[center][h3]Hama Island[/h3][/center]

[center]~ [@Enkryption], [@The Irish Tree] (LIL), [@AzureKnight] (SHI) ~[/center]

[quote=Shizuka Kannazuki][color=royalblue]"It's time we take the man and his daughter and head back to the temple. Although, before we do go, I believe I could ask you this Ian-san: What exactly did the Varjan plan to do with that girl, and what were they doing docked hear?"[/color][/quote]

"[color=ghostwhite]Probably just a random sacrifice.[/color]" Ian answered [u]Shizuka's[/u] first question. "[color=ghostwhite]Most Varjan spellcasters know and use a sort of 'blood magic', if you will. Using another person's spirit energy to cast your spells and all that. Ironically, these are techniques used by the old Sabbath from before The Great Change, which the Varjans rediscovered. Which is why Baphomets all over the world REALLY hate Varjo.[/color]"

"[color=ghostwhite]The Varjan fleet has blockaded Shizuyama. And I mean blockaded, they have ships surrounding the island.[/color]" Ian continued, addressing the second question. "[color=ghostwhite]It's basically impossible to enter or leave the island. Sure, a few can slip through the cracks but if you want to evacuate the civilians of Shizuyama past the blockade, you can forget it.[/color]"

The rainbow knight then clapped his hands. "[color=ghostwhite]Well then! That's enough Q and A for now. I believe all of us have urgent businesses to attend to, especially you guys.[/color]" Ian said, a bit ominously. "[color=ghostwhite]Honestly, I expected more... revealing questions like who Lady Kyouko is or who Takeshi likes or something. Oh well, maybe you'll get another chance next time.[/color]"

Ian then rowed the taskforce back to the port where they parted ways with the taskforce heading back to Terauchi Temple, unaware of the battle raging there.

[hr]
[center][h3]Terauchi Temple[/h3][/center]
[center][b]PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE[/b][/center]
[center]~ [@Crowvette], [@Restalaan] (SKA), [@AzureKnight] (HIN & ATS) ~[/center]

[quote=Atsuha Hangai][color=9e0b0f]"Takeshi-san, are you alright? You are always so reckless..."[/color][/quote]

After [u]Hinami[/u] pulled the Varjan Warlock off of Takeshi, [u]Atsuha[/u] quickly went over to the young lord to cast a healing and other support spells. Takeshi sighed in relief as his pain swiftly dissipated. "If only I had a coin for every time someone told me that." He chuckled. "But yeah, I'm fine. Well, fine now thanks to you. Looks like I owe you my life twice now, hahaha!"

Being bound and smashed in the head by [u]Hinami's[/u] chain-linked morningstar, the Warlock fell down. With Takeshi's sword still embedded on him and with the chains weakening him, the Warlock soon succumbed to the mortal wound and stopped struggling for his life. His body fell limp on the stone floor, his death coinciding with the total rout of the Varjan attack.

Takeshi soon got up and saw that the battle was wrapping up. "That's that, I guess." He turned to the taskforce members present and asked. "Are you all alright? Any injuries?"

[center]---[/center]
[center]~ [@Hammerman], [@Nakushita] ~[/center]

[quote=Lunatea Vern Farnsworth]"I shall come with them. It'd be better if they have a monster with them. For the rest, I'll leave it to you and the others."[/quote]

[quote=Yuki Akamata][color=f7941d]“Fear not, I will make sure no harm comes to any of you, I will do whatever it takes, even if it means having to sacrifice myself to ensure all of your safety, please remain calm and as quiet as possible, we need everyone to be thinking rationally and calmly, as to not alert the enemy, but also to ensure everyone's safety, it is much easier to fight if no one is panicking and everyone is sticking together”[/color][/quote]

The tired [u]Lunatea[/u] continued to be with [u]Yuki[/u] in guarding the refugees from any further attack. The refugees did not fully trust the yokai, but they at least trusted them with their safety. Fortunately, the rest of the battle was winding down and the Varjan attack was repelled so [u]Yuki[/u] and [u]Lunatea[/u] did not have to stand guard for long.

"[color=mediumslateblue]Nice speech, yokai.[/color]" Sorae Tokinomiya remarked at [u]Yuki[/u], approaching her and [u]Lunatea[/u]. "[color=mediumslateblue]But after not choosing an entrance to guard, it's rich hearing about 'sticking together' from you.[/color]" She snarked at the two yokai.

"[color=yellow]You could've joined us, yokai.[/color]" Takamori came up from behind Sorae. "[color=yellow]Had you did, the Wardogs probably would've never gotten past the defensive line and attacked the refugees.[/color]" He joined Sorae in reprimanding [u]Lunatea[/u] and [u]Yuki[/u]. "[color=yellow]Your human lackey showed more courage than you two did.[/color]"

Indeed, it seemed Ayu had joined the fighting in the second entrance, who also now joined the conversation with bloodied sword in hand. "[color=red]Lord Takamori, Lady Sorae, please. We don't know that for sure so it was good that Miss Lunatea and Miss Yuki were here to protect the refugees.[/color]" She defended the two taskforce yokai.

[center]---[/center]
[center]~ [@The Irish Tree] (EUL) ~[/center]

When [u]Eula[/u] came back online, she was greeted by an unfamiliar face. The man was bald and had glowing blue eyes. His red armor was similar to the Varjans' but he did not seem hostile. Though, he did radiate powerful magical energy. "[color=cyan]When the locals told me of a mechanical yokai amongst the taskforce, I could scarcely believe it. But here you are, in all your Precursor glory. I am amazed that Lady Kyouko managed to find someone like you, and worried that you fight in battle with nary a dedicated repair center for hundreds of leagues.[/color]"

[u]Eula[/u] found that she was sitting on a table in the makeshift workshop the Gremlin left behind. And it appeared this man had made use of the tools available to crudely repair the broken parts of the Automaton. Her arm was reattached and functional and coolant was no longer leaking from her body. However, her left eye was still dim so not all damage was repaired.

"[color=cyan]I am Revuel Arvida, a pleasure to meet you.[/color]" The bald man introduced himself. "[color=cyan]You may be more durable than other monsters, but your healing processes require... sophisticated tools and techniques. So please, I advise caution next time you are in battle.[/color]"

[center]---[/center]
[center]~ [@Rezod92], [@Restalaan] (GRI), [@Enkryption], [@The Irish Tree] (LIL), [@AzureKnight] (SHI) ~[/center]

When [u]Shizuka[/u], [u]Liliana[/u], [u]Alice[/u] and [u]Carroll[/u] returned to Terauchi Temple, they saw the temple area had multiple smoke pillars rising from it. There were also figures fighting each other near the entrance. The temple, the taskforce's base of operations, was under attack.

However, they noticed Varjans fleeing from the temple as they approached. Some of the routing attackers saw them, but none were in any mood to fight. They all simply wanted distance from Terauchi Temple and either ran past or detoured around the approaching taskforce.

Arriving, though, this particular group of the taskforce found that the battle was at its closing stages. They saw [u]Gringor[/u] fighting a surprisingly nimble Varjan Elite holding an axe while [u]Kerry[/u] dodged arrows and spears hurled at her by a few Varjan Footmen who still kept fighting. They also saw two catapult pieces, one of which was in the process of burning down. The crews, however, were nowhere to be seen. Likely routed already some time ago.