[M] Battle of Kasai Palace

[Tolvo]

Whispers again scratched the back of Arael's mind. "The Curator in flesh and bone, for this I will atone. A plan in motion have I, when you give the signal they will all die." His forces continued to fire upon Arael's until they got out of range along the coast. The Deathborne with him were aggravated but soldiered on. Those who perished from the destruction orbs lost their glamours but thankfully they were too far away for the defenders to get a good look at. They just appeared to be flesh and blood.

Atop the gatehouse were warriors ready with guns and spears. They were on guard but not hostile. At first they seemed a bit confused but then rose a flag and soon enough the gates opened. On the other side was a line of crouching yari ashigaru who were defending another line f tanegashima ashigaru at the rear. They were in firing positions but lowered their guns on seeing Wei and his forces. A samurai approach Arael with a katana on her hip. "White Tiger, we had heard you would be rear charging the enemy. What are you doing at the palace's gates?" Behind Arael someone walked forward from his own ranks. She had a katana as well and appeared as the living. The kensei Kanon. Immediately the samurai bowed her head to her. "Kanon! We thought you for dead!" Kanon was fully armored but she had her mask unstrapped to show her face more clearly. "I barely survived thanks to the White Tiger, who stands before you wishing to help. Would you turn us away?" The samurai bowed her head and waved them in. "Of course of course my apologies! We are simply being careful."

The palace was indeed a maze. Each courtyard led into an identical one. Instead of a palace of beauty this was one of a warlord, the Shogun. Each section contained a platoon of soldiers read to fight while Oni walked the walls above. It was tricky finding their way but Arael's forces inside the walls gave mental notes on directions. They made it to the courtyard on the other side of the Western gate and could hear the pounding of the Wight King's destruction orbs on the walls. The gunfire was endless as it poured into his warriors.

[Evening Rain]

The face of Prince Wei gave a wry smile as he received the wight king's communication. "I'm pleased to hear that you have a plan beyond sending your warriors to be slaughtered. I was almost starting to think you had grown bored of the battle." "I appreicate your composure, my warriors. Sometimes we must suffer these indignities in the name of our greater cause."

Arael nodded as his troops were admitted into the fortifications - and split off some of his forces to take up positions amongst other defensive pockets so their suprise attack would cause more damage than just the pain caused at this one point. That said, he did focus most of his troops on the western gate - as that would be where the main breach would occur. After his soldiers in the walls had scouted the palace - he would have them converge on one location deeper into the fortress - and attack one of the innermost bastions from behind, moving out from their location as the main force moved inward from the west - to catch the enemy troops between them both.

The lich's face did not betray his pleasure at Kanon's decision. "Your service has been noted, your loyalty considered. I am most impressed, mighty sword-sage."

They had done it.

They had inflitrated the castle, and now its fortifications were as much a help to them as a hindrance. Their enemy thought they were safe behind their walls and gunpowder... oh, how very wrong they were.

"Your majesty, my troops have taken up positions within the fortress. We can slaughter the warriors at the western gates to gain you entry. If you can execute your plan without causing damage to my troops, then by all means - commence with it now. Otherwise, hold off. We strike now!

"Baigujing." Arael said calmly, watching the massed gunners and enemy defences. "It seems that our enemy reveres fire. Why don't you give them a taste of yours?" Baigujing hadn't had to use any mana up to this point, so Arael hoped that he'd be able to cause some significant damage over the course of the battle.

That was the signal to attack. He commanded his warriors to drop their glamours and rear charge the enemy in the courtyard as soon as they were able.

[Tolvo]

Baigujing seemed a bit gleeful. "Ah yes I'll let them taste fire, but I remember them deflecting some of my attack last time. I'm going to try something different." Just before the glamour broke the demon skeleton lifted both hands as they caught afire. The blaze burned like the sun it hurt to witness, his hands splintered and fractured under the immense power until finally he put one hand on Arael's shoulder then the other he placed over his own face. A pulse emanated from the two of them and spread out over their forces. At first it appeared that Baigujing had destroyed them all, as the Deathborne all burst into fire. Only the fire danced along the surface, traced their bodies, and cast off searing embers. Now Arael's forces were on fire and burned all close to them.

