Kurohane
02-08-2006, 02:07 AM
You're always in over your head, girl. Always leading your friends into some mischief.
The chuckle that followed her fathers words faded from Kurohane's mind as she gazed across Stormwind's Park. Alucian sat beside her, in the form of a cheeta, paitently waiting as he always did. She smiled, leaning over to hug him, his soft fur crushing against her cheek. She could almost see his smile as he licked her cheek, bringing a giggle from the huntress.
"Do I need to leave you two alone for a bit?" another elven voice asked mirthfully behind them.
She turned to smile over her shoulder at Xelthan, his blades gleaming at his hips. "We can restrain ourselves."
The druid chuckled softly beside her as he took on his true form again, and the two stood to face the rogue.
"So what's the plan, bosslady? When do we kill her?" Xelthan's smile took on a more sinister edge, a gleam shining in his one good eye.
"I'll explain once everyone is here. A bit of paitence," she answered, glancing towards the entrance to The Park.
Moments later found the three joined by Galidon and Izanami, near the marksman's range by the pool.
"We have seen the growing threat of The Crimson Watch - some of us even fighting alongside the Blades against them," she began, letting her gaze wonder of those gathered. "We have made our own strike against them, but tonight we make a more permanent stand. We are going to bring one of thier assissins to an end. This is not just for the greater good, but for vengence, and for Izanami as well. Yomi is her sister, taken by the plague and driven mad."
She pulled a vial from her bag and held it up where everyone present could see. "This is a potion that one of my friends has been working on. If it works, it will effectively remove the plague from any Forsaken it is administered to, drawing from them the magic that keeps them animated and leaving nothing but a corpse. We will edge our blades and tip our arrows with it to ensure that Yomi falls."
"When the deed is done, we will cleanse our blades of this potion in flame. We cannot afford for the horde to get even the smallest sampling of it and create a counter." Kurohane paused, looking over to Izanami. "Izanami will then begin her work - attempting to purify Yomi's soul, so that she may be with thier parents."
Izanami nodded, looking at the ground, "I will try, at least."
"You have already grown so strong since we first met, Iza," the huntress smiled reassuringly. "If anyone can do it, I know you can."
"Might as well add the corpse to that fire, bosslady," Xelthan added, running a finger over the hilt of one of his swords. "Just to make sure."
She nodded at him, "That is the plan."
"Mmm. Rogue flambe. Count me in," he grinned in return.
"That is my sister you're talking about," the priestess frowned.
"That's my brother's murder, as well," he answered calmly.
"Yes... well... that's still gross," her voice dropped to a muttered as she toyed with the edge of her tabard.
Xelthan laughed, giving her a wry grin, "Priests are cute when they frown. Keep that in mind, light-bearer."
Blushing, she smiled shyly, looking back to Kurohane. The huntress smiled faintly once more, nodding slightly before continuing.
"We move to engage at half past eleven at -- Ah, the elusive one finally arrives."
All eyes turned as Duoden walked up as casually as ever, a grin pulling at the edges of his lips. "Eh, I'd make a witty comment but I must be loosing my touch." The rogue reached over and poked Kurohane. "Hmm, guess not."
A small ripple of giggles washed over the Swordwaltzers, despite the cheesiness of the line. Greetings passed around, bows exchanged, more bad jokes.
"Oh, um, actually - Yomi wrote me back," Izanami finally spoke up, frowning nervously. "It was... was so cruel, so terrifying. She said she wanted to turn me into a forsaken..."
The men seemed to all start speaking at once, one over the other, assuring the priestess that none of them would ever allow that to happen - Kurohane's one sentiments mingled in with them. Finally, Kuro's inquiry of what else the letter stated quieted them.
"She said she was going there early, to watch the area, to make sure it wasn't another trap..."
The smirk that spread across Kurohane's lips was the only thing holding back a laugh. "Then we have no need to wait."
Mere minutes later the potion was coated upon each blade, tipped on each arrow, and the Swordwaltzers moved as a group towards the appointed area - Thunder Falls. Through Elwynn Forest, through the mountains, along the river. The first fall lay ahead, and beyond it, the meeting place. Kurohane halted, her small force amassing behind her.
War is not pretty, it is not fair - it is blood and blade and whatever is deemed necissary.
Her father's words ringing in her ears, she turned back to face her men. "Just over that falls we will meet and defeat the first of our enemies. Alucian, move to the edge of the bend once we cross the first fall, and give us a signal as soon as you can sence her presence." She paused, frowning at him in his cat form. "Roar or something." He nodded and began moving forward, the shadows instantly wrapping around him.
