Graded [Cleansed Curses Shrine] Falling to Rise Part 3: The Toad, the Witch, and the Dream.

[Shiyonichi]

Kai would quickly come to realize what his purpose was in this fight. He could have gone in and started swinging his sword recklessly, but anyone could have done that and he had already seen what kind of outcome that would end up as. If he was lost in the fight he would be leaving the others to the dangerous of the situation and many would fall victim to the pitfalls and the toad. A man must be brave, but they must not endanger the lives around them for the simple sake of pride. In this case Kai’s sight and sense was vital to this situation and keeping the casualties to a minimum.

“Hey, listen carefully.” Kai would state towards Yukan and Riku as he would inform them to assist their strategy, along with Ceylan as to who was in the most danger and needed healing. Kai would continue to tell them the predictions he would see with his [ Future Sight ] along where the areas where danger would cumulate with his [ Sense ]. He’d give his warnings to best prevent disaster for the group.

TheTimePiece gmimperfecti Elvario

 

[StarPrincessVal]

Paru

Mentions: Orikanyo
​

Paru watched as the corrosive sludge began to burn the child, causing her to change into a writhing horror. "I... I don't want to get on it's back anymore... Okay, new plan! Uh... you don't look that heavy, I can get you past the sinkholes. But once we're over there, I have no idea what to do. Maybe we can try whatever we did earlier, to leave that awful place you found me." She looked to the mutt, waiting for his reply.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Yukan Koyake
​

gmimperfecti Elvario EMIYAman Orikanyo Shadow Dancer Shiyonichi StarPrincessVal

He noted Kai's warning which was incredibly helpful, glad that he had come along since he could see what many of them could not it looked like. He also decided to clarify based on what Ceylan said, "Ceylan is right, there is a risk of threat above in this witch's domain, exercise caution whether in the sky or the ground."

There were a lot of shifting elements going on before Yukan from what appeared to be a girl, a beast? No what was she? Running out and trying to attack the large toad, just what Yukan had been trying to avoid, and then suddenly Ceylan embraced this obviously not pure beast or human thing as she was writheing around from whatever the toad had expelled onto her, but then Ceylan went into doing a lot of healing. He wanted to question Ceylan badly exactly what that thing was considering Tia practically gave off monstrous vibes at that point, but the way that he appeared to hold her like she was something he cared for, that was the only conclusion he could come too. Perhaps she wasn't another threat, Yukan doubted that Ceylan would react this way if she was a genuine threat to them. Even so now they absolutely had to engage the toad in response in order to stop it from doing further harm.

Yukan looked at those around him, and he heard Riku's words it sounded like a solid strategy to say the least for those units to keep moving. Unfortunately the barrage of arrows was not having the intended effect. He had taken note of Ceylan's words with a thoughtful nod prior as well about needing the body of a toad. If they played their cards right since it looked like they'd have to kill the beast, maybe they'd be able to liberate it from it's affliction and bring it's body back after slaying the witch, killing two birds with one stone so to speak. That of course was presuming that the body was actually salvageable from the corruption after the fact. Even if the arrows hadn't been working well at least the yari were able to penetrate at it's weaker spots.

While the Terrain was rapidly shifting thanks to whatever the toad was doing, Yukan did take notice of one vulnerability that the Toad had put itself into should the group be able to get over the pit and sink holes surrounding it. Yukan himself was not close enough to strike it nor did he actually have the combat skills to carry something grand out with an F grade strike what he could do was speak up on what he thought a good course of action was upon seeing that others were already discussing amongst themselves about what to do next.

Yukan appealed with To Arms!
"With our new objective being defeating this toad and salvaging it's body if possible, it has put itself into a semi vulnerable position, We need to focus our attacks on it's more vulnerable stomach if we want any hopes of defeating this beast Striking it's back results in it's spewing it's corrupted toxins and it's far too thick, we should try to be spread out around it on all sides if possible and keep movement so that it can't take out large groups of us in one swoop. Those of you using ranged weapons, target it's stomach when possible, those of you with extrasensory skills if there's a way for our closer ranged units to get in range with this trecherous terrain now is the time to reveal that information before it rights itself again."

Yukan spoke with on his feet thinking, giving a nod to Kai once again after the fact with his support. He wanted to end this conflict as quickly if possible and that would result in them needing to work together as a group to strike fatal blows at their target's weakest spots on it's body.

Spoiler: Actions

Actions:
1. If necessary Yukan moves according to Kai's directive to avoid the shifting terrain hazards however many ft with a move action.
2. Use To Arms!

To Arms! - Leadership E, Warfare F, Republic of Kuridan Etiquette F Grade E- Post Cooldown 1
Yukan uses his leadership skills and knowledge on warfare to give warfare related orders.

 

[gmimperfecti]

<Ceylan Response>

Ceylan's magic was a sight to behold, his aura bathing the area in an ethereal glow. The magic spread outward, divine energy washing over every soldier within its reach. This celestial light suffused each individual, a warm cascade that flowed through them, purging any trace of disease, poison, or curse that might have lingered on their bodies. The aura didn't discriminate, extending to both the humans and beastkin alike. With every passing moment, the soldiers' strength and resolve seemed to visibly renew, bolstered by the magic that filled them.

<Yukan Response>

Following Yukan's command, the soldiers quickly sprang into action, shifting their formation and spreading out. The Yari soldiers valiantly waded through the knee-high mud, determination etched onto their faces. The archers, now better positioned, let loose their arrows, each one targeted towards the Toad's exposed belly. The Boar Riders, driven by their leader's command, expertly maneuvered their mounts through the difficult terrain, closing the distance between them and their target. The battlefield buzzed with newfound intensity as every soldier, regardless of their previous roles, adapted and moved according to the new strategy.

<Ko Response>

The banter between Paru and Ko flowed naturally, the two friends bouncing ideas off one another. With Yukan's advice in mind, and Kai's helpful foresight, they navigated their way around the sinkholes that marred the battlefield. Despite the mud and muck staining their clothes, the pair managed to remain relatively unscathed, their shared focus and teamwork paying off.

<Paru Response>

Paru and Ko remained at the edge of the battlefield, not venturing into the mud-filled terrain just yet. Instead, they used this time to plot their strategy. Paru surveyed the scene before them, her eyes trained on the monstrous toad, taking in every detail that might aid their impending confrontation.

<Indicus Response>

Indicus demonstrated his agility and speed as he darted towards the toad, expertly sidestepping the holes and leaping over the mud pits. With a fierce roar, he released his [Fire Breath F], the flames streaking across the toad's body, causing it to shriek in pain. However, the creature lashed out in its agony, swinging its forearm at Indicus. Indicus managed to evade the attack, but not all were so lucky. Several Yari soldiers were swept up by the massive limb, tossed into the beast's gaping mouth. After his assault, Indicus retreated, leaving the area thick with the stench of charred flesh.

<Tia Response>

As Ceylan's healing magic began to take effect, Tia's inhuman form was laid bare for all to see. The dramatic change didn't go unnoticed by the soldiers, a few visibly recoiling at the sight. Their disgust was palpable, their fear evident. Yet, most of the soldiers had little time to pay attention to this startling revelation. Their focus remained on their monstrous enemy and their own survival, leaving Tia's ordeal a secondary concern.

<Kai Response>

Thanks to Kai's [Future Sight], disaster was averted for several soldiers who had been headed towards the sinkholes. His clear and precise warnings allowed them to change course in the nick of time, saving them from potential injury or even death. Meanwhile, Gyoubu was able to rescue a few unfortunate souls who had fallen into the sinkholes, thanks to Kai's crucial guidance.

<Toad Response>

The Diseased Hill Toad was an abhorrent sight to behold. Towering over the battlefield, it was a monstrosity of nature that had grown to an astounding size that dwarfed even the largest of dire boars. It stood on four limbs, each one thick and muscular, the skin on them covered with countless warts and boils. The mottled green and brown skin was slick with a layer of grimy ooze that oozed from the numerous sores and pustules scattered across its body, leaving a trail of corrosive slime wherever it moved.

Its large, bulbous eyes were a sickly yellow, with vertical pupils that shone with an unsettling malicious intelligence. The eyes were constantly darting around, unblinkingly taking in its surroundings. A layer of white, crusty residue lined the corners of its eyes, hinting at some sort of underlying infection or ailment.

The toad's mouth was a gaping maw filled with rows of jagged, yellowed teeth. They were irregular in size and shape, some large and sharp, others broken or worn down. Bits and pieces of the soliders it had [devoured] pieces out from between it's teeth. A boot here and a hand there.

Its tongue, a grotesque appendage that was thick and long, was covered in a layer of sticky saliva that dripped down to the ground, sizzling and steaming on contact. Without warning, the diseased toad reared up, its enormous body creating a shadow that seemed to consume the battlefield. When it reared back, the toad exposed its belly, a vast expanse of lighter, swollen flesh that pulsated with an inner life of its own. The belly skin was more translucent, showcasing a writhing mass of dark shapes that suggested a swarm of parasites or perhaps unborn offspring living inside. The sight was enough to churn even the strongest of stomachs.

Then, in an act of unexpected agility, its tongue shot out with the speed and force of a cannonball. It ripped through three soldiers who stood in its path before coiling around Riku and his dire boar. The sight of their comrade being ensnared silenced the battlefield, all eyes on the grim spectacle unfolding before them. With an unsettling slurping sound, the toad began to retract its tongue, drawing Riku and his mount towards its gaping, grotesque mouth. The tension in the air became palpable, the soldiers momentarily frozen as they stared in shock and disbelief at their leader's plight.

The squelching made by it's sudden reposition unleashed a nauseating stench, an amalgamation of rot, mold, and sickness that permeated the air around it. This smell seemed to be more than just a byproduct of its diseased state, acting as a deterrent to any potential predators or threats.

OOC Summary:

As the Diseased Hill Toad thrashes, roars, and retaliates, the chaos in the field is staggering. The poison from its Toxic Secretion and Pustule Eruption abilities has inflicted severe damage on those unfortunate enough to get too close. Multiple soldiers are nursing burns, boils, and rashes, the pain of which is only exacerbated by the creeping corruption of the poison.

