Poster: Phantom Miria (aka Riful)

.:Black Cloaks Briefing:.

It’s roughly been about 2 weeks ever since the ranks were divided amongst the trainees that had survived. Very few had managed to graduate and now they had been dispatched to their designated areas taking on their first lot of Yoma extermination missions requested by various villages. Under the blazing heat a nomadic tent large enough to accommodate for over a dozen armed soldiers stood erect among the sands. Had they been able to wear any other colors they chose to ignore their other options as the Black Men of the Organization waited inside the tent, with them their respective escorts one of which the organization deemed to be among the fastest agile warrior at their disposal. The escorts growled at the chosen area their superiors have decided on camping.

“Of all places right in the middle of nowhere” uttered the frustrated and annoyed veteran Claymore. Twin swords of unknown origin hung loosely at his side, both from the looks of it was custom made from the Eastern continents where he had also inherited the unusual choice of black habit foreign to their junior Claymores. Normally climate rarely affected the body of a Claymore but this was no climate to simply laugh about even for the Claymores themselves. How the Black Cloaks had managed to survive the ugly sunlight without catching on fire he hadn’t the slightest of clues. Only other than what many of their ranks had already determined the obvious, they were no ordinary humans either.

Slowly one by one, junior Claymores gathered at the tent from Ranks 40 to 47 each one slightly surprised to see one another from the same hellish graduation they underwent 2 weeks ago. Whatever it was, it had to be a team mission from the number of Claymores gathered. “Interesting, we have some fresh meat.” From the annoyance he felt from earlier due to the wait and climate, this ominous senior examined every new Claymores he can get his sights focused on. A bunch of rookies to rough up and maybe some might prove to be a capable prey. Regardless this wasn’t the time nor the place to get excited about possible preys for later enjoyment as the Black Cloaks started briefing.

“As many of you might have guessed by now the following request is a direct order from the top branch to investigate in a team of Claymores. Originally this was a request made by the neighboring villages for a Yoma extermination but due to unexpected turn of events we’ve lost contact with #22 who may have been eliminated whilst he was sent on the mission alone. Therefore we gathered the available troops we can find to investigate the matters further.”

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“Its believed that whatever is down in the dungeons of Castle Fiduc, there is a creature powerful enough to single handedly kill a strong #18 male Claymore without releasing any yoki. On top of this after further investigation we’ve come across documents and witnesses of the survivors that fled from the castle, they claimed to have seen evil experiments being held inside the deepest part of the dungeon now lying in the ruins by the order the late duke of Fiduc has referred to as the Black Alchemists. We want you to investigate what these alchemists have been researching as well as killing any yoma you encounter on your way down the dungeon. Apprehend any suspicious human beings if they are found within the premise. Difficulty of this mission would normally warrant a powerful team of warriors ranking from 30 to 20 but as we are currently short on manpower we have decided to form a bigger group on the hunt assigning the 7 of you into this one mission. You will be paired up into 3 teams, each will cover certain areas of the dungeon and advance with precaution. By now I would assume most of you are experienced enough to sense each other’s Yoki even from a distance away. Should any of you encounter a monster you are unable to defeat, pull back and release enough yoki for the nearest team to aid you in battle.”

OOC: More Pics of the Dungeons

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I'll update this more when I get the chance. Suddenly got super busy with school =.= For now, just stay awhile and get reacquainted with your buddies. Soon either me or Elcura will split you up into groups for the three different mission. The odd man team will be accompanied by a npc warrior #23

Update:
Lindy, Farleen and Beaumont is at Castle Dungeons
Kaiserin and Cecily is at the Sewage systems
Arc and Demios is at outer layer of the Castle Ruins.

Poster: Elcura

[Union]
The black cloaks stood in their heated tent, giving the young warriors their instructions of another very important, life-threatening mission. The sunlight pierced the thin skin of the tent, offering little protection. How black cloaks could survive the heat (with black on, no less) was a mystery.

The leader of the group circled around the young warriors slowly. He eyed the males as little more than a problem.

"Number [46], Arc and number [45] Deimos, you two will investigate the ruins of the castle." He paused, as another male warrior walked in, twin swords at his side.

"Wow, how can you stand this heat?" He questioned "It's so irritating!" He was apparently very annoyed and more than willing to continue bitching to the two unlucky initiates that joined him.

"Glad you could join us Beaumont." The leader said, laughing a little.

"Yeah, glad I could suffer along with these know-nothings." Beaumont said indignantly.

"Number [40] Lindy, number [42] Farleen and number [23] Beaumont. You will investigate the castle dungeons. It's a fairly large and winding labyrinth. Very low visibility." He said, sounding somewhat enthusied to make a high ranking male suffer.

This was nothing though, because to him he had already set the greatest suffering to the two young amateurs left without an assignment.

"Number [47] Kaiserin and number [43] Cecily, you two will investigate the castle's sewage system. You do not have to worry, it isn't used so much as waste disposal but more of a water circulatory system." He said, looking very unsympathetic.

"What does that matter! It's still a sewer!" Beaumont laughed sadistically at the two.

"Still, it's dangerous down there, if you see something you can't handle retreat immediately. It's dark down there, although their are oil lamps many of them have long expired and gone out." He finished his assignments. Now pointing his finger towards the direction of the castle. "Ortre, lead them to the castle."

Ortre appeared out of nowhere. He nodded silently and went ahead of the group, who all scrambled to their feet, except for the veteran, who calmly got up. They all walked a few paces behind Ortre, who - even in this incredible heat was amazingly fast. The sun was retiring slowly, the heat died down as the handler picked up his pace according to how cool it was.

"We expect the target being to be around the dungeon, while the lab to be located much deeper down, in the sewers. The upper levels are to be guarded incase the target tries to escape or the groups lower down need help." He said suddenly, some of the warriors stopped a second to listen. "The upper levels are dangerous, you are expected to protect anyone foolish enough to still be there or unlucky enough to have not escaped." Waiting to see if he said anything else, the newly recruited slowed their pace down. But nothing was said. Eventually they reached the outskirts of the castle. Towering close to the clouds, it stood proud, but nothing more than a former effigy of itself...

OOC: So the second mission is on, first post I want you to recount a little of the time (2 weeks) you spent as a normal claymore, leading up to how you got the mission and leading up to this point. Those unranked might have something to do later on (additional backup). But we'll see how it goes.

Poster: kenjmg

Arc

After the Epilogue of First Mission Arc had headed to his designated area which turned out to be in west only a couple of areas away from were he once lived. The missions he did in that area were only two simple single Yoma extermination in which Arc had no trouble with whatsoever. After completing the third mission, this includeds the training mission, Arc was called up by the orgination to head to a temporarly set up location outside the place called Fiduc which was to the south-east of Arc's location. "A call to a mission, I wounder who I will be teamed up with. Will it be with anyone I know? Hmmm... Looks like I have arrived." Arc thought and quickly realised that he ended up arrving at the meeting point already. Surprizing to Arc a lot of people from the previous mission ended up being there. Arc was assign with Deimos to investigate the castle ruins and then position themselves to prevent target escape and provide back-up as needed. "That is nice of them to team me up with Deimos and we were put on watch duty, too." Arc thought as he patiantly waited to start this mission.

OCC: Yaa! second mission begin.

Poster: Saikudoh

OOC: I've described some of the major grounds of the castle. (Think Kingdom Hearts, Beast's Castle. ^_^ Easiest 1st floor structure to work with. No gargoyles though. Maybe djinn.)

IC: .: Deimos :.

"A monster strong enough to kill a number 18 without yoki release deserved extreme caution upon hunting it down." Deimos kept half his focus on the organization's black cloaks. He wore an outward facade of calmness, but within he began to think furiously.

"We are weak. A fortnight is not enough time to prepare. Something that slaughtered number 22 would probably destroy all of us. Does the organization wish to rid themselves of us again?"

He returned to full attention when he heard his name and Arc's said aloud. Deimos gave him a tiny nod. "We may as well begin."

Sand rippled on broken stone and cracked earth. Pillars of faded sandstone lay strewn amongst the rubble of the outer wall, and the tumble of sun-beaten rock spilled out into the open. Deimos walked past the threshold, gates half-torn out of their hinges, and stepped into the courtyard where he began an extensive study of his surroundings.

"Different from the village I was sent to cleanse of a pack of yoma south, two weeks ago. I've been traveling this way ever since. This heat is unbearable!" He sniffed. The stench of a cesspool--a square pit likely two men deep and and the length of one man wide, to the left--threatened to scorch his sinuses with crumbled human feces.

Deimos wandered off to the right, near a well abandoned dry, close to the stables. He stared at the inner doors further ahead. From a gaping hole in the wood, he glimpsed the grand staircase. They probably spiraled to the left and right wings of the castle.

"I can't extend my range to read yoki past that, but so far I haven't detected anything. At least its an improvement from not being to read any at all.

But humans--if there are humans--have no yoki whatsoever."

Deimos drew his claymore. He balanced it on his shoulder. "Arc. How's your yoki reading ability?"

