Shin held still, taking in the enemies before him. All calm, all with presence, but none more so than the old woman who spoke, stern and composed. Why they too stayed their hand Shin did not know, but he had come to an observation and broke the silence with half a guess.

“Hua.”

“That’s right.” The old woman showed no concern, but a coldness found her eyes. “You seem relieved.”

“Yeah.”

Her arms lowered from behind her back as Wumei took a stance. “I’ll take you on alone, brat.”

The two blurred forward and Shin attacked first. The woman slipped her head to the side as a sharp snapping fist sailed passed. Several more followed and met the same fate, the old shaolin’s eyes tracking his movements with ease. Shin faked a punch and spun forward in place, Wumei leaning away from the axe kicked from her stance with a trace of surprise on her face.

Shin spun into a crouch and burst off, unleashing a flurry of strikes from increasingly unorthodox angles. The old woman dodged at first, his reaction slipping just slight each time until finally a kick blocked firm on her arm. The barrage continued as Shin pushed her on the backfoot around, forcing a constant cycle of dodges and more frequently deflections, her style defensive.

Suddenly she found her opening and thrust a palm at his face. Shin twisted around her arm and his own swung with him. The broadsword that found his hand flickered off a jian in hers, a strange force propelling his weapon up, instead of back the way it came as deflect would. With one clean motion, the woman slashed down on his open side and found only air as Shin bent back unnaturally. She darted back herself as a tremoring foot snapped at her gut.

Shin leaned forward, relocating his spine, as Wumei changed her stance, sword held back straight in her right hand and her left hand out, yellow mana swirling around her. She burst forward first this time, thrusting and slashing clean rapid strikes with no wasted movement and a rampart of counters lying in wait behind.

Shin lashed out with both hands, his broadsword split into two. The pair of them exchanged lethal blows but none found their mark on either side. Shin slashed at her neck as she retreated and a saber replaced his sword, the length forcing her to lean back more off balance.

Shin flickered to the left, his estoc piercing towards her side flourished away by the sword. Weapons changed his hands with no pattern as the old woman was forced on the defensive once again. Though her eyes had not once lost their sharpness. Shin cross slashed with two swords and she made her move, both deflecting wide from a single slash as she stepped in. Her foot slammed into his leg, knocking it back as well before the tremor could reach her and she thrust a palm at his chest.

Blood splurted from Shin’s mouth, but the old woman’s eyes widened, a green fist slamming into her ribs through the gong of Bastion from the boy’s unbalanced stance, and flashed back as a saber grazed her neck. She inspected within herself briefly. The physical injury was minor, but they was an unpleasant ache deep within she found herself wary of, not to mention her defensive skill rendered useless before it. Shin postured himself upright, expression unchanged even with his internal organs ruptured to mush, as a golden light enveloped him.

“The Igarashi haven’t slacked in their training, I see. With your arrogance I had assumed you were a Minamoto.” The gray haired woman relaxed her stance only slightly as she stood as composed as she had been at the start. “You cannot win. Hand over you items and-”

A gray furred shug appeared at Shin’s side and a siren above. Mara unleashed a sonic scream at the party of Hua, concussive force cascading through the corridor. The sword vanished from Wumei’s hands as she circled them in the air, forming a large shield of transparent mystical energy.

The sonic scream stopped short but a dense firebolt blasted the shield apart, sending the old woman flying back, yellow mana wrapped over her unharmed body. Several on her side charged, but her brief absence was all the time the party needed. Shin and Donny charged forward, a Shield Charge stopping short on a man’s bastion. A feint into a hack followed, just as he had done to the dragonborn, but his axe stopped short on the man’s palm, his other sending a force through his armor, bursting his organs.

Donny lurched forward, vomiting blood as the man held back his other palm for a thrust, and jolted to the side as the spear of an angel shattered his bastion, impaling him through. Draped in silk beneath brass bracers, greaves, and a cuirass of antiquity with a sleek helm covering half her beautiful face, the angel ripped out her spear and shattered the man’s skull against the wall with her golden shield.

[Erelim (epic) - Greater Lord]

A second man behind rushed the angel in a fit of anger and Donny lunged, the crash of his shield breaking the enemy’s bones as a limp corpse slumped down the cold stone. Another couch of blood from his injuries aggravated even further brought him to a knee and a golden light covered him.

Shin kicked a woman away with a condensed tremor, breaking through her defenses and armor, jolted to the side just enough for an arrow to nail him into the wall by his shoulder instead of his head. The archer nocked another arrow, and Kong blinked by her back, ripping her head off with a single bite before blinking away.

A lightningbolt hurled towards Shin and was dispelled away before it reached its target by Kamala. Shin broke the arrow and ripped himself out as Mara unleashed a volley of screeches at the mage in a fit, impairing him enough for Kong to reap another life.

Yen condensed another firebolt as much as she could handle and launched it to a now defensiveness party. A figured blurred towards it and with a clawed palm of red aura, shattered the spell away, a small burst of flames singeing her hand. The old woman took one look at the situation and gave her order.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Retreat!” She thrust with both palms the moment she spoke, sending two concussive waves at Shin and the erelim, stalling them just long enough for the remaining members of her party to flee, and she quickly followed. Shin conjured three floating eyes, sending one racing in pursuit and the other two down different paths.

“Good thing… they thought we, had more left… than we do.” Donny spoke, his injuries barely healed enough to allow as much.

“Stop talking.” Kamala ordered. “You were far too reckless.”

Donny smiled back.

“It’s feels good to actually be stronger than the clan teams for once.” Yen floated down, her face still holding traces of the tension of battle but her posture quite confident and relaxed. “What did you say they were, Hua?”

“Descendants of Mulan.” Kamala informed.

“...like the movie?”