The numbers of those fallen are disheartening as well. The monstrous amphibian has devoured a fair share of soldiers already, their screams echoing through the muddy field as they met their gruesome end. Each loss has sent a jolt of shock and horror through the ranks, making them all too aware of the lethal capabilities of their foe.

As it stands, there are a number of active threats and challenges that the group must consider:

1. The [Stench Cloud] covers a 50 foot area around the toad now. It acts as [Irritant E; stench causes those of E-grade or lower to intermitantly vomit, which is really distracting].

2. The [Toxic Secretion[ and [Pustule Eruption[ of the Diseased Hill Toad: The toad's poisonous abilities have already caused extensive damage, and there's every indication it will continue to use these methods as the fight goes on. The toxic slime and pus are not only harmful on contact but also carry a lingering effect that continues to inflict damage over time. These effects are very distracting, because it takes several seconds for Ceylan's [Curse Cleanse] to proc, meaning there are precious seconds were those impacted get to feel their skin meltings off and disease taking hold. In it's own way the repeated damaging and healing is a form of torture.

3. The [Mud Pit] This environmental hazard is proving to be a significant obstacle, not just because of the risk of sinking into the mud, but also because it hinders mobility. The unpredictable terrain makes it difficult to approach the toad or retreat swiftly when needed. It requires a movement ability or something creative to not have it hinder mobility and impact the effectiveness of attacks.

4. The [Cannonball Tongue] This terrifying weapon can lash out unexpectedly, causing devastation in its path and even pulling unsuspecting victims straight into the toad's mouth. Dodging this attack requires a high degree of alertness and agility. It is a straight line attack, killing up to 3 NPCs in it's path and entangling it's victim and drawing it into its mouth on the following road.

5. [Casualties] Each loss of a comrade reduces the group's strength and fighting spirit. The psychological impact of witnessing these losses cannot be underestimated. Furthermore, the wounded require urgent medical attention, dividing the resources and attention of the healers in the group.
- Yari: The 1 unit of Yari has been decimated. Three of them have been devoured and the remaining 2 have low morale.
- Archers: They are doing the best since they've kept their distance. Their arrows have managed to hurt the toad's belly.
- Scouts: Whiteclaw and his crew are doing quite well.
- Boar Riders: Riku and his Boar are going to be eaten. Meanwhile, two other boar riders bodies are a crumpled mess from the [Cannonball Tongue].

6. The [Corruption of Tia] Ceylan's healing magic has managed to stabilize her condition, but the monstrous transformation triggered by the toad's poison presents a problem of its own. Her altered state might cause fear or revulsion among the soldiers, and she herself seems to be struggling with her new form.

7. [Maintaining Coordination] With the constant threats and challenges, maintaining an organized and effective strategy is becoming increasingly difficult. Clear communication and a united front are crucial to overcoming this menace.

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Ceylan (Event) - Granblue Fantasy Wiki

Languages: Common | <Beastial>
Mentions: gmimperfecti | Tia EMIYAman

Tia's fate was a gruesome one. With the best of his healing extended to her, he triedt o calm her down. “It's alright, it's alright. Tia is still Tia.” He reassured her, remembering her of the catch-phrase he'd taught her. He'd known from the start, her origins and what she was right now alike, so all he did was embrace her tighter. That'd express what words could not.

With effort, he managed to focus on extend his healing magic to others, hoping to provide them with a state that'd allow them to keep up against this monstrous creature. He noticed many of the looks at Tia, however, so he'd speak up. “Fear not, she's not what she seems to be, focus on the toad!” He'd call out, hoping that his reputations (and leading by example in not fearing her) would be enough to dissuade some of the fear.

He wasn't sure what to do. Those that died were too mutilated to be resurrected. He didn't possess the skills to save Riku, unless, perhaps he'd try summoning him as well, but he feared his concentration was waning rapidly. Out of all the threats that were active, there was one he figured he might aid with. The [Stench Cloud]. He extended his healing magic through various (25) points in the cloud to cleanse it, hoping to be able to ward off its Irritant Effects. Combined with continued B-grade use (duration) to cancel out the Toxic Secretion and Pustule Eruption, as well as hopefully calming folk regarding Tia, he was doing all he could do during this fight. It'd be up to the others to deal with the many other issues.

B e CD's (duration)
C e CD's (duration)
Curse Cleanse - Magic Affinity C, Magic Range D, Magic Targets D, Sixth Sense D, Healing C, Religion C, Energised C - Uses divine senses to detect curses and combines religious knowledge with healing magic to cleanse them. - Grade C - 2 post Cooldown
D e CD's (duration)
E e CD's (0/0)

 

[Shadow Dancer]

Indicus couldn't help but smile as the Toad roared in agony its retaliation failing to catch him though a few soldiers fell victim to the attack thanks to Ceylan's magic the stench cloud was made bearable for Indicus and whatever toxic slime covered the toad seemed to thin ever so slightly.

Indicus had a savage thought with the toxins the toad possessed lessened and the healing spell he felt constantly rejuvenating him how much damage could he do if he latched onto the toad and kept attacking, how satisfying would it be to teach this creature how badly it mistake would cost it.

With that thought Indicus once more put his agility [Precision D, Speed D, Fast F] and his allies observations to work dodging sink holes and looping around to the side of the Toad making sure it did not notice him [Stealth F] [Undetected sound F] before [Jumping F] onto it's back.

Using his newly discovered strength [super strength E], [Strength D] Indicus dug the claws of his feet and hands into the flesh of the Toad. Indicus knew the spell Ceylan used would only negate so much of the toxin and heal him so fast but he trusted in his scales [Natural armor (light) F] and [Regeneration F]. Ignoring the sound of the toxin trying to eat through his scales Indicus took his right hand out of the Toad tearing the flesh and started using his claws to ravage his enemy [ Strength E] always making sure to use his agility [Precision D] and strength [Strength D, [Super strength E] to keep a stable grip He even added his [fire breath F] into the mix further



OOC: 1: Indicus runs up to (Fast F, Speed D, Precision D) avoiding terrain hazards and jumps (Jump F) onto the toad using his strength (Super strength E, Strength D) and agility (Precision D) to dig into the Toads flesh with his claws (Hands and feet) and hold himself there.

2: Indicus savagely attacks the Toad (strength E)

3: Indicus uses (Fire breath F) on the toad.

Cooldowns F: 0/0

 

[Orikanyo]

Ko


"...Well... that..." he saw the tongue throb and pulse, the... squirming insects within the body and the fact it was... SO horribly rancid of a smell he couldn't help but think this thing must be a walking mass of rot and... puss... Put simply, Ko had to focus hard to not throw up... Wait...

Wait he didn't have breakfast.

He had nothing too throw up!

Three cheers for being poor!

Husah!

Husa-hurk!

WHYYY DID IT SMELL SO BADLY!!!

And did it's tongue JUST pierce through several men? Oh that HAD to go.

"Paru I'm-" he retched. "CUTTING IT!"

The young man would brace first then with a leap sliced upwards with his enchanted mithril blade, that granted it's blessing for the strike.

Drawing strike, Weapon Mastery E, Blight(Razor Sharp) E, Continueing (Bleed) E, Contact E, Penetrating E, Accurate E. A strike oft used as the opening strike, the user aims to deal as much damage and defeat a foe within the opening stages. If done right, the foe will never see the blade in motion. Grade E Action 1

Mithril sword E core, Continueing {Lightning} added to strike.

Action economy
Action 1 Retch
Action 2 Jump
Action three Ability.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Yukan Koyake
​

Mentions: gmimperfecti Elvario Shadow Dancer EMIYAman Shiyonichi StarPrincessVal

Unfortunately the sight which Yukan saw was just another one that felt like a hell picture scroll had been unraveled. Between the toxic fumes, and excretions which were burning people, the mud pit, Tia's suffering, people literally dying who had come so far in front of Yukan, it was really a mess. Yukan knew however that in battle one couldn't lose their resolve after seeing the death of their comrades. For all of these reasons it was why he wanted to avoid fighting the toad, but it seemed inevitable now that it was what he had to do. With his [Triad Allied Leader] title Yukan had no intentions of backing away or showing his back to this toad, he would lead by example by not fleeing from this danger, but facing it head on.

Thankfully due to his grade being higher than E he wasn't outright vomiting but he still no doubt felt incredibly nauseated by the scent, particularly thanks to his enhanced sense of smell which amany Tanuki would be suffering from this more than usual particularly if they had recently eaten any rations or anything of the like.
Seeing Ceylan try to remedy the damage was good, but frankly this toad was a much bigger issue than Tia at the moment who he was going on about, unless whatever she was started trying to kill people too which would be detrimental at this point with everything else going on.

Yukan felt his heart racing as he saw the scene unfold further, the Toad was about to kill Riku, that would be a detrimental blow to everyone's morale, not only that Riku had shown that he wasn't as scummy as Yukan had originally assumed him to be, and there was no way he could get over there fast enough to stop it, this was upsetting indeed..but wait could Ko stop the tongue before it killed even more? Seeing him jump into action, that would be extremely helpful he could debilitate one of the Toad's most threatening weapons besides the poison that burned. It seemed like Ceylan was attempting to deal with some of these issues. Kai was also proving to be valuable with his directional advice as well as Gyoubu helping people and Paru who was presumably going to aid Ko in his operations.

Yukan also witnessed Indicus seemingly give into his wild instinct and start attacking the toad savagely which could be beneficial if they could set it ablaze, but there still didn't seem to be enough damage coming it's way to cease it's activity. They needed a more coordinated effort, and as much as Yukan wanted to rush in and basic strike it with his F grade weapon on principle alone for his fallen allies, he knew that was a foolish move for him when he was needed to lead the sections his voice could reach. For now he'd try his best to avoid hazards when they cropped up while keeping his distance from the toad so that he'd hopefully have time to react if it tried to attack him directly. Yukan decided to do what he did best for the time being until he got more combat abilities and spoke up with Follow the Leader. to hopefully help counteract Problems 5. and 7. with coordination and some of the morale issues from people literally being killed now.

