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Blade of the Dragon (messeduprp x Skeith Takahatta II)

As Genji carved through the last of the undead in her path, she strode forward towards the circle of soldiers and the Dread Lord himself. She glanced around, looking for Li Zhu among the soldiers, living, dead and wounded. If she knew her name she would call for her. She didn't have any personal reason for ensuring her safety outside of how bad it would look if Genji returned without Li Zhu. Surely, it would look as if she slew the one who captured her. She walked through the soldiers, stepping into the circle with the Dread Lord.

She didn't adopt a fighting stance, simply sizing up the beast. A smirk crawled across her features as she raised her blade toward him, holding it aloft with one arm. "Are you the biggest they sent? Here I was hoping for a challenge." Her arrogance shown clearly in her features. "I like your helmet and your mace. They'll make good trophies to decorate my new home." She settled back into a defensive stance. "At least make it fun for me before I kill you." Her smirk fell away as her gaze narrowed, readying herself for the worst. There would be no greater dishonor than to die defending a land that had robbed her of her freedom.
 
The Dread Lord let out a throaty chuckle. Holding his mace at the ready. With lightning speed he charged at Genji, bringing his mace down with mighty force like a boulder. The strike would have killed Genji, if another blade had not intervened. The parry knocked the mace away and Lu Zhi advanced. Dashing in towards the Dread Lord. He made another swing, she narrowly dodged it and slashed at his chest, emitting a grunt if pain before he turned to face her, ignoring Genji and leaving himself open.
 
Genji was prepared to step out of the path of the Dread Lord's mace, or at least, she thought she was. As he moved, much faster than his size would imply possible, she had only a second to react. Fortunately, she wouldn't have to. The blow was intercepted. Genji's eyes fell on Lu Zhi. She found herself actually more irritated that the battle was interrupted than she was grateful for the assist.

Seeing the Dread Lord was distracted, Genji stepped in quickly, a broad swipe of her blade raking across the backs of his knees. "Hey! I wasn't finished with you yet! Back here, ugly!" She quickly stepped back in case he swept his mace behind him.
 
Lu Zhi gasped as the dread lord cried out in pain..black blood oozing out in two puddles. She looked over at Genji and scowled behind her helmet's metal mask. "You imbecile!" As she said it the two puddles conjealed, writing and growing into the shape of the lord. Made out of black blood. Both turned to Genji and growled. The lord chuckled, "I am Geratalus... Lord of Regeneration. Draw blood and my numbers will grow." He pushed Lu Zhi back a few feet with his mace. His gaze fixed on her. The two blood-made forms charged Genji. Each's right arm becoming liquid again only to Re-harden into a sharp spike.
 
Genji watched in surprise as the two figures grew from the puddles of blood. Hearing Lu Zhi shout at her increased her frustration for the woman. How the hell was Genji supposed to know something like this could happen? As the two figures charged, she charged towards them. She held her blade up vertically, blade pointing down. She smacked each spike aside. She leapt up between them, twirling around in midair. Her blade flared out as she spun, slicing through each of their heads. She landed behind them, looking up towards this Geratalus.

She ran towards him, dropping to the ground and sliding between his legs. She rolled back up to her feet, standing beside Lu Zhi with her weapon poised to parry. "So, cutting him doesn't work. Any suggestions, then?" She asked, looking over at the woman.
 
Lu Zhi closed her eyes for a second, gripping her blade tighter. When she reopened them, they blazed gold. From within her armor emanating where the tiger tattoo was, more gold light blazed as her sword was engulfed in flames. The flaming blade flicked out and she dashed at the dread lord. Slashing and hacking at him, cutting and cauterizing the wounds as she did. Not a drop of blood fell. Soon she rammed her sword into his neck and from it a dark shadow slipped out, flying towards Genji's general direction. "Kill it! Use your sword and kill it!!"
 
Genji watched in thinly veiled surprise as Lu Zhi used so bizarre a gift. "What sorcery is this..." She watched as she struck into the creature, no blood being shed. She raised her heavy blade above her head as the ghostly creature charged her. She let out a loud roar as she swiped down through it. She returned her greatsword to her back as the creature was slain. She looked at it's corpse breathing out a small sigh. "Nice work. We make a pretty good team." She said with a confident smirk.

She looked around at the other soldiers, turning towards the village. She headed towards the village, helping the other soldiers carry out wounded. She knew a little bit of medicine and was able to help treat injuries. Her concern with making herself look good in front of the Emperor was put on the back burner. Helping take care of innocent civilians became her priority.
 
Among the villagers was the emperor. He seemed to be talking to a man who looked like the lord. They were deep in discussion and soon the mayor looked very happy. As he walked away his eyes locked into Lu Zhi. They spike for a while and she pointed at Genji, he looked over at her and walked to her. Looking down at her appraisingly for a second. "Lu Zhi tells me that you killed the dread lord... Is that true?"
 
