[center] "[color=orange]So it's true. You are colluding with yokai.[/color]" "I know what it looks like. But not only did they save my life, but we need their help if we are to rescue my father." "[color=lavender]Takeshi-sama, you tread on a dangerous path. Do you truly know what you are doing? Are you sure you have not been...[/color]" "I'm not affected by anything, trust me. Once we save Lord Oja, we'll sort the yokai and their collaborators out." [/center] [hr] [hr] [center][h3]Unknown Inn[/h3][/center] [center][b]SORAE, GENTLE HEART[/b][/center] [center]~ [@AzureKnight] (ATS & HIN), [@Restalaan] (SKA) ~[/center] Unfortunately for [u]Skarsneek[/u], his plans to bind the prisoner for further interrogation back at Terauchi Temple would not come to fruition. When the male Goblin was away, Sorae's anger could no barely be contained. "[color=mediumslateblue]There's nowhere to run, you cold-hearted witch. Who are you? Why did you destory Clan Tokinomiya?![/color]" She yelled at the prisoner. "[color=007236]Forgiveness, Lady Sorae, but I am only a messenger.[/color]" The prisoner kept her composure. "[color=mediumslateblue]For who?![/color]" "[color=007236]Knowledge will not soothe your pain.[/color]" "[color=mediumslateblue]You know nothing of pain.[/color]" Sorae seethed. "[color=mediumslateblue]I watched my family die. One. By one.[/color]" "[color=007236]Our world has changed, milady.[/color]" The prisoner replied, coolly. "[color=007236]Men of vision must rise to face it. And those in the way, and those who stray...[/color]" She glanced at [u]Atsuha[/u] and [u]Hinami[/u], implying their current relationship with Sorae. "[color=007236]...must be removed.[/color]" "[color=mediumslateblue]THERE WERE CHILDREN![/color]" With one slash from Sorae's naginata, the prisoner's head rolled into the wooden floor. The stump left behind squirted blood before the body collapsed. None of the taskforce were fast enough to intervene in the sudden execution but the last Tokinomiya seemed to regret this rash decision, covering her face with her free hand. "[color=mediumslateblue]...She was never going to talk.[/color]" She remarked, telling herself as much as she told the yokai. [hr] [center][h3]Shizuyama Wilderness[/h3][/center] [center][b]KAGEHO, INNOCENT SHADOW[/b][/center] [center]~ [@Restalaan] (GRI) ~[/center] Staying hidden and stalking the Varjan search party, [u]Gringor[/u] watched as the invaders fruitlessly searched the forest for any trace of their target. However, [u]Gringor[/u] was not exactly built to hide and he soon stepped on a dead twig by accident, the crunching noise reverberating across the forest. All the Varjans' eyes looked to [u]Gringor's[/u] direction. They didn't seem to actually see the male High Orc, but that hardly mattered to the robed figures. They raised their arms and their hands soon shot out jets of blue fire at the woods in [u]Gringor's[/u] vicinity. The trees and bushes went up in cerulean flame, the heat felt by the High Orc despite some distance from the fire. However, while the Varjans' attentions were on [u]Gringor's[/u] attention as the robed mages continued to spray fire, the male High Orc would glimpse the rearmost of the Varjans get pulled into the grass and spirited away into the darkness. [hr] [center][h3]Isolated House[/h3][/center] [center][b]THE COST OF IRON[/b][/center] [center]~ [@Crowvette] ~[/center] [quote=Io]"[b][color=thistle]What's going on? Are you all okay? Did the Varjans attack your village too? Should I send for help?[/color][/b]"[/quote] Despite the magical disguise, the people inside the house still aimed their weapons at [u]Io[/u]. "[color=8493ca]What the--? A foreigner? Are you Varjan? No... You would not have asked if you were.[/color]" The Lich's facade was working. They believed [u]Io[/u] was human, albeit dressed as an outsider as they had pointed out. "[color=8493ca]I do not know what you are doing here, Miss Foreigner, but you should leave as soon as you can. This island is being invaded by vicious Varjans, and I don't think they care who they kill. Even if you're not someone from Shizuyama.[/color]" The male villager said as the others lowered their weapons. If they were a band of bandits, they were surprisingly hospitable. "[color=8493ca]Unless, of course, you had one of those 'iron marks'.[/color]" "[color=8493ca]There's a merchant working for the Varjans, you see. They gave him an iron mark.