Ayla snorted softly to herself. She had, briefly, entertained the idea of dressing in white just to scare the shit out of some of the enemy soldiers. Let them believe she was an evil spirit of some sort, however; she couldn't exactly do that. One, she wasn't particularly good at that kind of thing, and two, she didn't want to mess this up for Reiko. That, and she really wanted to partake in the skirmish. Sure, she wouldn't be up close, but that was fine. She could pick off whoever thought they could escape, and she could provide a decent cover for them. She might not boast about it, or flaunt it around, however; Ayla knew she was one of the best, if not the best, archer around.
Of course, she had years to perfect that art, kyūdō, if she remembered correctly, so maybe it wasn't fair to think that? She sighed softly, shifting through her belongings to search for her yumi. Once she found it, she simply stared at it, running her finger along the spine before sighing. It'd been too long since she'd actually used it in battle. She wasn't sure if she could call this a battle, per se, but it was one for the humans. Shaking the thought from her mind, she stood from her spot to dress. It was something simple, a shinbobi shōzoku outfit she'd had made a long time ago. It was fitted to her, specifically, and bereft of the mask. She didn't need it, after all.
It was made out of material that easily conformed to her when she moved, which was something she needed. She needed to be as flexible as possible, after all. Once that was on, she pulled her hair back into a high tail, and shouldered her bow. At least that way her hair wouldn't be in the way and wouldn't tangle with the bow. She stepped outside and took a soft breath, glancing around. It would be at least another few minutes before they marched. She didn't like the idea of Tsubasa going out on his own, after what had happened, but it wasn't like she had too much to worry about. He could handle himself. He was a good kid, perhaps that's why she liked him?
That, and he was Reiko's brother. She'd be upset if something happened to him, and in turn, that would make Ayla upset. Shaking the thought from her head, she left to find one of the siblings.
She could see Tsubasa rallying his men; he was clearly pretty busy, and his group would be marching separate from her anyway. Reiko and Kentaro spoke to each other in low voices some distance away. They both dressed similarly to Ayla herself; Reiko's outfit in particular looked like something she'd had a while. Unlike Ayla, however, hers did have a mask, one currently atop her head. A cat, from the look of it. Kentaro's was a fox.
They seemed to be making plans at the moment, from the snippets of conversation she could hear. That left Tatsuya; he was standing by himself on the edge of the clearing, arms crossed and leaning against a tree. His attire was dark as well, but it wasn't anything a shinobi would wear; rather, he'd worn a shitagi, kosode, and hakama with zori sandals, not unlike he usually did, but they were all black. The red of his eyes stood out fiercely against the lack of color, almost luminescent. He wore a sword on each side of his obi; a mask not unlike those belonging to his siblings dangled between two fingers, but it faced away from her, so she could not see it.
"You know, if you were to do that more often, you'd have every woman, maybe man too, after you," she spoke out to him. "You've got the whole 'cool, calm, and collected' samurai thing going for you," she continued, clearly amused by it. Of course, he probably had that anyway, considering what he was, and how he looked. She pursed her lips at that thought, though, and sighed.
"So... you and I on the left, right? I suppose it'll be easier to just let you do all the work," but it wouldn't be as fun. She was joking, of course. She wouldn't let him do all the work, even if he'd suggest it. He wouldn't, or so she thought.
He snorted, arching an eyebrow at her. “If the complete lack of color does it for you, I'll look into ordering more black," he drawled, rolling his eyes as if to say he didn't quite believe she'd included herself in the number.
Turning his eyes back out towards the edge of the forest in the distance, he let the humor drop from his voice. “There will be plenty of work for both of us. Humans or not, there are many of them. Even you or I could die if something catches us by surprise." There was a certain weightiness to the way he said it, as though he were speaking from personal experience or something. As it was, he clarified, so she didn't have to wonder for long.
“Only Reiko was there, when he died, and she doesn't remember what happened. The rest of us figure that must be what happened to him. A lot of humans, and one of them he didn't see. That's all it takes."