Genji's was in the process of bandaging a wounded civilian when the Emperor approached her. Even as he spoke, she finished what she was doing before responding. She rose to her feet, turning to face him. Once more, she made no effort to show any form of reverence. She folded her arms, glancing towards Lu Zhi before returning her eyes to the Emperor. "So, that's her name..." Despite how little she liked these people she was fair and honorable. "I struck the final blow, is what she means. It was a team effort. She sells herself short."

She whistled for her horse, it trotting over. She brought her hand up to pat its neck as she checked him for injuries. "I want you to know that I was going to leave. I was ready to head north. I came here to help because it's what my mother would have wanted. The Tachibana do not turn from a fight if our blades can ensure a victory." She looked about at the damaged village for a moment before glancing back at the Emperor. "I acted because I am honor bound as my Mother's daughter and heir to the Tachibana to do so. Remember that the next time you and yours question my honesty or seek to insult me or bind me further."
 
The emperor was silent for a second. He reached forward and drew out Genji's sword. "This sword... Is nonswors that your mother would want you to carry." He took out his own sword. It seemed oddly familiar. "I made a vow years ago to a woman... I would carry this sword, and never use it until the rightful owner drew the blood of the undead... Tonight I fulfill that vow."he offered the sword to her "take it... Your mother would want you to very her sword."
 
Genji's blatant frustration and disdain for this Emperor fell away as he reached for her sword. "It was stolen from the man who enslaved me. Along with my armor and horse. I have nothing of my home, save my blood." Her eyes fell as he reached or his own weapon. As the sword was presented to her, she eyed it suspiciously for a moment until he continued explaining it. The woman he had vowed to was her mother. The blade was her own.

She froze in that moment, flashing back to the fire and the battle that consumed her home. She saw her mother locked in battle again, that sword clashing in battle with the intruders. As she returned to the real world, she settled her eyes on the weapon. Slowly her fingers curled around it, holding it in her hands. "You believe me then? That I am my mother's daughter?" She held the weapon against her chest for a moment, closing her eyes. Tears threatened to fall, but the tall and proud warrior pushed them away.

"If you were a friend of my mother's..." She looked up at him sadly. "I will remain in the cottage you provided. I will fight your enemies until your nation is at peace. At that time I will set out to reclaim my own. The Tachibana are honor bound to not abandon our allies in times of war. If you were friend to my people, than that alliance remains, even if my land does not."
 
He put his hand on her shoulder and have it a squeeze. "And I vow. My empire will not stop until your lands have been retaken and you have been seated in the throne of the Tachibana... In memory of your mother, my friend."

He nodded to her and held a fist in his Pam, Boeing to her before he turned and left to attend to the villagers. Meanwhile Lu Zhi was knelt down, her armor was stripped away, her bare back exposed as she tended to a wound on her shoulder.

It was a clean slash, the applied some chewed herbs to it with a grimace before wrapping it in a bandage. The entire tiger tattoo exposed. She was Aline and thought she was in privacy, unaware of Genji's presence.
 
Genji returned the Emperor's bow with a respectful nod of her own. It was then that she noticed Lu Zhi tending to an injury not far from her. She looked around once more before approaching her slowly. "That was one hell of a technique you used back there." She said to announce herself. "I've never seen anything like it." She knelt down beside her, raising a hand to stop her for a moment. "Here, wrapping that with one hand can't be easy and I know my way around injuries." She took the roll of bandages without another word, wrapping it around her arm.

She pulled her hands away, setting one arm on her knee while they other rested atop the handle of her sword. "I owe you and your people an apology. But mostly you. I'll be remaining at the Capital until your forces no longer have need of my blade." She pushed herself back up to her feet, looking down at Lu Zhi. "One of these days, I'd like a rematch. But, perhaps as friends rather than as enemies." She turned to walk away, returning to her horse. If she was going to live at the Capital, her cottage would need some work. A personal forge and stable for one. Maybe even a small training area in the back. She had a lot of work to do before it would adequately house one of the Tachibana.
 
Lu Zhi jumped a bit and drew her sword partway before she realized who it was. She sighed and sheathed her sword again. She was hesitant to let the stranger touch her but she nodder, shrugging her clothes back on a bit to cover her tattoo. She cringed a bit as the bandage was applied but did not make a sound.

She smiled a bit and nodded, "I would accept that." As she left Lu Zhi watched her. She was unsure if she could trust her yet. She had been raised to be warry of a kind stranger. She shook her head and pulled on the rest of her armor. Mounting her horse and riding back to the city. Some of the soldiers staying behind to put out the fires.
 
