Greedy is the right word for the way the Egg was devouring the energy within the space, the rate at which it was feeding had grown astronomically once it landed in Hana's hands. "I can feel the life force inside this egg, its growing very fast."
"Don't probe too deeply, you could damage the process or the demon within." Ooran gave a quick opinion, it was rational and what her father would have said if he were there.
Hana sighed and sloshed backward into the blood again, laying out atop the pool. "Do you think they're going to be successful? I mean, the whole reason my father hasn't captured or killed Darkwing by now has been that his speed was so much faster, right?"
Ooran nodded.
"Then what's changed?" Hana probed a little, she was starved for conversation and Dissait only served to apologize constantly, she had sent him to tend to the creatures. The Three-step Hummingbirds had all gotten contracts. Each of them was pollinating a section of the Bloodgrass and feeding from their many fluids. The balls of grass hearts that were floating among the space were easy targets for them and the Astradon, all of them helped themselves considerably to whatever they wanted.
Ooran shook his head, "I'm not sure. Maybe its the Emperor himself. Your father has always kept himself withdrawn and reserved. The fact that he's in a Demon's body isn't a good one, your Aunt Khan Ni once fought with him when he was in a similar form and only a child. Lets just say the fight was short but it let him know just how easily he could fall over the edge and let himself stop caring. He gives a lot of mercy, even to his enemies but all of that changed."
"Changed how?" Hana lounged in the Blood pool and spoke to her grandfather with great interest. Subjects about her family and their history were never really filled in properly and she wanted to know more about their pasts.
"You." he pointed to the tank and then tapped on it. "You were sent to the Sect to get away from all of … well, This." he gesticulated toward the pools and dimensional state. "Your parents saw the effect that Hell was having on you and you're becoming a woman, so now is the time in your life and progression where you're most susceptible to influences. Then, only a month after that, you're in a Coma.. If he hadn't given up the territory to the Demon Queen, we might not have been successful in waking you up. Vira had no reason to do what she did, but your father had earned her favor, somehow.." He drifted off trying not to think about the aforementioned child that Vira had hinted at.
"I see." Hana felt a little sad at the news, she knew there had been sacrifices. 'Territory, now I understand what he meant..'
Ooran shook his head, "Its more than just territory, the Demon Queen has joined the Clan. The rules of our world will soon change and it might not be for the best."
"Rules of the world? Every time I hear words like that, I hate it. What are rules if not to be tested or broken in times of need." Hana huffed and blew bubbles under the blood, several of them popped and splat toward her eyes, forcing her to close them.
"Ha. You really are like your father, just remember that Coma you just barely woke up from.. that is a possibility from now on. Bloodcosts can take your soul, your life, your friends. Think wisely where you grasp at power." As the Patriarch he was proud of the progress of the Disciple in front of him, as a Grandfather, he was terrified for his family and kin.
֍ꟷꟷꟷꟷ֍
There was a lot of space to cover outside of the Hellmouth, Wu Hai was busy spreading a few traps around and formations but it was Mike who came through with the win. He had traded the Cheng Twins a case of the most expensive liqueur he'd ever come across for one of the gourds in their possession. The Wine it produced, while low in magical power was enough to make a contact point for the transmission of energy.
With it in his hands, Wu Hai sped as fast as he could through the edge and circled the edge in about an hour, hundreds of formation flags were placed down, six hundred and sixty six flags in total. It created a netting, expanding toward the center. When it converged at the center it began to grow in strength.
When Wu Hai finally had it going, the others joined his side.
"This won't hold if its attacked for long but the longer it remains, the stronger it will become. This will bring attention to anyone or any thing that wants to enter. Since Darkwing flew away, we can only assume that he doesn't teleport for some reason in his current state. That's the only advantage we have, if this becomes a difficult task, we have only ourselves to rely on." Wu Hai's expression was gloomy, he didn't feel confident in the amount of time it would take to locate Darkwing if he even passed through the area and crashed into the formations. Last time, it had done little to slow his arrival.
"Don't worry," Kuzunoha felt confident in the Emperor's ability and the threat was looming, they had to act, children kept disappearing.
"The Formations you had placed on the sect back then were no where near this strength." Mike and Kuzunoha both had their own way to say it but which ever one got his attention, neither of them knew.
Emperor Zao looked at Vira who was quietly watching by the side, staring at the maw across the shield.
