Pathway

Chapter 156: Heavenstone [V]

Chang Chang weaved her hands over a talisman she had thrown in the air. A blue aura shimmered around the talisman as it slowly levitated off the ground. Guided by the motions of her hands, the talisman drifted through the air. A sheen of sweat broke out on Chang Chang's brow. This was the most powerful seal she had. It was even above her level of enlightenment of power, and if it failed, she could not try it again. She moved her fingers in intricate patterns, weaving invisible threads of magical aura. It was all she could do to keep the spiders from sealing the entrance to the iner chamber.

As she concentrated, the talismam floated over the head of one of the spiders scurrying towards the inner cavern. Chang Chang twitched her fingers, and the talisman burst into flames, dousing the spiders with fiery flames. Heedless of the flames, the mindless creature continued to lurch forward, trying to reach the inner chamber. Chang Chang weaved her hands, and the flames floated toward another zombie. Once again, the flames spread, engulfing the other spider. As she continued, Chang Chang tightened her control over the flame, and the flame spread more swiftly through the air. Finally, the flame was depleted. With a groan, Chang Chang released the power the flames. Her head throbbed with the effort, but there had been enough fire to halt the spiders. 

Ju Feng ran forward like lightming, raised his sword, aimed at the head if the spiders who were still reeling from the fire, and swung. The bronze sword traced a crimson arc through the air, then plunged directly into the center of the spider's head. For a second the spider stared stupidly at the hilt of the sword embedded in its body. Then, all at once, the spider burst into crimson flame and crumbled on the floor. Legs waving spastically, the spider squealed and fell on its back, exploding in a spray of charred flesh.

Ju Feng released another swing of his sword, and the other writhing spider  was engulfed in a pillar of searing flame. The flame of the seal was now working its full power. Gripping the tingling hilt of his sword, Ju Feng slowly approached the open entrance to the inner chamber. He glanced at Chang Chang who was now beside him. She nodded as they continued walking towards the entrance. 

Inside the inner chamber, they saw the round stone on one of the silver holders. The Heavenstone. Cautiously, they approached. Checking for any traps, Chang Chang held out her hands and grabbed the red stone. Immediately, a giant wrath materialised in front of them

The wrath stood before the two of them, steering wildly, its back to entrance. As the two of them tried to adjust their footing, the wrath moved. The wrath moved alarmingly alarmingly fast. Just when it seemed the wrath would run through them, the chamber suddenly tilted in the opposite direction, and the wrath swivels in its direction, running dangerously close to the left side of the cavern. A deep, throbbing roar now mingled with the frothy voice in the tunnel

Ju Feng and Chang Chang quickly moved towards the entrance. Without warning, the wrath appeared before them. Its dead black eyes saw them, and the death aura coming from it doubled. Ju Feng swore under his breath. The blasted, god forsaken evil creature. He sprang forward, hoping to make his swing. The wrath weaved with surprising speed and raised its deadly claws, blocking Ju Feng's blow. Ju Feng grunted as a jolt of pain ran up his arm. He stumbled backward, then caught himself. Chang Chang swiftly attack with her glacier only to be repelled too. The wrath was stronger than the others they had met in this tunnel. Perhaps it was the true revenant of the guardian?  Regardless, they now stood before a foe who would not be as easily defeated as the others.

Ju Feng crouched warily, looking for an opening. He feinted left, trying to draw the wrath's attack in that direction so that Chang Chang could attack from the other side. However, such subtle moves were quite lost upon the wrath. Utterly ignoring the feint, the wrath charged forward. Ju Feng barely managed to spin aside, avoiding the wrath's lumbering blow. Before Ju Feng could fully recover, the wrath charged again, claws raised. The move caught Ju Feng completely off guardno sensible opponent would move so madly, leaving himself completely open. Of course, the wrath had no need to follow the rules of the living. It was an unread.

Exploiting the opening created by the wrath's upraised sword arm, Chang Chang lashed out with her glaive, slicing through the wrath's shadowy form and carving a deep gash across its side. Once again she realized her mistake and tried to move away. Any living opponent would have stumbled back in response to this grievous wound, but the wrath, oblivious to pain, did not hesitate to charge. It swung its claws at Chang Chang in a wild arc. It was so fast that it caught her by surprise. Chang Chang tried to lunge out of the path of the claw, but she was too slow. The deadly tips of the claws traced stinging lines across her left side. Chang Chang gasped, her head reeling with sudden pain. She clutched at her side with her free hand, and his fingers came away wet with blood.

Ju Feng quickly reacted with his sword and the wrath charged at him heedlessly. He parried a series of bludgeoning blows that left no chance for a counterstroke. Ju Feng tried to reach for Chang Chang, but he nearly got his hand cut off. Then he drew the wrath away from Chang Chang. Steadily, the wrath's mindless advances pushed Ju Feng backward, away from the injured Chang Chang. The throbbing roar grew louder, echoing deafeningly off the rough stone walls of the cavern.

Ju Feng had to turn his head back to the wrath, or lose it. With renewed urgency, he fended off the wrath's attacks and even gained some ground. However, he knew it was only a matter of moments until the wrath reached him, at which time he wouldn't be able to see how Chang Chang was faring. Without warning, crimson light flared behind him. Ju Feng risked a second glance over his shoulder, and what he saw almost made him drop his sword in surprise. The approaching wrath had burst into flame. Writhing and burning, it stumbled away. Even as he watched, scarlet fire engulfed the wrath completely. He turned around to see Chang Chang performing a hand seal. She was fine. Despite his predicament, Ju Feng could not suppress a sharp-toothed smileshe was alive and still fighting.

It had bought him time. The fire could never kill the wrath but could slow it down. Ignoring the searing pain in his side, Ju Feng attacked the cloaked figure with redoubled vigor, driving him back toward the main entrance. Somewhere the boulders of the cavern cracked like old bones. Decayed limbs unable to keep their balance, the zombie captain stumbled backward against the ship's wheel. It was now or never.

Ju Feng sprang forward, letting the cursed saber have free rein. The blade struck once, hewing off one of the wrath's clawed arm. Then it swung again, severing the wrath's other arm. Finally, the cosmic weapon pulled pulled Ju Feng forward in a mighty thrust. The blade pierced the wrath's heart. And with one clean swing, he removed the head of the wrath. Ju Feng took out one bloodroot pill and gave it to Chang Chang. They made their way out of the inner chamber. Going out of the outer chamber, they could still hear the faint echoes of the distant battles. They couldnt help but wondered what the the cloaked figure was fighting all this while. 

With a cautious approach, they left the cavern and headed towards the other side, away from the battle echoes. For a terrified moment they thought something or someone was going to come after them before the could leave the ruins. There was a horrible splintering sound as the port side of the hull grated against the rough stone wall. They were tossed to their knees as the cavern convulsed violently. Then the grating noise ceased and the shaking ended.  They climbed to their feet, gazing in silence at the open exit ahead. They had done it.

"Chang Chang!" 

Ju Feng cried out beside her. 

"I think that we're in a spot of trouble."

Chang Chang turned to see what Ju Feng was pointing at. Behind them, the entire aft section of the cavern was in flames, thick smoke drifting in the air.

"We have to hurry before we're sealed inside." 

Chang Chang agreed, as they both hurried towards the edit. Something is sealing the tunnels. The tremors are signs of the impending collapse of the tunnel too. They agreed they didn't want to be there when that happened. When the tremors strikes the cavern wall, large rips would be torn along the tunnels. With renewed vigour, they made haste.