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moonrealm2018-10-14 09:15 pm
bellflower) wrote in moonrealm2018-10-14 09:15 pm
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CALL ME OUT |
LINKS |
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A simple call me out post Bell. Got an idea for a PSL or meme with one of my characters? Hit me up here! I've set up an OOC thread to chat about it if you wanna ask about preferences, ideas, anything like that... check out the links to the side! |
» MUSELIST » OOC CHAT » PREFERENCES |
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By vigils
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[But he's going to be intelligent about it too. Mitsuhide hesitates in his advance and there's a tiny moment where Xu Shu thinks Tenkai is resurfacing; can't spend a moment worrying about that, instead it's a chance to start using his surroundings to his advantage again. Despite the worrying power moving through him and the increasing blood-loss he darts back, not stopping in his 'retreat,' and says his first proper words since the start of this fight:]
Watch your step.
[His goal is the edge of the clearing, though it's not immediately clear why when he turns and bolts, a swift and focused warrior. To stand a chance here requires balance, because it can't go on too long, but being too aggressive when Mitsuhide's powers act in the way that they do?]
[That would kill Xu Shu. No ifs, no buts.]
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[ His head snaps up as he pulls his arm back, again. The blade begins to glow a bright green before it fades abruptly. ]
It is fine to run. With that injury, there is no reason to pursue. A break in the curse may be -- [ He lashes out with his scythe, cutting himself off as he cuts through the planeted scythe at his side. It dissolves in a cloud of black smoke. The weapon in his hand does the same. ]
No! No? Running is not acceptable! We are having a conversation and there have not been good-byes given! [ He swings his arms out as cloud of rolling smoke surrounds him. Two new scythes appear in his hands -- different than the ones he started with as the blades are serrated rather than a smooth curve. His eyes shift to look at the weapons. ]
These are--?! [ Both blades glow bright, brilliant green that fills the space of the clearing. ] Wait! Wait! I have a parting word for your face! [ He screams with laughter as he slashes out into the air with the scythes sending two curved waves of energy chasing after Xu Shu. Fast. ]
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[Directly following behind him would cause Mitsuhide to fall on some of tripwires that have been left, but they are a help, an assistant, rather than the main goal. For a short while there will be no more sounds from the canopy and no clear indicator of what Xu Shu is up to until, from above, when his opponent gets close enough he almost growls:]
No parting words.
[And then fire explodes on the ground, the result of a well aimed molotov cocktail. There isn't any honour in this battle and Xu Shu is a strategist, a good man, but still very much willing to use any tools he has to in order to get an edge. The rustling of the forest now indicates that he's moving across the trees, ready and waiting to throw another and get the right kind of opening...]
Not yet.
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Because the bastard's with Xu Shu; that much is clear. The bastard's going for Xu Shu's blood, maybe his soul. Because Xu Shu and Mitsuhide are already locked in combat, and there's precious little time to bring this to a halt. As fast as he can. He has to reach them as fast as he can, and what are they doing together, why have they met at all, Daud doesn't doubt it was Xu Shu who drew out Mitsuhide. That it's part of Xu Shu's unspoken strategy.
The foolish boy. The persistent, well-intentioned, damnably foolish boy.
This has all gone too far. It's time to take care of the bastard once and for all. ...If he can. If it's possible to combat the magic Mitsuhide possesses. Daud's only seen a small sample of the bastard's abilities, and that sample was enough to warn of tumultuous depths of power, something even the Void might not be able to push back.
Still. It's worth a try.
It's been years since Daud used his own abilities. Years since he called on the Void and felt its sharp jolt through his system. After everything that'd happened, after Dunwall and the Empress and the deep damage Daud had done, he'd vowed to never use the black-eyed bastard's 'gifts' again. For years he'd succeeded, but now... Now, that vow has to be broken. If Daud's going to stand any chance against the force that is Mitsuhide, he'll need to call on the Void.
The years of disuse and severance from the Void put him at a disadvantage. He doesn't doubt he'll still be able to transverse space or draw objects from a distance. Doesn't doubt he'll fall into the motions easy enough. He also isn't fool enough to believe he'll be able to put the powers to their best use. Not without practice. Not without time to practice. As it is, he'll need to slip back into old habits as best he can and hope, hope some of it works against the bastard.
(He'll need to hope as well that Xu Shu might be impacted by some measure of the Void's powers. Is banking on his own ability to halt time around Xu Shu, if not around Mitsuhide. Because if he can keep the boy out of the way, he can knife the bastard on his own terms. If he can keep Xu Shu stilled in time, he can keep the man from doing something he'll regret, something Xu Shu shouldn't have to do. The boy's got a soft heart, in spite of all his fighting prowess; best to let him stay that way.)
