Oguchi (C)

[Duskyduck]

"I...will let you"

"But...be gentle. . ."

He spiked chain returned into the ring. Hei closed her eyes and clenched her fingers tight. She braced for whatever was to come, knowing that it would all be the same. And much worst than anything she had felt before.

But if it meant answers...

[Regantor]

Shari hammered the doors open, intentionally making the least descrete enterance possible.

"Hold on, you fucking idiotic child!" The brawny monk roared and paced her way into the darkness. "If you let that thing into your mind it will know who we are!"

[Kodos]

It was in her mind once more.

There were no words for the horror.

She wanted to vomit but found she could not. She could feel it. Tendrils of psionic horror crawling over every inch of her mind. It was rape. It was violating her like nothing she could ever imagine. Her every thought was now its thoughts. It was beating her mind down. Beating her into submission.

In an instant, she knew it had all been lies.

Hei could not blink, could not cry, could not scream or shout. Her body was now the horror's puppet.

***

It spoke to her, now, directly into her brain. It's voice was soft, calm, clear, and dressed in horror. There were no words. Every mental syllable was a fresh and new assault on her being and no matter how much she raged and screamed in silence, she found herself unable to resist answering it.

H̡̖̏͆̅̑̐̔ŏ̟͍͙͍̥ͧͩ̊ͣ͊̚͢ẇ̷̦͚̰͔͓ͮ̍̈́̈́͘ ͔͕̭ͬ̔ͣͬͫ͒͆͛͌͡m̶̝ͥ̀͆ͪ̓̒a̝͉̯̐͌̉͒̿ͭ̍̅͠n̜͈̈́ͤy̛̰̪͔̍̅̒̀͜ ͔̞͙ ͇̜͖͕͉̜̑̅̔ͤͩỏ̵̦̙̓̍̋̏̀t̙͓͈͓̂̂ͤ͂̉̈̽ͨh̤̺͔̮͓̥͍̮ͫ̀ͨ̓̔̿̈́ ̣ě̴͚͔̫̝̫̬̘̻̋͝r̨̨̺̳͎̠̹̺̗̂̔͗̄́ͪͯs̡̻͋ͤ ̋̽͂̈́ͧ̃҉̞̪̰̟̗̪͙͎ǫ̲͖ͭ̓ͬ̅̍͗̚͠f̰̟͙̦͖ͬ͌ͣ̀̾̓̔͛́͡ ͉̺̫̲̘͉̉ͦ͐̓̇ͮͫ́y̘̼͉͇̞̭͎̖̥͊̄̇͗ͯ͟ơ͖͍̇͛ͨͮ͑ͩ͜͠u̱̮̓͌͘̕͠ ̟͕͈̖͚̩ ́̔̾̋ͯ̔̋ͫ҉̥̻̥̘a̢͎͓͍̪̬̺̐̉͒̎ͥ̎̈́͜r̸̯̱̳̲͓̹̬̈́͗͆͛ͧ͑͂̓͟͝e ͎̤̟̫̘ͧ̕͘ ̼̩̖̜͆̒͆̅t̴̨̖̰͓͈̙͙̯̂̏͌̆ͦ̄͝h̼̬͋ͤ̋̚e̷͔̝͕ͬ͋ͧ̉̚͘ṙ͓̭̒̀͝ ̟̙͈͇̲͙ě̶̢̩̱ͯ͜?̡͚͍̟̯̯̄̒ͫ͘̕
̛̹̘̳̮̓̅̓ͫͭ̔̚
"̸̡̫̬͇ͯ̀ͧ͞Three others here. Three more elsewhere."
̟̞̼͕̯̩ͫ͊ͯ́
