All The Smoke

In one location, Osoi Abajo had seemingly done something totally uncharacteristic of her otherwise peaceful nature and suddenly attacked Fukutsuno. In several other locations previously inactive Bane agents, whether they were willing participants or otherwise, had finally revealed themselves and began to wreak havoc all across Xaymaca.

Beings of all species, size and power were now pouring out of the Dimension tower and attacking civilians. They were all vessels of Hive of course.

Obviously Bane's leader hadn't put all her eggs in one basket. All of the shadow clones Buio and Shadow Spawn had distributed into the shadow of the kingdoms citizens had been drawn out of hiding to defend them.

All of the battle ready combatants that Buio could spare, with the exemption of the ones who were tasked with protecting his family of course, all had their hands full.

The latter were also busy at the moment, slaying the demons who had entered the portal in pursuit of Tahma. She had been reunited with her father the Supreme Magi, in the secluded structure which Buio had requested his Permaclones fashion for him.

Meanwhile, his adoptive family and close friend had been returned to their own quarters. Seeing as Tahma likely had one of Hive's dormant soul fragments within her, Buio was unwilling to allow her within an arms length of his family.

Since it seemed that Hive was incapable of easily taking possession of Tamashi's body, it was probably fine for the father and daughter to remain in each others company without causing any significant problems.

As for him, his assistance had been required on several different fronts. He aided the one's in the most dire need, then once things were down to more manageable odds, he teleported to a new location to lend his aid there before departing for another one.

At the moment he was just arriving at the Elite Force headquarters.

Apparently at some point Bane had one of their hidden aces sneak in and attempt to release the prisoners there.

As things stood at the moment, he could not allow them to gain anymore advantages in the ongoing war. Everyone already had more than enough issues to contend with.

They were fighting for their lives while doing their best not to cause any irreparable damage to some of Hives vessels. Since thousands of those vessels were their own family, friends and fellow Xaymacan's.

As Buio exited the portal and set foot on the floor, one of the translucent containers rattled in place then settled like dice on a loodi board. 'Hm, apparently that one was being moved by something or someone before i arrived here. But how and by whom?'

As he thought this, he sensed a humanoid figure racing away from the vicinity of where the container had recently moved. 'There you are!' He thought in excitement, as he dashed away trailing after whatever being it was.

As he shot up the steps leading away from the prisoner section and entered the very spacious hall of the Elite Force headquarters, Buio sensed as three previously undetected humanoid beings abruptly appeared.

Now there were four of them present, the one which he hadn't been able to sense a shadow for only moments before suddenly had one. 'Oh, that must be Fade.' He thought slightly amused. 'I thought he was reportedly dead.' Buio thought while shaking his head. Outwardly, he chuckled.

"So, you're not dead afterall... huh Fade. That's nice to know. Well i guess i should really be addressing you as Seishin or Hive." He continued expressing his thoughts aloud. "I don't recognize the mana signatures of any of you other individuals though... but judging by your mana levels you must be the Guild Masters i hadn't met yet."

There was no immediate reply. However, he was almost one hundred percent certain that the new arrivals were the unaccounted for Guild Masters. What he was really curious about, was how they had arrived.

He doubted it was via spacial manipulation and if it was. He wanted to know who had the ability to teleport with enough speed to transport themselves in the meagre amount of time it had taken him to round the corner.

Chi Mächtig, Hitei Suru and Yake Dosuru. They were the Guild Masters who had been absent from the meeting which had been called regarding Bane's presence in Xaymaca.

Mächtig had the ability to manipulate blood, she could use it to amplify herself or create projectiles or control a persons body. If she somehow got her own blood into her opponents body she could do just about anything to them. Her ability to control a person via their own blood was more limited.

However, even that limited control was still troublesome and if used strategically, it could be vital in her targets ultimate doom.

The Master of the Red Cell Guild could be very brutal and lethal to come up against, especially when her beast bond the Gold Dart Frog was added to the equation.

Hitei Suru, Master of the White Death Guild, was a whole different level of a menace. He had the ability to nullify any being's innate ability, which would render most people almost powerless. The fact that he could use it on multiple targets simultaneously made it even worse.

Anyone who didn't have very good mana manipulation, martial arts, weapon mastery or a reliable beast bond ability at the ready would pay dearly for it.

