Varius looked over shoulder when he heard it was time to go, he'd finish the apple as he followed the group that began to move out. His boots clicked against stone, following close behind the group when they were now outside marching to the gates, boots now crackling under. "We are a sizeable group, even if they know we're coming, we have the numbers to drive them back. Even if the undead are organized, they are still shambling corpses." Varius spoke once he fully reached the front amongst the others, his stride sliding with the contour of the snow along the ground, as he kept his gaze forth even as it grew dark, he remained close to those with torches and light.

Youko gives a fanged grin cracking her knuckles "I'm just ready to fight something. This food is good but it isn't fish so I could definitely use a distraction. That and I've been sitting around not doing something interesting too long. I wanna Crack some skulls" she is now standing as she almost bounces side to side absolutely bursting with pent up energy. If anyone knew what it was it is blatantly obvious the neko has ADHD to some extent. Without thinking Youko has constantly been fidgeting the whole time she's been here. She hates sitting around especially when she has been promised a chance to fight something or someone.

The march began beneath a sky already deepening toward indigo.
The gates of Nan Gau closed behind them with a low, resonant groan of iron and timber, the sound swallowed quickly by falling snow. Lantern light pooled briefly around the road before thinning, replaced by torchlight and the pale glow of dusk reflected off the mountains.

The pass stretched ahead, narrow and winding.

At first, the land was harsh and unforgiving. Stone rose sharply on either side of the road, jagged and frost-bitten, with pines clinging stubbornly to the slopes. Snow lay thick across the ground, packed hard where countless boots and hooves had passed before, softer at the edges where wind sculpted it into drifting ridges. Each breath came out in pale clouds. The air burned faintly in the lungs.

Sound carried strangely here.

Footsteps crunched in uneven rhythm. Metal shifted softly against leather. The wind threaded through the pass in low whistles, tugging at cloaks and hoods. Somewhere above, snow slid loose from a branch and fell in a quiet cascade.
As they moved farther north, the cold began to ease.

Not all at once, but subtly. The wind lost some of its bite. The snow thinned, turning wet beneath their boots. Dark soil began to show through in patches beside the road, unfrozen and soft. Steam rose faintly from the earth in places, barely visible but unmistakable once noticed.

The mountains opened slightly, the pass widening into gentler slopes.
Here, vegetation clung more readily to the land. Leafless trees gave way to hardy shrubs. Frost-coated grasses bent beneath their weight instead of snapping. The air carried a different scent now, mineral and damp, touched faintly with warmth from beneath the ground.
The road curved once more.

Nan-Li emerged from the haze of falling snow.
It was small, just as it had been described. An Edo-style farming village nestled against the lower rise of the mountains. Low wooden homes with sloped roofs clustered close together. Narrow paths wound between them, leading toward terraced fields now half-buried beneath melting snow.
And it was silent.

Too silent.

There were no lights in the windows. No smoke from chimneys. No figures moving through the streets.

Closer inspection told a harsher story.
Baskets lay overturned in the road, produce spilled out and half-frozen where it had fallen. A bundle of firewood rested abandoned beside a doorway. A cart stood crooked near the edge of the village, one wheel sunk into soft earth as if it had been left mid-motion.

Nothing here suggested an orderly evacuation.
It looked instead as though the villagers had fled in haste, or vanished where they stood.

The warmth beneath the soil lingered, undeniable.
But Nan-Li itself felt empty.
And waiting.

The road ended at the edge of the village, snow and mud clinging to boots as the group approached the first abandoned homes, dusk settling fully over the land.

Whatever had happened here, it had not finished yet.

Yukan Koyake

Thankfully for Yukan being so connected to the Fire Cardinal of the Fae See probably had some perks as far as the cold weather went. The heat which he produced probably helped him some. He marched along with the others nevertheless, still doing his utmost to stay toward the general front of the group area.

Eventually over time the weather seemed to be less severe which was nice however. What was decidedly less nice was when Yukan got into seeing range of Nan Gau. The whole place looked like it was a mess and that given there was no one around it was clear that people had in fact fled, which was a pretty obvious choice if the talk of all the undead was believed to be accurate. Even well trained guards would have a hard time fending off many enemies at once, and the chance of there being many undead sounded pretty high.