During the rear charge something delicious occurred. Baigujing had known their enemies, he knew their legends. As the ashigaru turned to face their enemies they were met with what appeared to be the flaming spirits and demons of the Burning Islands. The group they charged nearly instantly shattered and began to flee towards the gate. They stumbled and sprinted as their lives depended upon it. Then greater misfortune befell them. Through the gate charged a specter leading barrow wights on horseback. They merely phased through the gates as ghosts and numbered at least a hundred. Their blades were dipped in mana and with each cut they split the souls of those they killed immediately turning them into undead thralls.

Baigujing fell to his knees as his hands finally blew apart. He was wounded but still as whole as he could be. "I think I overdid it, apologies. I will not be able to join the melee." Now the Deathborne had complete control of one courtyard. Each courtyard began to close off its minor gates as it was readily apparent that there were now enemies within the palace. The Wight King barked orders to his wights. "Open the gates of hell, release the beast. Tonight on the very souls of the fallen shall we feast." His head turned to Arael. "Hidega is on the other side of the gate charging with gunners to rain metal. Open the gates and soon we will tear out each of this flowers petals."

Those in the courtyard were left completely to the Deathborne while on the walls gunners switched up firing positions and unleashed on Arael's forces. On the other side gunfire hit the walls and began to thin out the ashigaru on the walls, Hidega's warriors were quick at work setting up firing lines. Destructive magic continued to slam into the walls of the palace from the outside. Staircases along the gatehouse led to it's controls though a core group of samurai stood guard atop it. Something else went wrong. Arael could hear the explosion from atop the palace's keep as the Shogun launched herself towards the courtyard, appearing like a trailing red comet in the sky ready to destroy them.

[Evening Rain]

Arael pursed his lips, and a flicker of pride crossed his face as Baigujing's tactic resulted in the route of their enemies.

"We know the layout of the castle," he began calmly. "Once we get through that gate, I can direct you with the information filtered to me from my scouts."

First, though... they needed to get through that door.

"Kanon, take some warriors and get that gate open. I am relying on your prowess."

"I need powerful troops here and ready to fight. Subduing the shogun will be our greatest problem in this battle." He addressed the message to all those in range, hopefully reaching the wight king's ears.

Clenching his fist, Arael drew on necromantic energies to raise the dead, watching Baigujing's hands knit and mend and form back into skeletal claws. Other undead rose around them, ready to fight and die once more for the cause.

He had a plan, but it wasn't exactly failsafe. He supposed that now was as good a time as ever to take a risk... anything was better than being cut in half by that insane, reckless and utterly terrifying fiend. Arael's glamour shimmered, and shifted - now resembling a simple Deathborne warrior with little to distinguish him from the masses. Blending back into the crowd, Arael brushed a warrior absently as he went past, bestowing on him the appearance that he usually took.

You're welcome. Worm, you face a cuckoo.

Backing off into the crowd, Arael watched and waited - ready to employ more magic or give telepathic commands as necessary.

[Tolvo]

Kanon was fleet of foot and rushed headfirst into battle. She did not wait for any soldiers to support her and charged up into the gatehouse. Blood flowed down the steps as she thrust her blade into a samurai's armpit then flipped over his back and decapitated anther. Her blade was making quick work of them and already they were bunching up to try and have enough mass to slow her down.

Baigujin rose from his knees and picked up a spear from a fallen Burning Islands warrior. He pun it in a flourish and then was blasted back by the impact of the Shogun. Still he was in one piece but had been sent quite a lot of meters away and into a wall. With burning hatred in her eyes the Shogun unleashed a flurry of attacks on the false Arael. In one fluid motion she cut off every one of the fake's limps then cut them into four pieces which were then burned to ash by fire from her mouth. "Your commander is destroyed, you will all be purged in fire!" She screamed.