Poster: Hynavian

Lindy

Lindy was soon sent off to a region in the West after she parted with her fellow comrades when it was daybreak. Her first "job" was to locate and to exterminate a single Yoma secretly from a trading town that had requested for the organisation's service. The trading town of Gelta wanted the Yoma to be exterminated as quickly as possible as the town folks were afraid that the Yoma attacks would affect their trades. Further, town Gelta managed to prevent any news of the Yoma attacks from leaking out as they did not want to lose any potential customers. Hence, Lindy's first mission was a covert mission as it was agreed that her identity as a half-breed should not be exposed in a town that valued trade greatly. The town was afraid that a Yoma or a half-breed would affect their trades if any of them should be spotted in town during the daytime.

Getting to that trading town alone took Lindy almost 5 days to get there (from her departure point) as the town itself was located in the furthest West. The journey was lonely and quiet as Lindy had minimal contact with anyone for fear of exposing her identity. Disguised as a daughter of a trader, Lindy wondered around the town for days while on Yoki suppression pills so as not to expose her half-breed identity. Fortunately she was able to locate and to dispose the Yoma on the 4th night of her stay when the pill effect had worn off. In all, she had a fun time enjoying herself in town Gelta as she made some human acquaintances and was able to savour some delicious food while walking around in the day.

Lindy was then packed off to her next mission. There she recognised some familiar faces.

"Oh ain't these the few who had graduated with me?"

"Number [40] Lindy, number [42] Farleen and number [23] Beaumont. You will investigate the castle dungeons. It's a fairly large and winding labyrinth. Very low visibility."

"Castle dungeons...Labyrinths...Very low visibility. Well, that's something new and it sound dangerous too."

Lindy turned to look at her team-mates and hoped for the best. With that, Lindy prepared herself.

qbsenuef (aka Idelice)

Cecily ~{@

Over the course of two weeks since her graduation to a full-fledged Claymore, Cecily had been consigned to complete several missions. These tasks were routine eradication of yoma across her assigned region. With every assignment she gained a considerable amount of battle wit, making her a better and more efficient warrior. Her swordsmanship, though still lacking much had significantly improved. The usual case of muscle fatigue she would normally had nearly ceased. Also, her competence in using daggers as weapons improved to a radically. In her third mission she managed to gouge out her victim’s eyes before finishing with a sanguine evisceration. As for her yoki manipulation skills, she managed to find a small but considerable offset to her signature move’s withdrawal effects. This offset allows her to do it more often in one day.

“I wonder who it could have been,” said the warrior with braided hair. The winds blasted at Cecily, carrying searing sand along with it. The grains were slowly corroding her makeshift mantle, something she thought of using after hearing about the new mission. Despite the harsh environment the blonde’s evocative mind mingled over her last mission. “I don’t think anyone would overstep their boundaries. Although it saved me the trouble, killing my target for me is rude… they should’ve at least told me.” The desert crossing Claymore tried to make light of her then situation. Strange things had happened during her last mission. The yoma she was supposed to rid off was killed by someone else. She concluded by the evidence that she was a few steps late; the kill was fresh after all. However that was not the only bizarre event that occurred. Upon leaving the village where the mission took place, Cecily decided to make camp in the nearby woods. Waiting for her next job to be given to her it began to drizzle. It was then that she heard a familiar tune she had heard during her confine in headquarters. She tried to find where the memorable hymn was coming from but the humming stopped along with the momentary sunshower.

Arriving at her destination, Cecily took of her ragged shawl as she entered the tent. She was surprised to see familiar faces and wondered why a number of warriors were assembled. Was the new mission a complicated task? Soon after the participants gathered the briefing started. Cecily only took in the vital information and ignored the gibberish her superiors muttered.

"Number [47] Kaiserin and number [43] Cecily, you two will investigate the castle's sewage system. You do not have to worry, it isn't used so much as waste disposal but more of a water circulatory system," said one of the high ranks, looking very unsympathetic.

“Aqueducts… I’ve never seen such engineered structures before,” Cecily thought with much intrigue. It would be her first time to be in such a location. The braided blond made notice of her companion who was the lowest-ranked warrior in the gathering. Cecily began to overanalyze, “Sending the least to do the dirty work… and to emphasize on the area being a sewer.” Further assessing the situation, the silver-eyed warrior felt she had to be responsible for her lower-ranked companion.

With the briefing finished, the group of warriors made their way to the castle. The sun had gone into hiding, the mission was about to begin. “Company is company nonetheless… it wouldn’t matter what the rank. As long as we get along and work well together,” Cecily said to herself.

Poster: Kolox

Jacob

Jaz told us about the claymore activity in neighbourhood castle
So what ? To get our ass kicked again ? We lost the claymore we stole that time, we got too cocky after just one good move and we smashed into that awakened being
But now we could get the new one
No, we can't - face it, we are weak - our powers are about being undetected. If we wanted to get something from it, it would be neccesary to work with someone who has some muscles
I never would have thought that I would live the day you would refuse to get into action ?
I just feel.. a little pathetic - there, I said it

Jacob looked into his mug, thinking about the great loss of his life - it's time to change a little his behaviour if he wants to survive.

Bartender, give me more mead - I'm paying out front - said Jacob while throwing some coins on the bar table
...I still need to heal up my wounds, alcohol will make me forget it

OCC : Basically what I'm saying - sorry for god-modding, I talked with Miria and I got some good advices. I think I will be staying out of this, unless you give me some reason to go there. :)

Poster: Elcura

OOC: It's fine as long as you don't do it again. You can join if you find a proper purpose, or stay out of it for now if you wish. planning the next couple of missions to have more activity from the awakened being + yoma characters. I have a contingent in case other people who didn't do the first mission + those unranked show up. But I need the others to show up before I put it into effect.

Kaiserin
Kaiserin had finally made it. Thoughts of her family and sister ran constantly through her head. She was stationed fairly close to the forest she had the final mission. The outskirts weren't as dense though, but there were fairly large trees for her to scamble up. She spent most of her days up in a tree (she only fell once), and odd days she spent hunting for food, being careful not to get caught. She was lucky since now she had Tanit to watch her back, making the fear of reprocussion almost non-existant. A few days later Tanit had come to visit, giving her a mission at the near-by village. Apparently someone had found the remains of one of her victims and called in a Claymore to rid the village of the yoma.

"How ironic..." She said to herself, looking out from her tree she could see the village in the distance, it was about an hours walk away. Having arrived she was greeted in a way they told her she would be. Everyone slammed the doors and rushed their children inside. Kaiserin signed loudly, this wasn't the kind of job she expected to get. Hunting herself had it's advantages, it also reminded her to not be so careless.

"I left the body in the marshes though! What kind of person uses a marsh for anything! This is ridiculous..." She thought to herself, scrunching up her face displeased. She had walked around looking for herself for a good half hour, after that her willingness to work had disappeared completely and she sat down in the middle of the street. "I suppose this kind of mission is fitting for me though..." She closed her eyes with that thought, and slowly drifted off to sleep, before hearing a crashing sound coming from the wall next to her. This was the start of her first kill (with a sword) and with that she had gained valuable experience. She was already more than competent with her ability to parry and close the distance. Her ability could use work, Aspir was way to risky but Drain worked fine.

On her way back to the tree, after killing the convenient yoma (it's inconvenient to have to kill yourself after all) she met Tanit and handed him the payment for the job. Which had had scolded her for. "A good way for the organisation to make money" She thought. Later that night he gave her instructions and directions to her next mission, which led her into the desert.

Entering what looked to be a very flimsy tent she gazed in shock to see all the trainees who had survived that hellish mission and gotten a rank. She sat down and attentively listened. She was excited to actually get a real job, this was apparent because she wouldn't stop smiling.

The leader called out teams, leaving hers till last. "Number [47] Kaiserin and number [43] Cecily, you two will investigate the castle's sewage system--" This was all she had to hear before her head dropped and smile had vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Sewers...what kind of crap is this?!" She thought to herself. Looking around dismayed she caught a glimpse of her teammate, who was looking at her as well. Navigating dark areas wasn't a problem. With stone walls strong enough and some spare oil you could find a lamp and create light. "The terrain...I wonder how we could use it to our advantage, the area is most likely cramped with many ditch holes and water ways, so we have to watch our steps, and our swords..." She wasn't the best tactical expert, but when your strength isn't up to par yet, you have to find other ways to survive.

The walk towards the castle was long, it was hot as well making it hard to concentrate on anything else. Moments had passed and there Kaiserin stood, looking at this behemoth of a castle. She turned to Cecily and said "We may have gotten shafted, but let's make the best out of a bad situation. Oh, I'm Kaiserin in case you were wondering, nice to meet ya." She said enthusiastically, hoping that this warrior would be easy to get along with.

Poster: kenjmg

Arc

"Arc. How's your yoki reading ability?" Deimos asked while balancing his blade on his shoulder. "Well my ablities with yoki reading is just under 1 km radus when I focus. So it should be sufficent." Arc said but, thought as he was saying, "But, that is only accurate reading I can sense farther but, I wouldn't be able to sense anything more then direction and signature if it strong enough. I only able to sense faint yoki signals from further in the castle."

As both Arc and Deimos approached the castle inner gates Arc began to sense more accurately about five Yoma's yoki within the castle ruins including upper and ground floor, but scattered. He also have been sensing sporatic yoki signals from down below.

