MFW writing this post in the middle of the night but also because u kno, night attackStupid winters. You’re cold. You can't eat melons. Sunrise takes /forever/. Need Jing Luo go on? He stretches his neck, getting the cricks out when something catches his eye. He leans forward, squinting (Thank goodness for those torches
(1)). What the...
"Oh f***! Everybody,
WAKE UP!"
(2) The warning bell (a shield) is rung by a nearby soldier and the alarm spreads through the camp within time.
1) Baozi Strategy
([+] [-] [+] [0]) + 6 = 7
Ninja Ambush
([0] [+] [-] [+]) + 0 = 1
2) Troops Awareness
([0] [+] [+] [+]) + 2 = 5
Ninja Stealth
([+] [+] [-] [-]) + 0 = 0
Dewang is up in an instant. I know, right? Silly sorcerors and their “I only sleep once in fifty years.” Ahem. He rouses his brothers and they rush out only to meet another confused trio emerging from the tent beside theirs. The group looks toward the steep side of the camp.
Dark figures, too many to count, are climbing over the edge and running at the camp. Baozi, Wenchang, Zhang Jun and the Xian boy draw their swords.
Boxiao comes up to them. As he opens his mouth, Miss Fuli speaks up. “It’s the Huis. They want someone dead.”
(3) The man blinks and nods.
“Drink those potions!” Dewang yells, downing the flask at his waist. He turns back and closes his eyes, muttering.
Baozi gains Gang Ling’s attention. “They are already here. Fight on your feet.”
(5) There is no room for horseback fighting on the small hill, which is not even flat in the first place. Baozi orders Boxiao for the soldiers to form up in ranks and the latter nods, turning to Wenchang. “Captain?”
Wenchang hesitates, looking back at his brothers, one helplessly in the middle of some spell, and the other-
”...want someone dead…”Baozi lifts his chin. “You should go fight. I will protect our brother. I’m not afraid.”
Suddenly, every flickering torch flares up.
(4) Dewang opens his eyes and nods at them. Wenchang smiles and runs off with his adjutant.
The troops surge ahead and meet the enemy in battle. They manage to hold them back for the moment.
(6) Wenchang joins in with a roar seconds later, glowing sword and all. Bless the seven poor souls who decide to face him
(7) :P
The Hui siblings enter the field at this stage.
3) Jingyi Sorcery
([-] [-] [-] [+]) + 3 = 1
4) Dewang Sorcery (Cancels ‘Really Dark’ Aspect)
([-] [0] [0] [-]) + 6 = 4
5) Baozi Strategy (Create Advantage: Land)
([0] [+] [0] [-]) + 6 = 6
6) Troops Fight
([+] [-] [+] [-]) + 3 = 3
Ninjas Fight
([-] [0] [0] [-]) + 3 = 1
7)Wenchang Fencing
([+] [+] [0] [0]) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 10
Ninjas Defence
([+] [0] [-] [0]) + 3 = 3
A small elite group breaks off the main force and penetrates the inner camp. Poisonous darts fly at the wizards. Baozi moves in front of Dewang.
An eerie laugh punctures the chaos and makes Wenchang look up. A small object is flung at him. Instinctively, he raises his free hand and runs forward.
Dewang immediately whips the winds in their defence to disorient the ninjas and disrupt their aim. Some of the darts are even blown back upon their thrower.
(8)Wenchang catches the bomb and promptly throws it back. A few ninjas yell as a smoke cloud covers them.
(9)Baozi’s eyes search the hostile force for the silent woman he saw the other day but she is as good as invisible, hiding behind tents and who knows.
(10) Qiao hurls a few more darts at them but the wind slows them down, and Baozi’s cat-like reflexes allow him to get in front and chop or bat them away.
(11) The ninjas remain distant so he continues to defend the group from their ranged attacks. Not a single dart has hit them so far.
(14) /o/
Jingyi focuses for a few minutes and then calls from the back, “She has concealed herself among her bodyguards!”
(12) Dewang has the torches blaze brighter in response, enough to almost blind their foes.
(13) He takes a clearer look at the enemies in the light. They outnumber the camp two to one.
