Chapter 615

Chapter 615

The new Legate died, and what followed after was a tragic comedy of errors.

Despite standing right in the thick of things and experiencing the events firsthand, Binesi could neither make heads nor tails of the jumbled situation, and he hoped the historians wouldnt bungle the job too badly in their hamfisted attempts to apply logic and reasoning to this preposterous chain of events. Two things were for certain though: todays history would be written in blood, and there would be no victors in the Empire.

Still reeling from witnessing the death of one Scion, Binesi cursed at the elder Scion who appeared moments too late to save Jixing, but all too perfectly timed to add oil to the fire. What reason did this old fart have to accuse Rain of rebellion? The boy risked his life approaching the Death Corps alone and unguarded in hopes of resolving this conflict without bloodshed, and any reasonable person would have accepted defeat. Now, a single Wraith and an incompetent guardian ruined all of Rains hard work in an instant, and Binesi was angrier with the Scion because someone as old as he should at least know better. Because of his foolish, feckless screeching, Death Corps and Imperial Warriors alike were charging forward to fight instead of watching for subsequent Wraith attacks. Ever the hero, the Colonel General was already moving to intercept, his weapon hanging at his side so as not to convey the wrong message, and for this, he paid the ultimate price.

It all happened in the blink of an eye, but to Binesi, this singular moment stretched out into an eternity. Frozen in place and helpless to act, his heart skipped as dozens of Wraiths appeared the moment the first sounds of battle rang out, having taken full advantage of Rain and Jixings verbal exchange to sneak in amongst the crowds of Concealed spectators. This was a target-rich environment if there ever was one, and Binesis first reaction was not to parry the poisoned Wraith dagger plummeting towards him from just at the edge of his periphery, but to get in position to defend the Colonel General, who was alone and exposed up on the stage. The Enemy couldnt have picked a worse time to act, for Binesi and the rest of the Colonel Generals guard were all standing in plain view, taking their cue from the Colonel General to reveal themselves and lend their support to Falling Rains proposal to have the Imperial brat Jixing stand trial on grounds of incompetence. As mere guards, they couldnt well take the stage with the Colonel General either, so while he was standing within arms reach in an elevated position, a centimetre short was no different from a metre short when it came to matters of life and death.

Despite anticipating an attack, both the Colonel General and Binesi underestimated their foes speed and strength, for it was no Peak Expert Wraith who appeared, but the Bloody Confessor himself, looking resplendent with his perfect features despite being covered from head to toe in unrecognizable filth. His hooked sword flashed through the air and for a moment, Binesi almost celebrated the Colonel Generals quick escape, until he saw the first droplets of blood burst out in a spray of crimson mist. The Wraiths dagger thudding into Binesis shoulder almost felt like an afterthought, the physical pain nothing compared to his inner turmoil as he watched Living Legend Nian Zu breathe his last. The pain gave way to anger, anger to wrath, so Binesi left the owner of the dagger to die on Yukuns spear and charged the hated Confessor with unbridled ferocity.

Even as he attacked, he knew it was a mistake. This was not what the Colonel General would have wanted. He was a man of the people, and if he had but one breath of life left in him, he would have gladly wasted it in a futile attempt to convince the Imperial Scion to cease hostilities and rein the Bekhai back in. Alas, Binesi was not the Colonel General. Though a loyal man of the Empire, he was not built for command and held the rank of Major without having ever commanded a single soldier in battle, unless it was command by proxy. No, he was a simple mountain warrior who pledged his loyalty and allegiance not to the Emperor, not to the Bekhai, not to the Imperial Clan or Army, but to a single man who saw the potential in a young, wild warrior from the mountains and gave him the help and guidance he so sorely needed. In return, Binesi swore to follow the Colonel General into the Fathers Maw itself if need be, but now, this was no longer possible.

Shooting Star Nian Zu, the guardian of the North, the Hero of the Wall, and the idol of three generations was dead, so Binesi would avenge his hero even if it meant the Empire had to burn for it.

