Unfazed by either the atmosphere, the words being said or even when Takaya used his Blood Demon Art, Kōshin simply listened, already having said everything he needed to. His mind, just as his words earlier stood resolute as he followed one of Takaya's clones. Even as Takaya poked his forehead, he was met with a serious gaze as he heard the worrying news Takaya had for him.
"I will continue doing what I must to uphold the duty I inherited from my master, Takaya. To act selfishly and refuse to uphold everything the Daikaku has stood for during the countless years of it's existence would be denying both the lives and the will of all the monks who came before me, of all those who bled and died fighting against cruelty, violence and tyranny." Kōshin said, his expression growing softer as he sighed heavily after listening to what the higher ups were planning and comforting the crying Takaya.
"Being a position of leadership is a heavy burden to take upon oneself. One you were forced to take far too soon... Many times, we will be forced to make difficult choices. To put our own beliefs, our own desires and emotions against our responsibilities and duties. We might try our hardest to always make the best choices, but in the end, we are neither perfect nor infallible." Kōshin continued.
"But we are also not alone. A burden that might be impossibly heavy for just one person to carry can be shared. Obstacles that might be impossible to face alone might be trivial if faced together." Kōshin said.
"The Daikaku monks always believed that cruelty exists beyond race. Now, more than ever, this holds true. Both demons and humans are moving for their own greed, trampling upon the wills and lives of innocent people while doing so." Kōshin said with a firm expression.
"The higher ups want nothing more than pawns, obedient soldiers they can control and move as they see fit... I know it is hard, but the time to make a choice has arrived, Takaya. If we want to fight against the powers that seek to consume and corrupt everything in their endless greed, we must first accept that we cannot do so alone. The old ways became unsustainable. The leadership behind the Slayer Corps, stagnant and corrupted while innocents, both demons and humans, suffer under tyrannical and cruel leadership." Kōshin continued with an unwavering tone.
"It is a sign of strength to cry out against fate, rather than to bow one's head and perish. As fearsome as your power of prescience might be, do not let it make you forget this fact. We, who were gifted with free will, are free to shape and change our own future with our actions and effort." Kōshin said, gently putting his head on Takaya's head, comforting him.
"You were given a heavy burden, Takaya. But remember... You do not have to be perfect, infallible or even alone. Only through coexistence and shared effort that we will be able to thread through the difficult path ahead of us towards peace." Kōshin finished just as the memory lane ended and he was returned to the room along with the rest of the slayers.
With the meeting over, Kōshin prepared himself to leave. While he was not exactly part of the slayers, he still was willing to assist them, especially since the changes the slayers would have to face if they wished to remain true to their purpose were radical ones. Having already advised Takaya, he now got ready to assist the other slayers with their training as they made their way to the beach, where the 'class' mentioned by Takaya would occur.
It didn't take long until Eirún was up in the next morning. Carrying little with her other than what she was wearing and a few essentials, there wasn't much preparation needed for her to be ready to leave and so, she ended up simply waiting until the rest of the group was ready. While she had no issues with walking, Eirún was pleasantly surprised to notice that there seemed to be horses for each one of the group members, along with a wolf that was apparently brought to escort them as well.
Nodding along as she heard Brigitte's brief explanation regarding the route they were going to take, Eirún approached one of the horses, the Pinto mare with a wounded snout. Gently bringing up her hand for the mare to smell, she waited for a bit until the animal was comfortable, before gently touching it's snout, walking besides it and effortlessly getting up. Positioning herself besides Nika and Brigitte, Eirún started the journey along with her new employers. After some time riding through the mud and slush of the road away from Blackpebble, Brigitte waved towards Eirún, calling her attention before curiously asking her about how she usually communicated with her employers, given the good words Maeki seemed to have put about Eirún. Amused, she looked at her employer with a discreet, faint smile before letting out a gentle, melodic whistle. Being a noble, Eirún was half expecting Brigitte to not care much about the people she hired as long as they did their job and carry herself with the usual, measured arrogance most nobles shown. Both Brigitte's curiosity about Eirún and the fact that she did listened to Maeki's endorsement about her skills were noted and appreciated by her.
