"Master, we are near" a voice sounded over the ocean.
The moon over the sky clear as day in the pitch black night reflected on the water below.
"Good" a man with a stout build answered from inside a covered sleigh, he sat up to prepare himself for the worst.
Taking a deep breath he grabbed several objects at his side.
"Check the equipment one last time before we arrive, I don't want anything going wrong should things get muddled.
"Yes master!"
A group of eight carried out his order each working in groups of two checking large golden pillars that could crush any man with ease.
Ahead of them a forest appeared vast as the sea to greet them, unfortunately the dark of night only allowed for dark mountains to be seen.
The man in the sleigh sighed to himself, this task set upon him weighed deeply in his mind.
'I must not fail, every successful mission brings the sect closer to our goal'
"Master it is time, the spirit of the river seems to have awoken"
"OK!" The man stood up exiting the sleigh.
Looking into the forest several rivers could be seen greeting the sea while further away large canals carried ocean and river water across vast distances.
Within the forest to the side of a river bank a lone 'man' looked up toward the sleigh, he did not seem bewildered nor afraid of the anomaly.
The man brown of skin was taller then average covering his head with what seemed to be a bear or wolf head, his body was well defined covered only by some sort of skin hide trousers.
"Raven! Spirit of the rivers, I Las Nicho greet you!" The man next to the sleigh announced himself.
The man in the river bank called Raven did not respond, he stood in silence while the eyes of the headwear he wore looked around him in all directions.
"Oh spirit, great and mighty lord of rivers, head my plea! We of the holy land of the north beseech for your aid, we seek to make a path into the golden stars beyond our skies! Will you hear of our needs!?"
The bear-wolf masked man looked toward the man in the sky called Las Nicho before laughing a moment later.
"You seek my aid in grace, yet fly above the lands in defiance of the laws set upon man, so humble are you that the dirt below your feet never deign to touch your feet. To the stars you seek to flee in fear of returning to the land, why should I help such beings?"
Las Nicho sighed, "Oh great one, we seek not to escape our return to the land we only seek for a chance to be free of all restraints, although it may seem otherwise" Raven did not respond.
"Oh spirit, we ask of you. Please grant us with your essence blood in our time of need!"
Raven looked at Las Nicho with rage "You dare ask for such? How much the children of Mana have fallen"
Raven did not need to question for reasons, he knew nothing would dissuade one who asks for so much, he slammed his foot on the ground causing the earth to shake and the trees to tremble.
From the ground to the air, it was an instantaneous movement.
Las Nicho reacted instantly, he knew this mission would be dangerous from the moment it was assigned to him. To ask a spirit of the land for essence blood was no different then asking for their lives.
To they whom practice cultivation, essence blood can be regained through effort but for natural beings chosen by the spirit of the earth they are born without the ability to grow or regain lost strength.
Once a spirit declines it must return to the land, for they govern the land with power not all of their own.
Ravens attack landed on Las Nichos' forearms causing his veins to bulge as he blocked the attack, Raven did not hesitate to summon forth a dagger stabbing at Las Nichos' abdomen.
Las Nicho kicked down in the air pushing himself away, his companions spread towards four directions carrying the golden pillars away from the fight.
Raven did not chase after them and instead summoned a rope which he launched towards the fleeing group to the east Las Nicho took this small respite to summon a red bag and from it a large wreath which he spared no time to launch toward the rope.
The rope was cut in half before it could reach the fleeing men, the wreath turned in the air changing directions toward raven.
Raven clasped his hands and a pair of fish appeared to his sides quickly fading from sight.
Las Nichos prepared himself by pulling out a pair of bells from his bag.
The wreath arrived to Ravens back narrowly missing him when he shifted his weight to the side, the wreath was quickly caught by ravens right hand before it could escape him.
Las Nichos sounded the bells causing a thunderous chime to spread across the rivers and mountains.
Raven tossed the dagger toward the bells quickly following it up with a kick towards Las Nichos legs.
To the sides the disciples continued to flee in the four directions far from sight, the rope attempted to regain it's form but ultimately it was unable to capture them.
One of the bells was hit by a dagger causing it to chip at the entrance forcing the ball inside the bell out, the bell no longer made sound.
The second bell continued to ring loud beyond words, the ground started to crack while the trees fell.
Raven felt his head about to explode, he opened his mouth and roared to match the sound of the bell, the headwear he wore matching his roar.
Las Nicho did not waste time charging a ball of glittering light in his hands only to clasp down quickly letting go in the direction of Raven launching an attack so quick it left 10 shock-waves in the air.
Raven couldn't dodge in time getting pierced by the light on his left shoulder, the wreath he held in his right hand tried to escape his grasp but he wouldn't let it go.
Grasping the wreath he aimed it toward the river launching it with such force the air shook violently.
Las Nicho wanted to create some distance from Raven yet almost fell over, he looked down only to notice that his foot was broken at the tibia talus joint.
He had not noticed the damage the kick from earlier had done, he regained his composure forcing himself to jump back covering his fists with glimmering golden light.
Raven approached him with great strides clenching his fists that grew a thick layer of sharp bones to surround his knuckles.
Las Nicho and raven entered a fist fight each evading the worst of the damage while landing body blows and deflecting blows with their forearms and upper forearms.
Las Nicho was the first to take the risk to escape the close quarters combat, ringing the remaining bell in-between them to push himself away. Raven did not want to let Las Nicho gain distance but had no choice other than retreat as the bells sound waves hit him dead on.
In the distance the disciples of Las Nicho had gone so far that they could not hear the thunderous sound of the bell, each of them started to chant as the pillars started to hover in the air emitting a soft golden light.
Las Nicho opened his fists into palms as he gathered energy, he then stretched his hands forwards, palms facing out as if pushing on a wall.
Raven did not stay idle as he fell back onto the ground placing one palm on the ground and another to his chest.
From above an invisible force collapsed the sky as it headed in Ravens direction, Raven did not panic simply lifting the hand on the ground toward the sky in the form of a spear.
A high pitched noise sounded out as the invisible force was torn into two landing on the ground compressing the ground ten feet.
Raven ran on the ground in the direction Las Nicho flew back catching up in a matter of seconds.
'How troublesome' Las Nicho thought.
Back at the Final Edge Sect Bran Ai entered the forest once more during the 'night'. He didn't know why he felt the need to enter at such a time giving up much needed rest for a few measly berries yet he couldn't stop himself from craving them.
Bran Ai found that moving had become a little harder, his steps feeling heavier then usual yet at the same time his body felt stronger then ever.
'Is this the effect of cultivating? I may not feel the energy entering but I can feel the effects? I'm not too sure'
As he moved into the shade of the treeline his figure faded with not a trace left behind.