Chapter 8. Together we can make Hope
November 3rd
"We have been asked by The Knight's of the Blood Oath to scout out a possible field boss. Okami and myself now ride with 18 other's. I have been running the roster and the formation in my head the whole ride. The two up Front are Shield user and Counter attacker. The two behind them will boost the parties damage. The single person in the back will work as the operators. The operators will call out anything unsuspected happening with the boss or with one of the other groups. If forced into a fight group 1 hits the boss head on. Group 2 and 3 will flank to the bosses side. Group 4 will go around the the back of the boss. Don't worry so much Xonj. You have done this many times before."
Scouting parties formation and Roster
(Group 1) (Xonj)**(Okami)
(Ren)**(Yuna)
(Khaldun)
(LordMann)**(Matty) (Group 2) (Group 3) (Kira)**(Kaito)
(Shou)**(Kakeru) (Yuuki)**(Hayato)
(Takumi) (Momoka)
(Group 4) (Sakura)**(Hina)
(Kiyoshi)**(Kaori)
(Kana)
Key: *Player ()Name
Xonj and Okami's scouting party finally arrived at the coordinates. Where they found a large double door in the side of a mountain. The door has a large dragon skull in the middle with what looked like tormented souls swirling around the skull. Xonj and Okami dismount from their horses and walk up to the door and look at each other.
"I want to get a look inside but if things look bad I need you to make sure everyone gets out."
Xonj says to Okami and she responds
"I will but once they are out we leave together ok?"
"Ok. Together forever."
The two smile nervously and place a hand on each side of the door and push it open. Then as the door peaks open a bright light consumes the party. Once their eyes open and adjust they see a bright plain of flowers. With a sea of blue overhead spotted with clouds. Xonj and Okami remount and the party rides in. Once the raid group is inside the doors close. The noise of the doors slamming alarms everyone. There is a breeze pushing the green grass and white flowers. In the distance Xonj can see a small black figure. Xonj calls for his operator.
"Khaldun!"
Khaldun rides from the back of the group and up beside Xonj.
"Can I see your telescope?"
Xonj asks while holding out his hand. Khaldun places a short cylindrical device into Xonj's hand. Xonj grabs both ends of the device and extends it. He then places it to his right eye and looks towards the black figure. He can now see it in the heat waves. A black skin monster with a exoskeleton body. It hunches over as it walks in their direction with arms extended towards the ground. Large black spikes extend from the top of its for-arm and past its hands with claws on all three skeleton like fingers. Its feet and three long toes that look to be flexible enough to use as hands. Behind it swaying back and forth a tail with a spear tip. Last its head hung low but extended in the back past its shoulders with a bone head of a dragon over its face and the bones of dragons wings hung over its back like a cape. Xonj thinks to himself.
"This boss seems over the top. It would be best to just retreat and bring more people to be sure."
"Alright everyone get out your teleport crystals. We are heading back!"
Xonj hands Khaldun his telescope and grabs his teleport crystal. He turns his horse to the group and yells out.
"Ok everyone at once!"
Everyone held their teleport crystal up to the sky and yelled out a town to return to. There was silence. Everyone was still present. Some tried again like it was broken. Xonj put his teleport crystal away. He looked at Okami as she held her crystal to her chest and looked to Xonj. She looked frighten. Xonj then rides up closer to her with his back to the party and tells her.
"I will protect you."
"and I will protect you."
He reaches out and touches her hand. He then whips his horse around and looks to the group.
"Listen! We will engage the boss. We will defeat it just stick to the tactics. I will do my best to protect you all, but I need your help! Now! Draw your weapons! Ride with me!"
The crowd roars from Xonj's speech. Xonj's and Okami take off riding towards the boss. Everyone falls into formation. As they draw closer Xonj can see the size of the monster. with bent knees and a hunched walk it must have stood 12ft tall. As they drawn in closer the foot falls of the monster could be felt in the earth. Xonj pulls himself up to a standing position on the horses back. His group follows his lead and they leap from their horses back. Xonj yells mid air.
"Group one! Prepare to attack!"
He lands and slides a few inches forward. Then his party lands right after. Xonj starts with a slow walk towards the monster. He can now see its name. Reinbō Born of Titan's. The mouth of the skull opens and a cloud like breath rolls out. Xonj's walk turns into a jog then to a run until it is a full out sprint. The monster roars and it sounds like a large wild cat. It two beings to run towards Xonj's group. Xonj and Okami's group get ready to collide with the monster and right before they all let out a battle cry. The main group has made contact Xonj blocks and parries the beast attacks and Okami weaves in and out around Xonj striking at every possible chance. Yuna and Ren stand by waiting for Xonj to tell them to jump in. The other groups ride around the monster to make sure Xonj has its attention. They look into the battle to see Xonj's and Okami working together like their minds were linked. Then groups 2 and 3 engage. The monster focuses on Xonj's and Okami but throws a swing towards the other two groups when it can. This creates more opportunities for Xonj and Okami. Xonj then yells out for Yuna and Ren to Join the battle. Two destructive sisters wielding two handed hammers. They hop in and out of battle striking hard blows to the beast. Then the fourth group joins. They just have to avoid the tail. No hard feat for a single shield user. The raid party is laying waste to the monster. Okami still weaving in and around Xonj. Xonj spins his back to the monster when the opportunity comes. He turns the front of his shield to the sky and Okami runs towards him. She jumps on top of his shield and Xonj throws her above the Reinbō. She then begins to spin like a top on its side down towards the skull armor on its head. She hits it right in between the eyes of the skull. Then lands and jumps back in behind Xonj. Xonj Spots a gash in the skull where Okami hit. Xonj yells out.