[/color]" The villager-bandit began. "[color=8493ca]We tried to take it from him... but he escaped, while his Varjan guards chased us all the way here. Fortunately, we managed to drive them off... at the cost of most of us.[/color]" He then revealed what this 'iron mark' was. "[color=8493ca]Whoever carries this mark is free to travel the roads without being stopped by the Varjans.[/color]" "[color=c4df9b]Everyone! Look outside! Varjans![/color]" War cries could be heard coming closer to the house, as well as the angry barks of hounds. Looking outside, an entire group of about seven Brigands were fastly approaching alongside four wolf-like canines with black furs and snarling snouts. The bodies that [u]Io[/u] cast a spell upon began to stir, reacting to the incoming Varjans who had yet to notice them. On a closer look, the reanimated corpses had undergone some... changes since [u]Io[/u] cast the spell. Like gaining more feminine curves among other things. "[color=8493ca]We're finished.[/color]" The male villager lamented as he and his remaining companions picked up their weapons. "[color=8493ca]You should leave, Miss Foreigner, while you still can![/color]" [hr] [center][h3]Shizuyama Wilderness[/h3][/center] [center][b]A BRIDGE TOO FAR[/b][/center] [center]~ [@Rezod92] ~[/center] [quote=Kerry Maros][color=fff79a]"I CAN'T HOLD THIS FOR LONG! GRAB THE KID NOW!"[/color][/quote] The fierce winds of [u]Kerry's[/u] magical cyclone sucked in any arrows the Varjan Footmen shot at the bridge. Some realized the folly of continuing to fire and halted... for now. Hearing the Hornet past the strong winds, a couple of the villagers dashed into the bridge to retrieve the hostage boy. Several Varjan Footmen attempted to stop them with arrows, but the projectiles were all swept away by [u]Kerry's[/u] magical cyclone. Realizing that their bows were useless and their hostage lost, the Footmen began to climb the ravine in anger. Their rage made their ascent faster, their mouths frothing in bloodthirst. The villagers had began to flee as soon as they had the child, but they were not fast enough to gain a lot of distance from the bridge. Once the first Footman would complete the climb, he would certainly catch up to the villager group. [hr] [center][h3]Yagata Shipyard[/h3][/center] [center][b]FATAL PULSE, SHIPPING AND HANDLING[/b][/center] [center]~ [@The Irish Tree], [@AzureKnight] (SHI) ~[/center] [u]Liliana's[/u] diminutive size, the encroaching night and the large boxes made it easy for her to sneak around the occupied shipyard and listen in on the Varjans. She was joined later by [u]Shizuka[/u], the swordsman having a talent in staying hidden too. "[color=aba000]Boss, Lord Serek'uar is asking if you actually know what the plan is.[/color]" One of the Varjan Brigands asked the dark-attired 'Fatal Pulse'. "[color=aba000]He just wants to make sure and all.[/color]" "[color=crimson]Uggghhh, doesn't he know that despite my track record, I'm pretty reliable?[/color]" 'Fatal Pulse' whined like a spoiled brat. "[color=crimson]Yeah, yeah, I know what the plan is. Get the drugs up and running, give them to the locals so they either become too high to resist or get addicted enough to pledge service to Varjo to get more of the durgs. Everyone wins, and I get paid. Hopefully not with durgs.[/color]" "[color=aba000]What's this stuff called again? 'Nolkro'?[/color]" "[color=crimson]You got that right, random Varjan Brigand. Saw it in a... a play! Yeah, saw it in a play once. You should go see it. Y'know, if you survive this whole Shizuyama ordeal.[/color]" With the information gathered, [u]Liliana[/u] and [u]Shizuka[/u] made their way near the ships docked on the yard before the warrior fairy cast her whimsy magic upon the unwitting vessels. The spell that came out was... [b]Blade Storm[/b] The magic from [u]Liliana's[/u] Whimsy Blade summoned countless magical swords that began to rain on the shipyard. The Varjans panicked and fled, dropping whatever they were doing in order to seek shelter from the raining blades. Those struck by the magical swords had their strengths quickly sapped, falling to the ground unconscious. The boxes that were hit, meanwhile, spilled its Nolkro contents; featureless milk-colored powder. Its seemingly innocent appearance concealing its harmful true