8) Dewang Sorcery (Create Advantage: Light)
([+] [-] [0] [-]) + 6 = 5
9) Hui Jiao Prowess
([0] [+] [0] [-]) + 5 = 5
Wenchang Prowess
([+] [0] [+] [0]) + 5 = 7
10) Baozi Awareness
([0] [0] [-] [0]) + 3 + 2 (Strategy Invoke) = 4
Hui Qiao Stealth
([-] [+] [+] [0]) + 5 = 6
11) Qiao Archery
([0] [-] [0] [0]) + 6 = 5
Baozi Fencing
([0] [-] [+] [-]) + 4 + 2 (Wind Invoke) = 5
12) Jingyi Sorcery
([+] [-] [0] [0]) + 3 = 3
Qiao Lore
([+] [0] [-] [-]) + 2 = 1
13) Dewang Sorcery (Create Advantage: Light)
([0] [+] [0] [0]) + 6 = 7
14) Baozi Strategy (Create Advantage: Strategy)
([+] [0] [-] [-]) + 6 = 5
The cavalry may have had a strong opening but the disparity in numbers being what it is, the tide slowly but surely turns against them.
(15) (“How dare u hurt my babies!” cries the narrator.) Wenchang finds Mr. Bomb-Thrower in the melee and they clash until he deals Jiao enough of a blow to send him staggering back.
(16) (“From one not-really king to another: Boi, u suuuck.”)
Dewang makes uses of the brightness to conjure multiple illusions of themselves, successfully confusing the ninjas.
(17) Jingyi smiles as she feels Qiao’s rage when she fails to pinpoint the real people.
(18) Jiao meanwhile, prudently decides to retreat from Wenchang in the face of this new trickery. He vanishes into the battle.
Jing Luo is not having a good night. How come Yi Wen gets to have a peaceful night and his patrol is the one interrupted by mysterious baddies who want them all dead? He swears that woman is actually lucky. Now he has two cuts, err somewhere, is sweating and quite sure he could have spotted the ninjas even earlier
if he wasn’t so self-absorbed. Luo then spots a grinning figure in red and black heading for him. Aaand now he’s going to be dead too. Definitely not a good night. May actually rank among his Top 5 Bad Nights. Oh well. Ya know. Luo determinedly hefts his qiang.
Only for the gesture to be pointless cause GUESS WHO ENTERS THE SCENE AT THAT POINT
Wenchang emerges from the crowd and bellows at Jiao, distracting him long enough for his aim to be crappy and for Luo to thankfully go kill someone else. He stubbornly takes ahold of Jiao’s attention and successfully prevents any Kid from facing him.
(19) ^^
As Baozi cuts down another dart, he catches a look from Dewang. ‘They are simply too many.’ The illusions have only bought them a brief chance, no more. It may be time to use their wildcard after all. He spares a quick glance for the top of the hill. Dewang follows his gaze and understands. But for this to work the soldiers also need to be fortunate enough to not get caught in the ensuing uh, tumble. Thus he exerts to take what little luck the opposing force has and grant it to their own.
(20)Jiao is truly angry now. Wenchang feels it without seeing his eyes, it shows in his rather reckless movements. He chuckles tauntingly, “Not laughing anymore, I see,” as he goes for a slash but is suddenly stopped cold in one move from Jiao.
(21) They glare at each other until the man lifts his hood and grins devilishly. “You, are a fool.” Then he turns his block into a vicious attack, which Wenchang hastily but successfully defends using Jiao’s old wound.
(22) What a hauntingly evil face.
15) Troops Fight
([+] [-] [-] [-]) + 3 + 2 (Strategy Invoke) = 3
Ninjas Fight
([0] [+] [0] [+]) + 3 = 5
16) Wenchang Fencing
([0] [-] [-] [-]) + 6 + 1 + 2 (Light Invoke) = 6
Jiao Fencing
([0] [0] [0] [-]) + 6 = 5
17) Dewang Sorcery (Aspect: Chasing Illusions)
([-] [+] [+] [0]) + 6 = 7
18) Qiao Awareness
([0] [0] [0] [0]) + 4 = 4
19) Jiao Fencing
([0] [0] [+] [0]) + 6 = 7
Wenchang Fencing
([0] [-] [+] [+]) + 6 + 1 = 8
20) Dewang Sorcery (Create Advantage: Luck)
([+] [+] [-] [0]) + 6 = 7
21) Wenchang Fencing
([0] [-] [+] [-]) + 6 + 1 = 6
Jiao Fencing
([+] [0] [+] [0]) + 6 = 8
22) Jiao Fencing
([-] [-] [+] [+]) + 6 = 6
Wenchang Fencing
([0] [-] [0] [-]) + 6 + 1 + 2 (In Peril Invoke) = 7
Master Mao hadn’t been content to raise fences around the camp and turn the bottom of the steep edge into a, well, disgusting trap. Oh no. Any common strategist could suggest the first part. But if a huuuge object, a boulder or something were to be released from the hill, well that would be something, wouldn’t it?