Unfortunately, it seemed there would not be much time for getting to know the group better, as immediately after that small exchange between Brigitte and Eirún, knights bearing a distinctive banner appeared on the horizon... Strangely enough, Fenris' own banner. Knowing the situation that happened to the Fenris house, Eirún promptly dismounted the horse, gently caressing it to keep it calm while discreetly preparing herself for any possible confrontation. Realizing Nika's tension as the group of knights approached, it became quite obvious that it was highly likely that whoever those knights were... They weren't ones the Fenris heiress or her pact knight knew...
As Eirún expected, the exchange was... tense. The knights seemed to have been riding for a good time, to the point for one of their horses collapsing of exhaustion. The more the knights spoke, the more suspicious Brigitte's pact knight seemed to be as Brigitte herself hid in the cart. Tension grew to a point that both groups seemed to be waiting for a single spark for a conflict to erupt as the leader of the knights stood silent, watching with a suspicious expression. Acting on instinct, likely due to the scent coming from the supposed 'Fenris knights', the white wolf was quick to charge at them. Brigitte quickly acting after the wolf, jumping from the cart and alerting about the impostors before disappearing in the white snow after kicking up some and diving into an undisturbed patch of freshly fallen snow.
The moment Brigitte warned the group about the true allegiance of the impostor knights, having already caught up on the tension and the hints given by Nika's reaction, Eirún had already swiftly unsheathed her blade, unwrapping it and being ready for battle.
As expected, the leader of the knights quickly unfurled the odious golden eagle from behind his hauberk, letting proudly exhibiting his alliance. Extending his hand forward, the mage quickly started gathering an orb of metallic particles, which began to spun until they formed an orb, floating above them. Expecting an attack, Eirún protected herself with her blade, only to feel it being drawn towards the sphere after it was fully formed, forcing her to tighten her grip, lest her sword be wrested from her. Quickly after, the owner of the horse who had collapsed from exhaustion and butchered by them snapped his fingers, producing an uncanny, yellow flame from his hands while the other two moved in formation to protect the mages.
Clicking her tongue in frustration, Eirún knew both mages were going to be a problem, particularly the one who had summoned the magnetic sphere, since it would clearly interfere with her sword dance. Besides that, the presence of mages that soon after the coup on the Fenris house was definitely worrying. The blonde mage was likely the pyromancer Maeki warned them about, but Eirún wouldn't be surprised if more mages were already scouring the forests like parasites.
From behind a bush in the side of the road, a bolt whistled through the air, hitting the blonde pyromancer. Not having noticed whoever shot that bolt, Eirún could only be thankful that it wasn't one of the mages' allies and instead seemed to be on their side. Using both the bold and throwing his own axe as a distraction, Sieg was quick to show that his moniker of 'mage-hunter' wasn't exaggeration. Despite the pyromancer's retaliation, throwing a fireball towards them, he charged straight through, lunging towards the blonde mage. Effortlessly charging through the fireball, there was honestly little for the pyromancer to react as Sieg caught the mage before grabbing the axe he had thrown earlier. All the blonde boy could see in that fraction of a time was the silhouette of the mage hunter coming out of the fire before he was caught and the blade of Sieg's axe was brought down with violence, ending him.
With the pyromancer gone and the mage-knights likely distracted thanks to Sieg's brutal charge, Eirún took the chance as she stepped forward. With light steps, despite being clearly hindered by the magnetic sphere, she brought her blade to her back, extending her hand forward in a beautiful, but exotic posture that seemed to fit more for a dancer than a mercenary.
Gently bringing her blade in front of her, Eirún gave a large step forward, spinning her body as the blade's flat side slid along her extended arm, still pointing towards the metal-mage as her blade produced a distinctive, audible ring. In the second twirl, Eirún's blade started humming in a more harmonious tone as it gained momentum before she let out a mighty horizontal swing. From the path her blade carved as it cut the air in front of her, a wave of pressure formed, shooting towards the metal-mage.