Finding and getting into the forest was simple enough. He hadn't anticipated the traps, though. He's come across two so far, narrowly avoiding their damage, cursing internally. Shit. Shit, it's the last thing he needs right now. They're Xu Shu's work; he knows that much almost instantly, calculates based on their style and on a supposition that it was Xu Shu who'd drawn MItsuhide here. Smart of the boy to rig the odds in his favor (and with such deft traps, well-hidden and keenly honed; it's what Daud would expect of the man). Irksome that Daud's left to navigate them when he needs, needs to reach the ongoing battle.
Now he sets off a third trap, avoids a shower of blades only to catch one deep against his shoulder, steel slicing through fabric and flesh alike. For a moment he catches himself on one elbow, pressed close to the ground and taking a breath. For all of his persistent training, he's more out of practice than he'd care to admit. Older than he'd like to say, and in his present urgency he feels the toll of time more than ever.
No time for dwelling on that, though; there's noise ahead. A shudder of sound and a sudden flaring glow of flames. Hard to tell who that came from. Hard to say who's currently under attack. All Daud knows is that he needs to be there, now. Pushing himself upward again, he rushes warily, purposefully toward the conflagration. ]
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[ The voice calling out is different than Mitsuhide's -- different yet the same. It is not out of pain or fear, however. Fire touches the sleeve of his attire, racing up the material to burn the skin. His head shakes as he steps back out of it. The is a panic but not a panic over the burning flesh, but his head snaps to look towards where Xu Shu is. ]
Fire reminds me. Yes, it reminds me. [ More of the flames catch onto the "monk's" clothes. His tone changes as he lifts his hand up to look over the orange glow pulling his eyes away from the man. Ignoring the smell, ignoring the bright red his skin is turning. ] This pain. This pain. This suffocating feeling. It is the same, isn't it? Yes, it's the same!
It's different. To you. Please, stop interrupting now. [ His head tilts back, hair starting to burn. He lets out a sudden, shrieking laugh -- the more he laughs, the more the fire turns from orange to a vibrant green. He lets go of one scythe to rest it against his face; his mouth hangs open as he continues to laugh. His head twists and snaps violently to look off to the forest. ]
I smell blood. I smell blood. [ He repeats that a few times as the black spiritual swarm starts to meld itself with the green flames. ] Why am I the only one tasting this pain? Please drink in deep with me? [ So he says, so he says? As the flames explode outwards starting to chase after Xu Shu, looking and acting more like it is alive. Or given life. ]
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[His leg throbs, reminding him that he can't just rely on a war of attrition. As Xu Shu lands his cord is almost dancing in the air, flowing behind, and snaps back to the blade when he talks.]
You are far from the only one feeling that pain.
[Balance... nothing too aggressive yet but not drawing it out? Watching and learning had been part of the plan but with his blood seeping through his clothes how much can Xu Shu allow for? Will this odd wound even be easy to bind? Again the fear runs through his body as he looks through the flame... but his expression and tone remain stony.]
[He leans forward and, not without sorrow, begins to gather together the energies within his body, the power he was born with that steel shaped as he grew. The technique is dangerous and aggressive, a deadly and true dance of the blade, but right now Xu Shu sees no other path.]
But to see someone crave it? How much do you need?
[He raises a hand...]
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Everything feels wrong, and whatever's happened already is on the edge of faltering further, out of control. Something related to the war zone the clearing before him has become. Something to do with what Mitsuhide has already done, with what Xu Shu’s done and is about to do (what is the boy doing? he can’t dwell on that).
The bastard's bleeding heavily, but it isn't enough, and those flames - raging orange to green, moving unlike any natural fire - Daud's seen flickers of those flames before. Doesn’t like to think what magic’s been wielded against Xu Shu, what damage might already have been done. This can’t continue.
All right. All right.
He clenches his left fist, and feels time draw to slowing, slowing, and then to a hummed halt. The sound of flames fuzzes into static, the night breeze catches in place, and it's been sixteen years, but all of this feels so deeply familiar, almost right, almost as if he's missed this all along (that's a dangerous thought; he can't let that in, can't dwell on all its implications; he’s doing this because he must, and that’s all).
He can’t allow himself to lend attention to Xu Shu, has to ignore the tug of an impulse that demands to look at him, examine him, make certain he’s still standing. What must be done instead is to keep himself positioned away from Xu Shu. Keep Mitsuhide’s attention and effort focused elsewhere.
