Bestia Custos Episode 12: The Festival of the Hunt - Part 5

           As expected, the wolf charged Yashima telling the ram to stay back. As he leaped at Yashima, the wolf made a remark regarding retribution for what was done to the human female. This may be of useful if this human is of significant importance to him, that is of course if she survived the fall from Yashima's technique. Despite the fear that Genkaku's allies and myself felt when the wolf demonstrated his powers, there was something almost comical in the way that he fought.

           I mean no disrespect, captain, but the wolf is a poor example of primeran combat. I know that you have told us many times of how he was raised in the human home world, but to be so oblivious to how one's own body works only means that he is indeed in desperate need of your guidance and wisdom. His actions were over exaggerated, his attacks telegraphed long before he attempts them, and his footing and posture were deplorable. Yashima showed a growing zeal as every mistake by the wolf fueled his own confidence. It grew to the point that Yashima was toying with him, dancing around the wolf's efforts. It was almost as if the wolf was a human trying to fight in a primeran body. Our battlefield is one of guile and instinct, not a barrage of thoughtlessly placed limbs and venomous anger.

           In what I can best describe as an attempt to lure the wolf into a more suitable position to be sent repelled away from his party, Yashima began using his staff to strike the wolf's open areas and confound his leg work by tripping him every chance he could find. Yashima began to take a great deal of pleasure from this and even began taunting the wolf. Again, a plot to lure the wolf into a vulnerable situation I'm sure, as I have come to know Yashima as quiet and reserved.

           It was at this point that it was abundantly clear that the wolf was not use to fighting someone half his size either, a fact proven by the wolf's verbal frustration in trying to strike Yashima. But all that changed when the ram decided to play.

           A loud and sharp noise pieced through Yashima's delight in toying with the wolf that made his hair stand on end, a sign of danger. A column of stone and earth forged into a razor's tip bust from the ground beneath Yashiman, nearly impaling him. The wolf looked towards the ram in surprised and Yashima bounded away to gain distance. Though farther away, I could still make out their words to one another.

“You didn't have to join in...”

“I did, watching you was just too painful to bear.”

“It's okay! I'm not hurt or anything.”

“... Not what I meant...”

“Well, if you help I guess we'll get finished with him sooner and go find Kate and the others!”

“Then we agree on something, just keep your distance.”

“Yeah, he's too slippery when close up.”

“I meant from me...”

           There was a grim reminder then as to why you desire the wolf so badly, captain. Because it was in that moment, Yashima realized that he was the one being made a fool of. A lesson that would fortified in pain.

           The wolf was changed when he began to use the powers of the Black Heart. There was suspicion when we all encountered him the first time, but there was no mistaking it here. The azure light that crystallized into various tangible forms was proof enough that he is indeed the inheritor of such power. No longer a flailing mess, the wolf's attacks were concise and focused. His constructs, though crude, were razor sharp or were hurled at speeds so fierce they would shatter Yashima's body should he be struck. I can only suspect that Yashima was coming to the same conclusion that I was. The wolf was the one doing the toying all along. He deliberately fought like a fool to lure Yashima into a state of overconfidence. The face on the ram seem to confirm this as she too seemed impressed with this turn of events.

           Dodging the wolf's attacks until a moment arose to strike was one thing, but when the ram began her assault as well, the fear of failing his mission was dawning on Yashima's face. On one front, a barrage of deadly objects being hurled towards him, on the other, the very ground had become his enemy as the ram played an eerie melody on her instrument that made the land hunger for Yashima's every footfall. It was a combination that paired with time had only one inevitable outcome.

           As he tired and found no means by which to strike back, Yashima fell into the clutches of one of the ram's earthly grasps, his body engulfed by the soil and stone of the earth up to his shoulders. Finally captured, the wolf and ram approached with caution in order to interrogate Yashima.

“It's over. I'm not going kill you, but I need to know what you did to my friends. Where did you send them? Are they all right?”

“You can't possibly be this dense, wolf... Genkaku-Sama will have a much easier time dealing with you if separated. Obviously your stronger when together, yes?”

“Can you bring them back here?”

“No, my technique only send my opponents away from me. Fortunately, there is only two of you this time...”

“What do you-”

“ANIMAL!”

           The tables turned yet again it would seem, as Yashima must have planned to be caught in the ram's grasp, as it gave him enough time to channel his anima enough to use his technique twice in succession. But not for the wolf and the ram, he was bound and could do no such thing. No, he used his ability on the earth around him to propel his own body from his prison just as the wolf fired a crystalline sphere at him in an attempt to stop him. Time almost seemed to slow down for all of them as Yashima raised a clawed paw to the wolf as he fell, his anima spiraling from his palm outward as the wolf was sent sailing off into the darkness of the forest. 