"We have come this far, we must not lose our resolve in the face of our enemy. We will not show our backs, we will fight with honor for our fallen comrades, They have fought along side us against evil with us so far so that the innocent of Kuridan may live another day, do not let their noble sacrifices be in vain! United we will conquer this beast corrupted by the White Witch, and we will vanquish her evil! Continue moving, do not give this toad the opportunity to maim many of us at once, we need a unified assault on the weaker parts of it's body, Healers must continue to provide support during this endeavor to ensure maximum effectiveness this is a top priority, the sooner the toad falls the more of us there are who will live to end her vile transgression against nature once and for all!"

Spoiler: Actions

1. Use one move action if necessary to try to avoid applicable hazards however many feet up to 60.
2. Use Ability Follow the Leader with an encouraging and directive speech to try to attend to the downside of challenge 5 with decreased morale, and remedy some of challenge 7, maintaining coordination.
Follow the Leader - Leadership F, Warfare F, Republic of Kuridan Etiquette F Grade F Post Cooldown 0
Yukan uses his leadership skills and Knowledge on warfare to make informed dialogue.
Cooldown: (E Grade still on cooldown, usable next round)

 

[StarPrincessVal]

Paru

Mentions: Orikanyo​

As they came to a stop near the toad, Paru's eyes burned from the smell. It was disgusting, the most disgusting thing she'd ever seen. Killing beasts and monster that wandered to close to the village was one thing, this was a whole other mess. She looked to Ko, who seemed out of sorts. "A-are you alright?" The second she opened her mouth she regretted it. She could taste the air, and nearly sent the berries and nuts she had for breakfast back into the world. She collected herself and turned back the task at hand. "I'll try and do what I did earlier, you just cut when the think the time is ri-" The toads tongue flew forward, sending a shockwave that blew back her hair and made her robes shudder. This wouldn't be so easy.
"Paru I'm-" he retched. "CUTTING IT!"
"D-DON'T YOU THROW UP, I'LL THROW UP!" She closed her eyes and focused as she did before, searching herself and the surrounding land for any connection to nature, anything good clean and natural she could reach spiritually and directed it at Ko. She had no idea if this would work, but she didn't have a better idea.

 

[Shiyonichi]

Kai witnessed the toad attacking all of the others. This thing was disgusting to say the least and putting it down was the best that they could do. His experience with the Yakuza did wonders for his ability to not gag at disgusting smells. In this situation Kai was certainly one of the fastest as his [ Sense ] meant that the sinkholes were more or less visible to him.

Kai made his way to the toad as it’s tongue was a troublesome ability. As he ran he picked up a Katana from the battlefield, no doubt a weapon that was once used by an eaten warrior which got loose and fell to the ground. The Yakuza hobo would run around, watching the frog’s eyes to make sure he was always at it’s blindspots and it’s focus was towards something else, so he wasn’t in danger until the very end.

When Kai reached the Frog Kai would use one of his ancestor’s techniques. [ Dragon’s Fang ]. Kai would aim the Katana he picked up from the battlefield before he aimed for a certain point in the toad. Kai would follow the motions he was taught so long ago, he aimed for the weakest points along his intended offense adding [ Penetrating ] to the attack.

Where Kai aimed his attack was the base of the Toad’s Jaw, he was aiming towards the tendons that controlled it’s jaw movements in order to prevent it from closing it’s mouth and swallowing more people. Kai would then retreat, using his [ Precognition F ] to gaze into the future, not only to make sure his strike had the intended effect, but to make sure to see it’s actions and avoid it’s counter attack as he escaped the danger and retreated back to safety as he left the sword he picked up still inside the creature, as to disturb it mouth movements further and to have it still cut into the toad as it moved.

 

[gmimperfecti]

The group of warriors from Kuridan were lagging in the press forward their goal in sight - an abandoned watch tower in the distance, the rumored hideout of the accursed White Witch. Yet between them and their objective lied the grotesque menace - the Diseased Hill Toad. The battlefield had been a spectacle of chaos and grim determination. Against the sinking sun, the monstrous figure of the Diseased Hill Toad grotesquely contrasted with the sky, its diseased, leviathan form a bulwark of corruption nestled within the once rolling hills. It squatted in a pit of churned earth and mud, a stench and sludge barrier that marked its revolting domain.

On the edges of the Mud Pit, the Kuridan troops were scattered, some in small clusters, others in formation, brandishing their weapons against the monstrous adversary. Trying to push on despite the mounting causalties. Even the holy magic of Ceylan's Curse Cleanse went so far. His [Curse Cleanse] worked to counteract the toxic secretion and the eruption of pus-filled pustules from the diseased toad. Yet, as successful as his healing magic was, it wass not an instantaneous cure. For those affected, each second of exposure to the toxin felt like an eternal hell. The anticipation of another splash causing people to tense up in anticipation like a beaten dog. It was a relentless cycle of excruciating pain followed by soothing relief as the magic takes hold, only for the process to repeat as the onslaught continued.

Amidst this chaos, Yukan stood, a pillar of leadership and determination. His amplified voice, enabled by his "Follow the Leader" ability, ring across the battlefield, stirring unity and renewed purpose among the beleaguered warriors. They echo even amidst the roars and cries of the monstrous toad. As he invoked their shared purpose and the memories of their fallen comrades, a palpable shift occured. The soldiers, still shaken from their losses, steel themselves, their eyes hardened as they lock onto the toad. Despite their fear and the horror of their circumstances, they respond to Yukan's call for unity, organizing themselves more effectively and moving once again with purpose. The two Shrine Maidens redouble their effort, the flickering greenish hue of their magic wash over the wounded as they try to keep pace with the growing number of casualties.

Still the sight of Riku and his dire boar mount being drawn into the toad's mouth to be devoured like several others had been, was difficult for a seasoned warrior to watch let alone these new trainees. Even the long siege of the zombie hoarde had ended without casulty, but here people were being grown down and not rising up again.

A sudden movement diverted attention to a lithe figure - Ko, his determined visage unwavering as he plunged into the melee. His enchanted Mithril blade had glinted in the waning daylight. With a fierce battle cry, Ko lept into action. His enchanted Mithril blade caught the light, an arc of lethal force slicing through the air towards the toad's tongue.

Nearby, Paru, the group's Kirin, stood with eyes shut, channeling the purity of her heritage, trying to reconnect with the Eternal Glade. In response to her energy, a resonant hum of celestial power vibrated beneath the battlefield, a radiant fairy ring of mushrooms sprouted again in a stark contrast to the gruesome conflict around them. Amid the blood and turmoil, this patch of ethereal beauty became a moment of tranquility. The wave of purity washed over the chaotic scene, as if a sudden spring had broken forth in the middle of a muddy field. The ley lines from the Shrine of Cursed Cleansing started to vibrate, a glow of celestial energy pulsating beneath the surface of the ground. This wave of nature's energy surged forward, passing through Paru and into Ko, aiding his heroic strike. All around them, fairy rings of mushrooms sprung up, their ethereal glow casting an almost whimsical contrast to the grim battlefield. Each served as a small island amongst the filt and muck.

Kai darted towards the Diseased Hill Toad, dodging sink holes and rushing through the knee high mud in wet, squelching steps. It was slow. The mud clung to everything and seemed to hold on to his feet before they broke the surface to move forward another step. As he neared the toad, he initiated one of his inherited techniques - [Dragon's Fang], a strike that targeted weak points with devastating precision. His plan was simple, yet bold; incapacitate the toad's ability to swallow more people by striking at the base of its jaw while Ko severed the tongue.

With a speed and accuracy honed by years of experience, Kai delivered his attack. He aimed for the tendons controlling the toad's jaw movements. He was over extended, the mud prevent his easy movements. The blade missed the tenderest parts of the toad, but still sunk into the creature's jaw. As soon as the blade hit its mark, Kai tried to retreat, but the mud made movement very hard and slow. His [Precognition F] ability flared to life screaming of a terrible next few seconds and granting him the knowledge to avoid what was to come even if his body could not react. Still he did what he could in that moment, leaving the impaled sword lodged inside the creature, hampering its movements further with every attempt it made to close its gaping maw.

With a sickening squelch, Ko's mithril blade severed the muscular appendage of the Diseased Hill Toad, the tip of the tongue tumbling through the air, before thudding into the mud. Riku and his mount, stunned and out of breath, fell with the severed end of the tongue into the mud. The Diseased Hill Toad let out an ear-splitting ribbet of agony, a bellow that echoed through the hills. The effect was immediate: without its tongue, the toad's reach and capacity for instilling fear have drastically reduced, a small victory for the beleaguered troops.

Just as Ko, with a flourish of his mithril blade, severed the toad's massive tongue, a shower of foul, putrid blood erupted from the wound like a firehose that sprayed everywhere as both the severed tongue and the remaining stump ejected blood like a firehose cut in the middle. Ko, Paru, Kai, and ten other soldiers including Gyoubu found themselves caught in this gruesome blood rain, the warm, fetid fluid soaking their clothing and matting their hair. This wasn't just toad's blood. Amidst the viscous fluid, small, black leech-like creatures squirmed and writhed. The black leech-like creatures scramble over the exposed bodies, trying to latch onto their skin and burrow in, an alien sensation that strangely felt pleasurable, the passage of the black leeches leaving a menthol chill that sent shivers along the exposed flesh and up the spine.

At the battle's fringes, Saint Ceylan hovered, a master of healing magic. Already maintaining several celestial magics simulatneously, he added another. The air around Ceylan hummed with magic, added in part by the surge of celestial energy reconnected by Paru's actions, his healing energy burst outwards towards as a countervailing wind to the stench cloud. As the magic interacts with the noxious cloud, there's a slight shimmer, like heat rising off hot asphalt, before the air begins to clear. The suffocating stench lessens, replaced with the faint, soothing scent of Ceylan's magic. It carried with it a memory of the dream of the Shrine of Cleansed Curses. The Soldiers in the vicinity found their eyes watering less; their throats less constricted. The Irritant Effect of the stench cloud had been countered, making the conditions slightly more bearable for those fighting within it.

On the battlefield's other side, Indicus was a spectacle of primal strength and savagery, his draconic heritage surfacing for all to see like a full moon in the darkest night. Indicus became a force of his dragonic nature, his ancestry surfacing with potent fury. His scales shone with a luminescent glow, and his body moved with an animalistic agility and strength that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. As he leapt onto the toad, his claws rent through the toad's flesh bursting several pustules. The cylce of disease and corrosive poison was muted by his dragonic scales and eventually countered by Ceylan's Curse Cleanse, but the the mental strain didn't seem to register. Rather instead of screaming, Indicus breathed fire into the open wounds, letting his dragon fire eat at the raw flesh beneath the postules. Taking aim at the exposed and burnt circles upon the toad's back, White Claw and the rest of the scout unit leap high into the air and fire precise, targetted arrows driving deep into these exposed holes. This time the arrows sunk up to their fletching and the toad went insane with the pain of it.

