To Kamui! (Bailey Jane)

Sakuyahime took a piece of fish and ate.  She didn't like being defenceless, but her Nature bending wasn't strong enough to bend in the dead of such a harsh winter, and her Spirit bending skills were non-existent.  Soon, Bailey sensed and saw something coming towards the cave, causing Okuninushi stood up, "It's too soon to be them..." he said drawing his sword, "It's too fast and not familiar.  It's not Nemuri.  But...he said tomorrow afternoon.  There's no way Samaikuru could go all the way back to Wep'keer and back here in just twenty minutes."

Okuninushi walked to the mouth of the cave and raised his blade, Bailey readying a shot from her bow behind him.  Then, from the snow burst a blur of black and maroon.  With a roar of anger, something with long black hair and a black wolf mask swung a sword at him, and Okuninushi just barely managed to block, the tip of the blade scratching his cheek.  Then the blur moved to Okuninushi's left.  It was an Oina, there was no doubt about it, this speed, and strength and that mask made no mistaking.  But it wasn't Samaikuru, that was also for sure.  It was another Oina.  A fierce one too, and a good fighter.  "Who are you? asked Okuninushi, "Why are you attacking us?"  "You are outsiders," hissed the warrior, "You should not be here!  Leave or die!"

Bailey held her arrow from attacking right away, in case she hit someone good. However, once the blur attacked Okuni, she released the arrow and aiming for the shoulder. The Oina was faster than the demons they had fought a few minutes ago. Her arrow landed in the side of the Oina's arm instead of the shoulder. "Get back and leave, or I'll shoot to kill..." Bailey almost yelled as she pulled a new arrow. Calculating for the new speed, Bailey aimed straight for the Oina's neck. "We mean no harm and have already been visited by your kind. Leave." Bailey refused to lower any weapon and palmed her dagger just in case.

The Oina stopped, and pulled the arrow from his arm, letting the blood run down his shoulder and towards his elbow.  He did not care about the pain, it was irrelevant to these outsiders.  In a flash he slammed his sword into the ground, and from his back pulled a larger, polished bronze mirror.  One one side was glass set right into a decorative, dark bronze casing.  As a long, glowing string of Jade Magatama beads.  The shone with a heavenly and holy power and coiled themselves around the Oina's forearm.  Once everything was in place, and his mirror floated parallel to his bejeweled forearm, the metal side acting as a shield, he grabbed his sword continued to fight with Okuninushi.

Whom, in all fairness, couldn't understand why he had just allowed that to happen.  The actions were so strange; Okuninushi had never seen them before, let alone these weapons.  He was so enthralled he missed the best opening he had.  The Oina man and Okuninushi continued to fight as Bailey and Sakuyahime watched on, but the fight ended with Okuninushi took a fist to the gut causing him to stumble back.  The Oina took this opportunity and raised his arm.  Three strings of beads shot from the coil and wrapped themselves around everyone's necks.  Okuninushi could feel his chi being drained by the beads...and his life force...his spirit itself was being--the Oina man put his sword in the ground again and grabbed the mirror, grasping the edge like a fan and held it against his chest, glass side towards his enemies.  That mirror was going to seal their fate, literally.  There was nothing that could be done.

((OOC: I plan for them to get out of it by the end of the next post.  Just post a reaction to this entire scene from Bailey's point of view, have her throw in some arrows and such XD I'm sorry to tell you what to do with your posts; you're good at this and I don't like doing so unless people aren't good.  Anyway just kinda work with it for now, I'm sorry!))

Bailey couldn't believe her eyes. Her bow was her best weapon, and it didn't even phase the guy. She watched, guarding over Sakuya in case the Oina began to attack her too. The mirror was new to her, and she hadn't seen an attack like it before. What was it's purpose, it's goal? Bailey wasn't sure and decided to try to distract the creature for Okuni to have a better hit. Pulling three different arrows out of her quiver, Bailey quickly fired them off. Sending them directly for the throat of the creature at full force. He would either have to take the hit and risk losing his vocals or cutting the artery that sustained his life; or blocking them and leaving an opening for Okuni to attack. Sliding just so that the fire was between her and Sakuya, Bailey stabbed a piece of bark with the third arrow, lighting it on fire. Bailey carefully aimed, not wanting to scorch Okuni by accident, as she steadied her bow and waited for a good opening. Bailey fired just as Okuni slammed his fist into the creature.