"Everyone, take extra caution here..even with the silence one cannot be too certain what kind of hostile dangers could still be lurking near here.." Yukan took his Flame Blessed Su-Yari out just encase, and had it at the ready.

Yukan then attempted to use a combination of Heightened Sense D [Smell/Hearing/Sight]+ Dark Vision (if applicable) + Sixth Sense Danger F + Energized D To see if he could gain any information from around the area with his heightened senses like the smell of blood or undead or anything unusual, or if he could get glances of anything in the darkness or hear anything unusual or sense any danger.

Yukan Actions:

1. Use ability Supernatural Tanuki Senses to see what he can learn in village area.
Supernatural Tanuki Senses - Heightened Sense D [Smell/Hearing/Sight]+ Dark Vision (if applicable) + Sixth Sense Danger F + Energized D
Yukan uses a combination of his enhanced smell, hearing and sight, as well as danger sense and dark vision if applicable to see if he can learn anything from his surrounding environment. - D Grade Ability (1 post cooldown, Energized)

Under ordinary circumstances the release from the unrelenting cold of the harsh mountain terrain would be a welcome change. KaMara wondered at the shift between climates and what could cause it, but in this world logic wasn't the only paradigm and that meant such mysteries had unclear sources.
She surveyed the abandoned village as they marched towards it. The isolation, the loneliness of it felt more reassuring to her than frightening. "The village doesn't seem infested. Probably could engineer a good defensive perimeter and funnel attacks so we don't get overwhelmed." she mused to the others, testing whether her strength could free the bogged cart. "Plenty of fuel around for a bonfire, too. For the zombies, not s'mores..." she felt like she had to add the last bit, regardless of whether anyone other than her or Emily might even get the reference.
Surveying the town, she developed tactics and strategies that might help the crew defensively fortify an area and create a funnel to minimize the number of undead that could approach.

Actions
1) free the stuck cart:
Str D + Superstrength F + Athletics F

2) develop defensive strategies:
Int E + Warfare F

​
Titles:
Beastkin - Mundane, Small (4ft) - 6ecff6

Everyone once in a while, there was a subtle shiver from Itsy, the merciless cold making the very tip of his elongated snout almost numb. His tail had already curled itself around his leg and hidden into his boot. Meanwhile, those beady, black eyes darted around the snow, the changing of lifeless vegetation to one that seemed to resist even the harsh cold.

Eyebrows knead as life appeared to have been suddenly stopped. His gaze darted towards some of the houses, eyes narrowing. He didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. "C-careful with the houses... they might be hiding something inside of them..." The small beast advised right after Yukan.

He would then begin straining his senses, eyes sharpening, nostril sniffing as he tried to detect if there was anything amiss. [Action 1]

Actions:
1 - A Shrewd Shrew - Enhanced Senses [Sight/Smell] E - Grade E 1 Post Cooldown

E 0/1

Yume smiled as her spell worked its charm, satisfied to have curated a new friend. She rubbed Yumi’s shoulder as the two set off, leaving the comfort behind in favor of the icy road.

"Yume, hm…?" She threw Yumi a skeptical look. Yume wasn’t omniscient, but she had pretty much just mapped out the woman’s entire mind-space. She knew what a proper success looked like, and this wasn’t it. "It has, hasn’t it?" In the end, the failure didn’t matter. Yumi was doing the one thing that could endear her to Yume faster than any other: playing along.

The whole trip, Yume was practically glued to her side, twin drills bouncing on either side with each step. Every so often, one would even brush Yumi’s shoulder. "Sneaky sneaky. You know, you should be careful hiding away with mages around. You might accidentally get hit, like that one dungeon we ran together~" Completely made up, of course, but she said it with great confidence. She waggled the gold sun top of her staff in front of Yumi’s face for emphasis.

