The Good Die Young

Job Info:

Karasuki Kitsuharu was still trying to get her bearings. She had begun her travels with just a basic bag of clothing and books on her back and her dear Masha upon her arm. Or rather, she had always taken Masha's arm. The red haired beauty had won her heart and Karasuki still remembered the woman's warmth and strength with fondness. It had been six months, six long months, since Karasuki had kicked her beloved out of her life. To tell the truth, her heart was still wounded and on occasion she still woke up, frantic at being alone in her bed. It helped that she never spent more than a few nights in any one place. If it was something, anything, that she took out of that relationship, it was that Karasuki had to become strong and she had to find her own place in the world. Karasuki was not meant to spend her days in the Edge of Time bookstore in Oak Town. Nor was she meant to depend and rely fully on another, that trust she had realized, like so many of the characters in her books, was misplaced. Karasuki had to trust herself. After Masha admitted to being unfaithful, Karasuki was crushed, knowing that only the lovers in books who stayed together with complete honesty and faithfulness, were the ones who lasted. From her books, Karasuki knew that Masha could not be the one she was destined to be with.

It was on a blustery morning, while Karasuki sat out front of a small inn drinking her third cup of coffee that she had closed her most recent novel and pondered this situation. Her heart was still sore but having recently met an attractive and unusual incubus painter, Karasuki began to actually try to let go of Masha's memory. There were others out there and Masha had told her that with her gifts, Karasuki could really do good things in this world. Karasuki was more than halfway to the guild she desired to join: Sabertooth. Or so she thought, at least. Through books and conversations with locals, once she arrived in the capital city, she could seek out a member of the famous guild. Known for being a force of good, Karasuki thought that the best way to improve herself and use her magic for good would be in such a place. She just had to keep Geralt quiet in public places, Karasuki thought to herself. "Good luck with that, lass. We have our bargain still remember? You give me my freedom at least once a day, or I take it regardless of what you want. A pirate's word is his word, after all," Geralt echoed in her mind. She swatted him away internally, thinking back to him, "Oh I know. Be reasonable. I have goals and a life to live too." "Yeah, well I had one until you read me out of the culmination of my greatest plan! Don't make me remind you that you ruined my life, lass." Karasuki sighed and finished her cup of coffee. It was the same argument over and over. She had ruined her own idea of what her life should be because of that night so she didn't think he had it as bad as he said he did. Still, they were stuck together whether or not either of them liked it.

A tall man entered the inn, walking past the purple haired woman without a glance wearing a slick black pin striped suit. Karasuki lifted the little white carafe from the table and poured out her fourth cup of coffee, finding that it gave her only a half cup. She rested the carafe back down with a half frown of disappointment and tapped her left fingers on the woven pink tablecloth as her right hand reached for the half full cup. The tall man returned just as she lifted it to her lips and spoke her name in a tone of authority, "Karasuki Kitsuharu?" She set the cup back down and lifted her head, then got to her feet. "Yes, sir, that's me. How can I help you?" He reached into an inner pocket in his suit coat and withdrew a letter, passing it to her before turning around. He didn't give her his name or another word, leaving her with the envelope in hand. She tilted her head finding him rather odd and sat back down at the table. "That's weird, no name on the front," She uttered to herself. "Isa wouldn't send mail without a name on it, that's just improper." In fact, Karasuki discovered, the letter was not from her adoptive mother Isadora, but from an old friend Belgarion, though she just called him Bel. Like the ringing of a gentle bell, a wind chime, she was brought back to the old summer days. Bel was a good kid and she recalled the three years they spent together scouring books in the library. He was trying to get a job at the library and Karasuki was able to give him the skills needed to get the job. As an unruly teenager, he brought fun to her rule-based life. They would write their own stories together, picnic by the lake, and it was with him that Karasuki had first shared her secret talent for poetry. For an unruly jokester, the guy had a great knack for literature. She hadn't seen him since he himself left Oak Town, before she even had met Masha, seeking out a job in a bigger library in a bigger town.

They had often wrote to each other, but Karasuki hadn't heard from him in a couple of months. Seeing him write out his full name alerted to her that he might have been in real danger, as he hated his full name. She read the words in her head, not wanting to accidentally read anything out of the hand-penned letter: "Dear old friend, I need your help. A strange curse has swept across my new homeland and destroyed most of the population. I managed to escape and am now in hiding," Karasuki paused and took a breath of relief. It sounded like he really was in trouble but luckily it also sounded like he was safer now. She continued to read in her head then, "Unfortunately, as I was escaping my homeland one of those accursed creatures bit me. I am currently at an old cabin in the cursed lands, please come as soon as you can as I am beginning to feel rather feverous. Yours Truly, Belgarion." It wasn't much information to go off of, but Karasuki had to go. She and Geralt would find a way and figure it out, even if it was dangerous, she would find a way. After all, Bel would have done the same for her. She downed her coffee and went back to her room for her belongings. She gathered up her things as quickly as she could and went to the Cursed Lands, paying a local man to let her ride in his carriage to the edge of the lands.

