Date: 11 December 1615 CE
Location: Southern Australian coast
Participants: VirgilBelmont Virgil Belmont, Raven, SebastianNemo Sebastian Nemo, DeviWong Devi Wong, TomoLuKang Tomo Lu Kang, Alaistar, Winter, RenjiYoritomo Renji Yoritomo, Hugh, Miyen Mi-yen, Wraiths, Yu, Pascle, Liem, TheOrderoftheIronThorn The Order of the Iron Thorn
Summary: Recovery and escape!

"He's got her and heading..." Renji's soul frowned deeply in concentration, trying to locate the rapid movement of his other half, "...heading back."

Virgil's eyes flickered open as he got enough of a report. He looked around at the what had become of the camp that had been reconstructed in the aftermath of the last battle. The Thorn had burned the corpses of their dead as well as what remained of the Hollows that had been burned by the rushing waters within the moat and perished on the edges of their blades and weapons, lest they be reanimated by the evil that choked this cursed place. The charred craters still marred the far end of the sand. Regardless of the morbid overtones, he had them stay on the beach over the past two days, repairing their fortifications, waiting, and recuperating.

The battle had been fierce, leaving 4 dead and 7 heavily wounded and the remaining 12 Thorn, even Yu and Pascle, carried injuries that would soon turn to scars. They were gathered on the sand, keeping watch and managing what little supplies were left.

Meanwhile, once Devi had recovered from the fight, she, Yu, and Alaistar had recreated the circular threshold to encompass and protect the now more compressed campsite. Even though the Wraiths had managed to push across it once, it had slowed them and in any battle, time was precious. Nemo and Raven had joined in the effort, adding runes into wet sand.

Winter and Tomo were by the wounded, hovering around the Thorn on guard and doing what they could for the injured, sitting or laying prone on the sand. The older man's eyes continually flickered to the horizon, stretching out with senses beyond what any of the others could equal, watching and waiting.

Over the past two days, Renji's soul had only known that his other half was moving fast and flying hard. He wouldn't take the time to make contact and provide any additional information. Although frustrating, knowing Hugh was with Renji or at least on the trail of the Wraiths, had calmed Virgil and led to the decision to hold fast. Hugh knew the consequences of the situation and the two choices that were left in his hands. Their small force would be too slow and too small to do much except tally more losses. What they could do was wait, heal their wounded and trust in the two that were in the field.

This new report let him breath a sigh of relief even if he only did so on the inside. The others just saw his calm demeanor. He had maintained a steady pace of activity since the attack, but this change brought him back into quick and immediate action.

He turned to Pascle who was hovering near by, Winter's bandages wrapped tightly around his upper right arm and leg. "Get them ready for a fight," Virgil said calmly, catching the other man's gaze.

Pascle nodded grimly and went to gather the rest of the Thorn who could still manage to handle their weapons, trying not to show the pain in his step. Once he was on his way, Virgil turned to gather the rest of the Nine.

Tomo looked up with a grim nod, reading Virgils' body language. The older man rose from his knees and laid a wrinkled hand on Winters delicate shoulder, catching her shaken gaze and walking at her side over to the side of camp, gathering their bows and arrows as they went. Yu and Devi remained with the threshold, but the rest gave their fortifications one last glance and moved together. The Thorn were right behind, the tension from waiting for the first fight replaced by the grim reality of their enemy and the dangers they all accepted with pride.

While they gathered, Virgil glanced over towards the plain from where the Wraiths had first come. The horizon had remained flat and barren over the past two days but now... He frowned and peered into the grassland as the light began to fade. Shadows started to stretch as dusk began to fall but his intuition told him that was not all that lay in the distance.

He turned back to the small, deadly quiet group that had assembled, each waiting for his orders. He took them in for a moment, gauging the situation and seeing that Winters eyes had gone wide when she caught sight of the boiling and encroaching darkness. With a set jaw, Virgil looked up at Alaistar, stepping lightly on the air above their heads as lookout. "Get your boat."