The Wight King rode directly for her and she caught his blade as he swung it for her head. Still one handed she held against him and pushed back nearly dismounting him. Ravagers and a deathlord converged on her location and joined the melee along with a slew of executioners. Each blade that sought her out she deflected before striking out herself. She never stopped moving, constantly she spun and used her legs to position herself away from lethal blows. Burst of fire exploded from her mouth and hands whenever she had the opportunity, heavily burning the undead around her. The one with the best luck was the Wight King with his ethereal blade, but even that did not seem to strike her down with one hit. Instead lava merely leaked from her wound which she launched all about by spinning yet again. Again she screamed over the sounds of gunshots and cannons firing. "Oni to me!"

Even with all of the support of the army the Wight King was struggling and was stabbed through the groin. He stayed atop his horse and fought on as if he wasn't injured. Then the gates between the courtyards opened. On the other side of each were mounted samurai firing lines who unleashed on Arael's forces. Bullets ripped apart dead flesh and broke bones. Arael was struck with two bullets and felt some of his ribs break. After the fired their guns they put the weapons away and took firm hold of their spears and charged. Following behind them on foot were large ravenous oni of the Burning Islands.

Up on the walls the troops Arael had sent to scout were killing cannon crews and throwing ashigaru from the walls disrupting their firing lines. Now the firing power of the defenders was severely weakened and already they could hear the sounds of ladders hitting the walls. Pouring over the walls were skeletons that used numbers and their close range to overwhelm those on the outer walls. Further back in the other courtyards a large group of ogres came from the Southern gate. They were in a full on sprint joining in the charge and were led by a larger ogre than the rest in black steel armor.

[Evening Rain]

Arael shuddered at the sight of his decoy being cut to pieces by the shogun. He wasn't at all surprised - and didn't feel the slighest bit of remorse at the utter decimation of the soldier who died in his place. That was just one of the hazards of fighting this war. His analysis of the battle was slightly troubling. The shogun seemed capable of fighting off his best warriors on her own. A shame for you that I do not play fair. Arael focused his magic on the warriors that surrounded the shogun, casting Unholy Vigour to allow them to move and attack at double their normal speed. That should give the enemy a surprise...

Explosive blasts tore into his body all of a sudden, causing minimal pain to his undead form but being inconvenient all the same. His ribs were cracked, pieces had been blown off. I'll have to mend that later. He thought with disgust.

Off on the side, Arael noticed that Baigujing had been stunned - fallen against a wall. With a quick assessment in his head - he tossed the demon's spear toward him. "You know how this weapon works better than any of us. It managed to slay you, perhaps it can do the same to her. If you can ensnare her with it, then I entrust our fate to you - noble Baigujing."

His attention was suddenly refocused as his eyes snapped up to the ogres that were charging into the fray, and their ominously clad leader. Oh no, I don't think so. Arael cast Seed of Terror on the ogres, hoping to see them run right back the way they'd come. That should give them more time, at least.

21 mana points expended, 14 mana points remaining

[Tolvo]

Behind the Shogun came the charging samurai on horseback. They crashed into the infantry surrounding her and breached their ranks giving her an escape route. She stayed where she was and continued to duel with the Wight King while both the samurai and executioners pushed against each other. Horses were readily decapitated dismounting the samurai who were struggling to keep up with the undead. Still she stood her ground and managed to cut off three of the Wight King's fingers. She was caught across the brow with a greatsword that broke her mask and caused blood to gush from her forehead. This only seemed to invigorate her.

Kanon threw a warrior from the gatehouse then dropped her sword to the ground. She grabbed the wheel and spun it with great strength then pulled on ropes and soon enough the gate broke open. Hidega's forces charged through with him leading a cavalry charge around the flanks and into the Shogun's forces. Along the outer walls resistance was thinning and Hidega's gunners started to rush up the steps to take up firing positions on the walls. The Shogun laughed maniacally as she caught a blade with her teeth and snapped it in two. "Hidega the coward, Hidega the weak! You couldn't write this!" Her cackles continued as she fought on.

