Bounty Head Bebop Comlink
Play By Post Section => Mythic Nippon: The Demon God of Sendai => Trophy Room => Side Quests => Topic started by: BerkaZerka on October 18, 2013, 07:32:31 am
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Feeling the need to unwind from his long journey, Udo heads out into the wilderness to revisit some of his favorite sites. His plan is to meditate and train a bit in the wild, thus preparing himself for the next time the Daimyo needs him.
After wandering a full day among the foothills south and west of Sendai, Udo runs into a patch of forest strangely devoid of animal sounds or sign. Unfortunately, it is also starting to get dark and something about this particular place causes his hairs on the back of his neck to prickle - as if unknown dangers lurk just out of sight, waiting for the right time to pounce!
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Feeling the need to unwind from his long journey, Udo heads out into the wilderness to revisit some of his favorite sites. His plan is to meditate and train a bit in the wild, thus preparing himself for the next time the Daimyo needs him.
After wandering a full day among the foothills south and west of Sendai, Udo runs into a patch of forest strangely devoid of animal sounds or sign. Unfortunately, it is also starting to get dark and something about this particular place causes his hairs on the back of his neck to prickle - as if unknown dangers lurk just out of sight, waiting for the right time to pounce!
Love the wild, even if it's a whole lot less tame than civilization, at least they don't blather as much
Udo moves on, using his staff to pass any terrain. He looks around for specific tracks, plants, and overall terrain to see if he still remembers all this stuff.
Good thing I left Rei back in Sendai, he wouldn't like who I'm trying to recruit...
"Ugh" Udo says as nighttime approaches, "I'll have to set up camp soon..."
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Looking around, Udo does indeed find a bunch of tracks scattered throughout the area - small clawed footprints of some bipedal creature.
Unfortunately, Udo has seen these before - they're Bakemono (or Goblin) tracks - and lots of them too. It certainly won't be safe to bed down in this area for the night...
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Looking around, Udo does indeed find a bunch of tracks scattered throughout the area - small clawed footprints of some bipedal creature.
Unfortunately, Udo has seen these before - they're Bakemono (or Goblin) tracks - and lots of them too. It certainly won't be safe to bed down in this area for the night...
Ooh, damn, if it was animal I'd be able to calm it, goblins are a different matter though...
"Ugh" Udo says as he takes. Out his silver-spear, and puts his staff on his back. He continues to move, probably faster also, hopefully getting out of this forest ASAP. He keeps looking behind him and around, trying to detect any goblins.
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As Udo move away from the area, he stumbles across the corpses of many woodland creature scattered about - notably birds, squirrels, a fox, and some deer.
Many of them have small crude arrows stuck in them and have also been brutally chopped to bits. And there are also more goblin tracks.
Apparently, goblins enjoy killing for the sake of killing.
It then occurs to Udo that unless something is done about the goblins, this part of the forest will become an evil zone of death and decay.
It's also likely that more powerful Oni will be attracted to the area once the goblins have made it nice and dismal...
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Ugh... Poor Bambi!
Udo looks around,
"Well! I guess this is a good time to rest! Ayup, definitely, very safe in this forest I hear" He says loudly.
He lays down to rest, but he doesn't really. He puts his silver spear on his lap, and pretends to sleep. He is playing as bait for the goblins, who will hopefully try to kill him. After they are lured, he will quickly attack them.
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Udo waits...
After it gets dark, a small shower blows through the area, making everything damp and cold.
Udo continues to wait...
Udo notes from the smell that the dead animals are more than a day old.
The night passes. Udo waits...
No goblins.
Udo watches the light from the morning sun begin to filter in through the trees...
Udo is now Fatigued and the goblin tracks have degraded some due to last night's rain.
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"Dang it" Udo mutters as he yawns. He shuffles around, moving forward, but paying attention to the goblin tracks, following them if they are clear enough.
He spends a surge point to wear off the fatigue.
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After managing to make out enough of the goblin tracks to actually follow them, Udo travels about three miles from where he 'camped out' into a hilly rock-strewn area.
As he climbs up a slope and moves along a ridge, he spots what could be a clearing up ahead.
Sniffing the air, he suddenly becomes aware of a terrible body odor and realizes that it's not his own (for once). Crouching low and listening, he then hears a bunch of comically high-pitched snoring sounds emanating from the clearing ...
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After managing to make out enough of the goblin tracks to actually follow them, Udo travels about three miles from where he 'camped out' into a hilly rock-strewn area.
As he climbs up a slope and moves along a ridge, he spots what could be a clearing up ahead.
Sniffing the air, he suddenly becomes aware of a terrible body odor and realizes that it's not his own (for once). Crouching low and listening, he then hears a bunch of comically high-pitched snoring sounds emanating from the clearing ...
Ugh, and they said that I smelled...
Udo, trying to be as stealthy as possible, examines them, while holding his silver spear close to him. He looks for Goblins that are awake/alert, and ones that are alone, slowly picking them off as he continues on.
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Cautiously peering into the clearing, Udo sees about two dozen Bakemono Goblins flopped across the ground sleeping late into the morning. The creatures are each about the size of a young child, but with green and yellow skin, fat potbellies, long goat-like ears, and wearing fresh uncured furs and pelts for clothing. They each have a crude assortment of stone clubs, axes, and spears laying nearby - while Udo only sees one with a bow (and those crude black fletched arrows he had seen earlier).
As Udo observes the scene, a sudden movement catches his attention from the center of the clearing. There, a small ancient-looking shrine of some sort stands - but cracked open somehow (as if once struck by lightning). A five inch wide fissure runs up the face of the shrine and that is where the movement originates from.
As Udo watches, a flay of grotesque black tentacles slowly reach out of the fissure in the shrine, and then wrap themselves abruptly around a sleeping goblin. Then, with a quick yank, the tentacles withdraw the stunned goblin back in through the fissure!
A muffled scream - followed by heavy bone crunching sounds - is heard from within the dark fissure - but none of the other sleeping goblins seem to hear it and continue snoring away loudly...
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Yuck, that's gotta hurt...
Udo Kuwabara moves away from any range of the shrine, he observes the goblins, to see if they're sleeping naturally, or whether some sorta magic is doing this. He also tries to examine any of the tentacles of the monstrous being. He tries to be as silent as possible, listening and watching.