Already he can feel the Void’s pull drawing at his energy. It’s the old drain. It’s happened swiftly. And he’s going to need to be quick about this. Can’t keep this up for long, especially not when he’s out of practice, especially not when the Void seems to swallow his energy so fiercely.
Two minutes. He estimates that he can manage three minutes - two and a half, if he pushes it (he can push it) - and a series of transversals before he has to let the power drop and allow time to resume its normal flow. It’ll be enough. It has to be enough.
Gritting his teeth, Whaler’s blade in-hand, he steps into the clearing, a movement self-assured and strident. As if he has the entire situation under control. As if - almost - he isn’t worried in the least. (Better to show himself now than keep solely to shadows. Better to grab the bastard’s attention as wholly as he can. Give him another target.) ]
Mitsuhide.
[ His characteristic growl is intensified, rough and licked with fury. ]
It's me you're after, isn't it?
Let’s keep this between us.
[ The fingers of his left hand flex, and he readies himself to transverse at any moment, crossing space to take himself out of Mitsuhide’s attack range or to place himself close enough to attack from behind.
It’s time to end this. (He should have ended it the day the bastard showed up at his home, skulls aglow, reading that cursed letter. He should have known then what would happen and what needed to be done. True, he hadn’t wanted it to end this way but, but, his reticence has only harmed them all. Has only risked their safety, and he can’t allow that any further.) ]
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[ His smile widens a fraction more. It shouldn't be able to do it. He is already smiling so brightly that when he widens his smile, it looks like his face is cracking in half. He blinks as he notices the movement first before hears his name -- his head snaps away from Xu Shu to focus on who has entered. Daud?
Inside of him, he thinks he hears a sigh of relief. His eyebrows come together as his gaze grows distant. He tilts his chin down, eyebrows furrowing. That cooling sensation -- what is it? You? The flames pull back to take a different shape than that of a serpent. It splinters to become hovering flames bathed in green that dance merrily behind and beside Mitsuhide. The shape of round balls of fire that occasionally distort to look like silently screaming faces. ]
No? No, it isn't.
[ Mitsuhide blinks. ] I'm not after you. You did not call me to this place, Daud. You did not call to me, and so... why would I be after you? [ He points with his scythe towards where Xu Shu sits. ] He called me. He put out this invitation. He put out these favors. He has been preparing and feasting with me in this banquet. Why would I be seeking you?
[ His eyes become a little clearer. ] This isn't where we fight. This isn't where it is. I already thought of it... I already thought of where it should be. This place is ... it's not right. This is the meal that I'm sharing with Xu Shu. This is where I carve out his insides and see every shape of him. This is where he can see every shape of me. [ He twists his head around to look to the young man. Once more, his smile splits a bright line of red across his face. ] Can you see the shape of it, Xu Shu?!
[ The flames cease occasionally taking the appearance of tortured expressions and only look like frozen in screams.
A pause. A small pause. ]
Xu Shu... you should hurry to make sure you see everything... that wound of yours... it won't let you keep dallying. [ That constantly bleeding won't let him keep waiting around -- yet Mitsuhide is talking and talking and talking, but he has to explain the situation or the man who joined him won't understand! ] Daud, did you know, did you? You didn't. You didn't because Xu Shu, you made Daud bleed.
[ He finally pulls the scythe back to point to the man before him. ]
You made him bleed. I can smell it. This upsets the stomach. It upsets the eyes. It upsets the ears. Not mine. No, not mine. You should apologize to each other. Apologize and then ... then ... let us smile. Let us smile. I can wait. I can. But you two... do you two have the time to wait?
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[Something is happening here that he does not understand, can only feel, a tickling at the edge of his senses he probably wouldn't have noticed unless he was fully shifted into a fighting mindset. He knows only a little about the former's and the latter... well. He knows it exists in his father-figure and nothing more than that, because they've never really talked about their respective powers, have they? A fact that is going to make things more difficult right now. That they have their reasons for keeping it quiet suddenly seems... silly.]
You're right. I can't waste time. [His expression is turning more frustrated, perhaps even angry, and he's bracing for a jump as he talks.] So there's no room to apologise yet. Shan Fu talks with steel, Mitsuhide, remember?
[Everything else can come after. Mitsuhide can look and observe and pick at the bond Xu Shu has with Daud in whatever way he likes but there isn't going to be time to deal with that until well after this fight is done; no, right now Xu Shu is going to have to trust that Daud can work with him despite the fact they haven't talked about it.]
[So he'll push into his jump, flipping through the air and closing the gap further. If nothing else happens he'll land at Mitsuhide's side but should either of the other men interfere, which is likely, well...]
