[ToM] The First Battle

This battle will fully resume on Thursday, June 1st due to complications with figuring out what is happening with a fill in for a lost member to the posting crew (yes, still). We're giving it a few days to sort it out and give time to write the last section.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience we have caused you with this event so far. It's been an up and down roller coaster ride but I can only pray we will learn from our experiences and let it run a lot smoother in the future.

The cries of battle echoed throughout the sky as blood and sweat flooded the air. On the battlefield, a group of soldiers approached crates strewn conspicuously about the ground. As members of Yoshiro’s army approached the crates, shrieks of pain pierced the ears of friend and foe. As the rush of battle settled, out rose children from the fight, tearing soldiers limb from limb with wanton abandon. Carnage enveloped the warzone, the stench of blood and organs thick and heavy in the air. The children that erupted from the crates around the battlefield set their sights on the soldiers, their movement crooked and disjointed as if they lost control of their own bodies. Members of Yoshiro’s army fell back to avoid the onslaught of the children and Gao Yuan Zu’s army pushed forward, using the crazed children as a vanguard. Despicable as though it may be, the children proved to overpower Yoshiro’s forces, showing no fear or regard for their life outside of the fight.

Voices cried out in the distance calling for soldiers to murder the children, their bodies killing as though they were possessed by some demonic force. The calls for bloodshed alerted the surrounding soldiers in the area. The criminals and ruffians conscripted into Yoshiro Zu’s army were slaughtered by the raving mad children. The crashing of swords clanging together snapped Diana back into reality as the soldiers around her were in the midst of war. Several soldiers caught a glimpse of the silver-haired maiden in the crowd and rushed after her, hoping she was an easy target to pick off in the ensuing battle. Two of the enemy soldiers lunged toward the swordswoman, their swords aimed directly at her chest. They were rather unskilled, it appeared, as if they were newly conscripted into the army as well. Two other soldiers saw this opportunity to overpower Diana and also rushed toward her, this time with no finesse, but rather with wild movement as their swords hung above their faces were painted with bloodlust and intensity. Without rhyme, reason, or an apparent plan, the soldiers surrounded the warrior maiden with ease, leaving the four rushing swordsman gunning for her with no feasible position to retreat to.

“Oy! Little miss...why don’t you say we avoid this and you can come with us, eh?” One of the ruffians grunted at Diana. His voice matched his appearance--a man with a face that could frighten children and disgust anyone who had the misfortune of looking upon it. It was clear the war at hand wasn’t being fought by anyone except hardened criminals. Were they given a pass and let out of prison to fight in this war? Would this war atone for their crimes? Or were they just expendable forces that both Gao Yuan Zu and Yoshiro Zu used as cannon fodder. Regardless, Diana found herself in a tricky predicament.

However, just beyond her current position, in the distance away from her surroundings, by a small encampment lay a conspicuous crate in the distance. For a moment, it shook violently before the movement stopped. Enemy and ally soldiers appeared to avoid the crate as they cut each other down. The crate shook violently again, this time tipping the crate over to have it burst open, revealing a red-haired child pop out from the crate. In the child’s hand they held a magnificent looking sword in their hand. A curious sight, indeed.

Tsunko was happy that Lestacia stayed close by and didn't stray too far. However, the woman that may have pushed them to victory had also placed them all in a horrid situation. While her healing spores granted their dying units a new breath of life, the forest she generated with her magic placed them into a tough situation. There was also a thick mist spreading along their ranks that soon turned into a goopy substance. Most of the soldiers on the field were covered in it, even the enemy. Thankfully, it hadn't reached Tsunko nor Lestacia as they were behind the safety of the pathway so there was no need for Lestacia to lead them anywhere. More and more soldiers poured into the small opening from his side, flooding down the other exit. His men were winning in sheer numbers but they all faced horrible circumstances. Many of them accidentally hit the trees, leaving everyone in the surrounding areas feeling exhausted.

The soldiers that had assaulted Aseo were quickly dispatched of but it wasn’t the end. He would find himself surrounded yet again by five more. Blinded by rage and the desperation to live, they attacked relentlessly. Aseo would find himself having a lack of time between waves of men that charged him. His words seemed to not reach Liang but he was certainly noticed. A sadistic smile formed from his lips as he watched the onslaught. All the men caught in the trees slowly began to drop; one by one into deep slumbers. Their sweat poured down their face and through their armor. The feeling of overexertion gripped their lives in its clutches. But there were more men that poured into the opening, carelessly trampling over the bodies below them. Pools of blood formed into what seemed like a lake. It seeped into and above the dirt and rocks leaving a gruesome sight.