Thus, the Log. Big, solid trunk, built in as part of the stockade, but with easy removable little wedges. At a predetermined signal from Baozi, the soldiers fighting near it release the Log and move away, as do any soldier in its path. The ninjas, however, had not attended any “Jumping Clear from S**t” class and thus in addition to failing their degree in Adventure, also shriek like babies as they are firmly rolled away down the hill and off the steep cliff. Just like ushering a very drunk partygoer to bed/sober driver you know? Two ninjas must think themselves very clever because they do jump away… into each other
’s path, and it is all rather like bowling from there. Tsk tsk.
(23)Baozi feels Qiao’s gaze on his face. She is trying to glean his intentions, why they were here in the first place. Under no circumstances could he reveal his brotherly bond in case their plan was still going to be carried out. He smoothens his face and tries to glean
her intentions instead. She turns away with a huff.
(24)Jiao’s movements have become really rather careless, probably due to a combination of a deep wound and see his men rolling like sacks of flour from a hand cart. In any case, Wenchang feels it is time to end this. He suddenly reverses his direction, startling Jiao into a motionless position as Wenchang hugs his chest with one hand and pokes his back with the dadao but softly, so as to not to run him through the stomach or break his spine.
(25)“Drop. Your. Blade.”
Jiao sulkily does so, and Wenchang takes him away from the immediate area to bind him. He must say, his younger brother certainly has some innovative fighting ideas.
“Boxiao! Take the uninjured men and go to Mao Xu!”
Baozi makes use of the sudden sharp decrease in their forces and the light to rush Qiao and her men. He is followed by Zhang Jun and Xian Kun. Dewang stares as his brother and his students run
toward their deadly enemy, and summons all the energy left in him to create terrifying beings: colourful fanged beasts from the ten courts of Taoist hell, only seen by Qiao and her legion.
(27) The guards see charging monsters in Baozi and the teachers and are thus successfully dealt with by the latter while Baozi deflects the flurry of darts from the unaffected Qiao and gets face to face.
(26) Qiao coolly retreats in a lightning-fast fashion.
(28) Baozi makes no major effort to catch up to her as he has seen Wenchang dragging away an unarmed Jiao. Qiao who must be just as aware, throws down a smoke bomb and disappears in the cloud.
23) Kitten Strategy (Log)
([-] [-] [+] [-]) + 6 + 2 (Luck Invoke) = 6
Ninjas Dodge
([-] [0] [-] [-]) + 3 = 0
24) Qiao Awareness (Create Advantage: Know Their Mind)
([0] [-] [+] [+]) + 5 = 6
Baozi Lore
([0] [0] [+] [+]) + 5 = 7
25) Wenchang Fencing
([+] [0] [+] [+]) + 6 + 1 = 10
Jiao Fencing
([+] [+] [0] [-]) + 6 = 7
26) Baozi Fencing
([+] [-] [-] [0]) + 4 + 2 (Light Invoke) = 5
Qiao Archery
([-] [-] [0] [0]) + 6 = 4
27) Dewang Sorcery (Monsters)
([+] [+] [+] [-]) + 6 = 8
Qiao Awareness
([0] [-] [+] [0]) + 5 = 5
Qiao spends an FP (Danger Sense) to be unaffected
28) Qiao Prowess
([+] [-] [+] [0]) + 4 = 5
Baozi Prowess
([-] [+] [-] [0]) + 2 = 1
The battle is over and the morning is shining brightly even without Dewang’s help. Wenchang checks Baozi over for injuries and the men get patched up, with the additional aid of Fuli. Guards who are the least tired/unseriously injured watch over the camp and the prisoner while the rest are ordered to sleep on pain of death.
Two hours later a smiling Dewang is seated across Jiao, the Scroll of Truth in his hands. Baozi is quietly still, scanning the proceedings. Wenchang wanders around the tent, wishing he had a drink. :P
29) Dewang Rapport
([-] [+] [0] [+]) + 5 = 6