Once she had gotten there, Karasuki thanked the local man as he sped off and away, hardly concerned for her well being. She too felt the uneasy aura in the lands. Something was indeed wrong here. Luckily, looking down the side of the huge hill, she saw the mountains and a cabin at the top of one of them. It might take time to get there, but if she could just keep the cabin in sight then she wouldn't have to worry about getting lost. With that in mind, Karasuki began trekking into the wilderness alone, the smell of heavy pine resin in the air. "Do you even know what you've gotten yerself into?" Geralt chided in her head. She shook her head, "It doesn't matter. Even you know that Bel would do the same for me." "I never liked all the time you spent with that boy anyway, Masha was far more your type- and mine." Karasuki tapped her forehead with her index finger, a symbolic gesture, "Pipe down in there. We have a long way ahead and I need to maintain focus." "Yer going to get us both killed. And when we do die, I am going to tell you I told you so," He retorted.

WC: 1394

Gades yawned on his coach inside his apartment in Hargeon Town, he had a day off but he decided to just relax and rest for a while since he had nothing much to actually do, before he could think further he heard a knock on his door before he got up and put on his coat and blinked as he opened the door to see a tall gentleman at the entrance and was holding out a letter for him. “Mr Saito a letter for you “ he said before Gades took the letter before he opened it and read it quickly. ‘Dear Gades I have something very important to show you please meet me at the abandoned cabin in the cursed lands its urgent’ the letter said and the Incubus prince just quickly reread it before he ran back inside and grabbed his recent weapon he had obtained from a interesting figure on the Island of Tolgalen.

He quickly locked his door and took off for the cursed lands and hitched a ride with a caravan to get there, as soon as he got there he gave the money and motioned for the man to go since it was dangerous around the area, he then took a breath as his silver eyes glowed and his white wings and tail emerged as he released his Incubus Aura that he had been holding in and his power could now be felt for a sizeable radius as he took off into the trees with his O Katana  in hand, as he rushed forward he quickly saw Karasuki in the distance but he also saw what looked like a very sickly Mountain Lion suddenly jumping out of shrubs at her and he quickly rushed in and with three quick slashes  the Royal incubus had quickly severed both of the cougars limbs and left a massive gash on its chest as it fell to the ground finally dead.

He flicked his blade to the side  to get rid of the blood on his blade before he sheathed it and he turned to look at her.”I must say this was not a reunion I was expecting but Im glad I was able to keep you safe miss Karasuki” he said as he offered her a small smile before he became serious.”now what was so important miss that you asked me out here with this letter?” he questioned before he held out the letter for her to see since it was clear on his face that he was rather confused at the reason for meeting here of all places. If she had asked him to meet her perhaps in Oak or Hargeon it was one thing but out here in the cursed lands was beyond bizzare and he wondered why on earth this was the meeting place.

wc 472

Karasuki hiked through the forest, using every technique she could think of to keep moving in the right direction: towards that abandoned looking cabin built into the side and top of the nearby mountain. A full hour passed by and nothing out of the ordinary happened. There was a lack of wildlife, no birds, no squirrels, only the buzzing of insects suggested that there was life in this mountainside. Small shrubs, tall trees, droopy yellow flowers dotted the area as she trekked and yet it was at this point where the trees thickened and she lost which direction the house was. The violet headed woman paused and looked up at the trees, turning in a circle. "Damn, I know I was going in the right direction." "The right direction was going home. I can't believe you're lost already," Geralt chided in her head.

At this point, the sound of a snarl was all the warning she had before turning her head to see a massive cat. It had it's paws spread wide, its jaw slack and grotesquely opened, and it was missing an eye. Its fur was mangy and it smelled like the garbage of rotting meat behind the butcher shop in Oak Town on a summer day. Accompanying the wild pounce was the sound of a blade sliding out of its sheath. Geralt rose up protectively in her mind, shouting forcefully in her mind, "Get out the way, lass." His brief grapple for control allowed him to pull her a few feet backwards.

