[Plot Topic] The Dark Search (Closed)

Explosions rang through the air. Bo had no idea what was happening and was ill informed on who might be attacking. Civilians screaming and the earth shaking beneath everyone's feet. "It's to d*mn early for this." Bo murmured. Izanami ordered the guards that accompanied her, to aid in the battle.

Bo, Daisuke, and Izanami rushed outside along with the guards. It was complete pandemonium. To Bo's surprise, many of the townies were holding their own against the invaders. The once blue sky, was now thick with smoke and ashes. Bo had no idea where to help. Acting on impulse, Bo rushed to a nearby storefront that was under attack. Collecting the shadows from underneath an awning, he molded them into a bola and hurdled them into the attackers legs, knocking them over. Bo punched, the now prone attacker, in the temple, knocking them out. He didn't want even more bloodshed.

An old lady hobbled out of the store, gripping her left arm in pain. Bo ushered her in the direction of safety. Bo picked up the limp body off the ground and headed back to the restaurant to get this attacker locked up and questioned.

Once Bo handed off the attacker to a guard, he turned around and rejoined the fight. This attack was clearly planned and strategized. Unsettled, Bo rushed through the streets of the town. He slowed to a jog, surveying the streets for who these people were. Bo's eyes fell upon a body laying on the ground. Blood pooled beneath it. he shuddered and continued. That was the last straw, Bo was willing to kill to protect these people.

Izanami roared commands at soldiers that ran through the streets. Dark Nation Soldiers or Imperial Soldiers, she didn't care. International protocol didn't matter right now, only the safety of the people mattered. Besides, until the coronation of her brother the Dark State was still just that, a state subservient to the Vermilion Dragon Empire. Izanami was going to capitalize on that until this fight was over. Izanami sent soldiers to the palace, but knew they would need help. She looked towards Daisuke and Bo.

"We need to protect the royals!" cried Izanami over the fighting, screaming and bombs dropping from the airships above, "They'll have an airship located somewhere in the palace compound. These soldiers will join us in helping secure their safety!" Izanami was talking to Bo and Daisuke, who would now be contracted in to serving alongside her and the soldiers, albeit against their will. Right now Izanami had two main concerns and along with protecting the royals, she had to protect the Daisuke.

Izanami was not about to let him out of her site, even if he was destined for greatness. The best way to keep Daisuke "safe" was to ensure she could keep an eye on him along with Bo, and so, by taking him with her to the palace to save the Shinjuku royalty would be two birds with one stone. Besides, he could use practice against what Izanami presumed was "the Darkness." These new soldiers who marched the street in black armour, bending dark matter at citizens they once called neighbours.

These Dark Bending Soldiers wore armour emblazoned with a white rose across a black background. The rose's straight stem had seven thorns protruding from it and rose seemed in full bloom. It was all over standard flags and covered the sides of the airships that bombed the city. "Come on, make your forced decision quickly!" she roared at Bo and Dai, spinning around, shooting flame at enemy soldiers that approached her, "We need to get to the palace before the enemy does!"

The enemy did not last long, and often ran off screaming in horrible pain as the black flames burned through their armour and flesh alike. The screams were horrible, but these men were killing civilians for fun. Izanami had saved a family being dragged out of their house for slaughter. Several soldiers were chasing young women around to rape them; to which Izanami tried to intervene. But it killed her know she could not be everywhere in the city, for she knew it was happening other places, and there were those she could not save.

Daisuke ran with Izanami through the streets, smiling at the dark armor the men were wearing. Dark benders had a hand in this fight, then so would he. "I'm in. Not going back." Daisuke almost yelled as he pulled the armor off one soldier and formed it into a spear. Grabbing the dark matter out of the air as if they were whiffle balls; Daisuke sent the spear straight into the ankles of the soldiers and the balls smacked the back of their heads, knocking them out. The choice to help wasn't so forced, as he had thought, it drove him. It was something that was already inside Daisuke's soul, he could feel the need to help these people even though he knew none of them. Was it a wise choice? Daisuke had no clue. but he wasn't going to just let people destroy others.

