The sound of a dull thud would ring throughout the vast empty desert. The location the sound originated from would consist of two individuals and two animals. The two animals, two adult Sandrunners adorning armor plating and stylized decor. The two humans were a pink haired young man, sporting a rather nasty bump upon his head and a sour disposition, and a red haired rather serious looking young woman.
"YU!?! How the hell are you going to hit me like that?! On a Sandrunner too!? Are you insane?!"
"My mental health is in impeccable shape."
"You. Are. Dangerous. Woman."
He would let out a sigh as he slouched back in the saddle of the beast that seemed to be moving along with purpose with out much need of his direction.
"Like I was saying... this IS boring. I mean, where is the sense of adventure?! This is my first time out of the complex that wasn't me going to fight in the Stadium! I should be taking in all the sites and splendor that this country have to offer."
"We were lost for almost two weeks in the underground tunnels you found."
"You have to learn to live a little."
"We almost died."
"Almost dying can truly lead to you living life to the fullest, right!?"
"That is stupid."
"You lack imagination."
It would be at this time that the females Sandrunner would pull up close to the male's Sandrunner, allowing her to slam her fist into the head of the man once more.
"CHILD OF LEGATUS!? THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU WOMAN!?"
At this point the two of them had been traveling for nearly a month since the naming of the next Konungr, a ritual of the Ryuzaki clan to mark the successor to the clan leadership position. Raizo, the trouble maker he was, during his coronation stunned his family, stunned his father, by announcing his intentions to reunify the clan with the land known as "Sunagakure no Sato". The only issue, however, was within the very name of the village itself.
"How the hell do you find a HIDDEN village?! I mean, what is the point of secrecy?!"
"I am sure it wouldn't be that hard if you allowed me to lead. You seem to rather easily mess up the instructions when you receive them."
"Are you sure about that?"
The pink haired boy would begin grinning from ear to ear.
"No, I actually believe you've intentionally led us astray to fulfill your need to see this country. You are a child. Our clan is doomed."
"Oh come on now, Yu. Was the last comment really needed?"
Both Yukina and Raizo would suddenly straighten up their posture as their eyes began to scan the area.
"You sense it too, Lord Raizo?"
"Yea... something is out there."
It would seem that the Sandrunners would also notice the strange feeling as they would begin to slow down their run until coming to a dead stop. Without anything else appearing before them, the animals began to back up, shuffling as if scared. Raizo would leap off of his Runner and turn his attention out into the distance.
"Yukina, stay with the Sandrunners. Keep them from being spooked off, otherwise we might be in serious trouble. I will see what is going on."
She would nod in agreeance as Raizo would begin to slowly march out into the sands. Aside from the rising of a few dunes, there weren't really obstructions before him, just sand and vast emptiness. The heir of the Ryuzaki clan would continue searching and scanning the area, as a feeling continued to creep up and down his spin. It was almost animistic, and it was definitely hard to explain. It was almost like a sensation that was born through unnatural conditions. A normal human would not get this feeling, but a human who had spent the entirity of their life fighting, preparing to fight or pushing their bodies to the breaking point would be more receptive to it. It was the sense of approaching danger. It wasn't a scientific thing, it was more of a hunch born through experience. He always hoped when he got these sort of feelings that they would be wrong, but it would very rarely be the case. This time, however, it was much different than before.
It would be then, climbing up over a sand dune that he would finally see the source of this feeling and understand much better what this sensation was, and why it differed from his previous similar versions. Unlike in the past, where it was almost an intuitive gut feeling telling him danger was approaching, this feeling was more of a gut punch. It was a feeling of dread. Dread for what had happened and what he was witnessing.
Before his eyes, a small encampment of what he assumed to be a nomad tribe looked to be ransacked. From his vantage point, he could clearly see several bodies lying upon the ground, covered in blood and in some cases missing body parts. It was a horrible sight, it was something inhuman. His initial thought would be that a pack of Hykals must of made it upon this group. His theorizing would get cut short, however, as the crying of a child would catch his attention. Without hesitation, he would race down the dune and into the destroyed camp. His eyes would frantically begin to scan the area as a fire-like glow seemed to burn within them. This would be the side effect of placing chakra into his eyes, causing his reflexes to increase. Thanks to this, he would catch the small movements within the corner of his peripheral, allowing him to quickly approach the movement.
