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

[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.]

[dragonrises]

[at least Zhao Yun knows when to pull back the full force of his hits - his strike had been sincere but before he can follow through and destroy his foe, he checks and merely jabs the blade of the spear into the ground near Yukimura's shoulder. If he tries to get up, if there's any indication that he's out to kill them still, the spear is close enough to retaliate]

...Lord Yukimura?

[iaijutsu]

[Saitou holds his sword out, the tip of the blade beside Yukimura's neck, but also holds back from anything more than that.]

Yukimura-dono...

[ex_onslaught851]

[All he can focus on at first is the intense pain in his head- it seems reluctant to shift no matter what he does, and so all he can do is lie there for a few moments, vaguely aware of the weapons pointed in his direction.

-- still, it's not as though he has to open his eyes to recognise who is with him right now. Those voices are familiar enough.]

Chou'un-dono... Hajime-dono... what did I...

[Not that he's sure he wants to know the answer to that, but his mind is once again blank of memories concerning what he'd done recently, and it worries him.]

[dragonrises]

You know us, now? [as he glances at Saitou. A little late to say hi, is it?] What manner of sorcery is this?

[never mind that there's still a battle raging around them. And the keep at Nagashino is still rather stoutly defended, even with a contingent of the Shu army showing up as reinforcements]

[iaijutsu]

I have never seen anything of the sort.

[It's never too late to say hi...although Saitou's inclined to keep it to business until the battle is finished, and in this case, business is making sure Yukimura's got his head on straight.]

What is the last thing you remember, Yukimura-dono?

[ex_onslaught851]

I remember... the start of the battle. I was sent to survey Nagashino Castle, to see what kind of force the enemy had.

Yet... I do not remember making it inside the castle. I do not even know how I made it here.

[Considering the position that he's in right now, of course, he can guess. He'd tried to attack them both...?]

It... is not the first time I have... been under someone else's influence like this.

[dragonrises]

...what? [well that's news...

hang on, there are some infantrymen who need to be smacked down in order to leave them a few minutes to talk. Zhao Yun feels confident enough to remove the spear from the ground and charge after them, blocking them from harming Yukimura. Saitou's still got an eye on him, at least]

[iaijutsu]

[Saitou's sword moves back a hair, a reassurance to Yukimura that he trusts that he's coming to his senses, but he still keeps it close enough that it won't take him much time at all to respond to anything untoward. It's not quite the same thing, but he's seen enough men flip out that he knows better than to put too much faith in a single moment of lucidity.]

Not the first?

[ex_onslaught851]

I realise that I owe you both much already, but... if the explanations could wait for a little bit longer.

[Because if they die here, Yukimura is never going to forgive himself for that. He's already done more than enough to inconvenience them both.]

[dragonrises]

[Zhao Yun is mainly keeping everyone else off them, but he's close enough to hear and respond]

If you feel like you can continue. Are you able? [and now the worried look comes out]

[iaijutsu]

[Saitou is silent, also waiting for Yukimura's response to that - and although his worried look is much subtler than Zhao Yun's, it's certainly there is one looks closely.]

[ex_onslaught851]

I will be fine, you needn't worry about me. I will do my best not to slow either of you down.

[With that he gingerly got to his feet, and picked up his spear once again. His body still ached, but he wasn't going to let that hold him back.]

[dragonrises]

As long as your head is clear.

[he takes a moment to clap a hand to Yukimura's shoulder before turning to the battle at hand]

I have been sent with reinforcements from Shu. We received rumors that Orochi's demon army was awake again and moving toward this location. They should support the flank while we press on to the fortress. [and here he adds a polite nod toward Saitou, since now is a difficult time for proper introductions and bowing and all that]

[iaijutsu]

[Saitou returns Zhao Yun's nod, finally taking his eyes off Yukimura - though perhaps a bit reluctantly.]

I left my forces fighting further north, but I believe they should have that approach adequately covered.

[ex_onslaught851]

Yes, it is clear... at least, for the moment.

[An apology didn't feel like it would ever be enough to make up for what he had done, so Yukimura put it aside for now.]

That sounds best, Chou'un-dono. I know the best way into the castle, so that should give us an advantage.

[-- how he knows is something best not thought about right now.]

[dragonrises]

[another nod to Saitou. This guy is smart] That's good. We are in position to pincer the main force between them, then. I will leave my men under Zhang Bao's command and come with you two up the middle. We will draw their attention to us and allow the two forces to come in from the north and south.

[he's clearly still worried about Yukimura, but bravely putting it aside for now. He will, however, have half an eye on his comrade no matter what they do, just in case.] I will follow your lead, Lord Yukimura. Who is the commander of the opposing army, here?

[iaijutsu]

[It's a solid plan, and Saitou nods in agreement. It's in all of their best interests to end this as quickly and cleanly as possible. The rest can wait.]

[ex_onslaught851]

The commander is a man named Shutendoji. He seems to have some strange powers that he is using to control his own men, so we must proceed with caution. It is also possible that there are... [He pauses for a moment, hesitating.] That there are others like me within the enemy ranks.

[That is to say, people who had been brainwashed. Yukimura had to do his best to put that thought aside for the moment.]

I believe that your plan is sound, Chou'un-dono. The enemy has higher numbers on their side, but we should not let that faze us.

[dragonrises]

[Zhao Yun mulls that information over for a minute before hefting his spear back into attack position] Very well. Forward into the charge, and we shall keep our eyes out for other officers who may have had their memories tampered with.

[and he means on foot because his horse? Knows better than to hang aorund. It's long gone]

[iaijutsu]

Understood.

[One word and a nod, and Saitou has already turned his attention back to the territory ahead of them.

Which isn't to say he doesn't have his own worries about what Yukimura's told them...but he's always been about efficiency.]

[ex_onslaught851]

[Right now, the efficiency is definitely for the best, considering that Yukimura has already forced them to waste so much time. He finds that he can't quite bring himself to meet the gaze of either of the others anyway, so he proceeds onwards in silence.

Truth be told, the closer they get to Nagashino Castle, the more the uneasy feeling within him builds. But he doesn't say anything about it, preferring to pretend it doesn't affect him at all.

... not that he's doing a particularly good job of it.]

[dragonrises]

[don't think that Zhao Yun doesn't notice. He's spent enough time at Yukimura's side to know what most of his expressions mean. But they have a job to do, first, and concentration is required if all three of them are going to get safely through the crowds of demons and other infantrymen to find this Shutendoji and stop him.

He'll only speak up if he notices Yukimura's strength or ability to fight waning. For now, he's got one eye on his old friend as they cut through the battlefield, a deadly threesome]

[iaijutsu]

[A very deadly threesome, although the further they get, the harder it is for Saitou to keep himself as tightly reined in as he'd like. It may be a good thing Zhao Yun's keeping one eye on Yukimura; Saitou's finding it more and more important to keep one eye on himself, lest he become deadly to the wrong people.]

[ex_onslaught851]

[Between the three of them they manage to cut a path through to the castle with relative ease. And yet that isn't the most surprising aspect of all. Instead... Yukimura freezes on the spot once he realises it.]

The doors are wide open.

[Has Shutendoji been waiting for them?]