Chapter 17:

“Play back again.” I command the system once again for the tenth time. Bitter saliva leaked from my Devourer Glands. I once again swallowed the slow bitter issues of my own poisons. The screams rang in my head. I closed my eyes, bowed my head. Hoping that what was being projected in front of me was a malfunctioning equipment, but I knew full well that was not the case.

I was alone in an isolated chamber the light and surveillance system were deactivated, leaving me in pitch darkness but with my transcendent senses this was of little concern to me. In front of me the only source of dim lighting, though tone down to near almost unsee able settings was a holoscreen. At my command the system obeyed.

Again, the pic feed that I have retrieved from my brother’s armor system, before anyone else could and have order a black out order on it. So that no one else could have discover what I have just learned played over the holoprojection started over again. The vid rewind itself back to the time frame that I desired it, and then the projection came again.

The voices of my brethren came over my senses again. The pic vid a mass collection of Brothers Chen Shu, Alex, Matthew and Johnathan point of view mixed into one. All captured via the sensor of their BDUs, the feed showing my brothers and their surroundings. Displayed before me where the mase concealed faces of my brethren facing each other, within the ornate entrance halls before The Chancellor’s audience chambers.

[We’ve lost the General’s and the War-Master’s signals]

[How is that possible? Check the feed from the Observer units inside.] in the feed one of them, that being Brother Alex surfed the network within his mind for what he was looking for however.

[The Observer units are none responsive.]

[Elaborate] All view then turned to Brother Alex facemask.

[The Observer units signals within have disappeared as well, approximately the same time we’ve lost the General’s and the War-Master’s signals. In fact, none of the units within the capital are responsive.]

Another pic feed appeared showing the screen display outlining a list in two categories, one side hosting faces, the other showing various details parallel to the face that it’s lined up with across. Such information’s being the specific unit’s task, serial number code, and the statues of said unit. All of which that were on the list were code red for termination.

[How is that possible they’re all offline.]

[Break in.]

Then the pic view turned from my brothers and towards the massive ornate doorframe depicting two massive warriors in mighty ancient armor each wielding a pole arm. My brothers being unappreciation of this fine artwork burst through the door, causing it to shatter under their unrestraint might. Leading them further into the audience chamber, a throne room would be more befitting as a title. For the sheer size of the halls was enormous the grandeur of it was astounding, the amount of work dedicated to the perfection of the chamber was, just that perfect.

Rushing through the halls, the beauty of it all was shown in all but mere seconds on screen, due to the speed of my brothers. One who wasn’t augmented wouldn’t be able to properly to even gaze upon the precise details. Even if they were, the with speed which of my brothers are displaying those augmented would even find this changeling, not a boost but a fact. As what may seem like a blur to another, was what normal mortal deemed as ‘normal’, as every scrape of detail and engraving was clear as day to me.

Inside of the chamber was vast, almost as big as our training halls here in Quan Zhou. With great trunks holding up the ceiling, massive stone like decorated pillars columns arranged in rows litters, which seemed wooded at first but revealing to be a metallic material on closer inspection the near endless marble tile floor. The massive marble seemed to have been made of one massive slab instead of multiple arrays of stone. A single mass that covered the whole hall but made to look like pure black matter, unlike anyone outside of the capital would had seen, but I along with my brother have seen grandeur things before. Not to discredit the wonders made by humanity of course. The faint sun slanted down through tall, narrow windows whose sills were above my brothers’ heads. The sun ray glittering off the walls and floor sparking like gems.

Every archway was like a keep gate, every corridor a hall worthy of the nobility, of the higher class of modern society. Streams of decorated banners on the walls, and hung in between the columns flowing gently above. Sprawling out like branches interlocking in between like a great natural forest. The floor, the walls, and the pillar all equally ornately carved, and engraved with birds and animals seemingly hopping about. Other depicting historical events and other figures along with imp-spirits and gnomish creatures of legend, and oldest myths. There was man made ponds covered with lotus flowers and rivers paths flowing parallel to one another. One on each side of the walk way closing my brother within the only pathway to the center of the room.

