Chapter 16: Battle in the courtyard
Tejina-shi leaps out of the way as a huge claw crashes down where he just stood. His wings unfold and carry him higher into the sky, drawing one of the winged monsters to follow him.
Good. he thinks. That only leaves two others on the ground for them to worry about. If I can keep this one busy long enough...
Tengoku, seeing Tejina-shi take off, followed by one of the beasts, presses harder. His long sword, handed down in his family for more generations than any cared to count, was among the sharpest in existence. Even it, though, barely did much to these creatures.
Out of pure reflex, he tries dodging to the side, only to be clipped by a large claw. His armour took the brunt of the blow, but there's no telling how many more hits like that it could take. Even after that first one, he could feel the chain armour that protects his waist starting to bind and lock, restricting his movement.
Rolling to his feet, he brings his large shield before him, his family crest painted proudly on the surface. A sudden impact knocks him back several feet. Refusing to give up his shield, he brings his sword arcing before the shield. It's then, that he realizes that it was the creatures tail that struck his shield, piercing it with it's poisonous barb. He manages to avert his eyes as the sharp edge meets the poison sac in the tail, sending poison all across his shield, his sword, and the monster staggering away in pain.
Shudoshi, facing the third of the creatures, utters a word in a language barely known on any world, holding an engraved mirror before him. Speaking louder and louder, starting in a murmur, working its way to a yell, he advances on the beast as it steps back, wincing in pain, unable to look at the monk. Finally, as it collides with another of its kind, the one wounded by Tengoku's sword, it looks at the mirror that the monk holds.
Screaming in pain, the beast begins to smolder and smoke, which drifts towards the monk and into the mirror. The creature begins to fade as the smoke increases. Finally, when the creature is no more, the smoke is gone, Shudoshi throws the mirror as high as he can. The mirror begins to glow as it rises in the air. As it reaches the pinnacle of its rise, the glow is bright enough to almost be a second sun. A sudden explosion sends shards of glass across the court yard.
Blocking his face from the falling glass, Shudoshi breaths a sigh of relief as he checks on Tejina-shi, ensuring his friend survived the blast. When he turns his attention back to the matter at hand, he finds the wounded creatures standing over him. He glances up just in time to see a large claw falling in his direction.
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Sanosuke doesn't hesitate a moment, bringing his fists in quick and hard on the first of the attackers. There weren't many, really, compared to some of the fights he's been in. Spinning as his first punch connects, he continues the motion as he brings his leg high, catching the second fighter in the head.
"Hrmp." Sanosuke sounds, disappointed. "I thought this would be a real fight."
Kaoru's bokken has taken a beating these last few days, and it's starting to weaken. She can feel it as she blocks strike after strike from the attackers blades. If my bokken is getting this weak, then what's Yahiko-san's shinai doing. she wonders. With a swift series of attacks, Kaoru beats aside the katana of one man, using the return swing to catch him across the jaw, sending him sprawling. The bokken crosses in front of her, catching the wrist of a second offender, knocking the katana from his hand. With a fast lunge forward, she strikes the man in the chest, taking the wind and the fight from him in one blow.
Yahiko ducks and dodges as he tries to get a shot in on the body of his attacker. He has had numerous head shots, but has refused to take them, intent of avoiding killing any one again. He ducks once more, then finds an opening, striking against the mans knees. Dropping the katana instantly, he falls straight into Yahiko's rising strike, knocking him out of the fight.
"Che." he says to himself, catching his breath. "I'm going to have to get a whole new shinai." He looks at his current weapon, noting all of the nicks and broken bamboo, as well as the ties that are completely destroyed. "Definitely going to need a new shinai." His breath caught, he rushes to Sanosuke's side in time to block a thrust to Sano's side.
"I could have blocked that." Sano says gruffly.
Yahiko couldn't help but laugh. "Dou itashimashite, Tori-atama."
Looking to Kaoru's side, Yahiko sees a man coming up behind her, sword back in a charging thrust position. "Kaoru!!" he yells, charging. Ramming Kaoru in the side, Yahiko knocks her out of the way of the strike from behind.
Rolling to her feet, she looks at where she had just been, the warrior charging from behind had struck the warrior she was fighting. The way he fell left little doubt that he was dead. "Arigatou, Yahiko-san." Kaoru says, patting him on the shoulder as she rose.
Yahiko, though, didn't stand. Grimacing in pain, he clutches his side. "Go on, Kaoru-sensei. Finish the fight."