Hopefully it's just some sort of forest spirit... thing... that isn't going to kill me on first site...
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Udo has no reason to doubt that the Goblins aren't just slumbering lazily.
As for the monster in the fissure, it seems to only be able to reach out through the crack about twenty feet - and seems much too big to squeeze anything more than a few tentacles through the opening. Whatever it is, it sweeps its tentacles out once more, but finds no goblins within reach - and then pulls back into the darkness in a manner reminiscent of the way a hermit crab retreats back into its own shell...
Udo gets the feeling that the monster in the fissure (whatever it is) is at least as big as a small house - even though the shrine itself is barely five feet high and three feet wide. That crack in the shrine must be a portal to some underworld or something...
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Shit! Bad day bad day bad day!
Udo picks up a nearby twig, and tosses it in range, wondering how fast it would react, if at all. He also doesn't forget to watch his surroundings, in case a bad situation may become worse.
If it is taken, he also looks to see it passing through the portal...
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The twig lands and lies - with no response from whatever may be lurking inside the fissure...
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Udo uses his tinder box to light a tree branch on fire. He looks at the odd portal thing, and makes sure to get no closer than 25 feet, and chucks the flaming branch at it.
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The flaming branch lands near the shrine, but nothing stirs from within. The Goblins meanwhile, continue to snooze away, as yet unaware of your presence ...
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Udo, irked, carefully grabs a sleeping goblin, and chokes (grapple move) it until it dies. He then throws it into the shrine area.
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Udo creeps out and successfully throttles a sleeping goblin. He then tosses the body toward the crack in the ancient shrine.
Just as he suspects, the disgusting flay of dark tentacles shoot out to snatch up the corpse and draw it in.
Then follows more crunching sounds - and a sudden high-shrill voice yelling angrily from within the shrine itself!
Udo then hears the distinct crack of a whip and whatever is inside the shrine roars bellowously - followed by more yelling and more whip-cracking!
Udo hurries back to cover, at the edge of the clearing, as the noise begins to awaken the sleeping goblins.
Then, after a few moments of whip-cracking and yelling, the shrine goes quiet and Udo observes three more goblins actually squeeze themselves out of the shrine through the fissure - their small size allowing them to pass through!
Of the three new goblins, one is a female, dressed in a red robe, who carries a long black bullwhip; while the other two wear breastplates with real swords and carry two large pickaxes, that they carefully extract from the hole in the shrine.
The female goblin then yells some more - this time at the sleeping goblins - and they all jump up and gather round the other three.
Udo then sees the two breastplate-wearing goblins toss the pick axes to some random peons and instruct them to begin chipping away at the crack in the shrine!
As this goes on, a lone black tentacle creeps partway out of the hole to 'sniff' the air around one of the worker's legs...
A single crack from the female goblin's whip however, causes the tentacle to quickly withdraw back into the darkness.
Ever so slowly, the fissure in the shrine gets bigger and bigger, as the goblin workers chip away at it...
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Udo, eyes popping, makes an odd sort of banging sound, trying to mp get the attention of the fighter goblins, and then ambushing them.
Should they not react, Udo Kuwabara would try to go around the area, and get as close to the goblin shaman, to kill her with his spear (if possible, not sure of the layout of the place), even if giving away his position.
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As Udo makes a little noise, the Goblins all shriek and holler loudly - rushing as a horde into the brush! (Apparently, they really hate the sound...)
Udo is able to surprise attack two of the goblins - killing both - before the remaining twenty begin pelting him with thrown axes, stone-tipped spears, and an arrow.
Udo is critted with an Axe to the shoulder for 14 Damage, but spends a Luck Point to counter the Crit and then another to halve the damage. Udo is then struck by two more axes and two spears for 5, 10, 12, and 12 more points of damage.
Realizing that he is not properly equipped (or backed-up) to face the goblins all by himself, Udo's 'fight-or-flight' response begins blaring the 'flight' alarm loud and clear in his head...
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Udo, while fighting the goblins, is about to retreat, suddenly, a 'lucky break' happens...
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Unseen, high in the branches above Udo, is a lone squirrel. Seeing the goblins rushing forward with their shrieking high-pitched battle cries and hoot-hollering - it startles and scampers off a branch - leaping into another tree to flee the area.
As it springs off its perch - a rather dry-rotted branch at that - the branch snaps free of the tree - falling onto Udo's head and knocking him out cold...
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Udo Kuwabara is knocked out.
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The goblins gather around Udo's groggy form and look up, trying to see what caused the branch to fall. When it is clear that no more will be coming down, they grab Udo and drag him before their female leader.
She growls something in their native tongue and the goblins toss Udo's body at the now slightly wider fissure in the ancient shrine.
The nasty flay of dark tentacles lash out abruptly and pull Udo in!
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The goblins meanwhile, continue chipping away at the shrine until they have reduced it to rubble - revealing a shadowy pallor that lingers over the site – like some kind of ghostly black curtain that separates the worlds.
The female goblin commands her minions to step back and she calls forth the beast from the darkness. Then lumbering through the now unsealed portal is a pitch-black monstrosity standing vaguely tree-like on three enormously squat trunks – each ending in a bulbous mass of gnarled hide that sinks several feet into the ground with every step. Above, and reaching almost forty feet tall, the main bulk of the thing is a profusion of enormous writhing tentacles, sprouting like the limbs of a tree from a giant tumorous growth of knotted bark-like dermas where the three trunk-legs fuse together.
With a bellowous roar, a gigantic toothy maw opens centrally in what could be called the top of its head and the smell of open grave billows out. The massive tentacles then reach down and snatch up a number of goblins that failed to heed the leader's instructions to back away far enough – who are then carried screaming into the crushing jaws of the monstrous horror. Bones snap loudly as bodies are crunched messily within – blood and viscera spraying out from between a tangle of long sharp teeth.
Again the female leader cracks her whip and the titanic thing responds – shirking back, as if the tiny goblin whip could actually hurt it somehow.
The female goblin then barks out some orders and the tentacled horror slowly begins plodding to the west, knocking trees down as it goes, and leaving deep furrows in the earth, where its massive trunk-like legs sink in with every earth-shaking step.
After letting the thing get a good lead on them, the goblins follow behind it – disappearing up into the foothills that climb higher into the mountains beyond.