“Educate yourself in history when you get the chance.”

“Sorry, I missed the press conference where the secret cabal of magical fucking clans told everyone myths and legend were real.”

“It is a famous story…” Kamala stopped herself. “The Hua have eyes that allow them to see great speeds and predict the movements of things in motion.”

“That’s kind of shit compared to the others.”

“They were among the least powerful and influential of the 12 great clans. But things can change quickly now.”

“Speaking of change…” Donny’s voice sounded better. “That orb is probably a key right. Like for the two head.”

“Definitely.” Yen concurred. “But if the boss room was that easy to open someone would have beat it already. No chance it doesn’t take more, like we might need a fire and lightning one too.”

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. Even if we were fully rested, taking out two hordes of cultists and dragon monsters then running into another ambush isn’t exactly sustainable.” Donny rose to his feet under the silent disapproval of his healer. “Probably a could time to start thinking about getting those new members.”

“In here, though?”

“A partnership is a possibility.” Kamala suggested.

“As long as we can make them our bitches… Hey, Shin.”

The boy burst off without a word, and the three of them chased after.

---

Lu Kang glanced over the other two parties with contained excitement. For minutes now they had stalled in this three way standoff, each in one of the six identical paths leading this circular hall, marked by the massive mosaic of a seven headed dragon he quite hoped was the boss of this stage, one that likely lay waiting past the seventh path, carved far more grandly than the others.

A great spear rested calmly on his shoulder. Silky black hair tied neatly in a high warrior’s ponytail and thick eyebrows capped a handsome face, his body donning silk and steel by whatever name the notices deemed to give them. He had not found a worthy fight even after all this time, hoping one would present itself here. Less so from the house of witches to his right though he did consider they could always surprise him, and more from the ten golden eyed elites to his left.

“Hey. Let’s team up against the Atreus. Works better for you, doesn’t it?” He beckoned the red haired witch leading the Rhun. Contemplation ran through Raina’s mind but she stayed her voice.

Somewhat disappointed, Lu Kang glanced over to the old white haired man in the center of his party. “They’re clearly weak if they lack that much confidence. Let’s run them off and settle this ourselves.”

Charlamagne stared back with the callous eyes of a worn king giving nothing more than the silence he had given thus far. This time, Lu Kang was let down. Almost surprised.

“You won’t even take an even fight? Did the Atreus breed out their spines?” Some rustled at the provocation but the old man was not among them.

Lu Kang settled back into silence, his enthusiasm dampened slightly, resigning himself to wait for another party, however small, to come and break this standstill. A black haired girl, or rather boy he assessed, flickered at the end on the path next to the Rhun, and three more followed of valuable tier.

“Hey, new blood.” He called, excitement reinvigorated. “Pick a side. Anyone.”

Shin glanced at Raina and then the other parties. The golden eyes of the Atreus unmistakable and the party to the left the Lu he guessed most likely. No one showed any sign of moving from their station. He considered the situation for a moment, and fell into silent waiting as well. Raina showed some relief outside of his line of vision.

“Worthless…”

“Princess.” Charlamagne spoke for the first time, his voice one of great bearing and long years of authority. “Your place is here.”

“My place is not yours to decide.” Cold intensity amassed within Kamala’s stoic expression, her words absolute.

A smile found Lu Kang’s face, the domineering presence of the Lotus Princess providing him some sort of entertainment, if nothing else. His attention lingered for only a moment before being stolen by the appearance of another party next to the Atreus, the second to notice them. This one also four, led by a blonde young man with pink eyes.

[Human Magic Swordsman (epic) - Greater Lord]

[Human Shaolin (epic) - Greater Lord]

[Human Arcane Thief (epic) - Greater Lord]

[Human Arcanist (epic) - Greater Lord]

Leon glanced around himself, whether he came to any realization it did not show on his face.

“Agamemnon’s blood runs deep.” He shot a calm subtly mocking glance to the Atreus.

“Watch your mouth!” One of them shouted back.

“Or is it just you?”

The golden eyed man burst forward, unable to contain his rage any longer, and Leon’s sword flashed. He landed gracefully, golden light fading from his sword as the man’s head fell from his body. Shock spread across all faces save for a few, most of all the remaining Atreus. Leon walked to the center under the scrutiny of all and led his party beside Shin.

“Then we’re with Raina.” Shin glanced at Leon then declared his stance.

Lu Kang laughed and flourish his spear. “No choice now, old man!” But the Atreus stood still, betraying his expectations once more.

“Seriously…?” He looked at them, as if he almost couldn’t believe his eyes. Moments past and he realized they had made up their minds. Lu Kang stored his spear and headed back down his path in disgust. “A house with nothing but cowards.”

The Atreus headed away in concert at the gesture of Charlamagne, staying only long enough to recover the body of their fallen. Raina lingered, even after the tension faded before turning to Shin. “Thank you.” She too, led her party back down their corridor, thankful to be free of the perilous situation.

Shin smiled back and turned to Leon. “We have one orb. How many do you have?”

“Two. Fire and Earth.”

“Frost.”

“Let’s team up.” Leon smiled.

“How about you slow down.” Yen interjected. “If you can cut through the Atreus, why haven’t you just gone and defeated the boss yet? What are you playing at?”

Leon smiled at her. “I can only use that twice with my mana.”

“Don’t tell them!” The red haired girl snapped at him.

“We could open the door together and split back into our parties in the boss room. Then compete over who can kill the boss first.” Leon continued undeterred.

“Okay.”

Yen had a mouthful of criticisms but sighed them all away, knowing full well what Shin was like. Strange kinship held the silence, one between the pair seemingly able to communicate in a way as of yet undiscovered, another between the members who knew what it was like to follow the enigmatic.