Tanaka finally breathed out relief as the earth tide had been stopped. With shaky legs he fell to his knees hard enough to crush a small rock to dust. He almost cried out in exhaustion and anguish.
"Ahh, damn. I'm all outta energy now." He thought with deep breaths while he tried to stand up but he fell to his knees once more.
The scene around him looked as though the heavens above rained down armageddon. Most of the homes were crushed back into soil, along with those who weren't fast enough to escape the crisis. Bodies of all shapes and sizes were laid bare under the sun, silent and at peace they were now. But for Tanaka and rest of those who called themselves the living, this was yet another weight they had to carry in their hearts until it to was their time to pass on.
Tanaka looked around at the destruction and nearly cried at sight of dead friends and loved ones.
He looked up to see the domain barrier was still enclosed.
"Brother Tanaka! We have an enemy inside the earth dome!" A panicked first realm mystic fell to his knees while trying to catch deep breaths.
"What! How?!" Tanaka immediately stood up straight with anger evident in his gaze.
"I don't know how, but sounds of fighting have erupted from within the barrier and there's a peak second realm aura who's not one of our own."
Tanaka clenched his fist tight enough to spill blood. He took a step forward before nearly tripping on a piece of stone debris. The first realm mystic caught him from beneath the shoulder and helped him stand back up.
"Do... do you have any spirit stones?"
"I'm sorry brother but, I used my last one just to barely survive that last wave. However there's a spiritual replenishment formation nearby."
"Take me there and hurry," Tanaka said almost pleadingly.
The young mystic nodded as they started making their way across the destroyed town.
Meanwhile back inside the domain art, Dakari held Aye in a bone crushing bear hug. At the same time the fighting between both sides became more lopsided now that Aye was grappled.
The other mid third realm mystic was being suppressed by over 5 second realm attackers. All he could do was dodge and exploit small openings using various lightning arts.
["Killer Art: Skyfire Shot!"]
He raised a hand up to gather and convert nearly a quarter of spiritual energy into a condensed ball of lightning.
Due to the his comprehension and expertise over the art and element, he managed to create this art in less than a second. The bloodthirsty men all changed in from every direction.
Dakari shot at hard look but he couldn't shout any chant at the moment.
"Diiiiie!!" He threw this attack at a savage looking man in front of him who wore nothing but an animal skin covering his waist.
The man raised up an axe to block the attack but all this did was give the lightning an easier current to travel through into his body.
The third realm defender waved his arm along with his whole body in a 360° motion. The lightning followed along with the quick motion as soon all five attackers were struck by the killer art.
Their bodies were becoming charred. Their hearts were close to bursting along with their ears. They were blown back for a few hundred meters. They soon crashed through several small barren mountains and hills, creating several large dust clouds.
"Yes! Good job brother Zaid, now we can even the odds and kill these scum!" A nearby defender raised a short sword in celebration but Zaid shook his head at this.
"You fool! Are you blind or deaf? Look over there and tell me if they're dead." The mystic quickly became quiet and confused as he did what he was told.
He looked deeply into the dust clouds in the distance. With enhanted hearing he began to hear chuckling. This chuckling soon turned into a manic laughter that spread through the whole domain.
The mystic's eyes soon turned into a look of horror as what walked out from those dust clouds could no longer be called men in his eyes.
All five attackers were horribly scared with various lines of lightning paths coursing through their bodies.
One of them was a teenager who's eyes emitting grey smoke from within the sockets. Another man walked beside him still had currents dancing through his left arm.
A third had blood spilling out from both ears, like a geyser.
The fourth jumped around and clapped a rhythmic beat that rang out with the sound of thunder. Clearly a defensive measure against lightning arts. Now finally the last one stood back from the others as it soon became apparent as to why.
"W-wait! Don't you dare kill her!" The enemy mystic had seemingly captured a young first realm women by luck. The young man shouted in anger as he started walking forward.
"Stop! It's a trap." Zaid command with full authority as a lightning manifestation appeared in the form of a martial eagle behind him.
"Damn this domain! That should've killed the bastards. I need to maintain our defenses as much as possible but with how things are looking." Zaid stopped himself from thinking any further and readied himself for further conflict.
"Hmph, If you don't want this girl to die you'll surrender now!" The fifth mystic mocked as he gripped the woman's skull with both hands while lifting her in front of him.
