So it begins...

[randomnpcs]

The sun found it's way to the horizon far to the west of the St. Catherine's campus. The skies turned from blue to orange, red to the black of twilight. But on the horizon an eerie glow remained, longer than should be the case even at dusk

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[fujinoteaaddict]

Shizuru was up before most people every morning making her daily trek to the surrounding woods to pray for absolution, or at least a way to absolution, for her sins. It was in the middle of her prayers that she was suddenly jolted into consciousness of her surroundings

[randomnpcs]

((OOC: Actually, it's late evening rather than early morning. But it's easy enough to say that someone was out and walking around since these guys are going all over the place...)) ^_^;

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhahhhhhhh!"

The sound came as something like a yell and something like a growl, a strange and blood-curdling cry. But the unholy warrior was no mere scout...the skeleton marched forward with a purpose as if it knew exactly where to go; it only had not expected to find a human so far from the main buildings of the campus.

The armor it wore was loose and ill-fitting, originally designed to be worn by something with flesh as well as bone. It rattled as that first warrior charged Shizuru, it's two-handed blade held above it's head ready to cleave the seemingly-defenseless schoolgirl in twain. In the distance two more warriors emerged from the brush, responding to the call to battle. More would certainly be on their way.

((OOC: Your call how close he is, and whether Shizuru has to fight or portals away.))

[fujinoteaaddict]

ooc: sorry, lets just replace that and say she does it twice a day...oh, and instead of portalling can she just portal her naginata to her

[randomnpcs]

A flaming skull was not expressive enough to show surprise, but the warrior hissed as his first swing was blocked by weapon that moments ago was not there. Their blades clashed, and the reanimated dead struggled to gain some kind of advantage over the elegant warrior. With that deadlock proving to be a stalemate again it hissed, but this time, the fire that filled its charred skull shot forth from its maw.

[fujinoteaaddict]

Shizuru wracked her brain to figure out how to gain her footing and have a chance of fending off the attacks of currently this one undead, and soon many more. Eyes widening in surprise the brunette fell backwards the flames heating her face uncomfortably and barely missing its target. Slipping her naginata somewhat sideways Shizuru rolled to the side and tried to vault the skeleton above her to the ground, hoping its heavy armor would aid her, ready to jump to her feet when the time was right - at least she'd have a chance then.

[randomnpcs]

The warrior's downfall was its single-minded focus on pressing the attack. It 'lived' only to attack...to kill...to destroy. It would forever press the attack until it was destroyed, with no exceptions and no other outcome. It forced its way forward, trying to overpower the girl only to find that she had used it's momentum to thow it violently to the ground. Those brittle bones smashed with a clatter. The fire it it's empty eyes had went out.

But this was no time to celebrate one's success. Where one fighter had fallen, the next two had begun to close the distance between them and the naginata-weilding warrior, their own weapons already poised for an attack.

[fujinoteaaddict]

Looking over the pile of armor and bones Shizuru checked to make sure the downed skeleton was truly no more of a threat. Satisfied, she quickly turned toward the other attacking skeletons realizing that she'd only be cut down from behind if she tried to run.

Backing into a wide tree trunk Shizuru held the weapon firmly extended towards the enemy a grim look on her face as her mind recalled the various time she danced a slaughter, her body ready to fall into the familiar motions that created death. Moving on instinct Shizuru swept the large blade towards the next approaching undead on her right pushing the other spiked end towards the one on the left, striking it away mindful of the breath of fire that awaited her if she got too close.

[randomnpcs]

The blade struck the next skeleton squarely in the arm, the naginata having much greater reach than the short sword the undead carried. The arm was snapped at that point, the weapon now falling ineffectually to the ground. The second undead soldier, however, swung it's blade in a wide arc hoping to catch the brunette between blows.

[fujinoteaaddict]

Aware that she left herself open Shizuru jumped backwards, the skeleton's sword cutting through the cloth on her shoulder and leaving a small trail of blood. Not noticing for now the brunette jerked the spiked end into the face of the second undead utilizing her long reach, tilting the bladed side towards the other attacker, keeping it as horizontal as she could to ward off blows from either warrior.