Alaistar twisted his staff in his hands as he turned, stepped towards the sea and gestured, calling out to his vessel.

"Quickly," Tomo added, his eagle eyes locked on the darkening horizon line.

Virgil did not hold back and began giving orders. "Thorn, get the wounded, leave everything else. The rest, your blades." The men nodded to him and he met each man's gaze before they moved back towards their diminished camp and gathered what they could. "We fight in the surf," Virgil continued, his commanding voice low, but reaching each pair of ears, drawing their eyes to his confident frame and steadying their emotions. "Wounded and Thorn are the first on board and the rest steps behind. We can hold them off for a few moments, but make it fast onto deck and then we are back out to sea." Nods came in response and Virgil motioned for them all to finish dealing with the remains of the camp and then head quickly towards the lapping waves.

As they worked, he turned, scanning the darkening horizon and finally caught sight of a black and white form streaking towards them in the afternoon sky against the backdrop of writhing shadows.

Renji's face was grim and intense as he neared, balanced on the black and white disks at his feet. His black gi was streaked with gashes, as if he had flown through a hail of knives that had slashed and torn at him. In his arms he carried the pale and silver form of Mi-yen, her arms hanging limp, her long hair tattered and tangled, head bowed onto the man's shoulder.

Tomo, Raven and Devi paused to wait with Virgil as the others headed into the water and Alaistar focused on calling his vessel from the air. Without slowing, Renji descended towards them at a screaming pace, his disks slamming to a stop in the sand at their feet.

"How many?" Virgil demanded, looking down at the taller man who was rising from his sand dusted knees.

"All of them," Renji answered hoarsely and through shallow breaths. Mi-yen had stiffened at their voices, her head lifted, silver eyes that were slightly dulled looking around as if trying to understand where she was.

Virgil looked over at her, drawing her blade from the belt loop at his hip where he had kept it since pulling it out of the sand after the battle. He offered it to her hilt first. She seemed to come more into the present as the seconds passed and she reached out stiffly to take the sword, her fingers gripping it reflexively. The sensation of the cloth covered hilt worked its way up her wooden arm. Although she barely seemed to be breathing, she moved her head slightly, instructing Renji to let her back onto her feet. Her jaw clenched as her toes touched the sand, the tension in her jaw seemingly the only thing keeping her upright. Regardless, she squared her bare shoulders and her gaze heated. Virgil glanced only momentarily at the series of new gray scars that raked down and across the center of her body, then to Renji's face who was focused on the smaller form as she stood under her own power. Virgil nodded and turned back at the undulating sea of blackness heading towards them.

"Let's move." He said grimly, drawing his own blade with its hot white glow. They joined the rest, ankle, knee and even thigh deep in the pounding surf.

Thorn carried the wounded in their arms and on their backs, while others drew their weapons and turned towards the onslaught, digging their heels into the wet sand. Faces grimaced as cold salty water bit into bandages but every one of them knew that the sting was better than the alternative.

The Nine brought their weapons to bear as well.

Nemo stood next to Tomo, quivers of rune crafted arrows hanging from his hips and his hands ready to lay on still more runes. Tomo for his part hefted his shield onto his back and drew back the string of his bow and cocked arrow, holding it taunt, ready to release.

Raven had a small sword in one hand, the other poised to etch into the air, blobs of jet black ink floating around her outstretched palm.

Devi focused intently and drew a huge breath as she pushed a sphere of light and energy around them.

Next to her Winter's eyes glowed white as huge walls of ice formed sharp barricades between the tiny knot of people and the oncoming wave of blackness, cold wind biting into the already cooling night.

Above them, Alaistar kept his eyes balanced between the encroaching vessel and sea of Wraiths and Hollows, his feet padding rhythmically against the air. His brow furrowed, hurrying his vessel back.