There was not much any of them could do. Tsunko was determined to get to better ground. It wasn’t safe here. Not for her. He grabbed Lestacia roughly by her arm and dragged her past the river of soldiers that flowed aside them. Without thought he blew a whistle that was fastened around his neck. His beast came flying down into the canyon path; just enough to be in arm's reach. He switched his grip to around her waist and grabbed onto the avian’s talons. With swift movements, he managed to lift her up onto the bird’s back. “Hold on and stay there,” he said as he let go of the talon only to have the bird lift him from the back of his armor. He drew his bow once more, the crackles of lightning bouncing off his body. Before anyone could warn him about the flammable dangers of the slime covering some of the soldiers, he fired.

Electric sparks exploded from the arrow upon impact into one of the many bodies that were still standing. Aseo would see his body convulse for a moment before all the slime around him began to conduct the shocks coming from his body. In mere seconds, the slime let off a huge explosion that tore through the rock surrounding it. Aseo would be suddenly blinded by a bright light and in mere seconds be falling. If he looked below him, there would only be the vast grasslands below. However, there was ample time to catch himself, if he could. He could hear faint maniacal laughter coming from the mad strategist and see his face looking down at him he fell. The same demonic grin that he had seen before. The face of a traitor. Perhaps, something more.

“It seems you’ve done my work for me, boy.”

These were the words he would hear as he fell. They would echo in his mind along with a booming laughter. With a swipe of his fan, Liang sent powerful winds down at everyone who was falling. Even if Aseo began to fly, it would only soften his descent onto the plains. But it would be enough not to hurt or kill him. However, he would find any of his exposed skin with first degree burns. All of the poor men who fell would now be mush on the grass besides him. The sight would be horrific to even the most experienced of soldiers. But just like that, Liang had vanished into thin air. As if the wind carried him away itself. The men upon the mountain would all have died from the explosion whether they fell or not. Their bodies were unidentifiable now; mostly covered by boulders and debris.

Tsunko cursed under his breath. His stupidity has cost him countless lives yet again. There was this underlying hatred for things he couldn’t explain. Magic. It had disgusted him ever since that day. The thought of it made the wounds around his eye pulsate with pain. He was running out of arrows. But the sight of Liang made him uneasy. The man didn’t do anything to save his comrades and he had still managed to vanish out of sight. It was frustrating but perhaps he was on their side after all. Or perhaps… on his own. The later notion was horrifying. A magician of such power needed to be put down. Regardless of intention. Silence would befall the two, only the wind and flapping of wings for them to hear. Part of him was worried. Her value of life was strong and yet he managed to kill dozens in one gesture. His recklessness cost tons of lives back into the rukh. “Forgive me,” he muttered, only to ask for her forgiveness and perhaps that of those he had slain.

Enemies for Aseo:

"Out the way! I have no time for you!" Chen’s angered foe would yell out, pointing a strange and vibrating blade his way. The Smiling Swordsman couldn’t help but feel bewildered as the blade before him contained an indescribable color that rapidly shimmered up and down the base of it. He was far too late to sense the true danger held within Trently’s magical sword. He could only watch as the boy’s eyes closed shut and the blade’s shimmer expanded into a magnificent “solar flare”. It was as if needles were suddenly shoved into his eyes. The pain from the flash, and the blindness that came soon after. He couldn’t help that his body began to move on it’s own, forcing his hands to clasp around his burning sockets.

However, Trently’s assault wasn’t over, just yet. Without Chen’s knowing, he had a second attack to worry about. An extremely sharp wave of razor magic being sent his way. Even with him stumbling about in his previous attack, Chen wasn’t going to lose his life from this powerful magic. Instead, he was going to act upon the position he was forced into. He had learned many things from his first master, one of them being; how to adjust to your surroundings. Lessening one of his five senses and combining its strength with another. In this case, he would stop relying on his vision, entirely. He would then carry on fighting by his sense of hearing. Disregarding his stinging eyes, Chen would drop down to the ground by bending the back of his knees, his head touching the bloodied ground below. He had heard the razor magic cutting through the air, so he took his chances and would dodge in this manner.

The blade of razor wind would continue past him, slicing through the legs of a stray soldier of Yoshiro’s. Chen couldn’t help but cringe as he heard the sound of the poor man scream out in pain. This would only heighten his anger towards Kasai’s son. He had been given orders to not kill the boy, but he wasn’t going to risk the life of another. From this moment on, he would begin fighting the boy seriously. Picking himself up off the ground, he had heard the shuffling of feet all around him. Detecting Trently’s exact location was going to prove near impossible. However, he was confident that he could come out on top. Unsheathing his blade once again, he would stop and begin listening in. It was then that his own blade began to vibrate. A strange melody could be heard coming from it.