Moving along side Izanami, Daisuke pulled out his Katanas and began to defend anyone near him. Sending the blunt edge of the blade at people as to hit them but not hurt them. If he needed to kill, all he had to do was flick his wrist and the blade would sink into the skin, shredding everything in its way. His katanas weren't really anything special, he had just trained with using them for so long that it became instinct. Complicated moves that had confused him when he was young were simple and elegant gestures made without a blink now. "What do you need me to do, Izanami?" Daisuke asked as they moved toward the palace.

Smoke and screams filled the air. Bo wanted to help all that he could but he knew he couldn’t. He kept fighting, killing, and helping. A rinse and repeat action that has been carried over the course of this attack. He still needed to aid in the evacuation of the royals and to get Daisuke out of here as well so Bo could finally help train him in his bending.

More soldiers flooded the already destroyed outskirts of the town. They moved in unison towards the palace, causing even more death and destruction in their wake. Bo had finally caught up with Dai and Izanami. They too, were heading up to palace to protect the royals. Sadly, the palace was already under attack.

From each and every direction, enemy soldiers in dark armor, surrounded the palace. The Dark Nation guards were stretched too thin to set up any real defense. Bo, Dai, and Izanami needed to break through the attackers in order to get inside the palace and retrieve the royal family. Only then, could the group leave the broken Dark Nation.

Bo was a crafty bender. He manipulated darkness to suit his needs when he needed it. Sometimes he'd make bridges to cross giant canyons, sometimes he'd make ships that could last for days. He was also a strong bender. Put crafty and strong together and you get an unstoppable force.

Bo had an idea. He had been practicing this technique for years, slowly developing it into the greatness it is today. He drew the shadows from any and everything around him. In a matter of seconds he had created a fully functional shadow dragon. Four legs, two giant wings, a razor sharp tail, and menacing jaws that could rip a person in two. Controlling the dragon took extreme patience and precision. Bo beckoned Izanami and Daisuke up to sit on the dragon's back. Bo sat in a seiza position between the shoulder blades of the front legs. He closed his eyes and began to meditate. He didn’t need his eyes open to know where he was going or what was coming at him. The enemy soldiers took notice of Bo and his giant shadow dragon. Attacks started flying in his direction. With little effort, Bo raised the wings of the dragon to deflect the attack.

The group needed to leave now and head into the palace or they would be under heavy attack.

Izanami looked at the eager Dai. Good. He was taking to his new position so readily. Good. "I need you to come with me," explained Izanami, "We're making a push to the Palace. We need to save the Royal Family and any nobles we can. We cannot let them die!" Izanami led Daisuke and Bo up the street. Bo had a point. If they didn't leave soon they'd be screwed. Royally screwed. No pun intended.

Grinning with determination, Izanami, Dai and Bo pushed forward up the cobblestone street. One hundred soldiers marched behind them, following in a mess of red and black, joining their leader and Princess into battle. Together, Dark State and Imperial soldiers fought to defend a nation they shared. A nation they loved.

They charged with a roar. Izanami roared as well. She roared to block out the screams of the people. The sounds of dying children. Crying families. Women who screamed in fear as they were raped or dragged from their homes. Children whose mothers were killed before them. It killed Izanami to leave them. It wasn't right, she knew, but the royals needed to live on.

If the people lost their leaders, their morale would drop gravely. Soldiers would lose the will to fight. It's hard to fight strong for a leader whose head was sitting on a spike. Izanami froze as she reached the palace, and froze, eyes wide, and let out a wailing scream.

She sunk to her knees. It was too late. The heads of Helios Game, a small toddler and heir to the throne, and his ward, his mother, his ward, were mounted atop the gate. Several soldiers bawled behind her. A few more screamed. The rest just remained stalwart and silent, but they were disheartened. "Fuck!" roared Izanami, flame and rage welling up inside her.

She roared to the sky and let a burst of black flame escape her lips like and angry dragon. But just when it seemed hopeless, Izanami's heart skipped a beat as she saw the enemy soldiers were still fighting. She realized some of the nobles had held out. Not many, but a few families. The most loyal. The ones who hadn't surrendered or fled when the enemy had first attacked, or when their leaders were decapitated.

Izanami recognized who led them. Saruyoshi Sinjuku. Minister of Public Works. A minor noble with a small, meagre government position, but one he treated with honour and glory. An honourable man and a war hero. A veteran of the Ullondorian Crusade. Brave commander during the many Battles of the Meech Plains. Perhaps he could...not time to think politics now. Now was the time to fight.

