Through the eyes of a dead man

"I understand Jesh. You're to be king, you can't be sacrificed this way. You are the face of hope for this nation, the last light in the abyss of sorrow and fear."

"Quit it with the theatrics Id." Jesh had just described Id's mission to him. He would be accompanied to Paradisia to find Seashi and kill him by a small group. Alotahr's mercenary general Dkar would be the first of his comrades. The mysterious officer of Atiace's army, Kadil would be the second. The third of his team would be a young girl from Jesh's and Ana's hometown who had tracked them into Outerworld. He name was Laurie. The final member of the party would be trusted to Id's choice. He already made up his mind, the beautiful and incredibly dangerous Ryah kite would take the last slot.

"You are such a child Jesh. I pray that you mature a bit before you rise to power, or else this world will be no better off than it is now." The embittered warrior had seen much in his life and nothing much affected him, with the exception of his memories. "I'm leaving now. no use in waiting."

"You are as cold as a corpse. You know that?" Id froze and shook his head.

"I am a corpse you jackass!" With that he stormed out and began collecting his team. They had all been informed except his choice and told to meet at the entrance of the city of Shivas. Meanwhile Id walked to Ryah's chamber and knocked on the door. It opened for it hadn't been locked. "Miss Kite. I'd like to have a word with you." He called in. he did not dare enter the room of a lady without her permission. He may have been a horrible assassin with hate flowing through his veins instead of blood, but he had manners.

Laurie smiled. She wore a red dress and a red hat that had a black feather decorating it. Her boots were black and dainty. She put on her black gloves, and then daintily picked up the dress so it didn't sweep the ground, picking up dirt.

She then walked over to where they were to meet. It seems she was the second one there, and she smiled to that person. "Hello." She said. "I am Laurie."

She planned on to introduce herself to everyone, for she did not know anyone really. She knew Id, and Jesh.

The other figure at the meeting place was none other then Dkar dinesty. In her long flowing black cloak of an unknown material she hid her form to prying eyes. The hood was up, her head bowed to hide her face. She had her arms crossed like a monk up alternate sleeves to hide her arms. Altogether she was in fairly good mood, and for her that was strange indeed.
"Laurie? “She purred the name smiling under the hiding hood. Her good mood however, did not lend for a need to talk. "Dkar." She stated simply.

Kedil stood shyly. The wavering thought of why he was here with them flooded his mind, but he tried to ignore it and think about other things.
He was a wanted boy, by many most likley skilled people. It was suicide to stand out in the open, so vulnerable.
He carefully held the large book in his hands. It was a possession beyond the importance of any other. For this book contained almost every technique his village and other villages had created. With careful study, Kedil could become the most skilled shinobi in all of his land, just with this very book.
He looked at the newcomer.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kedil."

::Ryah looked up from a book.::

Id. Please come in. ::Her sister was asleep behind her, peaceful as an angel.:: What can I do for you? ::She rose, her armour currently replaced by a thin nightgown. Her hair was touseled gently. She cast her deep eyes over him. She laughed inwardly. A man in her bedchamber..::

Id stepped in shyly and looked dead into Ryah's eyes. "Well, I've been commisioned to by our lord Jesh to quest to Paradisia and find Seashi. I'd like you to accompany me and my group there to take his head. So please join me and meet everyone." Ryah quickly agreed and followed Id to the specified meeting place. "You've all met me, allow me to describe our missoin for you. We are to go to the Northern plains of the Youkai kingdom. There we will find the once great city of Paradisia. In the ruins of the city, Seashi will be waiting for us. I know not what to expect once we get there. Will you all join me?"

"I promised Princess Ana I would go." Laurie said, and then she bowed deeply, respecting Id. "I intend to keep that promise." she said, softly and she rised her self back to her full height.

I of course am going. I would not have it any other way.

Kedil sat, he was with others, but in the long run by himself. Hidden within, he became flooded in thoughts.
He went over each one as quickley as he could. Once he was the least bit satisfied, he looked up at the rest of his new comrads.
He stood, ready for an adventure.
"I will join, it's my duty."

Dkar purred. "I have been paid to do so, so I will." For her there was never a choice in the matter. Money was money, a way to gain her goal. Nothing mattered but that. Even that mattered little. Her tail swished under her cloak, the only sign of movement.