Tightly holding her blade behind her shoulder in order to avoid it getting snatched by the mage's orb, Eirún followed closely behind her air slashes, dashed towards the mage. Her steps, light and elegant resembled the footwork of a dancer as she moved with frightening speed, despite the sheer size of the blade she wielded.
The moment the heavy gates finally opened for Zarha, the first impression she had upon laying her eyes at Siliach for the first time was truly quite something. While she could see the beauty in the unforgiving deserts of Verja, what she could see in front of her was truly breathtaking. Soft, green grass blanketing the plains, gently swaying with the wind as flowers of the most varied colors brought vibrant colors to the scenery. Dotting the green sea, tall trees stood, firm and imposing, almost as if they were watchers who stood guard to the sea of grass.
Despite her usually silent and serious outward behavior, Zarah couldn't help but stop and stand still, appreciating the scenery beyond the gates for a moment. Distracted by the beauty of what she saw in front of her, Zarha almost completely missed the commotion that was going on behind her, only noticing something was going on when she suddenly saw a young eidola merchant dashing past her, running towards the gate, followed by the angry voices of the guards chasing it.
Before the guards could even reach the eidola merchant, the commotion ended as suddenly as it started as a faint purple flash drew her attention, almost as if announcing the arrow that came soon after, immediately hitting the eidola merchant to the back of the neck. Surprised and caught off-guard, Zarha almost flinched, expecting the worst. Fortunately, the offending eidola was simply unconscious, thanks to the arrow being used by Aeneas, the same guard who spoke to her earlier, being a blunt one. A reminder that any transgression to the rules and laws of Siliach would be dealt with swiftly.
"Please, don't be. Rules need to be enforced so order can be preserved." Zarha replied as Aeneas approached her, apologizing for what she had just saw.
"I must admit that I was caught a bit off-guard. The scenery beyond the gates is truly something." she said as she watched Aeneas dealing with the unconscious merchant.
Biding farewell to Aeneas with a simple, respectful nod, Zarha calmly walked towards the gates. While it wouldn't be strange for her to simply take flight immediately upon passing the gate, Zarha decided against it, wanting to feel the soft grass beneath her feet for a while and walk through the grassy plains.
Zarha listened to the soldier in silence, replying with a simple, respectful nod. Considering the comments she happened to hear through the port about other people waiting their permits, she was under the impression it would take quite a bit more, so the news that the soldier was indeed approaching her to deliver her entry permit was indeed very good news.
With that said, she couldn't help but feel a bit surprised when the soldier mentioned the so called 'curse' that plagued Siliach monarchs. Zarha had heard about it before, mere rumors from trading caravans, but she only dismissed it as being just superstition. Knowing that even the soldiers seemed to treat such 'curse' with the utmost seriousness was quite... strange. To be fair, treating it 'seriously' didn't truly put justice to what the soldier informed her. They treated it so seriously, going as far as notifying her that just interacting with the royal convoy could be punishable by death.
"Worry not, I do not plan on walking. If I do happen to spot the royal convoy, I will be sure to keep my distance." Zahra said, acquiescing after hearing the soldier.
Surprisingly enough, the soldier also warned Zarha about possible criminal activity inside Siliach, advising her to keep an eye on her belongings. Considering how closed Siliach was to the rest of the world, she did expect them to downplay any internal issues they could have. His honesty was definitely appreciated. Before she could reply to him though, the soldier was called by two other guards in order to assist in breaking up a conflict between two ylva merchants. While she was grateful for both the warning and the offer for an escort, Zarha found it hard that any criminal activity could be nearly as bad as what she had to deal in Verja. Besides... Zarha herself was by far a terrible target for any thief or bandit, considering how little she carried with her.
With one final nod to the soldier, who was now hastily going towards the ylva merchants, Zarha began making her way to the gates of Siliach, now finally open to her.