He was not alone in his thoughts, and though he stood closest to the Colonel Generals position, Clearsky Bao beat Binesi to the punch, howling in abject denial as his signature blue-steel sabre lanced towards Goujians chest amidst a booming clap of thunder. A swarthy, heavyset man, Clearskys plump build belied the dazzling speed and inhuman agility which earned him his title, for no matter the weather, it was all Clear Skies for big Bao, the fastest man in all the North who travelled high above the clouds and left naught but thunder in his wake. The Clearsky Sabre met with hooked sword, and credit where credit was due, Goujian responded with a textbook parry, slapping the sabre aside with frightening precision and unholy strength. Despite having the full force of a horizontal Cloud-Step behind it, Clearsky Bao found himself batted aside like a ragdoll by his deceptively strong foe and immediately lost the initiative. It was a mistake to go in so hot, but Binesi could forgive his comrade in arms, because if not for Clearskys speed, Binesi would have been the one to suffer the consequences.

Which, as it turned out, was a shoulder check which caved Clearskys chest in with an audible crack and sent his corpse sailing back into the crowd.

Though horrified at the ease with which Goujian dealt with his comrade, Binesis righteous fury allowed no room for hesitation as he struck at the Confessors exposed back, whereupon he experienced the inexplicable strength of his foe for himself. The Colonel General had cautioned them to be wary of Goujians physical prowess, but there were no words to describe the vast disparity between his perceived and actual strength. The Confessor was no wilting violet, a tall, slim, willowy Martial Warrior rather than a hulking, musclebound one, but even the errant force of a rushed parry was enough to set Binesis teeth to shaking, as if hed just been hit by a moving mountain travelling faster than the eye could follow. Wielding his hooked sword like a paper prop, Goujian flourished it in a dazzling display of speed, finesse, and control to test Binesis defences, and even the slightest touch of their weapons left his hands numb and muscles strained. Once, twice, thrice, a dozen times they traded blows, and each time Binesi thought his end was nigh, but despite holding the upper hand, the Confessor fought using measured strokes and deliberate caution, his lower body locked in place as he twisted and contorted his upper torso to avoid pivoting or shuffling about.

Again, the Colonel Generals warnings came to mind, and Binesi made sure to share his findings. His feet, he called, and Yukun responded to the call, his signature Singing Spear warbling as it rippled through the air like a sinuous snake. In response, Goujians lower body rippled as well, seemingly moving left then appearing on the right to avoid Yukuns attack, and again, Binesi responded in kind. Partial Concealment, he shouted, knowing Yukun and the others knew enough to pick up on the warning, but just to be safe, he Sent, His hands and feet will lie, so watch his shoulders and hips for warning.

Giving Binesi a brief look warning him not to teach his grandmother to suck eggs, Yukun fluttered above the stage and neatly trapped the Confessor between them, one attacking from high and the other, low. Immovable Binesi and Singing Spear Shi Yukun, how the common folk did so love to compare them, solely because they were the two most prominent spear users of the Famed Fifty. It didnt matter that their styles were polar opposites and their weapons differed in almost every way save for name, they were spear users and that was the end of that. In truth, it was like comparing a wolf and a tiger, two predators who hunted in vastly differing ways. Binesi favoured standing his ground and using his advantage of reach against his foes, whilst Yukuns spear was shorter and more flexible which combined with his flowing aerial movements allowed him to strike from unexpected angles, especially if the opponent expected the Singing Spear to behave like a regular spear.