̡͔̔̈́̓W͌ͧ̾͏̣̯h̢̖̦̙̰̤̦̫̻ͭ̏̈́͢͠a͒̎̍͆ͫ̀ͥ҉͎͉̞̣̝̤̀͢t̔̽̽̃̌ ̵͇̤̳͍͔͕̬ ̻̭̓ͮ̇̌̓̌͆̌ͨ́a͚̜̹ͣ̓̚͞r̵̢͍̫͍̘͇̗ͬ͝ͅe͔͎͓̟̼̞̝̱ͪ͛̋͊̆͂̓̀̚ ̱ ̸̠̖̬̓̌̾ͬ̄ͥ̒ͫt̫̤̜͔̠̤̞́̎ͩ̒̑ͧͥ̂h̞̮͈̟̝̩̥̥̀ͣ͘ĕ̷̞̫͂̎̊̄͗ i̹̬̬͓̬̇̕ȑ̍͋̐ͣ̄҉͏̥͖͔̮́ ̼͖͍̝̗͙̱̇̊͂̅̈̋́n̡̨̗̺̜̪̞͙͈̺̜̒̑͐ͣ͒ͪͬ̌a̼̥̝̞̯͎̯̓̂͒ͯͯͮ̃͘ ̺m̈͋ͤ̾̐̓͆̾̓̕҉̟e̊͊͛ͮ̆ͧ̏ͫ҉̞̝̥͈s̝̭̰̾̅ͭͫ̉͢͠?̯͎̏̉̒ͯ ̲̝ ̶̢͊ͪ͌ͭͤ̑̈ͥ͌҉͓̘͖̟͖̗W̸̩͓̩ͩ́́̓̈́͑ͯ̏ȟ̃̂͏͔̥͓͖o͂ͤ̉ͩͬ ̛̝̻͊ ͈͕̠̄͊̍͒̒͐̉̚̕͢͠i̭̗̼̻͕ͫ̎ͪ̉͗͒͆̿̿s̻͇̠̪̝̫͍͓̘̃ͯ̇ ̨͍͙̘ͦ͑̐́͝͡t̢̙̮̃̍̾̿ͧ̓̾h͉͍̣͍͇͐̒͞e̸̗͎̤ͧͬͤ̈ͅ ̶͕̼̳̜͖̮ͭ̉͌͊̆̿ḿ̡̧̭͇ͭͯͦ̽̈͝ă̶̸̱͚̞ͭ̌̐͛̂l͈̤̥̲̔͂͗ͥ̀̚e̎ ͖̮̙̩̦͎̔̑͒ͮͅ ̴͕͖͇̣̼̞̠͎̾̂̕Ḫ̛̝̼̹̪͕̘ͧͨͨ̌ũͨ͏̵̪͖̟mͯ̇͑͒ͩͯͩ̄ͤ̕͏̲̥̬͖̰ ̭̤a̵̙̥̘͛͋̋̌̇́n͇̭͖͈̻̂̍ͬͧͮ̇ ̯̗͉͎ͧ͝iͩͫ̐̿ͥ̓̍҉̡̹̤̤̪͕̣̕n̨̎̿ͫ҉̠̱̪̥̳͚̝̀ ̱̹͌̓̀̆͑́h̶̖̭͇̦͈̦̓͆̃̀͞ȅ̸̘̥̲̥̝̞̘̏̋͂ͩͯr̗͎͎͊͗ͦͤ͜eͧ́̈́͆ ̢̧͎̲̗͍̞͎͎͍̰ ͔̦̙͖̘̞̙̹ͧ͊̇ͮ̎ͥ̃̋ẁ̷̢͙̤̟̲̖̝̿̌̊ȉ̖̼̗̔ͅͅͅt̳̫̪̯̄̏͛͒ͦ͞ͅ ̝h̡̠̠ͬͫͭ̕͢ ̶̭̯͈̣̀̚u̶͇̬̲̲̫̳̰̓̓̏̓ͭͤ͞s̠̳̩̮͔̙̘̞̲̓̉͐ͮ͟?̨̛̫ͭ̒ͤ̈́ ̜̲
̢̟̩͉̻͇̳̗ͪͬ̍͐ͥ̒͘ͅ
͈̰̞͕͚͉͙̯ͧ̿͝"Kai Morioka, the male in here with us. Shari Tsunzaku, the female Monk with heavy scars. Haru, the Druid.
̢̭͇̬͔̞̮̩̘̠̑͂̂ͪͫͪ̽
͉̪̜̻̱̘͙̿ͪͨ̒̽͗̂́́͢W̵̦̟̼̒̋̔̊ͦͯ̊̀h̴̩͕̤̀̊ͪ̔ͣͬ̈ͮ͠͡ỏ̹͊̕ ͕̙̟̯̲ ͕̪͚̯̭͈̼̂̋ͥ̆s͓̤͔͈ͩ͛̾̀̎͠͡e̺̠̤̖̻̐͒ͬ͊ͩ͆͐̓n̨̡̬̻̦̳͈͊͝tͪ͐ ͖̩̫͔̰̮̓ͦ̏̅ͦ̚͘ ̥̯̳͕̣̠̞̞ͬ̀̕ȳ̡̖̺̒͜͢o̮̺͛́ͩ̌͒̕͟u̵͚̳̠͚͙̐͒̋̓̿̊͊ͪ̉ͅ?͆͒̉ ̢̯̱̜̟ͥ͋ͯ́̚͝

"Rin Shiranui."

***

"Shari, Kai, it's alright. It only knows what I am willing to let it know. I know what I'm doing. We can trust him."

[Duskyduck]

If there was anything she regretted, it was this.

Hei screamed. And her screamed echoed. And echoed.

She screamed more, but that only added to the multitude of her own voice bolting back at her. Until it all became unbearable, so...so unbearable...and she thought she could stop.

But it was terrifying, and with every ounce of her efforts, she screamed. Trying to blanket herself with her own voice. So that it wont reach her.

Anything but that.

But it did. And she screamed.

I'm so sorry

Help

[Regantor]

Shari halted at the sound of Hei's voice, and instantly changed into a defensive stance. "...Too... too late..."

The only thing stopping her from knocking Hei out in desperation was the prevailing darkness. Eyes wide open, she just lit the torch attached to her belt and hurled it into the center of the building.

"I couldn't care less how honest it's being! You have loyalties, remember?..."

There wasn't much more of an option left in Shari's mind now other than finding the thing and killing it. She couldn't let the enemy know they were attached to Rin, even if it meant her life.