It wasn't exactly surprising that all three mercenaries had problems with the king and his mages. While Eirún still didn't fully trust Brigitte and especially her Luxun bodyguard, it was more than clear at that point that Brigitte's fiery hatred towards the mages was far from being an act. While the power struggles and conspiracies that noble houses were so eager to involve themselves in wasn't something that would spark any sympathy from common people or mercenaries, their fight against the mage invaders was definitely a good cause to put one's faith on.
Brigitte's reaction and body language as she spoke wasn't the only one Eirún paid attention to though. The hooded man, whom introduced himself as Aslan, seemed to be quite eager and happy when the possibility of a rebellion against the mages was mentioned. In another hand, Siegfried, the magekiller, seemed to have quite a healthy dose of mistrust, despite agreeing with Brigitte's cause, something Eirún herself could both understand and agree herself.
Fortunately, once all three of the mercenaries made clear their intentions to join the cause, the tension created by the Luxun bodyguard, Nika, started to slowly dissipate. Eirún could understand why one needed to be cautious, especially considering the situation Brigitte and her bodyguard were in. With that said, the irony of Nika's statement wasn't lost on her, whom reacted to his words by raising an eyebrow with a subtle smirk considering it was exactly the same for her and pretty much the rest of the mercenaries as well...
With that matter dealt with, both Maeki and Bet were quick to offer their support regarding rooms for the night and food until the group was ready to leave. Maeki's connections with the Dwarven rebels would also be quite useful. Having more allies was never enough, considering they were trying to go against the Mage king and his minions... And considering the information Maeki soon disclosed to both Eirún and Aslan, it seemed they didn't have much time. Acting as the true parasites they were, the mages had already started moving within Fenris territory almost immediately after the fall of the Fenris family. For Eirún particularly, the news that some mages were seeing combing through the forests with pyromancers was very worrying... Hopefully sooner rather than later, she would have to find a way to communicate with her people and warn them, Something that would prove to be very difficult... at least if she wanted to keep her and her people a secret from the newly formed group of mercenaries and ragged, fugitive nobles.
But such matters would be better left for the following morning. According to what Maeki, Bet and Brigitte herself were talking, the journey wouldn't be neither easy nor safe. It would be wise to rest well when they could.
Kōshin heard the client's explanation in silence, until it ended with a warning of things that were yet to come, advising him to pick a side. Such warning and advice were received with a stern expression from Kōshin. He knew well that times of great conflict were about to come, but that was an even bigger reason for the Daikaku Shrine to remain true to it's purpose and keep it's neutrality. Amidst the fires of conflict, the best course of action they could take was to offer a safe haven and respite to those who sought aid.
"My answer remains the same." He replied to the mysterious client.
"Regardless of how hot the fires of conflict might burn, the Daikaku Shrine will keep it's neutrality. Our only compromise is with keeping peace and helping those who seek our aid." He said with a stern tone.
"Just like the Demon Slayers have their own oaths and vows to uphold, so do we. My master has extended his hand to all those who sought his aid. Humans and demons alike. If it wasn't for his kindness, I wouldn't be the man I am today. To keep the shrine hidden and inaccessible to those who might need us would be to betray everything he stood for." Kōshin finished with unwavering conviction in his voice and expression.
"Difficult times lie ahead of us. The fires of conflict and hatred burn stronger. Now, more than ever, we must not forget why we fight. Remember... both cruelty and kindness exist regardless of race..." he said, not particularly to Gin and Takaya, but for everyone, agreeing with both their and Jae-eun's words as they mention the old ways must change and they should adapt or fail.
Arriving silently and suddenly, the young, white-haired girl who introduced herself as Kirizanten Kumori further agreed with the words being said. Differently from the Slayers, the demons not only had adapted, but changed along with society. While this meant that more demons who simply wanted coexistence could be seen, it also meant a new kind of danger as the dangerous demons learned how to infiltrate and use the very human society as a weapon against the slayers' old ways.
