The Bleeding (1)

"..." Without saying anything in return, Tales grinned. What else needed to be said? Tales stood with his back straight, and so did Ciemnosc follow him in that aspect. Looking at each other a bit more face to face, they then looked at the western gate overall before commencing to speak like men. Tales started. "Do you by any chance have... replicas of your commanding vehicle?"

"... As a matter of fact, I do," they turned their heads to look around at the roads and buildings around them after Ciemnosc responded. Afterwards, Taldes began nodding slightly, and without saying anything to Ciemnosc, he began walking down and walking directly on the streets. Without hesitation, Ciemnosc walked down as well and 'accompanied' Taldes in this walk, though it was more of Ciemnosc getting away; but anyways.

As they were walking down the streets, several minutes went by, and not a single time were they seen by the already gone patrols and the like. Now, it was so vacant, and with some kind of curfew being effectuated, or possibly being stationed at certain gates… It all really looked empty with the ordinary people around even hiding in their downgraded buildings and the like.

They walked and walked, even after more than half an hour, there was still no sight of any single person around, and Ciemnosc could enjoy the peacefulness of not needing to hide at last, but mostly, he was enjoying the fact that there was basically no one around. That alone was a great thing for him to enjoy, it seemed.

Step step step step, step step step step, step step step step, step step step step…

“...” - ”...” But, after so long, they were bound to be found by either patrolling teams, patrols, or even some ‘good samaritans’ who wanted some good ol funding by the sect by just giving information about the terrible criminal or criminals that literally made the whole mini city become tumultuous and for their whole manpower to be mobilized.

In front of them, and without exaggeration as they walked on normal and common streets, an extremely long line of more than 2,000,000 disciples appeared as soon as they took the corner. Nor Ciemnosc or Taldes were prepared to see such a sight, and slowly, they also began to hear lots, lots of footsteps from their rear and at their flanks. But, at the very least, those at their rear and flanks were nowhere as many as those from their front.

“...” - “...” - “...” As they both maintained their silence, nobody was making a move, only the grinning Ciemnosc was everybody’s target to place their eyes on, as he looked quite charming even when being put against what, 3,000,000 disciples or so? This was an obvious fatal death to him. Hell, he even saw some of those wielding shields and certain large and wide weapons on their hands that were from the stadium before, but also many more wielding the same kind of equipment.

They were silent, the more than 150,000 each on their flanks and rear, and those 2,000,000 on their front also maintained silence. Among them all, not only Ciemnosc but also Taldes, with their naked eyes because the distance between them both and all of those surrounding them was at least 200 meters, could see that these disciples weren’t all just of the Self-Mutilating Honores Sect, but from the other 3 major organizations as well.

Besides them all, there were many more that were probably from subordinate organizations, assisting their respective major organizations in the ‘capture’ of criminal activity.

“These many, huh?” Ciemnosc finally broke the impossible to touch - silence. And in return, giving out a mysterious, little, and silent grin from the left corner of his mouth, Taldes then responded with his voice becoming soft. “Mhm, there are a lot. Truly we are that many.”

Then, Taldes turned around to face Ciemnosc, who seemed to be rather anxious about seeing…yeah, this many enemies. He knew that he had to escape, and that was the most obvious thing to do here. And, perhaps, with the ‘cooperation’ between all these major organizations, he could very well even cause some confusion and start a ‘civil war’?

“Don’t be anxious, Ciemnosc. Just listen to me okay?” Taldes faced Ciemnosc. Ciemnosc then turned his head to his left once more to gaze at Taldes’s face, revealing a rather ‘him’ feeling to Taldes. Taldes continued, a little grin accompanying his words, “When it starts, take the right, all of them will open up, just follow up, those few more than a hundred thousand are…you’ll see.”

“?” Ciemnosc was no dumbo idiot nor hella retarded, so he was getting an inkling of things. But before he could get at that, Taldes turned to face those at their front and with his hands took a total of other 3 Covert Space bags, which were his, and threw them to all 3 sides except for the right flank and then shouted to the incredulous Ciemnosc and other disciples that weren’t ‘in the known’.

“For the glory of our future,” Taldes’s face became damn serious, even angry, “Raise your arms and attack!!!”

“Huwaaaaaaaahhh!!” - “Die, fucking filth!” - “For my brother!” - “For my sisters!” - “For my family!” - “For our leader’s vision and the goal for the future! Kill them all partners. Lead the child to safety!!!”

CLANK~ CLANK CLINK CLINK~~ claaaaang~~!

Phhshk phhshk, phhshk phhshk phhshk- crreeshhk~ crreeshhk~ crreeshhk~ crreeshhk~ crreeshhk crreeshhk…ckrsheerr ckrsheerr ckrsheerr ckrsheerr ckrsheerr ckrsheerr ckrsheerr ckrsheerr ckrsheerr~~...

“Aaaaaaah!! Traitors, ah, ah save m-!!” - “Heeeeelp! No, pleas-” - “Don’t, I’ll join, I’ll joi-” - “Gruwhaaaaagsshhh~~...”