Whatever amusement she might have derived from his statement, was immediately quashed. She dropped her gaze from him, but she couldn't stop the sadness that seeped through her. She'd never really known how he died, only that he did. If that were true, if humans were really responsible for his death, then they could all die, for all she cared. After what they did for them, after what they put at stake for them, they go and slay the one being that saved them. Ungrateful things, they were. But... it was years ago, so many that she'd lost track, when they defeated the oni.
Human memories were terrible things, so perhaps they had simply forgotten? Whatever the case, she pushed the thought out of her mind. She didn't need to think about that, right now. There was a battle she needed to focus on without distractions.
"We'll just have to make sure we're not surprised, then," though that wasn't entirely given. Once the scent of blood started permeating the air, it would be hard to tell if there was someone behind them, or not. That, she supposed, as the downside of having an enhanced sense of smell. Too much blood, or one particular scent, could throw everything off.
"Just... be careful, I suppose." She wasn't too sure why she was concerned about his well-being, but there it was all the same. If something happened to him, Reiko would surely be upset, and if she could prevent that, she would do her damnedest. Maybe she was doing it more for Reiko's sake? That seemed about right.
He smirked at her, one corner of his mouth pulling up and back just enough to bare a single fang. The expression was, oddly enough, still almost completely serious, in a strange way. “Careful's not really in my nature. But there's no cause for concern. I, at least, have no plans to leave her behind."
Tatsuya raised the mask to his face. It was a dragon—what else would it have been, really? Unlike the others, it left everything below his nose uncovered. “But how about this? Watch my back and I'll watch yours."
"Deal," she spoke, raising a brow at him. "I'll watch yours, you watch mine," she continued, feeling the oncoming smirk on her face. At least this way, she'd be able to keep an eye on him, and she wouldn't have to worry too much about her own well-being. Not that she particularly cared about her own well-being. If she died... well then the only thing she would regret was leaving Aram too soon. She didn't plan on dying, not any time soon, however; she didn't have the ability to see the future.
Plus, she was ready. She'd never tell him that, of course, and she'd never go willingly to her own death, but if it happened, she wasn't going to complain. Shaking her head from the thought, she glanced back at Tatsuya.
"As long as that is all you do, because I think you might have some explaining to do to Reiko if I end up missing," she joked.
The group around them picked up into a march, and they went along with it. They'd have to split off soon, of course, but for the moment, they moved with the rest. He tread beside her, still chuckling. “It amuses me that you seem to think I'm out to murder you, Ayla," he said, using her name freely. It sounded kind of strange in his voice, actually. Tatsuya didn't say it at all like Amon used to, even though both were fond of teasing her. It was hard to say what the difference was, though.
"Ah, but I didn't say anything about being murdered, now did I? I only said that if I ended up missing, that you'd have to explain it to Reiko. Any number of things could happen that wouldn't necessarily mean you've murdered me, 'suya," she spoke, doing much the same. Though she didn't use his entire name, it was still the same, she supposed. She scoffed lightly, though, and shook her head.
"But when you say it that way, maybe you are? I'm trying to steal your sister, after all, away from you. Remember?" she continued, but she knew he would know she was joking about it. She had no plans to do that to Reiko. "Who knows, maybe I'll steal the other one, instead. He's fun to be around, Tsubasa," she continued, quirking her lips in the process. He was certainly more energetic, but she wasn't quite fond of him that way. She didn't think she was ever capable of being fond of anyone like that, after all.
“You can have him," Tatsuya said immediately, rolling his eyes under the mask. “You would get along with that type, wouldn't you?" He sighed and shook his head, but before she could respond, he raised a finger to his mouth and made the sign for silence.
Not far away, Reiko and Kentaro were breaking away from the group. It was clearly their turn to do the same, and begin the battle in earnest. Tatsuya took the lead, navigating the both of them swiftly and silently over the terrain. His feet made not even a whisper of sound over the debris underfoot. No snapping twigs or rustling leaves. She might have been the one who could look like a spirit, but he made no more noise than a ghost, despite the fact that he wasn't as obviously dressed for stealth as she was.
