Jun Nee looked at the man in fear, he twirled his knife in his hand in a threatening manner.

“You should just get on your knees, girl.” The man said. “It will make it easier for me to KILL YOU!”

The man thrust his hand out and green tendrils erupted from the floor and stretched out for her and Shibi. She activated Fleet Foot and escaped the tendrils that tried to grab her. She ran around him, dodging the green energy tendrils.

“Get closer,” Shibi, who was sitting on her shoulder said.

“No!” she said as she ducked down, a green tendril whipping past her.

“Must fight!”

“He’ll kill us!” Jun Nee said.

“We don’t fight,” Shibi said. “He kill us still.”

Jun Nee had to make a U-turn when she reached the other wall of vine. She was starting to realise that the area was cramped. It would only be a matter of time before the man was able to catch her.

“You-Your right, Shibi.” Jun Nee said. “Wh-What should I do?”

“Get closer.” Shibi said.

She jumped over the tendrils, noticing that there were more. When she was close enough, Shibi leapt off her shoulder into the air. The Scorch Ape gathered fire at its core and thrust its arms out, sending out a stream of fire.

The man commanded the green tendrils to coalesced in front of him to shield him from the stream of fire. The fire collided with the tendrils and they exploded into green and orange sparks.

Shibi landed on the ground and charged forward. The man swung the blade and Shibi deftly dodged the swipes from the blade. The Ape rushed behind the man, where he would be vulnerable for attack but…

“Greenery Explosion!” Leaves made of bright green energy exploded out from the man. Shibi was caught in its wake, screaming in pain as the green explosion engulfed him and slammed him away.

“Shibi!” Jun Nee activated Fleet Foot and ran into the path of Shibi. The ape twisted in the air and landed on Jun Nee’s outstretched arm and ran to her shoulder.

Jun Nee fought the urge to run away and kept close to the man but still using Fleet Foot to run circles around him. As soon as Shibi recovered, he began throwing fireballs at the man who screamed when any made contact. Jun Nee was impressed at Shibi’s ferocity in the fight also at herself. Before, she would never have been able to keep Fleet Foot up for this long. She was starting to be thankful for all the strange requests Zen made her do. Using Fleet Foot everyday and and for long periods had improved her stamina.

The man was growing angrier with each fireball that burned him. Energy began to collect within him, then he screamed “Greenery Explosion!”

The green energy, shaped like a cloud of leaves spread out from him. Jun Nee was able to outrun the expanding cloud explosion. Sher sighed a breath of relief.

“Greenery Stream!” he shouted as he controlled the green cloud to flow towards Jun Nee. The Stream of green was able to easily catch up with Jun Nee and Shibi and engulf them both. She screamed as she was swept off her feet and felt the leaves bit into her, tearing her night dress.

She collapsed and rolled on the ground, Shibi fell off too, rolling along the ground.

“Shi-bi.” Jun Nee weakly said, looking at Shibi who was lying on the ground.

She could see the shadow of the man growing long over her body. The pain was too much and she could not even bare to move. Tears began to well in her eyes, realising that she would die. There was a sudden plume of fire. She looked out and saw Shibi, engulfed in flame like a living wick of a giant candle.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Shibi looked at the man for a moment before flying at him like a blazing meteor.

The man raised his blade and blocked the blazing attack. He was getting pushed back by the force as his knife grew red with heat before flying from his grasp.

The man groaned, holding his hand which was growing red with welts. He looked up in time to see Shibi send out a wave of fire at him. The man in black summoned large tendrils of energy beneath his feet which elevated him beyond the wave of flames. The tendrils disintegrated into green and orange sparks but not before tossing him into the air toward Shibi.

“Greenery Explosion Stream!” The man said, sending a stream of green energy at Shibi.

The energy once again engulfed Shibi. The man in black smirked at his victory but soon enough the stream was dissipated as fire radiated from Shibi, pushing the stream away.

“No! I will not be beaten!” the man shouted as he poured more energy into his attack, exponentially multiplying the number of energy leaves in his clouds.

Shibi screamed, also doing his best to keep the cloud at bay with his blazing fire energy.

