Zheng Jiang traversed the narrow corridor, slowing her pace to a crawl as she carefully pursued Zhang Yan. She knew he could be a crafty son of a bitch, she was wary about any traps he may have laid for her. It wasn't a coincidence she felt that he fled in this direction while goading her. On her left and right were doors. She quickly stopped and treaded even more carefully, recognising this to be a perfect place for an ambush. She hugged the left wall tightly creeping closer to one of the doors. Her heart pounds heavily like a war drum while sweat starts to form under her brow. She found her knees start to shake for some reason. Despite everything, she knows full well one wrong move here could spell her doom. Each step she could hear the creaking of the floorboards until she stopped in front of the left door. She took a deep breath before she quickly swiped the door open, a loud echo of the crash could be heard for just a second before silence. She immediately went to strike but found no one there, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her guard for just an instance.
As she did, she heard the door behind her slide open and a sudden battle yell was heard with footsteps. She quickly twisted her body around and blocked the oncoming sword thrust aiming at her face with her red sisters, making an 'X' shape with them having the blade stuck underneath both axe blades leaving it unable to swipe to either side. The sudden emergence of the blade forced her to be on the defensive as she walked backwards. Keeping eye contact with her would be assassin who looked to dressed in a nice quality robe, Zheng jiang thought it was Zhang Yans advisors by the way he was dressed and by look eyes. They weren't the eyes of a warrior, but one of fear and cowardice who never had to take a life…at least with their own hands. She found herself pinned against the wall due to momentum he had as he lunged towards her. She kept the sword stuck as it penetrated the wall behind her as she tilted her head to avoid the sword. The advisor seemed to be infuriated as he tried to move the blade to try and cut her. He growled, becoming even more frustrated by this as she heard footsteps coming towards her position. She knew she had to get out as quick as possible before he withdrew his blade.
She kneed him in the gut, causing his strength to falter as he keeled over forward. This gave Zheng Jiang the opportunity to use her right axe to become taste their first drop of blood as it crashes down on his shoulder. Forcing him to fall to his knees. Two more advisors appear in front of the doorway, swords already drawn only to see and hear their colleague cry out in agony before Zheng Jiang drenches her right axe with blood as she decapitated his head after 3 strikes. Blood also staining herself as well as the walls as it spurts. She looked up to the two advisors who were frightened of this act of savagery from the fabled bandit queen. She started walking menacingly towards the two advisors who quickly stepped away from the doorway giving her room to exit. They couldn't hold their fear in check as they stepped bac on both sides of Zheng Jiang as she glanced at them for a quick moment. Her cold, hateful eyes full of wrath was evident as she quickly looked at the right one before swinging her axe aimed at his jaw. Eviscerating it as it hung from one side with blood pouring out like a waterfall with painful screams that sounded incomplete as the advisor's body slammed into the wall next to him thanks to the momentum of the swing.
The other advisor seeing this thought to himself there was no way he was going to survive like this and yelled to try and help him feel confident as he horizontally swung his blade towards her head. Zheng Jiang anticipated the blow easily and ducked underneath it. He gasped in awe of how easy she made it look while also meaning this could be the end of him. She crouched down and twisted her body as she extended her left axe, it was lodged in his gut before a second later he coughed up blood. He dropped the sword and clutched on to the would as Zheng Jiang withdrew the axe. He winced in agony as he fell to his knees, he looked down to see his hands covered in his own blood before looking up to see Zheng Jiangs axe plunge into his neck but only once. As she withdrew it blood spurts out leaving a large enough wound that he couldn't speak as more of his blood built up in throat while also flowing outside of the wound. He could only fall to the ground in agony awaiting his demise, seeing only his comrade's body before his grip on life was ultimately weakened. Zheng Jiang looked up to see what seemed to be the final advisor who was quaking in fear. He threw his sword away and dropped to his knees and put his palms together in a praying stance.
'Please, have mercy my queen. I can tell you where mast-I mean Zhang Yan is at. Please spare me!' he quivered, trying to earn her favour by surrendering. Zheng Jiang rolled her eyes at this pathetic display, she would be fine with him surrendering if he wasn't so…exaggerated. She walked up to him and grabbed him and hoisted him by the throat, forcing him to stand up to engage in eye contact. He quickly used his hands to grab her wrist and looked in shock of her actions. She squeezed her hands to put pressure on but not enough to outright choke him, but enough to make it uncomfortable for him.
'If you want my mercy then tell me where he is!' She demanded to know, her voice raised in anger, annoyed at these feeble attempts to delay her from her objective.