"Then it's time for us to leave. But be forewarned. I don't expect many if any of us to survive this." With that Id began walking through the open fields that surrounded Shivas. Three hours passed in silence before they reached the outermost reaches of the forested area the marked their entrance into the nothern area of the Youkai kingdom. The air chilled around them and the smell of fire caught Id's attention. He halted the company and turned to those who followed him. "I smell fire. It smells as though pine is being burned."

Kedil took a glance around him, and mumbled,
"Fire..."

He stood straightly, and looked at Id.
"I have a good technique I can use to scout ahead undetected, should I do it?

"That would be a good idea. There's a small village here as well so Laurie, that will be your first assignment. Go and evacuate the citizens. Ryah and Dkar, you two come with me and attempt to extinguish the flames of the forest." With that he unsheathed the cane blade that he always carried with him. With a few passes of the weapon he put out a nearby flame. He continued waving the blade as he walked into the fires, using the vacuum that the swinging of the sword created to smother the flames he passed.

Laurie nodded and ran into the village. "Fire!" she shreiked, not even bothering to hold her hat down as she ran. "Lord Id want you all to evacuate!" Many of the villagers began to evacuate, but some did not not. The majority of the few who didn't evacuate were children. She frown. "Lord Id orders your evcauation!"

Knowing her snide remarks wouldn't be appreciated she thought to her self.. 'Why put it out? If anything I wish it was worse' however respecting her current employers wishes she tilted her head up to show her eyes. Flames leapt into them. She moved quickly among the flames hands spread whispering words beyond comprehension. Harsh guttural words. Where she walked the flames died around her.

"Astral Projection Technique." Stated Kedil, who had suddenly collapsed to the floor.
His body was not hurt in anyway, he was simply "out-of-his-body". Flying through the air as what you could call a ghost, he scouted as far as a few miles. When he spotted an approaching group of people, who were fully armed, he flew back to his body and reinstated himself inside of it.
Getting back up, he ran to Id's location and reported.
"We have a group of men that are fully equipped with weapons. It looks like their heading in our direction. The fires seem to be the least of our problems now."

"Thank you Kedil. CHange in plans everyone. We're going for the group of men. No doubt they bear the symbol of the youkai Imperial army. They do don't they Kedil?" Id looked to his young, new companion. He reminded Id of Garai very much, no doubt thanks to the techniques. He also had a bit of the dearly departed jiro locked within. This companion would prove to be useful. he was sure of it.

::Ryah walked about dumping buckets of water and putting out the flames around her. "I don't expect many of us to survive," he said. Ha. If she were to die she'd merely keep herself as a ghost. Her own purgatory.::

"I'm sorry to admit i'm not sure. That's the downside of the techinique, astral projection creates blurriness." Kedil finished, and watched with caution as men flooded in from the shadows around them.

Dkar sighed the last of her section went out. She missed the flames, they were her best company. Well she could always remedy their absence. She held out her palm whispered a word and a blue flame ignited. She held it for a few moments pondering whether or not to use the flame. Then she closed her hand crushing it. She was bored. Turning she made her way toward where the group had last been together.

((I'm not letting this die!))


Id was satisfied. All the flames had been smothered, now their were bigger fish to fry. "The soldiers must be removed." He began yet again walking, he was always calm and serene. He came to the top of a hill and peered down. This was what Kedil had seen. approxiamatly 15 armed men marched through the area setting fires to all that they passed. "Now!" He called back to the group as he dove from the summit, down the much steeper side of the hill. He landed directly in front of the leader. It was easy to distinguish the leader in the imperial army for they were the only ones that did not wear face masks on their helms. "Draw your weapon." Id said in his soft and wise voice. The captain did just that. He removed a heavy set of hooks from his belt. He faced Id and held his hooks mid-torso position. The other soldiers rushed at Id blindly and surrounded him. Each brandished a different weapon.

::As Ryah finished smothering the flames she saw Id skulk off down the hill. She followed him, and looked down. She cursed and drew her sword. 15 armed men surrounded him and she'd be damned if she left him to fight all of them. She lept down the hill and landed gracefully on her feet then charged at the nearest man, slicing down his back with her sword. He fell. Two turned and came at her, one brandishing two shortswords, and one with a crossbow. She brought her sword down on the second one's wrist, hacking off the hand that held the crossbow. That rendered him helpless for a time. She dealt with the one with the two swords. He threw out a double blow, horizontally. She threw up her blade to block and shoved his hands away with the force. She went to stab, he dodged sideways and she missed. But she flipped her sword around, holding the blade flat, and used the handle to pull his foot out from under him. He stumbled backwards, flailing his arms. She stabbed him through the stomach and he fell to the dirt. She fought her way into the circle and shouted to Id.::

You think I'm going to let you have all the fun?

