Iron and Rain

The dagger sliced the beast and a black ooze spewed from the cut. It screamed and put it's hands out "Please Akane stop!" It yelled again but it was in a more shrill tone. It scrambled back and into the fog.

Ryoshi came running up to her "Well done, but we need to keep moving."
 
The voice morphed again, yet the words still stung, and the damage was already done. Fingers shaking, she would realize after a moment how wet her cheeks were with tears. The images flooded, her family, friends, all gone, and the loneliness she felt was overwhelming. Everything she tried so hard to keep back, to remain strong and as stoic as possible, the wall was beginning to disintegrate.

Ryoshi came up to her and she jumped away, wet moist eyes widening behind her mask as she angled the dagger toward him, feeling for but a moment that it was not him and another trick. Yet, the ease she felt when her eyes rested upon him just made her know that it was actually Ryoshi. Without thinking, she moved her arms around him and hugged him tightly, almost desperately, as the inside of her quaked with small tremors. "It was... it was speaking my father's voice..." she whispered hoarsely, gripping him tightly.
 
Ryoshi tensed as she pointed the knife at him. Then he was at a bit of a loss when she hugged him, awkwardly hugged her back. "There there it's okay." He said in kind of a confused tone. "The creatures out here feed on pain and saddness. We need to keep moving though Akane, can you pull it together?" He was trying to be warm to her but he didn't have a lot of experience in that area.
 
"Fucking creatures..." she muttered shakily, feeling comfort in his presence, but not so much his acts as he was... rather bad at offering it. She felt rather awkward afterward and quickly pulled away, trying to build those walls back up and taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. "M'fine," she said, although far from it in all actuality. Feeling foolish for the display of emotion, she slid her dagger back into its sheathe with a huff and found the arrow that the slimy shit had knocked from her hands, sliding it back into her quiver. She would say nothing more, but stuck close to Ryoshi's form once again to walk through the fog to ensure she would not lose him again.
 
They kept moving for a few hours in the fog and every so often there would be a woman's voice. "Ryoshi please, don't leave me again..." She sobbed. Everytime Ryoshi shifted directions and everytime he gripped his sword.

When they got further in spirits started tugging at thier clothes, nipping here and there, being minor annoyances. Night was starting fall but they didn't stop to make camp, Ryoshi kept pushing onward. Red eyes started to glow all around them. "We can stop here for the night." He dropped a flair and there was a loud hiss from all around them. He tossed her a few logs "Start a fire." He started to set up thier tents.
 
She did as she was told, quiet for the whole journey and saying not a word further, only doing as Ryoshi instructed. It was obvious that the creature had done what it wanted. It had messed with her mind, making her despair, and she could not shake it... probably wouldn't until they were out of this god forsaken place.

Her hand fluttered at the dastardly things grasping at her clothes, hissing at them in the process, but they didn't seem to cause any actual mischief. After what seemed like forever, Ryoshi finally announced that they would be stopping and Akane let out a soft sigh. Her feet were aching from the walk and so she was excited for a rest. However, she was not excited to have to spend another moment in these hills. She half wanted to just keep going... but Ryoshi knew this place better than she did. If he said this is what they needed to do, she would follow.

"Okay," she said quietly and with a curt nod before doing so, it being like muscle memory to her now since she had done it so many times. It was not long before a soft glow enveloped their camp with the soft crackle of the fire sounding around them.
 
Foot steps were always just behind them, but the fire kept the monsters from coming coming any closer. "As long as we keep the fire going, and keep within it's light, we should be fine." Ryoshi explained. "Canned fish or chicken for dinner?" He dug around in his bag. Ryoshi seemed to be keeping his cool. "I know I said to keep your mask on the whole time but we can eat quickly."
 
"Are you sure..?" Akane asked softly although to question Ryoshi when he was the one that has been through these hills before may have seemed silly. But still... "One of them knocked the fire out of my hands," she explained her concern, furrowing her brows and glancing about nervously as there was no sense of ease here. "I... chicken please." Fish reminded her too much of home. And right now, the creatures were doing a good enough job of reminding her of past torments by themselves. "Alright," she said, signaling she had heard, but kept her mask on until the food was ready just in case.
 
