in discussion IC writings / Character Diaries » Sang's Path
As the Yu vessel moved closer to the beleaguered Jin ships, Deep Ones started to emerge from the bloody surface of the sea in an attempt to scale the hull. Netting encircled the hull, projecting out just below the railing. Deep Ones trying to bypass this obstacle were easy targets for Yu ashigaru to spear. Shanro joined in with his naginata, and the situation was well in hand. The fleet was in more dire straights, seeming about evenly matched with their assailants. Sang could make out a giant Deep One, maybe ten or twelve feet tall, possessing four limbs which was engaging Maiko hand-to-hand. The Jin admiral was agile enough to avoid the majority of the blows directed at her, but something with that many arms only had to keep swinging. With the relentless blood hail and the distance it was impossible to tell which of the two had the advantage. She thought she caught a glimpse of Theosteris casting some spell or another, then diving for cover.
A tearing sound from behind distracted her from evaluating the conflict. A green scaled hand clenched around the railing, followed by another. Then a third and fourth. A Deep One similar to the creature Maiko was fighting pulled itself up to the deck, remnants of netting dangling from its claws.
It looked bigger up close.
Not as big as the oni in the Temple of the Sword.
With a grim inner smile at this thought, Sang charged with the intention of knocking it back overboard before it could properly balance itself. It took the assault on one huge shoulder and she slid back, her feet leaving skid marks on the blood-soaked deck. Then Shanro was there, the haft of his naginata sweeping the legs of the monster out from under it. The Falcon spun his weapon expertly as the Deep One fell prone, plunging the blade into its body. Sang was back a second later, the Blade blazing as it slashed into the green-scaled flesh with all the samurai’s strength. The monster tried to get up, failed when Shanro got in another telling blow, but landed with the man’s naginata beneath its bulk. As he tried to free his weapon Sang kept the guan dao moving. Another Yu, the admiral’s son Kaiu Nobutada, rushed in with a spear to join the attack, and as the Deep One finally tried to flee by crawling back towards the rail Sang dealt the killing blow.
The Yu ship was now very close to the rest of the conflict—jumping distance if one had the idiocy to attempt that while wearing full armour. Sang noted Maiko’s opponent had fallen, though to whom she hadn’t seen, and Maiko herself was visible as a dramatic blur as she swung around by a dangling rope and planted herself feet-and-blade first into an enemy. The tide seemed to have turned; the Deep Ones were not in as strong a position as before, though there were still a lot of them and the Jin were hurting.
Sang noticed a serpentine creature rearing up from the sea. Another foe? This was dispelled when it suddenly changed form, flew into the air while seizing a Deep One in its beak then sped up and away with its catch.
Kukulkan, you really do have to start wearing a flag or something so we know not to shoot—
Two angels burst from the water. Sang narrowed her eyes at them, knowing they were the ones who’d theoretically accompanied them to the Shadowlands and never shown up. But hadn’t there been three before?
Shanro ran to the rail and jumped. Looking away from the angels, Sang watched the man land on the railing of a Jin ship, catch his balance, plunge his naginata into the closest Deep One, then fall backwards into the red sea.
At least he isn’t wearing anything heavy… although that bag of his probably has enough suits of Yu armour in it to make him sink straight to the bottom, if it wasn’t magical.
Sang pulled out the silk rope Soshi Tarou had given her, secured one end and threw the other down to the flailing Falcon. The last time she’d pulled this thing out was to help Shinobu when she’d fallen overboard during the shark attack on the Silver Serpent. Perhaps this time would work out better…
“My Queen,” Nobutada said, coming to her side. “Would you like to lead the charge?”
Sang looked down towards the boarding ramps the Yu ship had extended and the bushi gathering there to sweep across the Jin decks. It would announce her presence to everyone, but there was no real point keeping her anonymity anymore. Besides, if Yoritomo had sent an unfortunately-phrased letter to Kaji about the Yu not doing their job, perhaps having the Queen show up personally would serve as a pointed, if not so verbose response.
Handing the rope to Nobutada, who secured it firmly around the railing even with one missing arm, she went to finish the battle.
Four hundred Yu streamed behind her, yelling battle cries as they all charged across the ramps. Roaring her own cry, Sang killed the first Deep One, an armoured, whip-wielding creature, with three resounding slashes, then took out a second with a powerful overhand that cut clean through it and into two more of its smaller fellows. The Yu swept around her, swarming across the deck and onto two adjoining ships in a mass of purple. The Deep Ones broke and fled, losing many in the process, but abandoning the fight.
Cheers rose from the ships. The Yu, still mostly fresh after a quick and decisive victory, laughed their triumph and chanted: “For the Yu! For the Queen of the Yu!”, accompanied by the Jin’s cries, more relieved than victorious: “For Admiral Usami Maiko! For the Jin!”
Sang endured her side of the cheering stoically, still not used to having hundred of people chant her praises and not the type of person to lap it up even if she were.
If only they knew their King was fighting here too… King, Queen, Heir-imminent, not to mention Lord Yu himself. It feels almost unreal…
A flurry of movement heralded Kukulkan’s appearance. He crowded the deck near Sang and reverted to human form. Sang had to speak swiftly to prevent the Yu assuming him a new foe.
“Where have you been?” she asked.
“Underwater, dealing with a tentacled monster.”
Thus explaining what had happened to the one she’d spotted near the Jin ships. Perhaps the angels had helped with that one too.
“You’re welcome aboard,” she said, nodding towards the gangplank, then lifted her voice to catch Yosuke’s attention. “General! Get our people back on deck!”
The Jin didn’t need Yu crowding their decks, and now that the fighting was done they’d be in the way more than anything. Plus she wasn’t sure of the etiquette involved in remaining on or reinforcing other people’s boats without invitation. Probably best not to look like they were invading or taking over. Sailors were strange like that.
She watched from the deck as the Yu returned to their floating fortification. The Jin ships were awash in blood and bodies, the surrounding waters were thick with it. Healers rushed between the wounded, skidding on slick decks. She wondered what the casualty report would be like, and how Maiko would react when receiving it. She’d been responsible for her own ship in the past, but this was bigger. More lives were on the line, according to her orders.
By virtue of not being in the thick of the conflict until the end, Sang knew she hadn’t lost nearly so many. The selfish part of her was only concerned for the life of one man amidst the hundreds on board, but she countered that particular fear by refusing to face it… and refusing to feel it.
So we’ll hold here until we hear from the Glorious Recovery Fleet Admiral. I hope she and Jin are smart enough to say they want to press our advantage…