Zahara Kevali
Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking
... I am the Serpent ...
Before Zahara's arrival... Mission for Zahara Kevali // Clear out Ryuchi Cave
The caves were quiet lately, little stirred since Zahara left the Kin to rejoin civilized society. Many of the serpents had grown accustomed to the sage being around but still were weary of outsiders. Kagami, one of the elder snakes of the Kin was in one of the larger caverns to where sunlight beamed in and she preferred to bask her scales while she could. Smooth stone tunnels and sand were all that filled the caverns, carefully sculpted and refined over the years it was with Zahara turning the caverns to something more defensible for the Kin with his doton chakra.
Lately over the last few weeks the caves been stirred from the outside, curious individuals were making their rounds in the area. At first the snakes were merely cautious, it wasn't unknown for their kind to be sought out over the last few years. Ever since Zahara left the knowledge of the snake contract lessened in the past few months and visitations to their domain was all but scarce. It would usually be a lone shinobi purposely looking for them, giving up then heading on somewhere else or some friend of their sage making a routine check up. But now it was the same group of no known affiliation, scouting and setting camp even the past few nights. They always poked around the caves near sunrise and sundown, three at a time but the young Kin swore there were more.
Ginda was in hibernation and the lesser Kin were left in charge for the time being, she was still recovering from the summoning back in Giman when she withstood a dust beam -- no thanks to Zahara of all people. Today, Kagami was sunning herself in her cavern and coiled in place, the other summons were elsewhere in the caverns but she had them all on standby. She was aware of the humans today, their smell crept into the cavern and she waited - pretending to be asleep as she dared not make a move of her own. All she could do was wait, keeping her Kin ready and her rattler ready to signal.
"Are you sure this is the place?" A group of shinobi stood at the mouth of the caves, three men in black and red garb. One held a torch up to the darkness of the interior, a rag tied around his head and he carried a scimitar of sorts. Another held a large scroll on their back, spear in hand and was shaven except for a thick red beard. They were on the opposing flanks of the bigger man in the center who was coming off the top of a horse just as they were arriving.
"Yes, I'm sure, quiet now Yuzon." the ringleader of the trio spoke up, a big brute of a man with a gnarly scar across his face, one eye blinded. Unlike the other two, he carried no weapon of his own save for a thick pair of gloves with fuuin inscriptions lining his arms. He pulled out from his pockets a crumpled piece of paper, opening it up to read as he motioned the other two to read.
Yuzon came first, dropping the torch at the mouth of the cave while the one bald one with the spear peered over the man's shoulder. "The cave with the darkness that not even fire lights up, stone smooth as a babe's arse, and absence of wildlife around. Those are the signs of this place." He closed the paper and pointed up the mountain the caves burrowed into, pointing out the camouflaged tunnels higher up, most too small for humans. "Senjutsu reeks in this area, up there you can even see where some of them have tunnels." The other two nodded and the spearman gave a whistle and waved to their troop nearby.
"Well I'll say Edio, your contacts are something else." Yuzon said, as he straightened his belt with the weapon. A few of the men now showed themselves on horseback, a gaggle of armored soldiers now present as the spearman waved them in and went to converse with them on the plans. Edio, the large man of the trio, was going over his notes as Yuzon remained with him and asked. "So, how do we get one to cooperate with us? We only need one." Yuzon asked as Edio looked up, glancing at his subordinate.
"It's why we have Tarso. His eyes will pacify the creature, then we make our move." Edio jabbed a thumb back at the spearman and grinned as Yuzon slowly caught on with a laugh and Edio joined in. The troop of soldiers were with Tarso now as he was explaining their role to the group. Edio was looking for the snakes of Ryuchi cave for a specific purpose, he was in the market for acquiring Venom from the serpents, but the real prize was gaining control over Ginda herself and weaponize her chakra. They received a contract from some robed individuals who expressed they've had a deep interest in the snakes and provided intimate details on the cave's location, they wanted control of the creatures within. Edio and his men figured they can make a profit, venom, weaponize the poisonous chakra of Ginda and poach the lesser snakes alive and dead for the markets.
The appearance of Ginda during the fight between Zahara and Nava had attracted the attention of an old foe, one before Whirlpool fell many years ago. Now men gathered as Tarso gave the commands to the hired hands and they were getting in place and he came to rejoin Edio and Yuzon. "They've been given the word, just need to go in now. They'll come in through some of the other tunnels, while half follow us through the main tunnel." Tarso mobilized the men now as he planted the butt of his spear in the ground.
"Aight, you two remember your roles?" Edio said as his men affirmed yes and their small little operation began. One... that was doomed for failure.
... I walk the Path of Tribulations ...