Battle on the Beach

Military action

There on the coast of the Isle of Oriab, now-undead Hashinara Yoshitakatomo finished reminiscing over the strange series of events which had led her* to this point. She* and her* companions Hosokawa Gracia and Matsumoto Hiei had already noticed the Black Galleon Slavers on the other side of the ridge, going about their horrid business unaware that their doom gazed upon them from not a hundred feet away. The odious Men of Leng had more than a few things in their possession to interest the Princess-Daimyō. Foremost among these was the Gug, a monstrous four-limbed titan bound by chains and a queer symbol carved into the metal plate bound around its neck. Further off, something in a wooden cage flitted around agitatedly right next to two rows of enslaved Baharnans.   That last became a political issue the moment Matsumoto Ooawagaeri, in his guise as Fubuki, arrived with Sothy and her stranded fellows. It was finally time to fulfill the promise of bringing them back to Baharna, but the presence of these captives complicated matters. Fortunately, with the arrival of a host including Aotsuki Tsukamoto, Ka-ten Agni, Alice of Hearts, Aka no Kitsunebi, Taira no Tokuko, and finally two representatives, Sasaki Kojirō and Oyama Hikari from the Silver Meteor Storm, the Hashinara were well-equipped to face anything that the Slavers might bring against them.

With his characteristic coldness, Matsumoto Hiei suggested that they take advantage of their foes' obliviousness to merely slip away. Many in the group did not agree with that, however, foremost being Aotsuki Tsukamoto and Hosokawa Gracia, representing moral and political objections respectively. It seemed that Hashinara Yoshitakatomo had no choice but to free the captives; or perhaps that had been her* plan all along. First she* remanded Sothy and her Baharnans to a safe clearing some fifty feet away. Then, with a concentration of magic, she* brought the Gug's chains under her* power and disintegrated the collar around its neck. As the symbol it bore fell uselessly to the ground, its glow faded and the fire in the Gug's alien eyes suddenly burned bright.   The Slavers couldn't react to the first attack. As though the chains holding it were mere threads, the Gug swung its immense club down in an arc, splattering a Man of Leng to its left as it impacted the red sand beneath. One of their overseers had the presence of mind to rush forward and press the symbol once more to that beast's pallid flesh, but by that time the Hashinara Clan's forces were already in action.   Bearing his crested shield before him, Aotsuki Tsukamoto established control over the ridge path to the right, the only clear path to his allies. An arrow from Oyama Hikari's Shiroyumi took a Slaver by surprise while Fubuki appeared with uncanny speed over the magical wall which was even now rising to separate the captive Baharnans from their oppressors.   From her* vantage point above, Fubuki could tell that the Baharnans were frightened of her, but willing to cooperate. The small creature in the nearby stage, however, was another matter. What Fubuki could now see was a little fairy-like creature, humanoid save for a few features that called to mind unpleasant creatures in the deep sea. She, for it was undoubtedly a feminine silhouette flitting around in there, was paying more attention to the magical wall than to Fubuki above. Indeed, the little monster's eyes were eyeing the magical structure with what looked like ravenous hunger.   Yoshitakatomo confirmed that she* did wish for all captives to be saved, including the creatures, so Fubuki grew out a number of waving fox tails to hold all of her* charges. As she* lifted the wooden cage off the ground, however, the creature inside surprised her* by complaining, loudly, in perfect Japanese. Apparently she was starving after being on the Black Galleon for days without food and therefore objected quite strongly to being taken away from such a delicious-looking spell. That revelation confirmed Yoshiatkatomo's fears about the little monster and she* made it clear that it was not to be let into her* dignified presence.   Fubuki attempted to reason with the tentacled girl, but after a bit of back and forth, she proved impressively stubborn. Ignoring the few last shouts of dismay, Fubuki decided to deal with it later and flew out into the shallow waves. With a touch of magic, she* wrapped the sea around her* and the gripped Baharnans like a canopy to protect them. This activity distracted her* enough that the little monster was able to reach one mouthed, tentacled arm through the bars of the cage and take a bite out of Fubuki's fox tail keeping it aloft. What came away with the tiny teeth was not flesh, but a portion of pure magic from the spell keeping them all aloft. Fortunately, Fubuki had poured enough power into the weave that they were not sent immediately plunging into the waves, but the magic would move her* much more slowly now.   Back on the coast, the fight continued to rage, but it was clear whom fate favored. A few Slavers assaulted those visible on the ridge with psychic powers, but found little success. One, who had a clear shot, was interrupted in his concentration by another arrow from Hikari's bow. Many of the Men of Leng had chosen to rush up the narrow path, apparently as much to get away from the Gug as to attack Aotsuki and his allies. The first could not have been more surprised when the net he threw to entangled the beautiful protector above bounced off Aotsuki's crested shield and flew back, entangling its original thrower instead.   