Renji stood with grim and determined tension, his disks spinning around him, the glint on their sharp edges almost matching the vicious looking in his eye as he waited to sink his blade into soulless flesh. At his side stood Mi-yen holding out her blade towards the incoming shadows at a matching angle.

With a sweep of his gaze, Virgil took in his fellows, then turned his steady gaze back onto the incoming shadows, his face growing grim.

The bodies of thousands of Hollows could be made out in the plain. The momentum of the mob and the push of the Wraiths spurring them towards the sand, their radiance coloring the sky and casting a shadow over the small crowd in the surf. Virgil could feel the strain Alaistar was putting on pulling the boat to shore, but the timing would be close.

With that last thought, the first wail filled the darkening sky as the bodies of Hollows crashed upon the shield that Devi was holding and into the spear like ice barricades Winter had erected.

The Ox Clan Wraith lead the charge, the Wraith and its Hollows' collective strength was enough to push over mountains and the energy shield didn't stand a chance. Devi dropped down to her knee under the strain, but the golden sphere shattered into a million tiny pieces that flickered and vanished from the air.

Virgil shot through the gap, his broadsword spinning around him in a wide arc, his gifted strength clashing against the might of the Hollows. They moaned their deep ethereal cry as they drew more energy to heal the gaping wounds he dealt them. He landed on the beach and spun away from the meaty fist of the Ox Wraith that shook the ground as he struck, sending up a cascading shower of dry sand. The Wraiths second blow that followed would have crushed Virgil where he stood if not for the perfectly shot arrow blasting though the eye socket of the Shadow Puppet followed by a freezing wall forming around its head.

The beast howled in pain and dropped back, the 13 Tiger Clan Shadow Puppets flooding into the void, each filling with strength as they moved to surround Virgil.

From either side of the billowing mob of Tiger Clan puppets, Wraiths continued to pour down from the plain and out across the narrow beach. Each time the waves pulled back revealing more open sand they would press inward, like a black tide, only to be pushed back again as the waves broke once more against the shore. Arrows, white and black disks, the glow of sharpened blades, walls of ice, flashes of ink, concussive blasts, arches of wet and dry sand and the heat of fire met the onslaught. Hollows were sliced in two, peppered with arrows, burned by the frothing waves and pushed back into their ranks, but still they came, their wounds closing as their Wraith masters healed the blows of their unstoppable army. Waves of them cascaded one after the other, straining to reach their prize.

Liem, one of the youngest of the Thorn still on his feet, slipped on the unsteady surface of ebbing sand after a heaving swing of his blade against a Hollow, dropping him down to one knee in the surf at the edge of the fight. As the waves pulled back the Hollows were on him, their guttural moans reaching a fever pitch as they managed to drag him further inland and then set about trying to tear his soul from his body. Meanwhile, from above, the Rat Clan Wraith dove into the crack in their defenses. Its tendrils arched through the air, caught the edge of Alaistar's staff and tried to fling him from his aerial post and and down into the sand. Making the best of a bad situation, Alaistar crashed his body into the knot of Hollows writhing around Liem, forcing concussive blasts out from his epicenter. The ground shook as if a bomb had detonated and for a brief moment their surroundings were clear. Liem did not miss a second, kicking up onto his feet and making the grip on his sword more secure even as he hacked at an encroaching Hollows limb. Alaistar continued his defense, calling up one explosion after another as the Hollows attempted to cut them off from the others. The two pushed back, side by side, towards those in the surf while the others blocked the Wraiths from falling in between them.