Once they arrived in Nan-Li, Yume finally turned a bit serious. Just a bit. It was Swordlady and Mousey’s comment (whatever their names were — Yume wasn’t really paying attention) that caught her interest this time around. "You know, that’s what they did before," she spoke softly in their direction. "Burned their own village just to have a chance, because they were safer as bonfires. That’s what we thought, at least."

Kneeling down, Yume grabbed a fallen apple out of the snow and tried to take a bite. Hard as a rock. She flung it behind her, discarding it. "It was smart. Protecting the past is meaningless if those it means anything to get killed."

Yume’s grip on her staff tightened, but she cut into the heavy moment into a light chuckle. "Anyway! It would be easy enough to blow this place up, but then they’d probably just spread and come back later. Instead…" Her voice lowered slightly, becoming conspiratorial, "…I wanna eat the leader. The rider ought to know things… like how to put a stop to this for good."

CD: D2 | B4
(Not sure if these reset during the long scene change)

---

Kuso.

The corner of Yumi's eye twitched as she cursed silently. Her attempt to escape the witch had failed, apparently. For a brief moment, she considered running ahead, but ultimately decided against it. Something about her in-your-face attitude and incessant badgering reminded Yumi of how she’d met her. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it just yet, but she decided to put up with it for now.

Yumi slowed just a hair when the staff crossed her vision, her eyes flickering to it before returning to the snow-choked road ahead. Her stride stayed steady, measured, and silent.

…Something. Like that,” she said after a moment. “Dungeons. Start to. Blur together. After a while.”

Her gaze remained forward, tracking the dark outline of the ruined village and the treeline beyond.

“At least we made it out,” Yumi added.

---

Yumi slowed near the edge of the village, boots sinking slightly into the wet earth as her gaze swept across the abandoned homes. Her eyes lingered on small details: the angle of a fallen basket, the way a door hung ajar, the absence of tracks where there should have been many. Nothing screamed danger. That unsettled her more than if it had.

Past the soft churn of the group’s movement and the distant wind, her focus narrowed, searching for anything out of place. A breath where there should be none. A scrape of bone against wood. The telltale wrongness of something waiting to move.

Her fingers tightened subtly around the haft of her scythe beneath her cloak. Every sense stayed taut, coiled and ready.

If something rose from Nan-Li’s silence, she intended to be the first to see it.

Kage no Mimi | Grade F
Stealth F, Perception F, Survival F, Darkvision F
0 post cooldown
Character blends into the darkness and environment, reducing her chances of detection, while also keeping an eye out for any threats.

---

Emily slowly felt her presence dwindle as she watched as the rest of the group carried on with their conversation at Nan Gau, with their next course of action towards the upcoming skirmish towards Nan-Li nearing its end by the second. As much as she wanted to provide additional input, Emily frankly understood where she was in this situation. She was never the leader but the follower in many a case even back home in her original world, where suits and stern scolding more often than not triumphed over slashing steel. Nevertheless, it was no excuse for Emily to grow lazy and complacent. Even as the person who was quite likely the least combat-capable among the group, she still wanted to do her part and was hired for a reason. Fighting just wasn't it.

Regardless, if there was one thing Emily was good at, it was keeping quiet, listening and following orders. And so she did, until the group set off to prepare for their adventure. Thankfully, this accountant didn't need to much. Any crude piece of weaponry would likely suffice as something she could use for self-defense. What was more important was to gain protection against the cold...

---

Thankfully, it was in great luck that as the party made their way to Nan-Li, Emily looked the part to face the chilly mountainous breeze. While she still wore the signature suit and skirt combination befitting of the lady she was, it was almost entirely concealed by the top layer of clothing that cloaked a majority of her body. A thick, fluffy black long coat that was perhaps maybe a little too big for her delicate stature was the standout piece of her attire, complete with a matching black hat with two holes created for Beastman ears that simply did not exist on top of Emily's plain human head. Thankfully, Emily made the wise choice of changing her high heels for a pair of knee-high boots, topping it all off with a simple white scarf wrapped around her neck.