The stream of green was too much for Shibi and once again overwhelmed him and sent him hurtling towards the wall. The man pressed his advantage, recognising the danger the ape posed.

Shibi tried to escape but the man slammed his foot down the ape’s tail, keeping him from escaping. Shibi screamed in pain. He blew out plumes of fire as the man grabbed his tail and used it to swing Shibi around before slamming him into the wall hard enough to make an indent. The man in black did not let go, he swung Shibi again, slamming him into another wall and again.

Jun Nee watched in horror as Shibi was being beaten. She gritted her teeth, fighting against unconsciousness. She activated Fleet Foot and sped forward for the man.

The man glared at her and pulled his fist back, charging it with green energy. “Stay down!” he shouted as he thrust his fist forward.

“Counter Burst!” She shouted, meeting the punch with her defensive technique.

His fist met the ki technique and shockwave slammed him back into the wall, hard enough to crack it.

She fell to her knees.as the man fell to the ground. “Shibi.” She said as she made her way to Shibi, who the man dropped, on her hands and knees. She grabbed Shibi in her arms and tried to crawl away on her hand and knees.

“Just need to get away… just need to…”

Vines grew from behind her and wrapped around her ankle.

“No…” she cried.

The vines pulled, lurching her and Shibi back. Shibi fell from her grasp. The man stretched his hand out. Small brown vines grew from the sleeves of his clothes. They wrapped around the unconscious Shibi, starting at his feet and making its way up his body until the vines covered his head, trapping his body in a cocoon of vines.

“There,” the man said triumphantly, “Now the stupid monkey will suffocate to death.” He looked at Jun Nee and smiled. “Well, now it’s your turn.” He stretched his hand towards her and vines erupted from his sleeves once again.

Jun Nee struggled but to no avail. The vines wrapped up her small body, going over her neck, chin, mouth nose. Her lungs were already burning from her failed efforts to breath through the tightening vines. Sher eyes were wide with fear and panic as the vines grew, threatening to cover them.

There was an explosion of fire and electricity and one of the vine walls blew apart, pieces of it on fire.

Ding Wu stepped through the newly opened hole. His eyes only needed a second to take in the situation. He gathered his energy and fired a stream of electricity at the man in black. He sent flying back into the vine wall, which grew vines to soften his landing.

Ding Wu ran to Jun Nee. His hand glowed with electricity. Running the edge of electrified hand across the vine cocoon, he was able to cut it like a knife to butter. Jun Nee gulped in a mouthful of air.

“Shibi!” she pointed at the much smaller cocoon beside her.

Ding Wu cut Shibi’s cocoon open. As soon as she did, fire sprayed out.

“Shibi! Calm down, its Ding Wu!” she said.

Shibi calmed down.

Ding Wu smirked. “Seems you didn’t need me to escape.” He said. “You would have burnt your way out, eventually.”

“Thank goodness you came,” Jun Nee said, crying. “I tried my best. I tried to help Shibi but we… we couldn’t beat him!”

“Jun Nee,” he said, grasping her shoulders. “I need you to be strong. I need you to be calm.”

Wiping her tears away, she nodded and stopped crying. Though her lower lip still quivered, threatening to release the tears she was holding back.

Ding Wu looked at Shibi in alarm before turning back to Jun Nee. “Where is Master Wang?”

“I-I don’t know. Shibi just found me and tried to help.”

Ding Wu nodded.

“Who the hell are you!” The man in black said, walking forward.

Ding Wu’s voice became dark as he spoke to Jun Nee and Shibi. “Find Master Wang, make sure he is safe. I’ll join you when I can.”

Jun Nee nodded. Shibi climbed on her shoulder and she ran away.

Ding Wu glared at the Wood Elementalist before him.

“Great,” The Black Mark member snorted, “another Commoner traitor to kill.”

“You’re not killing not one more person tonight.” Ding Wu said, electricity gathering in his fist.

“Really?” the man said, three vines growing in front of him. “And who is going to stop me? You?” He made a beckoning motion. “Then come!”

Ding Wu charged forward, his fist wreathed in lightning!