They drew close to the outpost they were meant to take. He stopped, waiting for her to do the same before moving close enough to speak softly into her ear. He laid one hand on her shoulder to do it, but the touch was in no way inappropriate, despite his usual demeanor. “See the one standing next to the torch?" he asked, jerking his chin towards the opening in the palisade wall.
There was indeed a guard there, leaning lazily against the wall, a bow in one hand but not drawn. “Can you get him quietly?"
"I'm insulted," she replied softly, though she shifted to remove her bow from her shoulder. She fitted an arrow to it, and narrowed her eyes towards the guard. Taking in a breath, she held the bow steady, and aimed. There was a reason as to why she preferred her bow to others. Hers was made specifically for stealth, and had little to no sound, not even the snap of the string. Of course, that had been perfected, too, over the years. She exhaled at the same time she released the arrow, watching as it hit its mark with the softest of 'thuds'.
"You should move him quickly," she spoke, jerking her head in the guards direction. "I'll cover you from behind. They'll likely have a top post," and if they did, she could take care of the guards that would be on it. She was a quick enough draw that she could do it before they suspected a thing, after all.
“Naturally," he replied.
Before she'd even taken another breath, he had vanished from her side like smoke. Barely two seconds later, he was at the wall, dragging the dead man into the shadows cast by the palisade. He stooped, yanking out her arrow and apparently checking it over. His other hand went to the hilt of one of his swords. He drew in enough time to intercept another human coming through the gap in the wall.
That one didn't make it more then three feet away before he lost his head. Literally; Tatsuya's sword cleaved through his neck like a knife through butter. He, too, was dragged out of the circle of torchlight, but someone must have caught on to what was happening, either here or at one of the other outposts, because the clangor of an alarm went up afterwards. Several more guards did indeed appear over the wall. One of them spotted Tatsuya and cried out.
Now the whole lot knew there were intruders here.
"Shit," was the only thing she said. She had the advantage at the moment, though. Tatsuya was the only one they'd seen, but she knew they weren't entirely stupid enough to believe it was just one man. Regardless if he really was a man or not to them, that wasn't her priority. Instead, she moved so that she was just beneath the cover of the trees, and took aim at the guards over the wall. As they turned to take the intruder, she let her arrows fly in quick succession. Each one planted itself in the back of their throats, causing them to fall off their perch.
"We were bound to be spotted, anyway," she spoke, making her way towards Tatsuya. Whether they were actually spotted wasn't the concern. The enemy knew they were here, and they needed to get this over with as quick as they could. "You take the left side, I'll take the right. I'll run out of arrows before we run out of people to kill," she spoke more to herself. She was glad she still had her tantō. It wasn't a katana, or wakizashi, and it would require her to get closer than she wanted to. She didn't have much of a choice, though, if she wanted to make it out alive.
He nodded, putting the arrow he still held back in her quiver. Apparently, he'd thought of that much already.
She moved effortlessly, picking another guard off the wall before he had time to climb down. Unfortunately, it seemed that most of the guards and soldiers were assembling quicker. There was an array of archers forming at the top, however; she knew she'd be able to get some of them, not all. She sighed softly. She was going to get scraped by an arrow or two, but that was alright. It wasn't like she wouldn't heal from the scars. It might take a day, though. Her healing abilities were not that great compared to Amon's or Aram's.
She fitted another arrow, letting it fly as some of the archers took aim at her, moving as quickly as she could to avoid them. Another thing she didn't have in common with Aram and Amon. They were swifter than she was, and she cursed slightly when an arrow whipped past her face, slicing her cheek open. She narrowed her eyes and pulled her lips back into a light snarl.
"Asshole," she muttered, letting another arrow loose. Well, at least this was proving to be more of a challenge than she originally thought it was.
Tatsuya was a whirlwind of steel, in essence. It seemed the fact that he carried two full-length katana was more than for show; his entire style looked to be predicated around using both at the same time. It was an effective mix of attack and defense; he hewed through soldiers like they were simply fodder. Without the need to aim at least once at each individual target, he often felled two or more with a single powerful slash, bending and twisting away from attacks that really should have hit him.