It wasn't exactly the best suited outfit for her, but it was practical, and Emily absolutely felt pleased with the clothing she chose as she trudged through the snowy path with her newfound allies.


Yet even as the one who could likely be seen as the 'weakest link' among the group from a combat standpoint, Emily didn't quite feel so fazed or even frightened by the elements. Sure, maybe she was a little unnerved by the fact that there was going to be some undead to fight, especially since it had been a month since she arrived in this strange world where undead seemingly existed. She wasn't strong, or so she thought. But if there was one thing Emily strangely felt as she joined the party on the mission, it was... a cautious intrigue. As if despite the upcoming dangers, she was actually enjoying the trek.

And then she finally spoke up once more.
"You know... I never quite expected to do anything like this. Maybe fighting this infection is a little out of my league but... travelling through the snow, making new friends, having actual adventures? It does beat accountant work every now and then. The last time I was out in the snow, I was enjoying it with..." Emily suddenly felt her shoulders lower as a memory of her past quickly unraveled herself once more. "... With my husband."

Emily's face shifted into a frown as she felt the metallic texture of the golden wedding ring she wore underneath one of her gloves, right as the group stopped at the emergence of Nan-Li in the party's vision. Maybe it wasn't the best time for Emily to remind herself of her past.
"... I'm sorry for talking. We should get to work. I'll see what I can do once we begin the fight, but whatever it is, we should act with caution. Our adversaries seem like they're better equipped than regular undead, so the sooner we gather any piece of information on them - locations, weaknesses, how they're being controlled - the better."

Varius listened to the others talking as his feet crunched in the snow, his muscles turning red to the cold as his blood focused on keeping him warm as it circulated his system but he didn't shiver, more focused on the rotten landscape around them as they walked to Nan-Li, knowing if they even faltered on the path to their mission, how could they survive fighting the undead? He didn't speak but he constantly kept his eyes and head moving, listening for outliers beyond their party as well as figures moving within the fog.

Nan-Li lay ahead beneath the deepening dusk, quiet in a way that felt deliberate. A couple soldiers helped KaMara right the cart.

Hiruq moved forward with measured steps, eyes scanning the homes and the scattered signs of interrupted routine. A dropped basket lay overturned in the road, pale roots and bruised fruit spilled across the snow. A bundle of kindling rested beside a doorway, untouched. No tracks led away in any clear pattern.

His attention shifted after a moment though, settling on Yume.

He approached her slowly, stopping closer than courtesy would normally allow. His gaze was sharp, assessing, his expression darkened by something between recognition and warning. He inhaled once through his nose, slow and deliberate, then met her eyes.

“I feel like I’ve seen this situation before,” he said quietly.
“And you smell familiar...”

He held her gaze a moment longer.

“Don’t get yourself caught up in something you can’t walk away from,” he added.
“I’d hate to have to put a cute face like that in check.”

There was no humor in his tone, and no raised voice. Just a warning, delivered plainly.

Hiruq stepped back, turning then toward Yumi.

“And you,” he said, voice firm but even.
“Don’t put up with a bully.”

With that, he withdrew, returning his focus to the village and the road beyond.

Nearby, Commander Rextelian was already directing Nan Gau’s soldiers into position with KaMaras help. The makeshift perimeter took shape quickly. Six small bonfires burned at measured intervals, fed by scavenged wood and broken furniture dragged from the nearest homes. Five sharpened stakes were driven into the ground along the most open approaches, angled forward to catch anything that rushed blindly.

Aya moved alongside him, crimson hair and fur catching the firelight as she relayed quiet instructions. Soldiers spread out, shields and weapons ready, their movements disciplined despite the strain evident on their faces.

Rextelian turned briefly toward Emily as she spoke, his expression steady.

“It isn’t an infection,” he replied calmly.
“They don’t spread through wounds or bites.”

His gaze lifted, scanning the darkened edges of the village.

“They turn the dead against you,” he continued.
“So don’t die.”

For a brief moment, his eyes flicked to the glint of gold at her hand. His jaw tightened, just slightly.

“We’ll keep you standing,” he said more quietly.
“You’ll go home.”