Goujian most certainly didnt, which showed hed done his research, again aiming for the tip of the spear rather than the bendable shaft to avoid its flexible serpentine bite. An uncanny feat of vision and precision to track the winding, deceptive weapon in time to execute a textbook parry, but the Confessor was still human yet. Eager to take advantage of his foes distraction, Binesi shifted his grip to the end of his spear and slashed out in fair approximation of one of Yukuns attacks, a diagonal, downward swing which whistled as it cut through the air. Again, Goujian targeted the spears tip to take advantage of his leverage, but despite his prodigious strength, the hasty parry was only enough to shift the spears horizontal momentum. So focused on countering Yukuns unique attacks, Goujian failed to account for their different weapon types, because while a flexible weapon like the Singing Spear would condense and contract on impact, Binesis spear was thirty kilograms of solid steel and was not be so easily stopped. Following through with his swing, he poured all his effort into Reinforcement and Amplification as he drove it home for a nice, meaty smack on his hated foes shoulder.

Only for his powerful attack, one capable of shattering a stack of fifteen steel plates, to bounce harmlessly off of the Confessors filthy Runic robes and shift him sideways a half step.

Since when did Runic gear become so commonplace? These days it felt like every other Defiled bastard was kitted out in Runic armour, and now the Confessor even had a set of Runic robes? Unremarkable looking ones at that, and filthier than beggars rags, but so sturdy the Confessor barely even noticed the attack, though part of this was due to the old bastards deceptively powerful frame. Snarling with rage, Binesi abandoned deceit and subtlety in favour of overwhelming power, drawing his spear back and thrusting out with all his might at centre mass, putting the full weight of his body and adding in a powerful Amplified step to further increase his power. The spear lanced out and landed with a peal of thunder as the ground crumbled away beneath his boot, and there was no slipping aside for Goujian, not this time. While the Runic robes stopped the Honed spear from skewering him, the Confessor doubled over with a strangled grunt as his feet lifted off the stage for the first time since he stepped foot upon it.

Though merely a passable swordsman and mediocre duellist, the Confessor was a top-rate cockroach and not so easy to kill. Rather than resisting Binesis thrust, which would have seen his throat pierced by Yukuns Singing Spear, Goujian surrendered to the flow and let the attack push him away to freedom, whereupon he Concealed himself and slipped away to hide in the massed, sprawling melee. Bekhai and Death Corps were locked in bitter combat all across the plaza, almost shoulder to shoulder save for a single noticeable gaping hole where Speaker Sarnai was currently unleashing all her pent up frustrations on the poor former Royal Guardian, Kuang Biao, while Falling Rains repeated calls to stand down fell on deaf ears. Young and talented he might be, Kuang Biao was no match for the Speakers fury as she beat her foe black and blue with frightening glee, reminding Binesi of an old joke the mountain people often told once they were certain the Speaker was well out of earshot. Baatar loved Sarnai not for her beauty, stunning though she might be, but because her predatory smile and fierce personality appealed to the animal in him, a proper she-wolf for the Bloody-Fanged Wolf within.

A joke in poor taste all things considered, but the infuriating woman actually took pride in the rumours, though Binesi always thought her more Dragon than wolf.

His thoughts slipping, he resisted the Wraith poison coursing through his veins and the urge to lean on his spear and rest, for there was still work to be done. In the brief time spent searching for his hated foe, Binesi realized the Bekhai were still holding back, mostly because Kuang Biao still drew breath despite facing off against a superior and famously ruthless opponent. All around the plaza, the Khishigs were disabling the Death Corps wherever they could and killing only when left with no other option. The Wraiths were not so fortunate however, all picked off and killed save for two locked in combat with Akanai, virtually mirror images of the Wraith who killed Jixing right down to the flowing Western robes. Good to see that the Bekhai had not completely lost their minds yet, no doubt thanks to Falling Rains pleas, but Binesi feared the worst for his fellow mountain dwellers. There were plenty of politicians and opportunists who would be more than happy to bring the Bekhai down a peg or two. No doubt their Warriors were already gathering in force, egged on by the hateful Situ Rang Min, who was probably dancing with glee now that there was no Nian Zu to oppose him.

