► The Farm

[Dopy Grimes]

Lanfaer

Pad Chief

I Am The Leader Of Amegakure.

Levi

Toya

Familytillifindasongforhim

But Most Importantly!

Levi didn't think twice before exiting through the back door, albeit slowly due to the fatigue onset by the jutsu he had used earlier. As he walked away holding his stomach with his left arm the tall boy found himself thinking about the choice of words the spirit had used at the end of his advice. "Does the Lord doubt my faith?" He asked himself feeling physical pain at the thought. "No no it cannot be. He showed me His mercy once more in the green fog." Levi concluded while walking. His breathing was heavy and sweat had begun to run down his face as anxiety began building. Falling to his knees before exiting the barn, Levi would raise his arms in prayer.

"I know not what lays ahead of me my Lord. I must admit this new vessel you have so kindly granted me is not of the same ilk as my last. My power has been greatly diminished. And while fear and the Other One attempt to corrupt my judgment and lead me astray I fear not. You are the only power and strength I need to move forward in these dark lands. Amen."

Standing up with newfound purpose the boy left the barn behind to embak on his journey.

The Envoy of God!

 

[Lanfaer]

_______________The Narrator Whispers... ||

tab The spiritual armor unleashed a merciless chuckle at the Nara's words, a twinge of amazed irony coursing through the tone. "YOU ASK FOR SOMETHING YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND, NARA. THE BUTCHER MAESTRO ISN'T SOMETHING TO BE DESCRIBED, BUT TO BE WITNESSED, AND IF YOU WITNESS YOU ARE TOO CLOSE TO SURVIVE THE EXPERIENCE." Simple enough, but the tone changed as it continued, becoming more considerate and more compassionate as befit its existence. "THE QUESTIONS YOU ASK WILL BE QUESTIONED IN TIME, YOUNG ONE, BUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF DEATH ISN'T SOMETHING TO BE HANDED TO THE LIVING. RETURN ANOTHER TIME, WHEN YOU'VE LEARNED MORE OF THE WORLD, AND WE MAY DISCUSS IT AGAIN."
tab Yet she was cut off from continuing as Levi made his exit, leaving the safety of the barn and escaping beyond into the infinite twilight of the Gates. As it happened the Sprite sighed, its metal rotating until it stood at attention and watched where the door had shut. "DEATH HAVE YOU AVOIDED TWICE THIS NIGHT, YOUNG NARA, AS I AM SURE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO FOR DAYS COMING. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR OTHER QUESTION, YES, YOU MUST FIND THE VICTIM WHO CLAIMED YOU. THERE IS NO OTHER LIKE IT, NOT IN THE FORM IT BEARS. BUT YOU MUST FIND IT, FOR YOU FOUGHT THE GUARDIANS INSTEAD OF FOLLOW IT, AND NOW IT HIDES FOR YOUR SAFETY, AND ITS."
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Arrow35

malaevas

Pad Chief

 

[Arrow35]

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Lanfaer

Pad Chief

Kokuei:
Ok, so the Butcher is something dangerous. Got it. Now I need to figure out what to do. I bow to the figure. Thank you for your time and your advice. I hope we may meet again, though I do hope not too soon, for my own sake I conclude with a chuckle. I finish my sketches of all the symbols and their pairs that I can see and reasonably fit in my book. I note down a few other important things he said, before venturing carefully out of the building.

Once out of the building I stand as still as possible, so as to not create the sound waves that were so abundant earlier and seemed to attract the attention of the guardians. I focus myself and, though it is painful compared to my usual movement, I move as quickly and deliberately as I possibly can, while still moving slowly enough to make little to no noise. I focus on this, and move towards the barn I believe the "victim" was headed towards. I move and I make painstakingly slow progress.

As I continue moving I ponder the land of the living and how time moves here versus there, or if time moves at all. I move for what seems like hours and have only gotten a third of the way there. This is infuriating. Why do these things have to be sensitive to sound. Why couldn't it be sight? Or smell? Though if I'm being honest, I probably don't smell too great and might tip them off anyway. Ugh. I hope Shadow and Kagerou are ok, and not in trouble. Damn, they must be worried about me. That or pissed. Or both. I don't honestly know. They seem like good people, but do they even care that I'm gone? I wasn't with them very long, and they seem to be pretty proficient on their own. I hope they're ok...

I continue moving and eventually reach the barn I recall seeing the "Victim" going toward. I take a deep breath, and open the door.  

[Lanfaer]

_______________The Narrator Whispers... ||

tab A hand snatches out, grabbing you in a fierce, tight grip before hauling you bodily into a room that resembles something similar in nature to the one you'd just left. Yet where once a single Sprite of Honor had resided now there were many figures, humans like the Victim who were shaped, nude, into forms not their own. Cocks, dogs, felines and cows. Chickens and pigs and turtles and more. All for some reason staring at him with some level of terror and horror. Perhaps at his existance, perhaps at being found.
tab Perhaps at the Bovine that is gesturing for you to move further into the pack, as the others gathered close and began to press in on him from all sides.
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Arrow35

malaevas

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[Arrow35]

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Lanfaer

Kokuei:
As I am yanked into this new room, I look around me, taking in all the sights and sounds and smells and things. I watch as the other what I presume to be Victims move and watch me. I notice the one that brought me here moving and I move to follow it through the crowd, being careful to not step on or shove anyone/anything.  