The Smiling Swordsman, that was what he was called. He had obtained this title from his blade. It was a sword that was capable of producing the most soothing of music. A strange power indeed, but it had more uses than just that. It also had the power of immense destruction, the power to seek out it’s enemy and end their life in an instant. The first of his his melodies is what he would use against Trently, the hymn of disorientation. The song coming from his blade was quite unusual, almost as if it was performed by some kind of amateurish musician. The tempo was off-beat and continued to drone in the ears of who he deemed a foe, which was the son of Kasai and the two men fighting by his side. Trently and his soldiers would soon feel these effects, losing their balance completely. It was as if their directions had been reversed. With Trently dazed by this power, he would find his enemy closing in on him. Chen was walking in his direction slowly, his eyes still closed from Meinu’s light magic.

“Come with me, and we shan’t have any issues.”

Tsunko was happy that Lestacia stayed close by and didn't stray too far. However, the woman that may have pushed them to victory had also placed them all in a horrid situation. While her healing spores granted their dying units a new breath of life, the forest she generated with her magic placed them into a tough situation. There was also a thick mist spreading along their ranks that soon turned into a goopy substance. Most of the soldiers on the field were covered in it, even the enemy. Thankfully, it hadn't reached Tsunko nor Lestacia as they were behind the safety of the pathway so there was no need for Lestacia to lead them anywhere. More and more soldiers poured into the small opening from his side, flooding down the other exit. His men were winning in sheer numbers but they all faced horrible circumstances. Many of them accidentally hit the trees, leaving everyone in the surrounding areas feeling exhausted.

The soldiers that had assaulted Aseo were quickly dispatched of but it wasn’t the end. He would find himself surrounded yet again by five more. Blinded by rage and the desperation to live, they attacked relentlessly. Aseo would find himself having a lack of time between waves of men that charged him. His words seemed to not reach Liang but he was certainly noticed. A sadistic smile formed from his lips as he watched the onslaught. All the men caught in the trees slowly began to drop; one by one into deep slumbers. Their sweat poured down their face and through their armor. The feeling of overexertion gripped their lives in its clutches. But there were more men that poured into the opening, carelessly trampling over the bodies below them. Pools of blood formed into what seemed like a lake. It seeped into and above the dirt and rocks leaving a gruesome sight.

There was not much any of them could do. Tsunko was determined to get to better ground. It wasn’t safe here. Not for her. He grabbed Lestacia roughly by her arm and dragged her past the river of soldiers that flowed aside them. Without thought he blew a whistle that was fastened around his neck. His beast came flying down into the canyon path; just enough to be in arm's reach. He switched his grip to around her waist and grabbed onto the avian’s talons. With swift movements, he managed to lift her up onto the bird’s back. “Hold on and stay there,” he said as he let go of the talon only to have the bird lift him from the back of his armor. He drew his bow once more, the crackles of lightning bouncing off his body. Before anyone could warn him about the flammable dangers of the slime covering some of the soldiers, he fired.

Electric sparks exploded from the arrow upon impact into one of the many bodies that were still standing. Aseo would see his body convulse for a moment before all the slime around him began to conduct the shocks coming from his body. In mere seconds, the slime let off a huge explosion that tore through the rock surrounding it. Aseo would be suddenly blinded by a bright light and in mere seconds be falling. If he looked below him, there would only be the vast grasslands below. However, there was ample time to catch himself, if he could. He could hear faint maniacal laughter coming from the mad strategist and see his face looking down at him he fell. The same demonic grin that he had seen before. The face of a traitor. Perhaps, something more.

“It seems you’ve done my work for me, boy.”

These were the words he would hear as he fell. They would echo in his mind along with a booming laughter. With a swipe of his fan, Liang sent powerful winds down at everyone who was falling. Even if Aseo began to fly, it would only soften his descent onto the plains. But it would be enough not to hurt or kill him. However, he would find any of his exposed skin with first degree burns. All of the poor men who fell would now be mush on the grass besides him. The sight would be horrific to even the most experienced of soldiers. But just like that, Liang had vanished into thin air. As if the wind carried him away itself. The men upon the mountain would all have died from the explosion whether they fell or not. Their bodies were unidentifiable now; mostly covered by boulders and debris.

Tsunko cursed under his breath. His stupidity has cost him countless lives yet again. There was this underlying hatred for things he couldn’t explain. Magic. It had disgusted him ever since that day. The thought of it made the wounds around his eye pulsate with pain. He was running out of arrows. But the sight of Liang made him uneasy. The man didn’t do anything to save his comrades and he had still managed to vanish out of sight. It was frustrating but perhaps he was on their side after all. Or perhaps… on his own. The later notion was horrifying. A magician of such power needed to be put down. Regardless of intention. Silence would befall the two, only the wind and flapping of wings for them to hear. Part of him was worried. Her value of life was strong and yet he managed to kill dozens in one gesture. His recklessness cost tons of lives back into the rukh. “Forgive me,” he muttered, only to ask for her forgiveness and perhaps that of those he had slain.

