"May I inquire why you incur such wrath from this group?" Gestalt lifted his blindfold and saw the incoming horde of wingweavers.
"Well, it's not entirely wrong to say that we're their mortal enemies. They are denizens of the Abundance, and she is a follower of the Hunt," Luocha explained.
"And they have planned something malicious involving the Xianzhou Daiyu—maybe to revive the many corpses that lie inside the wreckage to increase their forces," Jingliu added with a sharp coldness.
Of course, that might not be the only reason. The Xianzhou is the enemy of the wingweavers, and reviving fallen Xianzhou corpses would not only increase their strength but also deliver a psychological blow, forcing the Cloud Knights to face their former comrades.
"Hmm, reviving the dead—quite unpleasant for my taste." Gestalt's eyes narrowed for a moment before he lowered his blindfold again. "Do these denizens of the Abundance truly have such cruel ways of desecrating corpses?"
"They've always been like that, from my years of fighting them," Jingliu remarked. This fact slightly angered Gestalt.
After some contemplation, he turned to Jingliu.
"Miss Jingliu, I wish to borrow your presence in this fight. I cannot offer much, but—" Before Gestalt could continue, Jingliu interrupted him.
"I also wish to vanquish them. If you are brave, then join me in facing this battle." Jingliu looked at the incoming horde silently as a giant ice sword formed in her hand.
Looking at Jingliu's fearless demeanor, Gestalt laughed out loud and responded, "It seems our goals align for this moment, Miss Jingliu."
Luocha, watching from the side, sighed silently, thinking to himself, Are all masters from the Xianzhou battle maniacs who hate the wingweavers, even after forgetting who they are completely?
"I noticed you run out of stamina quickly, so I've blessed you. If you injure an enemy, it will restore your stamina," Luocha said, placing his talisman back onto his clothes. "I apologize, but I don't think I will participate in this battle. My combat abilities are limited to my rapier, unfortunately."
"Haha, do not underestimate your value, young man. A blessing like this is worth more than a kingdom's gold." Gestalt gripped the Ōdachi tighter as his battle spirit burned brighter.
As the horde came closer, Luocha excused himself and hid somewhere safe, leaving only the two blindfolded sword masters standing on the frozen lake.
"There they are!" Wingweavers who spotted the two lone figures immediately rushed toward them.
"Ha ha, quite the army you appear to have." Gestalt 'looked' up to the hovering swarm of wingweavers.
"You think you can barge into our base and disturb our plans without consequence?" the leader shouted, pointing at the silent Jingliu.
"Your scheme of reviving the dead has unfortunately angered me," Gestalt said, taking a lower stance. "If you so wish to disturb the dead, then join them in their grave!" Gestalt's figure disappeared and suddenly appeared beside one wingweaver.
"Ah—" The decapitated head sprayed blood into the air as the pain within Gestalt's legs disappeared.
Gestalt, who had always been held back by the weakness of his flesh, felt a sense of freedom for once, letting go of his restraint and unleashing his full strength.
A burst of Imaginary elements filled the air as the once free-falling Gestalt stepped on an invisible platform and dashed into the air again, causing the wingweavers to scatter from the sudden attack.
Jingliu, who 'saw' the scene, joined Gestalt in the air, utilizing the invisible platforms Gestalt created. Jingliu, who was blindfolded, couldn't see the platforms but used Gestalt's footsteps as a guide.
"Troops! Form an encirclement!" With the leader's command, the scattered wingweavers quickly encircled both Gestalt and Jingliu.
Foolish to think gathering together would be to their benefit, both Gestalt and Jingliu thought.
Jingliu slashed multiple times in the air, sending fast ice blades that killed several wingweavers at once. Gestalt's Ōdachi grew larger, and with a giant sweep, several wingweavers were crushed by the enormous blade.
"Come at me, vermin! And taste my blade, hahaha!" Gestalt dived into the crowd of wingweavers, swinging his Ōdachi wildly, each strike claiming the life of a wingweaver.
As the bodies fell into the ocean below, the blue water turned a deep red. All were unaware a giant shadow moved across the sea eating the freshly fallen corpses.
As both fought together, their understanding of each other's fighting style grew, and before long, their teamwork was flawless.
"Gestalt!" Hearing Jingliu's voice, Gestalt created a platform under her. "Die." Jingliu jumped into the air, her cold gaze piercing through the enemy before sending a giant ice slash upon the wingweaver army, wiping a significant number of them.
..
...
~~
Two figures stood silently, both blindfolded—one held a golden Ōdachi, the other a blue ice sword.
Their surroundings were littered with corpses, some brutally mutilated, others frozen in icy coffins.
"Huff, never have I felt so young in my old age." Gestalt dispersed his Ōdachi and bowed deeply to Jingliu.
"And I must admit, your swordsmanship is like none I have ever seen before—sharp as a needle, swift as lightning, and beautifully vicious."
