Conquering the Swamp [Dungeon|Open]

[Morei Haji]

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

I began to scream as every limb snapped, with every single time the Rider stabbed me. He was torturing me, making sure he wasn't stabbing anywhere vital, the bastard... I stared up at him, contempt in my eyes. I wasn't going to die here, I couldn't. I couldn't let everyone down, and I couldn't leave her behind...

I continued to fight this illusion. That's what it was, right? So why did it hurt so much? My body would struggle the more I screamed. I was determined to break this, even if I felt like I couldn't move my body. It didn't matter how much pain I felt, or how much I bled. I wanted to beat this fucker into the ground.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Well, shit. One of the Riders whipped Katsumi's new bow from her very hands before then getting her ankle and launching her up. Back slamming into the ceiling, the woman yelped and began falling. Removing her old bow form her back, Katsumi used the blade to help with her fall.

Removing it from the ground, the archer scrambled to her feet, knees aching from the impact, and looked over at Takehiro and then Yukimura and Haji. The former was demanding she leave with the others and escape, and Katsumi frowned. She couldn't do that. Not by a long shot. She was the only one with nothing more than a bruise after all. She needed to support Takehiro.

But the others needed to get away and so Katsumi would pick up the treasure chest and dash over to Yukimura. "Take Haji and the treasure and go, Sanada-san! Make sure he gets through this. We'll... We'll be back soon enough. Stay out of trouble!"

Swiveling around, Katsumi would take her arrows from her quiver and begin to shoot at the nearest enemy, all the while working her way towards her demon bow. If anything would try and strike her again or remove her weapon, Katsumi would dodge and her hold was damn strong this time!

[Oda Nobunaga]

Takehiro: nQeE_2Ys

Yukimura:

Haji:

Katsumi: ���

[Oda Nobunaga]

Takehiro: The mercenary blew up one of the stalker's heads, and the other roared in pain and fell back! He was able to retrieve his glaive, but three opponents that were left did not want to give up! The starker would charge at his legs, and one Rider would whip at his glaive to try and tear it from his grasp!

- 1 Stalker

Yuki/Haji: Yukimura's efforts would return Haji to the realm of the living, as well! He would come out of the nightmare to find they were fighting two Riders and a Stalker, and Takehiro made an exit for them!

Katsumi: The woman was able to distract the Riders, making it so Takehiro only faced one immediate danger! She was also able to get her better bow back in time, and would be able to use that!

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Returning to his feet with his weapon in hand, Takehiro would put a hand on Hiroshi's shoulder and throw the man toward the hole, then Yukimura and Haji, and the chest right after. If the group tried to fight it, they'd get his explosive fist in their stomach and he'd throw them in anyway, and then stand in front of the path so they couldn't come out.

"I said GO! I got these guys, you all get to safety!"

Standing firm, he would slash his glaive in front of him to catch the charging stalker, and hold up a good, strong defense.

[Sanada Yukimura]

"Welcome back Morei-san. We're in a bit of a bind now."

Yukimura would smile bitterly, before his eyes widened as Takehiro came up to them with his glaive in his hands, then threw Katsumi through the hole he had smashed, then proceeded to throw both him and Haji soon after, then the treasure chest last.

AHHHHHHHHH!"

Yukimura would scream as he was thrown, before landing on the other side of the hole, catching the treasure chest soon after he sat up, rubbing his tailbone. Climbing to his feet, though it pained him to do so, holding the treasure in his hand of his unusable arm, his other hand holding onto his spear, giving Haji and Katsumi a sad look, he'd motion for them to go, before taking off at a run down the path, shouting behind him.

"AMAKUSA-SAN IF YOU DIE I'LL KILL YOUUUUUUU!"

[Morei Haji]

"S-Sanada-san..."

The sense of pain faded substantially as I awoke to the reality of the maze again. I didn't have much time to collect my thoughts, however, as soon Takehiro came along and just Sheep-Sheep catapulted threw me through a hole in the wall along with the other two. He declared that he wanted us to go, and I saw that Yukimura was holding the Daimyo's chest.

