Passing the Boundary | Wake of Dragons

[Taikichi Seishin]

The way is shut...

It was made by those who are dead...

And the dead keep it...

It had been a long road, from the weeks ago when he first heard rumors of the happenings, to the dragons arrival. To his wakening, and now his travelling here. Taki no Kuni was a much different place then the Desert. For one the landscape, became more riddled with rock and growth, as they went, the old man and his traveling companions. Before they had crossed through the borders, Taikichi had taken the time to meditate so if needed to he could unify himself and his spirits to fight off an aggressor.

Not that he was expecting attackers, but truth was, he didn't know what to expect. Ao Qin spoke of a war, and Seiryuu had died, but Seiryuu was with him currently. So now it was time for the Dragon to come forth, as their mission was truly to begin. Up ahead, the road curved down into a valley, and on the distant horizon he could see smoke, lifting up into the sky. Seems where they were going was not far off, he took it upon himself to find a nearby outcropping of rock and brush to stand by and sit upon.

"Alright, Seiryuu... Time to get some information"

He said, and began tapping the scale on his left shoulder blade, to wake up Seiryuu no Kami. Now that he was here, ti was time for the work to begind, firs tanf foremost, he had to find the remaining dragons, as well find what had happened here and do his best to rectify it.

[Byoki]

Byoki sat at the foot of the out cropping below the old man, sitting quietly as the old man scanned for their destination. Or at least thats what byoki assumed he was doing, sitting in the cold dankness of the land. Moisture collecting across byoki's face he gently wiped the rain from his brow, it was nice to have left the desert and its heat.

Taikichi how secretive are we trying to be as we enter this land?

Byoki said, as he waited for an answer he allowed his own senses to surround them. Keeping his senses to their sides and behind them, just in case they would be spotted.

[Ðr. Tran]

He glanced over at Byoki, and then looked off into the distance.

"If the dragon is right, we have quite a ways to go"

He said, and the scale on his shoulder began to glow, as Seiryuu manifested himself. The great glowing etheral being taking his large dragon form.

"Yes, Taikichi-kun, over these hills, down through the valley to the great pools. But here is where we must do the summoning, any closer and we risk drawing too much attention to ourselves"

The old man nodded at the dragons words, as the spirit became energy and flew back into the scale.

"Well then, you boys stand back... your about to see something---quite extraordinary"

Taikichi said as he cracked his knuckles and began to stretch. He would close his eyes, as he focused and called upon the wellspring of energy within him, and the energy given to him from the dragon, and form his spirits. Unifying these mighty energies was no simple task, as he began to glow, with a violent blue swirl of energy and chakra the likes few save those known as Bijuu could have mustered. He pulled all this energy inside, as the world grew darker, due to the brilliance of the light cast by the swirling energy.

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU"

He would say as he slammed his hand upon the ground, pouring all that energy into the summoning as he called not one, not two, not ten. But all of the beings, all the dragons in this land and on the contract he was signed too. As was part of his task. It was the great beasts choice wether they came or not.

[Byoki]

Sitting during their short rest byoki felt the surge in energy as he assumed Taikichi was using his power once more.

Quietly resting byoki peered out across the lands before him, waiting for taikichi to find whatever answer he was currently looking for.

Spreading out his senses he pushed himself to his limits, as he felt his sensory powers grasping the lay of the land. Though there was currently no other chakra signatures other then their own there was a plethora of animal life in the land surrounding them.

"I do not sense any other people for a large distance, it makes sense that we are nowhere close to finishing our current journey."

byoki said, mostly speaking to himself, as he assumed that Taikichi was already aware but maybe daydreaming kou had not realized.

[Ðr. Tran]

As the energy poured form him, he could feel the strain from having so much of it go. Falling to one knee, he held himself, as the light faded, the spirits coming from their totems and manifesting around him

"Taikichi---you alright?
Yeah---I'll be fine---that just---took alot out of me
Foolish move, Taikichi-kun.
You got a better idea?
..."