As the toad reeled from the combined assault, its only retaliation was churn the mud beneath it digging itself deeper into the mud pit, submerging more of its body. This battle of endurance, of will against the grotesque perversion of nature, lingered on. Every soldier, every strike, every breath mattered in the struggle against the Diseased Hill Toad slowly wearing down this leviathan hopefully before the hunters were nothing more than broken minds and animated bodies akin the zombies they'd fought in the corrupted Mindscape. After the onslaught from the troops, the Diseased Hill Toad was in a terrible state. Its body heaved with each pained breath, the ragged hole where its tongue used to be still spurted blood and black leeches into the mud. The latter burrowed through the mud towards living hosts. The toad shuddered, its immense body sinking even deeper into the muddy pit.

Suddenly, the ground quaked beneath the toad as it triggered a massive upheaval of the Mud Pit! A five foot wave of mud rolled out over the now 90 foot in diameter mud pit. The wave crashed over bodies, the undertow dragging people down as the depth of the pit seemed to have grown from only two feet to four feet deep! Even more of the toad's body submerged as the pit's depth continued to grow!

OOC Summary:

As it stands, there are a number of active threats and challenges that the group must consider:

1. The [Stench Cloud] covers a 50 foot area around the toad now. It acts as [Irritant E; stench causes those of E-grade or lower to intermitantly vomit, which is really distracting].
> Resolved by Ceylan

2. The [Toxic Secretion[ and [Pustule Eruption[ of the Diseased Hill Toad: The toad's poisonous abilities have already caused extensive damage, and there's every indication it will continue to use these methods as the fight goes on. The toxic slime and pus are not only harmful on contact but also carry a lingering effect that continues to inflict damage over time. These effects are very distracting, because it takes several seconds for Ceylan's [Curse Cleanse] to proc, meaning there are precious seconds were those impacted get to feel their skin meltings off and disease taking hold. In it's own way the repeated damaging and healing is a form of torture.
> Partially resolved by Ceylan, albeit with the continous torture of being horribly mangled only to be remade, living that pain and agony over and over and over as the battle rages on.


3. The [Mud Pit] threat has escalated! This environmental hazard is now a huge obstacle, not just because of the risk of sinking into the mud has doubled (4 feet deep), but also because it now makes mobility impossible without Move Skills or a creative stunt (ala Paru's idea of the Fairy Rings). Further more the 5 foot tidal wave of mud has those pesky black leeh things that you'd seen in it's belly now released. Thus if you aren't able to dodge the tidal wave (e.g. move ability or being on the toad's back like Indicus) then you are gonna have to deal with that at some point. Also it appears the Diseased Hill Toad is attempting to burrow into the mud pit, perhaps to escape or wait you out, the mud pit continues to grow as if the toad was transmuting the terrain into a more suitable accomodation! Mud pit is 90 feet in diameter and 4 feet deep (previously 60 feet in diameter 2 feet deep). In essence the sink holes have converted from pesky trap to dodge to part of the mud pit.

4. The [Cannonball Tongue] This terrifying weapon can lash out unexpectedly, causing devastation in its path and even pulling unsuspecting victims straight into the toad's mouth. Dodging this attack requires a high degree of alertness and agility. It is a straight line attack, killing up to 3 NPCs in it's path and entangling it's victim and drawing it into its mouth on the following road.
> Neutralized thanks to Ko supported with teamwork from Paru and Kai. This is a source of significant and on-going damage to the Toad.

5. [Casualties] Each loss of a comrade reduces the group's strength and fighting spirit. The psychological impact of witnessing these losses cannot be underestimated. Furthermore, the wounded require urgent medical attention, dividing the resources and attention of the healers in the group.
> This was neutralized by Yukan allowing for more teamwork and attacks whittling down the toad and opening up most of the postules. Indicus and others dealt severe damage to the Toad's back.
> However this is an on-going and escalating problem.
- Yari: The 1 unit of Yari has been decimated. Three of them have been devoured and the remaining 2 have black leeches and were hit by the mud tidal wave and aren't coming up.
- Archers: They are doing the best since they've kept their distance. Their arrows have managed to hurt the toad's back in concert with melee attacks on the postules and other exposed areas. However when the pit expanded, they fell in and where hit with the mud tidal wave. However, being closer to the edge, they seem able to recover better.
- Scouts: Whiteclaw and his crew are doing quite well. They are doing the best. With their birdkin jumping and "flappy hover" abilities, they've been able to keep in the air quite a lot and haven't taken any damage and completely dodges the tidal wave. Also the fairy rings summoned by Paru helped them find a few islands of stability earlier on in the round. Yukan will need to decide if he will commit them to the Toad's back or have them withdraw and fire at an even further distance.
- Boar Riders: Riku and his Boar were saved but hosed with toad blood and black leeches, already wounded with broken ribs and such, they were hit by the tidal wave and went under. Meanwhile, two other boar riders bodies are a crumpled mess from the [Cannonball Tongue], even if they were restored with Curse Cleanse, they also went under during the tidal wave. Two of the boar riders were also hit with the blood and have the leeches. Two others who were in the southern flank are doing better. The Dire Boars appear best off since they are animals and large enough to "doggy paddle" towards the Toad, which they appear to be doing. The Tanuki however will likely not surface without help.

6. The [Corruption of Tia] Ceylan's healing magic has managed to stabilize her condition, but the monstrous transformation triggered by the toad's poison presents a problem of its own. Her altered state might cause fear or revulsion among the soldiers, and she herself seems to be struggling with her new form.
> Resolved by Ceylan.

7. [Maintaining Coordination] With the constant threats and challenges, maintaining an organized and effective strategy is becoming increasingly difficult. Clear communication and a united front are crucial to overcoming this menace.
> Resolved by Yukan.

 

[Shiyonichi]

Kai might have been sprayed with possibly corrupted blood, but pain didn’t really matter to him. This was a man that had killed his enemy when he had been pierced with a bullet in his gut and had willed himself forwards when he was being gunned down by countless bullets. He was chased around through an uncertain amount of time by the fae in the dreamlands, having been sliced an untold amount of time, but still never letting them take his life. Kai’s pain tolerance was insane and combined with his [ Regeneration F ] he was an unrelenting opponent.

Kai had already predicted the mud wave and responded as he leaped on to a fairy ring, helped by [ Jump F ] and [ Fast F ]. As he had already known if that was there… which he did due to his future sight. Kai pulled out his sword and Saya . Before leaping off the fairy Ring to avoid the mudwave. Kai spun in the air to use the momentum to hopefully throw off the leaches and mud on his body.

As the Yakuza Hobo soared through the sky he had aimed himself at a certain position in the frog. While he was not a straight A student, Kai could still remember the dissection of that toad he had to do in biology class. He knew the postions of it’s vital organs, the heart and the lung along with the cluster from other organs. Kai had activated his [ Precognition ] to predict the motion of the leap by reading the frog’s movements. This time taking into account of the mud on his body to aim himself straight down on to the heart of the toad before unleashing a dropping down variant of [ Dragon’s Fang ] applying [ Penetrating ]. Aiming for it’s heart or another organ around that area.

Kai wasn’t finished as he made sure the blade sank in deep as he took the Saya and slammed down on the handle of the Katana like a hammer and Nail, as he called out to the rest of the group as he leaped back to allow the other’s their chance. “Aim at…!” Kai would inform the group on the back of the toad to launch to focus their attacks at the locations of it’s vital organs, hopefully dealing the finishing blow.

Shadow Dancer gmimperfecti

 

[Shadow Dancer]

Indicus relished in his preys agony though the prey could barely fight back which disappointed Indicus somewhat it seemed while the roars of pain were pleasing this prey was not as worthy as Indicus first thought. It had killed many of the fur balls but they were weak anyway their potential limited but it's efforts were wasted it's struggles pointless.

Indicus watched a human pierce part of the prey's back, and say something about vital organs. Either way Indicus would not be outdone by a mere human, so he found a location on the prey's back and started digging towards the soft and squishy insides even trying to use his mouth once causing an unpleasant taste in his mouth and some discomfort before both went away. Indicus instead just used his fire to incinerate the flesh in front of him as he tore into the prey almost smelling the rancid soft fleshy bits.

OOC
Like a twisted Olympic swimmer Indicus tears through the toad using his strength, fire breath, and agility uncaring about anything else but the death of his prey in his current state of mind.

gmimperfecti Shiyonichi

 

[Orikanyo]

Ko Matatsu



"Well thats shi-"

he couldn't finish those words his body needed to react. Quickly, he took off his coat and tossed it up at the incoming spray, hoping by the gods it stopped the horrific ichor from covering him, nonetheless he made distance from the spraying hose of blood currently spewing from the creature. But... what of Paru...? She couldn't disrobe! She was a lady!

He had to help his comrade... Somehow...

His shirt!

But he had no time to fuss with his shirt!

With... With one quick cut he could get his pants loose to cover her from the blood! And the... parasites...

NO TIME TO THINK!!

the threadbare pants stood very little chance, as he quickly sliced, a line down, then up, but enough to destroy the threadbare pants into a... Impromptu... cover... And threw the... rather smelly.. Cover to Paru as the man who was very much wearing only his fundoshi, belt and undershirt called "Protect yourself!"

He made his escape around the beast, trying to stay away from the incoming spray.

Actions
Sacrifice coat to block ichor.
Sacrifice pants to block ichor coming to paru.
Move.