 

Bestia Custos Episode 12: The Festival of the Hunt - Part 4

      As you have requested, my captain, this is the first of many messages to inform you of the plans of the bandit Genkaku. To avoid revealing my identity among his cohorts, I shall narrate the events that have transpired so as to not reveal my identity, should this message be intercepted and the hex on it removed. I must start by commending your predictions, captain. Genkaku's theft of the dragon scroll did indeed draw out the Monster Without a Name. He also has taken to referring to himself as Agrond as well, more proof that Ghast has indeed been destroyed and liberating what was left of the great dragon's essence. Now that his child has taken back what is his, this new Agrond will certainly follow in his father's footsteps and attempt to reunite with the dragon clan. However, it does seem to be a peculiar thing that he is accompanied by Genkaku's sister, Takai. Her loyalty to him seems fierce, and should the monster and this fox retrieve the scroll, it will make for a solid foundation of trust between the dragons and foxes. But, the vixen is not the only one in his party who is of interest. There is a human female with a particular odor about her, one that burns the senses and radiates caution. I've yet to understand this sensation or why she is among the monster's ranks, but there is something... old about her. Finally, I am most excited to report that what you desire most has come to past. He has returned! He came with the monster and the human woman. The Black Heart flourishes inside him as he demonstrated its power to intimidate Genkaku and the rest of us. Genkaku and the others lack the ability to sense the Black Heart and are left unaware of what they face. All this, and yet, there is but one more piece of excellent news. A female black ram is among them! Even Genkaku is highly interested in her as I'm sure he is aware of the tales about such rare creatures. I eagerly await your response as to how to proceed forward! Until then, I shall keep a watchful eye on both parties.

- Bandit

     Your response was quick and appreciated, captain. You must be close indeed to have sent a reply in mere hours. I admit that your criticism of my previous message pains me, I will confess that I have simply become excited to see your desires finally begin to fall into your grasp! I will endeavor to slow the pace of my messages, however.

      To confirm and alleviate your concerns, allow me to ensure you that I am well aware of what you wish me to do. I will convince Genkaku that the best way to begin the Festival of the Hunt will be for all of us to split up and leave Yashima alone with the monster's party so that he may use his anima to separate them from one another. I certainly see why this will benefit Gankaku and his minions, as they will be able to challenge the monster's party one at a time, but I fail to see how it benefits us. Do not doubt that I have faith in your plan, captain. I will do as you ask without fail.

      If I may express but one more concern, though. You wish that I stay as far away from the black ram as possible, but is she not just as valuable to you as the wolf? To think that you would so casually ignore such a ripe opportunity is perplexing. What if the stories are true and Gankaku or the monster were able to convince her to join either of them? Such a thing would prove disastrous.

      Again, I do not mean disrespect, and I will have faith in my captain's plan, but I take my role as both your agent seriously. I only have the best intentions for the welfare of my captain and his family.

      The festival begin tomorrow at dawn and Genkaku is clearly planning something without telling us. Baal has taken the monster and his party away to speak with in private, so there is no doubt that the Zodiac Ministry has their own plots in mind. I shall report again tomorrow when the deed is done, captain.

-Bandit

     I hope this message finds you quickly, captain. I have done as you asked and shall report on those events. It was easy to convince Genkaku to separate and allow Yashima to use his anima against the monster and his allies. At dawn, both parties met in a field surround by the great forest outside of Pandemonium. Genkaku preached of his assured victory while his sister Takai pleaded once again for him to simply hand over the scroll. To which Genkaku responded with, “If you want the scroll so badly, then come and get it.” This was Yashima's cue to throw the scroll to Genkaku and for the rest of us to scatter in separate directions into the forest.

      The dragon's party panicked at this and almost gave chase, but the human female was quick to stop them and advise them of the ruse that was pulled. She was also noted that Yashima was left alone with them and suggested they work together to defeat him and gain answers through interrogation.

      But this too was part of the plan that you had crafted yourself, captain, and it worked perfectly if not for one setback. Yashima did as instructed and his anima burned off of him in fiery waves. Thrusting his staff into the ground, a violent force began to lift the dragon's party above the ground. Except for two of them, the wolf and the black ram. The ram used some kind of instrument to play a series of sounds that commanded the ground to envelop her and hold her in place. The wolf undoubtedly used the Black Heart is such a subtle way as to ground himself without it being apparent. The monster, human female, and the vixen were sent sailing through the air away from their comrades deep into the forest as they shouted in dismay to one another.

      Though the plan worked for the most part, the rage on the wolf's face made it quite apparent that Yashima would have quite the difficult time ensuring the wolf was left alone as well. To make matters worse, the ram seemed intent on making sure that didn't happen.