The raised mirror blocked her arrow, and it lay still aflame on the ground by the Oina's feet as the rope went around her neck. Against her better wishes, Bailey dropped her bow and quiver as she reached up for the rope. Struggling against it seemed to make things worse, but not struggling went against everything Bailey had ever grown up to know. Was it possible? She thought as she looked at her comrades at the moment. Even Sakuya behind her was caught in this man's attack. Is this really how we are to die? Bailey yanked hard against the rope around her neck. Se refused to believe that she would die so easily.

Okuninushi and Sakuyahime could feel their life force draining from them as the Oina used his...well, for lack of better words, "magic powers" on them.  The cord of jade magatamas not only cut of their ability to breath significantly, but it was draining them of...their soul? Their chi?  Either way, it was a horrible experience...who knew how long they could last.  Then it hit Okuninushi.  This was their demon killing technique.  When demons are killed they returned to the Ark of Yamato and eventually are reborn again...but, the only way to keep them from coming back is to drain them of their life-force and seal it away.  In the mirror.

Well, he had figured it out, at least.  Too bad he would die before he had a chance to lear--Okuninushi's final moments were cut off as a yellow flash, teeth and fangs bared, jumped on the Oina man's back, ending the concentration and the "magic."  There was roaring, and howling, and the group took this opportunity to break from the clutches of the magatama beads and catch their breath, only to set up for another offensive when it was over.  The fight between the yellow blur and the Oina man came to an end when standing there was a young woman, not an animal.

She had long, brown hair tied into a top knot and flowing into two, distinct, bushy pony tails in the back.  She wore a tiger mask, and yellows robes.  She too was an Oina.  "How dare you, Okikurmi!" shouted the girl, clearly offended, "Samaikuru and Kemushiri told you all Oina to leave these travelers alone until they decided what to do with them!"  "They are outsiders, they should not be here," said the one named Okikurmi, "Why are you here Kaipoku?"  "I came to make sure you didn't do anything stupid," said the girl, Kaipoku, "But stealing the Sacred Sword Kutone and attacking travelers against the elders wishes with it was something I didn't even think you could be capable of."

"These outsiders wish to drive us from our home," hissed Okikurmi, "Just like the Nippons tried to.  They came here, demanding we pay homage to them--"  "That was centuries ago!" shouted Kaipoku, "And the Emperor of Nippon was brothers with our Tribal Cheif.  They were sons of Sceter, remember?"  Okikurmi remained silent, "They shouldn't be here, they need to leave."  "That's not for you to decide," said Kaipoku strictly, "Now go back to Wep'keer, and put Kutone back in the sacred pedestal.  I don't even know what you're doing with that thing in the first place.  It hasn't been used since Sceter, God of Peace and Protection placed it there eons ago."

Sceter was the God of War in the Six Nations, what did they mean God of Peace and Protection?  He tried to kill the Gedo Mazo, and left all gods alone, not wanting to be with them.  He was the outcast, why was he so revered here, Sakuyahime and Okuninushi couldn't understand it.  "No," said Okikurmi, "I must fulfill the prophecy.  The wall of ice shall shatter and open the way to the heavens, when Kutone, the guardian sword, glows silver."  "And you think by killing travelers that you'll gain entry to the heavens?" hissed Kaipoku, "You're a fool."  "The travelers were only to be killed because they should not be here," said Okikurmi, gathering up his weapons and walking towards the mouth of the cave, "I plan to use the sword to stop the demons.  The more I kill, the more power Kutone shall gain, and it shall then glow silver and allow me entrance into the heavens and give me power to protect my people."

Okikurmi transformed into a black wolf almost instantly, and ran back off into the blinding blizzard before Kaipoku could even respond.  With a saddened sigh, she turned around and looked at the travelers, Bailey, Okuninushi and Sakuyahime.  "I'm sorry, he gets like that sometimes," she said sheepishly, "Welcome to Kamui," Kaipoku bowed, "I'm Kaipoku, of the Oina.  That cheerful young man was my good friend, Okikurmi.  Have you found your trip enjoyable so far?"

Bailey felt odd as something was pulled out of her. She could feel it, fighting against whatever was tugging at it while it clawed at her. It was painful and she could barely think about the thought of the rope around her neck choking her to death. Something that hadn't happened in years, since back before the twins were born, raged through Bailey as she let out a slight scream. Not loud enough to be heard under the pressure of their heads screaming for air. With a gasp, Bailey tried to keep her throat open to breathe. Even if she lost whatever it was that was being pulled from her, she wasn't going to allow this creature to take her breath and her life. Mentally, she readied herself to fight against the Oina, although she wasn't sure how to fight something being taken from her if she didn't know what that something was.