Gathering her strength and her voice, Izanami shouted to Bo, Dai and the remaining soldiers. "Help me defend them! My airship should be here soon! We must defend them until it arrives!" Izanami charged into the fray first, leading by example, and began to attack her enemies, fighting alongside the Dark Nobles, the soldiers and her new allies.

Dai didnt take a second to think, he just lept onto the Dragon and moved to help Bo keep the attacks down. Moving naturally as the attacks came, deflecting them back onto the attackers or redirecting them to protect the innocents below them. He was so busy with the attacks and defending the innocents below them, that he almost didn't notice they were arriving at the gates, or that Izanami hadn't jumped on with them. Daisuke looked around and saw her down below, running up the streets and headed to take out something with a load of fire and brimstone. It was then that Dai noticed what had set a fire under Izanami's feet.

Daisuke couldn't help but catch Izanami's sight as they came upon the palace gates. They were just the nobles to him, but they were his nobles and they meant so much to so many. Dai almost colapsed at the sight, the wings of the dragon coming up just in time to keep him from stumbling backwards. He couldn't feel his knees for a moment as the blood rushed through his veins. Although he had never truly been a vengeful person, he was ready to seek revenge for those who couldn't do it for themselves. Dai couldn't believe his eyes for a moment. Those men and women had been prime benders and would have been able to hold their own, if they had not have been so caring of their own people to risk their lives to save the thousands.

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, Dai leaped down and headed for the few living, and fighting, nobles that were left. He had to protect them or there would be no one else for those around them to fight for. He had to get to them before something happened and crushed all chances they had. Just have to give Izanami's Airships enough time and cover to get to them.... Dai thought as he darted toward them, throwing up a dark matter shield as he ran. As soon as he was close enough, Dai threw the shield around the nobles, encasing them but allowing them pockets to fight back out of. He wasn't going to make them sit out of the fight they were already struggling in. His duty was to protect them, even if that meant keeping them safe while they fought for their lands and people. "I wont make you stop and leave, but I have got to keep you safe. Please understand this is for your own safety and the good of the Kingdom." Daisuke said as he looked at all of the nobles he had encased. The dark matter would hold, no doubt, but for how long?

((OOC: Hey guys Ill be playing Bo now . Sorry if thing about his personality change however have no fear for I will hopefully be you final and permanent Bo ))

As the Dragon approached the gates of the palace Bo stopped his meditation. Once he knew everyone was off Bo jumped down to the ground at the base of the gates and had the dragon dissipate into nothing. Bo stopped. He looked up to see the heads at the gate and was filled with nothing but sadness, pain, and sorrow. For most of his life these were people he felt he was having to protect or work for in a sense. Bo dropped to one knee and looked down as in a state of prayer for the people.

Bo arose and looked around. Strangers fighting familiar faces. Familiar faces falling to those said strangers. It was utter and complete chaos. Bo knew he had to help put an end to it so he could safely train Dai in his bending. Bo looked up the stairs further into the compound and heard fighitng and was suddenly filled with more hope. He dashed in.

As Bo reached the top of the compound he saw what Dai had done and was rather impressed with what had been done. However this was no time for praise. Bo quickly summoned 4 throwing knives from the shadows and hurled one after the other at remaining enemies. Bo looked to Dai "Impressive Dai, let's see how we fight using our bending now shall we?"
After Bo said this Bo ran toward the rest to continue the fight.

((OOC:  I'll be stepping in for the lead Noble Kouz mentioned in his last post.  Future Dark King and all :p))


Saruyoshi had spent a half hour fending off attacks from all sides.  He had organized any brave nobles who hadn't fled, and sent the palace staff and families of the nobility into hiding in the emergency Airship that lay parked in the rear courtyard.  That courtyard had not been used in years, and was now used as a means of emergency escape in times...well just like this.  Saruyoshi and those dedicated few nobles who remained had fought valiantly.  A few had fallen already, dying as heroes for their country, king and comrades.

Those who remained watched in horror as an inhumanly tall man with long red braids of hair paraded the heads of Helios and Shiki Game across the ramparts of the palace compound.  Disheartened only put the state of the nobility lightly.  Some fled, others gave up.  Some ran headlong into the oncoming enemy for the sake of a noble death alongside their former King and his mother.  Not Saruyoshi.  He stopped as many as he could, incapacitated others.  He had served on the front in Ullondor.  He had seen too much death, too many wasted lives.  Lives younger than these nobles.  No more.