Enemies for Aseo:

The soldiers’ swords clashed with impressive force as the assailants collided with each other, their bodies falling into each other’s weapons as they fell to the earth, but not before the silver-haired maiden sliced at their legs, taking the wind from their legs as gravity pulled them to the ground.

“You bitch! I’ll gut you!” A soldier yelled through the dirt, his teeth stained yellow and brown from decay and dirt. He reached for his sword, hoping to find enough to slice at his enemy, but all he could muster was a few more stretches of his arm before he gave out and the blood emptied from his lifeless carcass. The soldiers were dispatched quickly and cleanly by Diana, lying still on the ground as a tiny mountain of rotting flesh.

Off in the distance, the thunderous cries of pain and agony echoed as the raving mad children tore through soldiers, knowing no alliance to either army. In particular, one rushed toward the area where the silver-haired maiden stood, the child’s body galloping across the war torn field on all fours, as if it were completely taken over by feral instinct. Dozens of soldiers in Yoshiro Zu’s and Gao Yuan Zu’s army attempted to swipe at the child soldier, hoping to exterminate it, yet they did not succeed. Instead, the Fanalis child made quick work of the conscripts, tearing limb from their body and brutally bludgeoning their bodies until they were unable to move. Their necks were crushed with the might of the mightiest Fanalis warriors, striking fear into the surrounding soldiers and leaving them on the defense, fleeing the immediate area where the child resided.

Not before long, the child brought its gaze over to Diana. For some reason, whether it be chance or some divine providence, and stood up from its quadruped stance. The Fanalis child was suddenly brought into the realm of humans for a brief second before reverting to its more primal state, dropping back down to the ground and rushing toward the warrior. It rushed toward her, the child’s mouth frothed with rage as it reared its claws and grew faster with each stride. It was faint, but you could hear a faint, rumbling growl from the child. It didn’t sound quite menacing, almost equivalent to a whimper, but to anyone looking at the beast-like child, it sounded only like the sounds of a rabid animal.

All around him was a still silence. The large bird that held two of his enemies was now long out of sight. The young magician would soon find Yating, not too far from where he had fallen. His golden blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight, seemingly untouched by the field of blood that surrounded him. If Aseo got a closer look at the man, he would see that Yating was barely hanging on. His body was severely burnt and his armor merged with his flesh from the searing heat that enveloped him before. It was a miracle that the man had even survived the fall. The crumbling debris around him implied that a rock broke his fall. Yating wearily reached out for Aseo, his eyes so swollen they would barely open. If it weren't for the strands of golden locks that were still attached to his head, he'd be unrecognizable. His hands were as warm as the blood that dripped down his fingertips. As a magician, it was clear to see that his body was returning to the rukh. They flocked around him, waiting for him to leave this world behind.

"Aseo..."

A raspy, pained voice escaped from his mouth. He began to hack up the blood that had been pooling in the back of his throat. Yating tried to lift himself up but the pain was too much to bare. His screams echoed and the skin melded into his armor began to peel. He gritted his teeth, hyperventilating, his crimson saliva leaking from the crevices.

"How... could he..? Stop him... please..."

The hand that was extended went limp. His breathing was more ragged and softer than it was before. He was dying. No matter how much he tried to heal the man, between the blood loss and prior damage to his organs, his end was inevitable. Any healing would just ease his pain as his body slowly shut down. Aseo could see in his fading eyes that he was in as much shock and horror as he felt. The confusion as to why their teacher would betray them. A kind man turned into a stranger of darkness. Yating felt like he was staring into a neverending light. His eyelids flickered as he let out his last breath. Aseo would see the rukh flutter off into the skies, never to be seen again. He looked peaceful, as if he was sleeping. Pain no longer burdened the man that lied before him. A gust of wind blew past and it felt as if it was calling to Aseo. It beckoned him to come closer. Perhaps that is where he would find the traitor, Liang.

Upon taking up arms, Trently would find himself in a heap of trouble. As he was about to use “Dansu Toru”, he would find himself kneeling before his enemy. His legs trembling, not out of fear, but due to every single nerve in his body working against him. Chen’s sword was unlike anything Trently had faced before, as it launched a seemingly unavoidable attack against anything in its path. However, the way the blade functioned was in fact a weakness in its own self. Its melody was widespread, affecting even the man’s own allies within a fifteen-meter radius. The one way to counter this was if he were to prepare beforehand, alerting all who was around him. Unfortunately for him, this was not the case this time. Ally and foe alike, everything near Chen fell prey to his melody. Their movement reversed, all senses unbalanced. It was as if everyone suddenly had a horrible case of vertigo.