"Hmm... Look like there are under a half a dozen yoma in different parts of the castle ruins. However there are quite a lot more underneath, however I can't any accurate read on them at all. However, It looks like the floors and wall hinder my sense quite a bit. I would say I can only sense about 3/4 of km radius in this castle accurately." Arc said as they enter the castle.

Deimon and Arc stop just inside the castle. Then Arc continued by asking, "Would you like to take the three yomas on this floor or the two on the higher floors first? Or do think we should split up and one take the ones on this floor and the other the higher levels. They are spread out into seperate areas and are average yoma. I would really like your input before we decide on this." Arc then paused waiting for an anwser from Deimos before deciding a course of action.

OCC: Don't know what other units to use since they don't use any units to decribe distance and stuff in the claymore world so I just stick with metric

Poster: Saikudoh

.: Deimos :.

Sunlight pierced gaps through the walls where mortar had succumbed to time and weather. Dust and echoes swirled on the flagstones and fell from the buttresses raising the ceiling above, but the faint outline of tracks disturbed the grit and dirt strewn on the ground.

"So this place has indeed seen recent use."

Deimos stood before the steps of the grand staircase. Djinn beasts carved into stone guarded the path. Something about the air charged his blood, and he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise in excitement. "Arc's correct, there are more yoma below than above. But leaving the ones here alone might turn out a problem when we have to fight with our backs turned. Not to mention that dividing our strengths will lessen our chances of survival."

He took out a silver coin from his pouch then faced Arc. "Let's trust this to our goddesses. Heads is Teresa, which means we go together. Tails is Clare, which means we split up."

Deimos tossed the coin. It spun in the air. Landed, in a mushroom of dust.

Tails.

"Very well. I say we start with the second floor's wings, work our way from top to bottom. You take the left wing. I'll go right." Deimos grinned, demonic. "First one to finish gets to flip the coin on what to do next."



OOC EDIT: Lol. The coin thing--I'm just channeling Rat Race at the moment. Why don't we just flip...a coin?

Poster: qbsenuef (aka Idelice)

Cecily ~{@

Cecily looked at her companion who enthusiastically introduced herself. She glanced at her from top to bottom. In every aspect, Kaiserin seemed able. Ranks of forty are more or less given to those of equal strength so the numbers did not really matter. “I wasn’t wondering,” Cecily said with a smile overshadowing her serious eyes. “I already memorized all the names and faces of our batch of graduates. I assume you know me as well but for the sake of formality I am Cecily. I believe we’ll get along well…”

The warrior began to stretch to loosen up her body. It was normal for her to do so even though it was not necessary due to the fact that she was a Claymore. “Well then, shall we proceed to our assigned area?” she asked her cohort.

~
OOC: Elcura, you can magically transport my character to our destination in your next post... XD

Poster: kenjmg

Arc

"Very well. I say we start with the second floor's wings, work our way from top to bottom. You take the left wing. I'll go right." Deimos grinned, demonic. "First one to finish gets to flip the coin on what to do next." Arc then thought, "So, we are going to leave the decisions up to fate, eh! That works for me if the decisions are pretty much the same." Arc then said to Deimon, "Okay, that works with me."

Arc ended up walking up the left staircase and took the left passage. It lead to a hallway with about 5 doors. The Yoma yoki was comming from the second door on the right. Arc thought, "Better get info about the surrounding before taking out the Yoma. Then afterward check that room and then the other rooms for surviours and for any additional information on the castle situation. Let see what is in the room throught the key hole."

Arc peared in through the key hole and saw a Yoma position within the room to be less then 2 meters into the room with a croached position slightly right of the door. The room was being illiumated by the sunlight comming from the window straight across from the door. There also the smell of blood from the room and it appeared to be feeding on a badly mutilated person on the ground. There was a bed with a dead lady sitting up against it on the left side of the room with her now blood color cloths rip apart and her ribcage opened up to reveal the lack of internal organs and a bed side table with a broken lamp on it. There apears to something underneath the bed however, at the moment Arc couldn't identify it.

"Most likely the Yoma was still feeding on the dead person who was on the ground. The most effective method to attack will be to attack by charging into the room leading with the left shoulder. I should hit the door in a way to send the door flying off in a straight direction and follow closely behind the door. Then when I get close to the target strike with upward slash for where it's neck should be. However, if it dodges right go a half a step pass the yoma then strike with downward slash towards it the moment after that step to go for the kill or force it to dodge backward towards the wall on the right side. From there it should be an easy kill if I position myself right. If I somehow ram it with the door keep charging until, the yoma falls to side and kill it with a slash for the neck or ram it into the wall side step the falling door and see if it fell out the window or just stun, if so go for its head quickly." Arc thought as he settled for this plan as he figured out where to charge into door. Went as far away from the door as he could and began his charge into the door.

As an after thought when he began his charge Arc thought, "Damn, I forgot to check how solid the door is. I hope the door doesn't break instead of flying off the hindges. If it does I will only have the initial surprize to make a quick clean kill without any risk to myself."

Poster: Phantom Miria (aka Riful)

.:Sisteena:.

Her breathing faltered with each step she took. Blood rained down her silky hair as she made her way through the deepest parts of the dungeons with her own blood trailing behind her clumsy steps. She barely had must strength to go any further but for her own survival it was either escape of be caught and killed. How many day's has it been since she ran away from the fight? 2? 3? This place was a complete maze, it was a wonder how humans themselves had previously managed so well within the narrow passages. Danger after danger she managed to succeed in her escape but today was the last straw, with a limping arm losing alot fo blood, head that felt light and dizzy, she would be easy picking for any random Yoma now should one appear before her. Her arm carried a claymore bearing her insignia and she held the weapon in her hand but only to keep herself from falling over. Upon inspection, the weapon lost it's sharp edge during the last battle. Ironic, a Claymore with a dull worn out claymore. What could be better indication that she was nearing death?



Despite having the least improvement in Yoki reading over the past 2 weeks, even she was able to determine what became of the remaining members of the team she was assigned to. #18 was probably the first to die, followed by the other two superiors she had to split off from to divert the monster's attention. Had they been better informed this would not have happened she thought. Death was approaching and Sisteena needed to move. Where was the creature now? Has it gave up it's search? She held a strands of her hair to the light, no the effects of the yoki suppressent pills were still there she thought as the colour remained black her original hair colour. It can't sense her but nor can she sense it, better or worse it was a stalemate inside the long maze.

Carrying her heavily wounded body Sisteena advanced, moving aimlessly inside the Dungeon trying deperately to find her way out of this hell hole. She must escape and inform others of the horrors she encountered here before its too late. With that thought in mind, the Claymore urged on, pushing her limbs to their limit and limped towards where she came in from, originally with 3 other Claymores. Hopefully she will find help soon upon escape.

Poster: xxsaznpride

'What the hell is with this meeting?' Farleen was bored, to say the least. Since her instatement to the ranks of those called Claymore, she had job after job, dispatching of Yoma in manners that could make the Devil himself cringe. One of these jobs, a particular assignment that she held particularly close to her heart, was during a trip to the city of Rabona. There, the blonde was ambushed by a pair of Yoma. Neither of them had any real bite, especially when Farleen decided to use her Youki Buff...

"Number [40], Lindy, number [42], Farleen, and number [23], Beaumont. You will investigate the castle dungeons. It's a fairly large and winding labyrinth. Very low visibility."

"Hn?" Farleen was knocked back into the mundane world of reality with the words of a man in black. From what she heard, Lindy and Beaumont were to be her partners, but Lindy she knew by face only. They had, after all, been a part of the same group of instated trainees. Beaumont, on the other hand, she had learned was someone in the upper half of the organization's ranks, if Number 23 could truly be acknowledged as such. Meeting someone who was potentially egotistic was far from being one of Farleen's goals for the mission, but she went off to find them nonetheless.


~~

OOC So pretty much, you can say we meet Beaumont and go into the dungeon... are we the last ones to leave or what?

Poster: Hynavian

Lindy

Around 10 minutes have passed. Beaumont had been leading the way all this time while Lindy and Farleen followed silently behind. No conversation was struck as Lindy did not have the opportunity to bring up a topic. Besides, it did not seem wise to strike a conversation and to let her guard down when she had no clue as to what was happening in the castle.

The castle dungeons were indeed dimly lit. Fortunately the trio did lit their torches before setting off. The flooring of the dungeons were slimy and certain areas were slippery. Surprisingly, there were little movements except for the rats that occasionally make their movement around the dungeons.

Beaumont seemed to be the right man for the job as he immediately led them into the dungeons and was marching confidently ahead. However, there was something about Beaumont's character that Lindy did not like. He spoke with such arrogance earlier and that did not create a good impression of him in Lindy's eyes.

"So this is how a number 23 behave?"

Lindy noticed that the walls and floorings beared some resemblance,

"Oh this seems familiar. Hmm....Wait a minute, didn't we just pass here just now?"

Lindy shrugged, it appeared to her that something was horribly not right as their journey was a safe one so far. She felt that she had to say something to the leader.

"Beaumont, I think we have been here..."

Lindy was unable to complete her sentence as a loud clang was heard from a distant...