In just one second, by the surprise, shock, and strong incredulous glint in Ciemnosc’s eyes, he saw the whole lot in front of him suddenly getting shredded to pieces. With countless pieces of simple flesh flying around, those who had the most brutal melee weapons suddenly charged into some other disciples and began going crazy at it while killing those who they could reach, but somehow knowing who to hit and not to.

Those that were not hitting each other on purpose could also be seen joining in the fray and killing some other disciples, heads rolled quickly, fast, and above their heads in the air. Bodies could be seen flying upwards and their already limp bodies either fall on an unsuspecting disciple or believer and become a scaredy cat. While if they landed on one of the furious disciples, they would use that corpse as a cover and keep on killing and killing!

There seemed to be 2 factions, but from which, it didn’t matter their origin. Be it from the Self-Mutilating Honores Sect, Preferential Light Justice Sect, Moribund Yearning Cult, or the Eagerburning Flames Sect, they were all taking a side and starting to kill those whom they knew weren’t with them!

But it was much worse for those who weren’t from that side, which seemed to have taken Taldes and Ciemnosc’s side out of nowhere, as they were eventually getting panicky and really scared. Because whether it was because when they least expect it, or even when they just gave their back to their fellow disciple or believer, in the next moment, they were killed off by that very same person with the latter ones having a ruthless yet vindictive and poisonous glare set at them. And that was the last thing those who trusted those behind them saw before they lost their dear lives.

“Go Ciemnosc, what are you doing standing still right beside me?! Go! Go! Go Ciemnosc! JUST GO!!!” Taldes, seeing Ciemnosc shocked, besides feeling proud, began pushing Ciemnosc as roughly and with as much power as he could with his whole Power Energy at use since he was basically helpless to move Ciemnosc’s body without using all of his capabilities.

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“Yo- I… Taldes…” Ciemnosc was still silly, but just as Taldes was smiling so relaxedly without an ounce of worry or reproach for the many lots of people that were going to die just for him to escape and about to keep roaring at the silly boy, Ciemnosc himself seemed to wake up, needing not for a nanny to hold his hand for him to know what he is supposed to do.

Swip- step! Whoosh~!

Without a shred of hesitation, not even looking back at Taldes anymore, Ciemnosc simply turned around, faced their right flank, and began dashing towards the one and only peaceful side of this sudden battlefield - no longer an ambush.

As Taldes said, and without even really thinking about him anymore, Ciemnosc saw those on their right flank already having made a space large enough for his commanding vehicle. But Ciemnosc didn’t take it out immediately. Instead, he arrived before those people who immediately after urged him with their hot voices and burning eyes with nothing but their hearts blazing!

“Hurry!” - “Ciemnosc, get at the center, we are moving right away!!” - “Get to the center, Ciemnosc!” - “Come to one Ciemnosc, hurry up already!”

Step, step, step, step, step!

With a few more dashes, Ciemnosc stalled no more and dashed to the center of the whole more than 150,000 cultivators, all from the 4 different major organizations and each even having their subordinate organizations’ members among them, each of them waiting for Ciemnosc to get into position before beginning to walk- no, march altogether with perfectly protected at their center.

“...” Looking back while walking at their pace not lagging behind and even having to wait a little to step so that he could be at their same pace, Ciemnosc was able to see all other 3 different battlefields going on at what was now his rear.

The left flank from back then was the bloodiest, with only about 20,000 people left alive in just these few minutes that have passed. All sides were on the streets, which was normal. And so, they were basically packed together towards one another. When the battle erupted, without any sign of mercy, Ciemnosc’s side destroyed the other side. But the other side wasn’t made out of brainless puppets.

With such, the side that was being destroyed retaliated, more in confusion than cooperatively, and with some of their own people launching themselves and fighting their own people from the moment they began to attempt a counterattack until there were no more of them. This was a real tragic battlefield, yet, as those numbering 20,000 on Ciemnosc’s side finished off their enemies, they ignored the other flank before going straight towards the previously 2,000,000 large army that was in front of Taldes and Ciemnosc back then.

They were a very small amount compared to the number of enemies in that 2,000,000 group. But by the time those 20,000 ended their enemies off, those at the front on Ciemnosc’s side were already the majority, with only about 1,300,000 and more remaining alive on that battlefield.

Those at the other flank finished off their enemies a couple of minutes later, resulting in Ciemnosc’s side from that battlefield having more than 50,000 remaining. Also directly joining the largest battlefield right away.

Ciemnosc was already close to turning round the corner to the left when he saw the last of those 20,000 die on the enemy’s side. It was just a 14-year-old boy, looking even younger than himself. And though he had been impaled by 3 spears, he had fought until his severed head rolled over above his right arm where his right hand held a totally bloody and flesh-adorned battleax.