He turned next toward KaMara, acknowledging her earlier assessment with a single nod.

“Bonfires will funnel them,” he said.
“Mindless ones will come straight in.”
“Hold the center. Let them break on us.”

Time stretched as the last light faded.

The fires crackled, casting long shadows that danced across the empty homes. Snow continued to fall, softer here, dampening sound and blurring edges. Then the wind shifted, and those with [Heightened Sense:Smell] would notice a cloyingly sweet smell of rot in the air.

At the far northern edge of the village, shapes emerged between the fields. Five figures, their silhouettes uneven and wrong, limbs hanging at awkward angles. They advanced slowly, dragging feet through the slush and snow.

Moments later, more movement from the east. Not rushing, but a steady, inevitable approach of things that did not tire.

The bonfires flared briefly, flames snapping higher as if stirred by an unseen breath.

Rextelian moved to stand towards the front of the line, glancing around. "No sign of the rider yet...Be prepared for a long night. Can we take them out before they get to us?"

Hiruq rolled his neck and glanced towards Yukan. "Let's see what you've got Koyake. Take one of the groups out on your own." The shapeshifter grinned, a fang like grin.

---

Combat is beginning. The party has the advantage and can make advanced attacks against this wave. Remember to limit your actions to 3. Cool downs are completely reset as of this post. Write your three actions actions at the end of your post.

There are five figures coming in from the north. If you target one of them say Zombie1 or Zombie2 or so on.

Hiruq has challenged Yukan to take on the wave of 20 that are coming in from the east.

​
Titles:
Beastkin - Mundane, Small (4ft) - 6ecff6

Itsy could smell them, before he saw them. The sweet, yet disgusting scent of rot made his long nostril crunch sideways slightly. "T-that smell like... really, really bad..." He murmured just before he could see the shifting figures on the horizon. Without delay, he drew his rapier from its scabbard, metal rasped as the thin, metallic tip was freed from the sheath.

"T-the time is now..." Steeling his nerves, the small beastkin charged one of the five Zombies (Zombie5). Darting through the snow, quick on his feet, he charged with the tip of his rapier pointing forward, almost as if he were a knight performing a cavalry charge. And, when he got close enough to his target, he thrusted the sword against it, aiming right at the epicenter of their chest. [Action 1/2]

Afterward, he moved backwards, creating some distance from the zombie.

Actions
1/2 - The Shrew Charge! - Fast F + Fighting Style [Swords] F + Hot Shot F - Itsy covers up to 20ft in a lightning charge, attacking a target and trying to hit a vital part for critical damage - Grade F 0 Post Cooldown - STR E (2) + SWORD F (1) + ABL F (1) = 4 BE vs Zombie5
3 - Move backwards 10ft

E 1/1

Yukan Koyake


Yukan would have listened to the chatter, probably not having much to add himself there. However he did note that Itsy seemed to come to a similiar conclusion which he had. He hoped that between their two voices those there would take heed. Even if these undead didn't bring instant death to those who were bitten or scratched, dying to them was a fate which he did not wish on some of the worst enemies he knew, wandering the land, causing death and destruction after death helpless to stop it, was not Yukan's idea of a honorable or fun time.

His interest was a bit piqued by what Emily was saying, "A mathmatician is here to serve.." He'd speak a loud to himself. Interesting, he just hoped that she'd be able to hold her own if it came down to it.

"Funneling attacks is not an unreasonable if we have time to make it so one way or another, this could work well with the defensive fish scale formation if it came down to it.." Yukan also added.

Meanwhile Yume and Yumi were speaking about all sorts of things that the Tanuki beast warrior really didn't have much to add on, though he did find Yume to be..most curious, his danger sense hadn't gone off and she seemed innocent enough, but even he had to admit earlier that she seemed very insistent even going as far to get pushy with the catalyst.

Not long after Yukan spoke though it looked like high command was having foritications assembled in motion then and there.

He nodded upon hearing what Hiruq had to say. Even with his compatriot's more challenging tone, Yukan didn't break the start of a smile.

