Kaz landed in worth woodsea from his griffon. The local regiment had been informed and a Platoon of men waited. This was his first task as a Captain. It already left a sour taste in his mouth. Something about the clouds foretold this to be a day of tough decisions. He had avoided them for a long time. But now that he took on more responsibility in the Knights...it was time to face them.

The men looked back and forth at one another. Unsure of why Kaz was there and they could not find another high-ranking official. Word had yet to spread about his new promotion.

Kaz stood in front of the platoon of nearly fifty knights. He reached into his bag at the gift he was given before leaving Era and fastened the captain's insignia on his uniform. The men saw it and snapped to attention, "Captain," They answered.

Kaz nodded back, "At ease," he said with a little more weight to his voice so it carried far enough. He didn't like being up there but it's what needed to be done. "Alright, he opened the folder. "The man we are looking for is Vali Onfroy. He is wanted for breaking someone out of prison. We received information that he has a village in the worth woodsea and have been given its location by an informant. We'll move in. You will surround and I'll negotiate. They are dangerous and if I give the signal then move in and begin making arrests."

He paused before saying the last part. A heavy heart welling inside him, "Lethal force is authorized if needed." It was the first and hopefully last time he would have to give the okay for that.

With the rest of the information out, Kaz marched the men deeper into the woods. Their informant was close at hand. A devious smile hid on his face every time he turned around. It made Kaz uncomfortable but this village needed to be dealt with.

Kaz gave the signal for the men to surround the village as best they could. They moved silently at first. Stealthily apprehending any rogue villager out to gather or hunt for things. The wind mage waited for them to all be in position and then walked into the small village.

It was quiet at first. All eyes were on him. They were tall people, with broad builds. Warriors from head to toe and distrustful of any outsider. Kaz kept walking and cleared his throat, more so to get his nerves in check.

A man finally came out to meet the wind mage. Kaz was headed to the biggest building he could see but wouldn't have to walk far.

"What do you want traveler," the man asked.  

"I'm Kazimir Seiryu of the rune knights. I'm looking for Vali Onfroy. He is wanted for breaking a prisoner out of jail." The locals sneered at the comment. Arms crossed over chests and some stepped down to crowd around the wind mage.

"We think its best if you leave her...knight," he said spitting at the name when it rolled off his lips.

Kaz looked around at the ones beginning to surround him now. "Please, I don't want any trouble. Just tell me where he is." He could see where this was going and wanted to stop it before it got that far.

"Looks like you need to be taught a little about VIKING PRIDE!" The man yelled and charged Kaz with a punch. The blow cut across the wind mage's face knocking him backward. Right after, Kaz felt a heavy thud in his gut as another blow from another person dug in deep and staggered him backward. He could her the footsteps of a third coming in and it was time.

Kaz dashed back and swipe his hand. A blade of wind shot out and cut the man across the belly. A thin line of blood trickled out. "Last...Warning."Kaz said raising his eyes to meet theirs. They glowed bright white light, as his wrath was mounting.

The pride of the Vikings prevented them from backing down. They would support their fellow man, even if it led them to battle. There was a warrior's battle cry that echoed through the village, mimicked by each warrior one after another.

They charged and Kaz shot a burst of wind in the air signaling his men. They all collided in the village. Bandits and knights slinging blades and magic. It was a cacophony of horror. Things deteriorated as quickly as he had arrived.

WC 400

Kaz jumped back as the battle continued. His men against the village but the Vikings skill was immense. It was like a man facing off with a lion. Two knights to take on every single Viking. Some were tossed to the side and into buildings. But the knights persevered. They tackled Vikings and used cunning and numbers to overwhelm them. People fell through buildings and crashed into the ground. There was only one constant rule. The knights were not to harm non-combatants. and women, children and those that had not attacked yet.

Four Vikings and one leader with a more well-adjusted suit of armor rushed with heavy axes at Kaz. They wove through a medley of bladed ax strikes and wind blades. The head of the ax shredded into Kaz's armor and clothing. The pressure was heavy on the wind mage. He calculated his strikes to leave minimal damage. Aiming to knock them out cold rather than kill them. One fell from the gust of wind sending him into a wall. The others still gave chase.

Kaz saw an opening in a wide swing. He dashed backward faster than they could keep up with. His feet drug across the ground, living behind a trail. He would give another warning but it would fall on deaf ears. Instead...it was time.

He took in a deep breath as the knights charged and with a roar he shot a tornado of wind at them. The blow staggered them but it only brought more attention. More Vikings came and now Nekos poured out onto the battlefield. The knights were losing. The Vikings slashed them down one by one.
Everything slowed down. He saw them falling. The bodies of knights bouncing off the ground from blow after blow. He couldn't stand by as his allies fell to the attacks. His anger reaching its peak. He Gathered an intense force of wind around his body. The presence of it halted the attackers.

He roared up to the heavens, His eyes flashing white and angelic wings sprouting from his back. A white tiger appeared behind him, towering in height and roared in unity with the wind mage. The sky turned dark and clouds twisted together.

WC 340

The dark clouds loomed overhead and a large white magic circle appeared around a large group of the Vikings. A tear crossed the wind mage's face as a dozen tornados twisted from the dark skies and rained down a wrath of wind to the Vikings. Screams and ribbons of blood flitted in the air. Bones cracked form the force of the turbulent windstorm wreaking havoc on their bodies and the land. When it settled there were bodies on the ground, bloody and battered. Some still moved and clawed the ground to drag themselves to safety.

Kaz breathed a sigh of relief that it was finally done. He stood with head held low at what needed to be done. Until there was the flicker of light from a torch gleaming off of steel. Another group of Vikings raged and ran at him. There was nothing but the will to fight in their eyes. Kaz clenched his fist. "Get the women and children out of here. The knights didn't question it and began gathering up all those who weren't fighting and detained them as fast as they could.

Neko's jumped from rooftops and clawed at Kaz. Vikings lunged forward with axes. Claws and ax heads cut into Kaz. His arms and face were slit by the relentless attack. He finally ducked a leaping Neko with claws ready and fly straight up. He hovered in the air with outstretched wings. Once again he released a roar that darkened the skies.  

A dozen tornados swirled to life and swooped down on the village once more. And then again. The Vikings were a bloodied mess and Neko's clung to life. Each attack had only made them more fierce and relentless, refusing to give up until Kaz was dead.

But the last attack left some of their homes flattened and their people wounded or worse...The ones who fought the hardest, refusing to surrender were now lifeless on the ground. Kaz landed as the rest fell in mourning and surrender. The Knights brought cuffs for them. The village was arrested. Before anything else happened, Kaz would find the eldest man alive and ask of the people's customs for burial. The man was reluctant and angry but spoke.

Kaz ordered the knights to stay and bury those that had died. The bodies of the knights were collected for a proper knight's burial. Some of the Neko's bodies intermingled with the Vikings, and others ran off to hide deeper into the woods, but it was over. A calm had returned but it was a tense one.

Kaz looked back on the village once more before marching the men and prisoners back to the closest region. Many parts of it a shadow of what it once was. Holes dotted the buildings from the clash. The wind had torn roofing and strewn it about. This was the first time...he took the life of someone that wasn't a wind clan member, and he hoped it would be the last. he walked away with a heavy heart but he always knew the day would come when he would need to go this far.

exit

WC 450
Total wc1190
Training toward Fearsome Descent