nature. Try as she may, [u]Liliana[/u] could not find 'Fatal Pulse' anymore. Regardless, she had-- *WHACK* Two well-placed, flying kicks sent the warrior Fairy and the azure swordsman flying into a nearby warehouse and into some boxes of Nolkro. From the bits of spilled powder near them, [u]Liliana[/u] and [u]Shizuka[/u] found that the Nolkro smelled like smoke and ash. [u]Liliana's[/u] monstrous physiology protected her from the drug's addictive effects. The same could not be said for [u]Shizuka[/u] who was already feeling his nerves being stimulated. Approaching them from the warehouse entrance was 'Fatal Pulse' himself. "[color=crimson]If I knew I was dealing with a Fairy, I'd have brought a flyswatter. But it looks like she came with a friend who looks like someone I only mildly like.[/color]" He said as he pulled out his dual swords. "[color=crimson]Not sure how you managed to rain down swords on my parade, but I'm certainly gonna rain on yours.[/color]" But before anyone could make a move, a Brigand with a lit torch barged in. "[color=fdc68a]Hey, boss! Who's the cowardly bastard attacking us?![/color]" 'Fatal Pulse' internally panicked for a moment before dousing the Brigand's torch with a swipe of one of his swords. "[color=crimson]Whadda hell you doing?! Didn't you listen to the briefing?! Don't bring anything hot near the damn Nolkro![/color]" [hr] [center][h3]Shizuyama Wilderness[/h3][/center] [center][b]THE HEAVENLY STRIKE[/b][/center] [center]~ [@Enkryption] ~[/center] After leaving the temple grounds and following the directions to the Varjan war camp, [u]Alice[/u] came upon a wide wood bridge with three figures apparently waiting there for her. The three men were clearly of Shizuyama, wearing dark blue and white robes with their katanas sheathed and strapped to their hips. Upon her arrival, one of them took a step forward to address the Mad Hatter. "[color=0072bc]So you're the one that took up that stupid musician's plea for help. Foolish mushroom, you've sealed your doom.[/color]" The warrior said to [u]Alice[/u]. "[color=0072bc]Indeed, we know you're after us and the Heavenly Strike technique. Why don't we show you a... firsthand demonstration?[/color]" The three warrior men pulled out their blades and quickly attempted to surround [u]Alice[/u] and waited for her first move. Their stances were ready and solid, [u]Alice[/u] would need to be wary of their defense. That, and their legendary 'Heavenly Strike' technique. [hr] [center][h3]Terauchi Temple[/h3][/center] [center]~ [@Hammerman] ~[/center] There was a good spot under a tree within the temple for [u]Lunatea[/u] to take a nap on. It had good shade to shield the rabbit girl from the dipping sun and was far enough from the villager refugees that their noises would be too faint to bother [u]Lunatea[/u]. Although, she could not help but hear the conversation of two passing male refugees slowly carrying water buckets. "[color=fff79a]Pretend you're... What'd they call him? The Varjan Commander... Serek'uar! Say you're Serek'uar, and you just took over Castle Oja. What's the first thing you do?[/color]" "[color=fdc68a]I don't know. Maybe, raid the food stores? I bet Lord Oja has preserved mackerel stored away. Noodles. And octopus![/color]" "[color=fff79a]Oh, and sake! Lord Oja looks a drinker, hahaha! I'd drink him dry, eat my fill then wipe my butt on Clan Oja's banner, hehehe.[/color]" "[color=fdc68a]Shhh, IF you were Serek'uar.[/color]" "[color=fff79a]R-Right, IF I was Serek'uar. Heh...[/color]" - [u]Lunatea[/u] then finally had her nap, lasting until nighttime. She woke up with Takeshi standing over her, two bowls of steamed rice in his hands. "Heh, good morning." He greeted the rabbit girl. "Just kidding, it's just night and here's dinner." He offered one of the rice bowls. "Not gonna lie, people are kind of suspecting me for being just sort of friends with you. It's... a little disheartening." "But don't worry, I'm no fool. I know we can't get anywhere if we don't work together." Takeshi finished. "Err, but at least they're willing to fight alongside you for the time being. At least I am. Just look for me around the temple if I'm around if you want me to join any of your excursions." [color=39b54a]*Takeshi Oja is now available to be invited into all the Tales. If uninvited to any, he will simply rest in the current home base*[/color]