SPOILER! :

Spot Check
1d20+8=12

[Kodos]

The torch was lit but seemed to illuminate nothing. The darkness in here was clearly supernatural in origin.

"Shari! I am being loyal! We can trust it! It knows nothing! I'm getting information! Calm down... please?" 'Hei' shouted.

"Friends, please. Be calm. I do not wish anyone to come to harm. We are all rational beings - there is no need for anyone to get excited." 'Asuka' said.

Hei began to move towards Shari. Clumsily by the sounds of it. "There is no need for concern. You all may leave. I have given Hei the information she needs. She can explain it all to you outside, if you so wish. I shall remain in here with Asuka should you wish to speak to us."

***

K̢̛̫̮͕͉̭̲͓͗ȋ̵̷̦̬͈̝̭͊͂́̔͋l̵̡̗̟̰͈̋́̿̅̅l̞̘̞̪͍̱̓ͬ̇͌̉̏ ̳̞ ̛̣̠̺̪̭͈̘͑ͨ̒ͯ̆ͩ̃͌ͅt͖̪̗͈̠͈̠͛ͯ̌͒ͭ̊͐̊̀h̢̺̲̞͕̙̱̀ͬ͊̈́̌̌͂ͧ e̡̧̝̹͍̳͙̤̬̟̺̐ ͎̦͚ͧ̉̇̄ͩ̈̇f̧͈̆ͪ͛̍̕e̴̝̠̓̈ͯ͊ͯ̄͗͂ͥ͞m͖͉̯̔̐͑̒͌́̀̕a̷ͧ͌͋͢ ̟̦̟̘lͯ̇ͣ͑̽̀ͦ͏̵͇ē͎̭͖̋͊ͣ͗͞.̷̱̥̻̠ͤ̑̎̉̃ͩ̉͡


As much as she tried Hei found she could not resist the creature's control, her body moving towards Shari in the darkness.

[Regantor]

It was impossible to know if the creature (or by extention, possibly Hei) could locate them in the unnatural dark, so Shari just hunkered down and prepared to counter-attack whatever reached her first.

"Ninja?" Her voice was low and controlled, but with an edge of animalistic fury that betrayed the fact she didn't perticularly mind the idea of hurting Hei at the minute... Regardless of weither she was in control of her actions or not. "Please see if you can find it. We need to clean house."

SPOILER! :

Defensive Stance (+4 AC)

[zizi]

(Listen)

Kai hissed and circled behind Shari, pinpointing her location by sound, cursing Hei in his mind. She was such a fucking child, and a stupid one too. Why would you ever, ever trust something with no proof, without being able to sense what it was?

He didn't belive Hei was Hei anymore.
Hei was not clumsy. Hei moved with silence and deadly grace. This thing was clumsy, this thing with Hei's voice.

(A vaugue memory- Mio had said something about domination, Mizunokuni- perhaps this was that, all evidence suggested it could be... they needed to talk to Rin)

He reached out an arm and touched Shari's shoulder. "We should go outside to talk this through. All three of us. Hei can tell us what's going on."

"They were able to find us before, and they already knew who we were working for," He added in an undertone, "Cleaning house would be pointless, things are too messy already. It would be better to look after our friend and then go and report to our masters."

[Regantor]

Shari was strung so tightly she nearly threw a punch towards the person touching her shoulder, but then halted at the last moment as she realised it was Kai's voice in accompaniment. Just the smell of this damn place is making me crazy... Gotta keep my head on straight...

The list of options rolled through the monk's mind sporadically until she eventually conceeded to Kai; He had a point that the vile thing already knew who they where. She also couldn't know for sure if the creature was even in the same building, considering the disturbing nature of it's powers...

"...You... You have a point..." She replied simply, with a husky shrug.

Keeping her defences up and her eyes uselessly open, Shari began to back out of the doors slowly.

[Kodos]

They both felt it. It was in their heads. Screaming and raging and scratching and clawing and biting and smashing. The noise was unbearable.

Shari was able to resist the horrible mental assault,but barely. Kai resisted by an even narrower margin. Both warriors, even the hulking Shari, found themselves wanting to vomit, to cry, to scream and curl up from the assault. It was beyond words.

Silent save for the sound of her footsteps, Hei threw herself upon Shari, striking the large Monk with a sudden sneak attack.

21 Damages to Shari

It was entirely silent save for the sound of the violence. No battle cries. No taunts. No screams of feral rage. Just silence.

***

Haru, waiting out front, saw the front doors burst open. It was the priest they had met before. "Come inside, quickly! No time to explain! Your friends are in danger and need your help, now!"

***

The Horror continued to assault Hei with an endless sequence of questions which she could not help but answer. Already so many secrets had been forcefully pried from her mind.

And the Horror. It defied words. It was so terrible. So ancient. It made her soul sick.

And she could only watch as the creature turned her skills against her allies.

She could not even cry.

Shari failed her will save initially. I assume Reg would want to use his one re-roll and did so. Same with Kai.
No map or initiative until you get outside (IE This turn)