Taking slow steps back Shizuru moved carefully to try and draw her attackers away from the army whole so as not to invite more, and also keep herself out of their range. A tree root made her stumble a bit however and her horizontal guard broke as it dipped mere inches, enough for a possible thrust to slip through.

[randomnpcs]

That spike pierced the skull of the second attacker, though its arms still took wild swings hoping to blindly catch Shizuru again with its blade. Fire spewed forth from a toothy maw, but the flame shot upward harmlessly as the skeleton could not turn its head as it spewed forth this fire.

One arm missing, the second warrior clawed at Shizuru with its remaining hand. It was unable to work its way around her guard, but with a stumble, the girl had given it an opening. That bony grip tightened around one of her wrists, burning as it tightened around her flesh.

[fujinoteaaddict]

Gasping in pain Shizuru fought for her footing, realizing her mistake as the icy yet burning grip took ahold of her. As pain went through her system Shizuru felt her blood stir and her inner demon rising, soon she would become the monster that she had suppressed not so long ago. Slipping into full battle mode Shizuru's eyes reddened as she focused on one thing - killing.

Gritting her teeth Shizuru twisted her wrist as much as she could, pushing the bladed end of the Naginata into the armpit of the skeleton holding on to her, pushing against the grip on her wrist hoping to sever the other arm. Now it depended on whether her wrist or it's arm would break first.

[randomnpcs]

The mere skeleton of a human was not designed to withstand such focus and fury, even when supported by necromantic power. The blade tore the second arm off cleanly. Staggering backward, the skeleton fell to its knees and began to crumble as the magic holding it together weakened. Bones clattered to the ground until the unholy fire had been extinguished.

Skeletal hands from the first warrior now wrapped themselves aroud the weapon's haft, dropping the sword they once carried. With all its might the undead soldier tried to wrip that naginata from Shizuru's hands, the pointed end still rammed through it's head.

[fujinoteaaddict]

Gasping Shizuru put her energy into disengaging from the skeleton still attached to her weapon. If she could slip away now then she'd be able to avoid the rest of the warriors, but only if she could quickly dispatch her current attacker.

Taking a risk Shizuru grabbed her tessen, which she carried reflexively keeping her heritage close to her in a new country, and dropped her naginata darting out and slashing the now open fan against the throat area. While there was no jugular to cut, she hoped it would weaken the magic as with the last enemy. Even if she took a blow, it was either that, or stay and be sieged by dozens more undead.

[randomnpcs]

The skeletal warrior tugged on the haft of that weapon, jerking it backward with all it's undead might. But when Shizuru loosed her own grip on her naginata, the skeleton stumbled backwards from its own momentum. Shuzuru darted forward, slashing with her tessen and connecting with the exposed neck of the disoriented undead. The blow had limited effect without the soft vitals of a still-living warrior, but the strike helped to topple the already unstable fighter.

The skeleton fell backwards, the naginata still buried into its face. As it struck the ground that pointed end of the weapon speared him completely, piercing the back of his skull and spearing him to the ground. Like his bretheren his unholy flame had been extinguished, and his brittle bones falling apart as the necromantic power departed from them.

[fujinoteaaddict]

ooc: i think she can make a portal like this, but if not, you know the drill - stuffed animals...

Shizuru nearly cried with relief as the warrior fell apart, wasting no time she folded her fan and pulled her naginata free. As quickly as she could she then sprinted through the forested area focused now on getting back where it was safe. Her mind wanted to get to the teachers and warn of this coming invasion, if they hadn't realized already, but her heart wanted to go to the safest place she knew - to Natsuki.

Magic once more welled through her, but it listened to the directions of her unconscious heart, and a blue light appeared before her. Unable to stop because of her sprinting speed Shizuru ran right into it panicking as she felt a warping of sorts.

ooc 2: I don't quite know what Natsuki is up to, so I'll just leave it there.