 

[StarPrincessVal]

Paru

Mentions: Orikanyo
Languages: Common | <Beastial>
​

Paru was surprised once again as her latent hidden power sprung forth, providing points of relief through out the battlefield. She watched them spring forth, her thoughts over whelmed with how and why she had this power. She was so distracted she didn't see the results of Ko's slice. Watching the effects of the rings against the corruption, she had a sudden idea. "Mutt! I think the rings are blocking the foul magic. Use them for respite if you need a moment, I'll start grabbing the loo-" As she turned to Ko at the cry of "protect yourself!", a pair of pants suddenly landed on her head, followed by a sudden but brief downpour of blood and parasites. Fuming with discontent she grabbed the pants to hurl to the ground. "<WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR->" That's when she saw Ko fighting is in his small clothes. "... Huh..." She dropped the pair of pants before the disgusting filth creatures could reach her hand and used her natural speed and leaping ability to get as many soldiers struggling in the mud to the safety of the fairy rings as she could.

Actions:
1 - Observe the battlefield to gain an understanding of what is taking place.
2 - Use Speed, Jumping, and Acrobatics to move around the battlefield dodging the spray
3 - Carry as many struggling soldiers as I can to fairy rings

 

[TheTimePiece]

Yukan Koyake
​

Mentions: gmimperfecti Shiyonichi StarPrincessVal Orikanyo Shadow Dancer Elvario EMIYAman

At the very least some of the issues had been absolved between the group's teamwork. That didn't make the severe injuries and even death that was taking place before them any less upsetting or problematic. Deep down Yukan couldn't help but feel somewhat shaken, he had never actually been on a proper battle field before, so even if he was good enough at presenting himself as stoic and serious it did genuinely pain him to see so much suffering between the toad and his comrades. The sooner they ended this the better as he had stated.

Everyone's following actions would influence the direction which Yukan was going to take. Kai ran ahead targeting the back using his skills to transverse the treacherous area and attack the toad hopefully so that they could collectively deal the final blows needed to bring it down. Then Indicus followed suit savagely striking the toad's injured back, which was now no doubt progressively weakening as they had been wailing oni t's natural armor no doubt for much of this time. Then there was Ko with his quick thinking who was acting noble enough, shedding his clothing to protect his ally from the hazards.
Yukan focused on following Kai's intelligence to avoid some of the other hazards.Yukan took note of Paru who was moving around the field with impressive agility. He was glad to have allies like these. Meanwhile presumably Ceylan was continuing what he had been doing before and supporting the group, an dealing with Tia who was presumably still suffering.

Yukan had a moment of clarity where he spoke with determination and decisiveness with To Arms!

"Everyone commit and engage the toad's back where Kai says! It has become vulnerable! This is our moment to decisively end the blood shed,! All of those capable focus on the back and attack it's vital spots! Scouts, avoid friendly fire for those getting in close! We need to penetrate deep, attack for all those who have given their lives for Kuridan!" Yukan proclaimed wishing that he could jump into the fray there himself but he wasn't positioned to do so nor did he have the combat skills to effectively get over there, they needed him where he was, surveying the battlefield and giving orders, that's what his skillset was.

Spoiler: Actions

1. Use To Arms! to give attack plan for committing and attacking Toad's back.
2. Use Kai's intelligence to avoid hazards if need be.
To Arms! - Leadership E, Warfare F, Republic of Kuridan Etiquette F Grade E- Post Cooldown 1
Yukan uses his leadership skills and knowledge on warfare to give warfare related orders.
Cooldowns: E available this round

 

[gmimperfecti]

As the sun began to set over the bloodied battlefield of Kuridan, the crimson hue painted the sky with an eerie glow. The land, once a lush green, was now a muddy pit; the moist earth churned and tainted with the blood and remains of fallen warriors. The stench was overwhelming; a mixture of death, decay, and the putrid scent that emanated from the monstrosity they faced.

Twisted trees, that bore witness to the conflict, stretched their gnarled branches towards the heavens as if pleading for reprieve. Amidst the mud, patches of strange luminescence glimmered, products of Paru’s latent powers – fairy rings that pulsated with energy, their iridescent hues in stark contrast to the gloom.

As the battlefield resonated with the cacophony of clashing steel, the cry of the fallen, and the roar of the monstrosity, the reality of the human cost of this engagement set in. A fog began to roll over the once-green fields, as if mourning the casualties, and the dim light of twilight shrouded the area in a somber cloak.

In the midst of the melee, the Yari unit had suffered the most, their bodies torn asunder by the creature's massive appendages. The faces of the fallen Yari warriors were etched into the memories of their comrades. The psychological toll was profound, and the remaining warriors fought with a fervor born of grief and rage.

The archers, having kept their distance, fought valiantly, their arrows piercing the toad’s back and further weakening it. But when the ground gave way beneath them, they struggled to regain their footing as the mud consumed them. Their bows and arrows were scattered, and they scrambled to recover their equipment and rejoin the fight.

Whiteclaw’s scouts, the agile birdkin, remained unscathed. Their feathers shimmered even in the darkening battlefield, and their talons, ready to strike. They hovered over the battlefield, their eyes scanned for an opening to exploit.

The boar riders, though valiant, had borne the brunt of the toad's fury. Riku, his face contorted in pain and his ribs broken, clung to his dire boar as it paddled through the mire. The dire boars, with their natural strength and resilience, were trying to make it to the toad, while the small tanuki were struggling, their heads barely visible above the mud.

As the toad writhed in agony, a shower of blood and parasites burst from its maw. Ko, a lean figure with wind sweeping through his hair and a fiercely determined expression, moved with a swiftness that belied his threadbare attire. The light from the fairy rings glinted off his eyes. Ko's instincts kicked in. With deft agility, he flung his coat in the air as a shield against the vile rain. As he flung his coat in an arc, the fabric catching droplets of tainted blood, forming a temporary barrier. His coat was worn, a testament to many battles, and it absorbed the ichor like a sponge. As the parasites cascaded down, he thought of Paru. Ko's hand moved to his blade, and with a swift motion, he slashed his pants, tearing the fabric. He hurled it towards Paru with a chivalrous yet frantic shout, his voice carrying across the mud pit. His sacrifice was both brave and comedic, as he now wore only his fundoshi, belt, and undershirt. The clothing provided some protection to Paru and himself from the foul shower.

Paru, with her agile and acrobatic prowess, was initially bewildered by the pair of pants that landed on her head. However, spotting Ko in his scant attire, she swiftly recomposed herself and put her powers to use. Paru's eyes darted across the battlefield as she took in the swirling chaos. The ground, saturated with blood and mud, churned as soldiers and beasts fought, while the grotesque toad loomed over them, its back resembling a macabre tapestry of wounds and oozing postules. The air was thick with the acrid smell of the toad's blood, sweat, and mud. The cries of the fallen and the clashing of weapons reverberated through the air. She noted the positions of her comrades, the struggling soldiers, and the monstrous toad. Paru's heart ached at the sight of her fallen and wounded companions.

Suddenly, she sprang into action. She darted across the muddied field. Paru’s legs coiled and released like springs as she soared using the fairy ring's to land and jump to dodge the toad’s blood spray. Her silhouette, outlined by the eerie light of the fairy rings, was a blur as she seemingly defied gravity with her acrobatics.

As she neared the struggling soldiers, she extended her arms, picking them up. Her focus was unshakable as she moved with precision, evading every obstacle in her path. One by one, she deposited the wounded soldiers within the safety of the fairy rings, where their wounds began to close and their strength returned. Each time she set a soldier down, she whispered words of encouragement.

The soldiers, witnessing Paru's daring rescue, felt a surge of hope and admiration. Whispers of her bravery spread through the ranks like wildfire. Even the wounded, who moments before had been on the brink of despair, found newfound strength in her actions. Gratitude and admiration shone in the eyes of those she saved, as they saw Ko's pantlessness and Paru's determination.

-----

Kai had already predicted the mud wave and responded as he leaped on to a fairy ring, helped by [ Jump F ] and [ Fast F ]. As he had already known if that was there… which he did due to his future sight. Kai pulled out his sword and Saya. Before leaping off the fairy ring to avoid the mudwave. Kai spun in the air to use the momentum to hopefully throw off the leaches and mud on his body. The centrifugal force sending mud and leeches flying from his body. Below him, the colossal toad’s grotesque form, dotted with wounds and postules, seemed to challenge the very sky with its unnatural presence.

His muscles rippled as he leaped, turning in the air, his long coat swirling around him like the wings of a raven. The toad's blood spattered across his face, but he did not falter. As he descended upon the toad, his sword’s thrust carried the weight of his determination. As the Yakuza Hobo soared through the sky he had aimed himself at a certain position in the frog. Guided by knowledge from his past, he targeted the toad’s vital organs with a modified [Dragon’s Fang] strike, plunging his sword deep into the creature’s heart. The blade sank in and he hammered it further with the saya, causing immense damage. He called out for the others to aim for the toad’s vital organs.

“Aim at…!” Kai would inform the group on the back of the toad to launch to focus their attacks at the locations of it’s vital organs, hopefully dealing the finishing blow.

Amidst the whirlwind of action that enveloped the battlefield, Indicus, the Dragonborn, was a tempest of rage and power. He watched with an intense, predatory gaze as Kai, the human, struck deep into the toad's body. The bloodlust that boiled within him made his vision red around the edges. He would not be outdone by a human. With an almost feral snarl, Indicus chose his spot on the toad’s vast back. His claws slashed and tore through the flesh with the precision of a surgeon and the brutality of a berserker. His every movement was charged with the singular purpose of reaching the heart of the beast.

At one point, Indicus even tried using his mouth to rip into the toad, only to be met with the taste of something so vile that it made his senses recoil. This was but a brief pause, as his resolve only seemed to strengthen. Raising his head, he unleashed a torrent of flame that danced with his fury. The fire incinerated layers of flesh, leaving a gaping hole in the creature's back. The heat was so intense that it distorted the air, casting a shimmering aura around Indicus.

Kai's attack had pierced the creature’s heart from one direction, and now Indicus was tearing through from another. It was as if the two warriors, in their fury, were bridging the gap that separated them through the sheer force of their relentless assault. Indicus’s draconic senses could now detect the rancid, pungent smell of the toad's innards. His claws finally broke through to the soft tissue beneath, which squelched and gave way under his relentless assault.

The toad's tortured bellow reached an even higher pitch as Indicus' flames and claws met Kai’s blade within its very core. The combined ferocity of their attacks, bolstered by the relentless onslaught from the rest of the group, created a cataclysmic reaction within the diseased hill toad.