'He…he ascended further up the palace. He will be w-waiting at the top. He laid out ambushes by his e-e-elite bodyguards. You won't stand a ch-ance.' He uttered.
'How so?' She saw a flicker of mischief in his eyes as he quickly grabbed a knife from his right side and stabbed her in the side of her torso. She winced as he smirked arrogantly while her grip loosened slightly. .
'Because you're either going to die now or be injured enough for them to pick you off. Zhang Yan will have your head on a pike for all the problems you gave us.' He stated as he continued to smirk at her pain, however he noticed a few seconds later she hasn't let go of his throat and used her other hand to wrap around it completely.
'W-wait…urgh…' He grabbed both of her wrists instinctually as he struggled to get even a single breath out. He tried to rip the arms off him, but he couldn't do it, how was this woman stronger than him!? He continued to choke as he found it more and more difficult to survive. His eyes fully looking at Zeng Jiangs cold expression, seemingly unfazed by the knife in her stomach. He tried to reach it but it was no use, he felt his strength weakening by the second. His eyelids fluttered as his vision starts to blur and get darker and darker. He tried frantically anything he could before he felt his strength wane, his arms became heavy like he was carrying solid bricks tied to his arms. Zheng Jiang tightened and tightened her grip until the advisor shut his eye lids and didn't gasp for breath anymore. She let go of the newly formed corpse and shrieked in pain as she couldn't hold it in anymore. She quickly pulled out the knife from her torso and went down on one knee and produced a quick yell. She was unprepared for that sudden burst of pain that coursed through her body. She breathed heavily while seething before she stood back up, holding onto one of the walls for balance support for a few moments before she let go. She couldn't fall, not yet, not here. She can't die until she has her vengeance for the one who took her sworn sisters away from her! That was her vow and she will keep it, she will not be like her husband. She will keep her promises she told herself as she ascended the stairs, leaving behind the asphyxiated corpse.
Outside of the main palace LingQi blocked an oncoming attack from Luna's mace, her body was pushed as her boots scraped against the floor due to the power of Luna's swing. She did eventually stop before Dodomeki charged forward to throw punches aimed at Luna's face. She growled ferociously before she evaded the punches before she swung her mace downwards towards Dodmeki who rolled out of the way before it made it plummeted to the ground, creating a small crater. LingQi no longer being pushed by Luna's strength she went in to strike at her from behind with both halberds. She twisted her body and used her mace to swat both halberds away to her left side as they dropped to the ground. Luna kicked LingQi in the ribs, forcing her to fall and roll backwards, the impact of the kick forced her to cough up a bit of blood as she looked up to see her swing her mace at Dodomeki going in for a punch. She slammed her fist to the ground frustration as she got up as quick as she can and sprinted towards them. Dodomeki evaded the swing of the mace as he ducked and jabbed her in the stomach a couple of times before standing up and gave her a hook punch. The punch was powerful enough to fully do a 360 degrees spin as she staggered backwards. Dodomeki did another hook punch, this time with his right arm. Once again Luna did a full spin and staggered backwards. Dodomeki tried his luck with a third punch however before he could do that Luna blocked the attack with her free hand as she grabbed his metallic gauntlet, shocking Dodomeki.
She twisted his arm with such strength and speed Dodomeki couldn't counter it as his elbow was pointed and dragged down before Luna knees it causing Dodomeki to scream in agony. It felt like arm shattered into two pieces before he felt the blunt force of Luna's mace crash against his side. The strength of the swing forced him to smash against the side of a building as she let go. He groaned as he slumped down, catching his breath as he saw Luna coming towards him before she suddenly was impaled with one of LingQi's halberd between her right breast and shoulder. Gold with a mixture of some black blood escaped her body and stained the ground like it was a splatter of paint on a blank canvas. She staggered as she looked at the sprinting LingQi with determination in her face. She took a step before she realised the halberd stuck in her. She removed it without hesitation and dropped to the ground. As she did she saw blood trickling down from the wound, she used her left hand to press against it as more blood trickled down and covered her index and middle finger. She simply looked at it, examining it as if she discovered a brand new species before shrieking demonically. In the blink of an eye she disappeared before suddenly reappearing in front of LingQi causing her to stop herself and block the oncoming overhead strike. The strength of the attack caused her to go down one knee.