"Oi, Jou-chan." Sanosuke says, not far off. "Get Yahiko-chan to Megumi. I'll play with your friends for you."
Kaoru looks back at Sano as he wades through four warriors with katanas, none of them giving him a problem. She nods, then grabs Yahiko and runs for where they left Megumi and Meiyomi.
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Megumi watched in horror as Yahiko is struck saving Kaoru. She felt better as she watched Kaoru pulling Yahiko to his feet and started towards her.
"Go." she says to Meiyomi.
The driver looks at her for a moment, unsure of what to do. Upon seeing Kaoru running out of the fight, carrying a very bloody looking Yahiko, her mind is made up, though. Sending the horses into a full gallop, she charges down the hill, towards the keep. Bringing the wagon to a halt next to Kaoru, she watches as Megumi jumps down.
Opening her medicine bag, she starts treating Yahiko's wound. "It's not as bad as it could be." she says. "He should live."
"Good." he says. "Send me back into the fight, then."
"Yahiko-san," Kaoru tells him quietly. "Your injury is still pretty bad. You need to rest here for a little bit."
"Hai. For once, Tanuki-onna makes sense." Kaoru is about to let Megumi have it when Megumi looks at her and winks slightly.
"Yoshi." Yahiko says softly. "If the two of you are agreeing, then something must really be wrong."
Kaoru nods at Megumi, then runs back into the keep just in time to Shudoshi lifted from the ground by one of the two strange creatures, and lifted to its mouth. Blood and ichor rain down as it jaws close.
"Iie!"
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Kenshin, Taiyoryu, and Yoake run through the halls. Finally, Kenshin comes to a stop, bringing Taiyoryu and Yoake to a stop with him.
"Shishio." he says softly.
Taiyoryu stares at the doors in the side of the hall. "I guess this is where we split up, then."
"Aa." The two stare at each other as the two communicate unspoken thoughts.
With a sudden burst of movement, Kenshin bursts through the doors containing Shishio while Taiyoryu charges farther down the hall and into the main vestibule, where Atarashiikami stood waiting for him. Yoake stood there confused for a moment, then just realized that they plan just went to hell. Intent on salvaging what she could, she charged down the hall, turning in where her father went
Tejina-shi leaps out of the way as a huge claw crashes down where he just stood. His wings unfold and carry him higher into the sky, drawing one of the winged monsters to follow him.
Good. he thinks. That only leaves two others on the ground for them to worry about. If I can keep this one busy long enough...
Tengoku, seeing Tejina-shi take off, followed by one of the beasts, presses harder. His long sword, handed down in his family for more generations than any cared to count, was among the sharpest in existence. Even it, though, barely did much to these creatures.
Out of pure reflex, he tries dodging to the side, only to be clipped by a large claw. His armour took the brunt of the blow, but there's no telling how many more hits like that it could take. Even after that first one, he could feel the chain armour that protects his waist starting to bind and lock, restricting his movement.
Rolling to his feet, he brings his large shield before him, his family crest painted proudly on the surface. A sudden impact knocks him back several feet. Refusing to give up his shield, he brings his sword arcing before the shield. It's then, that he realizes that it was the creatures tail that struck his shield, piercing it with it's poisonous barb. He manages to avert his eyes as the sharp edge meets the poison sac in the tail, sending poison all across his shield, his sword, and the monster staggering away in pain.
Shudoshi, facing the third of the creatures, utters a word in a language barely known on any world, holding an engraved mirror before him. Speaking louder and louder, starting in a murmur, working its way to a yell, he advances on the beast as it steps back, wincing in pain, unable to look at the monk. Finally, as it collides with another of its kind, the one wounded by Tengoku's sword, it looks at the mirror that the monk holds.
Screaming in pain, the beast begins to smolder and smoke, which drifts towards the monk and into the mirror. The creature begins to fade as the smoke increases. Finally, when the creature is no more, the smoke is gone, Shudoshi throws the mirror as high as he can. The mirror begins to glow as it rises in the air. As it reaches the pinnacle of its rise, the glow is bright enough to almost be a second sun. A sudden explosion sends shards of glass across the court yard.
Blocking his face from the falling glass, Shudoshi breaths a sigh of relief as he checks on Tejina-shi, ensuring his friend survived the blast. When he turns his attention back to the matter at hand, he finds the wounded creatures standing over him. He glances up just in time to see a large claw falling in his direction.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sanosuke doesn't hesitate a moment, bringing his fists in quick and hard on the first of the attackers. There weren't many, really, compared to some of the fights he's been in. Spinning as his first punch connects, he continues the motion as he brings his leg high, catching the second fighter in the head.
