The Second Shield

[Canary]

You have been tasked as the second line of defense of the shugenja enacting the ritual. If you fall, all is lost.

Location: The Edge of the Pit

Participants: 4 character, plus Shinjo

Time: Early Evening. This event will open at 09:00 PDT.

Rules:
This is a roleplaying thread until such time as the characters in Those Who Defend can no longer continue and the enemies left make it through them. After that time, it will become a combat thread with the remaining enemies/waves.

[Shinjo]

Shinjo stood tensely near the shugenja, splitting her attention between watching their years of work to retrieve her brother come to fruition and watching for any enemies that may break through the first ranks.

[Nanzi]

Nanzi glanced to the Kirin champion and said, "This will succeed."

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen sides with Nanzi, swinging a newly received and jade-nail-coated proto-tetsubo. "Oh! You're here."

[Nanzi]

Nanzi held out his arm and allowed his Raven to land on his gloved hand and he said, “Where else would I be, dear sister?”

He gently stroked the raven’s sleek black feathers and then said, “Stay alert friend, this is a moment of history.” He then raised his hand and the raven took off once more to circle and keep and eye out for trouble avoiding the worst of the weather.

[Shinjo]

Nanzi glanced to the Kirin champion and said, "This will succeed."

Shinjo nodded, though she still looked fairly tense. "Yes... I know."

[Hantei Kinsen]

Nanzi held out his arm and allowed his Raven to land on his gloved hand and he said, “Where else would I be, dear sister?”

He gently stroked the raven’s sleek black feathers and then said, “Stay alert friend, this is a moment of history.” He then raised his hand and the raven took off once more to circle and keep and eye out for trouble avoiding the worst of the weather.

She smiles at his question, replying and cocking her head back at the sudden raven landing, "Er... watching pretty birds... but guess you can do plenty of that afterwards."

With a nod to Shinjo, Kinsen's internal energy is gets boosted over the top. She confesses, having being sleeping in –– closely –– the same tent for some nights about now, "It is so good to have you nearby."

[Kanna]

Kanna was here as well, and pacing nervously. That she wasn't directly with Reiko filled her with a clear sense of unease... but one that she was doing her best to quell. She couldn't be at Reiko's side right now. Physical threats were her job. And being the last line of defense was going to be her job. She was quiet, eyes narrow. We get past this. Reiko and Fu Leng comes home. Then I can rest a bit. Marry a pretty girl. Maybe actual start working on training a bit more. But first. We get past this.

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Ayumu was there as well, in his armor discolored by splashes of acid, very obviously nervous. But who wouldn't be in such circumstances?

[Nanzi]

Ayumu was there as well, in his armor discolored by splashes of acid, very obviously nervous. But who wouldn't be in such circumstances?

Nanzi was all smiles and confidence. He said to the defenders, "We all must die sometime, my friends, but we will do so only after we have held this line. A samurai knows Courage, and Honor is stronger than Iron."

He added, "We are the bulwark against the Terror. We are the Defenders of Ningen-do. We are Samurai and we shall know no fear."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Fearless people do stupid things Lord Nanzi. I'd rather be aware of the danger and use my fear as fuel to prepare for it as best as I can."

While saying that, Ayumu started meticulously coating the blade of his yari with dust from a small, raw, uncut piece of jade.

"We've fought a beast that was basically immune to anything but jade yesterday. I've heard you also had one such encounter."

[Nanzi]

"Courage is not fearlessness," he said chuckling applying Jade to his blade. "Courage is the strength to overcome that which brings terror."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Well, if the monsters challenge us to a word definition fight, we'll be sure to win with you on our side.

Joke aside, I don't think courage will be the issue. No one who has come this far lacks it. Though one may argue the most courageous ones are the ones on the frontline at this very moment, not us."

[Nanzi]

"There are no tiers here, we are fulfilling an important role, same as those going into the Pit," he said looking at the strange man.

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kanna was here as well, and pacing nervously. That she wasn't directly with Reiko filled her with a clear sense of unease... but one that she was doing her best to quell. She couldn't be at Reiko's side right now. Physical threats were her job. And being the last line of defense was going to be her job. She was quiet, eyes narrow. We get past this. Reiko and Fu Leng comes home. Then I can rest a bit. Marry a pretty girl. Maybe actual start working on training a bit more. But first. We get past this.

Bad blood or not, Honor binds Kinsen to show courtesy. She bows to greet a fellow woman-in-arms. "May the light of the Kami guide us."

"There are no tiers here, we are fulfilling an important role, same as those going into the Pit," he said looking at the strange man.

Kinsen nods to Nanzi with a smirk, and raises her eyebrows playfully to Ayumu, saying, "I am glad for the work you did to my kimono. I might finally put your geniousness to good use. Although, I hope it won't be necessary."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"There are no tiers here, we are fulfilling an important role, same as those going into the Pit," he said looking at the strange man.

"I am aware of the importance of our current duty. I am also aware that it is the position where I can be the most useful.

But nonetheless, it's easier to be courageous when you're slightly farther away from doom.

It's like... I've been on cooking duty a lot of this expedition. It's an important duty, vital even. People need to eat to not die. But I wouldn't say it requires as much courage as what we are doing today."

Kinsen nods to Nanzi with a smirk, and raises her eyebrows playfully to Ayumu, saying, "I am glad for the work you did to my kimono. I might finally put your geniousness to good use. Although, I hope it won't be necessary."

"Thank you for your kind words lady Kinsen.

In a way, it's relaxing to think that the best that could happen would be for us to do nothing today."

[Kanna]

Bad blood or not, Honor binds Kinsen to show courtesy. She bows to greet a fellow woman-in-arms. "May the light of the Kami guide us."

Kanna, on the other hand, glares at Kinsen with a bare nod of her head. "And may our arms be strong enough to carry the day," is her cold response. Which was probably more polite than one could reasonably have expected.

[Nanzi]

Nanzi said calmly, "Speak ill of my Courage, or of those that stand beside you, one more time Jiyo-san and Nanzi will know the reason why."

"If you wish to revel in your cowardice, do so in silence."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"That's not what I'm saying at...

Let's just stop there. I feel like we're using the same words, but don't put the same meaning behind them.

Our actions have proven and will prove more than anything we could say."

[Hantei Kinsen]

"Nanzi-sama likes to win. So, Ayumu-san, let's talk about victory please. He's the head of his family. Hmmm." Kinsen chants up to the bickering pair.