----

Yukan stood on a mound of earth surrounded by Paru's fairy rings, his gaze sweeping over the chaos. His armor reflected the faint celestial light of the gleaming mushrooms, making him appear as a beacon of hope. Yukan had a moment of clarity where he spoke with determination and decisiveness with To Arms!

"Everyone commit and engage the toad's back where Kai says! It has become vulnerable! This is our moment to decisively end the blood shed,! All of those capable focus on the back and attack its vital spots! Scouts, avoid friendly fire for those getting in close! We need to penetrate deep, attack for all those who have given their lives for Kuridan!" Yukan proclaimed wishing that he could jump into the fray there himself, but he wasn't positioned to do so nor did he have the combat skills to effectively get over there, they needed him where he was, surveying the battlefield and giving orders, that's what his skillset was.

His voice was a beacon, and the soldiers responded with a fervor that defied their weariness. They charged through the mud, swimming, wading, and pushing forward as if possessed by the spirits of their fallen comrades. Those who reached the toad swarmed over its back, their blades striking true under Yukan's guidance.

With Yukan's words, Whiteclaw’s scouts were given the signal. His voice rang out over the battlefield, ordering them to strike at the toad’s back. The archers, taking his lead, redoubled their efforts. Their hearts hammered with anticipation as they, with the other fighters, focused their mightiest attacks at the locations Kai had indicated. Arrows, spells, and weapons struck true as they descended upon the diseased hill toad like a storm. Battle cries became a symphony amongst the collision of steel against the monstrous flesh.

The Diseased Hill Toad, once a formidable monstrosity, was now being overwhelmed by the unrelenting assault. Its body heaved as swords, claws, and flames tore through its flesh. Bolstered by Ceylan's saintly blessings of nigh immortality and proof against all forms of corruption and filth, the efforts of Kai, Indicus, Ko, Paru, and Yukan, combined with the soldiers’ relentless attacks, wore it down. With every strike, the creature’s movements became slower, its cries weaker. Its strength waned until, with one final cacophonous roar, it fell silent and lifeless into the mire. The battlefield, once filled with the sound of chaos, settled into an eerie calm as the gargantuan creature that had wreaked havoc met its end. The survivors, though weary and covered in filth, stood tall as Ceylan's blessings washed away all signs of harm and corruption. United by the trials they had faced and the triumph they had achieved together. Many had died and been ressurected countless times during the battle, endured terrible tortue from boiling flesh and malvolent corruption. Yet though it all, Yukan's words had guided them and lead them. The group of heroes who had flocked to his banner was a testament to him. Together they had become so much more.

Spoiler: If and when you are ready to move on

As the aftermath of the battle with the diseased hill toad settled around them, the hunters of Kuridan began to regroup and tend to their wounded. The night, once so thick with terror and bloodshed, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. The moon, though veiled by dark clouds, bestowed a dim light upon the group as they made their way towards the abandoned watchtower.

The path that led to the watchtower was rocky, the ground beneath their feet unyielding. Plant life thrived in a hostile manner, with shrubs and creepers brandishing thorns that seemed to grasp and claw at the fabric of the hunters' attire. The twisted branches of trees bent over the path, as if whispering secrets to those who dared traverse this forsaken route.

A stifling heaviness was palpable in the air, the tendrils of corruption and decay twining around the very soul of the land. Those sensitive to magic could feel the relentless waves of darkness that seemed to emanate from the very earth.

In the midst of this oppressive landscape, the hunters caught glimpses of strange apparitions out of the corners of their eyes. Shadows seemed to shift and figures that weren’t there a moment ago flitted across their peripheral vision. Illusions, whether borne out of the land's corruption or conjured by some unseen power, shrouded the way forward.

As they pressed on, those among them with the gift of farsight noticed a figure atop the watchtower roof, nearly half a mile away. The figure waved, and though she was still quite a distance, they recognized her as the White Witch. She stood erect and poised, her robes fluttering in the night wind, her presence a stark contrast against the bleakness of the watchtower. Even from afar, she emanated an aura of mystery and power. The witch was peering through a curious telescope, its construction ornate and imbued with magics. Her gaze seemed to penetrate the very essence of the night as she observed the hunters.

The White Witch awaited, and with her, perhaps answers to the secrets of this plagued land and the dark shadows that enveloped it.

Should they press on? Every step could bring them closer. The ancient watchtower stood like a silent sentinel overlooking the brink of mysteries untold.

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Ceylan (Event) - Granblue Fantasy Wiki

Languages: Common | <Beastial>
Mentions: gmimperfecti | Yukan TheTimePiece

So this was what it was truly like. No more miraculous fight with no casualties. No more being a saint strong enough to save everyone. This was like the 'real' battle's they discussed mere moments ago, where you had to choose who lives or dies. Even with his powers stretched as well as he could muster, he could see the losses. Was it because he'd focused on saving Tia first? Yet... how could he not have? It ate away at him. Gnawing at the back of his mind.

He was surprised by how much more acquainted to these sights the others seemed to. Or at least they managed to look like it. Yukan was commanding them as calmly yet firmly as always. Indicus, Kai, Ko, Paru, kept fighting as if it was just another battle. Yet he could see what he'd been doing to people; his healing keeping them alive, but at the cost of great torture. He knew the alternative was having them die, but even so, he felt horrible about it. Some saint he was.

He'd let his healing magic go on for a bit longer, desperately seeing if he could resurrect some people. He'd even go through the ungrateful task of trying to find lost limbs, for whilst he couldn't regrow them, he could re-attach them with his magic. Perhaps he was a [Fetcher] through and through, as he searched around muds for arms and legs the toad might've dropped and for the people they belonged too. Any life resurrected, person healed, limb reattached, was an ever so slight decrease of the overwhelming feeling of failure and sadness that'd arose within him.

Tail and ears drooped, drenched in mud and gods know what else, he knew they'd beaten the Hill Toad, yet he still felt defeated. The reality of these 'unclean' and 'imperfect' victories was different in practice than on paper, no matter how one looked at it. He'd seen death before, sure, a lot of it, but not like this. Not the desperate fighting, continuous torture from poison, the sight of contorted bodies with faces that clearly weren't ready to meet their makers yet.

He turned to Yukan and Riku. “I know the traditional Kuridan rites of passing, so with your permissions.” His voice was calm, yet tired. He hated this point, where the only thing he could do was to give someone a proper funeral. Using Religion B, he'd prepare a short yet proper funeral for the fallen, laying them to rest according to the traditional Kuridan ways, for as a Syncretist, it mattered not who's religion he followed, so long as it strived for the good in the world. All he'd need was Yukan and Riku's blessing, for he would not risk angering them due to being unordained in their specific faiths.

His pace had slowed down, as they headed for the watchtower. Tired in both mind and body, afraid of what might lie ahead of them. Even so, with every step through this landscape, he regained some resolve. He couldn't leave this place to look like this. Having seen what'd happened to the Shrine of Cursed Cleanses, he was all the more driven to fight tooth and tail for this place as well. To cleanse the waves of darkness into waves of light.

He tried to straighten his postures, as he noticed some people were staring at the tower. He couldn't see what they saw, but he had his suspicions. The one behind all of this corruption was there, wasn't she? He wondered, momentarily. What if he could cleanse her as well? Would he want too? After all that she'd done and caused... It lasted but a second, then the answer arose, yes. He'd want to do so. Anything that could be turned into a force for good was preferable over nothing at all, so he'd attempt to cleanse her, should he meet with her and find a way to do so. For now, however, he'd wait for Yukan's instructions.

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[Shadow Dancer]

Indicus felt euphoric as the dying cries of the prey sounded out the human he had to admit was impressive showing the same determination to see a enemy dead. With the prey dead Indicus clawed his way out of the prey, covered in blood and mud even as the putrid remnants of poison sizzled against his scales he let out a roar of victory. Soon clarity came back to Indicus as he felt fatigue wash over him, the rapid healing and blind fury had not come without cost.

still covered in mud and the putrid gore of the toad as well as no shortage of his own blood Indicus trudged up to the group as he did he noticed the bodies of the dead being gathered by the soldiers and silently wished them favorable judgement from whatever god they worshiped.

 

[Orikanyo]

Ko Matatsu.



With the toad dead, the young man stood triumphant and very chilly in the cold breeze. He stood without a lick of shame as his hair danced in the gale, his stance, firm, his tail, wagging uncontrollably, his tighties, whities. And he would have no shame as he walked towards the group once more, happy with his efforts of slaying the foe.

"A tongue cut and claimed, it's spear was no more!" the pantsless swordsman continued his approach, his geta preventing most of the horrible ichor from getting on him. "i did say I am good! And the next shall be the witch's head! So i say." he flicks his blade, getting off the bloody refuse from the sword and sheathing it once more with a light electrified snap. Down to his undergarments, the man's form was of a career swordsman, strong wire-like muscles coiled beneath his skin, his body was hardened and showed plenty of scars and close cuts over the years but his general frame looked to be built not on sturdiness but speed.

He was lean, and looked as if his body were a coiled spring.

"...Has anyone spare clothes of which to cover me? We've fairer eyes and I don't want to make them shy when we've work yet to do." the man speaks up rather for the others than himself, even if he looked like he had no a lick of shame in his body over his...Forthriteness.

his tail... never stopped wagging, he was quite confidant.

 

[StarPrincessVal]

Paru

Mentions: Orikanyo Elvario
Languages: Common | <Beastial>
​

Paru stood among the foot soldiers as the toad let out one final disgusting belching croak before it fell still. The terrain was still sickening everywhere but the fairy rings, but at least they could traverse it without the threat of the beast. She regrouped with the others at Yukan vantage point and looked over the group. A fair few number of soldiers had fallen, but the most of the force was intact. Including the shameless Mutt, she was pleased to see. She had lost track of him as she helped the struggling soldiers, but she hadn't been too worried. He seemed capable. She smirked at his bravado, and scoffed at his request for spare clothes. "Pfft... You've no need to worry about my eyes, mutt. I'm not some delicate flower. I've spent plenty of evenings in the public baths after a day of hunting and drinki-... You meant the kid, didn't you?"


