02 (Video)

[oniwabanokashira]

[The feed opens to a view of Aoshi from torso up. His face is a calm cold mask as he swings one of his kodachi, weaving a wall of steel around himself to deflect cuts and thrusts from as yet unseen assailants. The sharp-eyed, however, may note that his attackers' hands are pure bone.]

Yukiko. Try to keep the Ryders busy. Their meal tonight may be... delayed.

[Four blades suddenly fall upon him, seeking to overwhelm his defense. He has to use both his hands to meet the impact, and doing so sends the device clattering to the floor. The last thing viewers see before the feed dies is Aoshi's shadow on the wall, drawing his second sword as his opponents close in anew.]


(OOC: Aoshi got pulled into Castlevania while picking up beef for the Amagi Inn. Occurs right before this.)

Comments

[sakuya_izayoi]

The attackers were soon joined by a swarm of others. Creatures of all kinds, chasing, clawing, biting- all trying to get to him. More could be heard coming from all sides, the minions of this place quite determined to see him torn to shreds... Then, all at once, many of them stopped, turning and fleeing down the way they came and down adjacent corridors. The ones that remained were only able to continue their assault for several more moments before- with a flash of crimson, they were cut down.

The air shuddered, growing heavy with an otherworldly chill as a very displeased woman in a maid outfit stepped from the darkness, knife in hand, crimson mist still rising from the etching lining the blade. Her eyes were burning a similar red, cutting through the darkness.

"One after another after another..." She flicked her wrist, a fan of blades appearing in her hand. "I've just about had it with all of you...!"

[oniwabanokashira]

His expression had never changed, not when he'd been surrounded by living nightmares and not even now when something more terrible than them had just put them to flight. The air around her was heavy with killing intent; grossly incongruent with her slight appearance and frilly attire.

This would've made a lesser man's skin crawl. But all Aoshi could think about was the reprieve he'd just been given.... and the job left unfinished.

"Then show me out. Your minions struck first and I mean no one harm."

[sakuya_izayoi]

Her expression shifted subtly, but that strange aura of nothingness didn't dim, nor did she put her knives away. If anything her presence grew more intense, washing over him as subtly warped time and space.

"I'm afraid you have the misfortune of catching me at the end of my patience." Several knives sailed past his head, though she hadn't seemed to have moved at all. They missed intentionally, grazing his hair and collar.

"But if you wish to leave, I would be more than happy to show you out." A flick of her other hand, more knives appearing as she coiled herself, arms poised to throw...

[oniwabanokashira]

Aoshi could feel that shift in the air. It defied the laws of physics, even of ki, as swordsmen knew them. This wasn't an act of divine speed. Somehow, she'd bent time itself to make a point. Several sharp ones in fact. No one back home could do such a thing. Not even Battousai, though he certainly made it seem that way.

A look of dark--- almost gleeful--- anticipation broke his cold mask for a second. How long had it been since he'd felt this way? To be in the presence of a powerful foe he'd conquer in the name of the Oniwabanshu?

Gloved hands tightened on his swords. But no more than that. Rationality washed over him like a cold shower. Or rather his back, whence hung the beef he'd picked up for the Amagi Inn. This was who he was now. It was far better to live for this than the life of violence he'd sworn off.

He did not lower his swords, but he did straighten up despite the appearance of more knives. Whether he was right or wrong to do that, he was ready.

"Prove it. Lead the way."

[sakuya_izayoi]

Sakuya caught that expression, as brief as it was, The maid's eyes brightened a barely restrained smile tugging at her lips and threatening to make itself known. She was a little disappointed wen it vanished... but that didn't matter. She didn't have time for fun. Not with so many people appearing in castlevania. "So that's how it is... I will be sure to escort you then."

She didn't speak again, her presence growing more potent, leaping up, arms snapping forward. Though she only seemed to have a few knives in each hand, the air rippled, and a rain of silver appeared from nowhere, raining down. It almost felt like the calm before the storm. Sh wanted to gauge his strength.

[oniwabanokashira]

She had more knives than he could see. Impressive. He'd have chalked this up to optical illusions and expert misdirection, but he doubted there was a need for such things in this castle of demons. Not when real magic existed.