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Back in the Underword, Udo suddenly manages to shake off the unconsciousness. He vaguely recalls getting ‘sniffed over’ and then summarily rejected – and tossed into a dark corner. Maybe he did smell worse than a goblin after all – or something about him didn’t appeal to its sense of taste.
Either way Udo was still alive; and found himself in a strange cavernous underworld. Looking around, he could see a faint glimmer of light, shining in through a dark wispy curtain of some kind to one side of the unfathomably huge cavern he was now in. It appeared to be the clearing where the goblins had once been.
As for the cavern itself and the underworld, Udo could not see the depth of it – but noises and echoes in the darkness suggested something of truly cyclopean scale…
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Udo Kuwabara, doing breathing exercises and pinching himself, to make sure he isn't dreaming, looks around. He tries to huddle in to a part of the cavern (perhaps a crevice?) that he wouldn't be seen by whatever lurks there. He applies medication to himself, as he is almost dieing.
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Udo binds up his wounds as best he can, given the limited light, and restores 9 Vitality Points.
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Hmm, should heal myself more soon...
Udo turns on his lantern, (at lowest possible light, if any), and walks slowly toward the glimmer of light, staying close to the wall.
"Odd"
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The glimmer of light does indeed come from the clearing Udo had been in earlier. The shadowy curtain-like thing must be a portal between wherever 'here' is and the real world...
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Hmm, I don't think I should leave just yet...
He lays some caltrops in front of the portal, so that if the goblins come in they'd be damaged. Leaving his lantern on, he walks back, looking for the source of the noise. While walking, he also continues healing himself (I assume it is possible...)
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Udo checks his wounds again, but figures he's already done all he can for them.
Then creeping along the wall with the lantern low, towards the sounds of strange echoing noises, something shrieks loudly out of the darkness suddenly and brushes past him! Before he even has a chance to see what it is, everything goes black!
...
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The next thing Udo realizes, he is standing in the middle of Sendai's District of Academia (as if he had just teleported there from inside the mysterious cavern)...
"Udo, are you all right?" Sakura is asking him - "Why are you all bandaged and slimy looking?"
"More so than usual at I mean..."
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What? Something isn't as it seems... I think
Udo looks around,
"Uh hello Sakura..." Udo pauses, "I, uh, fell..."
Udo looks around again, looking for any discrepancies, or people acting odd.
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"Fell into what?" Sakura asks.
As for things being out of place, the only thing that Udo is aware of being 'out of place' is himself.
Yep. He definitely should not be here in Sendai right now. Maybe something used some kind of banishing spell on him... or something...
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"Uh, there was some goblins shamans, a tentacle oni-demon thing... Weird stuff" Udo says, still glancing around.
"So, uh, just out of curiosity, is it possible for someone to be teleported from a different dimension, to Sendai" Udo asks, "just, err, wondering..."
Meanwhile he also looks for a mirror or glass to look at himself, to see just how bad he looks...
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"Well, sure," Sakura replies, the Dismiss spell will do that - though I'm not sure if you can cross dimensions with it."
"But you said Oni?" Sakura presses - looking concerned - "Where? Oni are serious! Are they here in Sendai?"
* Udo looks beat half to death...
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"No, no, in the far away forest... Or something..." Udo gasps
"Can you give me a heal sakura?" He asks, clutching his arm, or wherever was hit.
After, Udo thanks her, pauses, and attempts to walk outside the building.
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"Ooh, I love doing that," Sakura says with a grin and successfully Heals Udo Off The Cuff - though she flinches at the pain it causes her to do so.
* Udo is already outside (the two are standing in the street)...
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OOC: Ah, sorry
Udo once again looks at his body, marveling at the magical healing.
"Thanks Sakura... I... I don't know how I got here..." Udo says, really confused.
"Anyways, what are you doing here? And I didn't know you did heal spells, haha, we could of used that in the last mission..." Udo eyes her questionably.
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"Yeah, that's very strange," Sakura replies, holding her side as if in pain, "As for the Healing Spell, I do that off the cuff - though perhaps I should invest in the Focus Sphere from now on."
"Speaking of which, if you'll excuse me now, I'm going to go visit a healer myself, I think I may have burned out my spleen..."
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"Ooh, sorry Sakura, probably not a fun thing... healing focus sphere would be useful..." Udo says, a bit 'out of it'
"If you want, I could heal you, then it'd be easier for you to walk" Udo says, wondering what her answer is. He extends his hand, which most people try to ignore, and not shake/hold.
Why the hell would I be sent back here? This seriously makes no sense...
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"Are you kidding?" Sakura asks with an appalled look - "Last I knew, you did that gross surgery stuff. No Thanks. Ick!"
Then looking Udo over, she asks, genuinely concerned - "What the heck is wrong with you Udo? The Heal spell cures everything - even mental 'dealie-bobbies'... I think - though maybe not psychosis..."
"Maybe you should go find Yuki and have her do that Aura Reading thing on you that she likes to do?"
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Wow, since when did she talk so much? Well, at least her reaction was normal...
"Hey, that surgery stuff worked, and with a hurt spleen walking can be very painful" Udo says, "Anyways, what does the psychosis do?" Udo asks, not knowing much of anything with spells and such.
"And didn't Yuki leave town for whatever she needed to do? Pretty sure most of 'the team' had things to do..."
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"Yuki's been back over a week now," Sakura replies - "and Psychosis is no fun - it makes you crazy."
"The only one who's still 'out' is Kirito," Sakara adds - "No one even knows where he is. Everyone was wondering about you as well, but here you are now. Oh, and Yasuo was killed in Morioka last week in some sort of horrific fire!"
Then Sakura whispers - "They're blaming him for the death of twenty five citizens of Morioka - real bad stuff there!"
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People have always been telling me I'm crazy...
Udo, disoriented, "Yasuo? He died? How long have I been gone...?" He says uncertainly, but in a serious tone.
"I... Should find Yuki... Thank you Sakura, where is she?" Udo says, gruffly.
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"Well, today is the 22nd Day of Spring's Birth if that helps you any Udo," Sakura says.
"As for Yuki, I don't know where she is at this very moment, but I'm sure she wouldn't be to hard to find."
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Well... I wasn't gone that long... But what the hell happened?
Udo breathes deeply, and keeps pinching himself.