The moved forward once more, leaping from the top of that first fall. Silence meet them as they dashed forward, slipping beind rocks, into bushes.
Kurohane looked over her shoulder. Izanami trembled, but met her gaze steadily. A short nod and the priestess filled her lungs.
"YOMI! COME OUT! I AM HERE!"
The human's voice echoed, ricocheting off the mountains, reverberating through the small canyon and mixing with the rushing water until it could not be said where the call came from.
Moments passed. Balah shifted at her side, his claws scrapping in the dirt. And then, that rotted voice cried back, the Forsaken's voice echoing as Izanami's had. Kurohane's eyes darted around, her body held perfectly still, not daring to move. She waited for Alucian's signal, silently prayed he would not be seen.
And quite suddenly, Yomi was before her, yards away from them at the river's edge. She moved on instinct, drawing her bow back to let forth a concussive shot, tainted with the potion. Yomi spun, moving with speed she should not have had, despite Kurohane's shot, heading staight towards the huntress. Another arrow flew from her bow, as more shot past her from Galidon's. She could feel Alucian speeding back to thier location, his presence drawing closer, but Yomi was already on her.
The potion had not worked. She should have been dead already. But as the rogue's blade bit into her flesh, it became clear that it was affecting her. Duoden's blades slipped easily into the assissin's back, Galidon's axe nearly taking off her arm as Kuro's blades slid cleanly through her. A flurry of motions. Yomi fell at Kurohane's feet. Panting heavily, she clutched at her side.
Alucian ran to her side, calling upon nature to close her wounds as the others stepped back. All save for Xelthan. He sneered down at the corpse before driving his blade straight through her chest. Stepping back, he watched with the others as she knelt down, glancing to ensure that Izanami was still not watching.
For a moment, she hesitated. She knew what must be done, as last time. A voice raised unbidden into her mind, but not her father's this time. Don't ask those you lead to do things you would not do yourself. Her knife flew switfly and she dropped Yomi's already butched hand into a small sack, then cut off the undead's tabard as well.
Standing, her gaze moved over those gathered once more. "Well done, everyone."
I'm proud of you, Kurohane. Her father's Darnassian tongue mingled with the same words in common, from another voice she had come to respect. She smiled slightly, despite the deed that had been done. Celethorn had thought she might need help on it. Pride welled in her own chest. They had done the deed, and done it alone.
(( Welcome to the Alliance, Yomi!! <3 More yet to come! ))
The chuckle that followed her fathers words faded from Kurohane's mind as she gazed across Stormwind's Park. Alucian sat beside her, in the form of a cheeta, paitently waiting as he always did. She smiled, leaning over to hug him, his soft fur crushing against her cheek. She could almost see his smile as he licked her cheek, bringing a giggle from the huntress.
"Do I need to leave you two alone for a bit?" another elven voice asked mirthfully behind them.
She turned to smile over her shoulder at Xelthan, his blades gleaming at his hips. "We can restrain ourselves."
The druid chuckled softly beside her as he took on his true form again, and the two stood to face the rogue.
"So what's the plan, bosslady? When do we kill her?" Xelthan's smile took on a more sinister edge, a gleam shining in his one good eye.
"I'll explain once everyone is here. A bit of paitence," she answered, glancing towards the entrance to The Park.
Moments later found the three joined by Galidon and Izanami, near the marksman's range by the pool.
"We have seen the growing threat of The Crimson Watch - some of us even fighting alongside the Blades against them," she began, letting her gaze wonder of those gathered. "We have made our own strike against them, but tonight we make a more permanent stand. We are going to bring one of thier assissins to an end. This is not just for the greater good, but for vengence, and for Izanami as well. Yomi is her sister, taken by the plague and driven mad."
She pulled a vial from her bag and held it up where everyone present could see. "This is a potion that one of my friends has been working on. If it works, it will effectively remove the plague from any Forsaken it is administered to, drawing from them the magic that keeps them animated and leaving nothing but a corpse. We will edge our blades and tip our arrows with it to ensure that Yomi falls."
"When the deed is done, we will cleanse our blades of this potion in flame. We cannot afford for the horde to get even the smallest sampling of it and create a counter." Kurohane paused, looking over to Izanami. "Izanami will then begin her work - attempting to purify Yomi's soul, so that she may be with thier parents."
Izanami nodded, looking at the ground, "I will try, at least."
"You have already grown so strong since we first met, Iza," the huntress smiled reassuringly. "If anyone can do it, I know you can."
"Might as well add the corpse to that fire, bosslady," Xelthan added, running a finger over the hilt of one of his swords. "Just to make sure."
She nodded at him, "That is the plan."
"Mmm. Rogue flambe. Count me in," he grinned in return.