“Now then, I’ve finally got you where I want you…” Chen would say in a low-tone of voice, wielding his large blade above his head. The shadow of the blade casted upon Trently, as if an omen of death. The Smiling Swordsman, as he was called, had a large grin stretched across his face. Strangely enough, it was not menacing in the least. More like, if he had just received a wonderful present on his day of birth. As the blade began to hammer down towards Trently’s limp body, a thunderous voice would echo throughout the battlefield.

“Do not forget your mission, Chen of the Smiling Blade. I hired you for a reason, this, this is not what you were meant to do.” The booming voice was filled with various emotions. Whoever this man was, it was clear he had been heavily burdened by war.

Though Chen’s death-strike was halted by this voice, the ringing from his blade did not. The vibrations from it were every-growing, intensifying within Trently’s ear drums. The boy was feisty, but even that had its limits. His vision continued to blur, losing sight of the battle before him. However, this was not a sign of weakness. Trently was an incredibly lucky soul. He would be the first person to had ever escaped The Smiling Swordman’s song, even if by coincidence.

“Rise up, your battle is not yet over.” The familiar voice was enough to bring Trently back to his senses. After a good minute of being in a half-conscious state, the boy would rise back to his feet in a cold sweat. Before him, was the face of someone he knew. A powerful war-scarred man of the same blood. It was, Kasai Yanaihara. His own flesh-and-blood father. Next to him, were two powerful-looking soldiers with veils covering their faces. Directly in front of him, was Trently’s opponent from before, Chen. His scabbard sinking into the blood-stained mud.


“Son, we have a lot to discuss. Including that thing you have embedded into your arm there. However, I do not plan of robbing you of this battle. This is something you must go through with.” he would say, placing his own hand on the sword around his waist.

OOC: As she is in a safe place currently, I will not be adding a post for her at the moment. Lestacia is exempt from her absence this round due to her being busy in real life. We had significant notice prior to this as well. Her posts will resume and she will be caught up whenever she is able to post.

Due to a few delayed posts from people who were unable to post previously, a few days will be given to the DM to write in order to get all the posts out at the same time. Sorry for the inconvenience. The posts will be out very soon! Thank you!

The rabid children attacked the swaths of soldiers, digging their claws into the opposing armies. As Diana shouted at the child wielding a blade, two of the children’s bodies stopped in their tracks, as if they were compelled to, and turned to face the warrior. One in particular held its gaze on her long enough to divert its path of wanton destruction and charge toward the silver-haired maiden. It was peculiar, now, how the rabid Fanalis child was focused so much on attacking the woman. The child’s hind legs reared up and lunged at the silver-haired woman, their claws and sword ready to tear flesh asunder. The other rabid child would dive into a pack of soldiers, ripping their armor and skin from their bodies as they cried out in pain.

Without warning, the second child dove into a pack of soldiers, trained soldiers, and ravaged them, delighting the cries of pain as it meted out devastation upon both friend and foe. It relished in the act of war and knew no ally or enemy, only a lust for bloodshed, blinded by the sheer love of battle. In a fit of pique, the child dove at a soldier, only to meet the end of a very well-timed punch to the child’s chest. It sent the child flying backward, only to hack up blood and air as it squirmed on the ground. For a moment, the child almost seemed clear of mind, tranquil, as if their rabid nature were no longer evident, and it was only just a scared child lost in the field of battle. Rabidity took over, however, and the child dove back at the soldier, only to meet the pointy end of the soldier’s spear. In an instant, the child’s body went limp, falling to the ground as life left their body, falling to the ground with a resounding thud as the soldiers nearby cheered in triumph. A deep crimson liquid would begin seeping from the child’s shattered body, their hand stretched out in search of help. However, no help would come for this child. Not today.

As if he was fast as a bolt of lightning, the child would slash down at Diana with his thickened fang-like blade. If she were to retaliate with her own, the two blades would clash together, creating an awful ringing noise throughout the battlefield. The child’s strength was above and beyond the other children. Not only was his body much more in-shape than the rest, but the dosage of strength-enhancing drugs he had been given were far more potent. Diana would be lucky if she found herself unscathed after the first clash, that and also somewhat lucky since the child would immediately back away from her. He was not only stronger than the rest, but his intelligence seemed to be more intact, even if only ever so slightly. His strategy would switch from an offensive one, to something more instinct-based. He had begun circling the Fanalis woman, waiting for her to make the first move.

As he followed the winds, all he would see is his surroundings getting darker and darker as he walked away from the last bit of light he would see. Black rukh swarmed the area and bodies littered the ground. A sea of blood and guts lie before him. He would continue through this area until reaching a figure that had it's back turned. It was alone and drenched in the darkness that surrounded them. The air suddenly became harder to breathe the closer Asehi came to the person.

"Ah~... it seems you've found me... Kukuku~..."