"Please... help..."
His eyes, and himself, would be taken back by the sight. In the bloody clutches of his parents, would be two small children. A boy and a girl who looked like they had seen hell and more. The father, clearly badly damaged and a mother that was coated in his blood shaken stood watch on their children. The stunned face of Raizo would quickly change to a confident and serious expression.
"You've done a great job holding out... help is here now."
"They are still... still... still..."
The child seemed to be caught in a pure sense of fear trying to speak, and that is when Raizo would notice the presence approaching him. His right hand would become coated in flames as he would spin around, thrusting his fire fist straight into the face of the approaching figure. The figure would take the full force of the punch and be sent flying backwards and into a tent, wrapping it up as it collapsed. The beast began to scream out and wail in pain as it thrashed around in the tent cover. Cautiously, Raizo would approach but would find himself being drawn away from the tent towards six more approaching figures.
"Shit..." The figures would rise up from the mess of the remainder of the camp. They would have humanoid appearances, but would be twisted horrifically. It was clear that their humanity ended at their shape, as their expression, complexion, and the noises they emitted were clearly inhuman. His left hand would clench into a fist as it would also become engulfed in fire. His eyes would begin to burn brighter as they took on an orange hue.
"I, Ryuzaki Raizo, future Konungr of the Ryuzaki clan, future protector of this country, will be passing judgement upon you."
The creatures would shriek and begin to charge. He was not worried, as their speed was slower than him and his eyes. He would dodge the first one who approached and lunged at him. As the beast was darting past him, he would send his burning left straight into the throat of the creature causing its neck to bend inward and sending its head nearly flying off. Two more would reach him at roughly the same time, and instead of firing off more punches, he would merely hold his fiery hands out as if they were guns.
"Bang."
From his hands two bullets comprised of chakra would go flying outward and connect with the two leaping humanoids. As soon as the bullets made contact, the explosive chakra they were comprised of would immediately cause an explosion engulfing both of their heads in flames and smoke. He would then push upwards, this time meeting the next charging creature. He would return to his punching style as he would send a right hand, still covered in flames, straight into the gaping open mouth of the the beast. The creature would find itself impaled by the man's punch, and within no time its head would catch on fire. Raizo, not wishing to slow down, would continue his momentum forward, causing the head of the creature to crumble as it had quickly been charred to the point of being nothing more than ash anyways.
He would then prepare for the remaining two creatures, when suddenly something would wrap around his leg and a sharp pain would begin to surge throughout his body. He would look down as the very first monster he had hit, the only who was stuck in the tent, had returned to the foray. In a panic he would turn back to the two remaining charging creatures who would soon be upon him. Having lost his momentum and now being stunned, he would struggle with what to do next. Thankfully, he was not alone.
"Die."
A wave of ice would sweep across the path before him and capture the two charging creatures in its grasp, flash freezing them in a block of ice. A blade would come darting downward into the skull of the creature clinging to the leg of Raizo, impaling it and causing what twisted life it had in its eyes to fade out.
"What are these things?"
Raizo, kicking the dead beast off of his leg would turn back to the cowering family before turning his attention back to the creatures trapped in ice.
"Monsters. Monsters who will be purged."
His eyes would suddenly turn a blood red and flash as the two creatures within the ice, even though the ice did not seemed to be touched, would suddenly be engulfed in blue flames. The intense flames would quickly melt the ice but the two creatures would be nothing more than some ash before that happened.
Raizo would then calmly make his way over to the family, who was still cowering in fear.
"Come with us, we will take you somewhere safe. I promise nothing will harm any of you during the remainder of this trip if you are with me and my attendant."
And so, a newly formed caravan would begin their journey to Suna...
OOC
Word Count: 1821
[Kings and Queens of the Wall Mission - Completed for the Ranger Order]