By this point silhouettes near the far distances hiding within the shadows of the chamber could be seen. Dimly lit by the array of large arcane technological firepits glowed with embers, supplemented by hovering glowing storm lanterns giving off a low but soft, constant light through the false branches above. All were armed and all pointed towards my brothers, at this with a single thought, they summoned their weapons metallic particles swarmed around their hands. By this time the mass array of solid slug bullet and searing lances of energy bolts were flying, cutting through the air towards my brethren. Not a single shot so much as even grazed my brothers. As they ducked and weaved, jumped and rolled around, the angular forms of their Lancer finished materialized fully during that time. As they then almost as one locked onto the nearest target within their sights and pulled the trigger to their weapons. In a shuddering display of power even through the pic feed, the miniature dragons that was their weapon roared out spitting fire.

In mere seconds of pulling their trigger, bodies exploded in a shower of crimson gore. The assailants barely had time to reacted as the bolts flew too fast for them to react, the bolts as small as they were. Propelled themselves on miniature macro thrusters further enhanced by the Lorentz Force of the Lancer rifles, the one side slaughter continued. Though not exactly playing out as planned for the aggressors whom sprang the ambushed, as it should have them been doing the slaughter, not the other way around.

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Boom-Boom!

Boom-Boom!

Boom-Boom!

One shot, one kill. One bolt to down the target then moved onto the next, the cycle repeated itself for another few seconds, before the Lancer fire finally ceased. My brothers surveyed the massive room as they continued with their stride, not easing up their guard however as they reached their destination.

In the center of this room that was tinted gold and silver, lies an array of two sets of stairs about 10 steps high. Atop of this flight of stairs leading skyward was a gigantic golden seemingly carved out of a single piece of crystal, surrounded by elaborate metalwork. The height of the throne’s frame was immense, whose back was high enough to touch the ceiling above it. The seat of power for the ruler of The Vermillion Forbidden City’s Citadel no, of the whole nation in all but name the Chancellor and yet, the figure in question was not there.

[Theres no one here.] Johnathan spoke his Lancer held up and trained up to the throne.

[How? Where could they have disappeared to, they were only in here for a few moments. Five Minutes and forty-eight seconds and by zero-zero one nanoseconds.] Chen Shu asked his pic feed began trailing off, his Lancer following after to different section of the chamber looking for something.

[A hidden door perhaps?] Alex suggested.

[Unlikely, but still, search the room, any signs on the old man and the War-Master’s life signs?] Chen Shu ordered, Johnathan and Alex immediately scattered off to different locations in the chamber. Designating possible areas where such a contraption could be, as Chen Shu turned facing to Matthew whom the question was directed towards. Brother Matthew who was reading the tactical layout info then shoke his head to Brother Chen Shu’s question.

[Nothing, I can’t even find a signal on their location, it’s like they just simply vanished]

[Keep looking we’ll meet back up here by the throne once we’ve scouted out the chamber.]

Matthew nodded to Chen Shu, but before the duo could move Alex’s voice came over the coms. He was tracking the scent of something in the air, the feed repeating the quick sniffles he rang out in the air. Clearly something strong enough to throw him off course of his target of locating the general.

[I sense the presence of another being in here, we’re not alone-gah~!] Alex’s feed and voice was then cut fading into black. As a flash of arcane light could be seen in the remaining pic feeds. His soul being pulled through the fabric of the world and pulled back towards the Soul Fire Machine in Quan Zhou.

[Alex!] Chen Shu cried out, he along with Matthew and Johnathan’s BDUs shredded and dissolved away into particle matters, as another swarm of metallic particles overlapped their body forming their armor in a matter of seconds.

[Find it!] Everyone’s Lancer were raised and aimed at the spot where the light shone just seconds ago, before switching to their surroundings trying to located the threat that just ended their brother.

[I see it! It-it looks like a- its fast! Gah~!] next came Johnathan’s voice and through his eyes, a blurry flash of a figure could be seen rushing from side to side using the darkness of the chamber to conceal itself. Then Johnathan’s voice ceased after a cry after something came at him from the side ending him near instantly. The sensors in his armor couldn’t even capture the image of the attacker.

The sight was…. surprising if that was the correct word to describe the sensation the I was feeling at the moment. How could this being hide itself from my and my brother’s sights? No concealment can hide themselves from us and our eyes allowed us to see in near pure pitch darkness, even the aggressors before despite their efforts in trying to hide themselves in the shadows, were long spotted by my brothers long before they stroke. But this thing no…...I knew who it was and this fact only proved the identity of this being even more so.

There were ways to hide ourselves from the sights of other beings even when we’re standing right in front of them. We developed them in our pursuit of perfecting ourselves, the art of hypnotizing others so that we would appear invisible to them. These artes were so affective that it could even block our sights. Only those of the order know these artes and who more that he? He the only other soul in the whole capital than the rest of my brothers during this event that knew them, since he himself was the creator who created them.