Her eyes started to change color, but thankfully she had closed them, and when she opened them again, there stood a familiar face. A tall male with white wings and a white tail, with those eyes she stared at them a moment too long, trying to place where she knew him. Then, she remembered. "Mr. Saito?" Karasuki asked puzzled. She looked him up and down, unabashedly, her face filled with questions. The white tail reminded her of his remarkable painting and his preciously kind words. When he said her name, she was sure of it. It was him after all, the painter, the incubus of low rank who lied and said he was so high up on the ladder that he was the only one with white features. She blushed remembering the lie and the pity she had felt for him then, clearly here in person, he was somehow better suited to the mountainside than she was. "Th-thank you. What do you mean a letter?"

Karasuki tilted her head and took a step forward. "Him again?" Geralt rolled his eyes and she kept a big smile on her face, hiding her annoyance with Geralt's intolerance. "I never wrote you a letter. I didn't even know I was going to be here today. Honestly, I myself received a letter from a friend, asking for my aid." She was quiet for a moment and Geralt whispered in her head, "Bet you have a fake letter too. Should just leave and not risk the danger. You have to know when to get out and go." Karasuki ignored him, speaking and focusing on Gades solely. She wasn't going to showcase that she had another voice in her head and had practiced for many years on being and appearing normal. There was no outward evidence that Geralt even existed, to his great unhappiness. "My friend Bel is in trouble, out in the cabin, up there somewhere," Karasuki said, then she slowly turned around, wishing she could point out the cabin to Gades but not knowing where it was.


WC: 1394+597= 1991

As Karasuki asked his name in a questioning manner the Incubus royal nodded his head as he sheathed his O katana with a click at the end.”Yes its me Im glad to see you remember me though please call me Gades” he said with a small smile before he looked at the dead cougar and he caught that Karasuki explained that she never sent him a letter buut she had gotten one asking for her aid which made the Incubus very suspicious since he did not know how his letter and hers were connected.”This is troubling Im starting to get the feeling that you were lured out here to meet a terrible fate and then I was to be the next victim on the list to suffer whatever fate befell you” he explained as he hardened his gaze but not at her but towards the direction leading deeper into the pure land. “whoever thought they could get away with such a deed is going to be sorry indeed” he said his tone was serious and his aura was still increasing to the point Karasuki would feel it.

It would show that he was not a low class Incubus by any means but that his power was immense and showed his royal status was indeed no lie to the bookwork before him as he heard her explain that her friend was here and needed help. At that Gades sighed but he nodded.”Very well I will escort you but I suggest you brace yourself miss Karasuki incase the worst has befallen him in these lands evil is strong”he explained as he motioned for her to follow him as he would lead them deeper into the woods and he kept his senses sharp incase something lunged out at them. His blade was sharp and strong but in this place that wasent enough, you had to be cautious and on guard and dropping it could mean a death sentence.


wc 328

Karasuki toyed with her side pony tail, teasing out some of the purple strands as she listened to Gades talk. Someone might have lured her out here? To the cursed lands where apparently the wildlife was even cursed into undead? Who had she wronged? Who could desire her specifically? Was Bel really in danger? Her thoughts ran a-muck and she looked concerned as she considered her options. Geralt spoke to her through her mind, as he always did, "Maybe Bel is really mad at you for not leaving with him. Maybe he's fine but he wrote that letter just to kill you." There was no sarcasm and a strange lack of amusement in the voice in her head. It sounded like Geralt was perplexed even if he did suspect most situations to resolve in death due to his suspicious and cynical nature. Karasuki looked up at Gades and wondered if it was so personal as to be her specifically, if Bel was the evil behind this, then why invite Gades as well?

When Gades released his full aura, Karasuki felt his power. She was impressed by how powerful it felt and felt even worse that he would be placed so low on the hierarchy due to his color being so unusual and white. Karasuki did not doubt his power or his heart, though she sensed a strange protectiveness from him. It seemed he was truly affronted that someone might be going after her, or perhaps she was dreaming and he really was concerned for his own safety as well. "Gades, I appreciate you going with me but... you don't need to risk yourself. I am capable," Karasuki said politely. Geralt laughed in her mind, "Girl, even I don't believe you when ye say that! As much as I don't want the charm-boy with his wings over here courting ye around, if ye plan to keep going, I think ye ought to keep him close." Karasuki wouldn't elaborate but she felt defensive on the matter of self defense. Still, the pink streaks in the sky above made her realize that she had set out a bit late for a job like this. Sunset would only bring more dangers and she rubbed her arm nervously. She could always summon out Tasuki, he was a great fighter and always made her feel safe.