Rooster Clan dove in at Alaistar as the waves broke once more, trying to drag him away from the nearing safety of the surf, but he blasted it away with a two handed explosion at the dodging tendrils. Liem growled at the encroaching shadows and with a cry of rage against those who had nearly taken his very soul, wielded his blade expertly through the black mass in order to try and give his rescuer and himself a chance at the waves. Alaistar batted what remained of a Hollow into the oncoming Wraith, and then spun away, clenched his fist to call an explosion and stepped deftly back into the air. As he rose he stabbed his staff into a nearing Hollow, grabbed Liem by the shoulders and flung him over the growing line of shadow between them and the surf. Liem, recovering quickly from his surprise at suddenly being in the air, sliced at the heads of the Hollows he arched over then prepared himself, rolling with the fall and with a splash coming back to his feet. As he did, his dark black eyes flashed back for a moment as he returned to the fray, seeing Alaistar catch his rebounding staff and continuing to rise back into the air with explosions of greater intensity at his feet, flinging death and sand into the Hollows and Wraiths still trying to thwart his ascent. Liem and all the rest knew that even with this small victory, it was clear they would be quickly overwhelmed.

With Liem rescued, the fight to hold the surf continued unabatted. In the air Alaistar and Devi continued to pound down at those below on the beach. Yu arched sand walls at the shadows even as Winter sent out thick spikes of ice. Renji and Mi-yen, fought in a intermingling style easily attributed to Gakkou No Ha No Michi that blending their blades into a single force. They blocked and turned the oncoming enemies, preventing them from cutting off the escape of those, like Virgil, still on shore, but their own attacks moved them back onto dry land. Renji spun his disks in a whirlwind around the small group at the edge of the surf, creating a wall of blades to defend them while she continued to flash in and out of the shadows, a silver streak of flesh.

"FOCUS ON THE BOAT!" Renji growled to Alaistar as the group fell back into the waves. Mi-yen, at the edge of the protection provided by the water, caught the attention of the Wraiths. The Shadow Puppets turned from wherever they were to focus on the prize just out of their grasp. The Hollows were slightly slower to respond to the prodding of the hive mind, but their focus had shifted as well to the small silver form and the glinting katana whirling in her hands. With a growl Renji flung his disks forward and pulled himself and Mi-yen back into the surf, Yu and Pascal charged forward, the former creating a barricade of sand to cover their escape. The water splashed up against their drenched clothes and flesh as they waded ankle and then knee deep into the salty sea.

Alaistar continued to swing his staff and reach out with his powers all the while straining with all his force on the boat, but the vessel had never been designed to be called this quickly. There was little more they could do but hold the line.

The wails grew to shrieks as the wake of the nearing boat started to aid in their defense. The surge of salt and foaming water spraying the first line of Hollows, burning them like acid. The arms of Tiger and Snake that were trying to come up over top were joined by Rat who cackled and sneered at the small force, even as it was forced to snap back from the sea spray. Virgil broke free of his duel with the Ox Wraith and ensured all his men were safe before retreating, his feet gliding across the sand to rejoin the line in the surf.

As the boat neared, the Thorn carrying the wounded slipped into deeper water and grabbed hold of the ropes that dangled from the stern, the rest bounding over the railings that floated just above water level. Even as the carved dragon prow, its golden eyes flashing in the dimming light, flowed towards the shore dug into the mass of Hollow bodies, the Thorn were climbing on board and pulling their comrades along with them. While they struggled, the Snake Wraith stretched out with its tendrils trying to crush them against the red wooden sides. With a shout, Devi lashed out with pure energy of fire and heat, burning back the blackness and temporarily lighting up the night like the noonday sun. She rose to her feet and then into the air, joining Alaistar, the two created buffer for the rest climb on board. Winter focused and solidified the water into ice steps, to aid still others onto the boat. Sheep and Rat turned their focus on the air battle, keeping the pressure at a near breaking point.

