Chapter 0297 - Slaughter beneath the Suns

As the Slave Soldiers exited the fire, they started to run. Strange lights and unfamiliar spells began to form in the air.

Iasyou laughed maniacally and a solitary sun rotated above the City of Umbraal. It lit the battlefield up for all to see. "Kill them all!" He knew it wouldn't be enough but his armies were spread thin, the soldiers from the cities that had just been sacked were few and far between, it was unlikely that many of them would be able to join the fight unless delays were made.

A shifting color of lights sprayed from the vanguard of the Red Emperor, the Prisoner slaves were grabbing all the attention. Fear was entirely counterproductive and the allied forces of the Zao Empire were well beyond that point.

Terrifying energy swept by at every turn. The slaves were moving quickly and in random directions, coordination between them was non-existent and they were like wild animals let loose.

One soldier in particular among the armies gave everyone a stark chill. The Truthers beside Qingchi let out a horrific scream. "Its the Emperor... he's.." Some of them immediately threw up, their own empathy was getting the better of them. "He's in so much pain."

Wu Hai stood like a lonely figure on the battlefield, his body roared and it shook the space around him. Fire and lightning wrapped around his body like snakes, eight colored fire swept across his wings. When he had finished roaring, the slave seal on his body lit up like a piece of flash paper across his chest that wouldn't go out. He had broadened the range of his fire and vanished in an instant.

Everyone looked around but it was Qingchi that felt his arrival first. A burst of fire behind the truthers drew lightning from the sky, Demon King Ho caught his Uncles fists and planted his wings into the ground.

"Wu! Get your Mother and the Truthers out of here!" Ho grit his teeth, Wu Hai's punch was much stronger than he believed it would be.

Ying Wu snapped and displaced the Empire's forces a few hundred meters. His nose bled from the shift, "Hiano, Pull everyone back to safety. Something is wrong with the Empe.." The Prince's words were cut off by a massive explosion.

One of the prisoners was throwing a strange purple energy ball. Each time it landed, for five bounces it would grow, then, it would explode. At first it confused everyone that could see it but as the balls grew, so did the distorted air around them.

They sounded wet as they bounced, 'vhluuu-un' 'vhluuu-un' 'vhluuu-un' 'vhluuu-un' 'vhluuu-un'

Shots were fired at the balls but most beams that penetrated them were unable to cause them to explode early, the body of the prisoner that was throwing them was torn to shreds by the continual fire. When he stopped moving, the red light across his chest flared once more and another large explosion rocked the battlefield.

Mages brought shields and earthen walls up as fast as possible but the wash from the blast wave was so fast that a number of soldiers were unable to make it out.

"They explode when they die!" Denoia stopped the wave of fire that was sweeping toward her with a large white barrier.

Wu Hai saw an opening in Ho's concentration, he sent his knee into his brother's chest, sending him into the distance and raised his hand toward the sky. Lightning began to flood the skies and trickling into his palm.

"BACK AWAY!" Ho flashed back across space and pulled Wu Hai's hand out of the air, Lightning passed between them but the Demon King was unaffected.

The Empire's soldiers were still moving away from the City of Umbraal when Vector saw the dark figure below. He wasn't giving off the aura of the Emperor but it was giving off an astounding amount of energy.

The energy was dark and tainted, it hung around Wu Hai's body like a cursed haze. Vector stopped flapping his wings and let himself fall from the sky. Falling was faster than flight for Vector's size and came with the added bonus of destroying a number of the charging prisoner slaves. They had been casting or running and then, they were stains that got caught under his nails.

Red beams were cast down from Iasyou's position, two ancestors had appeared. Vector immediately opened his breath attack on one but the other blipped away and moved with the prisoners toward the edge of the battle.

Mursayade broke off with Misozi's Puppets, she held two spears and blocked the Ancestors way.

The Ancestor tried to fly around Mursayade's position but Misozi's puppets kept raining down, all of them were armed with Spellrifles. "I'll keep him contained, take.." Misozi's paused while her puppets fired, "..him."

Noyuki pushed through the retreating forces and helped the White Guardian forces move them to safety, the troops that were able to move spread themselves out and hid.

Beazel pulled a sword from no where, it beamed with white.

Noyuki saw Beazel chanting and followed along, bright white light accumulated in her hands while she stood next to him and repeated, "Fade the Shadows, Purity!"

Dozens of white beams crashed down around the battlefield, 'A healing magic?' Noyuki wasn't sure why it was a healing spell but she was happy to see the effects.

Wu Hai spread his wings and flushed out of Ho's grip, eight colored fire swirled above his head in a spiral. It split between the colors and separated so it could orbit his body, his hand that was still held toward the sky drew lightning from the clouds overhead.

Ho brought out a large shield formation plate, he threw it to the rear and ignored it thereafter. So many things were going on around him but he couldn't lose focus.

Another of Vector's blasts ripped through the area that was swarming with the slave soldiers, Iasyou saw their trampling and moved into action.