"Alright... Do you know where the family of Shirahata lives? I swear, the name is familiar..." Udo says solemnly, "I need to get this sorted out..."
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Sakura directs Udo to Yuki's house.
As Udo walks away, Sakura thinks to herself - 'Oh gosh, I hope Udo doesn't mention that I told him where to find her. Oops... hehehe.'
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Arriving at Yuki's house, Udo happens to see Yuki nearby...
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Arriving at Yuki's house, Udo happens to see Yuki nearby...
Udo waves awkwardly, vaguely remembering the last time he talked to her on the trip.
"Uh, hey Yuki. I, ah, need your help..."
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Udo waves awkwardly, vaguely remembering the last time he talked to her on the trip.
"Uh, hey Yuki. I, ah, need your help..."
Yuki turns to Udo and tilts her head.
"Hm? What for?"
She asks.
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"Uh, the thing is... I'm not sure" Udo replies slowly, "Imtalked to Sakura, and she pointed me to you, something about an Aura Read, and a psychosis" Udo continues.
"I don't know much about either, but I want to know if something's wrong with me" Udo chuckles, "Imagine that" He says as he wipes his nose.
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"Hmmm...Sakura said so...."
Yuki replies in a rather unconvinced sounding tone. She then pulls out her lopan and checks Udo's aura as per his request.
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Udo's Aura is normal and he carries no Psychosis - though he does have about eleven days worth of memory loss for some odd reason...
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Yuki looks up from her lopan and speaks to Udo.
"Nope, according to this you're fine.....probably...."
She then takes a good hard look at Udo.
"....not....."
She finishes with a slight head tilt again.
"Are you alright?"
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"I don't know..." Udo shakes his head.
Wait...
"Yuki..." Udo pauses, "I was in a forest... And there was an odd demon poking out of a house..." Udo says slowly, straining his brain, "And goblin priests" Udo says trying to remember 11 days ago. "And it was destroying the forest"
"The demon, or whatever it was, was being brought out by some shaman, who knows what it's done to the forest now..." His eyes perk up, "Yuki, you probably know of Occult stuff, can you help?" Udo says, more sure of himself.
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Yuki ponders what Udo says.
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Seeing that Yuki may not know what to do, Udo Kuwabara adds on,
"Hmm, uh, fine. I should go talk to Sakura again, she may know what to do... You could come if you want" Udo says, hoping she'll come. "Actually, I may try to get others to help... This may be quite serious..."
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Again Yuki ponders for a moment.
"Sure! Hehe, this should be fun!"
She replies.
"So, where's Sakura?"
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Udo grins, "Awesome, so, Sakura was in... The district of academia! Douubt she left, should get to her quick though"
Udo replies. While walking to (assumably) where Sakura is, he asks Yuki, "Is there anyone you think would like to come? I mean, that demon was monstrous" Udo says, making hand motions, "It was really powerful, hopefully a wu-Jen will be enough..."
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"Hmm....Sakura didn't want to come with Miya and I when we went to hunt our oni, so I doubt she'll want to come now."
Yuki remarks.
"Let's just ask everyone! It'll be more fun that way, hehe."
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"But... Isn't Sakura the only one who could banish it? Even Kirito hasn't come back yet, I think. Worth asking again anyways."
Udo laughs and continues, "So, guess we'll search for Roka and Miya, and see if Sakura could come. And Kirito if he is even in Sendai..."
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"Hmm, alright, let's look for Roka first, and see if he wants to go. We'll get to Sakura last"
Udo searches for Roka.
OOC: Que Aman? XD
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Yuki tilts her head.
"Did Sakura already tell you Yasou is dead? What about inviting Keitaro?"
Yuki asks, knowing that Udo was gone when Yasou died, and didn't have any memory of the last 10 days.
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Wow, she tilts her head a lot...
"Yeah, Sakura told me, apparently he caused some sort of explosion or something..." Udo's face looks kind of solemn or something, "Odd, that he died, too bad I guess" Udo says earnestly, not knowing Yasuo too well before or after the trip.
"I... Guess we should ask Keitaro..." Udo says reluctantly, "Though he may have that tournament thing to arrange, not sure if he has time"
Hopefully
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Instead of tilting her head, Yuki's ears wiggle slightly.
"Let's go then! Off to Roka!"
Yuki says happily, marching forward.
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Of course, finding Roka is an easy feat, though he just happens to be waving to a commoner as the two arrive.
Seeing Udo and Yuki togheter, Roka looks perplexed, but simply shrugs, and gives Udo a thumbs up.
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Of course, finding Roka is an easy feat, though he just happens to be waving to a commoner as the two arrive.
Seeing Udo and Yuki togheter, Roka looks perplexed, but simply shrugs, and gives Udo a thumbs up.
Udo shakes his head, laughing.
"Nah, not what you think Roka." Udo says, waving, "I'm looking for our teammates, there was a disruption in the forest, demons and other stuff, I think." Udo, says whilst walking, "So I'm gathering some people to help me kill it, or something along those lines."
"You in?" Udo says, extending his hand.
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"I, uh.... suppose?" Roka says, shrugging. "What were you doing in the forest?"
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"I, uh.... suppose?" Roka says, shrugging. "What were you doing in the forest?"
"Cool, I was... Uh, just sort of traveling, haven't trekked through the forests since I came to study here. Thought that it'd be a good thing to get away from the noise of civilization, naturally I stumbled upon some sort of demon voodoo." Udo laughs.
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Huh, didn't expect him to come.
"Alrighty" Udo declares, "Let's head to Sakura"
*Batman transition theme
"Hey, Sakura" Udo says waving, "Yuki didn't find any phsycohosis, but I ask of you to come with us to dispel the demon thingy." Udo says in one breath, "Please?"
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"Oh, hi guys!" Sakura replies, seeing Udo, Yuki, and Roka - "Do you like my new Familiar? I special made it off the cuff - its a Spirit Familiar!"
Looking, everyone can see a wispy blue ghost-like creature floating over Sakura's shoulder. It sort of looks like light shining through a small cloud of fog with smiling chibi eyes (and not much more).
Apparently, Sakura is waiting for comments on her new 'pet' before listening to what Udo just said...
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"Sure you didn't burst your spleen again?" Udo asks, jokingly.
"Anyways, uh, nice familiar, what does it do?"