As she tried to think of what could possibly be pulling away from her, something attacked the creature. Bailey tried to look and see what it was that was attacking and saving their lives, but she couldn't turn her head to see. Suddenly, the rope left from around her neck and she fell to the ground. Bailey moved to her feet quickly, pulling her bow and arrow out to aim at the new person. Are you friend or foe? She thought as she watched the woman morph back into her normal form. She's a Oina too? Bailey pulled up the arrow, ready to shoot if she advanced on them. For the moment she seemed to be on their sides. She had just saved their lives, but Bailey couldn't trust her. She didn't trust any of the Oina at the moment. Looking over her shoulder, she checked to see how Sakuya was. Had she been okay from the fight, well the near death experience, or had it done anything to her. Bailey kept her bow trained on the new woman, but turned to fully face Sakuya. "Are you okay?" She asked, her voice harsh to her ears from where the rope had rubbed against her vocals.

Sakuyahime nodded.  She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she was sure she had felt her very existed being sucked from her body.  Then some Oina girl ran in, and attacked the Oina man, and then the Oina man ran off after having some sort of prophetic moment that the other girl clearly though was a cry of madness.  "I'm fine," she responded, able to speak once again.  Okuninushi on the other hand had some questions for this Kaipoku girl.  "Kapoku, that's your name right?" asked Okuninushi, "Why are you here?"  Kaipoku, not even insulted by this question, responded instantly, "I knew Okikurmi would do something stupid like that," she explained, "He's been acting really weird lately.  Ever since Ezofuji began to shake.  It's really a long story.  Can we sit down and I'll explain it to you?"

Okuninushi and Sakuyahime couldn't see why not, and sat around the fire once more with Kaipoku now joining them.  Okuninushi motioned for Bailey to put her weapon away.  This Kaipoku clearly meant no harm.  She would've struck them in the confusion that had just followed the fight between her and Okikurmi.  "You see," said Kaipoku as she began to move her hands over the fire, making little shapes of people in them, the first thing that appeared was a group of Oina living in a village on the side of twin mountains, "The Twin Mountains of Ezofuji are said to be entrance way to Yomi-no-Kuni, a hellish place where only the most evil of spirits are sent."

"They never used to be there, not until the God of Life, Kanatta, sealed his dead and now demonic wife, Ameria Goddess of Death, inside of Yomi-no-Kuni.  I will recount the tale, in case any of you are not familiar with the Seishinism religion."  As Kaipoku told her tale, the images of all that she spoke continued to appear in the flames she manipulated.  "After Ameria was killed during an attack by evil spirits on the group of Gods and Spirits that had travelled from the Heavens down to Earth in order to rule over it, she was sent to Yomi.  That marked the start of Life and Death in our world.  When Kanatta, grieving the loss of his wife came to Kamui, then just a simply frozen land to save her by entering Yomi, he was told to wait three days while Ameria spoke with the dark spirits who ruled Yomi and negotiate her release.  You see back then, Yomi was the land where the dark spirits would drag their kills back with them."

As Kaipoku spoke her story, Okuninushi noticed that her Fire bending...wasn't really bending.  In fact, it was just her moving her hands like a puppet master.  What bending form was this?  Why was she able to manipulate the fire without bending?  Okuninushi had many questions, but first, he had to listen to this story.  "Kanatta said he could wait, but unfortunately, in his impatience to see his beloved wife once more, he peaked at her beyond the mosquito net where she slept in the same room, and saw that she had become a decayed, and flesh eaten demon like her captors, instead of the beautiful woman he married.  Kanatta screamed in fear, and Ameria woke up.  Angry, and embarrassed, she chased him with the other dark spirits to the mouth of Yomi."

"In order to escape his wife's wrath, knowing she would kill everything if she escaped, Kanatta called upon the god, Daidarabotchi, a massive giant whose footsteps made craters that would become lakes and valleys.  He was able to pick up mountains and continents like they were leaves and move them at his will.  Using his skills and strength and at Kanatta's command, Daidarabotchi picked up two mountains from another continent, and slammed them down upon the entrance to Yomi, sealing it forever.  Angry at her husband, Ameria screamed 'For your betrayal I shall kill 1000 of your followers a day!'  In retaliation, Kanatta cried, 'And I shall ensure the birth of 1500 of my followers a day!'  And so started the cycle of life and death."

"These twin mountains became known as Yomi-no-Kuni, and the footstep of Daidarabotchi soon became Lake Loachi.  With water now pouring into the new lake, Kanatta purified himself from the darkness of Yomi in it.  From this purification, he created two beings.  One man, and one woman.  Ka and Mui.  They were the first two Oina.  As Kanatta was a god, and could give birth from any part of his body, he created several more Oina and told them to guard the entrance to Yomi and protect the continent of Kamui from evil.  Because of their divine origin, all Oina have the power to control minor elemental spirits that reside within nature.  We do not bend the elements like those of Nippon or the Six Nations, but take control of spirits under single elemental affinity--we may only ever bond with one, and the element we bond to is predestined at birth--and we use their natural power to help control the elements in our own way."