Poster: Elcura

[Beaumont, Lindy and Farleen - Encounter]
"Why did they send in a bunch of weaklings with me. I could easily do this mission alone!" Beaumont thought to himself. He hadn't been concentrating much, but he was attempting to make a memory map of the area and without much else had not realized he had gone in a complete circle. One of the newbies noticed this and called him out on it.

"Beaumont, I think we have been here..." Said Lindy. There was a noise that had cut Lindy off, but Beaumont didn't take any notice of that.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You've been a warrior for what--? 2 days? And you're telling me, rank 23 what to do? This is why I hate spring chickens, they think they know everything!" Beaumont wasn't nearly done shouting, he had so much more to say. He had been keeping pent up for the sake of being civilized, it wasn't long before more loud noises resonated for multiple directions. Cell doors crashed on the floor, and disfigured apparitions exited their prisons. They were surrounded by 3 weird creatures. Were these yoma or human? Or something else altogether...

"Damn it! We're surrounded now and it's your fault!" He shouted pointing at Lindy, "You amateurs better not get in my way." He concluded. drawing his swords and entering a battle stance...

OOC: I decided to make encounters for people instead of them doing it themselves. Makes it more fun. I'll let Arc and Deimos finish their encounters before I make stuff up for them.

[Arc]
Arc took a few steps back before charging into the door at full force, not knowing the strength of the door versus his own was a mistake as he easily smashed the door off it's hinges. The door went flying into the Yoma and smacked him in the face before falling under the force of it all. The Yoma was now under the door cursing wildly, Arc couldn't get a good reading of it's vitals and hesitated for just a second, but in that time the Yoma had kicked the door up and in a supreme reverse the door flew into Arc's face as well, veering off to the left before finally resting on the floor...

Kaiserin
“I wasn’t wondering,” Cecily said, looking seriously at Kaiserin, she hadn't noticed she was smiling because her eyes seemed to pierce through her. “I already memorized all the names and faces of our batch of graduates. I assume you know me as well but for the sake of formality I am Cecily. I believe we’ll get along well…”

Kaiserin was relived to hear that, “Well then, shall we proceed to our assigned area?” She said walking towards the Oubliette entrance. It looked like a normal sewer lid, except it was much wider. Cecily and Kaiserin together used their strength to open it (not that it was heavy, just awkward). Looking down the pair saw nothing but despair, this was a one way entrance, and not an inviting one at that. No one would willingly go down there, most likely they were thrown in.

"This looks like the...entrance?" Kaiserin was scared, it reeked of blood and death. Without any hesitation Cecily said "Seems so." and jumped down into the pit.

"Wha--! Wow...brave..." Kaiserin was jealous of her partners bravery, she peered over the edge looking for an excuse to not go down. Without realising the edges were slippery from the blood of those who struggled to not be thrown in, Kaiserin turned, heel slipping on the blood and span around in a full circle before plummeting into the pit.

Cecily was already there, looking up anxiously for her partner, who came down ever so gracefully screaming like mad. Kaiserin wondered how much this would hurt, and how much people would laugh at her, but before completing the rest of her thoughts, she had to take notice of what she landed on. Corpses, nothing but corpses filled the pit, bones, maggoty flesh and dried blood filled the area. The placed reeked horribly, it took everything she had to not throw up all over the place. Kaiserin gagged violently as she tried to get up, slipping several times on some one's something before Cecily decided it would be a good idea to help her up.

The doorway was blocked by a wall of flesh, a lot of people had died over there, looking out at what could only be described as freedom. A weird turning sound came from the walls, it sounded like cogs in a clock tower. It wasn't long before the walls shook and came apart...

[Kaiserin and Cecily - Encounter]
"For 2 years I have spoke to god..." A weird voice spoke, the warriors couldn't determine a location though, since it seemed to come from all around "He told me the secrets of life, the secrets to power...all that I want will now be mine..."

Behind the opening walls came the sound that all Claymores were used too, a Yoma stalking it's prey. Which was strange since Claymores are the only predator that Yoma have. These one's were strange though, despite their glowing eyes and deformed faces, no yoki could be felt from these. Cecily and Kaiserin were surrounded by 4 yoki-less Yoma, who breathed heavily as they gazed ferociously at their next meal...

Poster: Saikudoh

.: Deimos :.

He sensed the yoma the instant he stepped into the corridor. The trouble lay in figuring out which door the yoki was coming from, as the hallway was lined with half a dozen entrances. Deimos didn't have time to play peek-a-boo. He settled for smashing them in with his shoe.

"We had no orders to take care of the castle's integrity, after all."

The resounding crash of wood caving in shook the air again and again. Light spilled out and dust spun out in a cloud that veiled rotten furnishings and windows cracked with grime. None of the rooms looked to have been used in a long time.

At the very end of the hall, the last door stood. His sword hand tightened around the hilt of his blade. Finality hardened hs gaze.

"This is it. The yoki--it's coming from here."

Deimos knocked on the wood. Gently.

Poster: Phantom Miria (aka Riful)

[Beaumont, Lindy and Farleen - Encounter]

Huge rat like creatures stood before them, one dived under the stone pavement while the other charged straight ahead while the last one blocked their only escape route. The creatures moved swiftly despite their enormous size, bearing muscles much larger and fearsome than a average yoma with overstretched claws twice in length compared to the country yoma. While they seemed to carry less intelligence than a human one thing drove them and their thirst for hunger seemed unsatiable even to the extremes of uncaring what they eat, be it humans or yoma let alone a halfling like Claymores. Colossal Blades mounted on their right arm slashed down furiously, cutting through the narrow stone walls with ease if they had to in order to hit Lindy. Even Beaumont never in his life career at Yoma hunting had encountered something that was neither yoma nor awakened being and was taken back by witnessing something new. Nevertheless there they were, in the dark corridors of the dungeon surrounded by 3 of these monstrous beings they classified as something other than Yoma. Experiments? Yes that sounded about right afterall some Alchemists had resided here conducting experiments but this?



Without giving them the leisure of thinking the monsters attacked, exhaling poisonous acidic breath the monster smashed it's fist into Lindy with his bare fist, meeting Lindy's Claymore head on. She flew back 3 meters from the collision and crashed into the stone walls, causing the wall to slightly crumble with her violent crash. The rats exerted little if no Yoki as they challenged the Claymores straight on. Beaumont's simple trial jab attack only deflected against the hard surface of the rat's skin proving to have harder armour plating than what he gave credit for earlier. Last rat spawned on top of Farleen instead of below, crashing through the stone work above her and landing with a loud screaming metal as the blade on it's right arm clashed with Farleen's Claymore with Farleen pinned down under it with great weight on top of her. She quickly regained her composure and kicked the beast hard on it's abdomen to push it back to give herself room to adjust her defensive countermeasures. These were no ordinary Yoma but monsters of questionable origin.

[Kaiserin and Cecily - Encounter]

As they came out to the light it was shown that these Yoma Kaiserin and Cecily originally thought were no Yoma at all but something completely different. They bore similarities in that they were definitely no human from the appearances they took nor were they friendly as most humans who tremble at the sight of a silver eyed with. Instead the creatures had white hair and two arms, one pair much larger and sinister than the other which vaguely resembled a Yoma's pair of arms. It wasn't that they couldn't feel any Yoki from them, but what they felt seemed so spread out and vague as if the creature had consumed a Yoma in their belly or perhaps they had intergrated a Yoma's flesh into their skin but one thing was certain and that was the undeniable stench of Yoma's blood painted all over their mouth and their hands. Whatever it was, these beings looked hungrily at the two warriors before them, savouring them with twitching arm and eyes glinting red.



2 of them immediately dashed out towards to meet their preys in a head long assault while the other two followed suit, their running speed almost exceeded the average Yoma with hind legs developed like a strong antelopes'. With overstretched arms, Kaiserin saw their arm stretching towards them with claws sharper than ordinary dirks. They both scattered just in the nick of time before the claws met their marks but barely as it grazed against their armours and claymores in their rushed parry. The second wave gave them no chance to breath let alone thing for a counter measure as they slammed against their prey just as the two warriors had landed safely from their earlier scramble to avoid the first premtive strike from the monsters. Both Cecily and Kaiserin knocked hard against the sewage walls, their uniform now wet with grime and stench that smelled just as bad as a Yoman blood. These creatures were good, quetionable whether they lacked knowledge but their basic instincts for combat has so far proven to far exceed the Yoma they've fought throughout their brief experience as a Claymore.

Poster: Elcura

Kaiserin
"Oh god that's GROSS!" Kaiserin said as she tried to shake off the grime on her back. "What in the hell are those?" She looked at Cecily for some sort of answer, but Kaiserin knew that she probably didn't know the answers either. From the looks of them, the larger arms were more of a threat than the smaller arms, but those weren't to be underestimated at all.

Kaiserin was scared, this was on par with what she had experienced when her sister had died. She legs quivered in fear, she knew she could very easily die. "I-I can't do this...they'll kill us for sure!" Her back stung as the pain from the earlier strike. How could they do this to her? Did they know what she was?

Kaiserin hadn't even readied her blade, still paralyzed with fear she prayed that her courage would return soon...