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"I'm not really sure yet," Sakura gushes proudly - "It's incorporeal, so it sort of just sits there. I'm not even sure it can manifest and interact with the real world. Isn't that cool?!"
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"Nice cloud Sakura" Roka says, chuckling.
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"Eh, squirrels are cooler. But whatever works for you" Udo says, chuckling a bit,
"But, ah, to the matter at hand, uh, we don't want the demon to destroy the forest, or spread to human lands, so we should, uh, banish it as soon as possible. Can you help us?"
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Yuki runs up to the familiar and attempts to touch it.
"Ohhh, it's so cute!"
She gushes.
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Yuki finds that the Spirit Familiar really is 'ghost-like' - her hand passes right through it - but it does seem to start purring from all the attention it is getting.
"Yep. he's a keeper!" Sakura smiles.
"And it just so happens that I learned the Protection Magic Sphere in my recent studies," Sakura continues, "so I can Dispel Magic and place Magic Wards now!"
"Of course, I don't think you can actually dispel an Oni... but Fling and Wither will usually do the trick."
"So, Udo - I believe the first thing for you to do is take us out to where you saw the Oni in the first place..."
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Udo is surprised that Sakura isn't serious about this, at all, but he continues.
"Ah, right, it's right over (wherever the forest is)" Udo says, glad that he has the support. "Though I want to see if Miya could come with us..."
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"Alright, off to find Miya" Udo searches for Miya...
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"This way!"
Yuki says happily, leading Udo to wherever she feels Miya is at the time.
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Hearing the shouts of his Comrads, Keitaro rushes towards the voices.
"Hey, can you hear me?" Keitaro shouts out. He had been told to come and find his friends and that's what he plans to do....
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"Oh hi, Keitaro," Sakura says, "How's the tournament prep work going?"
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The fool comes... Why?
"Uh, what are you doing here Keitaro?" Udo says, annoyed that 'man-period' Keitaro randomly came, and will likely try to randomly kill him on the trip.
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"I uh Just came to see what was goin on. I heard you guys yelling while I was out getting some fine containers for my rock collection. And th tournament prep is finished, the date is next week. Hi Udo"
Keitaro looks neutral towards Udo. Being dense as he is, he probably doesn't even remember the whole incident...
-
"More importantly Keitaro!"
Yuki says suddenly and in a very serious tone.
"Look at Sakura's spirit pet!"
She says affectionately, again attempting to pet it (even though she can't touch it) as her tail wags back and forth.
"It's so cute!"
-
OOC: If i use my spirit sight would it reveal anything about the pet?
BIC: Keitaro looks at the pet and grins. "Nice, how did you get that?" Turning his attention back to Yuki, "What are you guys doing?"
-
Yuki turns away from the pet for a moment.
"We're gathering people to fight some forest oni that Udo ran away from....probably...."
She replies.
-
"hmmm, I like fighting things. I will come along."
-
"I uh Just came to see what was goin on. I heard you guys yelling while I was out getting some fine containers for my rock collection. And th tournament prep is finished, the date is next week. Hi Udo"
Keitaro looks neutral towards Udo. Being dense as he is, he probably doesn't even remember the whole incident...
OOC: being dense doesn't necessarily mean that he has a bad memory... XD
Udo grits his teeth, but retains composure, "We weren't shouting... And don't you have stuff to do? Tournament and all, speeches or whatever you do?"
Wait! Udo! This is your neutral elf speaking!
What?
Doesn't matter, Keitaro may die on the trip, maybe you could take him along feed him to the beast!
That doesn't sound neutral at all...
So?
... No... that isn't what Sen would want me to do, I'm a healer, not a killer
"Err, Keitaro, I don't think you need to go. I mean, what happens if something attacks Sendai? They'll need a dominator of the battlefield to help ward them off" Udo says, knowing that Keitaro has a bit of an ego.
-
"Well what if something attacks you? Or my friends?"
OOC: hahaha :) no hard feelings bud.
Bic: "I couldnt live with that, knowing I could have saved you."
-
Well, at least he's honest about it, sorta
Udo's face is filled with confusion, "Why'd we need to be saved? We have the wujen Sakura, the wonderful Yuki Shirahata, and Roka. Perhaps Miya too" If Fireplay ever responds... "I really doubt we're going to have any trouble..."
Udo continues, "Though I would like a peak at your rock collection, I like rocks too..."
OOC: None taken man, since, you know, he was talking about Udo (I think?) XD
-
"I think we can handle this Keitaro," Sakura says, "No need to trouble yourself if you're still busy with Tournament stuff."
-
Udo sighs in agreement, "If you really want to come, you can, but you really don't have too..." He says.
I shouldn't have said the first part...
-
"Honestly, though, I think having the whole crew along would be good. We haven't talked as a group since our last mission, even though some major stuff have occured." Roka says.
-
"As long as 'Angry K' here can calm himself haha. It would be pretty cool though" Udo admits, "But yeah, that whole Yasuo stuff happened while I was out" his expression darkens a slight bit.
"And I don't really know what's up with Kirito either..."
-
Miya happens to find them as she is walking down the street they are on.
O heyz guyz, ow r u? ;D "Hey guys, what are you all gathering together about?"
-
"Miya, perfect timing. We were all just about to head out for a little demon hunting. Would be great to have you accompany us." Roka says, bowing to Miya.
"As for what Udo just brought up. Yasuo brought great dishonor upon us. We can't allow such reckless behaviors from our team again. We can't allow ourselves to attempt difficult things without the others to back us up. Who knows, if a couple of us were with Yasuo, perhaps we could have stopped the great dishonor from occurring. It is for that reason, that I dislike the idea of us all splitting up after orders. We should stick togheter, in most cases, at least."
-
"Indeed, if I were not alone, the whole demon quest we're doing now would've been solved. Admittedly, it isn't our fault for Yasuo's death, it was rather reckless to attempt that alone."
Udo, although discussing a sad occurrence, is somewhat cheerful. Are these friends?
Udo wipes his nose, and rubs it off on his jacket, "Yes, it would be great if you could join us Miya. I doubt an ONI and a couple of goblins can defeat the whole team together."
-
"I agree with that, Our..." Miya gesture to Yuki and herself. "...adventure would have likely gone better if we had taken a meat shie; I mean warrior with us."
Miya seems amused that Yuki and Udo are standing so close to each other in the group.