"{I never want to go back there.}" She finally spoke when all eyes turned toward her. "Never." Her common was coming along but she had to wait for words to be spoken, she was relearning as she went. The language of other races was never really an interest of hers, but she was forced into learning due to circumstance.
"Now, We can only wait." Wu Hai pulled out a few more talismans and slapped them to one of the formation plates in his storage. "We'll hide under here and wait until there is a reaction from the shield." Throwing it out to the ground between them, the shield spellwork whirled around them and a bubble hid their auras, presence and visual profile. No one would know they were there unless they walked into the small shield, which was only ten meters wide. "Sorry about the size but any bigger will draw too much attention and reveal our position."
"Don't worry about it, now.. what's the battle strategy?" Mike wanted to know what approach they should all take but Wu Hai shook his head.
When the shaking stopped he explained. "We can't expect any plan to work, the best we can do is improvise. I'll try tanking it, my healing abilities in this body are far stronger than the Elemental body I normally used. I want both of you to try distracting his attentions and then Vira can attack at her leisure. Try to avoid friendly fire."
"That sounds like a plan. Even though its doomed to fail in practice, it sounds like the way to go." Mike was stoked, it had been a few years since he last leveled up, even hunting did little to spur the advancement.
Kuzunoha smiled for a second but wiped it clean with her next sentence, her face turned cruel and lacking all thoughts of mercy, "Vira, I want Darkwing dead. If you see the opportunity, don't hesitate."
It was the first time Vira felt like Kuzunoha actually trusted her actions and Vira couldn't help but acknowledge her in that moment. "Hmmph.. I can outrun a Qilin, the Emperor shouldn't have a problem, he's faster than me."
"Darkwing showed the Emperor how to control his powers, it could be said that Darkwing is the Emperors second teacher and formerly a trusted ally. His betrayal is a stain. Don't underestimate his capabilities, we never saw it coming." Mike grit his teeth and then calmed himself down, fumbling through his storage ring, he found seventy small orbs and passed them out. "These are developed in secret by the Mi family. Each one is about the equivalent of a missile strike but they don't emit an energy signature, hidden weapons can cause a lot of chaos and Darkwing won't know anything about them."
"Got any more toys?" Wu Hai asked but had his own ideas. He pulled out a communication stone.
-"Ibuwere!" the stone cracked as he yelled at it.
-"Yes." The voice on the other side seemed annoyed and quiet.
-"Come to the sound of my voice. Teleport here if you can. I've seen you blip and do short term teleportation. Use this signal, travel along it. I have this strange feeling." The Emperor laughed at the simplicity of it all.
-"Are you sure about that?" Ibuwere was curious, he even wanted to try but felt asking wasn't a stupid question.
"-Honestly, Its just a hunch. Reloading crystal, this ones breaking." Wu Hai grabbed another communication stone and reestablished a connection. -"Try it now."
A sharp buzzing came and the communication stone shattered, revealing a small black dot that expanded. Wu Hai stepped back, his arms crossed. "I knew it was possible. I should have known but the connection, I just didn't make it till now. I just kept thinking about making connections and it hit me. With this, hehe... what a thing. Keep what has just happened confidential for the time being, I don't dare ask you to keep a secret."
"I only just arrive and already you call me greedy. What's not to need, resources mean experiments. You give me materials, I make new conclusions.. that's the deal. Lately you've had me pretending to be you, and I'm sick of it. I want more payment and more materials." Ibuwere rubbed his hands and stared at the Emperor like a mugger would a target.
Sighing, Wu Hai uncrossed his arms and withdrew a Custodian Corpse. "Here. Do not reanimate it or recover its soul, this was a very tough opponent." Letting go of Abbacadabba's corpse, he really felt the sting. Abbacadabba's main ability was cheating others out of their winnings, he was a fortune grabber, stealing the destinies of others instead of creating them. "I mean it. If you revive him, I will let you know what it means to be threatened with extinction."
'Extinction?' Ibuwere wanted to show some disinterest in the Emperor's choice of words but dismissed it as a juvenile response. "Payment is accepted. You have bought yourselves at least.." He hesitated to measure the tolerance. "Six months, no longer. After that, I will alter Qu's core formations and take him as payment. Heed my words. Six months." Ibuwere laughed, stored the corpse away and channeled a spell circle in his palm, exactly the same way the Emperor normally controlled his ability.