When Genji arrived back at the Capital, both her and her horse were quite tired. She dismounted outside of her cottage, tying up her horse. She patted the steed's neck gently, looking at her face. "Don't worry. Tomorrow I'll build you a proper stable." She rested her head against the horse's as she gently pet his neck. She turned, entering the cottage for the first time. The amenities were simple, but not entirely Spartan. Either way, she would be certainly more comfortable here than chained to a wall in some old man's basement as she had been. She set her mother's sword on a sword rack, staring at it for a few seconds. "Some strange company you used to keep." She whispered to the weapon as if her mother could hear her.

She walked over to a small fire pit, lighting it for warmth. She removed her armor and washed up with a bucket of water. She sat on a bedroll beside the fire, warming herself. Her clothing was little more than tattered rags. Once she built a forge, she would need to build new armor, and sew some new clothes. She felt her stomach rumble. She was quite hungry, but she hadn't taken the time to hunt or fish since being captured. She slumped back on to the bedroll, breathing out a heavy breath. It wouldn't be the first day she went without food. She would just have to endure it.
 
The next morning Genji was greted to the sound of carpenters working behind her house. Sitting on a table by an open window was a large plate filled with quite good looking food and new clothes, hewn similar in shape to those Lu Zhi wore and made of silk.

Outside the carpenters were hard at work. Building a shelter behind her house. Even in the early stage it resembled a stable. Lu Zhi stood outside her own house, brushing Genji's horse and feeding it vegetables. The gorse seemed quite content in it's current situation.
 
Genji woke to the sound of carpenters working outside her home. She looked towards the door, seeing food and clothing. She pushed herself up approaching both in confusion. Who had gone out of their way on her behalf like this? It was a weird display of hospitality for a people who tried to imprison her the day before. She changed into the new attire, looking down at for a moment. It was very different from what she was used to, but the silk was comfortable.

She ate the meal that had been prepared for her, her hungry body encouraging her to eat faster than she probably should have. She choked softly, beating her first against her chest. Once the plate was empty, she rose to her feet again, walking to the door. Her eyes settled on Lu Zhi brushing her horse, which prompted a faint smile to come to Genji's lips. She walked down the steps, approaching her. "Was this all your doing?" She asked, looking back towards the stable being built. "Thank you."
 
Lu Zhi looked up sndnoattes the horse on the head.."the stable is from the emperor. He took pity on the horse and ordered a stable be built for it to stay in. The clothing and food was from me... I would also suggest you take a trip to the bathhouse... You smell worse than the horse." The line was good natured without a hint of malice.
 
"Well, thank you for the clothing and the food. It was a nice gesture." Genji folded her arms, raising an eyebrow at Lu Zhi's words. She smirked before giving a shake of her head and a wave of her hand. "That sounds like a good idea anyway. A bath sounds relaxing." She began walking away from the cottage, only to stop and turn around again. "So, where do I find this bathhouse?" She asked, not even remotely familiar with the capital city.
 
Lu Zhi smiled and stood up, walking over to Genji. "I will show you." She led Genji down past a few cottages and into a thicket of bamboo shoots. "Each bathhouse is surrounded by bamboo for privacy. Jist go through when you can.
 
Genji nodded in gratitude as Lu Zhi showed her deeper into the town towards the bathhouses. As they arrived at the bamboo shoots, she smiled a little wider. "Surrounded for privacy? Now that's a shame." She said, trying to be a blatant flirt. Her smile became a proper grin for only a moment. "Thanks, it'll be nice to wash up properly for a change." The woman having only relied on rivers in her travels since escaping. She continued deeper into the bamboo, finally coming across one of the bath houses. She looked upon the scene in wonder. While perhaps ordinary for locals, it was a beautiful image for her.

She stripped free of her new attire, carefully setting it upon a rock, and lowering herself into the water. A satisfied sigh escaping her lips as she let her tired muscles relax. She dunked her head underneath the surface for a moment, to properly wet her hair, flipping the red mane behind her head.
 
As she came back out another voice giggled softly.u Zhi was sitting right across from her. Her own clothes sitting on a rock. "I did not mean to startle you. But I had questions to ask and this seemed like he best time. We are alone and relaxed... Would you like to speak?"
 
Genji was certainly startled by the sudden presence of another person, but far from opposed to the company. Especially given that Lu Zhi was just as bare as herself. She shook off the surprise smiling a little. "You're a quiet one aren't you? Sure, I'd love the company. What did you want to know?" She asked, leaning back more relaxed in the water.
 
Lu Zhi nodded, "I was trained to be quiet, it is an integral part of my role as a warrior... I am curious where you learned to fight. Your style is different compared to those that my people use... I assume your foreign land must be one of warriors."
 
"It was..." She answered, using past tense. Genji gave some thought to her curiosity. "Well, yes. My people were warriors. The Highlands of Gen were home to my Mother's Empire. We are trained from youth to be warriors. My mother taught me the basics, but our home fell before she could complete my training. I was raised from there as a slave. Once I slew my captor and stole some gear, I took to mercenary work. From there, I am self-taught. Unrefined but effective enough, I've found."
 
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