Zack/Intro7

You are awakened by the light of the sun beginning to rise over the seemingly endless sands of the desert. Okay, not endless, since you entered them a few days ago during your wanderings. They stretch on for long enough either way, however.

At any rate, the sun wakes you up from your dreams.

Bull pulls a wide-brimmed bamboo hat onto his head and ties it there. Time to wander. South, that is.

Bull starts walking south, using his unstrung bow as a walking stick as he slogs across the dunes. Who knows what adventures will unfold in this here desert?

Apparently you're about the find out, as you spot what appears to be a battle occuring some distance to the south. A few men with blades are trying to hold off a few strange creatures, while what appear to be women and children continue to flee from them. The men seem overmatched, however.

Bull perks up, not in a "yay, ice cream" way, but in a "wow, this could be trouble, I'd better help" way, and runs towards the scuffle, shouting as he goes: "What's going on?"

As you draw closer, you get a better idea of the situation. Three armed men are being forced back as five... vaguely humanoid things lasha against them with blades as well. A few already lie on the ground in pieces, but so do a few other men. One of them shouts out to you as you approach, parrying one of the things' strike. "We're fighting for our lives, that is what!" He then turns his attention to the battle.

Bull stops and slowly pulls the drawstring on his huge bamboo hat. his eyes Narrow as he addresses the monsters in a loud voice. "You will turn around and go back to whatever pits you came from!". as his hat slowly slips behind him, he drops his bow to the side, and slowly flexes his fingers, then forms fists, causing a leather-like creaking noise as his wrappings move with his hands. "Or I will personally see to it that you never return to whatever sungheap it is you call home"

The creatures pay Bull no mind whatsoever.

Bull spreads his feet slowly as his eyes flash gold. a ripple of energy pulses through his veins as he assumes the base pose of his art, and his blood vessels glow slightly under his skin.

Bull runs towards the skirmish, already wishing he'd been there sooner

While Bull assumes the form of the Wood Dragon, the men and zombies clash, all blows getting parried left and right.

The creatures drop their blades as more primal insticts take over, their fists lashing out at one of the men in tandem. He puts his blade to work, parrying each strike with no small amount of skill.

Bull draws close to the battle.

The two other men lash out at one of the creatures, managing to cut slight scrapes in it.

Bull reaches the fight.

The men lash out at one of the zombies in tandem, tearing it and its remaining flesh to ribbons. It remains standing however, and lets out a definiant snarl at the three who stand against it and its kin.

Bull leaps at the nearest zombie, and grabs it's neck with his left hand, channelling his disgust into a series of punches at the dead thing's head as he yells: "YOU! DO! NOT! WALK! WHEN! YOU! ARE! DEAD!"

The zombie takes notice of /this/ however, as it tries to bring up its own fists in an attempt to block the strikes!

The zombie fails horribly, however, and quite frankly falls to pieces.

<Bull> "Now THAT is what a corpse should LOOK like."

Two of the zombies lash out at the men, while the other two make to attack Bull!

Bull turns his head towards the nearest Zombie and grimaces at the stench

The man they focus on gets nicked, but not much else.

The other two zombies land hits on Bull, but they don't do much but make it hard to avoid the stench.

The men focus on one zombie yet again, lashing out with a series of blows!

<Bull> "Your muscles are dead. your strikes are weak. give up now and return to blissful repose. I know you can't feel pain through your rotten nerves, but I swear to you I will make this hurt."

And another one goes down with a death rattle.

Bull stretches out to the side and grabs Zombie E about the neck with both hands, but not in a strangling motion. he's twisted his arms so that he's holding the Zombie's neck like a giant sword hilt. Screaming in rage, he makes to swing one sombie at the other, aiming to have Zombie E inadvertantly kick Zombie C in the neck, right where rotted soft tissue supports the vaguely brain-filled skull.

<Bull> "When you die, you CAN NOT MOVE!"

The zombie gets his head cleanly KNOCKED OFF by the errant zombie weapon.

The free zombie leaps at Bull with an opened mouth, while the other one struggles feebly but doesn't manage to escape.

<Bull> "You had a good head on your shoulders. You should THINK before walking around next time you die."