[On it!] wasting no time my brothers rushed at where Johnathan’s soul then shot up into the heavens zipping away, unleashing two shots at the pillar blowing away a massive chunk of the column, now barley able to hold itself it crumbled.

[Where is it?!] Now back-to-back Brother Chen Shu and Matthew’s Lancer were swimming around trying to locate the threat then from the side it appeared. This didn’t escape Chen Shu and Matthew’s notice, as one they turned and aimed their Lancers and squeezed. Unleashing a turret of bolt at the being no…….at him and be fitting of his title and the best among us he deflected them with the weapon he held in his hand. Swatting the bolt away with relative ease though he that he didn’t he simply shifted out of the trajectory path of the bolts.

Not stopping, unrelenting he sped towards them, towards me as least it felts that way looking through the eyes of my brothers. The first to fall of the duo due to the weapon was Matthew, yanked off his feet carried into the air pierced through his throat. Robbing him of his voice but through his eyes the image of the murder weapon could be seen clearly. A Ji, a Double Moon Ji there was only one soul of the order that used such a weapon only he…...only the War-Master.

This also didn’t escape Chen Shu now the sole survivor who saw the halberd sail through the air, barely missing his face as it impaled Matthew.

[A Ji how-?] but Chen Shu voice was cut short as a hand gripped his face pulling him off his feet, through his peripheral vision he could see the other hand grab at the haft of the Ji severing Matthew head from his neck. Ignoring the burst of light and energy behind him signifying Matthew’s death Chen Shu materialized a blade from his hand, as he lost his Lancer when HE grabbed him. The Blade he summoned his Liánmǐn zhī rèn (The Blade of Mercy or Mercy Blade), a long ceremonial dagger which glowed into life with arcane energy. He tried to jab his blade at his assailant even as his back was driven into the pillar cracking it behind him. However, his efforts were thwarted with a single twirl of the polearm, knocking the short blade out of Chen Shu’s grasp.

And there finally HE stood before him holding him against the pillar was Him. As bond as bronze as clear as day, the figure of the War-Master Kwan Tai FengXian stood before his leader his own kinsmen! The BDU uniform he wore was gone; he wore no upper layer clothing revealing his muscular build covered with battle scars all throughout his body. He also had no footwear retaining only his pants along with his belt straps that resembles dragon scales, which is tied by a belt with a large decorated golden lion head buckle. His sharp features fixated on Chen Shu whom was still gripped in his left palm still pressing him against the pillar. In his right hand gripped in his hand was his famed weapon Sky Piercer its head angled though it was unpowered the weapons honed Monomolecular edge blades was still more than enough to end him.

[Brother why?!] Chen Shu shouted through his kinsmen palm that held him in place. Kwan Tai FengXian said not as his Ji shot forward through Chen Shu’s face then with a twist his head was severed in twain. The feed ended there that was it, there was no other explanation it was the War-Master who else could have ended our kin under three minutes with such efficiency. More over know how to kill us other than him.

The answer to my question only gave rise to more questions. How was this possibly could it be a being that resembled our brother? No, he was the greatest among us, the best no one could hope to imitated him. How would they even capture him and replace him? That was all irrelevant, the main question was why? Why did he kill four of our brothers?

“Wait…. four…...that doesn’t add up, including Kwan Tai FengXian there was supposed to be six brothers with General Yang.” The realization rushed over me; the chaotic nature of the situation blinded me to another strange detail that I almost overlook. So, I pulled up the detailed holoscreen scrolling through it I found what I was looking for.

Yes, there was a sixth brother that was with them the hidden sixth member, one who was to stay out of sight, the one who was assigned to be the old man’s escort Mi Liu! He was the sixth brother it was a squad of six not five. Mi Liu however wasn’t present he wasn’t there nor in the Soul Fire Chamber. Where was Brother Mi Liu? More question began forming in my head but had no answer.

{Captain General} Interrupting my train of thought came Liang Lì’s voice in my head. However, his voice sound wrong…...as if he was distressed how? Then I felt a rumble echo through the chamber I was in, again?

“No~.”

{Brother we’ve lost Brother Jin life signs and we’ve just received word……. generals Yang Yanping, Yang Yanding, Yang Yan'an, Yang Yanhui, Yang Yande, Yang Yanzhao, and Yang Yansi they’re all gone Brother.}