"Thousands of years after Kanatta left the Oina and this world to return to heaven, leaving his children in charge of all life, Sceter returned to Kamui, many centuries after his defeat of Yamata-no-Orochi, the horrible eight-headed demon snake that plagued Kamui and the Oina, and became its hero once more.  Sceter was made ruler of Kamui and Nippon, and the Oina prospered.  Eventually the ancient stone boat, the Ark of Yamato crashed inside of Laochi Lake, and brought great evil with it.  We fought hard to contain it, and while we were able to close the Ark off for the most part, many demons still escaped into the world.  Great and powerful demons, and the small weak ones you have seen roam all over Kamui and Nippon."

"Of some of the great evils that escaped the Ark, two of them were the Gold and Silver Owl Demons.  Sceter used his powers to seal the two demon owl spirits, Moshirechiku and Kotanechiku, the Gold and Silver Owls, inside of the twin peaks of the mountains.  The Gold Owl, Moshirechiku was sealed in the left peak, and Kotanechiku, the Silver Owl, was sealed in the right peak.  In order to appease their angry spirits, we built a shrine that spanned both mountains and up into the peaks.  The Ezofuji Wawku Shrine.  Ever since the day the ark landed though, a covenant was signed between the Oina and the evils of this world.  It is inscribed on a table next to the frozen and sealed lake.  Part of the inscription reads, 'Evil came to this world on the Ark of Yamato.  And so the Oina, the ones who tried to stop it, will be forced to forever seal it away once more into the Ark.  But each soul killed is but one more born into the world.  And so the evil must be sealed by divine means, until the day comes that the Great Evil within awakens from its slumber.  And the reincarnation of Sceter shall return to stop it, but alone he shall fail.  He must stand once more, completed, for the darkness to die for good.  And the wall of ice shall shatter and open the way to the heavens, when Kutone, the guardian sword, glows silver.'"

"It was one that day, after sealing the Demon Owls, that Sceter left this world.  He denounced his control over the Oina, and over Nippon.  He left his eldest son in charge of the Oina, and his second oldest son, the father of all modern benders, in charge of Nippon, and told them to work together, and never forget their bonds.  He also left the sacred stone Kutone inside of the altar where the covenant is marked down."  Okuninushi couldn't understand why they were being told all of this history, what did it have to do with today and Okikurmi?  Kaipoku could see this, and continued her long story, "All of this ties into the now, and what has happened with the Oina as of late."  Explained Kaipoku, "I shall finish my story now."

"Lately, Kamui has begun to freeze over, even more so than normal.  What is worse, is that the Wawku Shrine, that has been sealed since its creation--you see we worship at a small prayer house at the entrance to the shrine--of years recently burst open as some sort of darkness has awoken inside.  I do not know if it is the owls...I never went in but...it is what released this now eternal winter on Kamui.  When the mountain burst open, Kemushiri and Samaikuru went into the Wawku Shrine to stop the darkness and reseal the door.  They are the two strongest warriors in our village, and they were easily beaten by that darkness.  Okikurmi went in after them and it was because of him they were saved...but ever since...he has claimed himself the descedant of Sceter and stole Kutone in order to slay demons and stop the eternal winter and defeat all the evils in the Ark of Yamato and the Wawku Shrine.  Kutone is the only weapon of our tribe that allows one to wield all of the elemental Kami known to man...most Oina can only manipulate one of the basic four: Fire, Water, Earth or Air."

"I know Okikurmi may seem mad or harsh to you but...he knows that if spring doesn't come...and we live in this harsh winter forever...we shall all perish, and the Oina shall cease exist, and who will stop the evil then?  That's why we pulled back out of Nippon and stopped hunting demons.  All of our warriors are needed here to defend the village.  We're all going through intense training to stop the ones inside the shrine and seal it off again.  But so far....well, we have stores of food, and we sometimes sneak into Nippon and steal shipments of whatever food and supplies we can.  If we continue at this rate...we'll have....maybe 15 years?  Give or take?"  Kaipoku suddenly realized the darkened tone of the conversation and apologize profusely.  "I'm so sorry!  I didn't mean to go in that deep I just, well....I ramble...." she said nervously, standing up and walking towards the edge of the cave.  She faced out into the snowy landscape, but did not leave it.  "I'm sorry if Okikurmi's attack hurt you...he's usually much kinder but...well, anyway!  Who are you all?" asked Kaipoku suddenly happy again, "What are your names?  Where do you all come from?"