[He'll respond. And hopefully it will be enough.]
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Mitsuhide isn’t agreeing to the battle’s redirection.
And Xu Shu’s speaking, moving. Maybe not acting with his characteristic swiftness (maybe not acting with something more than that; hadn’t Daud caught a glimpse of the man moving impossibly fast?), but acting. Not stalled wholly in time. Fuck. Fuck. He’ll— He’ll keep the power in place for now. Let it last until he’s attempted a strike against Mitsuhide. Then he’ll have to release time to its typical flow, have to make sure he isn’t hindering Xu Shu’s capacity to dodge an attack if need be.
He should have struck from the start. Shouldn’t have bothered speaking to the bastard, because what, what was he thinking, imagining that he could predict what Mitsuhide might do? Daud’s seen enough of the man to know his logic runs along its own tracks. All he’s done in announcing his presence has been to waste time and opportunity. All he’s done is fucking erred.
No time to dwell on that now, though. Nor to dwell on Mitsuhide’s words, his declarations regarding Xu Shu. ’The meal I’m sharing,’ what kind of Void-forsaken nonsense is that? And the rest… The rest is precisely what Daud expected. It’s no surprise that the bastard wants to carve Xu Shu apart. The surprise (no, it’s only half a surprise, given what he’s long known about Xu Shu) is that Xu Shu should have invited a scenario in which the odds of destruction were so high.
Damn the boy. Again, again, damn the boy, and damn the man and his scythe most of all. Blame himself most of all, for not having acted sooner. None of this should ever have happened.
The rest of Mitsuhide’s speech is nonsense. Or it’s a sense for another time, something to be sorted far from this place and once the bastard’s heart’s through with beating. Never mind MItsuhide’s insistence that this isn’t the right place, never mind his mad fucking idea that this is some, some ritual, some occasion to be shared with Xu Shu alone. Never mind the ’you made him bleed,’ this obsession with smiles.
And never mind Xu Shu’s talk of Shan Fu. Never mind the ways that doesn’t bode well, can only herald damage. If Daud can end this before Xu Shu (‘Shan Fu,’ by the fucking Void) attacks and can be attacked again. If only he can end this, there’ll be time for reflecting on the rest later. Or burying it deep beneath forgetting.
Xu Shu’s moving. The foolish boy’s moving, and it’s now or—
His fist clenches. The air goes electric. And Daud vanishes, reappearing in the instant behind MItsuhide, already moving his blade. (It feels good to travel like that again. Feels natural to transverse space so smoothly, for the Void's to spark through his nerves, his veins, and for a split moment he wonders whether he should ever have given this up. Whether he’s been denying some necessary part of himself all along.)
Daud’s intent is to slice Mitsuhide’s throat clean through, down to the and beyond the spine. As a back-up plan, he’ll stab the bastard through the base of the neck. And if Mitsuhide’s movements make both attacks impossible, he’ll improvise.
He's long, long been skilled with improvisation. ]
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[ A clouded film forms over Mitsuhide's gaze. The manic green slowly turning to a warmer gold. The wide-wide-wide smile faltering as the corners turn down. His grip on the scythes loosens just a fraction before his fingers wrap tighter around them until his knuckles crack. ]
Is this not good? You've feasted enough, haven't you? [ His high-pitched giggling and higher-pitched words shift to a slow, easy and almost soothing tone. Worry bleeds into the words. Concern etches into each syllable. Yet his face doesn't change from the wide smile. ]
We're still talking!
[ The words are not directed to the men surrounding him, but to the face that is trying to interfere. It wants him to sleep. It wants this carnage to stop! It can't stop! It can't! They haven't given parting words to each other! Why is he getting in the way of himself?! You should just sleep if you don't like it! Indeed, if Xu Shu hadn't confused Tenkai into thinking he was the one called, Tenkai would have been sleeping and Mitsuhide would have arrived. But since the monk came first, he couldn't go to sleep until he make sure everything was all right!
To the side. To behind. Clever, clever, but aren't they a little too close? Then? Then? I'd like to taste that blade. But? But! You're still-- His eyes widen as the flames around him burst and burn brighter, filling the whole clearing in green light and suffocating heat. He acknowledges the men coming in close, seeing the flashing of blades and feels the killing intent wash over him. ]
Yes! Yes! YES! Still talking! Still talking! Talk, talk, talk! [ His back twists in an impossible fashion, like the spine is not made of bone but something much more flexible. He drops down to the ground with the scythes held tight in his hands and spins. He spins his entire body in sudden and violent circle, twisting his being into nothing but sharp blades. ]
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[No killing. For none of them.]
