Molting the Mortal Coil

While running forward, Sage wondered what the significance of the enemies numbers was. Four groups of twenty five. What were they up to? If they were merely coming after him, arriving with smaller numbers could be explained. They might have brought only those at rank five or above to reduce casualties. Yet, that did not seem to be the case. He sensed more than a few of the enemies being in the 4th and not the 5th rank.

Sage called out to them and the Tiankong Siblings finally slowed down before reaching the orange barrier layer. The run had given them a moment to calm down, at least superficially. He was glad that the enemy hadn’t saved that reveal for the middle of combat. It might have put them into a tight spot. Then again, it also enraged his most powerful allies and losing control of one’s emotions in battle greatly reduced capability. While it might increase ferocity, it also curbed decision making ability and awareness.

Seeing the severed head of your friend being stepped on was more than enough to rile Sage up. He could only imagine how angry it would make him if it was his father and not just a friend. Thankfully, the many enemies and the glowing energy barrier were enough to slow them down and take a breath. Sage’s right eye had already changed and he was carefully sweeping his gaze back and forth to gauge the enemies future actions while he tried to calm down the birds. He brought out a Messaging Jade and held it up to them, since he feared they wouldn’t be able to figure it out in their current state. While it reduced the element of surprise they might have, it was better to be coordinated in this case.

They could feel the eyes of the four groups of enemies upon them, knowing they were talking to each other. Of course, that didn’t interrupt their assault. The four groups of enemies continued to smash against the orange barrier wall. They weren’t attacking with their full force, it looked much more like they were attacking leisurely. A pace they could keep up without growing tired and attacking in unison to increase their power. This layer of the barrier could easily hold them back for many hours if not days, but it would only be delaying the inevitable. Sage would have preferred to let them wear themselves out, and attack a tired enemy while well rested, but the enemy forced his hand.

The group of eight on their side had arranged themselves at the edge of the barrier directly opposing the group in purple robes. The other enemy teams seemed tempted to move closer, but their leaders barked orders and their subordinates maintained their position. They continued to attack the barrier while watching them from afar. Sage was there with Ruanfu, her boyfriend Lei, and the other five tiankong siblings: Jiyao, Juzui, Baozhai, Tujiu, and Songji. Behind them, tens of thousands of Dragoons filled the air. Sage whistled in a strange manner and thousands of them landed on the ground, forming a shield wall behind their group of eight. At the places where each of the four groups of enemies were waiting, a full ten thousand Dragoons formed a wall a few ranks deep.

The old man with the fu manchu in front of them attacked once again, the blinding violet light took away their vision for a few moments and then there was another loud boom. A similar sound came from the distance and then their vision returned. The light on the enemies fingers dimmed and at that moment the orange barrier suddenly disappeared. The group from the Fu Clan threw their odd weapons onto the bare ground and they exploded with power, digging little craters and scorching burn marks on the empty ground. With their silent communication, Sage and the Tiankong Siblings attacked in unison. The instant the barrier fell they were already sending attacks towards the violet robed enemies. They didn’t hold back in the least, each of them attacking their most powerful strikes immediately.

Jiyao, the blue eyed black haired boy that liked to wear a vest with a fur collar and no shirt underneath rushed forward with a black saber in hand. He used the same technique as that traitorous Black Saber, his blade swinging left and right releasing cutting blades there were invisible from the front, but left a black shadow in the air from behind. From his perspective he was releasing blades of darkness, but to the enemy they only saw him chopping his blade at the empty air.

Juzui, the short redheaded boy with a large mouth, rushed forward with a thin sword held vertical in front of his face. The sun in the sky seemed to move closer. The heat intensified and the previous breeze disappeared. The air turned dry and his sword grew hot. He became the embodiment of summer, flashing towards the enemy with his burning sword.

Baozhai, the long legged copper skinned girl with auburn hair kicked off the ground. Her toes stopped touching the ground, her dainty steps carrying her into the air. She wove her hands through the air like a pair of wings, spinning and looping acrobatically through the air. Her body pirouetted in the air, her leg flicking out halfway through one of her spins and coming down like a pendulous axe head.

Tujiu, the bald headed brute that had been acting less like a bodyguard and more like a chauffeur for Sage lately, held a huge silver spear with a fiery red tassel. The red tassel burst into flames as he charged forward, using the spear more like a lance. Couching it under his arm and sprinting with ground tearing force. The back of the spear burst with explosive force, propelling him forward at high speed.

Songji, the curvy girl in a black leather catsuit. The one that looked edgy and murderous, but always talked so sweetly was showing off her deadly edge. Her dark eyes locked onto one of the men in a violet robe, an uninterrupted stare of ferocious intent. She held his gaze so fiercely that he had no idea when she disappeared, her dark eyes felt like they were boring into his head and burned into his vision. He had no way to know that she would be climbing out of his shadow beneath him, leaping out behind him with fingers curled into claws aimed toward his throat.

Lei, Ruanfu’s boyfriend, the mutated Thundereagle. He had european features, pale skin, blond hair and blue eyes, and currently he was crackling with electricity. Like a living dynamo, visible arcs of energy curled around his limbs and body. His mere approach was terrifying, there was sizzling and crackling sound following him as that lightning burned up the very air around him.

Ruanfu. She was the only other Nascent Soul on their side. Where she went the temperature dropped a few degrees and she made a beeline directly for the strongest enemy. The old man with the fu manchu stepping on her father’s head. She closed the distance quickly, a powerful fluctuation of energy coming from her, it traveled from her abdomen up to her head and then shot like a bullet down her body, passing through her torso and down her leg. The wave of power reached the tip of her toes just as her foot was swung forward in a fierce kick. The energy spilled into the outside world and detonated the energy of the heavens and earth, creating an explosive force that erupted just as she made contact.

The old man crossed his arms in front of his chest to block the ferocious explosion of power. At that same time a coldness swept over him, small snowflakes swept past, blurring his vision and slowing his movement. Ruanfu’s Minor Law of Snow pressed against the old man, but his own power fought back. The old man was also a Nascent Soul, and the reason she’d been chosen to fight him. An inviolable feeling radiated from the man, like he was superior to them. The cold forced back by an aura of privilege. He laughed, “You poor thing, so cold and weak. You should let your betters make the decisions.”