"What the…?"
A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers. Those on that precarious beak stared in shock. Lu Jade was awestruck. Even the twins craned their necks to get a better view of that crimson sword radiating ominously above their heads.
It wasn't simply the size of the blade, or those wickedly sharp edges, no. It was the technique itself, an art so intrinsically tied to the Bloodthorne lineage that only those with a significant amount of blood ties or stolen essence from Bloodthorne descendants could conjure.
The first thing that came to mind was, "How? Why? This… This bull…"
A terrifying realization settled on the serpents, "Is this monstrous Calamity somehow affiliated with those bloodsucking humans?!"
Lu Lingxue became distracted by the sheer audacity of that technique being used in Yama Yaguai. She paused her murderous intentions. Those vengeful thoughts of tearing that bull's heart out and serving it raw as a message to all who dared to challenge her might was pushed aside because she had to analyze, observe, and more importantly, SURVIVE this encounter.
"Such potent blood essence. I've never seen anything like it before outside those despicable Bloodthorne legacy. This bull is more dangerous than I anticipated. I might actually have to get serious."
Lu Lingxue's contemplation was cut short when that crimson blur came screaming down toward her like a meteor.
"You should be dead already, but for some reason fate has granted your pitiful life another few breaths." Rapahel's words were laced with mockery, and that blade that seemed to sing with those spilled blood of knights was coming closer, but then with lightning fast reflexes.
WHOOSH!
She twisted her immense serpentine form, narrowly avoiding the descending blade by mere millimeters as it split the ground where she stood moments before. Then as Raphael struggled to regain his balance with those jerky movements…
SNATCH!
"Mine!"
She whipped her massive tail forward and wrenched that crimson blade from the bull's grasp with her immense strength before attempting to crush it with her powerful jaws.
CRACKLE!
"What the?!" But instead of shattering against those venom-coated fangs like anticipated, the sword buzzed then in a blink…
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
It was dancing in the air with unnatural speed as if guided by an unseen force.
Her jaw was inches from being cut in half! This shock, this humiliation of being toyed with by that "lowly bull", it fueled her rage even more.
But she couldn't afford to get careless. Each time she struck, the sword darted away then returned at an even greater speed with an uncanny accuracy that defied logic.
Raphael was controlling that distant blade with his spirit energy. He laughed. "Dance for me, little sister. Your moves are marvelous. Such grace, such beauty! Hahahaa!"
Those words, amplified by the arrogance they carried, finally shattered Lu Lingxue's restraint.
"I will flay your hide and make a belt of your innardsss, you damned beast!"
BOOM! CRACK!
She erupted with a radial burst of pure golden energy, laced with an intensity of electric fury.
The Blood Sword, overwhelmed by the sheer force of that attack, disintegrated instantly before raining down onto that charred beak peak in crimson fragments.
"Now that you're defenseless... DIE!" Her anger reached a fever pitch. She couldn't allow such disrespect, such utter disregard of her strength, to continue.
In an instant, Lu Lingxue shed hundreds of her massive scales. These scales, each thicker than an ox-cart and as hard as a Bloodthorne laboratory's door, launched themselves towards Raphael.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Those golden-bronze missiles moved with incredible speed!
They trapped Raphael in a colossal sphere before he even had the chance to react. Those swords, that shadow teleportation he'd mastered before, it was all useless now, because unlike Hellphet or Balphazar, who were dumb enough to attack recklessly, this opponent was both strong and cunning, a worthy contender.
She continued coiling tightly around the scale sphere as Raphael struggled inside. The friction generated sent sparks flying as it groaned ominously. This beast was crushing him alive.
"HAHAHA! I have you now, bull! You dare insult me and my brothers?! Today… you'll learn what disrespect truly means."
WHOOSH!
She was like a massive, bronze blur, spinning faster and faster as she charged her attack; those eyes were wild with a thrill of retribution, a justice befitting an ancient Calamity.
"Prepare to become one with the mountains!" And with those words echoing like the thumps of a drum from a thousand warriors. She flung that scale sphere with all her might straight into the center of Cloudpiercer Beak Peak.
BOOM!
A deafening blast shook the skies. The mountain peak fractured, releasing tons of boulders and ice shards that rained down onto those valleys beneath like celestial hailstorms.
Those tremors shook the land for hundreds of miles. Those who heard those sounds wondered,
"What has angered the heavens?"
Temporarily blinded by the blinding light, Lu Pin and Lu Pan felt their bodies slamming against each other. They slithered away from the edge and looked up with hopeful grins.
Their big sister, their champion, their beautiful and terrifying leader was victorious once again. Surely that bull was a stain on the mountains now, or perhaps a bloody mess! Those thoughts however died a very quick death.
Before their smoke haze had settled.
BOOM!
Another tremor shook their forms as they saw massive shadowy wings erupting from that dust cloud. From those magnificent obsidian depths, it spoke,
"Thanks to you… I'm free."
A deep and guttural voice reverberated through the crater that left a chill in its wake. It didn't hold a shred of gratitude, nor the playful arrogance they'd witnessed earlier. This was a declaration of intent, of a malevolent force unleashed.
But freed from what?
The dust settled, revealing a sight that sent shivers crawling up even the bravest souls. Inside that crater, amidst shattered scales and crackling lightning, stood the Golden Bull Thork.