"Everyone... I apologize for my weakness..."

I gripped my weapon tightly, pushing myself back up to my feet. I was sweating profusely from the experience that I had just endured, but there was no time to take a break. As Yukimura took for running, I spoke to Katsumi.

"Katsumi... do you remember what happened when we got the first chest out? It pulled all of us out towards the entrance. If we get this one out, Takehiro will be safe. If we stay now, we're only hindering him."

It pained me to say it, but it was true. He would have to look out for all of us, protect us and that meant risking his neck to take a blow for us or something. We couldn't distract him. And if anyone was fine alone, it was the fabulous demon knight that stood between us and the enemies.

With a heavy heart, I stood and looked at Takehiro. "Don't die, Takehiro." I would wait for Katsumi to take off running first before I followed behind them. If Katsumi refused to listen still, I would grab her hand and run. We couldn't let Yukimura get lost in the maze, and possibly killed.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

She got her bow, but was then thrown into the hole in the wall. Brows furrowed deeply, Katsumi scrambled up. How could Takehiro be so damn stubborn? He didn't need to take these guys on alone. She was fully capable of fighting!

"All to Yomi!" she cursed, growling loudly. The woman would fire a few times at one of the enemies, aiming for the most sensitive spots to try and take one down for him. "Let me help you, damn it!"

It felt wrong to leave Takehiro behind now. Sure, he could hold his own, but it felt like betrayal to her. Just before she leaped back in, Haji grabbed her arm and her head whipped towards him. Her eyes were wide and she shook her head wildly. What was he saying? This was ridiculous! They were a team. They needed to support him. Katsumi did!

But yet... Haji's words were true. Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists tightly, she felt tears prickle at the back of her eyes. Stepping back, the woman inhaled sharply and shouted at Takehiro, "We better be able to have drinks after this, Takehiro! If you can't, I'm dragging you back from the afterlife and kicking your fucking ass!"

Dashing forward, she would hold her bow at her side. Keen eyes searched as they ran, looking for traps or monsters. If any came out, Katsumi would fire immediately.

[Oda Nobunaga]

Takehiro: Oy2Wltc4

Group: �

[Oda Nobunaga]

Takehiro: Katsumi would get no arrows off before the wall was covered with a powerful dark energy that would not permit the team to leave! His glaive would cut through the Stalker's arm a few times before one of the two Riders jumped up and slammed its feet into his ribs, causing him to fly down the hall! He would crash against a wall, and find the monsters charging him! He had no weapon but his fists!

Group: As the wall sealed off, Katsumi's arrows would disappear in a dark void! In front of the group would be three paths: they could go straight and make an immediate left, they could turn right down the hall and, from there, go left or right, as well.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Grunting as his body crashed against the wall, Takehiro would cough up a bit of blood, catching himself on a knee. As the monsters charged, he roared, charging them back. He would watch for any attacks, quickly darting in between the closest two monsters to slam his explosive fists into both of their stomachs and send them flying down the hall. If that were successful, he would approach the final enemy and strike its face in a flurry of fists!

"Come on, you fuckers! HERE'S AMAKUSA TAKEHIRO!"

[Sanada Yukimura]

Quickly running down the hallway, he would see in front of them three paths, and would come to a stop, his brows furrowing. Decision time, they'd have to pick a path, and time was of the essence, especially where Takehiro was concerned. Following his gut, before he went down the right path, Yukimura would jab at the floor, seeing if there were any floor traps that would set off.

If all was safe, he would head right down the hallway, then go down another right, spear at the ready.

[Morei Haji]

Following behind Yukimura, I was lost in thought. I was worried about Takehiro, but... that guy and I flew into the sun together. He had to be okay, right? With that void behind us, there was no way I could back and help him anyway. As we reached the fork, I would turn and look back the way we came. My fist clenched tightly around my weapon, and I cursed myself for falling under that illusion. Maybe if I was stronger, he'd be here running with us...