Poster: kenjmg

Arc

"Well, it could have been worse that door could have actually hit me directly or the yoma could have recoved quickly and used the oppurtinuity for a surprize attack. At least that lapse in caution only caused me to lose the initiative." Arc thought as he began reassessing the situation while taking a basic ready stance with blade inbetween him and the yoma. "Okay the yoma has recovered from the stunning blow and has gotten up. Should I lead the offensive or aim for counter offensive tactics against this yoma?"

Arc scan the surrounding while keeping his main focus on the Yoma. The Yoma had it's back to window while Arc was mid room with the corpse of what turned out to be a little girl, judging by the reconisable features. The door was now position about a half step to his left and forward equally inbetween both. There distant apart was only slightly greater then the doors length.

"Hmm... based on this situation the best course would be to kick the corspe into the Yoma's face and go foward and attack favouring its left side with a downward slash targeting the neck. If the Yoma is hit with the corpse it should be stun long enought to get an instant kill. If it dodges towards me I shift the slash into a thrust targeting any open critical point. If it dodges right hope it slips on the door or the corpse sitting against the bed allowing for an easy kill. If it ducks under the corpse it is an easy kill unless, it goes foward as well. If that is the case hope the yoma doesn't escape my reach. It also may escape by falling out the window but the drop should be enought to at least, seriously injure the yoma but, most likely kill it. Any counter blow attempt by the Yoma would require it to go into one of my fatal blow scenarios. At worst I suffer minor injures or I wasted an attack for no reason and maybe in a slightly disadvantages situation." Arc planned and then quickly began putting this plan to action since it was the best plan he could think of given the situation. As Arc kick the corspes towards the yoma's face and began his dash, Arc thought, "Well, sorry for the disrespect but, at least you will get some vengence on that which took your life."

Poster: qbsenuef (aka Idelice)

Cecily ~{@

“What hideous beasts are these? How come I didn’t even feel their presence?” Cecily nervously contemplated. These four-armed, grotesques were prowling the blood-painted waterway and now they were excited by the scent of life forms other than their selves.

Cecily listened to her partner stuttering in fear. She glimpsed at the terrified look of Kaiserin. It was not awe-inspiring. Cecily knew she would be lying to herself if she said she was not afraid. To justify her fear, her heart raced like horses galloping across tundra. She pulled out her sword and gripped it tightly in order to calm herself. “A lot of weird things have happened to me lately and I say things are getting even more bizarre,” she quietly stated, not wanting the monsters to hear her.

Cecily closed her eyes and tried to sense their enemies. She concentrated hard, harder than she had ever done before. “I can’t feel even the slightest resonance of their yoki…” Cecily said to herself. “I don’t like the smelly filth that’s covering me either and I’m afraid just like you are… those monstrosities can probably put us in a world of hurt even with two hands tied behind their backs…” It was not the most moving speech she could ever think of but Cecily wanted to find away to put some morale back into her panic-stricken comrade. “This is going to be hard…but stand ready, we will live through this. As hellish as our graduation ceremony was, this shouldn’t be any different.”

“I’m definitely not cut out to be a leader… but I hope I can keep my word. I don’t want to get out of this alone. You’re absolutely going to live through this with me,” Cecily said to her collaborator but only in her mind.

Poster: Hynavian

Lindy

“I got attacked by a big fat rat? And I got repelled by its hand attack!”

Lindy smashed into the stone walls as she was thrown back 3 meters from blocking the rat attack with her Claymore. That was the first time where Lindy met such bizarre looking creature. The monstrous rat had tremendous strength and Lindy was shocked that a hand attack from the rat would have repelled her. She couldn’t imagine the result should the monster used its weaponed-arm instead.

Lindy was hoping for some orders from Beaumont as she was confused and did not know what she should do next. She could not sense any Yoki coming from her attacker, hence, could not make an accurate judgement of her attacker’s strength. Farleen was occupied with another rat too. Lindy was hoping for a command from Beaumont but the much wanted command was not given. Hence, Lindy knew it was all up to herself.

“Both its arms and legs can serve as weapons; I have to beware of its slashes and kicks. The body looks so fat that I doubt a single slash would be able to cut it into half.”

Lindy summoned her powers and with speed appeared behind the rat in a squat position and launched a horizontal slash at its feet, hoping to chop its feet off from the monstrous rat…

Poster: Elcura

OOC: You know kenjmg, you sure do think a lot about what's happening given the situation. I mean, such an extensive write up about stuff like that isn't necessary. I mean, by the time I finish reading it I wonder what you're doing at all. Keep it simple.

[Arc]
Arc kicked the lifeless corpse towards his adversary, it flew through the air like a marionette. The Yoma saw the move ahead of time, "Nice try!" He yelled as his sliced through the body with razor sharp claws as he moved forward, arm aimed at Arc he attacked with a thrust towards Arc's stomach. Arc had raised his sword a little too late and only succeeded in taking out the Yoma's fingers while suffering a grazed flesh wound on the side of his stomach. Arc flinched back in pain but before he could calculate his next move back up had arrived.

"I won't be wanting to share this morsel with you should I get the kill. But we should leave soon in any case. Those beasts are becoming restless..." The new arrival said.

They both only had one more shot to kill the new recruit, if this failed they would have to forfeit their meal to escape.

[Deimos]
Slowly opening the door, Deimos stopped when he heard a voice. It seemed like a conversation between Yoma who had not noticed his presence, but were more concerned with other things...

"Those fools released the monsters that were locked up in the basement..."

"I know that already! If we move carelessly we'll be killed by the Claymores though, we can't go in deeper and we can't leave easily..."

"We were fools for believing that man, we should have just eaten him when we had the chance, now look at what's happening!"

"Leave it up to the witches, if they die here they'll only send stronger ones. More and more pawns until the targets die...That's always been how those devils work."

The conversation was interesting enough, Deimos had planned to keep listening, but a creaky floor board had given away his location.

"What the hell? There's someone there?!"

"Shit, let's go!"

Both the Yoma had already started to get up...

[Lindy]
Lindy's flash movement had given her the advantage over the huge beast. Her claymore slid across the ground temporarily lighting the floor with it's sparks. Her strike was swift and strong, dust and dirt circled her blade as the sweep sliced through one of the rats legs with ease. But the friction from the first cut lowered her blades momentum greatly, and the second leg took next to no damage. The rat was still standing as it appeared that Lindy's cut wasn't strong enough to sever the bone, it was wholly exposed. Lindy was righting herself, when a huge arm seemed to appear out of no where, it flung Lindy through several walls like a weighted rag doll. The crash sounded all throughout the dungeon, and in that moment, many caged monstrosities roared and banged on the walls and their cages. The whole basement was filled with a dastardly noise that could send shivers down even the most experienced fighter's spines.

[Beaumont]
"Fuck!" His words rang hollow as Lindy crashed through several walls. "Enough games, you beasts die now..." Beaumont released 30% of his power, his eyes changed colour and his aura flashed and whipped around violently. Veins appeared on his face as it distorted slightly, picking his target, his pointed at it with one sword before quickly dashing towards the beast, arms crossed over he attempted to slice the beast with a cross slash.

Kaiserin
Kaiserin knew already, she wouldn't make it out alive. It was such a short life, but she had lived every moment to it's fullest. She knew she wouldn't be able to avenge her sister, but maybe if she could prevent what happened to her to at least one other person, her life would have been worth living. As it stood, she hadn't felt like she had done that. Kaiserin had killed more people than she had saved. Times like this she regretted a lot of things, her body went limp as her back slid across the grim covered wall. The monsters screeched with a deafening tone enough to make ears bleed.

“I don’t like the smelly filth that’s covering me either and I’m afraid just like you are… those monstrosities can probably put us in a world of hurt even with two hands tied behind their backs…” Cecily had said, she looked over to see Cecily had already drawn her sword. “This is going to be hard…but stand ready, we will live through this. As hellish as our graduation ceremony was, this shouldn’t be any different.”

Kaiserin opened her eyes to see her team mate, her face was determined and her body steady, she was ready. She was worthy to be a Claymore, worthy to fight. "Maybe we will die, maybe we will struggle for nothing..." She thought to herself "But...I don't want to die - No, I won't die, not without trying...not without giving it all I have first!"

Kaiserin slowly got up in the face of these powerful opponents, she slowly drew her sword and kept it close to her chest, aiming the tip at her foes. "You're right, we will live through this. We'll come out of this the victors, complete our mission and show them our worth... We are not just mere pawns!" Kaiserin didn't believe all of what she said to Cecily, but at this point building up moral and courage was the most important thing.

Despite the long start up, the monsters still hadn't attacked yet, what were they waiting for...?

Poster: kenjmg

Arc

"Damn I forgot it could attack throught the corspse instead of dodging, We both suffered minor injuries. However..." Arc thoughts were interupted when he noticed a second Yoma yoki approaching from the door. "I won't be wanting to share this morsel with you should I get the kill. But we should leave soon in any case. Those beasts are becoming restless..." The newly arrived yoma said as it enter the room.

As Arc back his way towards the bed he said out loud, "What beasts are you talking about!?"