However, this wasn't the same beast they'd seen moments before.
The glow from its golden hide had intensified. Shadowy tendrils flowed from its hooves and horns, leaving streaks of darkness across its form. And those eyes... they burned with an infernal crimson light, radiating a killing intent so potent, so primal, it seemed to consume everything around it in a suffocating aura of doom. It wasn't just directed at Lu Lingxue, it was towards all things living, breathing, even existing in Yama Yaguai and beyond!
From above, Lu Lingxue recoiled instinctively. She forgot her pride due to a primal terror that gnawed at her ancient heart. "Who… Who are you?"
Her words, spoken in fear, signed her death warrant.
Now fully in control of his colossal form, Shao Jin stared up at the serpent with disgust. He felt insulted that such an insignificant creature dared question his very being from such a lofty height. It was a transgression punishable by obliteration.
"Gold Press!" He roared, and an enormous golden hoof materialized above Lu Lingxue, its radiant brilliance devoured the sky as a bloodcurdling scream escaped her maw.
CRUNCH!
She was driven into the earth with such force, the shockwave shattered the remaining scales of her prison, sending razor-sharp fragments flying in all directions.
But this wasn't enough for Shao Jin, not even close. With a maddened grin stretching across his muzzle, he slammed the phantom hoof downwards again, and again, and again.
"Gold Press!"
"GOLD PRESS!"
"GOLD PRESS!"
Lu Jade watched in horrified disbelief. His scales were frozen. A tingling sensation shot through his serpentine form, and deep down he understood. His brother and sister were right. He shouldn't have befriended that bull, that monster… that Calamity! This was insane!
"What have I done…? Why?!"
His scream was lost amidst the rhythmic thunder of Shao Jin's brutal assault as he chanted those two words that promised nothing but agonizing pain and utter humiliation to the creature beneath those glowing golden phantom limbs.
By the time Shao Jin's rage had subsided, there was nothing but a pulpy, blood-soaked stain where the mighty Lu Lingxue had once stood.
"Hmph. Such weak lightning."
But even this gruesome spectacle wasn't enough.
"HELIOS STREAM!"
WHOOSH!
He roared again, unleashing a torrent of pure, golden energy from between his horns. The beam engulfed Lu Lingxue's remains, incinerating any trace of her existence and filling that crater with blinding light and an aroma that mimicked burnt flesh.
"Sizzle! Roast serpent for dinner! Such a treat." His monstrous form swayed with satisfaction.
"Huh… Impossible! Sister… she's been slain!"
Terrified by this display of unimaginable power, Lu Pin and Lu Pan started to slither away.
"We have to tell Father! He'll avenge Big Sis!" Lu Pin cried as he glanced behind him.
"Yes! That crazy bull is going to pay!"
They didn't wait for a response. They fled, hoping that their speed and those dense forest surrounding them were enough to escape the Calamity's wrath.
Shao Jin didn't even bother sparing a glance.
"Worthless snakes…"
He casually swaggered over to the steaming crater, salivating at the prospect of roast serpent.
"Hmph. Let them tell the Bronze Emperor. I will gladly crush him as well!" Such arrogance. Such disregard for life. This was Shao Jin, unleashed!
Suddenly, a brilliant, golden-yellow sphere erupted from the charred remains of Lu Lingxue's body. It was her Solar Consciousness, an energy prize of immense power.
The moment Shao Jin's bloodshot eyes laid upon this prize, he opened his jaws wide. It would appear as if this night was about to get even more brutal. His reign of terror was only just beginning.
But then, as he was about to consume Lu Lingxue's soul…
"NOOO! Stop! You… You can't!"
BOOM!
Shao Jin stumbled backwards, clutching at his head as an excruciating pain shot through him. That brilliant white Solar Consciousness, belonging to the pathetic, "delicious" human he'd devoured earlier was rebelling, fighting for control!
Memories of that buzzing, claustrophobic crimson prison filled his thoughts, causing him to stagger. Those insults, that terrifying desperation.
He was losing his grasp.
"I… I need to restrain him! But how?"
Raphael's internal voice screamed as Shao Jin's mighty form trembled and teetered precariously on the edge of annihilation.
Suddenly, a comforting emerald glow came to mind.
"The Jade Stone…!"
He remembered the unique energies of Lu Jade's sanctuary. Those potent, transformative vibrations might just be his salvation, his only chance at regaining control, but where was it again…?
Instinctively, his massive jaws closed around Lu Lingxue's Solar Consciousness before it had a chance to escape. He then scooped up the remaining charred meat with his massive horns. His hooves stomped against the charred earth with urgency as he yelled, "Lu Jade!"
"Y-yes, Master?" A tiny, quivering voice replied from below.
Raphael looked down to see that serpent coiled beside a cracked boulder; shivering in terror. It seems he had completely forgotten about him.
"Take me back to your… to your… home! Now!" He didn't have to explain.
Lu Jade understood instantly as those burning eyes and frantic energy radiating from this Golden Bull Thork amplified their desire to be anywhere but here.
"Follow me!"
With those parting words and a flick of his tail that seemed more akin to a whip against those ancient rocks, Lu Jade took off!
And following right behind was the monstrous bull Calamity.
"Hurry! Or he'll devour us all!"