Chapter 99: Afterlife

Chapter 99: Afterlife

Vizens laughter rang across the marble. His clones charged Chance and Bella, green Essence sharpening into weapons in their hands. Chance whipped his urumi in a wide circle, calling out a warning to Bella, who dropped to the ground.

Golden mist spilled out from him, washing across the ground around them as the segmented blades of his weapon carved into Vizens clones. They carved clean through everything they touched, burning through the dark liquid that made them up without resistance.

For every clone that splattered to the ground, another erupted in its place. Chance twirled, yanking his urumi back and carving through another few clones in the process. The ground rumbled and a ring of stones erupted from the marble all around them, forming a spiked fence.

Several of the clones impaled themselves before they could stop, sliding along the rock before slumping down and splattering to the marble beneath. Cracks spread through the marble and rubble shook itself free, forming into Ocies golem form.

How many of you are there? Vizens voice hissed from all around them. Are you an entire sect?

Thats pretty ironic, coming from you, Bella replied, her jaw tight. She lowered her voice and glanced at Chance. What should we do? There are a lot of them, and I dont think attacking these is going to do much to hurt Vizen.

Im not sure, Chance admitted, struggling to keep a chuckle down. His Essence wasnt a huge fan of planning fights out. It urged him to leap over the barricade of jagged stones and start twirling the urumi, consequences be damned. That would have been much more fun.

Chance shook his head and narrowed his eyes. Ocie?

I can locate his true form, Ocie said. It may take time. My senses are limited here.

Vizen cackled. A pile of sentient rocks against a cultivator. Lets see you try, artifact. Ill consume you once Ive dealt with the children.

The clones lurched forward, climbing over each other in a wave of bodies and cresting the spikes that Ocie had erected.

Do it! Chance yelled. He jumped, boosting off the base of one of the rocks and launching himself into the air. It was tempting to call on the powers Knight rank had granted him, but Chance resisted the urge. If he could surprise Vizen with them once the mans real body was forced out, theyd be more effective.

Instead, Chance opened his third eye. Strands of Karma ran in every direction, rising up from the marble like a sea of seaweed. Chance couldnt tell where they actually originated from. It looked like Vizen was literally everywhere around them.

A clone lurched toward Chance, slashing at him with an arm that ended in a scythe. He flicked his urumi, binding around the clones arm and severing it. With another pirouette, Chance split the body in two and killed three more of them before they could get close.

One of Vizens bodies sailed through the air and crashed into a pile of several others, turning them all into a splatter of black liquid. Chance glanced over his shoulder as Bella climbed over the edge of the spiked rocks and grabbed another one of the clones, ignoring its attempts to cut through her Essence-enforced skin, and hurled it as well.

This is pretty fun! Kind of like bowling! Bella called to Chance.

Chance laughed. He ducked under a blow and his essence caught another one of the clones. It tripped, falling into the path of another ones sword and impaling itself. Chance dispatched both of them with a swift strike.

You have bowling here? Chance asked, swaying to dodge another two strikes. I thought that was an Earth thing.

He reached out, snagging one of the strands of Karma that emerged from the ground. Chance only got a moment to see within it, where the glowing form of another cultivators face stared back at him, before energy rushed into his body.

Power filled Chances muscles and he sped up noticeably, easily avoiding a group of clones that all dove for him in an attempt to pin him down. Chances laughter trailed behind him as he danced through the watery forms of Vizen, carving through them like a golden tornado.

Behind him, a massive group of the clones rose up around Bella, all clawing at her to absolutely no effect. She waded through their ranks, every swing of her fists splattering heads and sending their bodies splashing back to the ground.

Chance swirled to a stop as he realized that no more clones had gathered around him. The ground rippled, a pool of black forming around him. He vaulted back, launching off his hands and landing safely a dozen feet away as a huge form burst out of the marble.

Instead, the ground rumbled. Ocie rose up from the earth, her arm sharpened into a long spike. Vizen was speared on the end of it, his eyes wide in disbelief. The green armor on his body flickered faintly, and he was far skinnier and more withered than all the clones hed been forming.

I dont

Ocies other arm flashed. Vizens head pitched forward and fell to the ground, severed. With a flick, Ocie tossed the corpse down beside its head. All around them, the clones splattered to the ground and formed into pools of black. They shimmered, slowly fading away until nothing was left.

I found him, Ocie said. He was so focused on the two of you that he forgot to conceal his Essence.

Chance let his urumi lower and released his hold on his Essence, pulling it back into himself. That was easier than I expected, actually.

He was preying on the weak, Bella said in disgust. Nobody that cultivates like that will ever be truly powerful. He probably hasnt been properly challenged in years. What a waste of talent. Imagine how powerful the ability to form bodies like that would have been on someone who wasnt a waste of oxygen.

Chance nodded in agreement. His urumi slithered back around his wrist, turning into a bracelet. He got what was coming to him. I do wonder what he cultivated, though.

Strife, Ocie said. I felt it when I ran him through. I suspect he was stronger than the two of you believe. His powers were just borderline worthless against people that actually trust each other. An unfortunate matchup.

Chance and Bella glanced at each other.

Perhaps it was Karma, Chance suggested, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips.

Did he have anything on him? Bella asked, approaching Vizens true body.

Ocie shook her rocky head, the stones grinding as they scraped against each other. Nothing of worth. He was no better off than those that he looked down on.

Figures, Chance said with a sad shake of his head. We should definitely get out of here before more cultivators get teleported to the same spot. Do you want to choose the direction this time, Bella?

Bella raised an eyebrow. Seriously? Why would I do that when we have a literal wayfinder built in to your Essence?

Last time, it led us to an Essence Eater.

Which you reached Knight Rank from defeating, Bella pointed out. Maybe next time itll be my turn.

She has a point. When it comes to games of luck, there is nobody better to pick than a Karma cultivator, Ocie said. But I will take my leave.

She crumbled back to marble, leaving a small pile of rubble where shed once stood. Bella nudged Chance.

Go on.

That way, I guess, Chance said, picking a direction at random after calling on his Essence. Theres a ruin over there that looks interesting. Maybe itll have some more loot for us.

Works for me.

Chance sent one last glance back at the men that Vizen had killed. He inclined his head respectfully, mentally wishing them a safe journey into whatever came next.

Then the two of them set back off, leaving Vizen behind, accompanied by only the men hed just slaughtered to the afterlife.