Using Aotsuki's bulwark to stage an assault, Hiei, Gracia, and Tokuko teamed up to slay one of the slavers. Another was pacified by the light of Amaterasu herself, channeled through Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. Sasaki Kojirō's great Monohoshizao cut a Man of Leng in half, sending his torso tumbling bloodily off the cliff and into the foliage below.   The few advantages the Slavers still possessed were that the Gug remained sedated by that symbol pressed into its flesh and that something on the Black Galleon, not far out to sea, was reaching out with sinister mental forces to aid them. At this moment, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo chose to take advantage of the control her* magic afforded her over the chains binding the Gug. One wrapped around the Man of Leng who'd replaced his master in manning the symbol. As he was pinned, motionless in the center of an iron cocoon, the Sign dropped to the sand and lost its glow. The monster began to stir, rage and motion returning to its four bulging arms. Just to the side, a Slaver scrambled to recover the symbol, but Ka-ten Agni's holy flames burned him up from the inside. A blast of solid light from Aka no Kitsunebi's mask cut a clean hole in his torso and finished the job.   Fubuki brought her* charges back around to the top of the ridge and safety while all this transpired. The freed Baharnans joined their companions with Sothy and the little caged monster seemed content with her recent meal. Indeed, the battle seemed all but one. The Black Galleon forces were scattered, either fleeing, surrendering, unable to fight, or dead. The Gug struck a final blow, digging all four claws into the chain-wrapped Man of Leng beside it and ripping him asunder. Its rage, however, did not subside.   With fury burning bright in its horizontal pupils, the thing opened its unnatural mouth and let loose a bellow of rage as it turned toward Aotsuki and started up the ridge path. It didn't notice as one of the discarded chains wrapped itself around the symbol left in the sand...   Now that the few remaining Slavers were either dispersed or neutralized, it seemed that the Gug had every intention to make itself the Hashinara Clan's newest enemy. Fubuki reasoned that the Moonbeast, still laying unseen within the nearby Black Galleon, may have the beast under its control. Indeed, even when Yoshitakatomo's chains wrapped the Elder Sign around that beast's trunklike leg, it did not slow or hesitate like before.   Moving the immense water bubble she* had created just off the coast, Fubuki encased the monster in it, then froze the whole structure solid. Ice now encased the Gug on every side, but its own skin was only slightly frosted. It was still capable of moving, and the frozen prison might not hold it for long. From above, Ka-ten Agni attempted to burn the creature alive, but through some combination of unholy constitution, damp skin, and dark blessing, the Gug shrugged this pyrokinetic assault off without effect.   Back on the ridge, Zhyrgal had been left all but abandoned. Fubuki and Aka no Kitsunebi had relocated away from the action to a nearby islet, from which to focus on their assault on the Black Galleon. The mighty ship was taking on water even now, the red fox's laser having punched a sizeable hole in its hull. Meanwhile, Zhyrgal sought help elsewhere. Calling to to anyone who could hear her, the little Zoog began offering a wish to prospective rescuers. Taira no Tokuko, still nearby, was not swayed, nor was anyone else who approached.   By this time, Aotsuki Tsukamoto had picked his way down the ridgeline path and stood ready to engage the encased Gug. His approach proved timely, as the beast burst from its icy bubble and waded through the surrounding water to come in front of the Solar Champion. Its movement was still hampered by the water and ice and, when it swung, the Gug was shocked to find its club rebounding off Aotsuki's shield and right back into its own abominable face. There didn't seem to be any actual damage done, but for the moment the beast was stunned and confused. This window allowed Matsumoto Hiei to close the distance and engage. Again, however, his daggers failed to penetrate the Gug's callous hide. It seemed almost as though some unseen presence were protecting the monster from realms unknown.   With her foe so distracted, Oyama Hikari was able to sprightly, stealthily bounce from bush to bush down the path. In one quick motion, she darted from cover and grabbed the glowing symbol from where it was pinned to the Gug's leg. Seeing that it was having no effect, Yoshitakatomo did not order her* chains to hold it any longer, and Hikari made off with her prize.   Some of the Hashinara's most celebrated fighters were now encroaching and the Gug seemed stymied by Aotsuki's defense. It was not yet, however, without allies. Ka-ten Agni suddenly put voice to a presence that was not her own. Conjuring a shrinking ring of fire around their helpless Baharnan allies, she warned in heavy, inhuman tones that time was running out. At much the same time, a terrible psychic pressure pressed down on the skull of each fighter near the ridge. If not for the blessing of Amaterasu, channeled through Aotsuki, it may have been much worse. As it was, most shrugged it off, with only Tokuko left with a slight headache. The Moonbeast had made its presence known in more ways than one.   