A flicker of apprehension darted through the Blood Guard’s eyes. Roaring Storm Church carried a ten-thousand-year lineage. Its strength should not be belittled. Yet, greed filled his mind when saw the Divine Bow and the fire unicorn. “I won‘t show mercy! Celestial Palace, kill them!”
“Kill!” Hundreds of Celestial Palace cultivators surged forward at once. Crimson light flared as their individual shields fused into a single tidal barrier, washing across the field like a blood-red sea.
“Roaring Storm Church disciples, form up!” Leonidas barked. Dozens of priests stood shoulder to shoulder at the rim of the battlefield. Their lips moved in perfect unison, chanting an ancient technique that vibrated in the very marrow of the air.
Divine light gathered above them, folding and refolding until it shaped itself into a colossal palm. With a thunder-crack, it descended, smashing toward the crimson barrier.
“Sword Sect, form the array!” Corin barked the order. At his command, the disciples of the Sword Sect leapt into position, feet landing on the invisible points of a celestial pattern. Streams of spiritual energy poured from their bodies, weaving together until a single immortal blade reared up and hurtled toward the charging foe.
Ararat and Kishor seized the opening. With a roar, they plunged back into the fray. In a heartbeat, the tables had turned.
Amid the chaos, Jared found himself frozen, his breath caught halfway to his lungs. In the moment had felt most abandoned, all these people had raised their weapons for him.
He knew this was only the beginning. The Divine Bow, Draconian bloodline, and the fire unicorn would bring more trouble after their revelation.
The arcane array of Roaring Storm Church meshed seamlessly with the Seven-Star Sword. Divine light and sword energy crossed and re-crossed, forming a net that shredded the crimson barrier of the Celestial Palace’s cultivators into drifting tatters.
The fire unicorn rampaged like a living inferno, its mane a crown of white hot embers. Everywhere it galloped, members of Malevolent Path Hall charred to brittle husks, their screams flaring and dying as fast as sparks in rain.
“Fall back now! Fall back!” The panicked command tore across the field. An elder from a minor sect brought his disciples to a retreat.
They had only joined this siege for the reward Lester had promised. Seeing both Celestial Palace and Malevolent Path Hall falter, they wanted no part of the butcher’s bill to come.
A tide of cultivators broke and rolled away, and within seconds, more than half the invading force had vanished.
Dioz watched his disciples collapse. Fear filled his gaze. Roaring Storm Church’s technique was their nemesis. They would be wiped out if this continued.
“Withdraw!” Dioz did not hesitate. Clutching Lunaria and Varek by their wrists, dissolved into a rushing smear of shadow, abandoning even the half-finished altar in his desperate flight.
The Blood Guard stared at the rout. His face turned pale. He wanted to snatch the Divine Bow and fire unicorn, but Roaring Storm Church showed up. If did not retreat, would die.
“Retreat!” Without sparing Jared a single glance, the Blood Guard gathered the Celestial Palace disciples into a streak of light and vanished.
They had answered only the Sixth Hall’s command. Now that the mission failed, none intended to die with Lester. Moments later, the once-black tide was gone. Only Lester, his wounded son Kael, and a handful of death warriors from Sacred Sword Manor remained.
Lester turned in a slow circle, seeing nothing but emptiness where allies had stood. Ahead, Jared’s party closed in step by deliberate step. Color drained from Lester’s cheeks, leaving the gray of utter despair.
“N-No… This can’t be! Sacred Sword Manor has stood for millennia. How could everything my forefathers built crumble in the hands of a boy?”
Jared moved close. The Dragonslayer Sword was still dripping with blood. “Lester, you teamed up with demons and butchered your peers. Today you will die!”
“Father, help me! I don’t want to die!” Kael shrieked, sprawled upon the stained earth.
Blood pulsed from the stump where Kael’s arm had been, turning the broken ground into a dark, glistening pool. Lester’s eyes blazed. “Jared, if my son dies, I will haunt you past the veil of death itself!”
With a roar of desperation, Lester hurled himself forward, intent to perish together.
“Stubborn fool!” Jared’s gaze chilled to winter steel.
The Dragonslayer Sword flashed a cold glint.
Splech! Lester’s head tumbled across the stones, eyes locked wide. Kael stared at his father’s corpse. He trembled in fear. “Please… Please spare me…”