A grip of death it was to be if the wrong move was made.
Zaid narrowed his eyes towards the enemy, like two swords being unsheathed. Sharp and dangerous those eyes were as he scanned the surroundings.
Five attackers surrounded Zaid and the young defender. Everyone else were too preoccupied with their own life and death struggle to assist them.
The blood colored sun of the domain bore down its heated fury upon their flesh. Whenever blood was spilled it boiled and dried up in the blink of an eye. The smoke then rose up towards the constellation as the blood of man met with the sun to come together under the power of one.
Zaid glanced up to witness this union and felt a conclusion flash in his mind.
Aye in the mist of her grapple saw this glance out of the side of her peripheral vision.
"That's it," Zaid whispered.
The young defender looked glanced over confused as he said,"what is?"
"That sun above us is the center point of this accursed domain. We need to destroy it."
"B-but brother Zaid, how? Not even Madame Makoiri can fly with her transformation now, much less us even with her territory art being barely active." Zaid sighed a tired and long breath as he gave the enemy mystics a long look.
"Fine! You win we surrender." Zaid suddenly dispelled his manifestation while he raised up both hands. He was also careful to keep his hands straight and to speak minimally as to not alert the attackers of any signs of art casting.
"Wait what are-"
"Shut up and raise your hands, now!" Zaid command harshly.
The young mystic soon begrudgingly followed along as both him and Zaid let the attackers close in on them.
The captured mystic was still held in a tight grip, just a mere squeeze away from death. Her eyes held in them a primal fear of what's to come next. But she wasn't the only one that was afraid.
The attackers approach slowly with their trained eyes never leaving Zaid's hands and mouth. Even with the current advantage they held none of them were fools to the power of third realm mystics. They could still feel the scars sizzling and blood being dried out from within.
Zaid casted an eerie smile at the sight of these wounds. A blue streak flashed in his experienced eyes, as if the time came to feast upon caught prey.
No handsigns were weaved, no words were spoken as the young attacker's head suddenly exploded into a cloud of blood and brain matter.
Another attacker's arm blew to bits while the lightning shot out from his stump towards a third attacker.
The third mystic clapped his hands and chanted.
["Mystic Art: Thunder Rebound!"]
He kept his hands together as the lightning struck a few meters to his left, saving his own life by a thread of hair.
But the cost quickly came to collect his dept as the cracking of thunder quickly burst out around the attacker and blew him backwards for over 50 feet.
The mystic holding the hostage was also hit with a sudden burst of internal lighting still residing within. The grip he had on the hostage loosened as his nerves were compromised.
["Mystic Art: Swift Flicker"]
Zaid's body turned into lightning as he appeared right before the enemy mystic.
Bam!
He delivered a bone crushing palm strike to the bottom of the attacker's chin, launching him off his feet. Zaid grabbed the young woman and roughly tossed her to the young man.
The final two mystics were also grievously wounded and unable to fight any longer.
Zaid lifted up his hand and soon lightning began cracking all around it.
A bright blue wave of flashes blinded anyone who looked in that direction.
Zaid casted a hard gaze at Dakari who only looked back in anticipation.
["Killer Art: Skyfire Barrage!"]
Zaid tossed out the built up lightning energy as it split into several dozen smaller bolts. All over the battlefield the enemy mystics were now under an intense bombardment of lightning. A few bolts could be withstood at first, but the shots kept spraying and spraying without end.
Some were killed, some had the right counter, and some could only dive into cover to pray for safety.
Dakari seeing this let out of war cry as he tossed Aye at the lightning coming his way. However instead of being instantly fried by the lightning, Aye simply opened her beak and absorb the lightning bolts all around her.
Aye performed a few backflips and stomped down in place. Her martial eagle transformation was beginning to wear out as she shot a fiery look at the sun above them before looking at Zaid.
He nodded in the affirmative and nothing more was said before Aye looked up and shot up a massive blast of lightning at the sun.
"Dammit!" Dakari yelled too late as once the lightning clashed with the sun, the domain started to show cracks on the edges. The earlier oppression was being lifted from the defenders.
Akeem and the leopard kept Tanaka in their sights as he meditated in the replenishment formation with the first realm mystic standing guard beside him.