Aotsuki did not wish to leave his position, but saw little choice. His touch was the only thing which could wipe alien influence from Agni's mind. Soon, Hiei was left face-to-maw with an angry Gug, abandoned by his protector. The Champion did not waste time on his more pressing errand, however. With a sprint and a touch, he cleared Agni's essence of all malign influences and cast the Moonbeast out of her head. The momentarily embarrassed god of fire was thankful, if irate that such a thing had happened to her in the first place. It was of the utmost importance, she urged, that they find a way to break Izanami-no-Mikoto's curse.   Far above the rest of the action, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo watched as though entirely disconnected from the danger at hand. Weaving magic from the soil beneath, she* cast it over the Gug and called upon the spirits of the earth to reveal its past to her. The visions so shown were unsettling at best. Yoshitakatomo saw a coast, a wandering Gug moments before capture, and the toll it had taken on the Slavers who did so. Further back was a dry, barren grey plain. Obelisks stuck from the ground like the ribs of long-buried monsters while unknown Kadath, the terrible city, floated overhead. Gugs roamed in packs here, some playing primitive drums, some beating the ground with their fists, and others fighting. There were scraps of civilization here, but these creatures obviously possessed only the barest hints of sentience. The telemetry took her* beyond even that, to a baby Gug, misshapen and bulging in its ragged swaddling. A hooded figure, cloaked in yellow robes, reached out with clawed fingers and pulled the child's very heart from its chest. Chanting over the organ for a moment, the monstrous priest then replaced it, hand passing through skin as though it were fog. This might be the source of the Gug's monstrous powers, and some connection to a much-feared figure that Yoshitakatomo had only heard whispers of: The King in Yellow.   As the vision faded, Yoshitakatomo shared choice information with her* allies. This Gug was intelligent enough to have some semblance of culture, and so may yet be of use to them. Sasaki Kojirō, however, disagreed. Having made her way around the stunned Gug, she sheathed Monohoshizao and concentrated ki into its blade. The Swallow-Cutting Blade, Tsubamegaeshi, carved through the Gug's calf and sent it crashing to the sand below. It howled in animal agony, but somehow was still not dead. If the black blood gushing from its stump were any indication, however, that state would not last for long. It was Hosokawa Gracia, instead, who landed the final blow. Her naginata crushed through pallid flesh and muscle, bringing an end to the great creature's suffering. Lifting the bloodied blade to the sky, Gracia yelled out a traditional expression of victory, announcing the fall of an enemy commander to all who could hear.   That only left the Moonbeast itself. It seemed the pasty, toadlike monster had intended Ka-ten Agni's attack as a distraction, perhaps so that it could patch the damage to its ship and escape. With Agni now in control of her own faculties, however, she quickly put the fire out. Fubuki and Aka no Kitsunebi, now closer to the ship on their islet, were not about to let the remaining Slavers effect a getaway.   Jigenmaru, flying under Fubuki's control, smashed a hole in the hull, only to reveal a redundant layer below. This, Aka no Kitsunebi blasted away with a psychic laser. Under Fubuki's ki-detected guidance, her attack was able to sting the Moonbeast within as well. Finally, the hidden Black Blade cast another spell of frost, so powerful that it froze the air all throughout the ship's innards. The Moonbeast was frozen solid, as presumably was the rest of the crew. Not wishing to take for granted that this would have incapacitated the creature's mental powers, Fubuki followed it up by landing on the deck of the ship herself*. It took some positioning, but eventually she* found a spot above the Moonbeast and drove her* blade into the deck below. It took several thrusts, but eventually the creature screamed a last psychic lash and expired.   The Hashinara had proven victorious once again, slaying even the monsters of the Dreamlands. Each now, however, seemed to have a different idea of what should happen next. Yoshitakatomo was engrossed with the fallen Gug and what magic she* might wreak upon it. What's more, it seemed her* intention to repair the Galleon before it fully sank, commandeering it as their vessel in this land. Fubuki, meanwhile, was dead-set on finishing their commission to return Sothy and her companions to Baharna.   Finally, Aotsuki was busy with the little prisoner he had just released from her cage. Zhyrgal had a lot of choice words and complaints. Because she seemed very wary of the giant "cat" that was Fubuki, Aotsuki ended up receiving the brunt of her monologue. It seemed obvious to Zhyrgal that her rescuers would now come with her to Dylath-Leen and help her exact revenge upon those who had sold her into slavery in the first place.   Many paths lay open for the Hashinara now and, with the immediate threat gone, they needed only to choose their next destination.