He breaks his teeth on the a reinforced section of the buff jacket. ;_;

Bull releases his left hand from it's death grip on the Zombie's neck, and grabs it's thigh, so that it's facing away from him. Running at the other Zombie, he jumps up, and kicks /through/ the held zombie, with his foot flying towards the standing Zombie's head. Yeah Bull, try getting that smell out of your socks.

It isn't everyday one is defeated by a foot going through their comrade. This however is one of those days, as both zombies go limp. The men meanwhile stare in awe for a few moments before letting out cheers.

Bull , rather than pulling his foot out of the zombie, leaves his leg up and pulls the zombie off from around his foot. in half. chucking the pieces to the ground in disgust, he turns to the townsfolk. "Any of you nice folk have a hot bath and a razor? I could use a shave."

The men let out a laugh, shaking their heads before the leader speaks while the other two usher the women and children back. "Sadly, we were fleeing from our town, good sir. We were attacked by those creatures and three fearsome opponents just a few days ago. We've been fighting ever since, but we had to leave some behind in the town."

<Bull> "three fearsome opponents? how many of this filth were with them?"

Bull looks around at the men and women. and children. all of them.

The man frowns. "At least fifty attacked the town itself. Some fell to one who helped protect us, but he was killed by the three who were leading the assault."

The men seem tired and sport minor wounds, while the women and children look at you in wonder. Some of them are also nursing slight injuries.

Bull ponders a moment, and looks at the man. "I can help your injured. but please, tell me of this one that helped you. what was his name?" Bull pulled a couple rolls of gause and some jars of something out of his pack before speaking again. "Also, get some healthy men to set a pyre downwind to get rid of the wretches we killed today... way downwind."

The three men frown. "We are all that remain of those who managed to escape, sir. The man called himself Diamond in the Summer, when we were talking in the inn." A few of the women bring their wounded children forward towards Bull, looking hopeful.

Bull kneels down to the children and looks at their injuries, cleaning and drsessing them each in turn as he spoke. "This Diamond in the Summer, did he have no army? He tried to fight an army of these alone?"

The leader nods. "He was alone, and was doing well until one of the leaders approached him..." He trails off, closing his eyes.

Bull puts a hand on the man's shoulder. "I really should go see what happened. I will finish tending to your wounded, and strike my way into your home. if I may, I'd like to stop into one of your houses and shave while I'm there."

The man smiles. "If you free our town, you will be treated with the utmost care, sir." He points towards the east. "Our home lies in that direction, in a straight march. If you encounter any of our people that still live, please direct them towards us."

Bull nods, and continues mending those wounds he had not seen to yet.

The children smile and thank you as you tend to their wounds, as do the others.

In a few hours time, all have been tended too and will be fine, and the zombie carcasses have been disposed of.

Bull ties his hat on and gathers his bow. "I'll be off now. don't go home unless I come back. If you see anything from the east, for example, bright lights or loud They all nod, smiling. The men offer you salutes with their blades. "May the winds of the desert guide your actions, friend."

<Bull> "May they carry the stench of those abominations from the nostrils of your children."

Bull walks east, with determination, grit, and a whole lotta "oh shi"

They grin before letting out a laugh as they watch you go. Meanwhile, you set off on your new task, to help free a town from the grip of those who should be back in their graves. And time passes.

By the time you can see the town, it is high noon. However, the land seems... strange as you approach. The light seems to dim, as a mist forms in the air around you. It isn't a wet mist, however, just... like smoke, almost. The sand seems paler, and all in all the place seems less.. alive. More so as you draw closer to the town.

Bull adjusts his buff jacket as he nears the town, feeling the essence swirling within it, making it seem light as a feather. allowing himself a moment of thought before entering the city, he pulls more of the ether into his core, infusing his muscles and tendons.

Bull exhales slowly as his blood again starts to glow slightly

Bull clenches his fists once, then releases them. a vaguely visible golden vampour pours from his nostrils as he walks towards the city

As you draw closer, you see that there are very few structures that are still standing. A watchtower stands in the middle, still intact, as do a few buildings near it. All of the outer buildings that appear to have been homes have been collapses. It also seems deserted.

Bull strides into town

Near the center of town, you find a stake of wood propped up so it stands straight. There is something adhered to the stake, and a form standing by it. What it is, you cannot tell. This remains a secret for another session, as well.