Empty Sacrifices

What Has Words Ever Done For Me?
''Sometimes, we speak before acting. Because we're told it's the smart thing to do. Because using intellect and planning will somehow solve our issues. The debate over quality and quantity remain. But... what if you can't plan or think? What if one famous soldier must challange an army that spans the world? What hope is there? The easy answer is: don't get caught in this situation.'' Xianzhi walked towards the bars. "Morning..." dropping a small platter of food after opening the bars. "Wake up, and eat up." her tone uncaring at this point.

"Good morning, Xianzhi-chan."

Izaya's response was disrespectful, but that was to be expected at the moment. Fumbling out of the blankets, he looked down at the food, then sat down on the floor and began reating. This time, he really was greatful. Wasn't she going to punish him, or something? Unless there were some paralytics in the food, he couldn't really see a way this was bothering him.

He finished very quickly, then held the plate up for her to take. "Thank you, Xianzhi-sama." He stated, this time using the appropriate honorific. He'd use it when she earned it. It was like a reverse-reward system for him being a servant.

Xianzhi would later come back to open the cage... no words stated, she was now dressed somewhat... this time more of a mission feel. Gear on, and a more sinister feel compared to other Shinobi or Kunoichi.

Her servant, however, wore the same blood-stained clothes he'd be draped in since she'd abducted him. But that was alright. The worse he smelled, the more she'd be prompted to get him some new clothes or let him shower. Waiting by the bars, he needed her to use her chakra-lock thing before he could follow and "serve" her.

Xianzhi pointed out. "You have a change of clothes in the living room..." something in the air stated this was a more serious day. Or she was still mad at Izaya, and the punishment of non-emotion was cast.

Izaya nodded. "Thank you, Xianzhi-sama." He said enthusiastically, before using a single body-flicker motion to bring him directly in front of the new outfit. He stared at it a moment... She wanted him to wear this? But... It would be better than staying in the same dirty clothes...

After a short pause, he reappeared back in front of his master, obviously not as enthusiastic as he had been when he left. His new, dark pants were too tight. The flak jacket wasn't his style, and neither was the white shirt. And she had the nerve to give him a kunai pouch, when she was still in possession of his sword... The only thing that really agreed with him were the sandels. Those were comfortable.

"Ready to go, Xianzhi-sama..." He grumbled, scowling.

Xianzhi nodded. "Let's go..." she wielded the same gear. And bestowed Toto on her waist. Maybe as a trophy... opening the door, a earthen stair way lead to the surface, and opening the door that hid the place. "Alright..."

This was all Izaya was about to take. "Xianzhi-sama..." He began, moving in front of her before she could begin moving up the stairs. Why did he even care? "Are you alright..? Did something happen? I'm sorry I disobeyed you... But you don't have to act like this."

Xianzhi shrugged, "Don't tell me how I should or should not act, servant." sure she was irritated... but he was proving a blasted point. And she loathed being wrong, even half-way. "We're going on a mission... a recruit of some potential needs to be initated. Jashin's vision came to me last night." "I know the place... and his name."

"I understand, Xianzhi-sama..." The boy mumbled pitifully. Apparently, his show of concern meant nothing to her. Immediately, he moved out of her way and began waiting for her to pass him to she could lead the way. For whatever reason, he bit his bottom lip... Why was he upset with himself?

Xianzhi looked to him. He looked... distressed... a moment of concern flickered over her, but she crushed it. ''Tch. ''He was a heratic bent to her beliefs, nothing more. "Alright then... he's meeting me not far from... at the very place you were taken. It's a common point where... victims or recruits are handled." Walking forward, she made her way...

"I see..." Izaya replied quietly. He didn't want to be reminded of that. The symbol etched into his stomach itched. He ignored it and kept on walking.

Bloody Pause, Time Skip
Xianzhi skidded back after being punched directly in the face. Rubbing her hands over the wound she hissed, Toto lay on the ground...

The possible recruit was a true thing... but he had been stabbed through the throat and in the lungs by a ferocious attack... two shinobi had killed him on the spot. Clearly... they knew of what was going to occur, and ceased it. ''Damn. ''She was defending herself... and these two were prooving a difficult duo. Both of them perfect in their combinations and cooperation... and they seemed to know of her techniques.