"You haven't heard my counter offer." The Emperor stopped his channeling by slapping Ibuwere's hand away. "I didn't say you could leave yet." Wu Hai was getting tired of the bullshit, he poked at Ibuwere's chest. "I've given you latitude moreso than even Master Xuan. I give you every resource you ask for, short of mystical objects.. because you constantly abuse your position, the materials allotted and even embezzle them for side projects. There is no deal." Wu Hai threw another formation plate out and continually stole Ibuwere's energy.
The formation plate activated, isolating them both within another bubble, underneath the concealment formation shield. It was a spacial lock, neither of them could leave the space until the formation was deactivated and only the Emperor knew the sequence. "You cannot escape, I've prepared several of these and kept them a secret but I will not be extorted any further." His fist turned into a white ball and slammed into Ibuwere's chin, several teeth shattered and Ibuwere crashed into the lock barrier formation's shield wall.
Spitting the teeth from his mouth, Ibuwere's fangs regrew and bit at the Emperor. There was an exchange between them and no matter how hard Ibuwere tried to bite, he was unable to do anything. He tried snatching at the Emperor's Ring but Wu Hai forced spikes to develop around his hands and stabbed into Ibuwere's chest, the white rods were like hot irons sinking into his flesh.
Kuzunoha could only watch from outside and shake her head, it was a long time coming. Ibuwere had been a kink in the armor of the Emperor since his arrival and only now was the Emperor confident enough to fight back rather than detain the leech.
Organ matter spread between the holes after they were attacked and regrew repeatedly. Wu Hai increased his attacks and began to outpace Ibuwere's regenerative capability. Ibuwere coughed with the little power left in his lungs during a cycle of the regeneration. "Stop, Stop. Okay. I submit." There was a moment when Ibuwere wasn't sure that Wu Hai would stop, it was only when true fear reached his eyes that the Emperor chose to stop and allow some healing to continue.
A contract appeared in Wu Hai's hands, it seemed well prepared beforehand. "{SIGN IT!}" Wu Hai roared and thrust the rod into Ibuwere again, "{There will be no mistake, you will guard the hell portal until I return. You have the capability to keep them at bay and DARKWING MUST DIE!}"
He was furious, Ibuwere had been putting him through the ringer whenever there was a request to be made. Wu Hai had a hard time keeping him out of the Tower City Pagoda, Ibuwere could circumvent the shields and barriers, which is why he had to prepare such a means to combat him and one he intended to use again. "Ibuwere, Sign it or your usefulness ends when next we meet." His voice changed and it terrified Ibuwere.
A vivid red light appeared and cloaked the pair within the bubble before the formation dissipated.
"Activity in the vicinity of Tower City is at an all time low, something else is happening in the depths of hell. If that is all, I'd like to return.." Ibuwere felt shamed and beaten, it would take a lot to regain his momentum and leverage.
Wu Hai nodded and Ibuwere rechanneled, then teleported away.
"Now that, is the Emperor!" Mike clapped a few times until Wu Hai put his hand up.
"You know Mike, I never asked to be called the Emperor. That's why I started calling you the Dragon King." Wu Hai's eyes were cut toward his friend and colleague. He was still furious about the matter, he had been thrust into a position of power and kicked from his own adventure due to fame and responsibility. Not that he was entirely to blame, the course was on Wu Hai's mind but Mike hadn't considered the timing at all, leaving the Emperor at a loss.
"Yeah, but.. except for the bad stuff, its been one hell of a ride." Mike laughed.
"Now is not the time for laughing, I'm having a hard time keeping my emotions in check with this form. The White Spot Demon purifies my body but not my emotional hurdles." Wu Hai clenched his fist and drew blood that dripped to the ground and re-energized the formation. "That day changed everything and now that you've finally started on an adventure with me, there is no turning back. You're coming with me after this." There was a regained confidence in his words.
Mike felt a little bad about the way Wu Hai was taking it, he knew he was a little bitter but he had even adopted the moniker himself almost immediately. "I wouldn't dream of bailing, this is what I signed up for. Besides, my family is doing very well back in Greensong and that's all thanks to you."
Wu Hai change d direction of the conversation the moment Mike's family was brought up, their return to Earth had been a disaster as well. As he remembered, all he could think was, 'Who the hell nukes someone without a threat.' He shook it off and looked to Vira. "If I lash out during or after the fight, restrain me with Kuzunoha's help." His aura was still seething from his encounter with Ibuwere but it left him with a lot to think about. The transmission of voice traveled over some channel through the void perhaps, and teleportation seemed possible. 'Travel through a communication line, now that's a fantasy become reality.. I don't know why I haven't tried that.'