As for Beast Bonds, Hitei had one of the deadliest, not due to toxicity or durability but it's sheer attack force. Which Buio knew well because that particular Beast Bond was among one of many which Buio himself had.

The mantis shrimp. Buio could never use the mantis shrimp beast bond's abilities at max potential, at least not while fighting anything or anyone he didn't intend to kill. Applying the max attack force which the mantis shrimp was capable of producing would shatter bones and internal organs effortlessly.

According to scientists, the species had the potential to rip through steel. He couldn't recall exactly at the moment but it was something along those lines. As far as he was concerned, such lethality should be reserved for the demons. Buio had a feeling that Hive would treat him like one.

Yake Dosuru, Master of the Phoenix Order had the ability to manipulate heat. While his Beast Bond was not innately powerful in a conventional way, it could be particularly troublesome for a completely different reason.

His Beast Bond was the Tardigrade. The Tardigrade was a microscopic lifeform in regular reality, as for what it was like in it's own Dimension inside the tower... Buio had no idea. All he knew was that it was good at one very useful thing in particular and that was adapting.

According to information he had learned in his childhood years, the Tardigrade was a species which could even survive without oxygen for a prolonged period of time.

Which meant that theoretically, the species could survive in the outter reaches of space provided nothing else killed them.

So... Yake would most likely be able to survive a trip into his dark dimension. Buio didn't like the thought of that. So despite the fact that the Master of the Phoenix Order was the least detrimental among his present foes, he decided to put him out of commission first. Without killing him that is, what a bothersome task that would be.

Since he would be up against three potentially lethal combatants who were close to him in power.... excluding Fade, who he already had a very brief encounter with and knew was less powerful but when their individual skill sets were pooled together, it would be a whole other matter.

'They're probably going to opt for nullifying my innate ability but i have more than one, so which one of the two will get nullified i wonder?' Buio thought thoroughly intrigued.

As Buio finished that thought, he instinctively attempted to summon a tide of darkness to cover his surroundings. However there was nothing. Just to be sure he made another attempt. Once again, there was no reaction. "Hmmph!" He huffed aloud. "Nullified my ability to manipulate darkness before attacking. Smart move, very smart move." He finished while smirking behind his mask.

'They took off one of my big wheels, sadly for them i have another wheel and plenty spare tires.' Outwardly he continued. "What are you guys waiting for, i have two hands, who wants to come get some?"

In the next moment there was a nauseating outburst of mana in their vicinity spanning the entire diameter of the Elite Force headquarters. A maniacal smile appeared on Buio's face behind his mask, as he unleashed his own mana reserves.

In the seconds that followed, a shadow quickly spread from beneath him spanning the entire Elite Force headquarters, then stopped quite some distance beyond that.

"You didn't think that i would somehow miss the fact that you would probably set a trap for me at some point, did you Hive?" He asked his demeanour radiating nonchalance.

In the next moment all of Hive's vessels spoke in unison: "Sure i didn't but even if you found out i figured you might be inclined to walk right into the trap anyways, seeing as though you are so cocky." She finished, her voice coming from all directions.

"You can't use blackholes, unless you want to kill these innocent folk that is." She continued her voice brimming with confidence. "After all..." she said. Then there was a pause, as she temporarily released control of her vessels just long enough for them to move their heads and eyes. There was an immediate out burst as all four vessels burst into tears.

"Free me, kill me please, I'd rather die than live like thi..!" Those were the last words he heard from them as the little modicum of control they had been given was abruptly ripped away.

Hive's brief display of the extent of her ability to control a persons soul was unnerving and utterly cruel. Buio clenched his jaw bone as his previously relaxed expression turned into a dreadful grimace.

"Hive, can you feel the pain your vessels feel or are you immune?" He asked in a low threatening voice. The tyrant laughed using all of the vessels present.

"I can. What difference does it make though? Since you can't kill me you'd only end up killing them, I'll be fine." She finished in a tone which told him that she was clearly unbothered.

"Oh but you can feel... and you've made one grave mistake. You seem to think i am trapped in here with you. But you've got it all wrong Seishin, you're the one who's trapped in here with me."

As Buio finished speaking he dove into the shadows, then reappeared infront of Hitei.