Pathway

Chapter 152: Heavenstone [1]

For a few endless moments, Chang Chang and Ju Feng stared at each other in anticipation. Both of them knew what was about to happen. Either to run or stay. To flee could be fatal for them. Ju Feng tensed as he watched deadly tendrils of energy steam leak from an opening in the under ground. He looked at the shadowy tendrils and glanced at Chang Chang. They drew back from the probing acts of the tendrils. At any moment, the tendrils could make a move. It could strike at them. Ju Feng held his bronze sword before him like a shield, wondering if he had the strength to withstand what was about to happen.

There were moments in life so charged with terrible possibility and so rife with hushed warnings that everything seems to slow to a near stop in anticipation. Those who experience such moments always remember later how clear everything seemedhow much they distinctly recalledor they remember nothing at all. For Ju Feng, it would be the former. His gaze fixed on tow shadowy tendrils with an intensity that, if visceral, would have burned a hole completely through the tendrils. 

When they saw the tendrils movea barely noticeable shifting of fingers that a less experienced man would have missed completelythey threw themselves to one side. Even so, the deadly energy of the tendrils from the underground whistled close enough that they could feel their deadly powers.

As they both struck the ground, they rolled. Chang Chang threw a seal into the and a deep layer of fog, momentarily covered them like invisibility cloaks. Ju Feng knew the shield wouldn't stand for long. The tendrils would break it. They would have to fight their way through. As if to prove his point, he watched the shadowy tendrils sliced through the insubstantial brume of their concealment. He glanced at Chang Chang who pointed to the place where they had landed moments earlier, dark flames of destruction bursting brightly as they struck the hard earth, leaving scorch marks in their wake.

Shadow-Flame elemental powers. Extremely destructive force.

Ju Feng got to his knees, his sword still in his hands, as he waited for whatever was to happen next. The shafow-flame crackled with powerful dark aura, and he knew the owner of the tendrils was hunting for them. Following the cues of Chang Chang, he flattened himself against the ground within the mist, scooting swiftly to one side as the shafow-flame burned all around them in dark lines. He told himself to be patient, not to panic. 

But how much more was required before the owner showed itself?

Then they heard someone scream from inside the underground tunnel, the sound sharp and piercing, but they could not tell whose scream it was. A roar of anger surfaced at the end of the scream, high-pitched and terrifying, dying almost immediately into an oddly strange growling that then went silent. The shadow-flame tendrils disappeared back into the ground. Chang Chang stared at Ju Feng wondering what was happening, too. She sprang to her feet in response, certain that something was going on and it involved the Heavenstone they were seeking. She could swear it. 

Emerging from the layer of fog-covered trees, they saw the cloaked figures they had seen earlier. The figure was already turning toward the entrance to the underground. The figure's dark form slouching for the opening. The figure made a hand seal, and the blade the figure was holding blazed to life with the glow of its magic. Bloodflame. The figure turned back momentarily, then gave them a dismissive look and took another step toward the opening. 

The figure was about to enter when a massive creature emerged fromFade filled the entry with her considerable bulksnarling jaws, muzzle pulled back to reveal her huge, curved fangs. Even from where they were standing almost twenty feet away, they heard the gasp that escaped the cloaked figure's lips. It was a man's voice. The man was momentarily paralyzed by the suddenness of the creature's appearance, but he quickly regained itself. It was only one of the dreadwolves. 

The minions of the Drydra. The creature with the tendrils.

The man raised his blazing sword and attack like lightning. The resulting howl was bloodcurdling. The creature gritted its teeth against the pain, emitting a dangerous growl, then shook its body free as it attacked the man. The creature was extremely fast too. It clawed and bit the man like phantom ghost. The man's response was more a roar than a scream. When shaking his attacker off failed to work, he finally reached down with both hands, fastened his fingers on the creature's neck, then yanked it loose and threw it across the open place.

Then, in the next instant it had disappeared back into the underground. But almost without looking, the man removed a talisman from his spatial sac and threw it into the opening, and jumped inside.

Cautiously, Ju Feng and Chang Chang followed them inside, into the underground. Inside the underground, they could hear the raging battle between the man and dreadwolf. The two of them, having entered the tunnel soundlessly, watched the fight between the two powers. Beyond them was the Drydra, the guardian. This they could tell. The Drydra had the Heavenstone, but they were now faced with the threat of the man. Maybe he was after the Heavenstone too. 

They would have to find another route. More dreadwolves were still out there, possibly blocking their path. Gently, they took another path. To their surprise, there were no dreadwolves blocking their way. But they could still hear the faint echoes of the battle between the man and the dreadwolf.

Dreadwolves?

More than one dreadwolf. That was why they didn't see any dreadwolf blocking their path. They had gone to the battle point. Moving forward a bit, they saw the guardian, holding a girl. It dangled the girl some inches from it and held her up with no apparent effort. 

Chang Chang took out her bow and fired a blood arrow at the guardian without wasting time. The arrow ran into the Drydra with such force that it knocked the drydra backward onto the floor. The girl was flung and her head slammed against the wooden planks as she fell, but it seemed to have no effect. Her eyes fixed on the drydra, filled with malice, and her hands began to summon her own dark aura.

Then the drydra changed its appearance. It became a huge and forbidding beasts with darkflame tendrils. It towered over the girl, one great tendril circling around her with overpowering energy. The sent a spear of dark flame at the dry era just as a tendril hit her form the side. The girl gasped, the breath rushing from her lungs from the weight of that tendril. In seconds, she was almost knocked unconscious.

Again, the drydra changed its stance.

Had there been more time to think about it, they would have prepared a battle plan. But at this point they were only thinking about getting out of there as quickly as possibleof going somewhere safe to plan. 

The fog had risen considerably; it was now almost to the cottage roof. Deep in its midst, the magic of the Sword of Leah was scattering arcs of brightness as it cut at the vapor.

"Chang!" Ju Feng shouted.

"Feng!" Chang Chang managed to yell, and then her voice was cut off by the impact.

The girl realized what was happening and responded at once, pointing the magical artifact toward the hydra. Brilliant blue light blazed to life and flashed into the thickest of the tendrils. As it burrowed in, the tentacles drew back with a shudder, shrinking away from the artifact's power as if burned.

Seconds later it was back to its former depth of about three feet, and the girl could be seen standing within it. The artifact was burning with intensity as the girl fell on her knees. She was choking and gasping as she breathed the night air, but she signaled to Ju Feng and Chang Chang that she was all right. She threw the artifact at the drydra as they made for the concealment of the tunnels, together. They were anxious to get clear before the atifact exploded.

After the artifact exploded, the girl looked at the Ju Feng and Chang Chang before nodding.

"The dydra isnt dead. It will be angrier than before. I suggest you take whatever youre after and disappear before then."

"What about you?"

Ju Feng asked.

"I came for the Hydracrown. I have it. By the way, thanks for your help back there. See you later."

The girl wheeled around and disappeared.

"We have to go back now!"

Chang Chang grabbed Ju Feng's arm.

"If we take too long, it will beva great problem. Look, that drydra, is too powerful to face alone. We have to act when its weak."

Ju Feng looked at Chang Chang, but finally nodded. He was only worried for her. She was going out of her way to help him. He would be angry with himself if anything was to happen to her.

"Let's hurry, then."