Luna smashed her mace against her defence's multiple times before LingQi evaded the attack by sliding to Luna's right side and stood up while extending her halberd outwards. She swung the halberd towards Luna's neck. Luna blocked the attack with her mace with her left hand placed on the weapon side to help brace for the attack. She withdrew the attack immediately and attacked with the blade on the opposite side, aimed for the back. Luna knocked the blade away using her mace and went for an overhead strike immediately. LingQi used the momentum of the halberd being swiped away to block the attack of the mace with the other blade as she pushes the mace down as it rested on top of it. As soon as Luna finished the attack LingQi swiped her halberd towards her head hoping for a quick decapitation. Luna reeled backwards narrowly avoiding the blade as it flies past in front of her. She breathed loudly as LingQi shortly after the attack stopped only to plunge it down aiming at her torso in a stabbing motion. Luna grabbed a hold of the halberds blade prevented LingQi from completing the attack, no matter how much she really wanted to before Luna while still bending backwards threw LingQi in a quick motion over her. LingQi was already in the air as she realised what was happening and landed on her back. She kept a hold of her halberd as Luna straightened her back. LingQi could feel Luna's gaze upon her as she turned her head towards her and stepped towards and eventually loomed over her. LingQi scowled at her as she realised, she was raising her halberd high, only to do the same thing she wanted to do. Stab her.
She quickly grabbed her halberd with both hands and used all her strength to halt the progress though she found the blade looming ever so closer, she could only slow it down however as she gritted her teeth. Luna stomped on her stomach and made her cough up some more blood and wince in pain. As a result, the blade loomed even closer before she got her strength back. It inched ever so closer to her neck, LingQi sweated profusely wanting to not meet her end here, not like this. Her arms were quivering with waning strength as Luna overpowered her. When she almost felt the cold blood-stained steel penetrate her flesh she saw a flesh of grey mixed with some gold as Luna was shoved off her. She rolled on the floor completely before standing right back up, LingQi saw Dodomeki extending his out to her, she accepted quickly and stood back up with his assistance.
'Thanks for the assist.' She graciously stated to Dodomeki who chuckled.
'Don't mention it.' He responded, LingQi took a quick glimpse at Dodomeki's left arm and noticed its still limp.
'Are you sure you're ok to fight in that condition?' She questioned, worried that Dodomeki is taking an unnecessary risk with his injury.
'I can fight with one arm, this isn't the first time I've been injured.' Dodomeki replied as they both look forward to see Luna standing up right across from them. As she began to charge and roar ferociously, Dodomeki and LingQi braced themselves ready to counter if they could a spectral javelin was thrown in front of Luna. They all looked up to see a spectral black knight with some sort of pink aura surrounding it standing on top of the town wall, making them easier to spot in contrast the with the dark, black sky. It was equipped with a large tower shield as it jumps down from the wall in front of Luna. It picked up the javelin and gazed upon Luna with pink smoke being emitted from the T shaped viewing gap in its helmet before it lunged towards doing some thrusting motions as she dodged. She smacks the polearm to the ground temporarily and swung her mace to the spectres Torso only for him to block it with his tower shield. The strength of Luna however still pushed it back a lot, the loud metallic clash could be heard. Luna then turned around and swatted away two spectral arrows flying towards her position that was being fired by another spectral warrior, this time equipped with bow and arrows. Luna roared before she pursued the attacker relentlessly, the spectral warrior retreated away from LingQi and Dodomeki while the other warrior sprinted towards Luna. LingQi and Dodomeki didn't know what was going on until they heard a familiar voice behind her.
'Hmm that was someone who I didn't expect to see, are you two alright?' They looked behind to see Pang Tong there standing with his staff in his shadow hand while tipping his hat upwards to look at both in the eyes.
'Of course, however thanks for the assistance. Where were you?' LingQi questioned.
'I stayed on the outskirts of the town while the siege started, I wanted to see what exactly the reason is why our mystic friend risked his life to get Lady Mitsuko to attack. I believe I found it. I already sent an envoy to Gyuki and Diamondback to prepare themselves. It was why I intervened here, we can't afford any more fighting with that one, at least not until these are dealt with. Hence why I sent them away temporarily before leading them back.' Pang Tong explained.
'What? Then spill it, who's coming? And why would Luna want to help?'
'Luna? The other mystic? Interesting. Well its-' They all suddenly heard a large crash behind them, the very ground beneath them shook every so slightly. They gazed forward to find a large figure land in front of them who chortled to themselves armed with a trident and a relatively small kite shield. It towered to be almost 10 ft tall.
'Very perceptive to find us out sorcerer, but that will not change your fate this day, nor the fate of your serpent. You will all die by our hand. Then our vengeance will truly begin!'