The ogres stopped in the middle of their stride and grabbed the sides of their heads. There came a divide in them, at the front their leader bellowed and screamed at them. He killed any that turned around and forced them to march into battle. Half of them tried to flee and were killed on the spot by the other half and the lead ogre. It would still take them a bit of time to reach the melee. The oni however were right up in it reinforcing the Shogun, the King's wights circled around and engaged the oni in a pitched fight with neither giving ground. It was a hectic battle with forces pouring in from every side.

Off on his own Baigujing got to his feet then jumped to the side. He let the spear stick into the ground and appeared hesitant at first. Baigujing pulled it from the ground and spun it in his hand then rushed towards the fray. When he neared he did not try to push through and instead stalked about at the edges Wielding the spear in the throwing stance. He was awaiting and opportunity.

[Evening Rain]

The battle has reached its climax.

All of our hopes hinge on this moment.

Let me show you what I've been holding back, my dear shogun. You may be fearless... but sometimes, night terrors are not as harmless as we make them out to be.

Concentrating heavily, the area began to darken. Both inside and outside, suddenly blackness fell totally over the fortress as Arael cast Voyage into Darkness. Knowing that his undead could see through the blackness, the real question was whether or not the demons could as well. Even if they could, his undead forces would be empowered - and their enemies assailed by illusions. That is all I have left. Now the battle is outside my hands.

"I hope that that gives you the opportunity you need, noble Baigujing. I wish you the best of luck."

Arael struggled to maintain his composure, unwilling to show how heavily he had just drained himself. This is up to all of you now, my warriors.

12 mana expended, 2 mana points remaining.

[Tolvo]

There formed in the courtyard a ball of death and destruction. Deathborne and mortal alike were ripped apart in it as both sides continued to collapse onto one another. Monsters on both sides had the greatest impact. The darkness appeared to confuse the oni and ogres who occasionally struck each other in the deadly melee. Even with all of their advantages this was a tough nut to crack for the undead. Samurai and ashigaru fell in droves along with skeletons and lesser infantry. Gunfire fell down in a hail on both sides as bullets broke bone and drew blood.

Baigujing saw his opportunity and took it. He took a running start and threw his spear like a javelin. At that moment the Wight King locked blades with the Shogun, they stared each other down for a moment until the spear struck her in the back. It embedded itself in her armor and for a moment she stood still with her head down. Jar Eel raised his sword and prepared to decapitate her but she raised her stump of an arm. From it sprouted a limb of pure fire that burned white hot. Her fist then slammed into the ground and sent out a wave that threw back Deathborne and demon alike. A circle formed around her with meters in between her and everyone else.

Still the spear bit into her back. With each movement her limbs appeared limp yet she held onto her blade. It was like she was a puppet held up by strings. Her neck snapped back as she glared at the Wight King. Beside him stood Hidega who gave her a command. "Surrender now Hokarimitsuji! Your time as Shogun has come to an end, it is time for the rise of Shogun Hidega!" She only laughed in response to his words. Her eyes grew brighter while her hair floated upwards at the back. Arael could see she was at a brink between worlds, she was becoming more spirit than woman as the spear held in her back.

[Evening Rain]

The shogun was incredibly strong of heart indeed... Her power was undeniable. Her strength was exemplary. And now he had her in the same position he had once had Baigujing. Arael focused for a moment, and his glamour rippled and shifted back into his own form. Stepping out from among his forces, he gazed up at her with an impassive expression.

"Dragon, you face a god." He said coolly, watching her essence slowly absorb into the spear.

Checkmate.

And yet the battle was not over yet.

"Kanon, drive these monsters back. They are leaderless, now."

"To any who wish to make the transition peacefully, I offer you the chance." Arael's voice echoed throughout the chamber. "Lay down your arms and accept your positions as harbingers of death."

Arael's eyes then turned to Baigujing and he bowed his head deeply to him, mimicing the Five Kingdoms style intentionally. "Releasing you from that weapon was the best decision I have made in years. Thank you for the role you played." He said simply, before refocusing his attention to the shogun. As the battle continued around him, he stared intently at Hokarimitsuji. Hidega did not interest him. His dull claims to power bored his complex mind. Perhaps I should obliterate him, body and soul. At least that way I would derive some entertainment from him.