The voice was familiar but as the figure turned it didn't look like the man he was looking for. His expression was as taunting as his voice. It was Sun Liang who had called him here and it was him he found. Despite his new appearance, it was clear. His fan traced his lips seductively at the thought of ripping into the boy in front of him.

"My... you're quite the hardy one. Have you come to kill me, boy? Or have you come to die..?"

He would wait until Asehi responded with either words or action before blowing a harsh wind towards him to blow him back to stop him from casting any spells. It was harmless and wouldn't hurt him but the force of the blow would knock the wind straight out of his chest. "Magarula." He would then follow up with another concentrated gust of wind that sliced through the ground as it traveled towards him.

"Let's see how much fun you are to play with until I decide to kill you~..."

Thunderous booming surrounded them, as lightning continued to strike at the land. The rain only continued to get heavier, showing no signs of getting weaker. The sound of clashing metal and death had moved further away from them, as the two armies had moved further north from the original spot. Countless soldiers on both ends had been slaughtered, and would now live only only in the memories of their loved ones. Their names would never be known again, they were only faceless soldiers who were now apart of the earth’s crust.  

“Would you mind showing me that arm of yours, son? I might be mistaken, or perhaps it’s merely a coincidence. Knowing Gao, though…” Yoshiro’s general would state, not letting his guard down for a second. The man was serious, and despite Trently and Kasai’s current relationship, he still showed signs of concern for the boy. Upon Trently’s father questioning him about his arm, the magic tool would begin to behave strangely. The boy would be able to feel as the device was beginning to heat up, not to the point of burning him, but enough for minor discomfort. A strange red mist-like substance could be seen seeping through his bandages, along with the tool rooting even deeper into his arm. The black tendrils were digging further into his muscles, latching upon any nerves they could find. Trently could feel his arm become lighter, almost weightless. Perhaps this would give him an advantage in his fight with Chen, The Smiling Swordsman.

“Stand your ground boy, our fight is not yet over.” Chen would say abruptly, pulling his large sheath out of the muddy ground. The man’s eyes were back to their normal state, no longer hindered by the power of Trently’s Meinu. His face was grim, and serious. He was clearly not satisfied by how Kasai forced the fight to pause momentarily, and would have rather beheaded Trently there on the spot. Despite his issues with this, he would continue to fight regardless. Chen would not wait around for Kasai’s flesh and blood to act, causing him to make his his first move alongside a convenient strike of lightning. The lightning would serve as a decent distraction, as he aimed his sword towards Trently’s stomach.

The plains below them were filled with an array of bodies and splashes of red among the green. A tense breath escaped his lips as she answered him. Her somber voice told him the opposite than what she reassured. Failure was something he didn't want to acknowledge. He had failed all his life only to be spared by the pity of those around him. His good luck came with the bad coming ten fold. As he looked down, his failures were clear to him. His recklessness has caused him to take many lives yet again.

"It isn't fine... They had families! Wives, children! It is my fault!"

His outburst stopped short by the flow of tears long held back. He was frustrated and would do anything to turn back time. Lestacia mentioned a spell. A dangerous spell that she implied may take her own life. This made him feel uneasy. The importance of this girl was obviously of great scale. If she died, it would be over if it wasn't already. Plus, there was no bringing back the dead.

"No... they're all dead down there. Your spell wouldn't save them now and it's not safe here."

Tsunko gave a short whistle to the bird and they began to slowly descend to the ground. During this time, he would stay silent, steeling his emotions. They would land in a nearby camp which was long abandoned. He walked around to the side of the bird and reached out his arms to assist her. The avian was quite large and it would be tough for her to get down without trouble. If she accepted his help, he would hold onto her sides and slowly set her down.

"Do you know how to fight? If not, I can teach you."

There was something running through his mind and she would be able to tell this. Though it would be clear he was preparing her to take lives. He walked over to one of the weapon racks and examined some of the weapons. They were smaller and most likely for her. It was just the two of them and the war was not over yet. He would wander into one of the tents and soon come out with a few odd looking items that he presented to her.

"These might be helpful to you. I'm not sure what they do but they were a good find."


The first item was an instrument. It's dark metal twisted into an ethereal cyan hue. A crystal of the same color adorned the top and three strings formed from the metal behind it. It's magic circle is imprinted on the inside of the twirling figure. Upon touch, it was much colder than one would expect.


The second item was a circular disk. This particular is dark yet beautiful. The design is shaped into an ornate array of spikes and gothic patterns. It's main feature is a skull with garnet gemstones placed into it's eye sockets. The magic circle is located on the back side of the item. A sickly air surrounds the tool as if it is riddled with some sort of curse.


The last item was a bracelet. It is a beautiful item with a large crystal in the center that shines brightly as it captures the light. It is adorned with smaller gems and made of a white metal. The magic circle can be vaguely seen within the crystal. The bracelet seems to adjust it's size to whomever touches it.