He spoke to the spirits and they all went silent at his words. They knew it was part of the plan, even Seiryuu was not speaking, but still, it had been quite...costly.

As he regained his breath, in between pants, the ground began to rumble, the sky began to crackle. Dark clouds began to roll in, lightning ripping through the sky, as the first appeared. Ao Qin, planted a foot upon the ground and roared.As he did, others began to appear materializing in large clouds of smoke. Each roar joined as each dragon appeared. For a few minutes the roared continued, echoing through the valleys, shaking the ground, crackling the sky with lightning and thunder. Once each of the great beings was gathered and the roaring faded, they all turned, each monstrously large, legendary creature turned to look at the old man with white hair. Not only was there living dragons here, but spirits of ones who had died, quite recently at the battle of Takigakure. Each being looked to the old man, the Seishin

"Sup Dragons"

Was his only words to them.

As his spirits all fell over dumbfounded.

[Byoki]

Byoki quietly continued to wait as taikichi continued to do whatever it was he was doing. As the sounds of puffs of smoke appeared all around them, byoki unsettled for a moment then taikichi spoke.

It apparently seemed that they were currently surrounded by the massive beasts, as they all recoiled from taikichi joking words. This was one of those moments in which byoki had started to understand taikichi better, in his attmept to make light if the situation. Even though it was evident even to people without sight that the use of power had significantly tired him, but he was to proud to show it.

byoki quietly sat there wondering what would happen next, this was the moment he had been wondering about for some time now. There was many paths that could be walked and it would be up to the dragons, but mostly taikichi to make a decision how the situation would be handled.

Byoki listened in suspense.

[Ðr. Tran]

The dragons thought the very same thing, as they all turned to Taikichi and then to Ao Qin.

"We'll begin by taking back the land of our brothers, and ridding the land of that evil creature Youeii and his Botsu clan thugs"

Came the dragons words, and Taikichi listened. This was part he was never privy too, just who or what they had been chosen to fight.

"We came all this way to fight a war, against those who destroyed this land, marred the spirit realm and killed many dragons, my only question is if such people exist... Wouldn't they be looking for more dragons, like a gathering of such?"

Taikichi asked, and his words rang a bell as the great beasts looked around.

[Byoki]

Byoki had been scanning the out reaches of his senses allowing his sensory abilities to press outward to their limits and he silently meditated taking in the sights, sounds, and movement. There was a movement, quickly several forms were approaching rather quick. There was another who's senses byoki could feel pressing towards himself, as though watching him a silent struggle of sensors aware of one another learning what they can from each other.

Then without words byoki stood up and reached over touching taikichi on the shoulder, a rush of senses anad sounds would sweep into the man for several moments he would see as byoki does. He would see the squads heading here from all around, he would sense the malice in their chakra, he would see the sensor scanning them a byoki had, peering towards them seeing more then eye's could normally see.

"They are coming."

Byoki said as he removed his hand from Taikichi's shoulder, byoki peered off into the distance as though he was regarding something out of the normal sight of a man. Fastening his cloth draping his eye's byoki belted his weapon as he continued scanning this time closer. Feeling the squads bearing down upon them with every second, if this ended with a battle it would be fierce.

---

---

Kanchi Denden
Sensing Transmission
Class-supplementary

By making physical contact with another individual, the user is able to transmit what they are currently sensing directly into the other person's mind.

[Ðr. Tran]

Taikichi looked voer at the blind man, as he touched him. Awash again with the mind link, that showed him what the man was sensing. Taikichi shuddered, still not use to that thing happening.

"As I feared...

Fighting right now would only weaken us, especially since I am lower then what I should be with chakra. Byoki, stand really close..."

He said, as he looked over at the dragons and his spirits. The spirits would return to their totems, and Taikichi would press his hand to the ground.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

He would say as he summoned a large eagle, big enough to carry himself, Byoki and Shou. The eagle they were standing upon would rise, as Taikichi gave the signal to the dragons. Each beast began to rise into the air, in a parade like succession of mythical beasts. They would take too the clouds to mask their movement until they could take to ground again.