Dkar arrived just in time to witness the battle joined by Ryah. she purred and shed her cloak. It seemed she might have some fun yet. Her silver skin tight armor was a flash of light as she with inhuman speed attacked the nearest opponent. The look of surprised fear on his face was almost as delicious as the smell of his fear, and the feel of his arm as it tried to resist her blade. Before the surprise look could fade to agony she had cut the other arm from him. Then she gutted the man and as the blood flowed down his chin mixing with his tears she licked it off him. The taste of blood and tears and death. She lived for it. She wrenched her blade out of the screaming not quite dead man and was on another. He had witnessed his companions demise and so was a harder target. His long sword caught her first dagger.The man cried out "Demon!" as he took in her feline features. Flames leapt into her ice blue eyes. Her hands became engulfed with blue fire and it traveled up the mans sword in a flash. The man dropped his sword, but not before the fire reached out and consumed him. Dkar's tail twitched in satisfaction.

Kedil swung his head back and forth, inspecting his enemies. It was time to try his newest technique, which he was hoping wouldn't backfire.
"Shadow Restoration Clone!"
Suddenly, two other clones of Kedil stood next to him. One enemy with a large curved sword charged, hollering.
Kedil and his two clones ran straight towards the man, switching positions as fast as they could. Suddenly, as the two sides would clash, Kedil became a shadowy-mist substance and dicenagrated through the enemy. His clone, which had just flew through the enemy, became solid again. He spun in mid-air before he landed, kicking the enemy's back. The man flew face first into the ground, and Kedil and the other clone leapt backwards onto him, immediatly killing him.
Kedil cut off the energy flow, causing the two clones to dissapear. He was saddened to know that this was not the first time he had killed someone.

"You are my enemy." Id spoke in his calm voice and stared straight through the man before him. The crest was all too similar and it forced Id to nearly vomit. He had worn it for many a year while under Seashi's control. It seemed synonomos with atrocious acts.

"You live my pet. Return to your master!" The voice that this man spoke with was not his own. He knew the tone and the pitch, it bore into his head and haunted his nightmares.

"Petty possession. Seashi, I'm coming for you." His hands clenched around the handle of the blade he held and he ran forward with a tremendous cry. "ALL MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!" His swing flew in an upside-down arc, aimed at his adversaries side, just below the ribs where the breastplate of imperial armor was cut. The man was nimble and Id's weapon was met by two, one foot long hooks made of tempered steel. Sparks jumped from the clash of metal. "I will release this man from your service." Id twisted the handle of his sword, causing the man with the hooks to bend his arms to the point where he was thrown off balance. Id then pulled his weapon out from the clutches of his opponent and quickly as lightning shoved it back again, piercing the plating of the armor, the man's skin, his ribcage, his heart, his spinal cord, his back, and the back of his armor in one full thrust. Still holding the handle of his magnificent weapon, Id jumped and kicked the imperial soldier's corpse in it's face, forcing it off his blade.

The moonlight shone down upon Id and the corpse like a sick irony. He had just taken a life to save a soul and now he stood in the most beautiful of all light. He breathed a heavy sigh as the wind blew around him. His cloak flew up and swirled about him and the bent with the bitter wind. It's moistness lifted into the air and floated a few moments before crashing to the earth once more. It had just rained and the smell still hung in the air. The remaining soldiers fell about them and black clouds lifted from their bodies. "They were all really dead bodies under Seashi's control. These weren't men...they were monsters." He was indicting himself, an abomination of nature. Id had died but still he walked the Earth, unable to be set free thank to the grip Seashi still held on his soul. "He fell by this blade...as will you. YOU HEAR ME YOU BASTARD?!?! YOU'RE NEXT!!!!!" He screamed with his eyes turned to the sky.

four hours later, Id had given all the soldiers proper burials, there was something ironic about that in his mind. A corpse burying those who were just speaking. He desired greatly to crawl into the ground beside them and let the worms devour his body but he couldn't, as much as he craved the sweet embrace of either heaven or hell there was no way for him to attain either unless his former master had been destroyed. "Set up camp." He spoke softly once more and looked to the others. "We're leaving Laurie at the town. She's not built for battle like the rest of us." He sat for the first time in days and closed his eyes. No longer had he shut them before visions of blood and gore from his past came flying toward him in the darkness. He opened his eyelids again and looked once more to the group. "I said set up camp."