With a roar of rage, Saruyoshi called for order and compliance.  He took charge of the demoralized and ragtag group of remaining nobles.  He called for them to charge, to march on.  Hold their ground, stand firm.  They were members of the Dark Nation!  They were proud!  They were strong!  They were survivors and redeemers!  They could over come anything!  No one was to take any unnecessary risks, or make any bold moves, or charge towards death!  They still had families to defend, a nation to defend!  They had to remain strong!  No...no if they were to die, then it would happen.  There was no need to rush it.

The fight continued for a long time, back and forth, a few more nobles fell, but with the rage they felt; rage that came from defeat, they were able to defeat many more enemies.  For a time anyway.  Yet luck seemed to be on their side as within minutes of things looking grim, help arrived.  More soldiers, Imperial and Dark Nation, as well as Princess Izanami and two Dark Benders that Saruyoshi did not recognize.  "Thank the gods," Saruyoshi whispered to himself as the younger of the Dark Benders landed beside him and his remaining noble allies, shielding them from projectiles.

Izanami spared no time charging into battle. She had organized the soldiers to protect the nobles, while still allowing the nobles to fight. No more could die though. They would be the pool from which the next King was chosen. The Empire still had control of the Dark State affairs until the Coronation, which considering the current situation, was more than likely delayed for a bit. A long bit. A long long long bit. Seeing as there was currently no throne for Izanagi to take.

Intelligence had informed Izanami of similar attacks on other nations simultaneously. This wasn't good. This was what her father was trying to prevent by finding the Avatar and the Warriors. Izanami could only pray that somehow they'd be able to train fast and defeat these enemies who had killed innocent people, children, women, men, elderly, animals. It was sickening. In a rage, Izanagi covered her fist in black flames and punched right into the stomach of an enemy soldiers.

The heat from the black flames was so intense, mixed with the strength of her punch, that it actually melted through the man's metal chest armour. Izanami didn't stop there. She kept going. Searing through his skin, his flesh, his bones, his organs. Izanami didn't stop until her hand had skewered the man entirely, and blood had pooled at their feet, leaking from the man's mouth and massive wound. It smelled of burned flesh and metal. In some places the metal had melted and fused with the man's skin.

Not a pleasant way to die. But then again, they never gave the same consideration to the Child King, Helios. Izanami roared to the sky and charged back into battle, jumping, aiming a kick to the head of an enemy soldier, bringing him down. She stomped on his throat and kept going on to the next enemy. Some she felled, some she left bleed or broken or burned in the street, but all of them were screaming. Screaming like the people to whom they showed no mercy just moments ago. They would know pain.

Izanami was not usually an angry person, but she had to protect these people, even though they weren't hers, they were hers. They were subjects, for as long as the Colonial Treaty was still law. Plus, she had known Helios, she had known how intelligent he was. How fit he was for the role of King. Such a waste of life. Such a waste that he had to die so young. And this is what enraged Izanami. To the point of cold blooded murder.

Daisuke moved quickly, ushering the living nobles toward the ships and away from danger. He couldnt focus on the enemy fully until they were perfectly safe in the protection of the airships. Dai knew that he had done something impressive to Bo for him to make the statement he did, but Dai didnt care at the present moment. His rage and anger burned out of him through to the dark shield, sustaining the dark matter until it was no longer necessary and pushing it further forward toward the ships. Dai focused on keeping the shield moving, sliding pieces from the back to the front to move with the group and keep everyone covered. The shield wall moved like a caterpillar moved across a branch, inching its way forward in a curved rotating motion. 

He didnt have time to think about his own life, but only to protect those around him until he could make his own attack. Dai caught a glimpse of Izanami moving to destroy those around them, killing everything in her path and couldn't help but to smile. She looked like she was having fun and Dai didnt seem to mind a few less enemies to watch out for. After the devastation they reeked onto the capital, the enemy almost deserved a far more intense death that what she had given them.  A mercy in Dai's opinion.  One nobleman seemed to be reluctant to get into the airship and stop fighting, but one look from Daisuke and a slap to his shoulder made him quickly change his mind. 

"Sometimes, I really can't stand the nobles around here." Daisuke said under his breath for a second before turning to make sure every last noble was making it to the ships.