Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1122 - 1121 - The Enemy is...Running Away?

"What?!" The King stood up but then a servant came running in looking panicked. He quickly whispered something to him and then glanced at Lind in surprise.

"It will take at least half a day to reach the city! Get me–" Lind raised his hand.

"Chu and Maester Cord can tear through space. They will be able to help. I will send all of my followers you feel may be useful." The fiery eyes narrowed at him.

"You will not be going?" Lind smiled but shook his head.

"I will need to prepare some elixirs as I feel they will be needed but will come shortly after." The King smartly nodded and turned to his people. Lind looked to Oz but was already sending commands.

[Lan and Bori, cease training and report to our quarters. Ranger, get ready to head out as your skills will be needed. I am on my way.] He waited until they were in the narrow corridors and the 2 men vanished.

Time was essential and chaos would cover his moves. They appeared in a different area but he knocked on the door as the sound of shouts began to rise all around them. A short moment later, Mills poked her head out in concern.

"Master!" She beamed at him but he only held out his hand. She did not even question it as the now trio vanished on the spot.

They appeared to find the 2 white tigers had now returned and Chu was calming Jur. Nana now held Katerina but Lind looked grim.

"The Soulmancers are not to be underestimated. Even if they are a lower realm than you, fear them. Souls are not easy to defend against them. I will give each of you that are going an elixir but first be wary. I do not believe in coincidences." Too much had piled on at once.

They found a clue to their goal, encountered a kingdom with information to help them, Delenn suddenly seemed near, and now Soulmancers attacked as the royal family was meeting with him.

There was a limit to how much he could accept it. He had a dark suspicion but did not voice it. It would not change what they had to do.

"Lan, despite the need of capable fighters, I want you to stay here with Jur, Nana, and Katerina. Oz will support you." Surprise sprouted on them all as they looked at Bori who was now much weaker than his brother but not that much.

"Bori, you will go with Chu." Dead silence filled the room as Jur suddenly looked enraged.

"Papa, no!" Lind's aura filled the cabin instantly to stifle everyone.

"Bori is not a child and more, he is far more powerful than any human. Further, his soul is far better defended than Lan's." Surprise came to all as he smiled at the young man with bestial features mixed with his human ones.

"Lan is on his path but this has made him vulnerable in ways he was not before. You, Bori, are naturally resistant and also, I think you understand I have faith in you." He meant every word. The brothers had always been impressive but they had differences.

Lan was quick to leap while Bori was cautious. He was also able to endure what Lan lashed out at. Not to mention he had not once acted inappropriately as Jur showed her interest in him.

He knew she was still young, if powerful. He did not deny her but challenged her to endure until they all had a better chance to find peace. The blush on his face made Lind smile.

"Chu, I trust you can work with him?" A dark smile spread on her face as her tail swished fiercely. She looked more like a predator at that moment than even when he saw her in battle!

"Ranger, you will be with me. Go with Chu for now." They all split up as he looked at Mills. She was nervous.

"You have faced me at my full Battle Aura and can now stand on your own but training is not enough. You need real experience. Do you understand what I am saying?" She paled but straightened her pale red robes.

Her red hair was closer to orange in the artificial light but it was neatly tied back with a handmade set of ribbons from the orphanage children.

"I will be facing them in battle?" He shook his head.

"Soulmancers are dangerous but I doubt they will be alone. They are relatively weak physically due to the cost of their skills. You will face those and protect the civilians." She looked more eager but he pointed around them and a weaving went up.

Lind transformed back into his true state. His increased height and power made it harder to be around him yet she never broke her eye line with him.

His emerald eyes filled with approval.

"You are the Emerald Immortal's student. Remember that." She cupped her hands and bowed low to him.

He took her hand and they vanished to the city. Chu would bring the rest after them.

As the world came back, the pair found several columns of smoke rising as people were screaming. Soldiers were actually containing flames and getting people evacuated in an effective manner.

Lind found it appropriate but he was confused. He could feel the Soulmancers yet their numbers had dwindled. Further, they were in several directions at once.

What was going on?

"Stay close." He found the design of the city hard to deal with as it was around the volcano so part of the city was much higher than the other. Some structures were connected by chutes that allowed carts to slide down but then he saw others going back up with evacuees.

Gravity manipulation or earth Qi tricks? He pushed aside his curiosity as he honed in on the closest target. As expected, he found a rail thin person with several robust figures with them.

Yet, he was now more confused. The man looked terrified and was running scared. Were they not attacking the city?

He made sure Mills was hidden from their auras as he extended his own to spy on them.

[We have to keep moving, that monster will find us soon! We have to get to the lair to have a chance!]

[Why is this happening? I thought the plan was to infiltrate once the target was in the city.]

[Shut up and keep moving! We have our orders to delay that monster as long as possible! The master will accomplish our goal without us!]

The guards seemed terrified as the Soulmancer hid his by shouting at them. Their words, however, only deepened the mystery.

Rather than an attack, it was more like they were using the city to hide. The enemy was…running away? From what? What could terrify a group of Sliver and Shard Tiers from what he could tell.

"Master, I sense a powerful aura but it is a blunt one. It is far more powerful than any I have faced save from you." Mills did have an advantage over him in Battle Aura. She seemed able to sense other weapon intents and auras.

He could not do the same but usually he could sense other things.

Like the familiar presence closing in on them swiftly!

Before either could react, a blur dashed out of an alley the group was passing and 2 of the burly men went flying like ragdolls.

Both groups froze as a blood covered woman with broad shoulders and cold pale eyes looked at the Soulmancer.

"Wait–!" The withered man tried to defend himself but before even a single iota of soul power could move, a war hammer shattered his ribcage! His legs followed as he tried to scream but his crushed torso prevented it.

The warriors did not even try to fight as they ran but the woman caught them all with ease! A saddened look crossed Lind's face as he looked on.

"Do not leave my side no matter what." He took Mills down with him as the well muscled woman slowly walked back to the still living Soulmancer.

"You are not him either. Where is he? Why do you have my mark on you?" She was not really expecting answers as the flickering flames revealed her deadpan face as she looked at the panicking man trying to breath on the ground.

Her hammers were once works of art but were now covered in the macabre refuse of all they had killed. The lack of care made Lind frown more deeply.

"Where is he? Why do you have–" She paused as she felt Lind looking at her. The once familiar face looked up and he felt his heart break as Delenn smiled at him yet her eyes remained dead.

"Ah, my student. You kept your word. I remember that. I remember that." Lind knew speaking would not help but he tried anyway.

"Master Delenn, do you know where you are?" His question made her pause as confusion crossed her features. She slowly looked around and up at the glowing peak of the volcano.

"I know where I am, my student." Hope bloomed but then the dead panned look was all she showed as a strange smile crossed her face. "I am where I will get them all. My vengeance will finally be complete! I will bathe in their blood and finally be free!"

Lind looked broken as he understood. His master was gone.

All that remained was a heart demon possessed shell. His master was dead, but the body still moved.

"I will help you Master, I promise." Her smile spread wider as her hammer suddenly blurred even to his vision and shattered the skull of the prone Soulmancer.

"I sense 3 more of my brother Nest. We will kill them too, right? He has to be one of them left. He will pay. They will all pay!" She became hysterical as Lind let tears fall from his eyes.

"They will, my Master. Of that I can promise you, they will pay!" The words were the same but the result would be different. The heart demon only had its core desire left to follow but Lind had his own reasons now. He was going to stop them anyway but now it was truly personal.

They would all pay!