After a moment, she prompted Gades, "I'm not sure why you would come if you got a letter like that. If you truly believed I sent it and asked you to come with haste to the cursed lands... what could you have been thinking? This place is obviously known for its danger. Why risk it for a person you don't even know?" Karasuki's bluntness might have been seen as rude, and furthermore asking him out right about his intentions or feelings and the reason why he had came to her aid for a mere letter asking him to... it was not something typically acceptable in social culture. Most would be showering him with thank yous and most would find the attractive winged man endearing, she ought to have been hanging on his every word like the girls in Oak Town or respecting him enough to not keep after impertinent questions. If he was really a royal in disguise, the king could have had her locked up! However, Karasuki blazed on with her questions and her impertinence. "Coming out here for some random girl is somewhat foolish and risky, isn't it?" A low moaning suggested something was in the area, but to Karasuki, it sounded like wind.

WC: 1991+596= 2587 /2250

Weak Undead 1/1
Normal Ghost 0/2
Strong Ghoul 0/5
Boss Zombie Friend 0/1

Gades heard her say that he did not have to risk himself and he shook his head.”I am already here and besides its not in me to leave a lady in such a place even if she is capable of defending herself” he explained as she questioned him as to why he would even come here if he had an inkling that It was a trap, she asked why he would risk himself for a person he didn’t really know. Once again it made the Incubus shake his head and he looked at her with serious eyes.”Karasuki when I came to this land I had no bonds with anyone even in my guild my bonds are limited but when I met you I made another one even if it was brief, despite my suspicions I wanted to help you if you needed help. What kind of prince would I be if I did not help one person in need” he questioned not angry but wanting her to understand his mindset when he came here.

“if I were a normal Incubus maybe but Im not being careless and I have my guard up besides my sword can handle most physical threats no problem” he explained as he flicked his blade out so it was ready for any new opponents”I cannot simply leave you out here in such a dangerous land miss Karasuki” he said before he caught the sound of moaning and he heard shuffeling behind him and he suddenly turned around and slashed and caught a ghoul across the chest before he slashed three more times and downed it.”Great stay on your guard if one of these are here then more must be around”" he said as he moved closer to her and behind her so that way he was guarding her back and she was in turn guarding his.


Wc 314

Gades Saito talked like an honest man and besides the fact that the wings and tail insinuated a demonic and wiley sort of character, Karasuki's assumptions had been incorrect. "You're royalty?" Karasuki asked, though she knew his answer already. It would explain why he was one of a kind in color and perhaps in aptitude. Still, that the man she had been talking to today and the one she met painting in the center square was royal was somewhat mind blowing. What was a royal doing painting in the street? What was a royal doing on his own without any guards? And what was a royal doing talking to ordinary Karasuki? She heard the moaning sound get louder before Gades swirled his blade around and ended the ghoul's life with a single stroke. "If you're royalty, where is your consort, your guards, your crown or pin?" Karasuki asked turning with him so that her back faced his.

There was no reason not to trust that he could handle the situation and no reason why she shouldn't watch his back. Actually, now she wondered if anything happened to him wouldn't it all trace back to her? Last thing she desired was to explain to some incubus officers or something about Gades' whereabouts or conditions. Princes were usually haughty and self serving, but he was clearly not a normal typical sort of prince. She considered that she really ought to go back to calling him by his surname, maybe even bowing. Royals were supposed to be respected and protected and she knew plenty cases of royals killing with ease merely on whims. Geralt spoke up in her mind once more, interrupting her thoughts, "Who cares if he's royalty? I'm the pirate king and it never stopped you before. Now pay attention before something kills us!" Karasuki bit her lip. Geralt was right, this changed nothing, at least nothing at the moment. She had plenty of other concerns to make her priority.

"And he brought forth his Iron Fan shouting 'Rekka Shinen'!" Karasuki said, as if she were reading the lines out of a book. Her voice provided emphasis on the end of the line and with her magic she found the strength to summon help. Through a layer of golden and purple swirls and sparkles, a tall man appeared with a small weasel on his shoulder. The man had dirty blonde hair to his shoulders, a dark scarf and a big green coat. With a tone of a real arrogant royal despite only being the leader of a group of bandits, her summon Tasuki appeared and spoke, drawing out an iron fan from his coat pocket, "So you need me Karasuki?" Tasuki looked around seeing the white winged Gades and the thick forest gloom. "Yeah, you need me all right. What are you doing out here with this guy all alone?" Karasuki quickly chimed, "Mr. Sai- Gades, is helping me to locate an old friend who may be in danger."