"That is my sister you're talking about," the priestess frowned.
"That's my brother's murder, as well," he answered calmly.
"Yes... well... that's still gross," her voice dropped to a muttered as she toyed with the edge of her tabard.
Xelthan laughed, giving her a wry grin, "Priests are cute when they frown. Keep that in mind, light-bearer."
Blushing, she smiled shyly, looking back to Kurohane. The huntress smiled faintly once more, nodding slightly before continuing.
"We move to engage at half past eleven at -- Ah, the elusive one finally arrives."
All eyes turned as Duoden walked up as casually as ever, a grin pulling at the edges of his lips. "Eh, I'd make a witty comment but I must be loosing my touch." The rogue reached over and poked Kurohane. "Hmm, guess not."
A small ripple of giggles washed over the Swordwaltzers, despite the cheesiness of the line. Greetings passed around, bows exchanged, more bad jokes.
"Oh, um, actually - Yomi wrote me back," Izanami finally spoke up, frowning nervously. "It was... was so cruel, so terrifying. She said she wanted to turn me into a forsaken..."
The men seemed to all start speaking at once, one over the other, assuring the priestess that none of them would ever allow that to happen - Kurohane's one sentiments mingled in with them. Finally, Kuro's inquiry of what else the letter stated quieted them.
"She said she was going there early, to watch the area, to make sure it wasn't another trap..."
The smirk that spread across Kurohane's lips was the only thing holding back a laugh. "Then we have no need to wait."
Mere minutes later the potion was coated upon each blade, tipped on each arrow, and the Swordwaltzers moved as a group towards the appointed area - Thunder Falls. Through Elwynn Forest, through the mountains, along the river. The first fall lay ahead, and beyond it, the meeting place. Kurohane halted, her small force amassing behind her.
War is not pretty, it is not fair - it is blood and blade and whatever is deemed necissary.
Her father's words ringing in her ears, she turned back to face her men. "Just over that falls we will meet and defeat the first of our enemies. Alucian, move to the edge of the bend once we cross the first fall, and give us a signal as soon as you can sence her presence." She paused, frowning at him in his cat form. "Roar or something." He nodded and began moving forward, the shadows instantly wrapping around him.
The moved forward once more, leaping from the top of that first fall. Silence meet them as they dashed forward, slipping beind rocks, into bushes.
Kurohane looked over her shoulder. Izanami trembled, but met her gaze steadily. A short nod and the priestess filled her lungs.
"YOMI! COME OUT! I AM HERE!"
The human's voice echoed, ricocheting off the mountains, reverberating through the small canyon and mixing with the rushing water until it could not be said where the call came from.
Moments passed. Balah shifted at her side, his claws scrapping in the dirt. And then, that rotted voice cried back, the Forsaken's voice echoing as Izanami's had. Kurohane's eyes darted around, her body held perfectly still, not daring to move. She waited for Alucian's signal, silently prayed he would not be seen.
And quite suddenly, Yomi was before her, yards away from them at the river's edge. She moved on instinct, drawing her bow back to let forth a concussive shot, tainted with the potion. Yomi spun, moving with speed she should not have had, despite Kurohane's shot, heading staight towards the huntress. Another arrow flew from her bow, as more shot past her from Galidon's. She could feel Alucian speeding back to thier location, his presence drawing closer, but Yomi was already on her.
The potion had not worked. She should have been dead already. But as the rogue's blade bit into her flesh, it became clear that it was affecting her. Duoden's blades slipped easily into the assissin's back, Galidon's axe nearly taking off her arm as Kuro's blades slid cleanly through her. A flurry of motions. Yomi fell at Kurohane's feet. Panting heavily, she clutched at her side.
Alucian ran to her side, calling upon nature to close her wounds as the others stepped back. All save for Xelthan. He sneered down at the corpse before driving his blade straight through her chest. Stepping back, he watched with the others as she knelt down, glancing to ensure that Izanami was still not watching.
For a moment, she hesitated. She knew what must be done, as last time. A voice raised unbidden into her mind, but not her father's this time. Don't ask those you lead to do things you would not do yourself. Her knife flew switfly and she dropped Yomi's already butched hand into a small sack, then cut off the undead's tabard as well.
Standing, her gaze moved over those gathered once more. "Well done, everyone."
I'm proud of you, Kurohane. Her father's Darnassian tongue mingled with the same words in common, from another voice she had come to respect. She smiled slightly, despite the deed that had been done. Celethorn had thought she might need help on it. Pride welled in her own chest. They had done the deed, and done it alone.
(( Welcome to the Alliance, Yomi!! <3 More yet to come! ))