[Landing in his original spot is a dangerous idea, though. In the blink of an eye Xu Shu flicks his cord out, the attached dagger embedding itself into safer dull earth so he can use it to pull himself over and out of harm's way. There's a good chance he'll still get nicked by those blades on the landing which is bad but this is going to come to a close soon anyway... and, well, he hasn't seen what Daud's done because he's not had the chance, and that is the most fortunate thing of all. Rather than try to pull himself to safety he would have made a much more drastic movement.]
[No killing is most important of all for Daud. It's half the reason Xu Shu did this alone.]
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Which he does. Immediately, almost without thought, he disappears, only to reappear six feet over, taking in the sight of Mitsuhide and Xu Shu, of the blasted clearing. Mitsuhide’s become… It defies description, really, o there’s no time for finding words to match his movement. And Xu Shu’s flagging, strong but plainly wounded.
It’s no good. This is no good.
He releases his hold on time, and that’s one less problem; the effort of manipulating the flow of moments has already begun to run him ragged, but now that time’s running free again, there’s a surge of energy. (Because it feels good, doesn’t it? Even through the exhaustion, it feels good to channel such power, to perform such feats.) And there’s clarity: the lucidity that inevitably accompanies combat.
Xu Shu’s out of the attack’s range; so much the better. There’s no need to propel him out of harm’s way, but… But. There’s still the matter of keeping Xu Shu out of trouble. Because Daud doesn’t doubt that the man’s planning something, some sacrifice of himself, some foolhardy application of his (what are they, what has he been gifted with?) abilities.
This time, when Daud transverses, he appears between Mitsuhide and Xu Shu. If he can keep himself in Mitsuhide’s focus. If he can keep Xu Shu from holding a direct line of attack to MItsuhide. If he can manage these things, he might still be able to see this finished without further injury. ]
Stay. Back.
[ The words are staccato, rough. Directed primarily toward Xu Shu, though Daud keeps his eyes on his foe. Hard to kill a spinning mess of blades. Hard to kill such a creature, but he’ll need to come out of it eventually, won’t he?
And Daud will be watching. And Daud will be ready to move once again, crossing space and leveling his dagger however he must. ]
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[ He looks up towards his scythes. The serrated edges remain clean. He didn't even get a chance to taste any of their blood. His chest feels tight then at ease at not seeing any red. The blades are cursed that even a single small cut will bleed rivers of red, red, red, red. The ground is saturated in his blood, in Xu Shu's blood. But not Daud's. Isn't that sad? It's sad. ]
How sad. [ He repeats himself as he looks towards where Daud has moved. Fast, fast, fast. ] It whispers. It whispers and doesn't quite scream. But the words are getting much, much louder. You can feel it, can't you? You can feel it beneath the skin. [ A wide smile warms his mouth as he fixes his gaze on the man before him. ]
It itches? Probably? Yes, it iches. Do you know the shape of your fear? [ His eyes soften just a little as he peers at the man's cold face. ] It doesn't exist inside of you. It's there. [ The scythe gestures behind him. ] It's there. It is inside others.
[ He doesn't want to hear that. He doesn't want to have that sort of talk. Do not touch places people are healing with such sharp instruments. His eyes glaze over as he twists his head to look to the side. Annoyance burning into his expression but he shrinks back like he is scolded. ] Fine! A smile! A smile, then! Let's smile!
[ A burst of laughter pours of his mouth. Let his scythes sing a beautiful song. A song where they can carve big, bright smiles on each other. Curved into an open mouth, bleeding happiness everywhere. So he sprints forward -- with the hellfire of green following him and raises one blade to cut wide, twisting his body about to bring the other blade in a diagonal slice. ]
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Stay back.
[His weariness leaks into his voice but it's stone as well, edged with fire that threatens to leak as freely as Mitsuhide's emotions do, but Xu Shu is holding it back. Can Daud see how dark his trouser leg is, now? There's not much left until he won't have enough blood left to stay awake which is why he turns to meet the opponent's attack with one of his own. He raises a hand...]
For you, just one last drink.
[That sprint forward brings them close but Xu Shu finally allows his gathered power to burn free, shaping into the form it's known best since he was a man who only knew steel to sort problems. Daud's blinking movements earlier might be called to mind here. Xu Shu moves so fast he can only be seen for a few moments, slicing through the air over and over all around Mitsuhide, leaving trails of purple light that linger for a few moments before fading. It looks almost chaotic but it's not, every slice is precise and chosen and that's why not a single one is used in a manner that might kill. Cut? Bleed? Harm? Yes. Some are used only to come close and nothing more but some are going to hurt if they land... just like the wound on Xu Shu's leg, though without the curse of bleeding.]