Tsunko would wait until the chose one of the items before motioning her back over to the bird. He would help her up on top of his companion before getting on himself. This time he let her sit in front but he held her firmly with one of his arms so she wouldn't fall. He sat there deep in thought for a moment before speaking up.

"If... if you want to go home. I will let you go. You don't deserve to be in this situation. I will come up with an excuse so you can get away from here. But if you wish to stay... I promise that I'll protect you. But you must be prepared to defend yourself. We will avenge their deaths. I swear this to you."

His resolve was clear but there was still a tinge of worry in his voice. His grip on her got slightly more firm. If she decided to stay, the bird would pick up speed. He hoped she stayed though he wouldn't blame her if she decided to leave now. This war was not an ideal place for a gentle soul like her.

( Note from DM: I won’t be telling you what the items exactly do as in magic type or function until you choose one. But I did give hints as to what they might be. They are all magic items and you will be able to use it in this event thread after this round of posting. )

-Music-

stamina ( 365 | 395 )

* = refers to an ability.

It was tremendous, the level of skill butting head to head in this match. A child, not yet matured into a young man, capable of inflicting such pain on adult men and women whose entire lives were spent preparing for the heat of battle. Yet, the young Fanalis boy was an expert opponent, capable of maintaining ownership of his mysterious, fang-shaped sword. Held in a vicegrip, the sword neglected to leave the child’s hands, still planted firmly in his hand.

However, the Fanalis woman’s fist connected with the child’s stomach, sending a formidable blow to their chest before they regained composure quickly enough to peel her hand off his wrist. The boy somersaulted over the warrior maiden, keeping firm grip of the fang-like sword in their grasp. The child landed behind the silver-haired warrior, holding his arm, his face grimacing like one could only describe as someone trying to forget about pain. The little boy’s eyes would glow red with conviction and lust for blood. As if they were letting out a fierce battle roar, the child stomped his feet on the ground, letting out an exasperated scream subduing the approaching soldiers around him in impressive fear. For how little the child was, their build was more sturdy, their body more hardened and suited for battle, as if all the child knew was war and bloodshed and violence.

It was no secret that former emperor Gao Yuan Zu was a terrible man, capable of introducing such heinous acts like sending out child soldiers to do his bidding. Though the child was fierce and taken over by the lust for battle, there was a gentleness in his eyes. The Fanalis child from earlier who died at the hands of the soldiers’ spears, for a minute, had a touch of humanity in her before falling victim to their blades. It was faint, and subtle, but she resisted the want for battle and could not viciously kill as she did earlier before.

Standing before the silver-haired maiden now, the Fanalis boy held his sword in his hand and dashed forward the woman, zig-zagging through the earth between hoping to draw attention away from his movements. Soldiers onlooking the battle attempted to cut the boy down, only to find their body slashed without remorse. Limbs flew flopped in the air as the boy rushed toward the Fanalis woman, attempting to slash at her legs. For all that was rabid about the boy, it seemed he did not lose the ability to fight strategically.

Sun Liang was surprised at his reaction. It teased a bit of laughter out of the man. The boy was morbid enough to throw his comrade's dead body into his attack. Yet these winds tore straight through the enlarged corpse with ease but dissipated upon reaching the blue magician. He would only have felt a strong breeze. Pieces of Yating's dead body blew into different directions. A small orb of water curved around the meat shield as well which glistened in the dim light. Due to the small size of the orb, he let it collide with his body. The damage was laughable. The white magician didn't even flinch. He just gave Asehi a mocking laugh accompanied with a cocky smile. His expression darkened as he watched the boy try to sneak around him. While he was not audible, he was most certainly visible in the corpse ridden plains.

"Do you really think you could sneak around me? Ha! You truly are a fool. I will show you what I am known for, boy! But I'm afraid you won't live to tell the tale. It's a shame."

The corpses ruptured beneath his feet as he ran around Sun Liang. Asehi's attempts to kick them up only made them flip over and cover his feet and legs in bodily fluids. They were much too disheveled to be used as a meat shield and some pieces were too heavy to even lift. His enemy stayed in place, turning his head and body to keep watch on the boy. Sun Liang began to fan himself, waiting on Asehi to make a move. He was impatient. The master of wind would swipe his fan out in front of him and his eyes grew wide. Winds began to pick up in a large radius around him. Any projectiles would be useless in this gust but there was an eye to the storm. An area of roughly one meter around Sun Liang was not affected by it. His fan pulsated with a great aura of dread and malice. Black rukh swarmed around the man.

"Dance!"

Asehi would suddenly find that his clothing and skin were beginning to tear in small cuts upon his body. The radius of the hurricane was massive, reaching thirty meters away from the caster. The more he stood in the current of wind, the more cuts he would get. Sun Liang would wait until his next action. He wanted to see the boy suffer.