"Oh well maybe I should try to get some information since these yomas know something about our mission. Hopeful we can talk so, I can get some information on the situation." Arc thought as he continued shifting his position towards the bed as a plan of action raced into his mind. "For a plan to deal with either cases of both or one of these Yomas attacking is a counter-attack stragety. I will use the loose sheet on the bed to screen the one that attacks first or first to arrive in counter attack range. I will then step behind that one using that yoma as a shield against the other yoma as I take it's head. In case the remaining yoma continues attacking then use the shield to block it's first attack and push it into the yoma. And use this chance to take the yoma arms. And when it stops attacking continue questioning the remaining yoma and give a warning of me killing it if it doesn't anwser my questions. And position myself if possible to make the threat more viable. However, if they decide to talk I let them go if they don't attack me since it is disadvantages to attack these yoma, especially if I don't have too. Since they don't seem the to be the main target of this mission I can do this." Arc thought as his plan came together in head. Arc last thought before the Yoma made there move was, "After all, survival and the mission are the most important thing."

Poster: Saikudoh

OOC: Um. Floorboards? Wooden planks? In a castle? Mansions and old bungalows have floorboards, not castles. Oh well. :) Fun.

IC: .: Deimos :.

"Damn. The floor's rotten through."

He kicked the door in. Wood and iron and rust flew across the room to clunk against the wall, and Deimos charged closely after it with a speed that almost had him touching the splinters breaking from the flying door. Unable to stop his forward momentum, he caromed off the wall and bounced straight to the nearest yoma.

Deimos swung his sword in a fierce downward slash aimed to cleave the monster in half from head to toe and smash him straight through the floorboards. He thought nothing of the earlier conversation, nothing of the yoma's desire to kill--nothing, but his own murderous lust.

Death's grin gleamed off teeth white as canine.

Poster: Phantom Miria (aka Riful)

.:Arc+Deimos:.

A vibration was felt beneath the very foundations they stood on, screaming of the metal screeched against the stone pavy as it approached them in seperate directions. Hulking breath sounded the halls accompanied by a dreadful smell worse than anything neither Arc nor Demios had smelt before. It scarecely resembled the smell of a Yoma's corpse only that it wasn't purely the stench of the corpses that defiled the air. Corrections be made, it was the smell of many corpse belonging to a yoma rotting inside whatever it was carrying them towards them. A brief sound of combat was heard within the halls only to be silenced and replaced by voracious eating and continued hulking breaths exhaled and inhaled by whatever it was coming towards the two warriors. Suddenly from Arc's right, stone walls crumbled away to reveal a towering creature enormous and bearing multiple limbs as well as organs.

Whatever it was, this creature before Arc was the cause of the Yoma's silence and before long with its humongous body, threw one of his arm towards the Yoma in Arc's custody, sinking one of its chain hooked onto the belly of the Yoma while dragging it whole towards him. With arms bigger than Arc's whole body it pulled showing Arc Yoma's desperate struggle for it's life was a negligible strength compared to the cannibal being as it devoured the Yoma whole leaving very littl traces of it. Whatever it was, it was slow, huge and devastatingly powerful. The devastating 15 foot wall of destruction reviewed its surroundings and found Arc bearing the claymore of his insignia. It caught the scent of a yoma power within Arc and mindlessly began to pursue it's insatiable hunger for more power. It violently swung his hooked chains and meat cleaver wildly at Arc who managed to escape the swings unharmed.

Meanwhile another battle between the strange creature and the Yomas have proceeded without Arc's attention. 3 against 1, the Yomas made a cocky stand against the wall of dead flesh walking towards them with no more thought than to eat more Yoma. They dashed, moving much faster than the creature each one met their marks digging into the skin of the sentinel deep into the organs while the last one amongst them plunged its sharp knife like claws into the throat and ripped it apart dragging the bladed claws right down to the abdomen of the beast. Blood, entrails and organs dropped out of the creature followed by numerous body parts of Yoma it had eaten until now. A huge meat cleaver fell on one of the 2 who found difficulty trying to pull the blades out of the giant's body, a body smashed against the wall of dead yoma flesh as it cleaved through even against it's own body leaving a big cut mark against the part where the axe had landed under the arm. It bent down and with its teeth ripped apart a head of the yoma severing it from the body whole. Only one remained but he too followed the deaths of his fellows as it charged against the yoma impaling it on its now showing rib cage.

A thunderous roar of the hungry monster sounded the halls and through out the ruins like real thunderbolts showering down. The hungry one searched the halls to look for the halfbreed it smelt. A new meal waited him somewhere.

Poster: xxsaznpride

"I'm fighting... a giant... rat," Farleen said through gnashing teeth. She was never a fan of vermin when it crawled on four legs, and hated it even more now that they were turned collosal, equipped with massive katar-like blades, and at least twice as big as normal vermin. "No shit they'd be that big." On top of that, these things were far from being regular Yoma, let alone something that she could vivisect for unknown periods of time.

The blonde readied her claymore, pointing it defensively at the monster before her. She closed her eyes, ready to finally release her yoki for the first time during this mission, ready to counter against the giant rat's assault, when a violent uproar broke out somewhere within the dungeons. It was so great that, no matter where it was, Farleen had a feeling that she would have been able to hear it.

Regardless of when or why the noise would die down, she kept her eyes closed, steadily tuning it out of her consciousness. With a vicious roar, Farleen unleashed fourty percent of her youki, feeling it pulse vibrantly within her. Her teeth grew into fangs as her opal-silver eyes burst into their bright sunflower yellow. These new eyes swept quickly over the rat, scanning it for signs of potential weakness.

"This is a waste of f***ing time," Farleen roared, her feet blurring as she made a mad dash toward the beast. She was ready and hopeful that a slash through the weapon arm would end the fight fast...