"Hrmp." Sanosuke sounds, disappointed. "I thought this would be a real fight."
Kaoru's bokken has taken a beating these last few days, and it's starting to weaken. She can feel it as she blocks strike after strike from the attackers blades. If my bokken is getting this weak, then what's Yahiko-san's shinai doing. she wonders. With a swift series of attacks, Kaoru beats aside the katana of one man, using the return swing to catch him across the jaw, sending him sprawling. The bokken crosses in front of her, catching the wrist of a second offender, knocking the katana from his hand. With a fast lunge forward, she strikes the man in the chest, taking the wind and the fight from him in one blow.
Yahiko ducks and dodges as he tries to get a shot in on the body of his attacker. He has had numerous head shots, but has refused to take them, intent of avoiding killing any one again. He ducks once more, then finds an opening, striking against the mans knees. Dropping the katana instantly, he falls straight into Yahiko's rising strike, knocking him out of the fight.
"Che." he says to himself, catching his breath. "I'm going to have to get a whole new shinai." He looks at his current weapon, noting all of the nicks and broken bamboo, as well as the ties that are completely destroyed. "Definitely going to need a new shinai." His breath caught, he rushes to Sanosuke's side in time to block a thrust to Sano's side.
"I could have blocked that." Sano says gruffly.
Yahiko couldn't help but laugh. "Dou itashimashite, Tori-atama."
Looking to Kaoru's side, Yahiko sees a man coming up behind her, sword back in a charging thrust position. "Kaoru!!" he yells, charging. Ramming Kaoru in the side, Yahiko knocks her out of the way of the strike from behind.
Rolling to her feet, she looks at where she had just been, the warrior charging from behind had struck the warrior she was fighting. The way he fell left little doubt that he was dead. "Arigatou, Yahiko-san." Kaoru says, patting him on the shoulder as she rose.
Yahiko, though, didn't stand. Grimacing in pain, he clutches his side. "Go on, Kaoru-sensei. Finish the fight."
"Oi, Jou-chan." Sanosuke says, not far off. "Get Yahiko-chan to Megumi. I'll play with your friends for you."
Kaoru looks back at Sano as he wades through four warriors with katanas, none of them giving him a problem. She nods, then grabs Yahiko and runs for where they left Megumi and Meiyomi.
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Megumi watched in horror as Yahiko is struck saving Kaoru. She felt better as she watched Kaoru pulling Yahiko to his feet and started towards her.
"Go." she says to Meiyomi.
The driver looks at her for a moment, unsure of what to do. Upon seeing Kaoru running out of the fight, carrying a very bloody looking Yahiko, her mind is made up, though. Sending the horses into a full gallop, she charges down the hill, towards the keep. Bringing the wagon to a halt next to Kaoru, she watches as Megumi jumps down.
Opening her medicine bag, she starts treating Yahiko's wound. "It's not as bad as it could be." she says. "He should live."
"Good." he says. "Send me back into the fight, then."
"Yahiko-san," Kaoru tells him quietly. "Your injury is still pretty bad. You need to rest here for a little bit."
"Hai. For once, Tanuki-onna makes sense." Kaoru is about to let Megumi have it when Megumi looks at her and winks slightly.
"Yoshi." Yahiko says softly. "If the two of you are agreeing, then something must really be wrong."
Kaoru nods at Megumi, then runs back into the keep just in time to Shudoshi lifted from the ground by one of the two strange creatures, and lifted to its mouth. Blood and ichor rain down as it jaws close.
"Iie!"
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Kenshin, Taiyoryu, and Yoake run through the halls. Finally, Kenshin comes to a stop, bringing Taiyoryu and Yoake to a stop with him.
"Shishio." he says softly.
Taiyoryu stares at the doors in the side of the hall. "I guess this is where we split up, then."
"Aa." The two stare at each other as the two communicate unspoken thoughts.
With a sudden burst of movement, Kenshin bursts through the doors containing Shishio while Taiyoryu charges farther down the hall and into the main vestibule, where Atarashiikami stood waiting for him. Yoake stood there confused for a moment, then just realized that they plan just went to hell. Intent on salvaging what she could, she charged down the hall, turning in where her father went