"Yours was quite fine as well; I offer my recognition to a future sword champion."
"Haha! Surely you jest, Miss Jingliu. I am undeserving of such titles because, in the face of battle, all titles become irrelevant," Gestalt replied humbly. "Nevertheless, as an uninvited guest in this war, I will bid farewell for now. I hope meet in a more favorable place."
"Hmm, we shall see in the future—ugh." Sensing something amiss, Gestalt lifted his blindfold to see Jingliu clutching her head. Shadowy hands were rising from her feet, grasping onto her as if trying to take control.
"Quickly, run. You won't have much time before the mara takes over me," Jingliu warned, struggling against the shadows as her blindfold disappeared, revealing two beautiful yet dull eyes.
Recalling Luocha's earlier mention of this, Gestalt's gaze softened with sympathy as his hand gathered the Imaginary element, forming it into a flute.
"Allow me to calm this 'mara' down." Unphased by the sight of Jingliu struggling before him, he raised the flute to his lips.
As the first note was played, a warm autumn breeze stirred, a gentle contrast to the cold wind beneath the full moon.
As Gestalt played, the warm melody floated through the cold night air, each note weaving a calming spell around Jingliu. The shadowy hands gripping her body began to falter, flickering. Her breathing slowed, her tense posture loosening little by little, yet a soothing tune filled her ear like a soothing lullaby.
Jingliu's gaze softened, the ruthless edge in her eyes dimming as she watched Gestalt play. For a brief moment, she seemed to glimpse a memory long buried—joyful days of the High Cloud Quintet.
The mara's grip weakened, the shadowy hands slowly sinking back into the ground, weakened by the calming energy of the Imaginary element. Gestalt kept his focus yet his expression was serene, as he played with precision that belied his fierce nature on the battlefield.
When the last note faded into the night, silence settled between them, broken only by the soft rustling of the trees and the distant crash of waves.
Jingliu blinked, the last traces of mara slipping from her consciousness. She looked at Gestalt, her face softened by a rare vulnerability. "You… quelled the mara. No one has ever managed to do that. Thank you."
Gestalt lowered the flute, his gaze meeting hers with warmth. "If only temporarily. But I'm glad it helped." He gave her a small, respectful bow. "A heart touched by the greatest madness can be quieted, at least for a moment."
She was silent, the cold edge in her demeanor replaced by something almost thoughtful. "Your skill in battle is formidable, but you wield calmness as skillfully as any blade," she admitted. "Who are you, Gestalt?"
A person like Gestalt would have been noticed by Jingliu during the forming of the High Cloud Quintet and would have been recruited. or rather a person like him would have competed with her for the title of Sword Champion.
She suspected he was young during those ages but his manner of speech matched that of old Xianzhouans.
Gestalt chuckled lightly, glancing at the flute in his hand. "A wanderer, with a penchant for crossing paths with strangers who is a traveling merchant and someone who wields ice with deadly sharpness," he replied, dispersing the flute. "But I wonder, Miss Jingliu—what compels you to keep fighting, even against the weight of the mara?"
Jingliu took a moment, her gaze drifting out over the now bloodstained beach. "I fight because I must. The mara is a curse, but it's also a constant reminder of my purpose—to rid the world of those like the wingweavers and anyone else who would harm this world using the blessing of abundance. even in my darkest moments, I remain tethered to the Hunt. I cannot stray from it."
Gestalt nodded, understanding the pain of carrying a burden woven into one's identity. "Then, let us be allies in this pursuit. I may have no allegiance but to my own principles. But If our paths continue to align, perhaps we can bring some respite to the world."
Jingliu allowed a small, almost imperceptible smile to grace her lips. "Perhaps."
For now, though, they are both haunted by a long-lived curse. They stood together allied formed through the alignment of principles and creed.
"Ahem, it seems like I avoided quite the party." Loucha, who emerged from a forest walked towards them carefully examining the bloodstained beach and frozen lake. "Though, I am thankful I did avoid it."
Gestalt who felt a vibration in his pocket, retrieved his beacon to notice some unread messages.
[Caelus: Gestalt, you haven't come back from the investigation, is everything alright?]
[Dan Heng, he hasn't been online yet, maybe he's busy.]
[Us. Curse Bearer: I am fine, just a couple of thugs wanted trouble.]
[Us. Curse Bearer: I had just finished setting up a site where it will record the surroundings, I will return in a moment.]
["Us. Curse Bearer" has changed their name into "Gestalt".]
"It seems my companions are worried, I shall head back for now. If fates allow us, we shall meet again." Bidding farewell Gestalt left, not looking back.
"Jingliu, why aren't you wearing your blindfold?" Loucha glanced at her face, the ever-beautiful face that is always partially covered with a blindfold, now bare for all to see.
"Nothing of matter." Jingliu summoned back her blindfold and looked upon the ocean "Now that there is no interference let's return to our previous goal of exploring the sunken ship."
"Indeed."