Chapter 22: Dark Attribute’s Essence

“Zax...” Fengar said solemnly.

“I know”. Zax said without shifting his attention from the wraiths.

The upsurge of mist energies by Luze’s party, inevitably attract experts who laid low and surveyed the situation from a far. When the conflict ended, a few experts departed from their hideouts, aware, like Luze and her companions, that things are way over their heads. Nonetheless, there were still around forty pairs of prying eyes left, ready to make a move for the dark attribute’s essence.

Zax was on the tips of his toes. Since the surrounding experts did not attack or try to monopolize the dark attribute’s essence in advance with a show of strength, he could not afford to be bothered by them.

‘It must be any moment now! Both wraiths torn each other to pieces, I imagine that the surviving one should barely have the soul energy to match a newly promoted Martial Mortal, much less being besieged by tens of greedy opportunists’. Fengar thought up on the mound.

He wondered whether Zax was too consumed by the desire to obtain the dark attribute’s essence to disregard all variables or was he prepared to handle what will happen the moment only one wraith will remain.

The tension was almost tangible. The two wraiths exchanged what seemed as final blows. Experts who conspired to betray, work together, issue a surprise attack or maintain their position until the chance to safely get the dark attribute’s essence will arise, were observing the two damned creature with rapt attention.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Four colorful and destructive rays of mist energy shot at the two wraiths, unable to harm their soul and dark attribute based bodies, producing a towering lasting explosion upon impact with the ground that masked the vicinity with blinding light.

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

...

Seven figures, clad in khaki garments, simultaneously stepped out from behind a mountain pass. Aligned with one another, the same green aura engulfed them as they breached the explosion’s area of eruption.

They moved fast and unexpectedly while it was still undetermined which wraith will survive.

“Bastards! They are trying to steal the dark attribute’s essence!” Someone from a nearby mountaintop shouted.

“Zax!” Fengar yelled at him, right when he was about to enter the strife.

“What?!” Zax was livid. Even he, who was the closest to the two wraiths, could not react in time and was pushed back by the explosion.

From the glimpse he caught of the seven figures, it was more likely that they used a joint formation than had an individually strength beyond the second realm, as fluctuated from their green aura.

“The wraiths aren’t dead yet and many experts, not necessarily weaker than me came out from their hideouts, don’t be rush!” Fengar summed up, not really expecting Zax to postpone his charge, but hoping for him to be vigilance with it. After all, he also was aching to move!

...

“Rrararararara!”

“Rrararararara!”

Shrilling screams resounded from the still tower of turbulent energy. The blast could not hurt them, but the extreme and abrupt change in the environment affected the wraiths mobility. Incorporeal as their ghostly physique was, they were very sluggish and had to struggle awfully when moving through solid objects, which is why they had an innate tendency to avoid from doing so.

Seven figures, emanating hostile intent, swooped in between them, carried by a green gale.

“Remember, we have twenty second, at most. Shizu, Bathar, obstruct the wraith at our back!” A man with long, black hair informed and directed two of the seven.

“Yes!” The two replied and hurried to erect a dome of green energy around one of the wraiths.

The man proceeded to lead the other four toward the weaker wraith Zax chased.

The green energy that originated from the seven’s formation had mist energy and soul energy intertwined, suppressing both wraiths.

“Tie it up!” The black haired man commanded.

He and the four with him swayed their arms rhythmically. A green rope of energy, like living snake, wriggled in the air and coiled around the wraith.

“Rrararararara!”

The wraith screamed. Unable to escape, missing a kin to destroy itself, it could only resort to retaliating. With not much power left, it stretched its bony arms, grabbed the green rope and tried to expand its envelopment.

The five were sweating profusely. “Come on! Others had crossed the explosion’s range. Shizu, Bathar, get back here and help us, we are leaving!”

Shizu and Bathar increased the output of green energy on the dome, buying a little bit of time to hold back the other wraith. They converged with the five and followed their movements.

The green rope began to press on the screaming wraiths.

“It’s captured, we are going!”

The captured wraith madly struggled to get free. The seven ignored it and bolted flying, pulling it at their tail.

...

WHOOSH!

Zax dodged a dagger shaped mist attack that was aimed at his throat. The sneak attack failed and the culprit ran away.

Zax gritted his teeth and continued onwards into the receding explosion. There were, in fact, four dagger shaped mist attacks, but only one was after his life. The other three were aimed at other experts that joined the strife and only one croaked.

BANG!

Where the wraiths were swallowed by the explosion, a blast was heard. Not caring anymore, Zax used his Soul Sense, discovering a lone wraith with residues of green energy dissipating around it.

‘They are escaping!’ He was shocked to detect the seven early birds already hundreds of meters far and getting farther. ‘They got him!’ He did not care what formation or technique they used to fly, but that they captured his wraith, which he could tell apart by its injuries.

Similarly to Zax, about two thirds of the experts around decided to utilize their Soul Senses. A minority elected to chase the seven, one figure was actually flying after them, a Martial Mortal!

“Zax”, Fengar caught up to him, holding his axe. “Have you seen him? It was a Martial Mortal from the Stone Clawed Bear clan! The major clans and families stopped standing idly on the sidelines. Pick a direction, but keep in mind that if we fail to obtain a dark attribute’s essence, I won’t halt anymore until we, or I alone, will leave the ridge!”

Zax heard Fengar, yet said nothing in response. He already took in consideration other Martial Mortals emerging when the flying giant bear appeared, so he was not completely oblivious to the situation, mostly furious for having his target, the dark attribute’s essence that a while ago was nearly in his hands, being taken away.

“None of us wished for this assignment to be more than we bargained, Fengar, a tough trial to become Ranker mercenaries, one you encouraged to accept”. He finally opened. “Things changed. And don’t tell me you don’t desire the dark attribute’s essence, as well. I’m not looking to die in the ridge, but I won’t give up before doing everything I can to get the dark attribute’s essence ... or killing enough of those who prevented me”.

WHOOSH!

Zax went after the wraith the seven left behind. It was stronger and encircled by more than twenty experts and who knows how many still lurked, however it was within reach!

“Rrararararara!”

The wraith swung its hands in ripping fashion. A handful of experts were already struck to death by its torrential soul attacks. It looked for routes for escape; however it was guarded too tightly.

There were five prominent experts that the rest either listened to or did not mess with. Zax was among them. His young countenance and severed limbed may had made him look non threatening, but his demeanor, coupled with how easily he brought to submission Luze’s party, caused the spectators to rethink the value of aggravating him.