“Master!” An shouts in a heart wrenching tone while rushing to push Mu out of the way. Yet there isn’t nearly enough time. The demon moves at speeds that shouldn’t be possible for something its shape and size. In a panic An looks around for anything that could save her master. She can see Yating approach from further away, her halberd raised in a way that will allow her to jam the end into the ground to fortify against the thing’s charge. The white haired woman is so close and yet she may as well be on the other side of the continent for all the difference it would make, after all, she’s just a bit too slow to make it before the demon would reach Mu.
A long exhale prompts An to look back towards the pugilist. Instead of trying to dodge the girl has taken a stance with her back foot pointing to the side and her other one aimed straight at the enemy. With knees slightly bent and her arms raised loosely at shoulder height Gao Mu looks at her approaching death with calm determination. For a second An stops in place, her mind racing to try and understand what her teacher is trying to accomplish. Then her eyes widen. She’s intending to adjust its momentum to turn its charge to her advantage? But that’s…
Before An can finish the thought salvation arrives in the form of a golden flame. Pulling Mu back by her shoulder Suwan blocks one side of the beast’s ribcage with her blade and stops the other with contemptuous ease using her foot. The flames atop her blade crackle and swell into a blazing conflagration. Roles reverse as now it is the thing that falls still, a hint of fear in its alien eyes before Suwan swings her sword and evaporates it entirely. The cultists behind it don’t even have time to scream before they are turned into soot stains on the wall.
The suddenness of the change catches the trio off guard. One instant is full of adrenaline, panic and desperation whereas the next is just… quiet. While Suwan has long grown used to it her disciples are caught off guard by this liminal moment. The sudden loss of purpose. The split second their minds have time to catch up with what nearly happened, what could have happened. A sensation that is loud by the dint of its sheer silence. The moment it all comes crashing down. One where the world seems to stand still until it is finally broken.
“What the hells, Mu?”
“H-huh?”
“Huh?” Suwan mimics mockingly, the petite pugilist cringing at the edge in her tone. “Do you not understand what you’ve done wrong?”
“I’m sorry, Master. I wasn’t strong enou- Ow!”
“You think that’s the problem?” Suwan asks while glaring down at the girl cradling her head. Flames flicker into existence across her frame, small outbursts seeming TO pop up at random as the blonde struggles to rein her anger in. “I specifically told you that if any of them transformed all of you would die.”
“Yet you not only went into a fight you couldn’t win but you also turned down any help whatsoever from your allies. You completely disregarded your surroundings and not only while making that decision, no.” She continues, the flames spreading further across her body and burning brighter with every sentence she finishes. “In your arrogance you actively used your surroundings against yourself. Oh? You don’t understand what I'm talking about? Then tell me this, Mu. Why did you fight each enemy on their terms instead of yours?”
“Th- there was no time to-”
“Bullshit. Your combat style heavily relies on rapid maneuverability and you had every chance to use it, look around you!” She adds while waving her fiery arm to the side. “Look at the sheer size of this place. Why didn’t you go around the ones buying time and strike the ones that weren’t ready for you? Hells, you only got injured because you went straight for the one person trying to delay and set you up instead of going for the one readying to kill you. You know why you did that?” Suwan says while leaning forward and getting right into Mu’s face, forcing the girl to squint at the bright golden flames nearly licking her skin.
“Because if you hadn’t, one of them could’ve reached Yating and An. You’ve seen Yating fight, you know she can handle several and really, do you think An couldn’t have avoided fighting them? You know better. So why did you insist on handicapping yourself for the sake of stopping that?” She asks and pushes a finger up against her collarbone. “Arrogance, Mu. You were so dead set on fighting alone that you nearly got all of you killed.”
The fire abruptly dies down, her eyes cold as she looks down at her sullen disciple.
“I’m incredibly disappointed in you.”
The words hit Mu harder than her fist ever could. Suwan’s heart aches at the sight but knows holding back would only worsen the problem. Demon fear is an insidious thing, worming deep into one’s heart and destroying their potential. She remembers the first time her own master had exposed her to a demon. A shudder that she cannot suppress runs through her. Her most dreadful memory bar none, and it was not the demon itself. For the only -or perhaps most efficient way- to counter demon fear is to replace the shock with an even bigger one. So as much as she knows her words hurt Mu deeply it is better for there to be a quick pain now than a slow decline.