More and more, society made it clear that the old Demon Slayers were obsolete and unnecessary. While the Demon Slayers were still a necessary force to keep the threat of rogue demons in check, a radical change was needed in the way they operated...
In a way the Grand Bazaar did remind Zahra of the Capital of Verja. Before the tensions between the Aquus and Ceir clans rose to the point they are now, the big plazas used to be a meeting place for most of the merchant caravans that were brave enough to face the scorching days and freezing nights of the Verjan deserts. While the Grand Bazaar was of an undeniably larger scale than the merchant plazas of the Verja capital, the architecture was still similar enough to remind her of more peaceful times in her homeland.
But the architecture and noise of the merchants negotiating and selling their wares was where the similarities with Verja ended. While Verja had it's deserts as a natural barrier, the land of Siliach was protected by the Patronaat. An impressive wall the nation's shores. At first, despite it's intimidating size and impressive construction, Zarha thought of it simply as what it seemed to be. Just a wall. It was only through sheer luck that she was able to notice the barely visible magic field the moment she slowed down to examine the Patronaat. Almost having the tip of her wings singed by the magic barrier was enough of a warning that it would probably not be a good idea to simply wander inside Siliach, considering how overly protected it's borders were. Even though the idea of being physically unable to simply fly over the wall was still very strange for Zahra, she saw herself with no choice but go through the official means to enter the nation of Siliach.
Having been stuck on the port for a few hours and with no idea when or even if her permit would be emitted, Zarha saw herself with no choice but to simply wait. Fortunately, wandering the Grand Bazaar proved to be quite distracting, given the sheer amount of merchants from the most varied parts of Makyos, some of which sported some very familiar symbols and names, Caravans that used to do business in Verja and were driven away by similar reasons as Zarha herself. With that said, after a few hours of waiting without any news, Zarha started to grow weary of waiting. Due to that, the moment she saw a man wearing a clearly military uniform coming towards her, she already felt relieved, waiting for good news. The fact that the officer brought a piece of parchment only served to make her even more certain of her assumption.
Turning towards the officer as he approached her, Zarha waited until he got close, offering him a simple, but respectful nod as greetings as she waited in silence for him to state his business, hoping the parchment on his hands was indeed the permit she so anxiously waited for.
At first, Eirún's expression was calm and tranquil as she went to the back of the Stone's Throw. Considering Maeki seemed to be fine with her and the hooded man going to the back with him and the nobles, Eirún thought little of her doing so and simply followed them while taking sips of her bowl of soup and mug of ale. That soon changed once the Luxun bodyguard stood in front of her with a hostile stare, going as far as calling her and the hooded man scavengers. The noblewoman, while nowhere near as hostile as the bodyguard didn't seem to be particularly happy with the situation as well, but Eirún could not only forgive, but understand her cautiousness as she spoke, which was different from the outright clear hostility the bodyguard had shown.
Eirún's cold, piercing stare as she looked back to the Luxun bodyguard was enough to tell him everything that was needed without a single word. If that wasn't enough the fact that she had put down her food on top of a nearby stool would further confirm that nothing good would come from provoking or touching her.
Fortunately, Maeki was quick to speak on Eirún and the hooded man's behalf, attesting to their trustworthiness. While the owner of Stone's Throw himself seemed to put a great deal of respect towards the noblewoman, Eirún was still far from blindly trusting them... Especially after the rather dubious first impression. Regardless, with her and the hooded man's trustworthiness not being put into doubt anymore, the noblewoman finally felt comfortable in telling her tale.
Introducing herself as Brigitte Fenris, the noblewoman soon started her inflamed speech. It wasn't long until Eirún's previous suspicions were confirmed... Instigated by the corrupting influence of the Luxun mages, traitors from the Fenris family staged a coup, which resulted in the fall of the house and explained why the ragged nobles came seeking for hired blades... The torrent of emotions swirling and burning in Brigitte's hear as she spoke made it clear that it was a very recent thing and that she was likely still in shock after what happened.