Both clothed in dark clothes, nothing but simple black hoodies and black pants, kunai pouches and a grudge to note.

The taller one stated, that of a male. His partner as well. "So, Jashinist slime, care to die yet?"

Her servant watched idly.

If they did kill her, it would be great. Then he'd be able to leave her and get back to the life he was going to have before he met her. The shinobi could take him into custody and for questioning if they saw fit; he didn't care. For the moment he'd just sit back quietly and watch the fight... And when the moment arose, retrieve Toto.

"Curse Technique: Screaming Bane!" Soon, shadows formed around her body, ''"Arcaaaaaaahhhssss......." ''the creations hissing in an unknown tongue. Looking to the targets, they lunged towards the two, the banes a total of 4. Xianzhi watched in delight. But something was wrong...

The taller one formed another technique. Tossing barbed senbon,he ignored the creations, targeting directly her. The senbon stabbed into both sides of her shoulders. And lightning conducted on the metal, shocking her as she was pulled towards him. The second one perpared a technique, pulling his hands forward, he slammed one hand into one of the banes, crumbling it's existance into ash and dispersing the shadows. The others lunged directly towards him as he was now a threat...

Now, Izaya was tensing. They were hurting her too much... Torturing her, almost! They didn't need to do that! Why couldn't they just finish her quickly like they did the recruit? It wasn't fair... Xianzhi was nice enough to him. Instead of putting him in a hole in the ground, she gave him a nice cell. When he had disobeyed her, blatantly, in front of her followers, she just brought him back with no punishment. She even gave him a new change of clothes and breakfast!

Her servant wouldn't stand for this.

Clapping his hands together, he formed a familiar wall of water around himself and watched as it surged to the right of Xianzhi's opponents, before circling around their backs. By the time he used Body-Flicker to get her out of there, it'd enclose them completely then collapse in on itself, hopefully killing them both.

The taller man looked in shock, as the water crashed around them. The other man was torn to shreds, his flesh flying and his bones filling the horror's thirst for blood and suffering. The second was gone... and the man watched as the lightning induced wires snapped to the water, flaying about, and connecting back to him.

He was as good as dead... and by now Xianzhi was unconcious.

Izaya couldn't believe it had worked so easily.

Snapping into a Body-Flicker, he grabbed Toto off the ground, unsheathed it, and leaped over the remaining bulge of water onto the back of the tall man; pinning him to the ground. Then, Izaya raised Toto high above his head, aimed carefully, and...

Hit him on the tip of the back of his neck, knocking him out without killing him. There was no reason for him to do it. As a present, he'd present the man to Xianzhi for her to sacrifice. That would make her happy, and him happy by extension!

Finally, he made his way over to his master, rubbed his hands together for a moment while he collected a green energy around them, then pressed them to the wounds as the regeneration began... Would she be pleased with him after this? Izaya really, really hoped so!

Xianzhi began fidgeting from the relief of pain. "W-wha...t's going on? Where are they?!" she immediately tried to stand up, but hissed, and stopped as she met Izaya's hands. What was her servant doing...? Why was he helping her? Why hadn't he aided them?

The taller man lay singed on the ground, as the banes had since then vanished after she had fallen asleep momentarily.

He smiled warmly as he pushed her back into a prone position. "You're going to agitate your wounds... Don't move until you're completely healed, Xianzhi sama. It's not an order... Only a suggestion..." He hummed, pouring even more chakra into the ability. He'd use his entire supply if he had to. Xianzhi's condition mattered more than his own. "Oh, and the nice one over there is sleeping so you can sacrifice him... I think Jashin will be pleased..."

Xianzhi frowned, laying down... but it wasn't a dissappointed one, she was just confused. "Good." she glanced to the man that lay unconcious. "I'll fray his hide and feed it to the dogs." she was currently weak, but she'd be fine. Atleast, she hoped she was. Nothing looked worse like a weak Prophetess. Or... it could be a blessing, and only help raise the morale and zeal of her Cult as news of her attack.

"Uhm..."

The boy looked a bit saddened. He'd just saved her, but she wasn't showing the faintest sign of gratitude or kindness... Like, she was just waiting for him to finish healing her so she could kick him in the ribs and tell him she could've handled it herself... And he didn't like that.