"So what kind of Oni are we hunting? Any specific type?"
-
"Uh, right. Not sure what it was, but it was about the size of a house, with tentacles and stuff. There was a goblin shaman, and about a dozen goblins. And a separate dimension hole, but I don't know what to make of that..." Udo says, his memory still not completely up to shape. He makes sure to use an odd sign language, mostly made up of outrageous arm distances and the like.
-
"It is that dimensional 'thing' that concerns me the most," Sakura says... "Best you take us there straight away," she directs to Udo.
-
"Alright, uh," He glances at Keitaro, who seems to have gone mute, "Alright, I'll go and get my stuff, and then we'll go.
Udo quickly gets his stuff (pretty much any inventory since he didn't bring it last time XD) and they start trekking to the destination.
"Sakura, is there a teleportation spell? That'd get us there faster..."
-
"Oh yes, and a Gate Spell too," Sakura answers - "but I would need to have been there before I could cast a spell to it..."
-
"Oh, we'll I suppose you've wandered outside of Sendai before right? It could speed up the trip substantially if we could even get slightly closer..." Udo says, "Since we need to get there as soon as possible, who knows what the demon has done..."
-
"I better not Udo," Sakura replies, for the first time seeming hesitant to try casting off the cuff - "I got healed by the Priest of Sendai from the Healing Spell I cast on you, but then took more spleen damage summoning my nifty little familiar (and it's not like I could go back to the Priest and ask for another Healing after that)..."
"You're not trying to make me kill myself are you?"
-
Udo looks confused, "Uh, thanks for healing me and all, but I still have no idea what spells you have, and I'm still not even sure what cuff you're talking about..."
Udo continues, "But, uh, let's just continue, shall we?"
-
"So what exactly are we set out to do Udo?"
Keitaro looks confused as to the whole situation.
-
"... As you may have heard, we are killing a demon and a bunch of goblins and a shaman. I'm sure it'll involve more near death situations, but we totally got this" Udo says, marching forward.
-
"... As you may have heard, we are killing a demon and a bunch of goblins and a shaman. I'm sure it'll involve more near death situations, but we totally got this" Udo says, marching forward.
"Nonsense I will come along, with my spirit sight and spirit cutting I can be useful/"
-
"Uh, we already agreed that you can come along if you want Keitaro..." Udo says, annoyed that he neither has a rock collection nor is he listening to anything important.
Well, at best he could help us kill some goblins. At worst? Sakura has to knock him out after he goes into a female gorilla-period...
-
"Nonsense I will come along, with my spirit sight and spirit cutting I can be useful/"
Yuki just tilts her head and stares blankly at Keitaro.
-
"So were we actually going to start our journey or continue to make noise?"
Miya says to the crowd as she listens to them.
-
"Uh, we already agreed that you can come along if you want Keitaro..." Udo says, annoyed that he neither has a rock collection nor is he listening to anything important.
Well, at best he could help us kill some goblins. At worst? Sakura has to knock him out after he goes into a female gorilla-period...
"Well, it sounded like Sakura was unsure." Keitaro fiddles with the wrapping on his ancestral nagamaki, obviously bored.
-
Knowing the general location where he saw the goblins, Udo leads the group about six hours into the foothills south and west of Sendai. There, everyone comes upon a patch of forest strangely devoid of animal sounds or sign. In fact, the vegetation here seems half dead and the trees are gnarled and twisted as if wracked in the very throes of pain!
Something about it causes the hairs on the back of the neck to prickle – as if unknown dangers lurk just out of sight, waiting for the right time to pounce! And Yuki’s Danger Sense confirms that is true…
---
Then, stepping into an ash-charred clearing littered with the bones of animal and human alike, the Samurai of Sendai see a blackened pile of rubble that was once the Shrine Udo had seen (eleven days ago) – over which hangs a shadowy pallor – like some kind of ghostly black curtain that separates the worlds…
-
"Well, you didn't say it was this bad, Udo..." Sakura says, casting Unbreakable...
-
"Damn, didn't realize we'd be entering a dead forest." Roka mutters.
-
Keitaro clinches his sword and uses his magic sight/spot/and evaluate abilities to take in and asses the situation.
-
Using the Spirit Sight granted by his sword, Keitaro sees three unmanifested wraith-like spirits rise up from the scattered bones and move towards his companions!
"Damn, I knew you would be a problem," Sakura says - and hits Keitaro with Fling - before he can even say anything.
The stunned company watches as the Keitaro goes blasting up through gnarled tree branches like a ragdoll - taking 30SL Damage - and landing five hundred feet up a hillside in a self-made crater!
---
(OOC - combat rounds everyone...)
-
Roka looks shocked at his allies betrayal.
"What the hell Sakura?!" Roka shouts, immediately surging with strength using his beserker bracer, sending out a heavy punch right at Sakura.
"Miya! Yuki! Arrows! Udo, smash her with your smashy stick!" Roka shouts, giving them surge points if they need.
-
What the hell? So much for 'friendship' :P
"What the hell is wrong with you Sakura?" He shouts.
Udo, clenching his teeth and holding his hammer (though would switch to silver spear if the wraiths attack him) decides to bum rush Sakura, trying to stop her from casting another spell...
Thank god Keitaro came...
-
Eyes open wide as Miya watches Keitaro get attacked by his fellow samurai.
What? Wait, he mentioned something about spirit sight back at town! He must have spotted something.
"Everybody, keep far way from the shrine!"
Miya says while opening fire^2 with her bow&arrows on Sakura. She also keeps away from the shrine in case any spirits try to attack.
OOC: [Also Spot check if you please. :) ]
-
OOC: W.T.F.
Keitaro lies there in the crater coughing up blood. He rolls over or at least he tries to but winces in pain. Finding some tree roots he attempts crawl out of the pit before he chokes on his own blood. Once centered he pulls out some herbs to eat...
-
Yuki uses read aura on Sakura, to try and figure out why she just betrayed everyone.
-
Roka rages and attacks! Sakura uses Deflection and Roka’s super-punch glances off an invisible wedge of force, missing Sakura.
Udo rushes Sakura to try preventing her from casting another spell – and notes the evil-looking blackness in her eyes!