Seeing An offer her a shallow bow does raise her spirits again. Judging by her reaction the girl has no risk of getting a heart demon, the qi she observed from the booklet perhaps having inoculated her. Suwan lets out a sigh, unintentionally causing Mu to flinch. ‘Such a shame that An’s method cannot be replicated without whatever kind of bloodline ability she seems to have.’
Before she can check on Yating the door furthest away from the entrance -a cast iron thing that has to weigh nearly a ton- creaks and begins to slide open with a loud screeching noise. Mu is instantly on guard again, her eyes sharp yet her stance unbalanced and sloppy at best, a slight tremble running through her arms. Through the door walks the last thing they’d intended to see.
“Fookin’ hells, how da fook did dey even get this shite down ‘ere.” Zhi grumbles under her breath while pushing the door open with her shoulder, her full weight straining to move it as she drags something behind her with her other arm; A black clothed man with a rope tied around him and a large welt on his head. Additionally another very, very nervous man follows behind her, his eyes darting all over the place before he gulps. Zhi lets out an exasperated sigh upon spotting the group.
“ ‘ow da fook ken I tell if dis ‘s an illusion.”
Golden flames roar into existence, their sheer brightness forcing Zhi to squint and their power bringing her to her knees. The roaring torrent rushes for her like a flash fire, a death that cannot be escaped nor fought. Right before it reaches her it fades out of existence, naught but a hot breeze reaching her.
“Yah, aight, fair enuff.”
The sound of someone hyperventilating causes her to cast a glance over her shoulder. The ratty looking man following her has fallen on his rear and is staring into the distance, his eyes unfocused and limbs shaking.
“Fooks sake, Lu Shu.” Zhi sighs. “Well, dat aside.” She shrugs and pulls her other burden closer to her mentor. Dropping the robed bundle in front of her she continues. “Dis one seemed ta ken what’s goin’ on ‘ere. Ah hope it helps, Master.”
“Well done, Zhi. Glad you returned to us safely.” Suwan replies warmly and ruffles her hair. The lack of response tips her off that Zhi isn’t as unbothered by what she went through as she tries to make it seem. “Take a breather, we’ll take it from here.”
“Ken ah borrow Mu for a bit?”
“Sure, why not.”
Zhi barely acknowledges her reply before dragging a very confused pugilist off. The blonde scratches her head before shrugging and focusing on the task ahead. Calling An over she instructs her to check the rest of the compound alongside Yating before dragging their newfound captive to a side room for some old fashioned interrogation. So it is that there remains but a single person within the large chamber, sitting amongst broken bodies and smashed furniture.
“No one ever remembers Lu Shu…” He sighs. “They could have just asked. Lu Shu knows. Lu Shu knows a lot. No one ever pays attention to Lu Shu while talking.”
“One must question…” An emotionless voice says from over his left shoulder. “Whether that is truly the only reason you know much.” The voice continues from over his right.
Before he can turn around and see what snuck up on him it appears in front of him. His breath catches at the sight. Empty eyes stare straight into his eyes from within an unnatural head, the color of her bob cut seeming deeper than the deepest black. Atop her frame sits a most peculiar outfit, a-
“It’s suspicious.” The doll continues quickly, as if to cut someone off. “A hidden boss, perhaps?” She adds with her head tilting to the side in several sharp clicks. “No, you do not appear to have the capabilities for such a thing.” Twelve mercilessly continues before instantly snapping back upright as a door creaks open followed by a blonde head peeking through it.
“You know I can hear you right?”
“This one is aware.” The doll confirms, reverting back to her usual speech pattern. “Should this one have spoken more quietly, Sister Suwan?”
“You… you know what, nevermind.” Suwan replies with a groan, rubbing the bridge of her nose as the door creaks back shut. A gulp resounds, Lu Shu frantically wishing for the door to open once more or for someone, anyone, to explain what is going on here instead of simply leaving him with this accursed doll. Sadly, his prayers go unanswered.
EntonaVZ· Nov 6, 2022
