The demon army entries...

[hagureoni]

WHO: 'Shutendoji', whoever wants to fight him and his army
WHAT: Some more fighting, brainwashing, possible hypnosis and everything
WHERE: Nagashino
WARNING(S): There are not any yet... probably angst?


['Shutendoji' had taken position inside the castle walls of Nagashino. He had kept the doors of the mainkeep carelessly open - he didn't see any need to lock himself into them. Plus it wasn't like he intended to stay in there all the time. On top of it, he wasn't only accompanied by Orochi's demons, but the ones from his own world as well - the ones he had made drink the 'sentan', a medicine that strengthen the demons and bring out their deepest and ugliest feelings.

And this was still not all. Kiyomori had given him another few henchmen. Famous warriors that were under his control now.]




((ooc: Feel free to toss up brainwashed characters in here, and if you want to fight 'Shutendoji', he has several abilities that go along the lines of hypnosis with words, looking into people's mind to see secrets even they might not be aware of and he can warp time and space. Just give me a heads-up if you want to fight against any of those powers or how far it is okay with you that he uses them on your character!))

Comments

[iaijutsu]

[Although he wasn't quite in the path of the bridge, it was hard not to notice that they were being pushed back more forcibly in that area than around the rest of the battlefield. And so Saitou quickly made an executive decision: leave the rest of his unit where they were, to cover the area they'd been placed at in the overall strategy...while he himself made his way to the bridge to give their allies the extra push they clearly needed.

One of him ought to be worth plenty of their enemies, anyway.

But as he got closer, there was something familiar about that glint of red pressing its way forward -

- no way.]

Yukimura-dono?

[ex_onslaught851]

[Under normal circumstances, the sight of Saitou standing there would have been more than enough to stop Yukimura in his tracks. But these were not normal circumstances. Yukimura's mind was carefully blank, except for the need to serve his lord by any means necessary.

In this case, it meant killing anyone that got in his way. Even Saitou.

At first he didn't say anything, instead shifting into a fighting position. Nothing could stop him from achieving his mission - Yukimura wouldn't accept failure.]

For Lord Kiyomori... all must perish.

[iaijutsu]

[That...didn't sound like the Yukimura he knew. The words, the monotone -

- the clear intent to kill. The clear intent to kill him.

Saitou didn't make the first move, although his hand stayed at the hilt of his sword, ready to act. He could only hope it wouldn't come to that, but...this wasn't promising.]

Yukimura-dono, this is not like you.

[ex_onslaught851]

[Gone was Yukimura's passion for battle, for his friends and for serving his true lord. Gone was the eager young samurai who strove to do his best, who was sometimes unsure of his place in the world, but still knew that he had been gifted with good friends. With Saitou.

Now there was a mere shell in his place, wired to do only one thing. To kill.

The words didn't seem to register with him at all. Instead he took another step forward, realising that Saitou might even prove to be a good match for him. A good fight before his inevitable death - it would make a change from all of the other warriors he'd been fighting.]

Are those your last words?

[iaijutsu]

[He doesn't answer that, simply gritting his teeth and sliding one foot back, his weight shifting in preparation for the strike he doesn't want to make, but knows he'll have to.

No. These won't be his final words...and those won't be Yukimura's, even if he's not sure what he can really do with him aside from knock him on the head, drag him back to camp, and...then what?]

[ex_onslaught851]

[Considering that he seems ready to fight, Yukimura takes that as an opportunity to spring forward, switching his spear to his left hand so that he can aim a jab at Saitou's midsection, hoping that if he aims enough hits at him he won't be able to retaliate fast enough.

Saitou is the only thing stopping him from reaching his objective - which means that he has to win. There's no other choice.]

[iaijutsu]

[Saitou's always been quick, and with rasetsu speed on his side he's only quicker. He sidesteps the jab easily, his sword flicking from its sheath at high speed to move towards Yukimura for an attack of his own -

- however, he keeps the dull edge flipped towards the other man. He only wants to incapacitate him, nothing more.]

[ex_onslaught851]

[That isn't something that Yukimura is prepared for, and he's not as fast as Saitou on top of that. Not to mention that with his mind under someone else's control, his focus is on kill kill kill, not necessarily any other tactics.

The blow from Saitou makes him stumble, though he tries quickly to get some momentum back, regaining his footing before aiming for Saitou again, this time trying a wider swipe with his spear.]

[iaijutsu]

[Saitou takes another step back, but the spear gives Yukimura enough range that he knows that won't be enough to get him out of its path, so he sacrifices his chance to get another strike in and instead brings his sword down to block it.

Taking a hit where he doesn't have to won't kill him, but...now would be the worst possible time for the bloodlust to kick in. He can't let himself lose it; he has to make sure he doesn't kill Yukimura. But when his combat style is built around killing enemies in one hit, and with his own urges to fight down...

...well, he's going to have his work cut out for him.]

[ex_onslaught851]

[Despite the fact that none of Yukimura's hits are connecting, this doesn't seem to faze him. He doesn't stop trying, no matter how persistent Saitou is - Yukimura likes to think that he's even more persistent still. He quickly draws his spear back once Saitou has blocked his latest hit, not wanting to give him time to get in a counter attack, and instead he lashes out again and again. It doesn't matter if Saitou keeps blocking them, his determination only seems to grow every time.]