But would it?


~~~
Omfg... it's the wearet from the Redwall series' book Mattimeo.
How long do we get to kill these things?

Poster: kenjmg

Arc

"So that is one of the beasts those yomas were refering too. I wish I had a chance to get information from those yomas. Also it seem to have chased the third and fourth yoma into the too room. I wounder where Deimon is?" Arc thought as he moved down the halls.

"It seems to be hunting things by smell judging by its lack or reaction to sounds or movement. It also seems to have prefrence for yoki based being as well. Also, it is extremely powerful and seems to gain a light yoki after it has eaten those yoma. So at least thanks to yomas I can sense this beast until it has digested them based on the fact it didn't have an yoki before eating the yoma. However, how do I deal with this monster since it is targeting me as well? Let's look at the supplies, I have the bloody bed sheet, the severed yoma's fingers, my claymore, mini spears made from the branches from last mission, a small container of what is most likely lamp oil, and some medical supplies. Let's experiment then." Arc thought as he paused by the stairs. "This will be a good place to test my theory and ambush this monster. I always wondered how long a sever limb retains yoki. So, I am going to use the light wound given to me by the yoma to tempory attach the finger to me and imbuning the finger with some of my yoki and severing it from me and find out if I can use it as bait to lure that creature into my trap." Arc begins his experiment...

OCC but on the character: Weather or not this experiment works Arc set the fingers and blanket with the yomas, the corpse and his own blood on it at the top of the stairs rail and hides behind the arch on the side of the stairs. Concealing his yoki to the best of his abilities and having oil poured over him in an attemp to conceal his scent. He will also prepared to escape by jumping over the rails should his trick to hide and ambush fail but if the beast passes him far enought to see it back he will go for the back of the its neck for an excutioner like chop. Also should it fail he runs back down the hall to regroup and think of another plan.

OCC: Were did those extra yomas come from I was only pinned by two yoma and all of sudden there were four? Also judging by which part Phantom Miria jumped Arc too. His plan was only half complete before the attack of the beast. Oh well stuff happens.

OCC2: Phantom Miria after you get some rest I would like it if you please correct the outcome to fit with what was in this Arc's post because, the action you made Arc do was making me lose my respect for my own character. But if I have to go with the lower post in its current state Arc will choose ambush.

Poster: Phantom Miria (aka Riful)

.:Farleen+Lindy+Beaumont:.

The creature roared in pain as the claymore cut began to cut through the blade mounted arm but before Farleen can cleanly slice of the arm altogether the beast made a lunge away from Farleen, and crash landed next to the hard stone walls bringing it down. The thick stone walls smashed away like they were made of sand as the rat recoiled from Farleen's dash, but as it did the monstrous hand seized Farleen's face as it grabbed and failed to let go. As the acient pillar along with the bricks fell Farleen was brought down along with it, a tremendous force pulled otherwise struggling Farleen with it. Luckly Farleen wasn't pulled along with it's demise as she stopped just conveniently escaping a crushing death. The powerful arm twitched and eventually became a limp mound of dead flesh on Farleen's face as she pulled free from it's disgusting touch. Her pretty face took on a hideous red gash across her cheek as Farleen violently broke free of the heavy yet very smelly hand of the gigantic rat bearing sharp claws.

Beaumont from witnessing the rookies immediately figured out some basic analysis of the monsters before them. "Retards!" he shouted at the two, "These guys are strong but their defense is pitiful, just force the fucks back with brute strength and quick charge!" Having ordered the rookies, he also took form and charged at the beast still standing over Lindy with one leg missing thanks to Lindy's attack. "This is how you kill fucks!" Beaumont lashed out with one saber horizontally, forcing brute strength into the thrust as it struck against the weapon of the rat and using the momentum of the rat's falter brought his other saber down vertically right across the shoulder blade cutting deep enough to wound the creature mortally. With a thud the monster slumped and lay before Beaumont lying on its own disgusting putrid blood and intestines sprawled all over the floor. "Cut open it's stomach and examine the content" he ordered Lindy

.:Arc:.

The hulking 15 foor wall of killing machine slowly approached Arc, its massive body causing the earth to tremble under its great weight. Arc hidden away by his careful makeshift disguise played a huge risk assuming that the colossal monstrocity couldn't see at all. Another thundering roar filled the castle walls with a monstrous blast so strong even Yomas cowered in fear of the creature.

"GRRRRRAWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! !!!"



Alas it turned towards Arc with its giant meat cleaver held high above its head ready to bring it down on the unsuspecting Arc under the bed sheets. A uncomfortable dark grin passed through its grotesque face as it's single eyeball made contact with its target yet it did not move frustrating the monster further. This was no good, with Arc seemingly dead under the bed sheet it was no longer edible nor was it completely sure if Arc was even there to begin with now that it stood there hoping that Arc would have reacted to either of the earlier provokation that might have indicated that he was alive and edible. Disappointed that he neither jumped at the hideous cry of the monster nor did he tried to move as the sound of the meat cleaver held high above him, the creature hesitated. Eventually as Arc showed no sign of living proof nor was it now sure if Arc had ever existed to begin with, started to walk slowly away from the hidden Arc, destroying any obstacle in it's wake. Chains lashed out about madly in the air breaking and smashing the solid stone walls as if it was breaking through thin ice. Everything seemed to shatter in one powerful attack after another the being walked out of the way it came from, its meat cleaver now grazing against the walls letting the evil steel screech away into the abyss as it searched for other preys to feed on. Now was a opportune chance, escape or ambush? Arc had the option now as the back of the wall of pure destruction faced towards him.

OOC: Arc I think I must have misread the Arc post. Sorry I did, school work and too much hours of staying up really screwed up with my eyes.

Poster: Hynavian

Lindy

"Cut open it's stomach and examine the content", that was the command that Beaumont gave to Lindy and she heard it.

The one-legged rat was on the floor before Beaumont as he had injured it earlier. Lindy reacted, she raised her Claymore and did what she was ordered. With her two arms holding onto the Claymore handle, she performed a forceful horizontal slash towards the big rat's filthy stomach....

While performing the slash, thoughts flashed across her mind, "Examine the content?!? Did he seriously meant that? It's good to leave it alone if it dies from this attack."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC: What happened to the rat that Beaumont (the NPC) was fighting earlier?

Poster: Elcura

OOC: I don't think Miria covered what Deimos was doing, so I'm gonna do it myself. And not all the areas of a castle are stone and marbel, but it's a game so don't worry about stuff like that so intently.

[Deimos]
Deimos' strike was scaringly successful, the sheer force of the events prior to this attack had made his moves unpredictable, along with the shock that had befallen the Yoma facing death's grin. Deimos' sword ripped clean through the Yoma as if there was nothing there at all. The Yoma split apart almost in slow motion, blood and guts visibly filled the center of where the Yoma was supposed to be. Each side landed simultaniously with a loud thud, blood rised from the impact and shortly fell violently towards the floor again. There wasn't much time to bask in glory though, as the castle ruins violently rumbled and the sound of breaking stone filled the area...

~~~~~

OOC: I'm not sure, Miria said she was tired so hopefully she fixes her posts later on.