With a shake of his dirty blonde hair, her summon answered back, looking away from her and into the forest, "Seems like you're the one in danger here. I'll handle this," He promised. Three more ghouls emerged from the woods, moaning and revealing sharpened triangle teeth. They walked in close proximity as a fourth ghoul appeared in front of Gades besides the dead body of the ghoul he had slain. They smelled horrific and Karasuki spared a moment to cover her nose. Tasuki smirked and looked at the three ghouls, "That's it? Taste my flames! Rekka Shinen!" With a shout, he waved his fan before him and Karasuki, the small weasel on his shoulder darting into a pocket on his big coat. The flames moved like a monstrous wave and consumed all three of the ghouls. Each ghoul caught fire, let out screeches, and fell to their knees. As their bodies charred and collapsed dead, Karasuki held her nose with her right hand. "You always amaze me, Tasuki!" She complimented, unaware of their still being one more ghoul to handle.

WC: 2587+678= 3265 /2250

Weak Undead 1/1
Normal Ghost 0/2
Strong Ghoul 4/5
Boss Zombie Friend 0/1

Tasuki: 1/3 duration, 0/4 cd
-Rekka Shinen 1/3 duration
Color code= # cc3300

Gades nodded as Karasuki questioned if he was royalty and asked where his symbols of royalty are. At that the incubus chuckled.” I am Karasuki but my guards and everything else is back in Sin I could not take it with me as I passed by the borders. The country bordering mine does not like any demon at all so I had to sneek thru” he explained before he went on. “my wings and tail are proof though since only very few incubi have white features and all of them are royal” he explained hoping that she understood since the journey had been very rough when he has crossed the border.

Gades watched as Karasuki then summoned someone to aid them while the summon got rid of many of the ghouls that were now appearing around them, however as Karasuki seemed to drop her guard and cheer when he spotted the last ghoul approaching and the Incubus quickly rushed forward past her and slashed at the ghoul twice before bisecting it in one clean stroke.”be careful Miss Karasuki it seems many thing are after us” he explained flicking his blade to clean the blood.

194 WC

Weak Undead 1/1
Normal Ghost 0/2
Strong Ghoul 5/5
Boss Zombie Friend 0/1

Karasuki waved her hand in front of her face, releasing her nose. The smell of burned dead bodies was quite possibly the worst smell that she had ever encountered. Tasuki stood tall and smug, watching as the final ghoul was dispatched by Gades and crossed his arms haughtily, "I say, you might consider working for me someday, Gades. You kill almost as well as I do." Tasuki looked around and placed his fan in his coat. He gave a flamboyant bow with his upper body and the weasel poked its head up and out of his pocket. "I am Tasuki, leader of -well, I suppose it doesn't matter much to you considering my whole world is apparently inside of a book," He looked somewhat annoyed or offended by the thought but didn't debate the truth of the matter. "In any case, it's important. I'm important. My job is to protect dear Karasuki and I have been doing it for many years now." The purple haired woman gave a shy smile at that.

It was true; when Karasuki first summoned him from the book it was out of an eagerness to meet him, but he had been proven as a real ally and friend since her childhood. She reached out and scratched the weasel gently behind his ears, greeting him, "Hey there, Genro." She brought her attention back to Gades and spoke hastily, "Now that you're all met, I want to point out that I can see the house from here. Look there, through the hole in the canopy." Sure enough, as she pointed at the hole in the herbage created by the burst of flame from Tasuki's fan, a small cliff held up a small house. The shack looked dark and broken down aside from one small flickering light, perhaps from a candle or a lantern. It was a dangerous choice but if they were expected then Karasuki hoped it was her friend, trying to help them through the dangerous terrain. Geralt whispered his doubts to her, how he believed it to be a ploy or even a hallucination. He implored her to turn about and leave, telling her she wasn't strong enough to handle this place on her own. She answered him out loud, surprising Tasuki who hadn't commented or spoken to her at all, "I'm not alone."

Quickly, Tasuki replied, "Of course not, silly woman. Let's go. I will stay as long as I can and protect you the whole while." He shot Gades a look and Karasuki wanted to laugh. She refrained from doing so to spare Tasuki's feelings, however, she noted his pride and his jealousy in being her protector the same way an older brother might defend his sister. Tasuki and Karasuki would begin hiking upwards, to the near hill and the easiest trek towards the cliff by all accounts that she could see if it was obvious that Gades was going to join her. She would have to ask him more about his heritage and who he really was when her summon wasn't around to hear.


WC: 3265+512= 3777

Normal Ghost 0/2
Boss Zombie Friend 0/1

Tasuki: 2/3 duration, 0/4 cd
-Rekka Shinen 2/3 duration
Color code= # cc3300