The air, cold to begin with on an early spring night, seemed to only get chillier, clouding in front of them as they expelled breath. One of the humans, charging for Ayla, suddenly slipped on a slick spot that didn't seem to have been there before. It would seem he was using his abilities as well, though not overtly.
It wasn't fair that he could do that, though. All the blood and adrenaline was starting to get to her. She could almost feel the itch under her skin as she let her last arrow fly. She was doing a hell of a job keeping it under control, but there was still that small part of her that wanted the change. She sighed heavily, jumping out of the way as a sword came down at her. She rolled to the side, and stopped, pulling the tantō from its sheath, and held it out in front of her in a defensive manner.
She charged at the soldier, moving as fast as she was allowed, and flicked the blade over his throat. She watched as the blood slid down his neck, and he grasped at it. "That won't help you," she spoke softly, watching the fear in his eyes. It was the same look they all had when they realized death was upon them. Unable to watch his expression, she jerked his head, causing it to snap. It was a mercy he did not deserve. They both continued to cut through the soldiers, though it seemed that there was an endless supply of them. She continued dodging where she could, earning small nicks here and there.
It didn't take much longer, though, when the last one fell. She let out a small breath of relief, and stood. She was covered in blood; a mixture of hers and theirs. She wasn't bothered by it too much, but it did cause her to wrinkle her nose somewhat. She glanced in Tatsuya's direction, and pursed her lips together. "Are you alright?" she decided to say. He was, or he seemed to be, but she wanted to ask, anyway.
In fact, he seemed entirely injured. He was wearing a fair amount of blood; some of it was spattered across the pristine white of his mask. The rest would be impossible to see against his black gear, but his swords were coated in it. He turned to glance over his shoulder at her. She couldn't really read his whole face because of the obstruction, but his mouth was set in a neutral line.
“I'm—" he cut himself off, his head whipping forward again.
At about the same time, something hit Ayla's senses. Something old and familiar, but that should have been impossible. It could not be that any of them yet lived—she and Aram and Amon had killed the last, destroyed the final nest, a thousand years ago.
And yet...
It was on the other side of the field. Where Reiko and Kentaro were.
"No." That was the only word out of her mouth before she darted off towards them.
Of course, she had years to perfect that art, kyūdō, if she remembered correctly, so maybe it wasn't fair to think that? She sighed softly, shifting through her belongings to search for her yumi. Once she found it, she simply stared at it, running her finger along the spine before sighing. It'd been too long since she'd actually used it in battle. She wasn't sure if she could call this a battle, per se, but it was one for the humans. Shaking the thought from her mind, she stood from her spot to dress. It was something simple, a shinbobi shōzoku outfit she'd had made a long time ago. It was fitted to her, specifically, and bereft of the mask. She didn't need it, after all.
It was made out of material that easily conformed to her when she moved, which was something she needed. She needed to be as flexible as possible, after all. Once that was on, she pulled her hair back into a high tail, and shouldered her bow. At least that way her hair wouldn't be in the way and wouldn't tangle with the bow. She stepped outside and took a soft breath, glancing around. It would be at least another few minutes before they marched. She didn't like the idea of Tsubasa going out on his own, after what had happened, but it wasn't like she had too much to worry about. He could handle himself. He was a good kid, perhaps that's why she liked him?
That, and he was Reiko's brother. She'd be upset if something happened to him, and in turn, that would make Ayla upset. Shaking the thought from her head, she left to find one of the siblings.
She could see Tsubasa rallying his men; he was clearly pretty busy, and his group would be marching separate from her anyway. Reiko and Kentaro spoke to each other in low voices some distance away. They both dressed similarly to Ayla herself; Reiko's outfit in particular looked like something she'd had a while. Unlike Ayla, however, hers did have a mask, one currently atop her head. A cat, from the look of it. Kentaro's was a fox.