[It's an impressive show that lasts no more than a few seconds and finishes when the warrior shows himself fully again, attempting to dodge under any attack that comes and hopefully push Mitsuhide backwards. There's a good reason for that because he'll pull himself up straight after, huff one deep breath and then, well...]
[Crumble to the ground, his large frame finally unable to keep him standing.]
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In the time it’s taken to recover, Xu Shu’s already launched an attack, and— And. Daud could almost think the man was Void-touched (only it’s something else, some ability of his own, the details of which Daud’s never heard and never asked), the way he’s become almost impossible to see save in glances, the way there’s clear precision in his scarce-seen motions, the way there’s no stopping him.
The attack ends - so quickly, the boy must have been manipulating time, was certainly manipulating movement - and Daud becomes aware of two facts. Fact one: Xu Sh has collapsed and been left vulnerable. That Xu Shu will need to be defended. (More vaguely, he’s aware of a constriction in his chest, a question of whether Xu Shu’s been wounded or worse, whether some lasting damage has been done. He can’t think about that. There’s no use in it.)
Fact two: Mitsuhide’s still breathing.
The bastard’s still breathing.
And it wasn’t a fluke. The way Xu Shu was moving, he should have leveled deeper damage. Daud’s seen the man at work before, knows he’s capable of drawing blood and more. Which suggests that this was intentional. Which suggests that Xu Shu hadn’t intended to take down the bastard. What game is he playing at? What strategy would draw this out longer than need be?
(There’s something else, an odd conflictedness in Mitsuhide. Daud’s been glimpsing it, tracking it, but decides it doesn’t matter, not enough to call for a shift in tactics. It’s something to keep an eye on, nothing more.)
Whatever Xu Shu was planning - whatever the reason he threw Daud aside - it can’t happen this way. Daud’s intent on finishing the bastard, or coming as close to the job as he can.
Still. Xu Shu first. Take care of him if necessary (make certain he’s still breathing, make certain there’s no insurmountable bleeding out), or else what’s the point of this endeavor. Keeping an eye on Mitsuhide, Daud moves to Xu Shu, bends down on one knee. His plan is to do this quickly: gather up Xu Shu (thank fuck for the Void’s enhancements; Daud’s strong, true, but Xu Shu isn’t a small man, and Daud can feel his own strength flagging from repeated use of his abilities), then transport him out of the clearing and set him aside so Daud can finish with Mitsuhide.
It’s simple. It shouldn’t take long. And Daud feels certain he can do this. ]
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And even with the tight hold he has on the scythes, the scythes are knocked clear out of his grip. They sail a good distance before embedding themselves blade first into the ground hard enough that they remain upright. But he has very little time to dodge back to retrieve them. He has very little time even to turn back to see where they have gone.
He bursts out with laughter. Bright, flowing, exuberant. He laughs even as his body takes each vicious cut. In fact, he laughs that much louder. His choking laughter only broken up by saying: ] That hurts! That hurts! [ Yet he hardly sounds bothered by the pain. He hardly sounds bothered by the agony as rivers of blood pour down his arms, chest, legs, face. So many cuts but not enough to kill -- not meant to kill.
At the end of the attack, he is knocked backwards. His back slams into a tree just outside of the clearing. There is a resounding crunching sound of the bark splitting upon the force of which he hit. His head lulls down, long hair that was once white now stained red. ]
More... I want to keep playing. More, more! He ... he... [ Crimson flows past his lips as he lifts his hand up, reaching out toward the two. He flops forward, starting to drag himself to them. His clawing hands stop. ] No. [ His head tilts as he looks through a veil of hair, sticking to his face wet with blood. The manic light is strangled out of his gaze. ]
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A look of panic screams its way into his eyes as he stands. The way Daud is kneeling, the feeling that chills and freezes his heart. No! Neither one can leave just yet! Not for that but for that! ]
Such a thing .. such a thing! [ He stumbles closer, walking less in jerky-sudden movements. Moving less like a creature that merely inhabits the body of a man. His eyes fix on Xu Shu before fixing on Daud. Concern etches itself in his gaze. ]
The curse still is upon him. I must get closer to be able to break it. I must. [ A truth and a lie. A lie and a truth. If I explain outright what it is I plan to do, Daud, you will not trust me. Such a thing... it's understandable. Even so, then I must deceive. I must even though ... it will not breed trust between us.. Yet he feels if he takes the time to explain now that it will waste time.
