Consider this the first law of laws: in a society of humans, emotions will always rule.
— Excerpt from Meditations, by the Red Emperor
First Street, ZhiXia City
Relief flooded Primrose's body when she saw Molam emerge from the rubble with Shurra. Relief, coupled with alarm. The bottom half of Molam's shirt and upper half of his pants were covered in blood. He carried himself with evident pain, limping alongside Shurra and Martyker. Perhaps that was why his Domain had gone; he had needed to heal an injury and could no longer sustain it.
Moments later, Molam and Martyker made their way towards Sanctuary while Shurra walked back. Primrose understood that Molam was prioritizing their primary objective, though she didn't know if it was the right move. But there was no time to call out to him or interfere with his plans; Molam had clearly given his instructions assuming she and Scarlette would continue adhering to their roles.
She looked down towards the OutCast, who had already limped to the wall she initially summoned to block off Molam's escape. Primrose could scarcely believe the Northerner was still moving with the amount of wounds on her body. A ruined hand, with the fingers bent at unnatural angles. Cracked ribs; both sides, judging by the way she walked. Her blood trailed down in half-dried smears that covered some of the tattoos decorated throughout her body.
The woman's orange aura had withered from its original towering flame, now more comparable to an auramaster's. And yet the uninterrupted flow of that orange aura told Primrose the enemy's will to battle remained steadfast. The OutCast had no second thoughts about continuing and seeing this down to the end.
When the OutCast reached the earthen wall, she sank her poleaxe and foot into the wall and began climbing. The movement impressed Primrose despite herself; the balance must be ungainly, but the Northerner was nothing if not determined.
Primrose gripped her weapons. Six blades left. She had taken the chance to pick up some of her earlier daggers, replenishing her options. But Primrose hesitated. Now that Molam's Domain was gone, she was unsure of what she should do.
To continue harassing the OutCast and look to be a deadly blade from a blind spot? If she left the safety of the rooftops, she wasn't sure if she could survive the OutCast's attention. She remembered the feeling of her own weight crushing her within the OutCast's Domain, and was not keen on experiencing it again.
Or to follow Molam, make way towards Sanctuary? Was that the correct move, one that Molam expected her to take? Moreover, what was Scarlette thinking? If they both chose differently, their efficiency may halve. Was Molam gambling on them to do the same thing? Different things? Something she hadn't thought of?
In the midst of her indecision, Primrose saw Shurra poke her head over the fallen wall. The Northerner saw the OutCast and dropped down on her with a roaring war cry. The Titled One flipped herself to the side along the wall to avoid Shurra's short sword, but Shurra's arm caught onto her leg as she fell by, dragging the two of them back down towards the ground. Shurra leapt up first, rushing down the OutCast in a tackle that did not allow the woman to fully regain her bearings. The OutCast, no longer as limber as she was, swung her poleaxe at Shurra, who dove to the side and reached for her sword. The gesture caused the OutCast to bring up her guard, but Shurra backed off, perhaps a bit slower than Primrose expected.
Primrose had expected Shurra to attack the OutCast outright, but Shurra stayed out of the OutCast's range. Shurra only stepped in the moment the OutCast turned to scale the wall, forcing the Titled One to turn each time; but never lingered long enough for a true exchange of blows. It seemed so calculated and unlike Shurra that Primrose understood it to be Molam's instruction; attack without putting themselves in danger, and force the OutCast to choose between fighting them off or chasing him.
And then Primrose realized.
The OutCast isn't exerting her Domain.
She whistled loudly, hearing Scarlette's own high-pitched answer a moment later. Primrose then sprinted forward to reposition herself closer on a closer vantage point.
Without a Domain, the OutCast would be blind to attacks from all angles. This… perhaps this could work
***
Halfway Up First Street, ZhiXia City
Step. Limp. Step. Limp.
Molam buried his throbbing pain underneath the rhythm of his steps, using them to keep his mind focused. Each step accompanied an intake of breath. Each limp heralded a rattled exhale. His vision blurred from exhaustion and the dull ache of his body, but Molam did not allow himself a moment to rest. He worried about collapsing if he broke his rhythm and stopped.
"Molam," Martyker broke the silence almost hesitantly. "Roxxa's shown herself."
"What's she doing?" Molam kept his eyes forward, resisting the urge to stop and turn around. Martyker would be his eyes; he just needed to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
"Somehow climbed to the top," said Martyker as he kept pace with him. "The other three aren't making it easy for her. Each time Roxxa takes her attention off them, they move in." He squinted, then amended, "Or, move in just enough to be dangerous. With her leg like that, she can't respond to them in time."