Appearing on stage in a blur of motion, the once-disgraced Lieutenant General swung his heavy sabre with both hands and severed Goujians hand from his wrist, the sabres keening cry drowning out the traitors pained howl. Unwilling to admit defeat, the Confessor fought like a cornered beast, scrambling around on three bleeding stumps while screaming indistinct obscenities at his foe, but Jia Yang stood unperturbed by the animalistic madness on full display and fought with singular purpose and focus. Utilizing his Domain to veritably glide across the battlefield in the epitome of grace and dexterity, Jia Yangs sabre spun and twirled in a never-ending storm of slashing attacks as he hunted down his scrambling foe, never quite managing to land a killing blow yet always close enough to exact a price in blood and flesh from the Confessors exposed limbs. Despite Jia Yangs best efforts, the Confessors wounds were Healing with uncanny speed, feet and hand regrowing before Binesis eyes as Goujian receded and the Father revealed His foul influence hidden deep within, devolving from handsome, relatable, and perhaps even charismatic rebel to reveal the savage, raging Defiled behind the curtains. Stark though the contrast might be, the Confessors strength improved by leaps and bounds as those measured movements gave way to unhinged frenzy which tested the limits of human endurance and flexibility, his body moving in bizarre ways man was never meant to emulate. Joints popped, bones cracked, and muscles tore as the Confessor sped up, shifting about on all fours and lashing out with clawed hands and bared teeth like a beast in human skin, one so ferocious even Nian Zu or Akanai might have difficultly keeping him contained.

As for Jia Yang? Binesis peer who would never care to admit it? The laughable Situ clansman who tried so hard to ride Nian Zus coattails and pouted when his Hero didnt give him special attention? The stuck up, arrogant punching bag who thought so highly of himself despite his long list of disgraceful defeats? The idiot coward who thought killing rebel farmers and tainted villagers in Central meant he would be treated with respect by true Northern Warriors, men and women who earned their rank killing battle-hardened Defiled and Demons?

That Jia Yang fended Goujian off with almost casual ease, his weapon moving in hypnotizing circles as it smashed into his foe time and time again. With every pass of his Dragon sabre, it emitted a ghostly metallic howl as it cut through the air, and Binesi was brought back to the tender years of his youth. Oh how they all made fun of Jia Yang when he first showed off that pompous weapon, calling it a showpiece more suited for the stage than the battlefield, but hearing it now in the hands of a competent Warrior, Binesi fought hard to keep from shuddering at the sound of its mournful, piercing cry. This was Situ Jia Yang, a man Binesi always scorned as a weakling and looked down on as a dog-shit commander, showing the Empire that he was, in fact, one of the greatest Warriors of his generation, and a dragon among men.

Oh how the times change...

Awestruck as he was by Jia Yangs transformation, the Confessors continued survival didnt escape Binesis notice. Those Runic robes would take some effort to punch through, though not too much considering how much Chi the Confessor was wasting on regenerating hands and feet that were just instantly lopped off. With other Peak Experts occupying Sarnais attention once more, Binesi took it upon himself to lend Jia Yang a hand. Leaping into the fray, he slammed his spear down point first expecting to pierce through the back of the Confessors exposed head, but to his surprise, his Honed Spear glanced off his hunched foes skull and left little more than a cut behind. A deep cut, but hardly the sort of wound one expected from a full spear thrust, and more akin to something suffered from a bad shaving accident.

Was the Confessor turning into a Demon? But there was no unnatural rippling of space and matter, no palpable presence of the Father here to guide his foul creation. Monstrous though his jolting movements might appear, Goujian was still wholly human in form, which only made his inhuman actions all the more unsettling. One moment he was skittering about on all fours, then the next hed somersault sideways on one hand and one foot, tumbling horizontally to avoid an attack rather than vertically ahead. Moving on two legs or four, his arms and legs bent backwards almost more often that forwards, his belly facing the sky one moment only to twist in horrendous fashion to press down on the earth below, all while his head shifted and jolted this way and that while his black, blood-filled eyes remained unerringly on target.