For each step he stumbles forward, the ghost fire bursts and evaporates in the air. The miasma swirling on the ground cumulates and is absorbed into the "monk." His anxiety rises as he repeats himself, louder, clearer! ] I have to draw closer! Please let me draw closer.
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[Because Daud is on edge and ready to kill. That cannot happen. He won't let it. Summoning the last of his strength Xu Shu reaches out to grasp at the other man's clothing, tugging down, insistent. There's no time to explain in detail but if he doesn't do something... well, first.]
Let him.
[Come close. Clear the curse. The meaning is obvious even if it seems like a ridiculous request on many levels but if Tenkai doesn't get a chance to undo the cursed magic he inflicted as Mitsuhide then Xu Shu will die. What would Daud do if that happened? Doesn't bear thinking about.. he pulls again, a little harder, as hard as he is capable of.]
[Says in a raspy breath, even as his vision blackens:]
Dad... don't kill...
[It's vulnerable and as honest as he is capable of with Daud, more than he has been before, but that just means it should have more impact. Hopefully it'll be enough, Xu Shu thinks, as he sighs and finally lapses into unconsciousness.]
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What is he doing.
What did he say.
(No it's clear. All of it's clear and cutting, the insistence with which Xu Shu's dragged him downward, the way he grasps toward words with shuddered breaths - difficult, it's difficult for the man to speak and still he captures the words, meaning they matter, meaning Xu Shu believes they hold reason - the way he... may have muddled a word, a name (or it was no mistake), but his final words ring clear.)
'Don't kill.'
(And he's right, isn't he? Some part of Daud flinches internally at the phrase, realizing it may be apt. Realizing it might be something that he needs to hear, because yes this is for Xu Shu, this is for Cassandra, this is for everyone who means a fucking thing to him, but he's been barreling forward without letting himself think too far. But maybe there's something he's missing; maybe Xu Shu holds information Daud hasn't had access to. Maybe there's another way here. And maybe Daud's fallen back into old habits too readily.
It's a thought he doesn't care for. It's a thought that sparks a deep enough chill to pause his hand, keeping him from striking out at Mitsuhide.)
He's free of Xu Shu's grasp now, telling himself that the boy's still alive, that there's still time to preserve him though he's lost a lot of blood, is losing a lot of blood, and what was it the bastard did, because this isn't natural and ('the curse it still upon him') Daud can only guess at the magic Mitsuhide possesses or what might be at work here but it's wrong, Daud knows wounds and the amount of blood here is wrong.
He wants to kill the bastard.
But if there is something at work.
But given Xu Shu's behests.
Given the uncommon openness in the man's words.
One arm wrapped around Xu Shu, Daud grabs his blade with his free hand, levels it at Mitsuhide (who is, it's true, acting strange; who's compulsion seems to have shifted directions, and wherein the fuck had that mask come from?). ]
You're going to explain yourself.
Quickly.
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[ Tenkai keeps walking forward, steadily, calmly, looking to the man and not the blade brandished in his direction. The steps he takes are not swaying -- like a hanged man swinging side=to-side -- but instead he drags his feet against the ground as though he carries a heavy burden.
He fixes his eyes upon Xu Shu, watching his weakened state attempt to spare a few words to Daud. He drops his chin a little as he feels a wretched freezing sensation curl around his heart. Explain quickly. Which part and where? I wish I could simply tell you a lie and a truth. But you may interrupt-- ]
I intend to break the curse. If it remains, he will ... [ The closer that he gets, the stench of blood intensifies. How could it not? His once pale skin is coated in red. His once long white hair is now a deep shade of crimson. ] ... there is no reason for him to fall here in this place, at this time.
[ Your son deserves better. The monk wishes to add but cuts himself off. His gaze slides to look over the carnage that took place in the clearing. This face has no right to say that. That face has no right to prod that weakness, either. He continues speaking, continues explaining; his words quick and hurried even as he may seem leisurely in everything else. ]
But after breaking it, I intend to heal what I can. I cannot replenish the blood that has been lost, but I can revitalize the spirit to ensure the body will have a faster recovery. [ He can drain the energy straight from the soul. ] I intend to use the curse materials themselves to do so. [ Tenkai does not believe that Daud will shed tears for the lost spirits that have been employed by Mitsuhide to do mischief being used as fodder to ensure Xu Shu's survival.