"Nor can she catch up," huffed Molam. He found himself smiling grimly despite the situation, wishing he could turn around to see this. It couldn't have been easy for the OutCast to climb to the top with a mangled hand and lame leg while under attack from those three. They played their roles as Vanguard and Assassin perfectly.
But the pain still coursing through his body forced him to hobble towards Sanctuary, one agonizing step at a time.
The swordsman looked at him. "We could make this faster, if I just carried —"
"No," Molam interrupted. "Keep your hand free. We don't know what the OutCast is trying to do. In fact, ready your weapon: she's on the same level as we are now." And, if she somehow closes this distance, I don't want you to be collateral damage. I want you to be able to protect yourself. He left his fear unsaid.
Step. Limp. Step. Limp.
The Oasian drew his greatsword, his eyes still on the fight behind Molam. "The two pretty ladies are very good," Martyker praised, warm admiration in his voice despite their grim situation. "They strike from Shurra's shadow, or whenever Roxxa has her back turned to them. Precise and deadly, like sand vipers waiting for the perfect strike."
"That's good to hear," Molam muttered. "I just hope they remember to also get into Sanctuary once we're close."
Sanctuary loomed just ahead. Some Priestesses within, cloaked in their white robes streaked with dirt and blood, looked out at his approach. He could not see their expressions as he was just barely halfway down the street.
Step. Limp. Step. Limp.
Martyker squinted his eyes, peering at the fight. "Oh. Hm. That's," the swordsman paused, as though unsure what he was seeing. "Odd."
"Yes?" Molam prodded, half annoyed. None of that was pertinent information given their situation. "Is she catching up?"
A shake of the head. "No, she hasn't moved. But she's manipulating the earth again. The others can't exactly… approach her anymore."
Molam tried to picture it, but Martyker seemed terrible at describing what he was seeing. He sighed, then shuffled and turned around to see what Martyker was talking about.
He squinted as well. What was the Titled One doing?
Roxxa faced them, standing inside a concave wall of earth that protected her back and sides. So that was what Martyker meant by the others being unable to approach; it would be folly for them to run up to the OutCast from the front.
"I can understand the protection, but it looks like she's taking a stand there," Molam frowned. But why? The OutCast just stood there, focused on her poleaxe. Even her eyes no longer glowed, evidence she had stopped using her Sight. The earthen shield only protected her back so long as she was in it; could she shift it along with her like the ripples she did earlier. No, he thought, that couldn't be the case. She would have done so already if she could.
"Has she given up the chase?" Martyker asked hopefully. "She'll need to leave ZhiXia City eventually, at least before my honorable master returns. Perhaps she's gathering her aura to escape?"
"I'm not sure, but we aren't safe until we're in Sanctuary." Molam shook his head. Focus. Sanctuary was right in front of them. "Remember, we win by getting to Sanctuary alive. That's it." His gaze lingered on the Titled One, thoughts still wondering what she was up to. "So long as she can't… reach us."
It didn't make sense. Roxxa was stubborn — perhaps even more so than Shurra — that much was obvious. She had continued to chase him despite sustaining injuries that would have downed an actual bear; why had she stopped? What was she trying to accomplish now?
The OutCast, brows furrowed with concentration, raised her weapon, and Molam's mind raced through a multitude of possibilities in that moment. Some he discarded immediately. It wasn't possible for another blow that could shatter the ground — if the OutCast was capable of that, she could have used her Domain to restrain Shurra and the others.
What else could she do? Throw her weapon at him? Certainly, Molam's impaired leg made him an easy target. But at this distance, even if her aim were true, Martyker should be able to block the weapon.
Her concentration seemed focused. Was she gathering her aura? Roxxa had just shown she could still manipulate the earth, but they were too far for her to affect the ground around them. If they were within her reach, she would have already attacked them; he no longer had a Domain to keep out her influence.
Distance mattered the most here; they were too far for Roxxa to attack in any reasonable manner. Though there were no obstacles, Roxxa's own injuries prevented her from catching up to them while being harassed by Shurra, Primrose, and Scarlette. Molam assumed that if she hadn't given up, then she should have seen a path — but what other options were available to the OutCast?
The answer came to him just as the OutCast slammed her weapon down. "Martyker, get ready to —!"
The ground rumbled beneath their feet and the OutCast's side began lifting into the air. Molam stumbled forward, bracing himself with the flat of his arm into a painful forward tumble, rolling down the increasing incline. How had he not seen it? They were effectively on one giant slab; Roxxa only needed to make it easier for her to reach him. A singular spike shoving upwards on her end was all she needed to give herself the high ground, and now she could simply fall down upon him.
