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Post by Kirasath Dravere on Dec 6, 2015 8:11:03 GMT
It had been three days since the rather unfortunate event at Varsi. The city had been left in chaotic shambles after an Exalted fight had leveled its central infrastructure and removed its patron's primary advocate. It was in no shape whatsoever to offer it services to anyone, and of no mind to make exceptions for the very Celestials who had effectively doomed the city. Kirasath Dravere and Shi-Oda had to make their way south on their own, without transportation and with a few more complications. While fighting a demonic demigod would be harrowing for anyone, one of the pair seemed far more perturbed than she had reason to be.
Kira had been somewhat useless for the last few days. She cooked food when presented with materials, but her heart was never in it. She carried her share of their equipment at a sluggish pace. Her normally radiant beauty was marred by what looked to be a dangerous lack of sleep, eyes unfocused and bagged, skin pale and clammy. It might have been that she caught a disease this far into the jungle. If not of body, then definitely of spirit. Her reactions had been dulled, her thoughts muddled as she tried to keep a long-dead woman from conquering her memories and commanding her actions.
Which left Shi-Oda a bit...alone. This was hardly new for him. He had been a lone wolf (or...lone Foo Dog?) for months, possibly years before he had met Kira, just as she had traveled alone before she met Jasmine Iralis. Neither of them had much to fear from a world that could no more stand against them than wheat before the scythe, but Kira, at least, had become quite attached to having a peer to compare herself with. And also a man to vindicate her existence through. Old habits died hard, and in her case, a couple were very slow to admit that they should actually die.
The two of the made their way south on foot, by the way of a river which was becoming increasingly jungle-ish the further they walked. Varsi was still barely visible in the distance, and from the look of the river's horizon, business had picked back up at a labored pace without its Yozi-tainted inhabitants. Shi-Oda had seen to that personally. What neither one of them had seen to, of course, was ensuring that they hadn't left any witnesses or paper trail. The two Celestials seemed utterly clueless to the exact cargo of the barge currently approaching them from miles up the river.
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Post by Shi-Oda on Dec 6, 2015 8:35:54 GMT
Things were bad, and getting worse. The luster had gone from Kira's eyes, and although it was at least encouraging that it was a genuine reaction of his mate to what had been a harrowing battle and (he hopefully guessed) not a symptom of her possibly-inevitable madness, he couldn't help but worry. And while he was used to filling the silence in their travel with meaningless babble, the act held considerably less appeal when Kira could muster only a half-hearted interest. Or a half-hearted ANYTHING for that matter. Shi-Oda was not lacking in empathy, but having the tools to utilize that empathy in a constructive way was another matter entirely.
Not that he didn't have his own burdens to carry. What had happened in Varsi was - to put it lightly - a slaughter. While some might have advocated putting every accursed person in that poisoned place to the sword, Shi-Oda had restrained himself and only cut down those who'd taken up arms to stop their exodus. In the name of their masters, perhaps, or to avenge the easy lifestyle that had come by giving their souls over to the cult of the giving hand, it mattered not. There was no glory in breaking down such opponents, no matter how wicked they were, just as there was no honor in slaying even the most dangerous of mad dogs. Justifiable murder was murder, it was but a small blessing that Kirasath had been unconscious during the lion's share of that incident.
Or perhaps she hadn't, explaining get sullen demeanour. More worry. Worry, worry, worry.
The sighting of a ship going their way was a blessing, indeed. Whether ailment of the soul or body, time spent within walls and on a bed would do Kira some good - and he was more than willing to do the work of half the crew to secure such. If his shining armor didn't entice a crew with promises of wealth, certainly the width of his shoulders would convince them he could be put to good use. If nothing else, an exhausted and morose Kirasath was still a rare beauty by any definition of the word. As the ship drew near, Shi-Oda raised his arms above his head and hailed the barge in a loud, booming voice - exuding good cheer as he asked for a ride. What sort of river-sailor wouldn't want to pick up an interesting-looking couple of adventurers?