He does not think that Daud will care about that at all. But he does think that the man will care about Tenkai using his abilities upon the young man once more -- regardless of the reason. ]
If you do not like that... the only other option is your own soul. [ He stands now one or two paces away from him. He stares at him, breathing in deep, holding his breath. The choice is yours. The choices is yours, but you must make it quick before I make it for you. I explained when I did not want to, so you must choose when you do not want to. ]
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The bastard’s coming closer. And it’s true, something’s changed - Daud can see it, hear it, sense it; notes the way it’s written through Mitsuhide’s movements - but he doesn’t lower the blade, not yet. Though it doesn’t feel like a trick - though it feels like something earnest, something strangled and yet striving - there’s really no telling with Mitsuhide.
(What has happened? What caused this changed, and… What has Xu Shu done?)
Mitsuhide’s bleeding badly. Maybe the bastard’ll expire after all, though Daud doubts he’s that lucky. (He should kill him. Right now.) (’Don’t kill.’) (He should rid the world of this blood-hungry bastard.) (’Let him.’) (It’d be simple enough. So easy.) (’Don’t—‘) (He should.) (But this curse.) (But he should.)
Debates rage beneath thought, but he needs to push forward, determine what to do about this situation, because what’s clear is that Xu Shu’s fading. What’s clear is that Xu Shu believes Mitsuhide can help, and that Mitsuhide (’this face’) seems bent on doing… something. Void knows what, precisely. ]
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
[ He doesn’t care for the idea of, what, using curse materials? Doesn’t care for the notion of this bastard fucking with his soul, either, and Daud doesn’t have enough information to say which would be better for Xu Shu. Because of course he doesn’t. Because of course Mitsuhide (this face) wouldn’t offer more than hints and glimpses. It really is like speaking with the Outsider, all of these half-truths and unfinished explanations. A dire situation that still, still won’t force the full truth out.
He hates this. He resents this. This never should have happened. ]
I’m in no mood for your bullshit.
[ And don’t. Don’t… ’Don’t talk about this as if it has nothing to do with you,’ he almost says. As if Xu Shu’s falling has nothing to do with Mitsuhide. As if the bastard hadn’t attacked Xu Shu, hadn’t gone swinging blades after both of them. But it’s more than needs to be said. Would be a distraction from what needs to happen now, before anything can turn further awry. ]
Use what’s best for Xu Shu. My soul, if you need it.
But if you harm him…
[ He doesn’t need to finish that. The sharpness of his glare, the blade still pointed at Mitsuhide speak loudly enough. ]
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[ His tone, unlike Mitsuhide's, sounds almost exasperated at Daud's lack of understanding. But it is no fault of the man. He feels an itch underneath the skin. It is an itch that scratches the flesh raw -- dread, alarm, horror. He worries his bottom lip underneath the metal mask, bites it until it bleeds.
He merely continues to look at him and waits. It itches feels like it is ripping holes. What is best for him? In the end, it is my choice? Releasing his bottom lip, its bleeding enough that a thin line of blood that drips beneath the mask.
Kneeling down, he holds his hand out like one does for begging coins. Spirits flow into his palm, balling themselves up until they are little more than an undulating mass of black. Tenkai makes a tsking noise at them. ]
You should not be so greedy. Indulging so much is bad. You'll get rounder and rounder and then what?
[ The monk scolds the spirits for their gluttonous ways, even though "he" is the one who called to them in the first place. They shudder in his hand, twisting in a black, formless shape. Waiting, waiting. His head lifts as he sees that the wound Xu Shu has been suffering from has closed. What will be best for him? ]
He would not want you to sacrifice yourself for him. He would not want you to suffer even if it means that he will be all right.
[ But ... I believe that he should understand the pain that he has put into other people's hearts by experiencing it... Xu Shu is a stubborn one. He is very stubborn. He tilts his head towards Daud, eyes smiling warmly. If he is talked to reasonably, he may still drag his feet. This wound I place in his heart is a small one. A small one that you can both heal from, because you are both changing.
The black mass within his hand evaporates quickly until he is holding nothing. He reaches out to carefully, gently take Daud's wrist with one hand and Xu Shu's with the other. ]
Do not scold him too heavily when he awakens. Just a little will be enough. Just a little.
[ A warm smile works its way into Tenkai's stare before a bright green light works its way into his eyes, filling even the white in the color. The monk does not tell Daud to brace himself, because the man should know that it is going to be an uncomfortable experience. Xu Shu remains unconscious so there is no concern for what pain he will feel, but for the man -- ah.
For the man, his soul is being drained from Tenkai's touch. It is a cold, freezing feeling that would take over the entire body; it is a darkening feeling like the body itself is violently shutting itself down. Because the flesh does not know what to do when the spirit itself is being assaulted. It can only panic. It can only scream. It can only shudder and twist everything on the inside in order to save itself.
It lasts for only a few seconds -- a few long seconds -- before he finally lets go of both of their wrists. ]