The world blurred in Molam's vision as he half rolled, half slid down the incline, fighting to control his fall. His one working arm flailed wildly, scrabbling for purchase. Each impact against the incline jolted his crippled arm and leg. The pain did nothing to help him reorient himself, even as each tumbling rotation brought him a new angle of the OutCast sliding down towards him, her weapon held at the ready. Far above her, Shurra also slid down after Roxxa in hot pursuit, with Primrose and Scarlette bringing up the rear.
Martyker stabbed his greatsword into the earth block, stopping himself mid-slide and giving himself leverage to swing around and kick Roxxa as she attempted to pass him. The OutCast blocked the kick, but it sent her skidding off to the side, throwing her off course from Molam.
Having barely oriented himself, Molam saw the ground rush towards him. He braced himself and bounced into the ground, slackening his jaw to avoid biting his tongue when the impact jolted his body despite his attempt to soften his landing in a rolling motion. He rolled three — three and a half — times before he came to a stop, struggling to breath through the pain. Something rough, perhaps a rock or something worse, dug into his shoulder.
But there was no time to get his bearings. Molam braced his good arm underneath him, pushing himself to his feet and stumbling back towards Sanctuary that was right in front of him. Shurra landed next to him, her short sword gleaming in her hand, her attention focused on the enemy.
The OutCast reached the ground with steady footing despite her injured leg. She looked up, then raised an arm to block the needles aiming at her eyes. Scarlette and Primrose fluttered down, touching the ground silently.
"Shurra, no!" Molam's shout came too late. A swift movement saw Shurra lunge into Roxxa's reach, her sword flashing for the Titled One's neck. The ground beneath Shurra's instep cratered, causing her to lose balance — the tip of her sword buried into the ground instead. Primrose pulled Shurra out of danger as the poleaxe swung downwards, flicking a gleaming blade into the air. Scarlette leapt over Shurra's shoulder to grasp the blade and bring it down upon Roxxa, who abandoned her weapon too late to avoid the blade digging into her shoulder, barely missing the neck.
A bellowing roar and a swipe of anger sent Scarlette sprawling to the ground. The next moment, Roxxa grasped and flung her poleaxe straight towards Scarlette before she could regain her footing; Shurra snagged the weapon by its haft in midair, the carried momentum dragging the large woman off her feet. The weapon struck the ground just near Scarlette's head.
Seeing Roxxa without her weapon, Martyker dropped down upon her from above, his greatsword raised for a killing blow. The OutCast turned, pulling Shurra's sword out of the ground and throwing it straight at the swordsman, who could not dodge in midair.
The flung sword separated the swordsman's arm from his shoulder.
"Martyker!" Someone screamed. Molam wasn't sure who. Perhaps it was him. Perhaps it was either Primrose and Shurra, who were dragging him towards Sanctuary.
The Armed Swordsman's eyes slid from his lost arm to the greatsword, then hardened into grim resolve. Teeth gnashed — the sword's hilt flew to his mouth — and the swordsman brought his blade down upon a surprised Roxxa, cutting halfway through her shoulder.
The resulting bellow of pain almost deafened everyone in the vicinity. Before Martyker could react, Roxxa drove her knee into the Armed Swordsman's stomach. The impact forced his jaw loose, whereupon she grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the side. Blood from both of their injuries smeared throughout the ground, following Martyker as his body rolled lifelessly down the street.
Seeing Molam almost reach Sanctuary, Roxxa pried the greatsword out of her shoulder. She pulled back her arm, then lost her footing as the weapon pulled the other way, attempting to return to its armless owner. With a growl, the OutCast let go of the greatsword and pulled Primrose's dagger out of her shoulder instead, flinging the blade at Molam.
Primrose snatched the dagger out of the air, couching the weapon into a semicircle momentum where the blade almost cut Molam's nose. Scarlette harried the OutCast, then the poleaxe flew through the air, narrowly cutting Shurra's neck as she attempted to approach Roxxa. A wide swing missed as Scarlette somersaulted out of Roxxa's range. The Titled One wasted no movement, carrying the swing around and over her head to hurl her weapon at Molam.
Gong.
The sound reverberated throughout Sanctuary. The thrown poleaxe quivered in midair between two of Sanctuary's pillars before falling to the ground.
"No!" Roxxa snarled, continuing her forward approach. A knee crashed into her back from behind, knocking her face down to the ground. Then Martyker was on top of her, his legs holding her down by her neck and shoulders.
"Did you relax because you thought me disarmed?" the Oasian growled. "That my resolve would crumble?"