Fueled by Roka’s encouragement, Udo covers the distance and makes two grapple attacks, the first to upend the Wu-jen and the next to hold or pin her. Sakura is knocked prone (with a Luck Point) but then rolls out of the way, as Udo Botches his follow-up and trips over a piece of rubble to end up on the ground as well!
Miya meanwhile, backs away from the broken remains of the shrine and shoots at Sakura twice – still having a few silver-tipped arrows from Yuki’s quest. Her first arrow bounces off Sakura’s chest for 14 Damage (though Sakura spends a Luck Point for half Damage) and she botches her second shot – spending a Luck Point to counter it and save her bowstring.
Keitaro – recovers from his shock and realizes that his friends need him! He’s three Rounds away if he Runs with Surge!
Yuki reads Sakura’s Aura and immediately sees the problem – she is possessed by an evil Spirit of Death!
She is able to yell this out – just as three smoky black wraith-like things appear around the Samurai and swoop in to attack!
Something Yuki’s mother taught her as a child then strikes Yuki’s mind – if someone is possessed by a spirit, a jab with a silver needle can sometimes drive the spirit out. Not giving it a second thought, Yuki shoots at Sakura’s legs with some of the silver-tipped arrows she also has left from her last adventure.
The first shot (with Luck) strikes true and Crits for 16 Damage – bypassing all but 5 of Sakura’s Unbreakable soak and temporarily giving her the Bum Leg Flaw! It also – allows her a Will Save to resist the Spirit’s control – but it’s not good enough! Sakura then burns another Luck for half Damage.
The second shot misses, as Sakura gets out of the way.
The three smoky black wraith-like things meanwhile, try to fly into Roka, Udo, and Yuki – while they duck and dodge – successfully keeping them at bay for the moment.
Then Sakura casts Wither on Roka! Fortunately, Roka is immune to the anguish and pain that having half of one’s soul ‘wrung-dry’ tends to cause someone (taking 24SL AP Damage)!
Sakura then casts Restore Vitality on herself and laughs manically…
---
(OOC – Round two…)
-
Keitaro sprints full speed towards the party while gripping his Nagamaki to keep the spirit sight going. "To hell if those things sneak up on me!" He shouts as he runs.
-
Noticing that Yuki aimed for Sakura's legs Miya follows her example with whatever remaining silver-tipped arrows she has, figuring that Yuki knows more about spirits and whatnot than she.
Hmm... Well I guess Keitaro confirmed the shrine spirits then. She thinks to herself as she hears Keitaro yelling.
In the event that she runs out of silver-arrows Miya will continue to shoot with normal ones.
-
Realizing they're in trouble if a spirit manages to enter them, Yuki casts Discord on all three spirits (with the help of a surge point).
"Roka, try encouraging Sakura to resist the spirit."
She yells to her woman-beating comrade.
"And stop trying to kill her! If you hit her with silver she might be able to get rid of the spirit.....probably!"
Yuki then turns to Miya and gives her an approving nod, telling her that shooting Sakura with their silver arrows will help her.
-
Seeing that the archers seem to know what they're doing, Udo brings his attention to Sakura's pack.
Maybe there is something useful in there...
Udo leaps off the ground toward the pack, and opens it...
-
Assuming Yuki and Miya mange to cause Sakura to return to normal, Roka shouts loud gibberish, as he picks up Sakura and Yuki, and runs to Keitaro, burning a surge to do so.
"TO KEITARO!" Roka shouts out, pointing at him. "GRAB MIYA AND RUN UDO!" He shouts, giving Udo the two surge points to run.
-
Keitaro sees Roka running towards him from off in the distance-
(Spot skill)
-and burns a surge point to close the gap a little.
(add the surge to my previous post to tie it in.)
-
Yuki uses her Discord ability on the three wraiths – hopefully helping to keep them from successfully touching anyone.
Miya then shoots Sakura twice – aiming for her legs as well. The first hits (with luck for 11 Damage) and pins her leg to the ground (botch on defense) – while the second hits for 13 Damage.
Sakura spends 2 Luck Points to halve the damage and then spends a Surge Point to cast Mind Control on Udo – who has just found Sakura’s Silver Jute Ropes in her pack.
Fortunately for Udo, Sakura fails to cast the spell properly and sears her magical synapsis in the process.
Udo then leaps on Sakura (Surge) and pins her enough to begin tying her up. A Leadership Surge from Roka gets the job done – and Roka grabs Yuki and Sakura up and starts running toward Keitaro.
“Get this one! Get this one!” Sakura yells to the Wraiths – who all converge after Roka – leaving Udo and Miya alone at the crumbled shrine.
Keitaro meanwhile, hurries to close the gap between him and Roka. The two meet 250 from the clearing with the raging Sakura and three wraiths in pursuit!
Then suddenly, the Evil Spirit of the Dead leaves Sakura and enters Roka!
---
(OOC – Following Round)
Amazingly (with 2 Luck Points) Roka manages to Will the evil Specter out of himself – and sees it as a coal-black drape of ghostly cob webs flying across his face!
Keitaro – seeing the thing plain as day – swings his ancestral nagamaki through it and watches as the Spirit Cutting of the blade completely disrupts it – causing it to boil away with a loud shriek into nothingness almost instantaneously.
“Roka – Keitaro! Hurry! Break these bands!” Sakura screams.
Burning a Surge, Roka easily rips open the Jute Ropes – and Sakura Spends a Surge to cast Magic Ward on the area around the three pursuing wraiths. The Wraiths abruptly vanish in the Ward and Sukura is Disabled by her efforts.
(OOC – Combat over…)
-
"Ugh..." Sakura says in great pain, still in Roka's arms - "Get me back to that portal before anything else comes out of it! Hurry!"
-
Meanwhile - back in the clearing - Udo and Miya hear echoing screams and shrieks coming from the other side of the Underworld Portal!
A mob of some kind of horrible demons, oni, or even perhaps more spirits are about to come through!
-
Yuki smiles upon seeing Sakura is no longer possessed.
"Welcome back Sakura! How long were you possessed for?"
-
"Not sure," Sakura gasps, "I remember seeing Udo walking toward me in Sendai in the morning and then nothing, until I was getting shot with arrows in the legs for some reason... Ouch..."
"I need to dispel that gate thing fast though!"
-
"So Sakura is the only one who could dispel the gate?" Udo says, "How much time do we have?" Udo asks, wondering,
Can I do some quick surgery in time? Or should I just brace and try to stop the demons from passing though...