They seemed to be making plans at the moment, from the snippets of conversation she could hear. That left Tatsuya; he was standing by himself on the edge of the clearing, arms crossed and leaning against a tree. His attire was dark as well, but it wasn't anything a shinobi would wear; rather, he'd worn a shitagi, kosode, and hakama with zori sandals, not unlike he usually did, but they were all black. The red of his eyes stood out fiercely against the lack of color, almost luminescent. He wore a sword on each side of his obi; a mask not unlike those belonging to his siblings dangled between two fingers, but it faced away from her, so she could not see it.
"You know, if you were to do that more often, you'd have every woman, maybe man too, after you," she spoke out to him. "You've got the whole 'cool, calm, and collected' samurai thing going for you," she continued, clearly amused by it. Of course, he probably had that anyway, considering what he was, and how he looked. She pursed her lips at that thought, though, and sighed.
"So... you and I on the left, right? I suppose it'll be easier to just let you do all the work," but it wouldn't be as fun. She was joking, of course. She wouldn't let him do all the work, even if he'd suggest it. He wouldn't, or so she thought.
He snorted, arching an eyebrow at her. “If the complete lack of color does it for you, I'll look into ordering more black," he drawled, rolling his eyes as if to say he didn't quite believe she'd included herself in the number.
Turning his eyes back out towards the edge of the forest in the distance, he let the humor drop from his voice. “There will be plenty of work for both of us. Humans or not, there are many of them. Even you or I could die if something catches us by surprise." There was a certain weightiness to the way he said it, as though he were speaking from personal experience or something. As it was, he clarified, so she didn't have to wonder for long.
“Only Reiko was there, when he died, and she doesn't remember what happened. The rest of us figure that must be what happened to him. A lot of humans, and one of them he didn't see. That's all it takes."
Whatever amusement she might have derived from his statement, was immediately quashed. She dropped her gaze from him, but she couldn't stop the sadness that seeped through her. She'd never really known how he died, only that he did. If that were true, if humans were really responsible for his death, then they could all die, for all she cared. After what they did for them, after what they put at stake for them, they go and slay the one being that saved them. Ungrateful things, they were. But... it was years ago, so many that she'd lost track, when they defeated the oni.
Human memories were terrible things, so perhaps they had simply forgotten? Whatever the case, she pushed the thought out of her mind. She didn't need to think about that, right now. There was a battle she needed to focus on without distractions.
"We'll just have to make sure we're not surprised, then," though that wasn't entirely given. Once the scent of blood started permeating the air, it would be hard to tell if there was someone behind them, or not. That, she supposed, as the downside of having an enhanced sense of smell. Too much blood, or one particular scent, could throw everything off.
"Just... be careful, I suppose." She wasn't too sure why she was concerned about his well-being, but there it was all the same. If something happened to him, Reiko would surely be upset, and if she could prevent that, she would do her damnedest. Maybe she was doing it more for Reiko's sake? That seemed about right.
He smirked at her, one corner of his mouth pulling up and back just enough to bare a single fang. The expression was, oddly enough, still almost completely serious, in a strange way. “Careful's not really in my nature. But there's no cause for concern. I, at least, have no plans to leave her behind."
Tatsuya raised the mask to his face. It was a dragon—what else would it have been, really? Unlike the others, it left everything below his nose uncovered. “But how about this? Watch my back and I'll watch yours."
"Deal," she spoke, raising a brow at him. "I'll watch yours, you watch mine," she continued, feeling the oncoming smirk on her face. At least this way, she'd be able to keep an eye on him, and she wouldn't have to worry too much about her own well-being. Not that she particularly cared about her own well-being. If she died... well then the only thing she would regret was leaving Aram too soon. She didn't plan on dying, not any time soon, however; she didn't have the ability to see the future.
Plus, she was ready. She'd never tell him that, of course, and she'd never go willingly to her own death, but if it happened, she wasn't going to complain. Shaking her head from the thought, she glanced back at Tatsuya.
"As long as that is all you do, because I think you might have some explaining to do to Reiko if I end up missing," she joked.
