Skyfire Avenue

Golden light flashed behind Lan Jue’s eyes. He didn’t know anything about this woman or where she came from, but her actions clearly made her his enemy.

The Barber had been one of the weaker Skyfire councilors, but he was still ninth level third rank, maybe fourth. Yet, this terrifying woman ended him with a wave of her hand. How strong was she?

He was afraid she was a Paragon! Lan Jue asked himself, if he had to kill someone of the Barber’s strength as quickly as he could, then he would have to rely on the power of Captus. She did it with her hand.

She watched Lan Jue rush toward her. Confusion was evident in her gaze, but Lan Jue was already there. A bolt of electricity as thick as her waist came crashing toward her.

The blinding lights flickered as they ran up and down the girl’s body, making her shake. The violet aura around her flashed, and suddenly the lightning was gone.

The Driver’s attack was on the heels of the first. Silver lightning lashed out like a deadly whip. However as the young woman’s eyes narrowed the bolt was reflected back! It struck the Driver so hard he went flying away.

Golden light swirled up Su Xiaosu, then was ejected as a ray of holy light at their foe.

The girl frowned. The confusion in her eyes gave way to untamed ferocity. Her right hand shot out, and a beam of violet light fired toward the Morning Star. IT was the same attack that had slain the Barber.

Lan Jue threw himself between the ray and Su Xiaosu without thinking. In the same instant, his body bloomed with a searing golden light, like a small sun. Lan Jue’s commanding voice rang out. “Harden!”

His voice of command had no effect on the death ray other than to make it pause for a breath before continuing. Lan Jue’s arms rose in a circle, and within it was birthed a familiar vortex of black and white power. The yin-yang vortex pulled at the ray, knocking just far enough off course so that it missed Xiaosu and landed nearby.

The building it struck was evaporated.

“Xiaosu, get the others to Zeus-1! The Driver and I will handle her. Go!” Lan Jue shouted.

He’d managed to cast off the last attack, but it had taken effort. His yin-yang abilities could only defend him so much. He feared that if her next attack was any stronger, he wouldn’t be able to protect himself let alone another.

They were facing a fierce beast in human form!

Su Xiaosu was a military commander, and former Empress of the Moonfiend Pirates. She did not hesitate to take a life when she needed do. She was not known for freezing at decisive moments. However, as the ray of power from the young woman came her way the Morning Star didn’t budge. So complete was the ferocious intent that every pore in her body squeezed shut. Only once Lan Jue broke the line of sight did Xiaosu recover.

This was more than she could handle. Finding reinforcements was the best way she could help.

Contrary to Lan Jue’s expectations, the young woman did not continue her attack. Rather, she watched him with curiosity and interest, engrossed.

The Driver quickly returned to Lan Jue’s side. He’d been struck by his own Discipline, so certainly he could defend well against it. Lan Jue could see him jerk from time to time, but there was no lasting damage.

“What the hell is she?” The Driver just looked at her stunned. He and the Barber hadn’t been on the best of terms, but they were the same. Both of them hailed from Skyfire Avenue, both councilors, both soldiers in Division. The Driver watched him die without rhyme or reason, how could he not be affected?

Lan Jue shook his head. He was just as much in the dark as his comrade. What he felt from her violet aura was an intense fear. The blasts of energy seemed like reactions, but were strong enough to be considered Paragon-level. Whatever her Discipline was, it was incredibly potent. Lan Jue wasn’t sure his protogenia-infused lightning would be enough to deal with her.

His uncertainty called to Captus. A pale red aura swam around the Monarch. The woman’s curiosity turned to shock when she saw the change in his aura. She stumbled back a few steps, appearing to be frightened of Captus’ light.

“Who are you?” Her voice was strange, like she was unused to the words.

Lan Jue glared at her. “Why did you kill our friend?”

She looked back at him, confused. “What is ‘friend’? ‘Kill’? Ah, you must mean my last meal. You are also food, though I do not wish to eat you.”

Food? Eat?

Lan Jue and the Driver exchanged confused looks.

Did she say she ate the Driver?

The odd, beautiful young woman frowned as though considering something. Then, without warning, her hand shot out to grab at the Driver’s chest. Her arm stretched unnaturally, bathed in that violet light that made her arm look like it was cut from a gemstone.