"Very well, I will buy our central force some more time by disrupting some of the larger groups." He didn't seem particularly afraid, just very focused, a serious steely look on his visage.

He figured the others would do what they would. Based on what was said. He trusted high command would know how to instruct people defensively in the funnel, it wasn't a mantle which seemed essential for him to take up at the moment.

It looked like Itsy despite his small size was braze enough to go right into the fray, that was the true beast spirit which Yukan liked to see in action.

Yukan then moved forward toward the group of 20 undead, he'd rush up with Fast D, assuming he was unopposed, he'd rush to the closest undead to him in the most center of the group before his body would ignite with some fae fire running around his form before he pivoted into a great fiery stab attack, a ring of fire spreading out from his attack stance during his stab in an effort to engulf all 20 undead now near him.

He'd then prepare to block should any undead survive and try to counter attack with his heavy fire lord armor B.

Yukan Actions:
1&2:
Charging Great Transcending Thrust: Cleansing Fire - [Specialize] Fighting Style [Fire Lord: Falling Spear Style] D,
Energized D, Selective D, Range D, Fire Blight D, Penetrating D, Contact [Fire] D, Area E, Hotshot D, Reach, Fast D

Yukan tries to charge up to 8x normal base movement before he attempts to pierce a target up to 100ft away with his flame blessed Yari, a radial ring of fire spreads around Yukan at enemies up to 50 ft away, selectively sparing those who he does not wish to harm. Deals 3 extra damage on fire blight successfully effecting target. Ignores up to 3 grades of target(s) fire resistance. Ignore up to 3 grades of target’s defensively used item. +1 effectiveness against enemies more than 5 ft away, -1 effectiveness against enemies 5 ft or less away. Deals double damage if target weak spot hit. D Grade ability - 1 round cooldown (Energized)

3. Assume Defensive stance using Fire Lord armor B

Resolute against the skulking horde approaching the village, KaMara observed the shadows lurching in the snowy mists wondering if that was a tactic or a coincidence. Her peripheral vision caught a flash of movement, a blur of blue and silver tabard, as Itsy charged the shambling group plodding towards their choke point. The little Mousekin fighter was quick and nimble but no one needed to take these things on without backup and she wasn't about to leave him in the lurch.

" Careful. Don't let them outflank you..." the warrior woman said as she came up alongside Itsy. "We stand a better chance running cover for each other." She stood beside the Mousekin, impressed by his speed but unable to match it. She'd never reach the Dead with an attack of her own just yet... Heavy armor and muddy terrain weren't the best of conditions in which to fight.

"Let's at least see what we're dealing with..." Sharpening her senses and letting the weird functions of this world overlay her reality, she observed the zombies as only someone who fell into this world could, measuring her opponents.
Readying her weapon, she stood beside Itsy as the undead advanced towards them.

Actions:
1) Move
- towards Itsy

2) Scan the Zombies
Int E + Appraisal F + Perception F

3) Defend/Block
- herself or Itsy.

Cooldowns:
F - 0| E - 1| D - 0

Varius lowered his gaze, fury unkept simply steeled as he saw the shambling corpses making their way towards the group. "Form a line! Push them back! He charged forward after pushing ahead following Itsy and KaMarma, enforcing their line further preparing his gladius steeled in hand as he thrusted the blade for the throat segment on Zombie 4, his braced left hand clenched in defense aiding in the Team's defense and Itsy's retreat.

Action 1; Following
Action 2: Lion's thrust Weapon Tech Melee E (Energized F, Accurate F, Gladius E)
Action 3: Defensive stance amongst his peers

Youko having quietly followed along quietly the whole time would give an excited grin at seeing the horde ahead and would crouch low like a cat ready to pounce as her whole body tenses. She would then dart forward in an unorthodox manner using whatever objects or obstacles she could to launch herself towards the horde faster bouncing off things in a quick and acrobatic manner. This was honestly partly to show off and partly to move closer to her targets.