He opened up the chicken and put it on the spit. "Did it knock the fire from your hands on purpose or because it was scared?" He asked. "Light of any kind is poison to these hills and the creatures that call it home. You have to remember that Akane."

"Akane.... It's mom..." A voice said from behind her, just out of the reach of the fires light.

"Away with you demon!" He picked up a small stick that was on fire and tossed it into the fog. There was a loud hiss and trailing off footsteps. "Mimics are the worst, they can see your deepest guilt and turn it against you."
 
"I.. am unsure. Does it matter? I mean, it got close enough that it was able to knock it out of my hands in which it fell to the ground and went out!" She retorted and then calmed herself, sighing softly and easing her arms around herself. "I definite weakness. I suppose I will simply have to tighten my grip next time," she said softly.

The voice, another from her past, and Akane practically snarled like an animal, rounding upon the thing that dared speak in the tongue of her dead mother. "Fucking wonderful," Akane muttered before easing back down with a sigh and pressing the flat of palms to her temple. "This place is awful... no wonder people go crazy."
 
"Ryoshi.... Please I just want to talk about this." A woman's voice came from the fog, it sounded like the voice of the woman from the video he played. The warrior tensed and spun around from the spot he was at. He pulled his gun and fired. The shot echoed for miles and everything went silent "Fuck. Off. Next time I won't miss." He growled into the fog, though his gun hand was shaking like a leaf.

He put the weapon away and returned his attention to the food, which was burnt just a little. He took it off the flame and cut it into chunks. He gave her some on a tin plate "When you eat don't stop until it's all gone. Do your best to ignore the smell. Just keep eating." He said before the section of his mask that was over his mouth slid open. He started to scarf down food like he hadn't eaten in days.

The air in Dead Mans Hills smelled just like that, death. It smelled like acrid blood and rotting flesh.
 
A sharp jolt ran through her spine at seeing such a reaction from the usual composed samurai and she swallowed hard as she looking into the fog and shook her head slowly. What sort of beasts out there would do such a thing... obviously ones with no respect for the dead.

She pressed her lips together nervously and made herself simply stare at the food in front of them, anything to distract her mind from the horrors that moved about them with their whispering antics of voices similar to the ones she held dearest...

Akane nodded her understanding, yet when her helmet lifted and her nose took in that stench, it took all she had to not vomit into her lap. She quickly replaced her helmet to gain her bearings once more, a thin sheen of sweat having formed upon the crown of her forehead. She wanted to leave this place and never return. Now that she was prepared this time around, she began to do the same as him, taking a breath to ensure she would not have to once the helmet came up from her face and ate her food to the point that she barely chewed, only swallowed and would replace her mask, gasping, her stomach feeling sour. "That it... putrid... what is that smell???"
 
Ryoshi finished his food and closed up his mask. "The blight of the land mixed with the thousands of dead bodies these hills have consumed. I told you this place is pure evil." He looked to her.

Soon enough what little light in the hills started to fade and the most became an inky blackness. Soon even the fire was have a hard time keeping thier little campsite lit up. Foot steps ran just outside the small light, hissing, and growling. "You get some sleep I'll take first watch and keep the fire going." Ryoshi pointed out. "We'll be safe as long as the fire is going."
 
Perhaps that was just another thing to unsettle her further... obviously not a great place to be form what she had experienced thus far, yet that statement, of these lands being pure evil... they chilled her to the bone. She could feel it in the air. The unease was not from the monsters that stayed out of reach, but from the feel of which was evil all around them, making her shake.

"I... alright." She wished to argue for she felt as though she would get no sleep this night... yet she should try since Ryoshi was kind enough to try to allow her to get some shut eye. Even if it was just that... it would be enough to regain some energy. It also just went to show how much she trusted this man, for if she didn't, there was probably nothing he could do or say to get her to sleep in these hills. "Be careful," she bid him as she laid down upon the grass, remaining as close to the fire as she dared and hoped not to roll about in her sleep tonight.
 
The night went on bit, the crackle of the fire was the only comferting sound among the growling in the shadows. Ryoshi kept his sword close and trigger finger ready. However, date wasn't kind to him in these hills. A huge gust of wind kicked up and the fire went out. "Fuck fuck fuck." He said in a panicked whisper. He took out his flit and steel and started strike it against the smoldering logs.

