Heart of Astagon » Places

         "Whoa! Say this gentleman looks dreadful!"

Emrys couldn't help but grin at the Lieutenant's remark. Indeed, Oni were distasteful creatures--though, there was the occasional kind and wise Oni. This particular Oni, Ilfang, was definitely not one of the kind Oni. He was a demon Oni from the tip of his horns to the stench of his toes. That smell certainly didn't improve with size. The light haired man had to resist the urge to disgorge his breakfast. "Hey, any ideas on how to take this guy down?"

From behind the red skinned creature, Drashieder cackled, "Just because it's an illusionary creature, don't think that it can't kill you--it's attacks are very real!"

"Ah, Knight!" Emrys heard the lieutenant exclaim. "I have an idea. I saw that marvelous wind magic of yours; think that could hold my fire in around your blade?!"

The knight ducked beneath a swing from the Oni's blade and swung his shield, deflecting a regenerating Sessho-Seki piece. He leapt back to where the lieutenant was, "I'm not very good with the magic and all..." He blocked another blow from the Oni's sword. Emrys turned to the lieutenant, determination in expression, "But, I'll try."

The lieutenant raised his hand, "I will conjure a potent fire sphere as best as I can right now, see if you can use your wind magic to keep it in place around your blade". His eyes shifted to the giantess, "Giant, see if you can overpower that large Oni with your strength, then the Knight can deliver the final blow. I will summon purifying fire, it is extremely difficult to aim, but if the knight cloaks his sword with it using his wind magic, a swift slice should take care of that Oni." He raised his hand and another Sessho-Seki piece froze in the air. Panting with exhaustion, he lowered his free hand and a crimson hue appeared around it.

Meanwhile, the giantess enshrouded herself in darkness and a colossal hand of shadows erupted from the ground--slowly crawling up the red-skinned creature.

The Oni groaned, the dark liquid-like arm slowly encasing it and restricting its movement. The creature began shrinking.

Eskea's voice echoed in the shadows, "Drashieder will be next. Consuming his mind could be helpful".

"Ah, can't have you doing that." The small man chimed, "Naughty, naughty little Oni-friskies." From his extended fingertips, four white sparks fluttered, like small butterflies, slowly towards the hand of darkness.

The butcher blade swished feebly through the air. Emrys twisted his body, barely evading a second--unfrozen--Sessho-Seki piece, deflecting the Oni's blade with his shield, and lashing at the creature's arm with his blade. With a howl, the red skinned creature dropped it's knife. The knight balanced himself; from the corner of his eye, he could see a potent golden purifying fire blazing.

"This about does it! We should get started," the lieutenant called out.

"Roger that!" The light haired knight jumped over to the lieutenant and extended his glowing blade. Slowly the flames began to encircle Emrys' sword.

"And keep an eye out for the newcomer," the military man added as the shadow of a bird passed over the two. "He might or might not be working for the enemy."

Just as the knight was about to nod, everything took a turn for a possible worse. The four shining butterflies had reached the Oni--now encased nearly up to the chest in shadows and only equal to the giantess in size--. Upon impact, each exploded in a flash of bright light. The light shredded the darkness, leaving several large holes in the shadows. The humanoid creature snorted approvingly. Tossing it's shield to the side, Ilfang drew it's second sword--this one was longer and clearly sharper.

A Talwar, Emrys recognized.

Then, the Oni launched into the air, leapt off a wall, and somersaulted into the air with the grace of a ballerina. It's blade began glowing a purplish hue.

Emrys corrected himself. A Demonic Talwar. He turned to the lieutenant, "Uhm, Commander? I think we have a problem."