The moment that Iasyou started to move, Vira's rage exploded. She had never cared for anyone until the Emperor showed her differently. Watching him fight with his brother brought a terrifying thought, Vira joined her hands together and threw out every talisman, totem and spirit stone in her possession.

Summoning Circles appeared. "Keep them off of me." Vira gave the command when more than a hundred demons appeared, they immediately rushed toward the front of the battle. With her concentration freed, she turned to ward Kuzunoha. "He's coming, its time."

Kuzunoha called for Mursayade but she was still busy with an Ancestor.

Evinate spoke over the battlefield, "Iasyou is here." Turning instinctively, Evinate waved his hand and sent himself to the edge of the battle group. "PULL BACK!"

Ying Wu and Agent Hiano were still working with Bazingah to keep the ground forces out of direct fire and spread apart.

Control of the space around them was difficult, Denoia was doing her best to keep the other Ancestors and Deities out of the fight. The space around the battle had been locked and except for those who were already inside its barrier, no one could enter.

Iasyou cackled when he appeared, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "SEVEN SUNS!" The plan was the same as his battle with the Orange Emperor but Iasyou had guessed correctly, none of the enemies in front of him could liquefy. There would be no chance at dodging for the majority of their forces.

The Seven Suns started to leave the orbit above his head, they shot out in a spread.

A high pitched chirp came down from the sky, Lu Sha dove toward the Suns with his mouth open. He was able to swallow three of them but four were still heading toward their target.

Evinate saw the possibilities in an instant.

Beazel intercepted one with brute force, the light of the sun could never burn him. It pushed him back across the grasslands and many soldiers were caught in its heat when the ground began to melt below their feet.

Wild fire spread throughout the affected area, Qingchi had enough strength to stop the remaining three but she could only reach one.

Bazingah and the truthers knew exactly what she was thinking but it was a hard pill to swallow. "WU!" Catching the Prince's attention, Bazingah screamed at the top of her lungs.

The last of the Seven Suns was still headed toward the rear of the battle, toward the largest concentration of their forces.

"Barriers and cheap tricks!" Iasyou tried to adjust the range of his attacks, he flung fire and brought walls up to contain anyone in his way but he was interrupted by the sharpness of a sword. It passed across his eyelids and the watery visage that covered his face was dispelled.

Iasyou turned as a reaction and found Vira staring him in the face. She kicked down at his shoulder and sent him into the bedrock. It was only for a fraction of a second, he immediately stood up and roared.

The prisoner slaves began to move faster, Wu Hai dropped lightning across the region. The ground began to explode periodically, tri-colored lightning swarmed the skies and seemed to be fighting something else.

Vector turned his breath attack on Wu Hai when another figure in red slammed into his jaw.

Ajennic shoved a spear into Vector's cheek, it pinned his mouth shut. "Filthy Beast!"

Wu Hai's attack was decimating the region, the City of Umbraal was swallowed in the downcast of lightning.

The tribulation made Iasyou twitch, the prisoner was under the effects of a slave seal and still so powerful. "Kill them all!" He roared in glee, 'The heavens do have eyes!' If not for the range of 'Super Nova' attacks, he would have already used it. The range of his best attack would overlap his own defensive position.

Wu Hai's chest burned with the slave seal, he was surrounded by eight colored fire and tri-colored lightning. He threw it in a line, it crashed against the guardian forces under Beazel's command.

Iasyou blocked Vira's attack from the right, she was holding the broken tooth blade In her hands.

Kuzunoha swept the crusher blade down and across the space where Iasyou had been but he was already gone. 'Slicker than snot!' Looking around as quickly as they could, neither of them could find a trace of Iasyou.

Then it happened. Iasyou appeared in the center of the troops at the rear, Bazingah was being held by the throat.

"Bad Move." Bazingah spread her face apart to reveal a vertical row of teeth and bit down on Iasyou's arm. She refused to let go until she had bitten entirely through. His arm bled uncontrollably and fire swept out from the blood drops.

Bazingah spread her wings... "I am the Death's River Princess!" Blackfire spread across her body, "MASTER! NOW!" Immediately afterward, she started to chant.

Lu Sha grabbed onto Bazingah while she was speaking in tongues. Their bodies worked as one, hundred foot wings of fire spread out from her back. 'Sixty Seconds' Bazingah knew exactly how long she had, Master Lu Sha's power wouldn't last for long.

'Pak,pak,pak' A drizzle of fire followed the blood that dripped from the hole in Iasyou's bicep. "What are you!" He looked to the distance and saw his ruined cities, rage filled his heart and eyes. A sun appeared over his head, "So be it."

Iasyou sent the sun to the rear of the battle, it sailed across the sky and left a scorching trail.

"Master!" Bazingah called out, she moved on impulse to intercept it. The speed of the Sun shooting past was fast but Lu Sha was faster.

When Lu Sha got ahead of it, there was another yell from the Red Emperor like a laugh.

"Super Nova" Iasyou clasped his hand shut and the edge of the horizon was filled with a blinding light.

'Pldoo-oom' It was a sucking sound that rushed past Kuzunoha and Vira's Ears.

"NO!" They watched the light explode.

Kuzunoha's heart began to sink into despair.