After that she would begin to use her lithe frame and graceful acrobatic movements to keep from getting hit as she waits for the right moment to strike at her foes. She despite seeming eager is remaining patient for the moment. This isn't her usual method of attack but there's a lot of enemies in front of her right now.

Actions taken:
1. Moving closer to the horde with Cat Parkour F (Fast F, Acrobatics F)
2 and 3: dodge both times

The chaos around bothered Moo. She wasn't there to help them before and she didn't like that. Made her question how things worked. For a second, then the time to fight arrived. Moo stretched her arms up high. Normally, she would have a cocky smile plastered on her face. But this wasn't a combat, a test of strength or skills. Her enemies weren't even alive or not alive, they were dead but not dead, she hated how that didn't work and how they defined nature and the fact that someone or something is using living or dead creatures that way. No smile. Just an upset Moo.

She set her eyes on the big group, so many of them. But the big panda took them on by himself. Fine, she would ask him for a chance to fight the next big group after this. The small mouse moved quickly and soon the beautiful blonde human warrior followed after to help out. The feline female also joined the fight, leaving a few more unalive undead let. If Moo wasn't going to get to clobber a lot of them at once, she was going to hit one really hard!

Moo got down on one knee, aimed her head at the third zombie and charged, moving across the distance before she leapt across the ground and dove head first towards the poor soul or souless in front of her.

Ability: Moo Smash - Super Strength F, Martial Art E - Headbutts a single target really hard - Grade E - 1 Post Cooldown

"Don’t put up with a bully."

Yumi's gaze shifted briefly toward Hiruq. She paused briefly before responding with a single, shallow nod of appreciation and a hint of a smile that whispered, "I've got this."

Then her attention returned to the village ahead, and whatever waited in the darkness.

Before long, they came. Five from the north, twenty from the east. A grin spread across Yumi's face under her hood. Social interactions had never been her strong suit. But this?

This, she could do.

Snow kicked up behind her boots as she surged forward, closing the distance in a handful of swift strides. She measured the area, carefully counting in her mind.

Three...
Two...
One...

NOW!

She planted one foot against a half-buried stone and launched up and forward, cloak flaring behind her. The scythe arced in a clean, descending crescent as she fell, the blade whispering through cold air before biting toward the first zombie’s neck.

She didn’t wait to see if it dropped.

The moment her boots touched down, she pivoted on her heel, letting the momentum carry through her core. The scythe’s haft rolled smoothly through her palms as she spun, extending the blade in a low, horizontal sweep aimed for the second creature’s throat.

---

Actions:
1-2: Kage Otoshi | Grade E

[Fighting Style: Scythe] E [Technique: Reach] F [Acrobatics] E [Fast] E [Jumping] F
1 post cooldown
Yumi charges, jumps, and slashes at Zombie #1's throat as she descends.

3: Kage Mawari | Grade F

[Fighting Style: Scythe] F [Technique: Reach] F [Acrobatics] F
0 post cooldown
Yumi uses her momentum to spin and slash at Zombie #2's throat.

Additional stats if needed:

[Precision] C [Scythe] D

---

There were some people who were meant for action in the frontlines, and some that were better suited to hang back and assist. Clearly when it came to the matter at hand as the small group of rotten foes, Emily was not suited among the team to be the leading lady in taking initiative with their eradication. If anything, her face showed just a hint of concern at the fact that if one of them happened to die, it could have snowballed even more out of control, making the somewhat vulnerable accountant feel just a little bit insecure about her own safety.

With it came the decision of her own 'battle plan'. Well, it was barely a plan, more than it was how she was going to contribute to the team in whatever way she could. Grabbing a torch from their stock as well as a tinderbox, Emily grunted with light effort as she quickly made the attempt to set the torch alight. "Ugh! Come on, come on..." She spoke to herself in frustration, the cold definitely not helping her debacle until eventually, the oil-soaked cloth that made up the end of the torch finally started to flicker with flames as she huffed.