The onmitsu tumbled backwards with a silence to match hers, letting the first few knives turn where he'd been standing (and everything around it) into a veritable pincushion. Then his blades whirled around him at lightning speed, deflecting the rest of the steel rain into walls, pillars, and the floor. Except the last one; it whistled past a lock of hair by her ear, much like the warning shot she'd given him.

He never saw that though. As soon as he deflected it, he turned and surged past the blood fountain near them for wider ground. It was folly to stay and fight. And he was very late for work.

[sakuya_izayoi]

She gave chase with amazing speed and tenacity, vanishing and appearing seemingly at random. He wouldn't be able to escape someone like this. Her attacks were becoming mroe and more erratic and harder to predict. Another group of knives thrown at an odd angle, barely grazing past him, making a metallic clinking sound as they ricocheted off of the stone walls, coming again from a different angle!

Even still, the knives were coming in a distinct way, growing more dense in places and forcing him to take certain paths. She was herding him. Or trying to at least. It was unlikely she would relent until he was completely out of the archway or dead, though it wasn't clear what end she was actually attempting to accomplish.

Unlike what he had previously assumed, the greater space did not provide him with any sort of respite. If anything it made the assault worse. The fountain provided a very odd surface for the blades to bounce off of and the additional room gave her just as much mobility as it provided for him.

[oniwabanokashira]

He wasn't just being herded. He was being tested, if not goaded into a fight. A useless gesture; she'd had her chance seconds ago. With his mind now clear, she'd get nothing from him but flight.

It took a single knife nicking his shoulder to adjust quickly to the new angles. He answered her chaotic movements with his own. One moment he was committed to full defense, even sending a few knives back at her. The next he was juking left, right, and sometimes back. Always at varying speeds and never in the same direction.

Ahead of him, undead riders on two-legged skeletal horses charged forward, seeking to end the chase by impaling him on their lances. Aoshi merely used them as cover, either vaulting over their heads or sliding between their legs. In every single case, they put an extra set of bodies between his own and those incessant knives. Indeed, the demon maid soon found she was killing her own fellow servants.

Before long, he was running out of the courtyard and into the halls of a prison. The undead shambled back and forth in long decayed cells, envious of the fate they believed was coming to him.

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[firefandance]

[Telling her to stay when someone she knew was possibly getting hurt was not something Yukiko enjoyed. She was concerned and watching it was just making her feel worse with each second. She didn't follow what she said, instead she had started to make a move, out of the inn and heading off.]

I can't just do that! They will understand but we need to make sure you are safe first.

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[oniwabanokashira]

You're the innkeeper. If anything happens to you...

[Aoshi's on the run when the feed comes back. Whatever he did back there, he didn't get away scot-free. He has a cut on his cheek and rips on his coat to show for it. He goes quiet when he realizes it's been minutes since his last transmission. She's well on her way by now and there's nothing he can do to dissuade her.]

.... I seem to be in a castle of some kind. I think it is home to the monster army that marched for the Mayor's office some days ago.

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[firefandance]

Then someone else would take over. It's the possibility even if I were to vanish suddenly someday.

[She had been making her way from those few minutes and had been keeping up a rather steady pace to say the least as she was still running. Fans in hand.]

I think I have a small idea of where that might be

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[oniwabanokashira]

Everglade?

[Just a guess given recent events, even if he hasn't actually been there yet. He looks up as a swarm of bats descend upon him. Although he's back to one sword, he's able to blaze a trail through them. Then he jumps off a railing and rams his blade into a hanging banner, riding it all the way down to the ground and dodging arrows from skeletal archers all the way.]

We should meet halfway. The less ground we have to cover going back, the less danger we'll be in.

[Because it's night and if Everglade this really is, then they'd be well into the curfew.]

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[firefandance]

Okay...

[Yukiko didn't care if it was the curfew or not, if someone attacked her she was not afraid to bob the on the nose or something. She was not going to be taken lightly just because she was a woman in Everglade. Reaching the archway, she made sure she had her necklace before walking through.]