The deep seated mistrust that led to people of her blood to hide themselves amidst the unexplored tundras of Fenris meant Eirún herself didn't have much trust to freely give to nobles, even if they were from the Fenris family... But in the other hand, Eirún and her people hated the Luxun mages as much as any northerner, possibly even more given their history... If there was really a threat of the Luxun mages' presence becoming stronger and more established in the Fenris region, if nothing was done it would be just a matter of time until they brought the land to it's knees, destroying everything in their endless greed.
While Brigitte was undoubtedly still in shock, the emotions she showed in her speech made it clear that she meant the words she said. As she finished speaking, Eirún simply let the silence weight the room, looking directly towards Brigitte, as if evaluating her. It was only after Maeki spoke and Bet suddenly appearing that Eirún finally reacted, giving Brigitte with a firm nod, a clear sign of approval as she put a hand in her chest, before delicately writing her name in the air.
Eirún
Like what Maeki had said before, Brigitte was still a pup, but a wolf nonetheless. Whether she would be capable of truly uniting the north or not, remained to be seen...
Standing at 1.72m, Zahra's lean, tall body and elegant posture give her a regal beauty which is only accentuated by the crown of feathers in her head. Despite that, a closer look hints at her dangerous, predatory nature. From sharp claws and talons to eyes that seem to watch every move, a quick look is all it takes for one to realize the danger that lies beneath her elegant appearance.
Mostly wearing shawls and robes of light fabric, Zahra often favors practical clothes, suited both to protect her from the elements but also do not restrict her movements be it for flight or fight. The warm, sandy hues help both in avoiding excessive heat and unwanted attention due to her plumage. While Zahra was taught to travel light, she often carries a small knapsack on her back with some essential utilities for survival in the desert, including a leather waterskin for emergencies.
Personality & Reputation
Life in the harsh deserts of Verja taught Zahra to be always alert and vigilant. Her few words and sharp gaze give the impression of an aloof and distant woman when in reality, both life and her elders taught her that to trust too easily is to make oneself vulnerable, especially in the unforgiving lands of Verja... A lesson that has not yet failed in keeping her safe and alive.
While her reputation as a guide and guard to those seeking to cross the Verjan deserts did earn her quite a bit respect and even some admiration, the stories told by some of how she seems to show no hesitation before swiftly dealing with bandits and raiders also made many treat her with a great amount of caution.
Despite this somewhat mixed reputation, those who approach Zahra with good intentions, given enough time, often find to be a rather warm and approachable woman. After earning her trust, her cold demeanor warms and gives way to genuine interest and care. Only when Zahra finally shows to genuinely enjoy their presence and companionship that she finally starts opening herself in order to learn more about those she considers close.
History
Zahra's family history can be traced back to the first great massacre the Eidola suffered under the hands of the Huma. Many Eidola chose to isolate themselves into the mountains, but Zahra's ancestors, doubting the Humas' greed wouldn't find a way to follow them there, chose a different path, taking refuge into the dangerous and conflict ridden lands of Verja. The first years were tough. Adapting to a completely different land and style of life wasn't easy for an Eidola. From the scorching heat to the lack of water, to brush was an almost daily occurrence for them. With time and thanks to the merchant caravans they worked for as helpers and sometimes scouts, they learned not only the tricks to navigate the scorching heat but how to navigate the land. From animals and creatures that could be hunted even in the scorching desert in an emergency and how accurately find oasis to replenish their supplies of water to even techniques to conserve as much water as possible when traveling, all this knowledge acquired via good connections and valuable, albeit passing, friends.
Years passed and through the generational knowledge left by her elders, Zahra has more than earned her place among the small community of Eidolas who made the harsh deserts their new home. With a reputation of one of the best guides of the region, she has earned the luxury of being selective with her contracts. Some of this is due to the connections her family built over the years with merchant caravans, who provide her with privileged information regarding safe routes, where bandits and raiders are least active. This relationship with the trading caravans also made it possible for both to plan their routes and specify a temporary 'checkpoint' of sorts, where the merchant caravans can sell their wares to the group Zahra is guiding and both of them can trade both resources and information. In the other hand, keeping neutrality regarding the ongoing conflict between the Aquus and Ceir clans allow her, much like most of the merchant caravans, to avoid the worst consequences of the civil war.