While they held, the moment was not lost. Nemo and Winter hurried out of the water and onto deck, reestablishing the rhythm of rune carving and arrow assault from the bow. Tomo joined them a moment later, in time to block an attack from a Hollow with his shield. His weight shifted almost imperceptibly to his back foot as he backhanded the beast over the side, sending it into the frothing waves where it disintegrated. Its dark form was followed by another who lept out with a spear, its deadly tip aimed at the source of the flaming aerial assault. The beast never made it, its entire form run through with thousands of icy shards as Winter turned her focus on it, and with a hand motion flung it too from the deck. Tomo pivoted, blade and shield ready as more followed.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Thorn who had been fighting in the surf climbed aboard under the protection of the air battle and their comrades fighting off the increased assault from the far side of the boat. Finally, Raven slipped into the shadows of the vessel and Virgil gave a final, commanding shout, caught the base of the ladder and started to climb. Renji took to the air on one of his disks, the other spinning around him in time with his blade. The wall of shadows pressed with feverish determination and he grabbed Mi-yen out of her fight with the hoard, her katana swinging as if to try and cut through each and every one. With a shout he flew them both into the air on a single disk, over the wooden sides and down onto the deck.

As the last of the Nine flung themselves over the railing or landed on the deck, Alaistar swung his staff through the air and the vessel started to heave out of the shallow water, the square red and white striped sail billowing as it filled with air. The shrieks grew piercing as all the Wraiths pushed their Hollows into the water, sacrificing them once more in order to create a bridge of human flesh. Hollows raced across the backs of the fallen, jumping towards the smooth wooden railings, the tall mast and curving prow, desperate to reclaim their prize. Blades, arrows and powers dug into the hands clinging to the boat and cut out legs from those that had managed to gain their footing.

Around the dark bodies came the tendrils of Wraiths, Tiger and Ox leading the charge, the rest right behind. They came out over the frothing waves in a final assault. On the deck the fight continued. Hollows were slaughtered even as more clawed their way on board and each sent back overboard while the air hummed with flickering flame and the static of rippling energy.

As the black energy of the combined assault of the Wraiths poured down, Alaistar and Yu let out a huge explosion by the bow, creating a tower of water and sand, the concussion heaving the boat out towards the open sea. The wood shuddered under the strain, the waves, and the weight of shadows, but the distance to shore grew.

Piercing cries echoed through the darkening sky as the last Hollows were dispatched with an efficiency gained from great practice and then silence descended upon the boat. As the last bodies of the dispatched Hollows fell to an ocean grave the boat found the rhythm of the waves.

Those still standing breathed hard, eyes flashing around in the dimming light, at first disbelieving their escape. They glanced between each other, weapons still held ready, while their eyes fixed on the dwindling shore where shadows still rippled with agitation. The boat caught the first surge of open waves and sailed further from the blackened beach. After a moment, the splash of water on wood was joined by a low thud.

Virgil's head turned sharply, locking on to the source and frowning as he saw that Mi-yen had crumpled to the deck. Her mind and body had held up through the fight, but now gave into whatever it had endured. As her naked form hit the wooden planks a flow of power drifted out from her body.

Alaistar and Winter turned towards the sensation with a mix of surprise and concern. On unsteady feet, Devi laid a hand on Winter's shoulder and gave the younger woman a reassuring smile. Just as Alaistar was about to speak, a crack of thunder and flash of lightening burst through the sky, silencing him. Gales built up and swept towards the boat out of nowhere. The sea churned, white capped waves slamming into the sides of the boat. The sky darkened with clouds as a pounding rain and roiling waves began another assault. Those on deck took what cover they could as Alaistar moved quickly to try and get his listing ship back in hand.

Throughout the night the vessel was at the mercy of the elements. By the time dawn crested the next morning Devi and Nemo had managed to calculate the location of another nearby island they had made note of in their earlier reconnaissance and Alaistar steered the boat towards it. As the bow struck shore the keel rose into the sand, Tomo passed his acute eyes over the thick, tree lined shore. He could see no signs of Wraiths or other life and with that brief but confident assessment, Virgil gave the signal and the weary Thorn and the rest of the Nine disembarked and another camp was started in order to gather their strength once more for the battles to come.

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