"Yes, got it! Ok, I've finally got something to use..." With Emily sounding off in reassurance, she held her newly made light source and makeshift 'weapon' with just a hint of caution. Her goal was simple. Support her group in any way she could - if one of the zombies happened to get a little too close to their liking, Emily felt she should at least be there to stop her friends from getting overwhelmed. As long as she could get to them in time, and the party didn't detach themselves. They were still a team, after all, a unit. If they held together, Emily believed that they had a chance to last the night...

... even if the torchlight highlighted the worry across her pretty face.

ACTIONS:

• Stick with the group, make sure that Emily doesn't find herself separating from them.
• Play cautiously. While Emily shouldn't engage, if she does find herself getting attacked, I'm more than happy to let Emily use this to let a zombie eat a face-full of torch.
• Assume a defensive stance otherwise. Try and reduce the damage Emily would take, if any.

The first to charge forth was successful in striking his target. The thin blade was driven through the wights chest. The steel pierced through rotted flesh with a wet resistance, sinking deep into the center of its torso.

The wound he left behind was narrow and clean, and the force of the blow had knocked the creature over. But it was still alive.

At the treeline to the north, more shapes stepped into view. Five additional undead emerged from between the trees and joined the first wave,

KaMara had just enough time to see itsy down his target, before another corpse lunged toward her from the side. Its jaw hung slack, one eye clouded and useless, its fingers reaching for her shoulder as it stumbled into striking range.

Varius’ blade found Zombie4’s throat. The gladius cut deep, splitting dead tissue and spilling darkened blood down its chest. The creature staggered but did not collapse. Its arms continued forward in a blunt attempt to seize him, as though the damage meant nothing.

Yumi’s scythe cut clean arcs through the cold air. Zombie1’s head separated from its shoulders in a smooth descending stroke. Zombie2’s throat followed moments later under her spinning sweep.

Both bodies fell into the snow, but neither lay still The headless forms twitched where they had fallen. Fingers flexed weakly. One leg kicked once or twice against the ground, scraping against frozen earth. As if the body were still trying to move, and pick itself up.

Two of the newly arrived undead from the north reached toward Yumi as she completed her turn, arms extending in grasping motions as they closed the distance.

Moo’s charge struck Zombie3 squarely in the torso. The impact launched it backward into a broken fence, splintering wood beneath its weight. It lay crumpled for a moment before its arms began to push against the ground. Slowly, unsteadily, it started to rise again.

To the east, Yukan’s spear ignited the field in a violent bloom of fae fire. The ring of flame expanded outward from his thrust, engulfing the approaching group of twenty. Sacred fire clung to them, burning through cloth and flesh alike. The undead collapsed under the blaze, their forms blackening and falling in heaps of char and ash.

The fire receded as cleanly as it had erupted, dying down without spreading to the village structures.

Through the drifting smoke, more movement became visible. Thirty additional undead advanced from the eastern approached. Stepping over the remains of those that had fallen before them.

Hiruq watched the flare of Yukan’s attack with open approval.

“Well struck, Koyake,” he called, before taking off in a breakneck dash.
Mid-stride, his body shifted. Bones lengthened and reformed, white fur bursting outward as he dropped to all fours. In the space of a breath, a massive white wolf crashed into the nearest of the eastern undead. His jaws closed around one creature’s shoulder, wrenching it sideways, while his claws tore into another’s midsection and sent it sprawling into the snow.

At the center, Commander Rextelian’s voice carried over the clash of steel and the crackle of fire.
“Hold your line. They do not stop unless burned.”
His eyes swept the formation, measuring distance, counting numbers.
His gaze fixed briefly on Yume.
“You with the silver drills. If you intend to fight, now would be the time.”
He did not wait for a reply before turning to Emily.

“You. Burn what falls. If it is not reduced to ash, it rises again.”

Aya moved beside him, blade drawn, reinforcing the northern flank with two Nan Gau soldiers as they stepped in to support KaMara and Varius. Six pressed from the north.

All the while, the silver haired Fae was perhaps distracted. As while she was skilled with filtering out the unwanted noise of random brains; there seemed to be a presence calling her. Somewhere hidden in the forest, the Fae could feel a familiar presence. And it was almost as if it were a flashing beacon. Calling for her to come look.