I'm in Everglade so I'll wait around.

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[oniwabanokashira]

[Some minutes later, the video feed comes back. Aoshi's outside the castle, and he has emerald-haired company.]

Status? Terra removed me from the fortress, though she may have expended quite a bit of her power to do so.

[And he's wounded, but not by a whole lot.]

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[firefandance]

Does she need help as well then?

[She was trying to make her way but all he mentioned was being removed, so where was he now?]

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[oniwabanokashira]

No more than a place to rest.

[He doubts she'll object to the Inn. Yukiko will see the two of them move through the subarchway. Now they're on the streets of Everglade, which are deserted for the moment. The spy never stops running though, taking the time to send her their location through the device.]

We're here. You should be seeing us shortly.

Video

[greenmagick]

[Terra is a little confused at the video at first. He clearly isn't talking to anyone other than Yukiko but he is probably moving to fast to set the video to private. That or he hasn't figured out how.

Either way Terra is worried and so she picks up her phone quickly to respond.]

Are you okay? Where are you?

[Her voice shakes slightly, unsure if she'll even be able to help. Terra usually avoids fighting.]

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[oniwabanokashira]

Vlad Tepes' castle, I believe.

[He's certainly none the worse for wear. He'll try to dissuade her now. Letting Yukiko come get him is risky as it is.]

Stay where you are. Enough people are already in danger.

[That... and she has more to offer Genessia than someone like him.]

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[greenmagick]

[Terra thinks about it for a moment but shakes her head.]

Are you sure?

[She doesn't look strong but her powers rival many powerful people who were brought to this world.]

I do know a teleportation spell.

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[oniwabanokashira]

[He may only have a very basic understanding of magic but... that certainly changes things. He looks thoughtful even in the middle of skewering a zombie.]

How would it work? Would it be any trouble to you?

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[greenmagick]

[Terra shook her head.]

I just need to get to the archway... I've never tried it between archways. There is magic that might get in the way but I can get into the castle and out again.

[This isn't something she's tested considering she tries not to use her magic.]

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[oniwabanokashira]

[Ruminating under pressure. He's good at it. Finally:]

Do what you can or are willing to. Nothing more. Understood?

[He'd add 'thank you', but it's too early for that.]

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[greenmagick]

Understood.

[Terra's eyes were even as she ran from her home. She keeps the video going so that he knows exactly where she is as she moves. There is a moment of distortion and she's in Genessia, making her way to Everglades archway.

She knows all the archways intimately since she made common practice of looking for flowers.]

I'm getting closer. I need to know where you are in the castle. [Even if he finds a window and tells her what's outside of it.]

[Action] Hope you don't mind a late tag?

[goddessinthefog]

[Well now. Perhaps Izanami should have expected an assault on the Castle following what happened with the Mayor of Everglade, but to hear a commotion already?

Half the reason that the Goddess enjoyed staying in Castlevania was that, despite the fondness for humans that Dracula did not share, it was somewhere she could drop her pretences and show her true nature. She didn't have to pretend to be human here, and didn't have to worry that she would be feared.

Thus, she was hardly pleased to see another stranger stumble his way into the castle. This was getting frustrating. The fog swarmed and gathered around her as she shifted into a more combat capable form - the same she'd used in the attack on the mayor's office.

She swept down the halls, following the sound of battle until she could confront him herself.]

Late? There is nooo such thing. /The Mandarin voice

[oniwabanokashira]

[Aoshi takes a moment to catch his breath amid the debris of fallen axe knights around him, blue eyes scanning the halls for both friends and foes. He's doing well for someone who's never fought monsters. If he keeps this up, he just may be able to fight his way past these walls.]

[The sudden shift of ki in the air--- a palpable rise in killing intent--- tells him that his luck has changed. It's stronger than anything he's come across so far and it's closing in fast. Bereft of an exit or hiding places, all the spy can do is stand his ground and await the presence's arrival.]

[For once, however, he does not lift his swords in readiness. Every single monster thus far has taken that as a sign of aggression even if he never struck first. He'll try the opposite now, and he's fully prepared for it not to do a thing for his predicament.]