<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Shizuru, The Demon General</div><div class="spoiler_body">(http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj499/MzHyde/Character%20Portraits/Nakaru.jpg)</div></div><br/>At the center of the demon camp sat a black tent. Outside, two soldiers stood guard. Inside, the Demon General stood over a table with a map of the local area spread out upon it. One of the scouts was there, discussing a plan of attack. The Demon General wasn't what most humans would probably expect. First, it was a woman. Second, she was rather attractive. Where one might expect some hulking monstrosity of muscle and unbridled rage stood a tall, redheaded woman with a look of cool confidence on her face. Yet the scout before her cowered all the same, as if afraid that at any moment she might order his execution just because he looked at her too much. Or not enough. Or just incorrectly. Like she might, at any second, flick her wrist and, with one stroke, cleave his head from his shoulders as easily as one would bat aside an annoying fly.<br/><br/>"...Mistress, w-we report that we outnumber them at least four to one. There are worrying reports of a champion inside, but only the one. A small number, at least. More will doubtless be on the way, due to the outpost's proximity to Zenith." Stammered the scout.<br/><br/>Shizuru lightly tapped her finger on the map and mulled it over for a moment. A long silence passed. The scout almost wet himself in nervousness at the tense silence. Finally she spoke in a calm, husky voice, "They've got a fortified position, but we have numbers and the high ground. It will be a simple matter to crush them. We could simply overwhelm Outlook with superior numbers, but I would lose too many soldiers in doing so. It would stall our forward momentum." She drew a circle around the outpost with her fingertip and remarked, "So we employ a simple, but multi-stage strategy. First, I will go to Outlook and attempt to get them to simply leave."<br/><br/>The scout blinked and looked up at the General. He swallowed, "L-leave, Mistress? That's... not like a demon to simply ask his opponent to walk away. What glory is in that?" He could hardly believe he'd asked such a question and quickly ducked his head and prayed to whatever hell god he believed in, sure this was the end. Shizuru simply cocked her head and peered down at the scout.<br/><br/>"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. To win by one's mere presence alone is ultimate victory. Besides, would you rather the Demon Lord had an intact base with which to spearhead his operations, or a smoking pile of rubble? Perhaps you'd rather sleep on the ground than in a fortress?"<br/><br/>The scout quivered and said nothing, simply shaking his head. Shizuru turned and pulled on a long black coat, the Demon Lord's coat of arms stamped on the back. She lifted her sword belt and put it on. The weapon was surprisingly plain. No ostentatious decorations of skulls or bones or fancy gems. Just a curved blade of gleaming metal. Simple, brutally effective. She turned back to the planning table and pointed again, "While I am down there, have a detachment move to cut off their supply lines and delay any more arriving champions. Have another secure our flanks. Then, have our engineers set up catapaults on the ridge here, here, and here. We can always pound them into submission that way. Last, prepare the cavalry. If they decide to be foolish and leave the fortress to meet our army head on, I have a plan for that too."<br/><br/>"Mistress?" Questioned the scout.<br/><br/>Shizuru grinned, "Have you ever heard of the hammer and anvil?" She remarked, then strode out of the tent. While her underlings went about preparing for the inevitable attack, she started down the hill. Her guard tried to follow her, but she simply waved them away. Her troops watched, confused, as she made her way across the battlefield alone and walked the mile or so to stand before the enemy gates. She looked up at all the defenders above, those that had the fortitude to actually look upon her without screaming, and smiled. She waited for the panic to die down before announcing loudly so all could hear;<br/><br/><strong>"Outlook! Humans, Orcs, Fey, assorted rabble! Perhaps some of you simply know me as the Demon General! My people call me Shizuru The Unbroken! I have been to Terra before and you may know me as The Red Swordswoman, The Red Blade, or Amaterasu. The Orcs once knew me as Lady Death. I know your races, I know your lands, I know your weapons, I know your tactics! Look behind me and quiver in fear at the sight of the army bristling upon the hillside, ready to overwhelm this tiny fortress! You can fight, but we know it would be foolish to do so! I know full well you've called for reinforcements, but we can grind you into dust long before they arrive! So! I give you one chance!"</strong>She lifted a hand and held a single finger aloft.<strong>"One chance to flee! I will have my army stand back so you can retreat! Refuse and..."</strong>The demoness turned and gestured to her army with a sweeping movement of her arm. Almost on cue, the entire demon army roared and cheered out in unison. The howling demonic chorus filled the air, rattling windows and sending waves of panic through the city. Shizuru snapped her fingers and, on cue, the howling stopped.<strong>"...We crush you. You have one hour." </strong><br/><br/>With that, the demoness turned and started striding back to camp.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button"> Koryu, Shizuru's Weapon</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div align="center">(http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj499/MzHyde/Katana-1.jpg)</div><br/><div align="center">(http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj499/MzHyde/Katana2.jpg)</div><br/><div align="center">(http://i1264.photobucket.com/albums/jj499/MzHyde/Katana3.jpg)</div></div></div>