[dragonrises]

[there's a clatter of hooves on wood as a horseman rides up across the bridge to bolster the defenses, an entire contingent of troops behind him. The rider's long spear batters demon forces out of the way, but then everything comes to a halt as he reins in just behind where Saitou is holding his ground.

He's not sure what to make of the situation. Who is fighting who and why, here? He doesn't know the stranger but he definitely knows his opponent...]

Lord Yukimura!

[iaijutsu]

[Anyone else could've been taken off-guard, but even if the sudden intervention is a surprise, it's not enough to throw Saitou off too badly, and he blocks another attack before addressing the newcomer without turning...whoever he is.]

Yukimura-dono is not acting like himself. Be cautious.

[ex_onslaught851]

[The arrival of someone else doesn't seem to worry him, even though he had already been at a disadvantage with just one opponent. Yukimura had never let such things bother him, and that hadn't changed even though he was under Kiyomori's influence.

For now he ignores Zhao Yun's arrival, instead trying to use the opportunity to catch Saitou off-guard before the two of them team up against him.]

[dragonrises]

What? [even as he's hopping down out of the saddle and bringing his spear around to bear] What do you mean?

[whatever Yukimura is planning, Zhao Yun is there to stop it, lunging and swinging with the spear to block him] Lord Yukimura! It is I! Do you not recognize me?

[iaijutsu]

[Saitou falls back a step when Zhao Yun steps in to catch that attack - the battle isn't taking too great a toll on him yet, but he can't really argue with the chance to take a breather, even if only for a second or two.]

[ex_onslaught851]

[Unfortunately for both of them, Yukimura didn't recognise either of them. His expression was completely blank, devoid of any emotion. Anything that the other two have to say to him is completely ignored. He doesn't stop for even a moment before lashing out again with his spear, this time trying to strike at Zhao Yun.]

[dragonrises]

[this feels familiar - familiar and unpleasant. Only this time, Zhao Yun isn't the one being accused of being a fake. He holds his ground and blocks each strike, swinging the spear wide in graceful arcs]

Yukimura! Answer me - what is going on here? Or do I have to knock you down to get an answer?

[iaijutsu]

[It doesn't take Saitou long to catch his breath, and he's stepping forward and to the side again, moving into position beside Zhao Yun.]

I believe we may have to, but two of us should be a match for him.

[ex_onslaught851]

For Lord Kiyomori... I will strike both of you down!

[Those words alone should be enough of an indication that he's not in his right mind. It's not the first time he's been brainwashed, not that he seems to be aware of that at this point either.

Once he notices that Saitou is moving into position too, he steps back, shifting his stance so that he can hold his spear in both hands. This time, he's waiting for one of the other two to strike first, being in a better position to defend rather than strike back at the moment. Otherwise he'll leave himself too open to one or both of them.]

[dragonrises]

[He glances over his shoulder at Saitou] ...indeed, we will. I have fought him and defeated him before, but it was a hard battle and cost too much in time and stamina. We don't have much time before the demon army overruns the guard posts. Together, then!

[Inwardly he's thinking Yukimura, why are you serving Kiyomori? This is wrong! but on the outside, he shows no sign of how much this hurts. He will fight until Yukimura comes to his senses, just like Chengdu. He charges first, striking to engage the spear and try to force an opening]

[iaijutsu]

[It's very wrong, but it's not the first time Saitou's been forced to turn his sword on a comrade gone out of their mind, so he's had enough practice compartmentalizing. This time, however, he's determined that things won't end the same way they have when the Shinsengumi had to hunt down those among their own number whose minds were broken by the ochimizu.

He holds back for half a second as Zhao Yun strikes before launching himself forward, looking for whatever opening Yukimura might leave in defending himself.]

[ex_onslaught851]

[If only he could hold out until the rest of the army came to back him up-- that was all that he could think of as he brought his spear up to block, first deflecting Zhao Yun's attack and then Saitou's. However, he leaves himself too open after dodging Saitou. Open enough that, if one of them is fast enough, they can probably catch him off-guard - even if Yukimura himself doesn't seem to realise it yet.]

[dragonrises]

[Zhao Yun knows this dance, and he's ready. He uses the momentum of the block to swing the spear back around for a second hit, circling around in the process to try and divide Yukimura's attention. As long as he goes one way and Saitou goes the other, they can double-team easily]

[iaijutsu]

[Saitou picks up on Zhao Yun's intent easily enough, and even if it's not quite the level of unspoken coordination he could manage with Souji, he 's quick to move in the other direction and take the first opening he gets.]

[ex_onslaught851]

[There's no way that Yukimura can deflect both hits this time, though he certainly tries his best to. But he hasn't had a moment to catch his breath throughout the whole battle, and that one flaw is enough for not one, but both hits to connect. Zhao Yun's sends his spear flying out of his hand, and the force of Saitou's blow is enough to knock Yukimura right over, sprawling out face down on the ground.

He tries his best to get back to his feet, but it's difficult to manage when he can't focus all of a sudden. The fall in itself didn't hurt, but his head aches something terrible, and instead he stops trying to get up, waiting for the both of them to finish him off.]