With that said, the bloodstained sands of Verja, while being considered by Zahra as her home, began feeling rather suffocating. With the civil war starting to become fiercer and the desert more dangerous, keeping neutrality has began to get increasingly harder, not only for Zahra, but even the merchant caravans. Her knowledge about the desert and the trade routes, shared with the merchant caravans began being considered as valuable knowledge... Both for each one of the clans, seeking to steal resources and hinder the other but also for the bandits and raiders, who also feel the relation between both clans getting more tenuous. In a short time, the Verja desert began feeling like a barrel of powder. Tense relations between both clans meaning a single spark was enough for an all-out war to break out and the silent, always present threat of the dormant Mount Atyunnata risking making the metaphor of a 'barrel of powder' more than just a metaphor.
With risks far beyond what Zahra could predict or prepare for, and a target slowly being painted on the back of anyone who refused to choose a side, leaving Verja became not a desire, but a necessity... even if only temporarily.
Strengths & Limitations
Skirmisher
Zahra's fighting style is heavily based on agility and mobility. Her agility and speed, both in the air and the ground, allow her to excel in sudden attacks, ambushes or hit and run tactics. She also makes ample use of tactics such as using her wings to blow up sand or dust to either create openings for attack, disorient or even allow her to run or reposition. Her great stamina, thanks both to her light equipment and her physiology allow her to employ attrition tactics with great efficiency or at least makes it easier to run away if outnumbered or outmatched.
Natural Weapons
Being trained to use her claws, talons and sometimes even her beak in melee combat make her strikes unpredictable and quite dangerous against cloth or leather armor. While she can still aim to strike between the plates of an armor or use pure impact to try and deal damage, she has no means to 'pierce' any kind of heavy and metallic armor. Her kicks, even when not taking in consideration her talons, still are deceptively strong due to her long legs and can cause substantial blunt damage.
Thrown weapons
Besides being useful in a myriad of ways for survival, Zahra carries a number of throwing knives with her, hidden in many pockets and folds of her cloak and robes. While having nowhere near the range of a proper ranged weapon, their effective range is still enough to allow her to use them quite effectively at short to middle range.
Survivalist
While most of her knowledge about survival is specific to the arid and desert regions of Verja, Zahra still has enough knowledge to allow her to survive almost exclusively of the things the land can provide, given enough time to familiarize with the region. While graver wounds are still dangerous, her knowledge also allow her to quickly perform first-aid in order to treat minor to medium wounds and at least stabilize graver ones, allowing her to seek proper care.
Connections - Merchant caravans
Thanks to her and her family's close relation with the merchant caravans passing through Verja, they have come to respect and trust and respect her to quite some degree. Calling in a few favors or asking for assistance in times of need are much more likely when dealing with said caravans. Information and trust are the most valuable things a merchant can trade.
Sharp senses
Zahra's senses of hearing and vision are particularly keen. In the other hand, her sense of smell is relatively poor when compared to the other races.
Heat and cold resistance
Generations living in the Verjan deserts allowed Zahra and those of her lineage to physiologically adapt to live in such harsh environment, allowing her to more easily deal with both the scorching heat of the desert days and the freezing nights. She is also able to survive with reduced water intake when compared to normal Eidolas.
Agile Fighter
While her attacks, especially kicks, can have a surprising amount of strength behind them, Zahra's fighting style is still mainly based on speed and agility. She is not fit for direct contests of strength and if restrained, by any means, become quite vulnerable.
Code of honor
Nothing is forgotten. Favor or grievance, trust or betrayal.
Light traveler
Traveling light is more than just a preference. It is a necessity. Carrying more than necessary does more than just slow her down. It affects her traveling speed and even her fighting and flying.