Just as he saw the 50,000 getting killed by half, Ciemnosc’s vision was obstructed by the building and some shadow falling on his face. While the total from those 2,000,000 had already been lowered to 600,000 while those from his side were around 500,000 at the very least…

“Ciemnosc,” from his right, as he looked at his left lost in thought, the buildings offered not any view of the still ongoing battle as they had some recently added obstacles in between the gaps of each building. Ciemnosc turned his head and saw a young man, bald and of white skin with very dark eyes looking at him just 1 meter away.

“What is it?” Asked Ciemnosc, who was clearly still impacted. The bald young man saw this and immediately said with an at ease expression and tone in his voice to Ciemnosc. “We need you to be cool headed but don’t worry, there’s no need for you to command. All you have to do…”

The bald young man fell silent, his eyes dropped slightly before he continued in the same way as before, “Is to not waste our deaths.”

“...” It was little Ciemnosc’s turn now to fall silent. He looked at the baldie, who then nodded-bowed at him and returned to his own spot within the marching mix of troops, his words trailing off the wind. “When the time comes, take out your commanding vehicle and escape. Take as many as you can! The gates can weigh the passing people and vehicles through them, and our people on the other gates will also be taking as many as they can at the same time.”

The bald young man’s words became so silent, but Ciemnosc and everyone nearby could still hear them without a problem, “It will be a massive pronged mobilization. We will wait until everyone is ready! So, everyone, get ready!”

“...” Ciemnosc then kept quiet as he followed the marching troops moving through the even cleaner streets than the ones he walked with Taldes. Ciemnosc would, from time to time, look around himself, at the people who were going to sooner than later die for him, and in ‘Gramma’ Jing Zhu’s orders.

Feeling as if a whole new kind of sentiment of emotion, ideals, and thoughts were created within the deepest part of him, Ciemnosc and the marching troops slowly came across the many buildings, turns, and long streets here and there, traversing so many kilometers in over just an hour…

. . .

2 hours later, just 3 kilometers away from the western gate, where even though it seemed impossible, more than 150,000 cultivators had remained hidden over the past few tens of minutes, waiting for something. Just around 4 PM.

“Okay, it’s time,” Ciemnosc, who was all the way in the center of the hidden troops behind several obstacles already with arrays inscribed around over a large area and hiding them very damn well, heard someone whisper lightly as she moved towards him.

Ciemnosc looked at the young woman with her rough hide armor who came close to him and said to him before giving Ciemnosc the sect’s uniform with a helmet added to it. She helped him put the helmet on and once she was done helping Ciemnosc, she repeated the instructions to him with a slightly shaky voice. “Remember, these are not Spirit Sense proof. Remain within the others. Their shields will protect you, no matter what.”

“The others are ready to ‘deliver’ the bait on their own side, and our remaining 500,000 are also close by. Do not hesitate, okay? Phew, okay, I’m going to my group.” She said, before turning around and walking, still crouched, towards her own team where she was received back with them already having their helmets on as well, their helmets foreheading each other and their arms on each other’s shoulders.

“...” Ciemnosc looked on at her back, her team doing this in silence, of course, and as always, before directing his face towards the slowly opening gates that were closing the way towards the western gate.

Since Ciemnosc isn’t even in the Spirit Gathering realm, not being able to fly, there were 30 meters long barricades with a gate at each street leading to every gate of the sect’s territory. As of now, only a couple of hours had passed since Ciemnosc was seemingly sighted in 4 different points of the sect’s territory.

According to the information from each army around there, there have been extremely difficult situations where some traitors had managed to enter their ranks and tried to help the criminal escape, but all of them have been neutralized and gotten rid of.

Judging by the time and the distance from each of those points, the gates of the sect’s territory despite lacking all communication with their sect’s upper echelons with virtually all elders no longer being reachable and only half the acting elders of the sect remaining - those armies that went out to bring Ciemnosc were close to reaching all of the gates.

However, because of the lacking number of elders, those who were in charge at the moment all informed those at the gates that the other sides of the sect’s territory were basically without any change, and that only they were having a supposedly Ciemnosc being brought to them.

Due to not knowing why the upper echelons were away and unreachable, Ciemnosc had to then be transported to the nearest gate in order to ensure his imprisonment, as he was still alive, and that naturally meant more rewards for those who caught him. By then, who would say no to such free extra money and benefits?

Slide, slide, slide~~...

Right now though, as the barricade to one of the streets opened, those a few kilometers away saw this and immediately looked around, only to see one of the smallest armies coming back from their supposed encounter with Ciemnosc and dealing with those traitors.

Step, step step step, step step step step step…

The small army walked up to the western gate. And when they arrived at the first defenses of such, they were stopped by an elder who immediately flew above the railing with arrays inscribed all over them. “Halt, stop right there!”

“Elder? We have returned, we-” One of the leading figures up in front looked up and clasped his hands before bowing but was interrupted by the elder, who then questioned them right away with a fierce temperament and a stern facial expression.

“How come you are here?! Where are the rest? Why are none of you injured?!” The elder shouted really loud enough for everyone within the first line of defense to become alert and slowly start tensing.

…