-
(OOC - Surgery takes a long time...)
Listening carefully, Udo thinks the sounds of the howling demon mob that is approaching is perhaps ten to twenty seconds away from exiting the portal ... (about 2 rounds)...
-
Roka, still carrying Sakura and Yuki, drops Yuki, and belts over to the portal, surging over there.
"Cast the spell now Sakura!" Roka shouts, giving her his last extra Born Leader Surge.
-
“Roka,” Sakura says – “You need to tell the High Priest of Sendai about this! My ward will only last a year – one cannot Dispel this thing – it is a rift between the worlds!”
With that, Sakura successfully casts Magic Ward around the area where the shrine used to stand.
Immediately, the black shadowy curtain disappears and the mob of terrors from beyond can no longer be heard.
Unfortunately, Sakura has also gone from Disabled to Dying in casting her spell – the drain being more than she can take! Before anyone can help her however, the most astonishing thing happens –
Sakura’s body suddenly glows with a searing white brilliance and then vanishes completely – leaving Roka’s arms empty and all her clothing and possessions behind!
Keitaro meanwhile – seeing this all this with his Spirit Sight still active, also witnesses Sakura’s ‘essence’ shoot off into the north sky, like some kind of brilliant spirit-comet streaking through the heavens…
-
"SAKURA!!!!!!!!!!!!" Roka, still beserked for the moment, shouts.
-
"SAKURA!!!!!!!!!!!!" Roka, still beserked for the moment, shouts.
Roka she has moved to a greater realm." Keitaro says as he puts his hand on Rokas shoulder...
-
"Sakura..." Udo says in disbelief.
It's all my fault too... I never do things right, do I?
-
As soon as Keitaro puts his hand on Roka's shoulder, he falls to the floor. THough, it's obvious it isn't from his wounds, just from sheer exhaustion.
-
Miya is downhearted at the death(?) of her ally.
If only we had known... I wish I knew her better before this.
She silently cries and tries to hide it as she moves to Roka's side.
"Roka, we... We need to tell the High Priest about this."
She says with a low, somewhat shaky voice to him.
-
"Yeah... We need to... Perhaps we could have Sakura resurrected or something..." Roka mutters, struggling to get himself off the ground.
"Damn. Doesn't feel like a victory. A real ally just died." Roka says, shaking his head...
-
Miya helps him to his feet while she speaks to him.
"At least she did so in battle and has provided us time to solve this problem before it gets worse."
-
"Thanks." Roka mutters.
"It's... just a different feeling then I'm used to, Miya." Roka says, shaking his head. "I'll get her resurrected though. Just need to become more of a name in Sendai, and I'll make sure I can thank her. We are only living due to her, after all."
"Come on, we need to get out of this forest..."
-
My fault... Completely due to my sheer stupidity... A friend died...
Udo's body shakes, "I... Sakura..."
His face hardens, "Yeah, Roka. We should get back to Sendai, I'll tell the High Priest." Udo says solemnly.
It's my folly after all
-
"Do not blame yourself for the actions of malevolent spirits. Dear Udo-san this was meant for a reason, reasons we must accept to not understand. Come, we should go."
With that Keitaro lifts Roka off the ground and leads the party home...
-
OOC: uh, aeon? Roka's walking fine... XD
-
"No... I must walk, Keitaro. It is not befitting for the warrior to be held." Roka mutters. "Take Sakura's gear, we shall keep in memory of her." Roka says, pushing himself out of Keitaro's hold.
"Remind me to get us some of that silver rope. Everything could have been avoided if I brought some." Roka adds, annoyed with himself.
-
OOC: uh, aeon? Roka's walking fine... XD
OOC: Shh, it's RP.
Miya tries to gather any arrows that are not broken so that she can divide them between Yuki and herself. She then falls in behind Roka and Keitaro.
-
As Sakura's things are gathered up, a little chirp is heard and that small luminous cloud spirit thing that Sakura had as a familiar floats over and stays with Sakura's clothing. As Roka takes it, the little familiar silently follows...
-
"The cloudy thing..." Roka says. "Must be sad to have your summoner killed."
-
Yuki catches up to the group after being harshly dropped by Roka in time to see the event. She stares in disbelief for a few minutes before coming to terms with what just occurred. For a moment she seems like she's about to cry, but then she shakes her head.
"Thanks Sakura!"
She yells out loud to no one in particular.
"See you....again...."
She says softly afterwards. Yuki then walks over to the spirit.
"Poor little spirit...."
She says to it in a sad, attempting to pet it like she did before.
-
The little spirit thing makes a noise like the air going out of a squeak-toy that could be taken for a sad sigh, but then stays with Sakura's gear.
-
Epilog___
The company of Samurai then head back toward Sendai – arriving late in the evening after the city gates have been closed.
Showing their Emblems of Station, they are allowed in; and make their way to the Temple District – where they would be able to find one of the High Priests of Sendai. After some door-knocking and explaining the situation, they are let in to see Yasuo Sanjo at Sendai’s Shrine of the Ancestors. Given the serious nature of their business, the Samurai are forgiven for bothering the High-Priest this late in the evening.
After giving High-Priest Sanjo a rundown of everything that happened, he gathers together a small army of Monks and a Master Artisan and makes plans to head out to the clearing early the next morning to rebuild a Ward Binding Shrine where the original one last stood.
It seems that the archives of the Temple of Ancestors recorded that particular Rift long ago, but it had been forgotten to time and forest was allowed to overgrow the area – as the Commoners were too superstitious to work the land around it.
The next morning, Sakura’s memory is laid to rest, with her things, in a small vault in the Temple of the Ancestors, before the team of Monks and their Master Artisan head out. The small Spirit Familiar chooses to remain vigil over Sakura’s belongings, staying with them in the vault like some kind of loyal pet awaiting its master’s long return.
---
Then, after a few days, a new Binding Shrine had been constructed and the forest around that twisted clearing began to return to normal. Animals moved back in and patrols in the area found no further remains of Oni that may have escaped the Rift while it was opened. Apparently, any that did escape, headed west, high into the mountains, and were long gone – into areas where no one in their right mind would ever try to follow…
And for some reason, Udo wakes up one morning to find a dozen or so squirrels sitting in front of his house staring at him… watching… waiting…
END