Bailey felt relieve flush over her when Sakuya said she was okay. Had the two of them not gotten as close, she may not have worried so much about her, but Sakuya and Okuni reminded her of her children the more time she spent with them. She nodded to Okuni and lowered her bow. Slinging it over her shoulder with a bit of grace, she sat down next to the fire. She tried to listen to the story that the woman told, but every once and a while she would see something in the corner of her eye and flinch to look at it. Only then to relax and focus again on the tale. Was it possible for someone to do these things without anyone else noticing? She questioned as she thought about the tale. And if it is true, is this what has happened to my beloved Roth and my family? She thought over the day Roth had died. Two men had died that day, and she gave birth to twins. With a slightly startled expression, she followed the story a bit more closely. She kept an eye out for any other Oina that came up to the cave entrance, but couldn't get her mind off of her story. It seemed like a history lesson to her, and she wasn't really good at history. However, parts of it interested her.

As a small bit of boredom set in while listening, Bailey pulled out her dagger and started to play with a piece of wood. She turned it one way or another before slicing a bit off here or there. In the reflection of her blade, she caught a bit of the fire show and looked up. She watched the fire intently as she whittled a way at the wood in her hand. The whittling was something she had learned from an old school friend, but never really perfected, so her items never looked as sharp or exact as their counterparts. However, this time it didn't matter. Watching the fire dance as instructed, she stopped paying attention to her knife and cut the wood in half, breaking the image before it could be recognized. With a sigh, she set both pieces down and focused fully on the story.

Bailey sat there quietly as the woman rapped up her tale and looked up at her. "I am Bailey Kenta. I am from Ember Island and serve as a mercenary assassin and guard. More guard than assassin." She said, still not fully trusting the woman, but allowing her to know Bailey. She hoped she did not surprise the twins too badly, for she realized that she had never really told them what she did for a living. Much less, how bad it sounded echoed in the cave walls.

Sakuyahime and Okuninushi heard Bailey speak her profession, but after so long, it didn't phase them. Now was not the time for surprise. Bigger surprises were at hand. "I'm Okuninushi," explained the male twin. "And I'm Sakuyahime," added his sister, "We're twins, and orphans, originally of Nippon. We came here looking for our parents but...well, we've ended up here with Bailey, looking for the Oina. We want you guys to teach you Spirit Bending--at least that's what we assume you guys do to quell the demon spirits that plague Nippon."

Sakuyahime couldn't help but wonder if Okuninushi was saying too much. Then again, of all the Oina they had met today, Kaipoku seemed the least threatening. With Okikurmi trying to kill them, and Samickle deciding whether or not he would come back with his friends and rip out their throats in the morning. Still, this whole Oina thing worried Sakuyahime, and made her wonder if they were ever going to leave this cave, let alone alive or dead. "Do you think Samickle and the other Oina Elders are going to have us killed?" asked Sakuyahime, "I mean, I don't know enough about your culture to understand what the proper etiquette is for guests in your lands."

"Normally we welcome them with open arms," explained Kaipoku, "But after we withdrew to Kamui and closed our borders and lands off to all outsiders...well, we don't like to kill. We always try to turn back first but...well, our problems are our own, and no one else need shoulder this burden. Besides, if the Ark of Yamato's seal should break and we're off saving others instead of here fighting it...the Oina would never be able to redeem themselves. Protecting the seal is our duty." After a brief pause, Kaipoku added, "Please don't tell any of the other Oina I said any of this! It's supposed to be our most trusted secret...I shouldn't even be here..."

Bailey looked at the twins at they spoke, Okuni speaking of their plans and what they had hoped to achieve by coming here. She couldn't help but think of the Oina and the demons that they choose to attack in order to save the rest of the world from them. "So, let me get this straight. You kill demons in order to keep the world safe, but wont let people in? As honorable as that is, Ma'am, I must point out that the demons outnumber you at the moment and teaching your ways to others may just even out the balance." Bailey spoke as she looked back at the woman. "I apologize if I over-stepped any boundaries or anything, but it just seems logical to keep the mountain open to those whom would like to learn and help with the fight, than to close it off and slowly watch your numbers dwindle." Bailey shut her mouth, her eyes open wide and a hand over her mouth as she realized that she had been speaking her mind. I didn't mean to say that. I didn't mean to say that. I really hope I didn't just make her mad. She thought as she hung her head and looked straight down at the fire. "I think I'm just going to watch the fire until someone attacks."