The group around them picked up into a march, and they went along with it. They'd have to split off soon, of course, but for the moment, they moved with the rest. He tread beside her, still chuckling. “It amuses me that you seem to think I'm out to murder you, Ayla," he said, using her name freely. It sounded kind of strange in his voice, actually. Tatsuya didn't say it at all like Amon used to, even though both were fond of teasing her. It was hard to say what the difference was, though.
"Ah, but I didn't say anything about being murdered, now did I? I only said that if I ended up missing, that you'd have to explain it to Reiko. Any number of things could happen that wouldn't necessarily mean you've murdered me, 'suya," she spoke, doing much the same. Though she didn't use his entire name, it was still the same, she supposed. She scoffed lightly, though, and shook her head.
"But when you say it that way, maybe you are? I'm trying to steal your sister, after all, away from you. Remember?" she continued, but she knew he would know she was joking about it. She had no plans to do that to Reiko. "Who knows, maybe I'll steal the other one, instead. He's fun to be around, Tsubasa," she continued, quirking her lips in the process. He was certainly more energetic, but she wasn't quite fond of him that way. She didn't think she was ever capable of being fond of anyone like that, after all.
“You can have him," Tatsuya said immediately, rolling his eyes under the mask. “You would get along with that type, wouldn't you?" He sighed and shook his head, but before she could respond, he raised a finger to his mouth and made the sign for silence.
Not far away, Reiko and Kentaro were breaking away from the group. It was clearly their turn to do the same, and begin the battle in earnest. Tatsuya took the lead, navigating the both of them swiftly and silently over the terrain. His feet made not even a whisper of sound over the debris underfoot. No snapping twigs or rustling leaves. She might have been the one who could look like a spirit, but he made no more noise than a ghost, despite the fact that he wasn't as obviously dressed for stealth as she was.
They drew close to the outpost they were meant to take. He stopped, waiting for her to do the same before moving close enough to speak softly into her ear. He laid one hand on her shoulder to do it, but the touch was in no way inappropriate, despite his usual demeanor. “See the one standing next to the torch?" he asked, jerking his chin towards the opening in the palisade wall.
There was indeed a guard there, leaning lazily against the wall, a bow in one hand but not drawn. “Can you get him quietly?"
"I'm insulted," she replied softly, though she shifted to remove her bow from her shoulder. She fitted an arrow to it, and narrowed her eyes towards the guard. Taking in a breath, she held the bow steady, and aimed. There was a reason as to why she preferred her bow to others. Hers was made specifically for stealth, and had little to no sound, not even the snap of the string. Of course, that had been perfected, too, over the years. She exhaled at the same time she released the arrow, watching as it hit its mark with the softest of 'thuds'.
"You should move him quickly," she spoke, jerking her head in the guards direction. "I'll cover you from behind. They'll likely have a top post," and if they did, she could take care of the guards that would be on it. She was a quick enough draw that she could do it before they suspected a thing, after all.
“Naturally," he replied.
Before she'd even taken another breath, he had vanished from her side like smoke. Barely two seconds later, he was at the wall, dragging the dead man into the shadows cast by the palisade. He stooped, yanking out her arrow and apparently checking it over. His other hand went to the hilt of one of his swords. He drew in enough time to intercept another human coming through the gap in the wall.
That one didn't make it more then three feet away before he lost his head. Literally; Tatsuya's sword cleaved through his neck like a knife through butter. He, too, was dragged out of the circle of torchlight, but someone must have caught on to what was happening, either here or at one of the other outposts, because the clangor of an alarm went up afterwards. Several more guards did indeed appear over the wall. One of them spotted Tatsuya and cried out.
Now the whole lot knew there were intruders here.
"Shit," was the only thing she said. She had the advantage at the moment, though. Tatsuya was the only one they'd seen, but she knew they weren't entirely stupid enough to believe it was just one man. Regardless if he really was a man or not to them, that wasn't her priority. Instead, she moved so that she was just beneath the cover of the trees, and took aim at the guards over the wall. As they turned to take the intruder, she let her arrows fly in quick succession. Each one planted itself in the back of their throats, causing them to fall off their perch.
