"Is everyone okay?" Chu Nuan asked as she stood up from the ground. Looking back up at the mysterious gate, it has reverted back to its former calm. If it wasn't for the scorched markings on the ground, it would seem as if the attack just now was an illusion.
"What should we do now?" Xie Luochen asked as his furrowed brows creased deeper the longer he stared at the black hole.
"I need some time to investigate it," Chu Nuan responded as she carefully treads forward.
"Wait." Taking a step closer, Xie Luochen's worried gaze connected to her pacifying smile as she turned to face his direction. "Be careful." He warned as slender fingers tightened around his weapon.
Nodding before resuming her actions, she walked step by step with cautious strides towards the black gate. Everyone, including Chu Nuan remained alert to the happenings around the opened abyss. Afraid that another unexpected attack could come from the beyond.
However unknownst to everyone in the area, a small portion of the restriction around the gate has started to show traces of damage. Just as Chu Nuan took the first stride into the area around the entrance way, black light burst forth from the void. With a loud crack, the array throughout the area fractures abruptly.
Black mist pours out from the gap and envelopes the gate, slowly transforming it from a simple black hole into an intricate doorway. A dark double door made of unknown materials appears in place of the empty void presented a moment ago. Elaborate designs of peonies and vines grace its somber surface. On both sides of the doors hung two diamond shaped lanterns made of black glass. A reddish liquid settle on the bottom of those lamps, giving off an ominous touch.
Raising their weapons, everyone regrouped to form a half circle. "What is going on?" Lei Lin exclaimed.
"Not too sure. Nothing like this happened before with the other openings." Nan Hai answered with confusion, eyes never straying from the door as he applied a barrier to surround the entire area.
All of a sudden, the two lamps sparked to life. An eerie purple flame burned on top of crimson liquid as the double doors slowly screeched open. The void behind the door began to writhe with a life of its own. Soon, deathly white limbs surface from the abyss followed by heads, and waists. Malformed ghosts crawled out from the doorway one after another as they pursued the scent of human flesh.
Internal organs drag on the ground from the side of some ghosts, while blood pool on the floor of others. Some have missing limbs, when another carries gaping wounds. Each and every one of the approaching souls have died a miserable death.
"Careful, they're coming!" Xie Luochen warned the others as he stood in front of Chu Nuan with his daggers drawn across his chest. Throwing a set of talismans forward, he rushed into the crowd followed by the deafening sound of explosions.
"I'm right behind you!" Tightening the pair of gloves around his wrists, Lei Lin jumped in after Xie Luochen.
"We need to restore the array. Nan Hai, protect me." Chu Nuan commanded at the same time she took out five vibrant multicolored stones. These are high quality essence stones, each colored stone represents an element from water to metal. A very good prop for setting up high level arrays.
Tuning out the clamor of the battlefield, Chu Nuan focused on the task at hand. It's clear that the array Nan Hai had set is not strong enough to seal the gate once again. Therefore, she has to use another formation to deal with the task. Filtering through an immeasurable amount of formations, Chu Nuan used five seconds to find the one that is most useful.
Without delay she threw the five stones in the air while muttering a chant. Performing a set of hand motions, the stone landed on five corners around the gate and formed a pentagon. It lit up brightly in response to Chu Nuan's continuous chant, the light shining brighter and brighter until its radiance is comparable to the sun.
"Here comes the hard part." Retrieving a small knife from her bag, a quick flick of her wrist and a deep wound appeared on her other palm. Fresh blood flows from her veins as they pour down on the ground like a waterfall. The thick scent of blood fills the stagnant air, causing the ghost the roar with frenzy.
"Chu Nuan!" Surprised by her actions, Xie Luochen disengaged himself from battle in an attempt to return to her side.
"Focus!" She yelled in determination. "Stall them for me!" Her gaze gleamed with a brilliant glow, as is telling him to trust her.
Gritting his teeth from frustration, Xie Luochen stood at the same spot for a moment until his lips bled from the pressure. Brandishing his daggers once again, his body flashes into the crowd with renewed vigor.