Her jovial attitude died a bit, however, as she saw the hijiri, Ceylan, desperately digging through the mud, defeat on his face. She had seen that look before, on the faces of the new hunters in her village, who had never faced down a monster or rampaging beast. There was no shame it, everyone felt that way once. Even her. As he made his request to perform rites of passing, she approached him. "<I do not know much of religions outside my village, but we have a simple prayer we say to send off those we lose. Would it be alright if I joined you?>"

She followed in the middle of the group as they made their way toward the tower. On the edge of her vision she saw strange figures lurking, but when she looked, they seemed to be there. She did not like this. A sinister feeling stuck to the back of neck, making her on edge and discomforted. She had not experienced much of the outside world yet, but what she had, she did not like. What if this strange nature found it's way to her village? Would staying isolated prevent that from happening. She pondered these questions as they pushed on.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Yukan Koyake
​

gmimperfecti
Yukan finally felt the stress of the situation start to die down, as his heart rate slowly but gradually decreased as the toad finally met it's incredibly violent end. Truthfully even after winning, Yukan wasn't exactly feeling too much better than Ceylan as someone who hadn't even seen such wide spread violence first hand. While Ceylan had the burden of being a healer who was wondering if he could have done more, Yukan had been entrusted to lead a significant portion of units, some of whom had met incredibly violent deaths. He was glad to see that Commander Riku had survived, and as far as he knew the healers they had, survived too, truthfully Yukan wasn't sure what he would do if someone young like Gyoubu had succumbed to the toad. It was all a bit ironic for Yukan to have this mindset as he was rather young himself. Sure it was one thing to learn about the history of wars where people died, it was another thing to go into training, they had held off against the undead horde together, but now there were those who would never return home after surviving the and now dying to the toad and that vile witch.

Once the action had died down Yukan moved out to help who he could in the after math, as well as assess the extent of damage, of course overseeing many of these processes in part, probably giving instruction where needed.

What was worse was as he saw Ceylan dig around, Yukan was left with a feeling of dread, he had tried his best to command, and there were the dead and injured, but what he knew as as bad as this had been, the only direction forward was very likely to result in more death and suffering of many people there with them who he knew ere noble and just. Of course some of them were more self serving and trying to just get ahead in their careers than actually caring about others, but even then Yukan would never wish such painful deaths on those who just simply had more of an individualistic mindset. All Yukan could do was hope that through their joint effort they could minimize any more loss and defeat the white witch, surely she couldn't take on all of them, even if she was dangerous and had proved that thus far.

For now Yukan would just try his best to put on a brave face, feeling like if he didn't keep his resolve it would surely shake the group moral as someone who had been put into a position of authority.

To think all of this was because of one witch, and the fact that the requirements for this festival were so dangerous..that part he understood it was the [beast] way but the witch he could never forgive...

He looked to Ceylan and then Riku when Ceylan asked if that was acceptable, as well as Paru who had come in,.

"I don't have any objections on the matter at this moment."

He said to Ceylan and Paru, his tone wasn't exactly warm either on it though and not having any objections wasn't exactly a wealth of supportive language, it was more neutral, perhaps even if he wasn't the most thrilled deep down with it being people who were foreign in that they didn't share Kuridan's main religion, he was letting them do it as a kindness for the fallen if anything, not particularly seeing an advantage to being so stringent in this case, of course if commander Riku had an issue with it he wasn't exactly in the mood to fight on it.

"Thank you all for working so hard and risking your lives on the side of justice, your actions and sacrifices these days will have saved many more innocent lives." Yukan finally said with a small bow of gratitude as others had come out of the woodwork. Not really sure how else to best express his gratitude based on what happened.

Yukan then assessed Ko who had come out much more calm, collected, and confident than others, Unfortunately Yukan did not have an extra pair of clothing to hand to Ko, it seemed like Indicus had given into his more primal side during the fight which had worked to their advantage but he had no doubt that the dragonic man would need a rest after that display.
He would also seek out Gyoubu as well as the head of the scouts to see how they had fared, checking in with the command line, as it was a logical move.
---

Yukan would of course later rest up to the best of his ability when all was said and done, that had been an extreme event to get through and survive.

Whenever the group did move out,
Yukan gazed around the night with his passive Dark Vision skill allowing him to see with greater clarity as a Tanuki. It was likely he and the command chain would have made sure that the group was moving in a more orderly regimented fashion now that the whole terrain wasn't trying to kill them from that point forward like before as far as they could tell.
Much like the undead event Yukan took a more central spot in the group so that he could get commands out easier to more people if need be.

The tower they were approving did not provide much comfort to say the least, since her evil presence was just so close.

"Splitting up too far in an environment like this could prove to be treacherous" he announced to the group at large. "While we have learned some of what the White Witch can do, its perfectly plausible she's learned about what we can do too..or that she's been holding some of her magic back in a case like this..as usual be wary of your environment, many of these strange unsettling sights are part of her illusion magic designed to make you distracted or lose you resolve."

After this general announcement, when the group could literally see the witch above, Yukan stopped in his tracks and tried his best to get a visual on her and make out what she was doing

Yukan spoke next with Follow the Leader

"I'm making the call that we should wait, if we blindly go in there she could have a trap waiting for us, instead I want the scouts and others who have ranged capabilities to get into a preferable position to preemptively strike if need be, and keep a sightline on her, for all we know that's an illusion of herself she's created, at this moment we have no reason to expose ourselves by blindly moving further into unknown terrain and her domain, we should gain more information on situation first and observe before we commit to anything drastic, if she initiates we can just as easily respond if we must. At this point I do think that we should spread out some at this point, Healers should position themselves to get maximum range over those of us here, as well as for us to reduce the chance of her hitting many of us at once with one ability." Yukan rationalized his reasoning out, that all of them rushing in could be incredibly dangerous, so they might as well take this time to strategically prepare.

Spoiler: Actions

1. Use Follow the Leader to explain game plan to group regarding the witches.
Follow the Leader - Leadership F, Warfare F, Republic of Kuridan Etiquette F Grade F Post Cooldown 0
Yukan uses his leadership skills and Knowledge on warfare to make informed dialogue.
Cooldowns: E: (0/1) (not ready)

 

[Shiyonichi]

Kai did a swipe with his blade and scattered the blood out in an arc, before sheathing the blade. Kai didn’t have any expression of celebration or joy. Nor did he express his part of the victory over the toad.

Kai would stay in his silent and stoic disposition, as he would take the Katana from the body of the toad, undoubtedly from a fallen warrior. “I’ll be taking this, find yer peace in the afterlife and rest, it’s us the living that still need to fight. If I get out of this, I’ll hand it to yer next of kin.” Kai would say gently, as if talking to the spirit of the fallen, as he found the saya and sheathed the blade as well.

Rather looking silently over to Ceylan, Kai wordlessly would help him dig up the bodies and help with the small burials. Kai gave his silent prayer to the Buddha, the Enma, and the god that brought him here. He wasn’t deeply religious, but with this much death he felt like he should have given his due to the dead.

Kai would have his [ Sense ] still active as he would scan the area, alert and attentive as a raptor tracking it’s prey. Kai would look towards the illusion of the White Witch. Kai had no real connection or hate towards the witch, but that was the enemy of these people, as he had just bleed and melted with the tainted blood. The Yakuza hobo just followed the group wordlessly.

Elvario

 

[gmimperfecti]

The Last Rites


As the last anguished cry of the Diseased Hill Toad reverberated through the damp air, the silence that followed was suffocating. The once fertile ground now bore the stains of battle, with mud mingling with blood, and the caustic stench of the creature’s remains hanging heavy.

The survivors, covered in mud, blood, and sweat, stood in the eerie stillness. Their expressions were a mix of triumph, relief, exhaustion, and despair. Ceylan, the group's healer, worked tirelessly, his hands surrounded by a soft glow as he tended to the fallen. Resurrection spells were cast upon the lifeless bodies, and where limbs were mangled or crushed, restorative magic did its best to mend.

However, not all could be brought back. Several brave souls had been devoured whole by the monstrous toad, their bodies forever lost within its grotesque belly. Others were so grievously wounded that their forms could not be restored, and the magic faltered as their spirits departed this realm.

The survivors gathered in small clusters, the weight of their losses pressing down upon them. Faces that had minutes ago been twisted in determination were now lined with sorrow. The cries of the wounded, the whimpering of the frightened boars, and the whispers of the wind through the trees created a dirge that spoke of loss and sacrifice.

He'd let his healing magic go on for a bit longer, desperately seeing if he could resurrect some people. He'd even go through the ungrateful task of trying to find lost limbs, for whilst he couldn't regrow them, he could re-attach them with his magic. Perhaps he was a [Fetcher] through and through, as he searched around muds for arms and legs the toad might've dropped and for the people they belonged too. Any life resurrected, person healed, limb reattached, was an ever so slight decrease of the overwhelming feeling of failure and sadness that'd arose within him.

Tail and ears drooped, drenched in mud and gods know what else, he knew they'd beaten the Hill Toad, yet he still felt defeated. The reality of these 'unclean' and 'imperfect' victories was different in practice than on paper, no matter how one looked at it. He'd seen death before, sure, a lot of it, but not like this. Not the desperate fighting, continuous torture from poison, the sight of contorted bodies with faces that clearly weren't ready to meet their makers yet.

He turned to Yukan and Riku. “I know the traditional Kuridan rites of passing, so with your permissions.” His voice was calm, yet tired. He hated this point, where the only thing he could do was to give someone a proper funeral. Using Religion B, he'd prepare a short yet proper funeral for the fallen, laying them to rest according to the traditional Kuridan ways, for as a Syncretist, it mattered not who's religion he followed, so long as it strived for the good in the world. All he'd need was Yukan and Riku's blessing, for he would not risk angering them due to being unordained in their specific faiths.

Ceylan, his body covered in muck and his spirit heavy, toiled ceaselessly among the fallen. Many others joined in as their minds regained a hold on their bodies and the traumas they'd faced. Shrine Maiden, Yumeko, whose presence was a calming contrast to the battle-hardened warriors. Her faded indigo robe was a stark difference to the intimidating armors, and her soothing green eyes held a wisdom that came from years of healing and nurturing. Tired beyond measure, Yumeko joined Ceylan without offering up any words. Gyoubu, the tanuki Shrine Maiden, was a figure of ever-shifting moods and expressions, her's now was the cold depression of winter. Her face hard and her eyes chilly. With her short hair slicked back from the mud, she looked feral and wild, more a dryad than a druid. Each healer's magic ebbed and flowed around them, joining like a river of light.