[Lanfaer]

_______________The Narrator Whispers... ||

tab As Kokuei moved closer towards the cow-figured man the creature would rapidly rotate and jump upon for former shinobi, bearing down upon him and forcing him to the ground as there came a thunderous report upon the nearby doors. There were exclamations of fear and moans of terror as the giant sliding doors were shoved back with tremendous force, enough so that the entire building rattled in response to the movement. From where Kokuei hid there was no ability to see what was coming, but what he could detect was the scent of blood, offal, and the raw reek of something acidic that burned the back of his throat. Something that made even his soul jerk back in horror at the scent of it. There were chains, the tinkling of many metal objects striking against one another in a slow rhythm.
tab The Cow pressed down further as the labored breathing of some titan rattled the walls, at least until there came a rumbling as the creature spoke. There were words, that much was certain, but the content of those words sent terror coursing through Kokuei's body that was beyond anything he'd ever experienced. This fear was deep down, beneath conscious thought and feeling. No, this was primal terror, of prey within direct sight of an unseen predator. It lasted for what might have seemed like an eternity, an eternity when the creatures all spoke in various languages as old as time itself to even modern creation, and yet Kokuei wouldn't, couldn't remember. So focused was his essence and being on surviving that it was only when the door snicked shut and the pangs of hunger filled him that he would realize it had likely been hours that he'd remained where he was.
tab It was only then that the cow figure rose, gesturing towards the distance, towards something outside of a window.
tab Where someone was nailed to a steel door, their hands impaled with black and red spikes. Someone with short black hair, and a damaged top hat upon his head. Someone with green eyes who even now stared at him, pleading. Pleading for...something.
tab The cow creature touched Kokuei's face, gestured down, and back up to reveal a message had been written in Japanese. 'Do you wish to go home now?'

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Arrow35

malaevas

Pad Chief

 

[Arrow35]

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Lanfaer

Kokuei:
As I approach the figure I get tackled to the floor and experience utter terror beyond anything I had ever experienced as some....thing entered the barn. I remain still and hidden beneath the cow thing and silenced by fear. I think about what could possibly cause this, and wonder if it is the Butcher, or one of its servants. Or perhaps even something worse. I think of when tailed beast had run Amuck around the old villages and such and wonder if the terror felt around those situations was even close to what I was experiencing now.

As suddenly as it had started, the exit shut and the terror was gone. I got up and notice the victim gesturing outside at a figure. I recognize one of the men I had encountered in the other building. I look at him, as he is impaled and pleading, and I am urged to help him, though I fear it is a trap and there is nothing I could do for him. I long to help, to do what I can, but the fear leaks back into me as I think of what may be waiting for me as soon as I get out the door.

I look back, at the touch of the victim, and see what it has written on the ground. With a shake to my voice, and a touch of fear, I give an affirmative and prep myself for wherever I will be returned to and hope it will be somewhere relatively safe and not super terrifying.  

[Dopy Grimes]

Lanfaer

I Am The Leader Of Amegakure.

Levi

Toya

Familytillifindasongforhim

But Most Importantly!

Time had an odd way of losing purpose once you lost any means of keeping track of it. Levi had no sun above his head or moon for that matter. He possessed no watch and his attempts at tracking minutes to hours had all failed after a while. The boy was lost. A wanderer stuck in limbo. A beard now adorned the smooth face of a spoiled child and his hair now resembled that of a homeless drunkard. Despair polluting his eyes. His shoes were in ruin and his clothes were in tatters both from the elements and his own crazed clawing. Where was his faith? For about a month Levi had taken to repeating a single verse from the Holy Scripture. "The Lord provides and grants prosperity to those who show faith and devotion onto Him and His Will." What was once a proud reciting was now but a rasp murmur.

Finally he stopped walking together with his reciting. He looked at his pale, trembling hands. Weak. He thought just as he fell to his knees. "I plead for mercy my Lord. I plead for a sign from Your Greatness. Anything to show me You have not abandoned me in this limbo. My only desire is to please You." His hands lifted slowly to join as one. To Levi there was nothing left for him. He had lived a full life. He had experienced loss and gained tremendous power. He had ruled and conquered. Now he would rot in the void between life and death. Yet there was that lingering flame that lived inside of him. If his God did choose to abandon him what path would he choose? Would he lie down and rot or would his abandon become wrath?

The Envoy of God!

 

[Lanfaer]

_______________The Narrator Whispers... ||

tab Despite the lack of moon or sun the sky was lid with a powerful azure glow. Deep into the sky anyone could see the floating seven pointed sphere that served as the only means of focus within this ever changing world. North, forever north, as had been described to Levi from time to time when he met beings of strange stature and appearance upon his journey that would only leave small messages in his path for him to read before leaving. It had been almost two months since the last, and now he stood upon a field of stark red grass and hills shaped like skulls. With no wind, no fresh air, nor, it would seem, the need to breath Levi might well be tired but there was no hunger, nor thirst. Only exhaustion as the last of his fire began to peter out and, perhaps, die.
tab A light whispering caressed his ears, a touch that tickled of something more.
tab From the distance would come a light gale of laughter, that of a child or a nubile young girl ready for the plucking. Yet around him, too, there remained no semblance of man. That was until one of those strange hills in the shape of skulls suddenly lit from within, a single light within one socket of an otherwise vacant structure. Within the depths a single hand extended, ghostly and pale, twitching and convulsing as it reached out and with a single crooked finger gestured for him to approach.

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