Once more that overwhelming terror gripped the Driver. It felt like every nerve and blood vessel froze solid, going so far as to make his movements jerky and uncoordinated. However, the Driver was not the Bartender. Lan Jue wasn’t the only one who’d gotten stronger after the Great Adept Tournament.

He bit the tip of his tongue, the sharp pain sharpening his focus. A blast of silver lightning erupted from him. Taiyin thunderbolts slithered over him from head to toe as he let loose a feral roar. His Discipline surged into his chest where it became a cluster of resplendent silver light.

The Driver coalesced his power into a pure barrier. The undulating line of silver was all that stood between him and that groping hand.

When they met, the woman’s arm swiped away the lightning like it was paper. Errant bolts of lightning arcs into the sky only to disappear, others found their way to both the Driver and Lan Jue.

The woman seemed to be attacking directly, a slave to instinct. Each strike was heavy with lethal power, so much that everyone was almost too startled to speak.

But Lan Jue was prepared. Just as she lashed out for the Driver, Lan Jue’s hand flashed red. Captus appeared in his grip. He swept his hand almost gently to the side, but what issued from the weapon was a rift of intense interdimensional collapse headed right for the woman.

She had no option but to retract that horrifyingly long arm. Her palm shot out instinctively to deflect the blow.

Poof! The interdimensional rift caused by Captus shuddered and made the world before them warp uncomfortably. Lan Jue felt the space around him constrict, and it was then he realized. She was not only deflecting his attack, but counter-attacking as well. He reeled back a few steps.

Lan Jue grit his teeth and forced himself to be still. He could not give her ground, not even an inch more. If he did she might grow bold and attack with all her strength. It wasn’t just his life on the line, or the Driver’s. They had ten units of soldiers who would be decimated if she got passed them.

The Monarch’s eyes blazed, as reddish-golden light erupted from him. He drew upon every ounce of his power, planted his feet, gripped Captus with both hands and thrust himself forward blade first.

The young woman’s wide eyes couldn’t come away from Lan Jue. A flood of emotion crossed her alluring face. But through all of that, there was nothing violent. No fear or rage. Instead he saw confusion. She seemed almost pitiful.

Lan Jue grit his teeth and steeled his nerves. He would not be dissuaded by the enchantment of her eyes. After what he witnessed, what he felt, how could she be considered pitiful on any level?

The red light around Captus blazed. Along its blade runes shimmered archaically. A column of reality collapsed where he pointed.

The Driver had been ready to join forces with Lan Jue. He remembered how strong their Disciplines were, yin and yang together. They could rely on that to contend with this surprise enemy. However, the moment he saw the red light of Captus, felt the flood of power that came from his commander, he knew he was no longer needed.

He dissolved into a bolt of silver lightning and retreated. Staying behind he was only good as a spectator. This fight was above his pay grade.

Just then the sparkling hull of Zeus-1 came into view. Without delay, its traction beam burst to life and began swallowing up the Division soldiers. Inside, one of the bridge monitor’s beeped as its main gun locked onto Lan Jue’s target. All the while the woman never noticed. She never took her eyes away from Lan Jue and the weapon he was pointing at her.

She won’t defend? Something stirred in Lan Jue’s chest. Just as it seemed the blade would impale her Lan Jue stopped dead. The woman’s brows furrowed prettily for a moment, then she smiled.

She was visually perfect. Even under these circumstances her smile was stupefying. Two delicate fingers, soft as spring onions, pinched Captus’ tip between them. All of a sudden it felt like he was against an impenetrable barrier. Captus couldn’t move an inch.

She could stop a Banishing Blade, with her fingers alone?

Lan Jue stared at her, too shocked to say or do anything.

She tilted her head to the side as she regarded him. Her features were calm, charming. With a flick of her finger Lan Jue and Captus were flung a hundred meters away before crashing to earth.

The Banishing Blade flickered and shuddered of its own accord. Lan Jue’s expression could only be defined as stupefied.

Since accepting Captus, Lan Jue’s power had reached previously unknown heights. Until now, he had met no foe who could defy Captus’ deadly edge. Never did he think he’d encounter someone capable of choking the sword’s power – it was one of the Banishing Blades!