The Titled One bucked, a primal roar erupting from her throat as she tried to dislodge Martyker from her back. But the Oasian clung to her back with surprising tenacity. The remaining dagger buried in Roxxa's back pulled itself free at the swordsman's silent command. Martyker bit the handle with his mouth and brought the blade down on the OutCast when a blinding flash of yellow slammed down from above in a deafening boom.
"You've caused a big mess, Roxxa." The Islander braced his foot against Martyker's shoulder, yanking his bloodied harpoon from the man's chest. He paused, turning around to view the scene of destruction on the street behind him. "And when Ruskru hears of this, we're all in a mess."
No. The thought echoed in Molam's head as Martyker's body fell to the ground, the static remnants of the Islander's attack spider-webbing across the Oasian's body. No. Strong hands gripped at his shoulders; he realized Scarlette and Primrose were both holding him down. He had almost crossed Sanctuary's perimeter.
Roxxa barely acknowledged Desmi's words as she attempted to rise to a knee, pointing at Molam with a shaky finger. "The Oracle's vessel. We need to deal with him now."
Yellow glowing eyes turned on Molam. Upon closer inspection, the Islander's clothes were torn and shredded, exposing multiple wounds. A ghastly gash split his left ear and a purple bruise was beginning to form under one eye. It seemed their fight with the Whale had left the Islander worse for wear too.
But where was Master Ji?
"And I thought you were supposed to be the level-headed one, Roxxa. He's within Sanctuary," Desmi shrugged, turning back to his comrade. "You know that's the Leviathan's Domain."
"We can force him out." Roxxa took a step forward, but Desmi stopped her with a firm grip on her arm.
"Any more and we'd have no excuse for disrespecting the Prince's wishes, Roxxa. We're leaving — the Whale is returning and now is not the time to be stubborn." He shouldered the OutCast despite her protests. "Oof, they did a number on you. Even Ruskru will have difficulty healing this. Got your poleaxe? Good."
"You think you can just leave after this?" Shurra stood up, her hands balled into fists.
"Oh." The Islander turned towards them, giving them a cheerful smile and salute with his harpoon. "Of course. I apologize on Roxxa's behalf for the… chaos. If it helps, please consider this part of the Martial Prowess event." He flashed a grin at her, his perfect teeth white against his brown skin. "Happy Festival of the Hero!"
Silence. The collective crowd seemed dumbfounded at the Islander's declaration. Then Shurra leapt forward, her sword pulled back and ready to strike. By the grim determination on her face, she had no intention of letting Roxxa leave while she was so injured.
"Shurra, no!" Primrose cried out.
A yellow bolt of lightning lanced through Shurra's body the moment she left Sanctuary's border, sending her sprawling to the ground.
"You weren't the one we wanted," the Islander told her as he lowered his harpoon. "Though I commend you for mustering the bravery to charge a Titled One. Or was Roxxa too gentle with you all?" His eyes traveled back towards Molam, whose chin was still being held to the ground. "You have good friends, vessel of the Oracle. I believe Rei called you Molam? Just one more step and we could have had a good explanation for Ruskru. But there's still this one —" he pointed to Shurra, who was motionless on the wet ground. The Islander raised his harpoon, then froze. He turned to look down at the street, where water was seeping in.
Desmi looked up to the green form flying towards them. "Rei?!"
"We're leaving!" the Tempest shouted from above as she flew by, her own clothes torn and several bleeding wounds on her arms. "If we don't leave now, we won't be able to!"
A maelstrom of green wind engulfed the Islander and OutCast.
Desmi heaved Roxxa onto his shoulders, then looked almost apologetically at them all. "Next time then. I sincerely apologize it had to happen this way." The harpoon stabbed downwards into the ground instead. A brilliant flash blinded the onlookers; several blinks of the eye later and all three Titled Ones were gone.
All that was left outside was the destroyed street and the rising water level.
Primrose breathed, looking down the street. "The Whale of ZhiXia."
The Whale of ZhiXia walked up the street, a wall of water following behind him. His normally expressionless face now carried a look of simmering anger, and the water wall trickled through the ruined street, collecting dead bodies as he arrived. Nettie's exhausted face peeked out from within a soaked bundle of cloth in his arms.
When Master Ji walked up to them, the wall of water lowered itself, gently depositing the dead onto the ground. Then it did not so much disperse as evaporate into steam.
Nettie, for her part, stayed perfectly still as her waterlogged clothes became dry. She had a look of terrified apprehension, but overall seemed unhurt.
Molam felt a wave of relief. The Empire hadn’t managed to capture Nettie. They didn't have an alchemist capable of building the SunFlower.
But the girl seemed confused.
"Uncle Marty?"
