Chapter 295: Shot Through the Heart

"Ah, a woman after my own heart. What kind of cleansing flames might you have?" said Li Hong somehow seeming entirely sincere as he knocked an arrow and pointed it straight at her.

"Um… these are just my flames?" said Kat confused as to why she was even being asked such a question in the middle of battle.

Li Hong nodded and shouted "Arrows of spreading flame"

The arrow Li Hong released, shot straight at Kat, but before she could react, it suddenly split into four, then each of those four split again into sixteen, then once more into sixty four. *Well… shit.* Kat checked her reserves and they were… at acceptable levels. The wall of arrows covered almost an entire human's natural field of view. For Kat however, she could see beyond that, and spotted one glaring flaw in the technique. She had wings.

Jumping straight up, Kat had to boost herself to max to ensure she escape the full force of the arrows.

Li Hong let out a long whistle when he saw Kat jump over the arrows, and it increased in pitch when he saw that she was hovering above the field now, simply flapping her wings. "Well I'll be. Those wings aren't just for show. Hu! Finish the runt off, I'm going to need some help" said Li Hong

"If you insist" said Hu. And in one swift motion, before Kat could even consider what those words really meant, Hu turned to face Xiang who was using his qi to go as fast as possible, causing his movements to blur slightly to the disciples. Still, it was nothing compared to Hu. "Heavenly Flame Lance!" shouted Hu, summoning what actually look more like a pike really, and shoving it straight into Xiang's heart.

Kat froze in the air, only her wing's ingrained instincts keeping her in the air, as she watched Xiang collapse. *Wh… what? He… he's dead? Oh… I… what do I do? I mean… I… Do I get revenge? I mean… I don't… I don't know that I care enough… but… that's wrong? But isn't killing people in revenge wrong… but… I didn't… wha…*

Kat's internal issues were brought to an abrupt end, when Li Hong shouted "Now you aren't near anything precious I can do this. Great Flaming Arrow of Muspelheim"

The arrow Li Hong knocked was glowing brightly, the few sparks that seemed to fall off the arrow instantly charred the grass it hit. The fire was burnt out so quickly it didn't even have time to spread.

Li Hong loosed the arrow and it went straight for Kat. She still hadn't recovered enough to make intelligent decisions, and so she simply watched as it came straight for her. Some part of her told her that moving out of the way was a good idea, but another part said it didn't matter.

The flaming arrow struck Kat right in the stomach, the force from it pushed straight through her body and out the other side. The flames dispersed across her, clinging to her clothes but Kat just let her energy pool around the wound and watched it close up. The fire to her was a pleasant warmth. Where the golden fire did actually burn, likely because it actually had acidic properties, this attack was pure heat. So much that it retained enough physical force to pierce clean through her stomach, but once that was done, it wasn't even enough to char her skin slightly or burn her hair.

Instead the warmth was pleasant, and, had she not just witnessed Xiang's death, comforting. However, instead, Kat mostly just felt cold. Kat turned her gaze to Li Hong, and he stared back open mouthed. Kat's eyes had dulled, making it clear she wasn't quite all home.

However, to Li Hong who had just watched one of his strongest attacks be shrugged off like it was nothing, watched cloth and flesh weave themselves back together, and then to have those soulless eyes looking back at him caused no small amount of fear. So he did what he thought he had to, and shouted. "Hu! Summon Father!"

"And you lot! Watching from the windows, come gather the others. Get the younger disciples!" shouted Li Hong with but an extra seconds thought.

*Well. This is fine.* Thought Kat as she burned. The flame was so hot that when it struck Kat, it raised her body temperature enough to set the nearby air on fire. It wasn't an issue for Kat of course, but the flames didn't seem to be stopping just yet. *System. What do I even do now? I mangled that contract with Xiang so that I wouldn't HAVE to help him… and now he's dead? Why am I even still here… I mean… I just… revenge isn't for me really… I knew that… and I guess… I won't say he deserves it but I can't help but think this is what happens when you try for revenge.* 

User Kat. Summoner Xiang has yet to perish. If User Kat examined the Contract User Kat would see it is still in effect. 

Kat's eyes widened as she glanced down at Xiang in the dirt. He very clearly had a large hole burnt into his chest where his heart would be if he was anything close to healthy. *Excuse me what?*

D.E.M.O.N.S will repeat. User Kat. Summoner Xiang has yet to perish. If User Kat examined the Contract User Kat would see it is still in effect. 

*WHAT!* Kat's mind was ripped out of its daze, as the cogs turned rapidly and caught up to the fact that Xiang was not in fact dead. *Seriously? He isn't dead? How is he not dead?*

D.E.M.O.N.S is unsure. Would require further investigation. 

Before Kat could ask any other questions however, she heard the words "Flaming Hand!" from somewhere nearby. A second latter, she was slammed on her head with a great force, and shot straight towards the ground. After a few metres of travel, Kat flared her wings and looked around still stunned, as she let herself drift to the ground.

"Hmph. She is not so impressive. Couldn't even dodge a simple attack" said a someone Kat couldn't see, and whose voice seemed to come from multiple places at once. "Sons I'll let you deal with her together, though if she takes flight again I'll just knock her down"

"Yes Father" said Li Hong and Hu in sink.

Kat noticed the disciples behind Hu and Li Hong had started picking up the injured and taking them away. They looked like they were trying to be sneaky, so Kat just let them go, she was busy thinking…

*Um… I mean… I could probably have dodged that… I was a little stunned trying to take in the fact that Xiang is apparently alive despite missing his heart. Actually system, what makes you think he is alive?*

Summoner Xiang still has his soul bound to his body. Thus he counts as alive.

*Wait does that mean… like… undead or whatever they are called? Those walking skeletons I've heard about in stories… assuming they are real, do they count as alive?*

Yes. 

*Well ok then.*

"Is she ignoring us brother?" asked Hu

"I think she is brother" responded Li Hong

Kat turned to face the two brothers, who at some point had ended up standing beside each other. "Sorry, I got distracted" said Kat. *Maybe if I can keep them talking, I can even regen a bit of energy?* Kat checked her reserves and let herself wince. She really hadn't been careful. She was down to just half now. *I wonder where most of it went? Healing maybe? Or perhaps it was when I burnt off that gold fire… Actually, is healing from a bunch of little burns worse than the one big hole in my stomach? That's something that would be nice to know. System?*

Unsure. D.E.M.O.N.S requires more data. 

"Is she doing it again brother?" asked Li Hong

"It seems so" responded Hu

Kat smiled awkwardly "Yeah sorry. Just have a lot on my mind you know"

"Right…" said Li Hong. "If you surrender, we are willing to execute you painlessly if you provide us some information"

*Um… why do they think I'm nearly out?* "Why? I mean. I quite like living thanks. Plus, I'm really not that tired you know" said Kat

"But you keep using abilities without a chant naming them. That takes way more qi" said Hu

"It does?" asked Kat

"It doesn't" shouted the disembodied voice of their faither

"Wait what? But dad you said…" started Li Hong

"It only takes more when you aren't practiced enough at it. You see me using a chant for this ability?" said the father.

"Ooooh" said Li Hong and Hu

"Well, I guess we should attack then Hu" said Li Hong

"Yup, the fool didn't even notice that we managed to buy time for the rest of the disciples to sneak away" said Hu

"Ah…" said Kat. *Do I tell them I saw the whole thing? No… I'll just… let them think I didn't notice. It seems almost rude to point out how comically bad their stealth was.*