Others joined in the search. Paru's jovial attitude died a bit; however, as she saw the hijiri, Ceylan, desperately digging through the mud, defeat on his face. She had seen that look before, on the faces of the new hunters in her village, who had never faced down a monster or rampaging beast. There was no shame it, everyone felt that way once. Even her. As he made his request to perform rites of passing, she approached him. "<I do not much of religions outside my village, but we have a simple prayer we say to send off those we lose. Would it be alright if I joined you?>"

A trickle of people became a flood as everyone followed Ceylan's lead. Indicus still covered in mud and the putrid gore of the toad as well as no shortage of his own blood. Indicus trudged up to the group as he did he noticed the bodies of the dead being gathered by the soldiers and silently wished them favorable judgement from whatever god they worshiped. Rather looking silently over to Ceylan, Kai wordlessly would help him dig up the bodies and help with the small burials. Kai gave his silent prayer to the Buddha, the Enma, and the god that brought him here. He wasn’t deeply religious, but with this much death he felt like he should have given his due to the dead.

His tail and ears were drooped, soaked with rain and mud. The sheer intensity of the sorrow enveloping him was overwhelming. He had seen death before, but the torment and struggle in the expressions of the fallen tore at his very soul.

As Yukan walked among the warriors, Ceylan approached him and Riku. His voice was steady, but exhaustion and sorrow lined his words. “I know the traditional Kuridan rites of passing, so with your permissions,” he spoke, his eyes conveying the depth of his resolve. Yumeko nodded when Riku looked to her, and Gyoubu followed suite when Yukan did the same.

Yukan looked to Ceylan and then Riku when Ceylan asked if that was acceptable, as well as Paru who had come in. "I don't have any objections on the matter at this moment." Yukan and Riku, both solemn and worn, exchanged a glance and gave a nod of approval. Ceylan's abilities and dedication had proven invaluable, and there was no one more fitting to honor the fallen.

With care and reverence, Ceylan began the traditional Kuridan rites of passing. Paru, Gyoubu, and Yumeko joined in. The scent of sacred herbs wafted through the air as he chanted, his voice becoming a vessel for the spirits. His movements were graceful and fluid as he laid the fallen to rest, their faces now serene in eternal slumber. Ceylan’s mastery of religious rites, cultivated through his syncretic faith, allowed him to perform the ritual with an authenticity and reverence that resonated with the survivors.

As he finished the ceremony, Ceylan stepped back. His countenance was calm, but his eyes betrayed the heaviness he felt. He looked at Yukan and Riku and gave a slight bow, a gesture of respect for their fallen comrades.

It was then that Yukan stepped forward, his figure standing tall against the backdrop of the stormy sky. He began to speak, his voice a beacon for the weary survivors as they gathered in the solemn embrace of the forest, listening to words of honor, memory, and resolve. "Thank you all for working so hard and risking your lives on the side of justice, your actions and sacrifices these days will have saved many more innocent lives." Yukan finally said with a small bow of gratitude as others had come out of the woodwork. Not really sure how else to best express his gratitude based on what happened.

Yukan then assessed Ko who had come out much more calm, collected, and confident than others, Unfortunately Yukan did not have an extra pair of clothing to hand to Ko, it seemed like Indicus had given into his more primal side during the fight which had worked to their advantage but he had no doubt that the dragonic man would need a rest after that display.
He would also seek out Gyoubu as well as the head of the scouts to see how they had fared, checking in with the command line, as it was a logical move.

Ko was lean, and looked as if his body were a coiled spring. "...Has anyone spare clothes of which to cover me? We've fairer eyes and I don't want to make them shy when we've work yet to do." The man speaks up rather for the others than himself, even if he looked like he had no a lick of shame in his body over his...Forthriteness. His tail never stopped wagging, he was quite confidant.

On of the Tengu Shadow assassins appeared, it's glossy black feathers gleamed in the moonlight. It bowed before Ko, producing a black kimono and hakama [Light Armor F]. "I would be honored for someone so adapt at death to wear these. Your stroke was perfect. Your blade a source of truth." The Tengu bowed.

Whiteclaw nodded. "Well done, Ko. A tongue cut and claimed, truly. This Hill Toad was a prince amongst it's kind, I've not seen one so big in years."

Kai would stay in his silent and stoic disposition, as he would take the Katana from the body of the toad, undoubtedly from a fallen warrior. “I’ll be taking this, find yer peace in the afterlife and rest, it’s us the living that still need to fight. If I get out of this, I’ll hand it to yer next of kin.” Kai would say gently, as if talking to the spirit of the fallen, as he found the saya and sheathed the blade as well.

Riku grunted, "Take it as payment for services rendered."

 

[gmimperfecti]

Journey Onward.

As the hunters cautiously approached the watchtower, the atmosphere around them shifted ominously. The air grew thick with an unnatural energy, and the land seemed to twist and bend in ways that defied reality. Shadows danced in the corners of their eyes, and the trees seemed to whisper ancient secrets. The illusions that shrouded the domain around the watchtower were akin to the work of a twisted artist; it was as though they had stumbled into one of Escher’s paintings where the impossible seemed real, and the landscape defied the laws of physics.

The figure of the White Witch atop the watchtower seemed ethereal and ghostly in the distance. Her movements were fluid and unnaturally graceful, and she seemed to both beckon them and warn them away with her presence.

Yukan’s voice cut through the eerie silence. He calmly outlined his plan, emphasizing caution and strategy over reckless action. As Yukan spoke, Kai kept his senses alert, scanning the area with the intensity of a predator. Ceylan, on the other hand, looked thoughtful, considering the possibility of cleansing the corruption even from the White Witch herself.

Riku, astride his dire boar, glanced toward the watchtower. His sharp gaze surveyed the distorted landscape. “Yukan’s right,” Riku grumbled, his voice gravelly. “We mustn’t rush blindly. I’ll take my remaining boar riders to the flanks. We’ll keep an eye on the surroundings. If anything tries to outflank us, it’ll have to go through boar tusks first.”

Whiteclaw, the lithe birdkin, gracefully alighted beside Yukan. His feathers ruffled in the strange breeze. “The winds speak of deception and danger,” Whiteclaw’s voice was melodic, yet tinged with caution. “My scouts will take to the trees. Our eyes in the sky will keep watch. If there’s a trap, we’ll spot it.”

Then, the two shrine maidens, Yumeko and Gyoubu, moved forward. Yumeko’s eyes were serene, while Gyoubu’s expression was intense. They both held small talismans. “We shall call upon the spirits to guard us,” Yumeko spoke in a gentle voice. “And pierce through illusions,” added Gyoubu with determination.

The hunters began to move into position as Riku led the boar riders to the flanks, Whiteclaw and his scouts ascended to the treetops, and Yumeko and Gyoubu began chanting, their voices melding with the whispering wind. The scene was a symphony of controlled chaos and determination as they prepared to face the unknown dangers that lurked around the watchtower.

------

As the hunters stood their ground amidst the gnarled and twisted landscape, the air around them suddenly changed. The once oppressive atmosphere became strangely warm and inviting, as the tantalizing scent of fresh scones and tea pervaded the air. A spectral figure materialized before them. It was the White Witch, but different from what they had expected; she appeared regal and elegant, clad in flowing robes, her voice as enchanting as a gentle breeze.

"Greetings, brave travelers. How weary you must be," she said, her voice resonating with a sense of deep understanding. “Do you not long for a brief respite? For a moment of peace amidst the chaos?”

The spectral figure’s voice was filled with an alluring, almost comforting tone, as she gestured to a floating silver platter with scones and a teapot. “Do you not yearn for the simple pleasures of tea and scones, for a reminder of what it feels like to be safe and cherished?” Her hair was a wild, shock of white. Her image was adorned with a headdress shaped like a river of moonlight, and her eyes twinkled like stars in the night sky. "I invite you all to join me atop the tower for tea and scones," she said, gesturing with a delicate hand. The scent wafting from them was real and tantalizing. "I am not particularly fond of drinking, but I have sake and berries, should you prefer," she continued with a wink and hint of whimsy in her voice.

Whiteclaw's eyes narrowed. Riku’s dire boar snorted, and the shrine maidens, Yumeko and Gyoubu, clutched their talismans tighter.

Suddenly, the White Witch's form flowed like water and changed. She became imposing, towering over them, her voice now like rolling thunder. The sky above darkened and stars seemed to fall towards the earth.

“Or is it the thrill of battle that you seek?” she boomed, her voice echoing throughout the twisted forest. Her eyes falling upon those like Ko and Idicus, filled with battle lust and a desire for more blood. The sky above darkened as an ethereal, celestial power emanated from her. The falling stars grew brighter, while an array of beams of lunar light descended from the sky.

“Then prepare for the heavens to rain down upon you!” she boomed, her voice now thunderous and echoing through the air. The night sky was suddenly alive with falling stars, descending like radiant comets towards the earth. "[Starfall]!" she proclaimed as the waves of falling stars began to converge over 40 yards around the group.

Whiteclaw shouted a warning, and the hunters started scattering, trying to avoid the falling stars. Meanwhile, Riku, still atop his dire boar, rallied his boar riders and charged forward.

The White Witch, not finished with her display, raised her hands and chanted, "[Moonfire]!". Beams of pure, silver light descended, casting an eerie glow upon the twisted landscape as they targeted the hunters. Each shaft strike line a blinding, white lightsaber falling from the moon to the ground.

But something was amiss. As a falling star approached Whiteclaw, it passed through him without harm. It was an illusion, as were the beams of light.

The White Witch's voice softened to a whisper, “What drives you forward in this twisted realm? Is it valor, honor, or something more?” Her image flickered like a mirage, “What are you willing to sacrifice, and what, in the end, will you have gained?”

The monologue seemed to weigh on some of the hunters, with the surreal illusions dancing around them. Each was confronted with the choice of pressing forward through the labyrinthine landscape towards the watchtower or allowing doubt and fear to hold them back.

The White Witch's image faded with a final whisper, “Will you find what you seek?”

The illusions of falling stars and moonfire continued to dissipate around them, the twisted path ahead beckoning them onward.