"I don't need any credit... You should just say you killed them, and that I didn't do anything... That I'm useless... Please..?" His hands glew brilliantly as he poured the remainder of his energy into the technique, healing his master at a very rapid rate. She'd be back to normal in few moments... But Izaya would probably pass out.

Noticing the swift healing, and his rapid fatigue, she shook her head. "Cut it out, your growing pale." She was trying to show gratitude... but it was hard when he acted like such a fool to please her.

"No, your my servant, and my body-guard. If anything, you proved yourself... my little brother and sister Jashinists won't look at you with the same gaze. But remember, not all are swayed by actions." Sitting up, she grasped his hands. "Enough healing." It was going to help him if he stopped. "Your going to hurt yourself. I'm fine."

Izaya stopped immediately, staring at her hands that were wrapped around his own. At first, he was afraid she was going to hurt him, but then... He noticed something. She seemed concerned, somehow, and however stupid it may be. "Oh!" He mouthed, then pulled the sword off of his back. "This is yours! You dropped it. I'm sorry for using it." He mumbled, holding it out for her. He didn't want it anymore. It was her's.

Xianzhi glanced to it. The thought came across that he got the picture... this was good. Taking hold of Toto, she glanced at it. "If your going to be protecting me like you just did, I suggest you take it. I'm no good with a sword... I perfer Ninjutsu. Jashin guides me, not my trust in steel." she handed it back. Any attempt to decline was going to be irritating.

A nod was directed at her. "I understand. Thank you, Xianzhi-sama! I don't mean to rush you, but could we bring him back now..? I'm afraid I didn't hit him very hard." For some reason, Izaya felt very, very happy... From now on, he'd try to please Xianzhi-sama. It felt good to please her. He enjoyed pleasing her. He would do whatever it took...

"Good... now to handle him." Standing up, she went over to her victim, glancing to him. She pushed away the cowl of his hood... her eyes would have burst apart. She knew this man. He had served her directly, he had been a guard for her Hall at one time... but now...

To make sure, she pulled up his shirt, his voice groaning as it was done. There it was... a symbol of Jashin, tattooed into his flesh. But by it, stood another symbol, she didn't know what it was... a symbol of a jagged sun, with a hollow center. Someone she knew had betrayed Jashin himself, and their cult. It was... unheard of.

"Izaya... come here."

"Yes, Xianzhi-sama." Izaya chirped, nearly running the short distance. Did she want him to do something else? He'd do it, if it meant making her happy!

"Take note of the symbol..." she wouldn't be sacrificing this one. Not yet. A future of suffering and torture would be this traitor's solace. "We need to transport him to Shencang." Xianzhi knew this changed everything. Traitor's in their midst? It seemed impossible... such zeal. Such protection, when they right next to her, why not kill her then?

That meant that there we're more. A radical way of thinking within her cult was forming. He had been converted when she had turned her back, when others hadn't noticed. He was a threat, and she would make him scream all he knew.

The symbol was etched into Izaya's mind promptly. He wouldn't be forgetting it, ever. "Yes, Xianzhi-sama. Would you like me to carry him for you?" He asked politely, bowing his head a little. Already, he was craving for another show of gratitude or affection... Just something from the woman he called his master. Anything.

"Yes, do so." Xianzhi pointed out, looking to the 'leftover' remains of the second member. She spit on the blood pool, taking some of the blood in her palm, she etched the mark of Jashin on the ground, creating a few words in her mind, surging chakra. "Bring him here, and let us go." It was ready for Shencang...

Slinging the body over as instructed, it only took a few seconds for him to get settled within the symbol of Jashin. Occasionally, his stare flickered to Xianzhi's face... He'd stare at it all day, if she wouldn't get mad at him for it... Was Izaya becoming creepy? That'd be horrible. Maybe he'd just step on his thoughts for now.

Smirking, she ignited the circle, the chakra flaring, she poured her essence into it, and the zone they were in burst outward, unnatural purple flames becoming the mark, and their bodies vanished to Shencang...

A Man Chooses, A Slave Obeys
The moment they arrived in Shencang, Izaya collapsed to the ground, throwing the dead-weight off of shoulders. Either the healing had taken more out of him than he anticipated, or the teleportation made him uneasy. Either way, he couldn't carry the body any longer... He had failed his master.

"I'm sorry, Xianzhi-sama..." He apologized breathlessly. "Please forgive me..."