Chapter 8 - The Devious

I felt the presence of dark powers approaching, rolling like a boulder towards me. Then I smelled the heavy odour of evil. I turned to see the approaching serpent with its head like a missile. Its hissing was more potent than its actual presence as it seemed to slither into the victim's subconscious and spewed phobia. It shot towards me with vengeance.

I ducked but received a nudge on the shoulders that caused me to lose my balance. I quickly jumped to my feet, swung around with my right sword fingers and executed a slicing motion. My power missed the serpent by an inch as it swiftly dropped into the cover of the thick tall grass.

I followed suit, shuttling between spaces in the tall grass, not wanting to lose sight of the serpent. However, the serpent was faster and soon dropped from sight. A mystical creation can always change shape and size to elude pursuers. I must not let it get away.

Soon, I noticed an opening in front of me with the tall grass thinning. As I neared the gap, I smelled human breath. In my anxiety to save the human, I leaped forward. My foot hit something and fell clumsily.

Instantly, I found myself on top of the reptilian scales. The serpent had camouflaged itself in the grass!

Before I could react, I was tossed into the air and landed badly. While on the ground, I sensed a draught of air moving towards me. I quickly got on my feet and swung my sword fingers bravely towards the serpent

"Inazuma - flash of lightning." I commanded and executed the Lightning Mantra.

I felt warmth in my pointer finger. Wary of the grass around me, I controlled my powers and focused it in a tiny ball on my fingertip. I leaped forward and hit the serpent on its head. My attack was met with recoil from the reptile, which fell back.

I made haste and jumped on the serpent. Then it reacted, and I delivered a firm palm onto the head of the serpent. There was a flare in its eyes before it unleashed a horrible cry like a man. I felt a reverberation in its body as the impact of my hit travelled through its body.

However, I underestimated the serpent as it swung over and came for me, with its fangs like shining daggers.

It darted at my head but I ducked in time and took the chance to counter-attack. I leaped into the air and scribbled the word 破 onto my palm and landed my palm on its head.

The serpent wriggled and fell back onto the ground. It unleashed a long hiss and writhed in pain. The critical moment was here and I landed a second strike on its head.

"Kowasu! 破!" I shouted.

Within seconds, the serpent went limp and began to shrink until it was the size of my palm. I quickly removed a sachet from my pocket and placed the serpent into it. With my sword fingers, I sealed the opening of the sachet.

I stood up and as I recovered from the combat, heard shuffles in the grass. I kept the sachet and stood ready for the coming danger. I took a few steps forward and then spotted something.

I paused. Human breath!

I checked again and spotted a foot. I identified those police shoes. Treading slowly, I soon found myself looking at the body of a uniformed policeman. He was unconscious and I leaned forward to check and realized his breathing was weak and there were fresh wounds on his face, neck, and limbs. He had been bitten.

“Shock and anxiety,” I observed. I was about to check his pulse when I heard a faint whisper for help. He was alive.

“You will be fine. Dont worry.” I comforted.

I was about to drag him out of the grass when I caught sight of the uniform of another policeman lying just a few feet away. The grass had covered the majority of his body which made it hard to detech.

I walked over, cautious in every step. I pushed the grass apart and found myself looking at a bloodied torso. He has been ruthlessly mangled and blood was streaming from his eyes and nostrils. I touched his wrist and found no pulse.

I was pained. Bowing my head, I joined my palms and chanted the Kstigarbha Mantra.

My moment of melancholy was short-lived. I soon heard commotion ahead, but the huge screen of grass made it hard to tell who the people involved in the scuffle were. However, the intensive din that could only come from armed combat added a beat to my heart.

I drew closer and pulled the grass apart. There was a combat taking place between two figures - a lady and a man in black. Upon intensive scrutiny, I saw a familiar outline - Kelly!

I quickly leaped over to help. When I was closer, I found a man in black attacking Kelly relentlessly with his kicks. Her legs were bound, and she was fighting with her bare hands.