And most disturbing of all was the frozen grimace on his lips, his teeth bared in a passable facsimile of both smile and snarl.

Alien as his flailing, jostling movements might be, no one could deny their effectiveness, and Binesi found himself hard pressed to keep up. If not for Jia Yangs uninterrupted stream of attacks, Goujian might very well have escaped into the crowd, but with Binesis help, they kept the crazed Confessor penned in and chipped away at his Chi reserves bit by bit. It didnt take long for him to realize his opponents weakness, and once again, he informed his comrade in arms. Hes moving on instinct, Binesi Sent, though Jia Yang gave no sign of acknowledgement. No, he was too focused on his relentless offensive to deviate, but he was listening, Binesi was sure of it. Ill feint and bait him to attack, and you take advantage of his distraction. Without waiting for an answer, he carried out his plan, jabbing at the Confessor slowly enough for his weapon to be grabbed, but withdrawing quickly before those powerful hands clamped down and tore his weapon away. Seizing the opening, Jia Yang delivered a powerful chop to the Confessors lower back, driving him to the ground whereupon he rolled and hopped away on his hands. Unnerving to see a man move like that, but Binesi pressed on, giving his foe another opening by stepping within arms reach. This time, Goujians fingers brushed against the bottom of Binesis boots and even this much was enough to throw him off balance, but he recovered by jamming the butt of his spear against his foes wrist before retreating to safety. Again, Jia Yang landed a decisive blow, one that would have seen an unarmoured man bisected from shoulder to opposite hip, but still the Confessors Runic robes held firm.

It took three more tries before Binesi convinced the Confessor to expose his neck, simply by sacrificing his ankle to the frenzied beast and gritting his teeth as his bones crumpled like paper. It was worth it though, as he watched Jia Yangs eyes light up and his sabre crash down, aimed perfectly at the Goujians neck. A great hero died today, but at least his death would be avenged, and Binesi committed the hated Confessors dying breath to memory, where it would forever be preserved in his Natal Palace.

The sabre kissed the back of Goujians neck and crashed into the cobblestone beneath, yet there was no squelch of flesh or crack of bone, no spray of blood or gurgle of death. There was only Binesis crushed ankle gingerly held off the ground, Jia Yangs sword embedded in the stone and dirt, and empty air where Goujians corpse should have lain.

Enough.

Uttered with the force of an erupting geyser, the singular word rippled through the chaotic plaza and stilled the Warriors within. A pressure fell over Binesis shoulders, a cold, invisible presence which set his mind to screaming of danger and panic flooding into his veins. Baleful Aura penetrated through his own, crumbling his resolve with such ease it might as well not have been there, and for the first time in his fifty seven years of life, Binesi knew true terror.

For there, in the skies above the Northern Citadel, stood two twin Demons holding the battered and unconscious Confessor between them, their black-armoured forms seemingly a mockery of the Death Corps Guards. They were not the source of Binesis terror however, for above them, stood a god in mortal flesh. The Divinity was portly, but not excessively so, the result of muscle packed to the brim beneath skin straining to hold it. The face was handsome in its own way, with full, round cheeks and large, prominent ears, and piercing eyes that seemed to see into Binesis soul without needing to even glance in his direction. An Ancestral Bristleboar, the Divinity bore the mohawk so commonly associated with those beasts and stood in Imperial territory without a care in the world, for such was the power and arrogance of a Peak Divinity, a being who might well stand above all others in existence.

The Immortal Zhu Chanzui.

Doom had come to the Northern Citadel in one form or another, and even though the pervasive Aura was almost instantly countered by an Imperial Aura of similar might, Binesi resigned his fate to others and moved to guard Nian Zus corpse. Chances were, it would be destroyed in the clash between Divinities alongside every other living soul in the Citadel, but so long as Binesi drew breath, the Enemy would not desecrate Nian Zus...

...

.......

Where was Nian Zus corpse?

Chapter Meme