"Damn it..."

I turned back around, following after Yukimura. I swore I would make it up to everyone somehow.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Bitch followed 'em all careful-like because anything else I could put would be super redundant >.>;

[Oda Nobunaga]

Takehiro: d5bOnAVm

Group: �

[Oda Nobunaga]

Takehiro: Takehiro's fists would slam into the two Riders' stomachs, propelling them down the hall! The Stalker took the brunt of his strikes to its face, but whipped its tendrils down to ram his legs out from under him, so he'd fall on his face! The Stalker would take him by the back of the head and throw him down toward the Riders! Fortunately, that was where his ax and glaive were!

Group: As the group made that turn, the wall behind them would suddenly have steel spikes pop out from behind it, and it would begin to move toward them rather quickly! They would have to make it down the hall or be very deadified! At the end of the hall would be a turn, and after that turn, the group would find a strange blue vortex!

[Amakusa Takehiro]

As Takehiro was flung down the hall, he would try to catch himself in a slide, taking up both his ax and his glaive in either hand. Once he had done so, he would spin his body in a full circle, slashing all around him with both of his weapons, to try and take out the bastards at their waists!

[Sanada Yukimura]

As he turned around the corner, the sound of metal popping out made him turn his head, as his eyes widened and he started running for his life from the spiked wall of doom!

"AHHHHHH! BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING MOREI-SAAAAAAAAN!"

Yukimura would scream as he held onto the Daimyo treasure like his life depended on it, which it kind of did. Hoofing it down the hall, then down the turn, then another turn, he didn't think twice seeing a strange blue vortex, and would just dive straight for it, praying to Amaterasu it took them somewhere safe.

DICE GODS ;^;

[Morei Haji]

I heard metal from behind me, and based on Yukimura's screams and his starting to run for his life, I realized something bad was happening, and I didn't even bother turning around to look at it as I ran for my life too. I was getting really sick of this place by this point, and I followed behind the others as fast as I could (because Katsumi is much faster) despite my bad leg. Going down the turns, a vortex would be before us.

"Because that's perfectly safe..." I muttered to myself as I ran and jumped straight through it.

[Shinomori Katsumi]

At the sound and the sight of wall covered in spikes coming towards them ready to impale the group, Katsumi immediately bolted. Considering she was must faster anyway and uninjured, within moments she was ahead of the group and, upon reaching the vortex, she would stop and wave the others forward. When they all jumped through, Katsumi would inhale deeply before going in as well, hoping beyond all reason and hope that they would make it back to safety.

[Oda Nobunaga]

Takehiro: uCHo8Mz2

Group: �

[Oda Nobunaga]

Takehiro: Retrieving his weapons, the mercenary's tactic seemed to scare off the two Riders for a moment, before he was tackled to the ground by the Stalker! It would begin to claw at his face, while the Riders would whip at his wrists in an attempt to hold them down!

Group: Upon diving through the vortex, the group would slide along the ground in a new area! Here they had two paths to choose from: An immediate right, or another right, further up the path!

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Being tackled to the ground, Takehiro dropped his weapons once more, trying to raise his arms up so the whips would crack at the ground instead of his wrists! Once that was done, he would slam both of his fists into the Stalker's face to crush and destroy it, before throwing its mangled body at the Riders and rushing at them, aiming to strike both of their faces in!

[Sanada Yukimura]

Quickly climbing to his feet after sliding along the ground immediately after being teleported through the vortex, he'd consider the options they had in terms of paths, and after checking for any floor traps once more, would set off down the hallway, taking the immediate right. He really wanted to get out of this maze... soon.

DICE GODS ;^;

[Morei Haji]

Luckily, we landed in a safe place. There wasn't a huge legion of Riders waiting for us or anything, and I took that as a good sign. As Katsumi jumped in after me, I would help her to her feet before following behind Yukimura, weapon held tightly just in case.

I only prayed we were going the right way.