Kasai watched as his son went on about the war, trying his hardest to convince him to switch sides. He couldn’t help but feel somewhat bad about it all, yet Trently should know very well that what he was asking was simply impossible. “I have put my faith in Yoshiro, and it will stay that wait until the day that I die.” Kasai would state, with a heart made of stone. Watching as the red vapor seeped from his son’s arm, he couldn’t help but feel slightly more nervous about it. He was correct after all, about it being a magic tool given to him by Gao. If things got out of hand during the fight, he would be forced to intervene. He couldn’t risk losing either Trently, or Chen.

By clearing his throat, Kasai would continue to speak directly to his son. “There is one thing I don’t quite understand about you, what is it that you see in that man? Gao, that is. It’s hard to imagine someone young as you, to be entranced into his old-fashioned ways. He is a corrupt and evil old man, it would be much more simpler to just join Yoshiro. Out of all the people here, I’d expect you to be completely against the slavery he endorses! Yet, here you are..” Kasai would shout out to Trently, only to be interrupted by Chen’s actions. Yoshiro’s general would simply step-back, to begin admiring the fight from a distance. To further Trently’s growth, this was a fight he would have to carry out to the end. However, Kasai would not drop his guard, not even for a second. Just in case things took a turn for the worse.

The Smiling Swordsman couldn’t help but grin at the Trently’s response. “You can’t possibly think that I’m the kind of man to use the same trick twice, we might as well get some entertainment out of this!” Chen would shout out, having his blade blocked by Trently’s own right away. The boy would then attempt to disarm Chen during this process, failing to do so. This would force Chen to immediately pull his blade back, swiftly kicking Trently in the stomach. This would cause the young general be knocked back a bit, yet still capable of standing on his two feet. “You’re gonna have to do better than that!” Chen would yell, positioning himself away from Trently once again. However, this time his stance was meant to do something different entirely. This was Chen’s counter-stance, Dǎ Hǔ, by far his most renowned technique.

"I want to be here with you! You watch my back and I'll watch yours. Just try and not to get yourself killed out there. I know you're working hard out there but if you overexert yourself you might die. I care about you!"

Her words struck him deep in his heart. He felt anxious yet his mind was put at ease. Tsunko removed his mask since his face was heating up. His cheeks were flushed with a light blush and his eyes looked somber. Since the start of this war, he was drawn to her. He kept an eye on her ever since he laid eyes on her at the camp. She was placed into his care and they experienced horrors together. They would see more of this war in the hours to come as well. Yet he found this peaceful serenity in her company.

At first, he wouldn't have believed her if she told him that she cared for him. Tsunko was smitten with her. He kept his arm around her in a gentle embrace and rested his head against the side of hers. There was a bit of an urge to kiss her but he refrained. If she did not share his feelings for her, it would only distance them further. His heart was racing and she would be able to feel it from his chest pressed up upon her back. He was unsure what to say to her. There were no words to convey his current emotions and the battlefield wasn't a good place to kindle a romance.

"Don't worry. We'll get out of this alive. Thank you for looking out for me."

He wanted to tell her that he wanted to run away from here with her after it was all over. But his scar pulsated with pain and hatred for that man. Perhaps it would be a good time to tell her of his past as they soared through the skies. But they reached the battlefield too soon. He withdrew from his romantic embrace and returned the mask to his face. The scene below wasn't as horrific as the one they had come from. Surprisingly, many of the men who hadn't climbed the mountain organized themselves in this location and were in combat with the enemy. Tsunko let out a sigh of relief when he saw most of his forces alive.

"Let's land in a safe spot and join them. I won't be known for a coward and neither will you. It'll be over soon, I promise."

The hawk veered off away from the thick of the battle and landed in a safer location. Though it wasn't as safe as they would think. There was a small bit of battle going on around them. The hawk gave the surrounding soldiers a bit of a scare. It was enough to buy them time to get off of the bird. There would be no time to talk. Men from all sides went to attack them. Tsunko would be practically back to back with Lestacia, unleashing heavy arrows into the few men that assaulted him. His hawk took to the air again, swooping down to the ground and picking up various soldiers only to drop them to their demise.

Three soldiers would come charging towards the young woman. They were trained but their actions weren't as precise as one would expect. It was clear they were simply fighting for their lives and saw her as a threat. She could see in their eyes that they did not want to attack her but their instincts drove them to kill. It was kill or be killed out here and Lestacia would have to put her morals to the test.

One of them slashed their sword at her while the other took his own and stabbed. They both came at her at the same time. The third would stab his sword in between the other two in order to get more damage on her. That is, if they could get close to her.

Magic Tool:

Enemies: