiped out by their very own neighbors. Atsuha felt Hinami’s chi start to stir a bit, not that she could blame her as she felt similarly. Thankfully, the flow still felt natural and Hinami seemed to still hold control over her mental state. After pondering for a moment, Atsuha turned to Skarsneek. 

[color=9e0b0f]“Skars-kun, what should we do here? I could knock them out with a quick spell or two, or tie them up with my web so we can interrogate them. Or perhaps you had something else in mind?”[/color]