[Lindy]
Lindy's claymore whistled due to the insane speed she was moving at, her sword ran from the neck of the creature all the way to it's crotch. Blood sprayed out and the creature screamed in agony. The blood didn't stop gushing out, it soaked Lindy's clothes and she had to close her eyes before the beast's blood blinded her. She dragged her claymore out of the creatures pit staggering back a little bit due to the shock of being covered in monster blood. It dripped slowly from her hair and claymore...

~~~~~

Kaiserin
Having finally gathered the courage to stand up and draw her sword, Kaiserin stood strong moving closer to Cecily. The strange monsters still weren't attacking though. The floor was nothing but a sea of bodies, each step squelched and moving around was hard enough.

"I don't know why they aren't attacking us anymore, but let's use it to our advantage and do as much damage as we can." Kaiserin loosened the grip on her claymore with her left hand, placing it on one of the bodies benenth her. In a runner-like stance, she prepared her dash towards her target, the monster on the far left. Getting proper footing was hard, as the bodies often moved and broke apart. Once everything was set, she shot off like a bullet towards her target, holding the claymore in her right hand she aimed for the creatures large arm with a vertical slash from above her head...

OCC with character reference:

IC:
Arc

Arc with thought "I knew an proper ambush would have a low chance of actually working on the beast, however my true objective was a gamble to gaining some insight on the enemies, senses and mind, as well as escaping major harm worked. I have learned it is a beast that is only targets living yoki wielding prey and that it sense seem to be complete but mostly focus on smell. I wounder if all the beast we are dealing with are like this?" Arc wounder for a moment.

Arc then thought as he set himself ready for action, "Now, I am going to attack this foolish beast from behind with an execution style chop. If that fails shift to use that momentum to knock the beast down on the ground as the back-up plan if sword gets stucks or just to get its attention. Then when I recover my blade or if the sword never gets stuck in the first place retreat to the second step of the stairs. There I will draw it attack and escape pass its widely spread legs and attack while going between the beasts legs. This will cause this monstorsity to at least lose it balance in which case I push it so it falls down the stair. Well the creature is stun I will use this opperunity to go for a final blow. I will use the momentum gained from going down the stairs to propel my into a jump slash. Thought it leaves me valunable it would be the only move I can attempt to finish this beast off without using rapid pulse strike which I think I will need later."

Arc then thought as he charge the beast from behind, "I can't afford to let this creature live to cause me trouble later. Better to deal with it now that I have a slight advantage and a plan. The worst that could happen would be my death however, my comrades and my own death would be certain if no safe place to go to retreat to is made. Man, I wish the only plan that I could use to take this thing down wasn't so reckless."

OCC3: Just thought I would make it a little easier for you if you don't feel like fixing your work.

Poster: Phantom Miria (aka Riful)

.:Arc:.
Arc's attack connected and his claymore sank deep inside the creature's torso like melting butter splashing fat and various flesh from different yoma as the blade delved deeper into the wound. Unfortunately the attack stoped and refused to free the weapon as it had been compressed by layer and layers of fat clogging up the open wound almost as immediately as it had been cut making the blade a part of his body now buried deep with the hilt protruding out of the shoulder blade. The beast halted in its step and stopped for a moment realizing something had scratched it's back. Maybe it was the morsel of food he had overlooked or the hafling that had hidden itself very well against his initial frantic search. Whatever or whoever it was, the thing didn't care. It now found something else to feed on. Turning around to face Arc, it brought down the giant meat cleaver into view as it screeched against the walls yet again the howling metallic song of doom. With a great force it was swung horizontally across where Arc had stood a moment ago before he narrowly escaped becoming severed from his lower half. An ordinary swing with the claymore proved to be futile against the monster unusual defense of fat layers and it was even questionable if the attack was felt by the creature at all. If it felt pain in the first place, it failed to show its capability to cry in pain. Blood no longer trickled out of the initial deep cut Arc had originally made, instead layers of fat covered it up as if there was no cut to begin with but a fine line to suggest it had a scratch by a gardening tool or something of equivalent nature. Despite the giant size of the monster, it moved clumsily perhaps it tried to immitate the fast movements of the preys it had ate or it could be that it was so anxious to try its tastebuds on Arc's remains. Despite the clumsy movements, the creature's aim was flawless with the cleaver and with the chains bound to his hands its range far exceeded Arc's even before he was still in possession of his sword. Now without his primary weapon he was cornered between the 15foot wall of destruction and few escape route he could take. A fine line presented to him that would determine either bravery or stupidity. The abomination raised it's cleaver yet again high above it's head ready to bring it down on Arc as it moved closer to Arc with it's clumsy stance. Grounds shook beneath it's great feet while the floors it stood on took punishing force trying to pull the beast down that even the smallest more weight could probably break under it's hideously monstrous weight and collapse into a bottomless pit. Time to take the action was now, a unarmed Claymore versus a beast made of numerous yoman flesh and bones.

OOC: Alot of thought but little action Arc. Well its good that your thinking ahead and planning you'll do this, but if that doesnt work you'll do that and should that work proceed with this etc, but remember to post your actions just as much as your thoughts since if you posts so little and you have a wall of thoughts I might think you're trying to determine the actions of the monsters. Eitherway, as long as its just thoughts its fine.

Poster: qbsenuef (aka Idelice)

Cecily ~{@

“What in the world?!” Cecily said with astonished eyes as Kaiserin took the initiative. “I pepped her too much. It’s too dangerous to...” Not knowing what to do next, the warrior in braids quickly followed after her companion. “…I didn’t expect her to take the first step. I’ll have to fend of the others,” she said as she masterfully navigated above the slightly submerged corpses. It was as if she was running on water.

With a sturdy mindset, Cecily got in between the left-most beast and the one immediately to its right. She drew her massive claymore and swung it. Hopefully the strike would make a mess of the creature’s lower left arm while putting her in a good position to defend against the next nearest beast. She hoped for at least one of her impulse objectives to be accomplished.

Poster: Hynavian

Lindy

"Yuck!!! What is this!"

The dead rat's blood was all over Lindy and she was soaked in the rat's blood while she retrieved her Claymore. She was shocked that the big fat rat actually had that much blood to spill and was repelled by the rat's filthy blood. However Lindy noticed something weird.

"Beaumont. Farleen. The rat's guts! the rat's guts!....there's yoma flesh in the rat's guts!" Lindy was shocked by what she found. The monster's blood was still dripping from Lindy's hair and Claymore and Lindy felt even worse than ever. She had no clue how the rats could get to such a big physical shape and pondered over why the rats feed on Yoma flesh. Further, she was covered in the rat's blood and she did not feel comfortable at all.

"Strange, I thought I picked up some Yoki signals just now but it just disappeared. Could the rat's blood be affecting my Yoki reading capabilites?" Lindy thought to herself. She then looked at Farleen and Beaumont who were nearby and hoped for some directions or actions.

Poster: Phantom Miria (aka Riful)

.:Kaiserin+Cecily:.

The hairy beasts had stopped attacking while they examined their new found toys. It wasn't the usual hostile full blooded yoma but rather a different species altogether. While the creatures lacked intelligence even the monsters found the new breed interesting and pondered if they tasted just as good or only as half as good as their usual prey. Upon closer examination by their heightened sense of smell, it would appear that one of them possessed a body much closer to their usual prey anyhow. Kaisering smelled heavily of Yoma blood that 2 of them even mistook her for one. It was a world of red for them with no other colour except the black aura both Kaiserin and Yoma's carried which was like for them heat images. More and more the creatures looked at Cecily only to notice a patch of grey on their sight indicating she was or she wasn't their prey, regardless they were not picky about what they feast on.

It was the short pause they gave them that proved to be a downfall as Kaiserin made a bold move to charge them with her sword held high above her. The sharp bar of steel sang as it was swung vertically cutting through the still air inside the sewage and a pair of arms big and small along with it. The creature screamed in agony as her attack left him with two arms. In a state of panic it lashed out frantically trying to hit Kaiserin to no avail. Kaiserin narrowly escaped having her eyes stabbed with the long overgrown nails as a hand splattered the creatures blood into her line of vision while cutting through the body from the back and exiting through the chest. Trajectory headed right towards Kaiserin's head only to have it collide with Cecily's claymore as her comrade just covered the distance enough to save Kaiserin's hide. It had been a reckless yet bold move Kaiserin made but nevertheless her fears had been conqoured, the creatures were not as tough as they initially thought despite having strength or speed, their skin cut just as easily if not easier than the thick skin normal yoma's carried. But in the superior numbers and given their superior strength as well as speed, a yoma outnumbered couldn't have possibly outlasted their encounter alone. Three of the pack remained now, one of them missing an arm and fatally wounded across the chest due to Cecily's almost immediate counter. They were indeed a little surprised and maybe it was the first time they felt fear from their preys, the hunters be hunted.

OOC: One of them lost two arms and was trying to kill Kaiserin but another immediately stabbed through its comrade to try and poke kaiserin in her head which resulted in the sewage monster with two arms loss being killed. Cecily initially went after the targe on the left (Same target as Kaiserin?) and ended up saving Kaiserin from the monsters counter by countering the attack while harming it as well. Overall theres three remaining with one of them armless and bleeding with a fatal chest wound/cut.

Poster: Elcura

Kaiserin
"Whoa...! That was close..." Kaiserin exclaimed, she was a little shocked about her actions and surprised things had gone so well. She moved back so she had all three monsters in full view, they seemed to watch her more intently than Cecily. To test this she moved slowly right, the two able one's looked like they followed her while ignoring they're dying companion.

"They like me...don't they." Kaiserin grinned roguishly, "I'll get their attention and distract them, Cecily, focus on killing them if you can." She turned her head to her partner before quickly looking back at the monster. Kaiserin's footsteps were heavy, and her breathing coarse. She mentally prepared herself slowly, closing her eyes and thinking of her sister's flesh inside of her. This would be the key to her survival now, so she had no choice but to trust it and believe a little more than usual. When she reopened her eyes they had flashed a golden colour, and with a little more she released over 50% of her power, her face distorted and teeth sharpened a little more than usual (she already had Yoma-like teeth). Her goal was to flood the area with her aura and make Cecily invisible or at least, less attractive to them.

"Flesh and blood..." She thought to herself, before dashing towards their dying comrades left side, her claymore cut across several bodies in it's accent towards the monsters abdomen...

Poster: kenjmg

Arc

Arc quickly picked up the blanket and retreated towards the stair going only a five rungs down after recaulcaculating the creatures reach with its cleaver. Arc began wraping the blanket into a rope shape as he thought, "Looks like I have to make the task a little more difficult for myself but, at least it following one of my plans. Unforchantly it is my second worst case scenario plan. The worst being my own death."

Arc then thought of what to do next in this bad situation as he tied one side of the blanket to the second from top rung of the rail, "I need to recover my claymore however, the only way to do that is to kill that thing. I should be just out of range of the chains or hopefully able to the dodge the chain at very limits of its range. However, if I can't my plan will not be given the chance to work and I may have to focus on escaping or a new plan of attack. I need to draw the beast into going on to the stairs. At that moment it starts an attack it leaves it base or legs valunable for a moment this weakness I would not be able to exploit normally due to the accuracy of it attacks. The stair would not allow it movments to be as controlled as normal due to the difficult footing as well as possibly its in ability to effectively suport the weight. I need to use that window of oppurunity to trip up the beast at least. Either with the sheet, an attack or both it doesn't matter what gets the job done. Due to it size it may even causes the top of these stairs to collapse leaving an opening but, better be prepare to retreat if the beast doesn't loses it balance or the stairs doesn't collapse. If all goes well the creature will die due to impact of the fall throught the collapse stairs or will be tripped up by me allowing the opening. During this opening I will quickly implent my second part of my plan for a just incase finishing blow attempt and to recover my sword if possible during this time."

Arc took out both of his mini spears weilding them both in his right hand and the other end of the bed sheet in the left and yelled at the monster, "Prepare to meet your doom at the hands of number 46 Arc!" Arc just began wishing he was confident in this situation as he sounded but, he thought "I refuse to die here despite the fact my actions have been really, reckless and a little foolish today, and odds survival is not as high as I would like it. I will not die here." Arc waited for the creatures to move closer to the stairs because he decided to throw one of those spears and target its right eye as soon as it step on the very top of the stairs.

Poster: Saikudoh

OOC: Lol. That rat thing was definitely like the wearet. XD

IC: .: Deimos :.

"What was that? What yoki was that? Elusive, like a ghost. Oh. It's gone. I can't feel it anymore. What the--Arc...?"

Before the last drop of yoma blood splattered across his face and stained his uniform with flecks of purplish ichor, Deimos spun around to attack the last yoma even as tremors shook the wood beneath. He rushed the monster, claymore shrieking sparks against the floor, hoping to sever his opponent in half from the waist with a upward slash carving into the horizon line.

His thoughts became jagged. Murderous. "Something's up. Something horrid, terrible, and bestial.

"I like it!"

He kept grinning, more animal-like and feral than ever. The malevolent gleam in his silver eyes threatened to turn gold. Yoki energy trembled in his body, his suppression control having slipped on the wellspring that was his power in excitement, and the bloodshot veins sticking out on his face proved it.

"Ten percent. This intoxicating feeling...only at ten percent?"

A harsh chuckle escaped him. Yoki roughed his voice, deepened it, and the intent to kill stamped upon all Claymores against yoma filled him.

"Whatever is making this castle fall apart, I'll not just slaughter it--I'll massacre it to shreds! Death's come to collect his dues, yoma!"

Eyes once silver turned molten gold.

Poster: qbsenuef (aka Idelice)

OOC: The first target was the same target as Kaiserin. Sorry if it looked like something else. @_@

~~~

Cecily ~’{@

“That went well,” Cecily stated. She glided turbulently across the bloody culvert as random body parts dared to obstruct her feet. Her eyes granted her the vision to see her gratis work epitomized on her enemies’ wounds. Not only did she successfully help dispatch Kaiserin’s initial target, her swing was wide enough to maim another one of the monstrosities.

"I'll get their attention and distract them, Cecily, focus on killing them if you can," said the focused Kaiserin.

“It’s pointless to mask myself… Kaiserin should be a good enough distraction,” Cecily thought. She quickly got into an attacking stance, her sword immediately behind her. As her companion darted into the enemy’s range, Cecily accelerated kicking up the black ooze beneath her modified sabatons.

With her blade readily behind her, Cecily skipped and landed between Kaiserin and the next able monster. The warrior in braids quickly crouched as she slid across the bloody moat with her sword extended. Her claymore was on its way to dismember the monstrous legs that would be in its way.