Shrill screams rang out every time a sharp glint of blade reflected off the moonlight overhead. Souls flew in multiple directions as they dissipated before reaching the ground. But even with the combined effort of Xie Luochen, Lei Lin, and Nan Hai, an endless amount of malicious ghosts pour out from the dark gate. As if starved lions eyeing a piece of meat, they pounce without care for their well beings, determined to have a bite. Most of the ghosts headed to where the scent of blood is the strongest, the area around Chu Nuan.
Releasing another round of needles, Nan Hai squinted his eyes in pain. Droplets of sweat trickled into the fold of his eyelids and stung him painfully. But afraid of missing his opponent's attack, he can only bear it in silence. Facing the continuous wave of enemies, he injected spectral energy into his fan. With a generous swing of his hand, a green current emerged and blew towards the approaching ghosts. Immediately freezing them into ice statues and with a light touch, crumbling into fine powder.
Panting with shaking limbs, Nan Hai glanced at the focused Chu Nuan. Although that move just now was very powerful, he cannot use it continuously. If she doesn't finish up soon, he does not have the confidence to keep guarding her.
"Nan Hai, dodge!" Hearing this warning, without processing, he rolled to the side and just a few seconds later a set of explosions rang out from where he was standing.
Seeing the peril Nan Hai was in, Lei Lin arrived to support with guarding duty. Positioning side to side, they gave each other a nod before rushing in once again.
__________
On the other side.
Duanxian Yu peered at the pocket watch in his hand. Sitting on the chair facing the large french windows, the sound of ticking seems unusually loud in this quiet room.
"It should be about time."
"Click." Closing the watch on hand, he summoned a dark gate. Walking into the abyss, his sight flitted briefly over the figure lying on his bed before disappearing into the darkness.
__________
Paling at a noticeable speed, Chu Nuan continued to chant as the stones formed a pentagonal diagram using her blood. Borrowing the elements with her blood as sacrifice and the stones as the container, the formation completed around more than fifty percent within these few minutes.
"Not fast enough." Raising her other palm, another deep gash appeared flowing with red liquid. The moment the blood touched the ground, it merged with the design on the floor and sped up the completion of its layout.
Just as everyone was about to use up the last of their strength in the battle, the blood array bloomed with a shocking radiance. Wherever the light touches, screams of pain echo in the air as ghosts disperse without a struggle.
From enclosing the whole area to slowly moving to surround the gate itself. Everything only took a mere thirty seconds to complete. Finally, locking onto the rumbling gate, the formation firmly wrapped all over the doors and forcibly closed it with a loud bang.
Silence washed over the scene.
Drained of strength, Chu Nuan dropped to the ground as large beads of sweat fell on the floor from her pale face.
Tension leaving their bodies without the sign of danger, Lei Lin and Nan Hai collapse to the ground side by side. Breathing heavily, they gave each other a wide grin full of happiness.
While the others are resting quietly on the floor, Xie Luochen took a step towards Chu Nuan. Although his body is exhausted to the point of trembling uncontrollably, an ominous feeling somehow lingers on the brink of his consciousness. His heart beats uneasily, as if something is bound to happen the very next moment.
Seeing Chu Nuan sitting on the floor helplessly, his footsteps quicken with haste. Eyebrows knit with worry, ashen thin lips pinch together into a straight line. "Chu Nuan.." As he reached near her location, Xie Luochen ultimately let out a smile of relief. Connecting his gaze with her tired eyes, the view in front of him played out like a movie in slow motion.
From her eyes widening with horror, to her body rushing towards him in anger. Every action seemed to pass exceptionally dull. Even when the sensation of burning liquid spattering on his face failed to awaken his stupor.
Trembling fingers stiffly made in contact with the dampness on his face whilst turning to the situation behind him.
Standing behind him is the fragile figure of a woman with short hair. Her frail back against the light shivers due to extreme fatigue but even so, her back is straight with pride. Meeting Xie Luochen's eyes with a light smile, she asked in a breathless voice. "Are….you...okay?" A stream of blood flowed down her pale lips, adding a tint of life on her colorless skin.
"Ah….ah…." Quivering lips open in vain.
"...." His strengthless arm stretches toward the figure in front of him. Inches before they touch, like strings cut from a doll, her body crumples to the ground. In the same manner of sand slipping from the creases of his fingers, even to the end he failed to grasp what mattered to him the most.
"CHU NUAN!!!"
A scream from the depths of one's souls pierce the Heavens.