[Byoki]

Without words byoki would step closer to Taikichi placing steady himself with his hands. As the great bird erupted from below them byoki was not entirely ready for the sudden surge in movement. Dropping to his a knee and steadying himself as the great bird slowly took flight.

Byoki would reach out with his senses again pressing outward looking toward the range of their pursuers. Less then a mile now, yet their pace had quickened it was obvious the sensor had communed the small clash they had with byoki.

"They will continue to follow us if we do not get out if their sensors range Taikichi. Their sensor seems powerful enough but i assume it's range is similar to mine. Otherwise it would not have noticed my own presence when i noticed it's squad, which means they would been smarter in their tactics moving slower and more stealthily. But they didn't so their own sensors range is the same as mine, or hopefully shorter."

Byoki would say then continue to scan for their pursuers as they ascended off into the air, pressing to his limits to make sure their sensor would not be able to easily track them if his own range was even a small distance further.

[Ðr. Tran]

Once they were eagle born, they would rise higher and higher pon the thermals. Taikichi nodded to Byoki's words, as they went further into the sky. Not only did they rise but they also went aloft, moving faster and further away form the sensor as his squad then they could follow on foot by comparison.

[Byoki]

Byoki continued scanning until his scanning ability reached its limits and the squad in pursuit was far out of his range. He had hoped he was judging the enemy sensor abilities correctly, but they were moving far quicker then a shinobi could move without needing rest. Byoki assumed they would get away with ease, falling back into a more restful state byoki dropped his senses. The wind cascaded past him as the giant eagel soared across the sky, byoki's mind started to ponder the powers of Taikichi.

It may not have been the best time for such discussions but with all of the adventures they had shared so far byoki realized there would be always something going on so it would be better to use their current situation to ask the questions he wondered.

"Taikichi what is it you do exactly, you have seemingly summoned dragons. Which in itself could be explained in different ways, you say you commune with spirits. Which makes me wonder how exactly do you perform these abilities. Is it like the shinobi? Or is it different?

[Ðr. Tran]

He looked over at Byoki, before sighing and sitting himself down. Dragons flew beside the eagle, as Taikichi took rest. He slowly withdrew his pipe and stuffed it, with a match struck off his finger tips, he lit the pipe and took a long drag. He would exhale before he began to speak.

"The arrogance of this world is thinking Shinobi are the only ones with power... There are beings far greater, more powerful then any shinobi had ever dreamed about, there are energies that exist all around us, that few can tap into, and few are born into... Shinobi are just the most well known for their abilities.

Byoki, I trust you know some of how you utilize chakra"

He would ask, pausing for a second for a response.

"Well chakra is composed of two energies, physical and spiritual, both needing to achieve balance in order to make chakra... Each person is different and can utilize these energies differently, some have more spiritual power then others, and have a greater understanding of these things, others are given more phyical then the rest...

The coin flip determines who and what you are, as well as the energies you are given, though certain families are predisposed to certain energies...

House Seishin was traited as having enormous amounts of spiritual energy, such in that we are able to access the spiritual realms, and combat demons, monsters, spirits of ill nature. Our unity with our spiritual energy and physical energy gave us power to contact spirits of time past, to give life to long lost, and in times become a vessel, a conduit of the spirits... Depending on how you go about it, a Seishin monk could be deemed a spiritualist, or Shaman in some terms, in others a priest or a war torn monster...

It is the unity of our own energy, linked to the spirits that give a Seishin their power, able to achieve things most shinobi have never dreamed about... but it comes as all things do, a cost"

He would say as the wind ripped about them, causing his hair to flutter, long and white amongst the backdrop of clouds.

[Byoki]

Byoki sat quietly thinking about what Taikichi had just said, the idea that there was other ways people are able to perform marvelous feats. How had such powers ever come into effect in the beginning, as though it was by the hands of a persons imagination that such miraculous powers came into being.