The monsters gave out hisses and laughter as Ryoshi started to curse. Finally the flame sparked then fire roared to life. The horrors screeched and ran back to thier dark dwellings. "Gods be damned...." He said in a heavy sigh of relief. Then he looked over to Akane and his heart stopped. A towering monster stood over her, it seemed unphased by the light of the fire.

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The two just watched eachother though Ryoshi was a little stunned. The monster hissed as the light of fire started to affect it. It seemed to simply disappeared without moving. Ryoshi sighed and took out a cigarette, braving the putrid air, and holding the cig to his lips with a shaking hand. He lit it and started to relax.
 
As if all that which had just happened was merely an echo, an after thought, a sleepy eyed Akane who had seemingly been able to forget the likes of which they were at, raised her head to look at Ryoshi and to see him in a way that nearly made her heart skip a beat. His hands shook, a tell tale sign something was wrong, as they never did so. Not in the time she has been traveling with him anyway. Perhaps it was her turn to take watch so he could get some sleep and a break from the growls and moans of which surrounded them.

Unease settled within once more for it hit her like a crack of thunder where they were. Sleep was such a funny thing in that it offered such solace.

"Ryoshi…? Are you alright?" She asked and sat up, wishing to rub the sleep from her eyes, but she would not open up her helmet to do so, not with the stench that she knew awaited on the outside. She pulled her cloak more closely around her as she felt a chill through the air… yet it could have been the unconscious fact that her body knew of which Ryoshi had seen moments before she had awoken. "I can take watch for a bit if you'd like to get some rest."
 
Ryoshi finished his cigarette and nodded turning to his bed roll. "Don't let the fire die, wake me up if you need anything, and Akane no matter what you hear or seeing or think you see don't listen. Don't take off your mask either." He pointed at her with a firm tone. He laid down and soon fell asleep.

For a good part of her watch things seemed calm, like most of the monsters around them had left. However, at one point an odd music started to fill the air it was soothing but at the same time haunting.

And as it played her vision blurred and when it cleared there was a shadowy figure waving at her. It had pin prick eyes and this white smile.
 
"Okay." Firm and determined, she would listen to his words. She couldn't let this place get to her. She was better than that...

She didn't know for how long she had been asleep... but it felt as though she had never fallen asleep in the first place. Sighing softly, she eased back by the fire, hands brushing the grass as she leaned back on the palm of her hands and staying close, drawing warmth from the flickering flames while also seeking to protect it in any way she could, for it seemed that if this flame went out, the light from their souls would be soon to follow.

Minutes... hours... the all passed with nothing of interest happening, until she heard a faint noise... melodic... in the distance. Yet not so far as when she rose her eyes to look up from that of the flames, she blinked, drawing knees to chest as brows furrowed, not knowing if it was a trick of the light contrast or... no... they were in one of the creepiest places she has ever visited, nothing here was of her imagination. There was a shadowy creature just outside the light of the campfire in which she only sought to bring herself closer to in order to get as far away from the edge of the light as possible.

"Creepy fuckers..." She muttered and felt her gut twist uncomfortably as she took in the figure that seemed so ominous... yet kept at bay by the light of the fire.
 
When she blinked the shadow moved and it was now on the edge behind Ryoshi. The shade heard her words and flipped her off. "Let that light go out and I'll chop your fucking head off!" It said in a sort of static sharp whisper. It's small white smile turn huge as rows of sharp teeth showed themselves.
 
Eyes roamed, as it was there and the next second it was gone. Yet, in the next moment, she found the little shit, hiding in the dark behind Ryoshi of which made her completely uneasy. A shiver moved through her despite being so close to the fire. She frowned deeply and furrowed her brows.

They can't get us with the fire going... they can't... she had to keep reminding herself. Although staring into the white pinpricks for eyes was highly unnerving, and when its mouth morphed to be rows of tiny pointed teeth, even more so. Well she'd sure teach it...

"Fuck off," she snarled and stood beside the fire, wielding bow and knocking an arrow before letting it fly straight toward the creature, knowing it probably wouldn't do much, but hopefully would make it dissipate to another place for awhile for she did not like its presence even if it couldn't hurt them in the moment.
 
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