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Post by Kirasath Dravere on Dec 6, 2015 9:04:49 GMT
Had she been more alert, had her senses been sharper, Kira might have noticed what was about to happen and delivered some kind of warning. Locked in her own thoughts and what she viewed to be the struggle for her own identity as she was, the young Solar was of little more assistance than a mortal might have been. That her Essence had mental fortitude been so drained by that battle and she had yet to get any decent rest to recuperate probably wasn't helping much, either.
The ship did stop. A full stop, actually, as if they had been planning on doing so all along. This mystery didn't take long at all to solve, as two fangs of Imperial heavy infantry marched out of the hold, followed by a half-dozen Dragon-Blooded. A full spectrum of jade weapons and shaved heads told the tale of exactly what was standing before Shi-Oda. A few moments later, a sixth Terrestrial walked down in white armor behind them, and he was the first to speak. "You made quite the mess in Varsi, Anathema. The majority of my troops are still there, purging the last of your unclean influence from the city."
Kira noted that even if they had misguided motives, these soldiers had arguably managed to do good anyway. She would have preferred the redemption of the population, but Varsi was easily the most tainted cesspool she had yet seen. That she was now facing down the lot who had salvaged it from the hands of actual demons as an enemy was somewhat tragic. Also, she was quite tired. Could Shi-Oda handle this himself?
One of the monks, a woman with skin a black as coal dust and eyes that burned like heated metal, held up one of her twin blades towards Shi-Oda's throat. "Face the will of the Dragons, vile Anathema. We are not here to talk. Only to cleanse Creation of your kind." It was expected and allowed for a Fire Aspect to engage in a bit of trash talk. As a whole, they were not known for their self-control.
Kira stayed silent, her hand hovering on the hilt of her blade. This would be unlikely to be resolved peacefully.
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Post by Shi-Oda on Dec 6, 2015 9:35:32 GMT
Most of the time, a Wyld Hunt of this magnitude was a death sentence for Anathema - or at the very least, a sign that they should very quickly move in a different direction. But to be perfectly honest? Shi-Oda couldn't be happier that they were here. It gave him something to vent on, something to DO, and when this mess was over? Shit, they'd have a boat as a trophy. And maybe a couple new scars to show for it. Shi-Oda's hand was already on the hilt of his grand silver blade, and he could almost hear Kirasath's thin leather glove resting above her own. He didn't need to glance back. Instead, he put a hand out to literally and symbolically bar her way. "Stay out of this, Kira - You need rest." Shi-Oda stated firmly. Besides, until he was sure she was much closer to healthy, he didn't want her risking a relapse. An ally who became a liability was no real ally.
But time to turn his attention to his would-be executioners - specifically, the woman in such a hurry to point her blades at him. "Don't waste your breath on me, little dragon - I'm Shi-Oda, the Jubilant Lance of the East!" As he spoke, the cadence of Shiyo's voice grew louder, more confident, a lion roaring to warn all that they had entered the domain of a KING. "I would no sooner corrupt than I would steal; my soul is forged as my blade, my heart is just as singular in purpose - and that purpose is to strike down the wicked and cleave the unjust!" With an audible whooosh, Shi-Oda's moonsilver propeller blade came free and clearly delineated its killzone, the wide cone directly in front of him.
"Take this one opportunity to surrender - for the righteous wind of Halta is merciful and just!" Shiyo yelled proudly, towering above all present in his shining armor. "Upon my breast I have split the blades and sundered the spears of brigands and legends! I am the mighty hurricane that howls over the mountain, the crashing wave that cleans the shore, and YOU, little Dragon -" okay, maybe not all of them would be permitted to leave. The fire-aspect had threatened him, after all. Her type always responded to taunts, especially when they were delivered by someone grinning like a fool. Which Shiyo absolutely was. "-are little more than a sputtering candle, against the might of a raging conflagration! Come, prove yourself fools by attacking a man who humors you for the little lizards you are!"
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