"Yuna! Ren! Crush the skull!"
The two girls come from each side of Xonj and leap in. They both swing same time hitting the skull from both sides. The Skull begins to crumble. Finally the monsters health falls to the red. The skull splits into two where Okami made the gash. Xonj could then see the face of the monster. Its mouth was large with no lips to cover the fangs that filled its angered smile. The eyes were a glowing red rounded at the bottom but slanted at the top. Giving it a vicious glare. The top of its skull was smooth and made a V shape down in between its eyes. Horns protrude from the side of its head and angle downwards. The horns tips were also spear tipped like its tail.
The skull falls to the ground and the skeleton cape falls. Once the armor meets the ground the weight of it blow up a dust cloud around the beast. Xonj and Okami jump out of the smoke and are met by Khaldun. No sign of Yuna and Ren or the other groups. The cloud was too large to see them. Then the cloud begins to disappear. The silhouette of the beast can be seen. It now stands straight up to reach at least 18ft. When the smoke completely clears. Everyones faces are filled with horror.
Kakeru has been impaled on the monsters right arm. Hina, Kiyoshi, and Kaori and been littered with rainbow colored needle's. From the newly revealed spins on its back. Its tail waves back and forth with a impaled Sakura on it. Then Yuna's right leg is trapped in between the monsters teeth. Tears form in Yuna's eyes.
"Ren"
Yuna says with a sob in her voice. All at once the injured shatter into crystals and Ren screams.
"Yuna!"
The beast closes its mouth separating Yuna's leg from the rest of her body. It was like a slow motion fall when seen through shocked eyes. Xonj sprints towards where she will land. She hits the ground and the monster lifts its foot to crush her. Xonj slides under its foot and uses his shield to keep its leg raised off them both.
Everyone begins to react. Ren and Okami run towards the monster to help Xonj and Yuna. Reinbō gives up on trying to crush Xonj and Yuna. It uses its foot to grab Xonj's shield. Xonj grabs Yuna with his sword arm and they are thrown towards Okami and Ren. Yuna hits Ren and Xonj collides into Okami. Xonj is knocked out.
As Xonj awakens he see's group two and three between him and Reinbō. He looked around and spots Ren over top of Yuna's body.
"Yuna! Yuna!"
She screams over and over. Then he see's Okami knocked out not far from him. He crawls over to her.
"Okami? Okami. Wake up Okami. You got to wake up."
Xonj then raises to his knees and raises Okami up into his lap.
"Please Okami you have to wake up."
Still no response from her. Xonj lay's her back on the ground and stands. He picked up his shield and sword. He starts to walk towards Reinbō.
"You bastard. I'll kill you. I'll kill you!"
Xonj take's off into a sprint. His shield turning a white with red stream's through it. When Xonj gets closer to the beast, it ponce's towards both the group's. Xonj leaps into the air towards it.
"Full Moon Rush!"
Xonj behind his shield pushes the monster in mid air throwing it back. Xonj lands with his knees bent and pushes forward towards Reinbō. Red balls begin to form in the air and are being drawn towards the mouth of the beast.
"A special attack?"
A large beam of red with black streaks through it is shot towards Xonj. He raises his shield and is pushed back and back. The beam is split into two beams once it makes contact with Xonj's shield. Then he get's some traction. Xonj held the beam with all his might. He thinks to himself.
"I am a idiot. I lead all these people to their death's. I couldn't protect them. Okami. Okami."
He then feels a pair of arm's reach around under his arms. He looks down to see another pair of hands against his shield. The left hand has a wedding band on it.
"Okami?"
Xonj says and turns his head. Okami's face pushed up against his back.
"Xonj we can beat this thing. We have to beat this thing."
Then two more shield's on each side push up beside his. It is LordMann and Kira, then Matty and more get in behind and start to push. They start to push the persistent beam back. Slowly Reinbō becomes insight over the beam.
"Okami hit it with a weapon throw!"
Xonj yells out and Okami responds
"I am on it!"
Okami jumps back away from the shield wall and her weapon glow's. She raises it over her head and yells.
"Die damn you!"
Okami throws her weapon. It soars towards the top of the monsters head. The weapon slice's in and it roar's. The beam is broken and Xonj Sprint's. His shield glow's a red with white streams through it. The beast holds it's head where the polearm cut in. Reinbō has left himself open. Xonj leaps just above its head and yells.
"Howl of the Blood Moon!"
He thrust his shield down towards the monster and like a falling arrow he hit's it. The monster blow's up into crystals. Xonj came crashing to the ground lands in a kneel. Crystals floating away in front of him he turns towards everyone.
"We made it."