"We were bound to be spotted, anyway," she spoke, making her way towards Tatsuya. Whether they were actually spotted wasn't the concern. The enemy knew they were here, and they needed to get this over with as quick as they could. "You take the left side, I'll take the right. I'll run out of arrows before we run out of people to kill," she spoke more to herself. She was glad she still had her tantō. It wasn't a katana, or wakizashi, and it would require her to get closer than she wanted to. She didn't have much of a choice, though, if she wanted to make it out alive.
He nodded, putting the arrow he still held back in her quiver. Apparently, he'd thought of that much already.
She moved effortlessly, picking another guard off the wall before he had time to climb down. Unfortunately, it seemed that most of the guards and soldiers were assembling quicker. There was an array of archers forming at the top, however; she knew she'd be able to get some of them, not all. She sighed softly. She was going to get scraped by an arrow or two, but that was alright. It wasn't like she wouldn't heal from the scars. It might take a day, though. Her healing abilities were not that great compared to Amon's or Aram's.
She fitted another arrow, letting it fly as some of the archers took aim at her, moving as quickly as she could to avoid them. Another thing she didn't have in common with Aram and Amon. They were swifter than she was, and she cursed slightly when an arrow whipped past her face, slicing her cheek open. She narrowed her eyes and pulled her lips back into a light snarl.
"Asshole," she muttered, letting another arrow loose. Well, at least this was proving to be more of a challenge than she originally thought it was.
Tatsuya was a whirlwind of steel, in essence. It seemed the fact that he carried two full-length katana was more than for show; his entire style looked to be predicated around using both at the same time. It was an effective mix of attack and defense; he hewed through soldiers like they were simply fodder. Without the need to aim at least once at each individual target, he often felled two or more with a single powerful slash, bending and twisting away from attacks that really should have hit him.
The air, cold to begin with on an early spring night, seemed to only get chillier, clouding in front of them as they expelled breath. One of the humans, charging for Ayla, suddenly slipped on a slick spot that didn't seem to have been there before. It would seem he was using his abilities as well, though not overtly.
It wasn't fair that he could do that, though. All the blood and adrenaline was starting to get to her. She could almost feel the itch under her skin as she let her last arrow fly. She was doing a hell of a job keeping it under control, but there was still that small part of her that wanted the change. She sighed heavily, jumping out of the way as a sword came down at her. She rolled to the side, and stopped, pulling the tantō from its sheath, and held it out in front of her in a defensive manner.
She charged at the soldier, moving as fast as she was allowed, and flicked the blade over his throat. She watched as the blood slid down his neck, and he grasped at it. "That won't help you," she spoke softly, watching the fear in his eyes. It was the same look they all had when they realized death was upon them. Unable to watch his expression, she jerked his head, causing it to snap. It was a mercy he did not deserve. They both continued to cut through the soldiers, though it seemed that there was an endless supply of them. She continued dodging where she could, earning small nicks here and there.
It didn't take much longer, though, when the last one fell. She let out a small breath of relief, and stood. She was covered in blood; a mixture of hers and theirs. She wasn't bothered by it too much, but it did cause her to wrinkle her nose somewhat. She glanced in Tatsuya's direction, and pursed her lips together. "Are you alright?" she decided to say. He was, or he seemed to be, but she wanted to ask, anyway.
In fact, he seemed entirely injured. He was wearing a fair amount of blood; some of it was spattered across the pristine white of his mask. The rest would be impossible to see against his black gear, but his swords were coated in it. He turned to glance over his shoulder at her. She couldn't really read his whole face because of the obstruction, but his mouth was set in a neutral line.
“I'm—" he cut himself off, his head whipping forward again.
At about the same time, something hit Ayla's senses. Something old and familiar, but that should have been impossible. It could not be that any of them yet lived—she and Aram and Amon had killed the last, destroyed the final nest, a thousand years ago.
And yet...
It was on the other side of the field. Where Reiko and Kentaro were.
"No." That was the only word out of her mouth before she darted off towards them.