Yan Jin's voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "Catch!" he called, hurling the ornate box through the air toward Nie Li. The box spun rapidly, catching the corrupted light in flashes of gold and red, and for a split second, all eyes followed its trajectory. Nie Li's instincts kicked in as he reached up, snatching the box mid-air, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion.
But Yan Jin's next move was even more shocking. Without hesitation, he turned and leaped directly into the maelstrom of corrupted energy, vanishing into the seething darkness below. The swirling vortex of corrupted plasma and dark energy enveloped him, distorting the air around it, and swallowing Yan Jin whole.
"What are you doing?" Nie Li shouted after him, but Yan Jin was already gone, lost in the churning sea of corruption.
The Bloodwitch Matriarch's eyes widened, and with a swift motion, she and her corrupted entourage charged forward, their forms blurring as they dove into the maelstrom after Yan Jin, desperate to intercept him. She could not let Yan Jin gain whatever power lay hidden within the core, not after all her years of careful planning.
With Yan Jin and the Bloodwitches now deep within the corrupted abyss, Nie Li found himself suddenly the focal point of the battlefield. Holding the coveted box, he became a glaring target amid the chaos. The energies within the box called to everyone present, their whispers like a siren's song, promising unimaginable power.
Nie Li's expression twisted into a snarl. He spun around to find himself surrounded on all sides. Corrupted plasma cells were converging, writhing masses of dark energy that pulsed and spat volatile bursts of destructive force. Their presence was suffocating, and each one buzzed with a hunger that spoke of madness and decay.
The City Lord, seeing the devastation spreading throughout Pine City, could no longer afford to remain in the fight. His heart heavy, he turned away from the escalating confrontation. "Protect the city!" he shouted to his guards, his voice filled with a mix of urgency and despair. He leapt into the air, leaving the core room behind, his form streaking across the burning cityscape below.
He knew he had to act quickly to organize a defense and save what remained of his people.
Nearby, Purple Spear Meng and Patriarch Yan clashed violently, their auras colliding with explosive force. Meng's amethyst armor glimmered darkly as he swung his spear, its tip crackling with energy, while Patriarch Yan parried with brutal efficiency, his intent clear—to keep Meng occupied and away from Nie Li.
The ground beneath them quaked as Sacha landed blow after blow, his claws rending the stone, and his beak snapping with a deafening clack that echoed through the chamber. Nie Li struggled to maintain his footing, each step feeling heavier as the corrupted energy weighed down on him, sapping his strength.
"You think you can stand against me?" Sacha roared, his voice distorted, almost unrecognizable as it echoed with the corruption that had consumed him. "Give me the box, and I'll make your death quick!"
Nie Li's grip tightened on his spear. "You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!" he spat back, lunging forward with a burst of golden light. His spear pierced the air, striking toward Sacha's chest with the precision of a lightning bolt.
But the Garuda twisted, his scales deflecting the blow as he countered with a sweeping strike of his wing, sending Nie Li skidding back, his armor dented and smoking.
The battle raged on, each exchange more brutal than the last. Sacha's corrupted energy lashed out in waves, twisting the air and warping the space around them. Dark tendrils sprouted from the ground, grasping at Nie Li's legs and slowing his movements. He slashed at them with his spear, but more kept coming, and with each passing second, the corrupted energy seemed to grow stronger.
Nie Li's breaths came ragged as he locked eyes with the monstrous Garuda. It was clear that this was no ordinary battle; Sacha's corrupted form was a force of nature, one that Nie Li knew he couldn't overpower alone. Desperation gripped him as the realization dawned that if he didn't act quickly, the entire city would be destroyed.
With a swift motion, he hurled the box containing the stem cell toward Patriarch Yan. The ornate container spun through the air, glinting ominously in the corrupted light, before the terrified patriarch snatched it with trembling hands.
"Run! Get out of here!" Nie Li shouted, his voice cracking with urgency. He watched as the patriarch, fear etched into every line of his face, didn't hesitate. In a blur of movement, Patriarch Yan bolted out of the core room, his feet barely touching the ground as he flew upward into Pine City.
The corrupted Garuda's eyes narrowed with a predatory gleam as it fixed on its new target, then let out a shriek that reverberated through the crumbling cave. With a powerful flap of its massive wings, the Garuda took off after the patriarch, its monstrous form cutting through the air with terrifying speed.
Nie Li's heart sank as he watched the corrupted Garuda ascend toward the city. "You idiot, you're going to get everybody killed!" Purple Spear Meng roared at Nie Li, his voice dripping with fury and frustration. Without another word, Meng took off after the Garuda, his spear crackling with energy as he desperately tried to minimize the inevitable carnage that was about to befall Pine City.