Byoki wondered how exactly the Seishen had originally developed their abilities, everything starts somewhere. What did such things require, power, understanding, experimentation, maybe all of these things.

Byoki's wandering mind snapped out of the clouds back to the converation.

"What sort of price?"

[Ðr. Tran]

He looked over to Byoki, taking another drag then his gaze would shift off to the clouds.

"For what we are given, we must give up something, as such are bargain long ago was fated to be unlike the shinobi of the world. You see, we are not shinobi, we are monks, advisors, spiritualists. Some Seishin occasionally grow strong enough to join a village but not before years of work to achieve unity within themselves.

Our rituals connect to energies that most cannot stand, and it is only our line that has learned to master them to such a degree... If we practice but fail in learning how to control it, imagine it like mud drying out in the hot sun... A terrible fate...

But with the price, we gain things unbound by your realm and your world... I know you can sense energies, so you know the energies of the spirits with whom are bound to me... But do you know of the ghosts that follow you around?"

He would ask, as he looked to Yayoi whom nodded. Taikichi had heard the voices, ever since he first met Byoki but had tuned them out, Yayoi helping to block them. But now he was curious as to the mans understanding of that which followed him.

[Byoki]

Byoki peered towards the man, taking in the words thinking about them.

"Ghosts, following me? What do you mean? Why are ghosts following me?"

Byoki asked inquisitively, wondering what the man meant, was there actually ghosts from byoki's past following him? Was this normal or not? Byoki's mind was full of questions but he made sure to only ask piece by piece.

[Ðr. Tran]

He nodded.

"Everyone, save a few select people, have ghosts following them. Loved ones, enemies, spirits unseen and unheard. Yours are more vocal, for the damage you did to them.

They speak of the demon eyes, and their horrible fates... And warn me not to look you in the eye, and to take vengeance for them"

He said, and the wind ripping past them was the only sound for a moment.

"We all have ghosts, one of the problems with being so close to the spiritual realms, is you can hear these things and see them sometimes... Best not worry about it, they cant harm you, and in time I am sure you will make peace with them"

He would say, looking to Byoki.

[Byoki]

Byoki was breathless as Taikichi brought up the skeletons in his closet, the lives he had taken, by accident. Or was it not an accident byoki was not sure he didn't remember he just only remembered the stories told to him by the old man. His piercing red eye's and how all to witnessed then killed each other or themselves. Such horrible things leave a scar, on the person responsible as well as the person who had passed it seemed. Byoki had never known if such spiritual things were true, but in Taikichi's presence all these things where shown to be real.

Byoki was speechless not sure what to say, he just sat there thinking for several moments, then the only things that translated to words was "how do they find peace?"

[Ðr. Tran]

He looked to Byoki, a deep look on his face that spoke of Taikichi's thought. Turning away as he closed his eyes, heaving a sigh.

"Depends on the person, on the spirits, and what happened between the two"

He said, as they passed through a cloud, coming out to be caught in the bright glare of the sun which caused a faint kind of illumination over the older mans white hair. Taikichi thought for a oment, as in his mind the stillness of the darkened room came back to being. The soft echo of a water drop came to life, as the older white man appeared,, and slowly around him came the spirits. The Monkey, The Lion, The Bull, The Eagle, The Dragon and The Turtle.

"We could try, I mean, it is without our bounds of power.
And then what? Do we cast off everyone's ghosts?
Well thats kinda of what we do at the Monastery
We communicate, though I am certain we have done a few banishment
And then what? Let him go along commiting such acts again and coming to get a clean slate?
No, Its better if he learned this on his own... It is part of the path to enlightenment"

Their conversation in his head, as he opened his eyes, only a few seconds passing here in the real world.

[Byoki]

Byoki thought quietly about Taikichi's words, his actions in the past had left ghosts or something like it, scars of his past. Things he would eventually have to deal with, problems he would eventually have to confront.

For now though he would have to cope with what he had learned, for now at least he wouldn't have to deal with the demons of his past.