Humid environment
Despite her resistance to cold and heat, Zahra is not suited to humid environments. A hot and humid environment can affect her stamina and movement as feathers retain humidity. Cold and wet environments risk hypothermia and freezing, despite her cold resistance.
Grace fails against steel
Zahra's inability to deal with heavy armor means that outside of relying on blunt damage with her kicks, she is not able to pierce heavy armor. Armored targets and especially shielded formations are especially dangerous and should not be engaged if there is a choice.
Miscellaneous
Her name, Zahra comes from the Arabic root ز هـ ر (z–h–r), which is related to to brightness, blossoming, shining and radiance.
Kōshin's silence was palpable, almost heavy as he entered the room for the meeting. With the previous issues regarding Takaya's actions and plans still unresolved, Kōshin's dissatisfaction with the situation was clear and he himself grew tired of trying to hide it. The plans for having the Daikaku shrine rebuilt weren't a secret for him. In fact, despite the growing... dissatisfaction with the way Takaya was acting, he was still grateful for it... All of that changed in that meeting in the very moment he heard Takaya and his sister, Kaname's next words, mentioning the location would not be disclosed to him...
"Then it is the Daikaku Shrine no longer." Kōshin said with a firm tone.
"My previous statement remains unchanged, Takaya. Should the monks from the other branches decide I should step down as the head monk due to my failure to protect the Daikaku Temple, I will gladly step down... But this is an internal matter to be decided by the Daikaku monks." he continued as he looked to Takaya specifically.
"The Daikaku Temple has been supporting the Demon Slayer Corps for countless years... But we are still a neutral party. Whether they are slayers or even demons seeking peaceful coexistence and refuge, we would gladly accept both under our roof. I insist for you to not try to drag us to power struggles between Demon Slayer Corps branches or into wars we have no part in. Remember this, Ubuyashiki Takaya and Kaname... The Daikaku monks are not soldiers... Much less your soldiers." Kōshin said, his voice, firm and unshakeable, leaving little room for misinterpretation or argumentation.
With those words said, Kōshin silently gave a step back again, resuming the heavy silence from before. The Slayer Corps had their own problems to deal with and even though Kōshin had volunteered to help, he was still not a Hashira or even a member of the Demon Slayer Corps... Something he wanted to be sure that Takaya would not forget.
Ever since the attack on the Daikaku Temple, an ominous feeling has been worrying Kōshin. Between the demons' movement and how the Demon Slayer Corps was acting, he was afraid that the war between all involved factions was unavoidable... as it was the loss of innocent lives when it finally started.
"Om Mani Padme Hum..." Kōshin chanted to himself in a low tone, invoking the wisdom and compassion of Avalokiteshvara to aid him into easing his worries.
"Humanity takes great pride in three things. Their willpower, their greed and their mortality.
Their will and endless greed allows them to grow and ascend past other creatures
But their mortality denies them divinity
It's a delightful purgatory between being Fallen and being Divine"
[hider=Character 'archive' (because graveyard really doesn't sound nice)]
http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/144877-13orgs-characters/ooc
[/hider]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">"Humanity takes great pride in three things. Their willpower, their greed and their mortality.<br><br>Their will and endless greed allows them to grow and ascend past other creatures<br>But their mortality denies them divinity<br><br>It's a delightful purgatory between being Fallen and being Divine"<br><br><div class="hider-panel"><div class="hider-heading"><button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-xs hider-button" data-name="Character 'archive' (because graveyard really doesn't sound nice)">Character 'archive' (because graveyard really doesn't sound nice) [+]</button></div><div class="hider-body" style="display: none"><a href="http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/144877-13orgs-characters/ooc" title="http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/144877-13orgs-characters/ooc">roleplayerguild.com/topics/144877-13o…</a></div></div><br></div>
xVampire3go
Bacon
shylarah
HylianRose
Silly
Dane
xAlter
Apollosarcher
JinGuangyao
Haha
