CALAMITY AVERTED - A Report

[StingyParrot 1595]

CALAMITY AVERTED - A SHORT FIRST-HAND REPORT OF THE LAST BATTLE AGAINST GASHADOKURO

Compiled by Tatsu Arakawa, to be distributed throughout Hohkmat.

NOTE: The author knows not the names of many of those present during this battle, so individuals will be named only if they are known to them.

 

Gashadokuro’s maze of tunnels had eventually led us to this point - a narrow staircase leading down into a large cavern, riddled with vantage points and hidden passageways for the enemy to maneuver. Initially, our forces - many wounded, mostly consisting of valiant warriors from Koyo-Kuni’s allies and the Ashigaru - were stuck in a bottleneck, taking heavy casualties as cannonfire, demonic flame, arrows and spells were all loosed towards us. I, myself, noting the positions of the cannons via a quick look out of the tunnel, launched a few Air Blasts - concussive spheres of compressed air - towards one of the leftmost cannons, momentarily disabling it. A wave of fire then struck me and those closest to me, so - in intense agony - I moved back to the mage group, the self-styled ‘Thunder Rabbits’. My glimpse at the state of the battle was not a hopeful one - warriors were being knocked off of a thin bridge and onto spikes below (one of whom, unfazed, continued firing crossbow bolts at Shinji until his eventual death) and the Shugo, along with a group of Oyashi (others may have joined them, though the writer does not recall) had reached the bottom of the staircase and were locked in combat with Gashadokuro.

 

Shinji’s might was more than evident - he sent waves of fire racing out at the speed of a thought where lesser infernal mages would have taken longer to cast - and possessed strength and speed far surpassing mortal limits. He destroyed the staircase and bridge, sending many down onto the spikes, and gravely injured several of our fighters in moments. One of whom was Tatsu Toji, who lost an arm, leg, and eye from the attack. Some warriors of ours made their way into the enemy’s passages, rooting them out as they hid and lobbed spells, while a good chunk of us sought to disable the cannons and kill their crews, which was partially successful; near the halfway mark of the battle, the cannons’ crews were either killed or sent running. I moved to follow the warriors heading into the passages, but was stopped at the lip of a cavern as I noticed my current angle allowed me a rather good view of the cavern. Assisted by the Voidstalker Arthur, I charged and fired a lance of combustive fire to disperse some of the formerly cannoneers. 

 

Shinji’s rampage continued on, wounding the Shugo severely - so much so that he invoked a blessing of some sort, mending his wounds so he could continue his fight with Shinji. At this time, me and a friend of mine, Faeran, had near-simultaneously begun charging a Compression spell, aiming it at Shinji. Alas, a wave of fire caused by the wounded (I think?) Shinji Disconnected me a moment after I cast, and disrupted Faeran’s spell, wounding him and those around him as it burst. Then, injured it seemed, Gashadokuro vanished out of my sight, likely preparing some nefarious trickery - which was interrupted by the Shugo.

 

The Shugo charged out of sight, and the next instant the cave was rocked by a gargantuan explosion. I had no doubt that the Shugo was claimed in this, but so, it seemed, was Shinji. Never again would he terrorize the nation of Koyo-Kuni, sending his infernal and undead hordes to assail us. Never again will we see Shugo Kato in his legendary red and gold armor go to battle, or see him hard at work in his forge. Forced to leave by the collapsing cave, we escaped. As I rode with Toji to the village, I was conflicted by emotions of triumph - at Shinji’s fall - and of grief - at the Shugo’s death. Both still ring fresh in my mind.

 

REMEMBER THE BLACK SWORDSMAN, WHO BROUGHT ABOUT THE FALL OF GASHADOKURO.

 

[xo31 3979]

"That's me!" Arthur called, his clothes lightly splattered in the blood of his lifelong nemesis.

[Turbo_Dog 3567]

The imp canon operator. One who was sent running savagely tore up an arm chair of a home he broke into. Having been enraged severely by the news “RAGAGAGAGRAHHHHHHHH! RASHDOOKIEPOO PRINCE PRINCE KING THING WOULD NOT NOT TAKE THIS!” After his infernal temper tantrum and being covered in cotton the imp then left the way he came in