The leopard's tail swayed alongside the passing wind. It heated the flesh beneath the skin, and yet it stood on its hind legs with a cool light in those predatory eyes.
The massacre taking place was viewed like any other visage in the eyes of the beast.
"Your men seem to struggling within the domain," it said right before taking a bite of the grass rat.
"Good, more struggle will mean the gains this time shall be all the better," Akeem clapped with anticipation written like scripture on his face.
"Also it seems your infiltrator is having a stand off with the defenders inside that earth dome."
"Hm, I guess Kazi found a good match for him then. No matter the settlement shall fall and whatever remains will be taken," Akeem ended the brief discussion with a confident certainty in his tone.
He never let Tanaka out from his sight while slowly taking on a more serious expression.
He raised a hand as the campfire soon rose with it. The fire swirled around in a semi circle, like a mini sun.
Akeem gestured with two fingers that the fire followed until it now hovered above his hand.
The leopard turn an eye in his his direction but remained silent.
Akeem stood tall like an young chieftain from older times. A kind of primordial air was exuded from him.
He took his other hand and pulled back a thread of fire, while the fire itself began taking the shape of an arrow.
Akeem thereafter began a chant.
"Since the fourth day of genesis, the sun above was created to bring light down upon us all. A light to rule over heaven and earth, a light to stand above creation, a light to guide us all."
Akeem eyes lowered into the shadow of the arrow he created. No smile could be seen now, only a rigid expression one would make upon recounting painful memories. But such a pain didn't break the vessel, only tempered it into something barly resembling a human.
["Mystic Art: Fourth Day: Great Light]
The arrow was shot forth from over 15 miles away, just outside of Tanaka's perception.
In an instant the flame arrow was infront of the first realm mystic who didn't even perceive the attack. However Tanaka did and before the arrow struck the young mystic, Tanaka pushed him aside.
"B- brother Tanaka!"
Boom!
A massive fire exploded in a 20 meter radius. The heat so intense that nearby debris and bodies soon began melting. The fire quickly spread like a locust swarm to burn the remains of the town to the ground.
Akeem guided the fire to avoid the earth dome but everywhere else was not spared. Anyone that wasn't within either the domain or earth was burned alive.
"For dust you are and to dust you will return," Akeem spoke darkly with an edge of hatred in his voice.
At that moment the domain above the town finally collapsed and in it emerged the survivors of the fight within.
All 150 meters from the ground they were.
Aye had to dispel her territory and transformation arts due to her low reserves. However once she laid eyes on the destroyed town below her hatred erupted.
"Arrgh! Damn you all!" She screeched out as she grew wings from her back and flew towards Dakari who welcomed her fury with a wide smile.
"Come closer old bitch! I'll give you a kiss!"
The two exchanged a brutal series of punches, kicks, claws, and bites as they along with everyone threw themselves into the embrace of their hatred, greed, and lust.
From the sky to the ground blood and bodies fell in pieces as the last veil of humanity dissappeared with the passing wind.
The second realm defender inside the earth dome could feel the world outside being scorched. The heat worked itself inside like termites eating through wood. Along with it came the smell of blood and burning flesh.
None moved for a long few moments. Sade and Mari held each other tightly while watching for any sudden moving shadows.
"Come out already and face your death shadow scum! I promise I'll make your death a swift one!" The second realm mystic roared disrupting the heavy silence.
"Now now my friend I'm sure you won't live up to that promise you just made. After all I'm sure you also promised to protect the people of this town." Kazi mocked gleefully and without mercy from what seemed like every direction.
"Hahaha! Even a fool could tell that you're so full of shit! Sacrificing that little woman to save your skin! You'd fit our little band of mystics perfectly!"
The burly defender gripped his fists tightly while his mouth quivered slightly before speaking.
"Join... you?" He spoke it in a low tone but with the silence space it echoed through everyone's ears.
"That's right brother. Join us and you could live however you please. You'd complement us very well."
Sade clenched her fists at the situation developing. She took a few steps forward shoving back Mari who looked even more scared than before.
"Master Orlun, I never realized just how much of a coward you were."
Sade stood as tall as her tiny body allowed while she spoke. Orlun turned angry eyes in Sade's direction, but the moment he laid eyes on her his gaze turned to shock and soon a shameful look.
"Y-young mistress! You don't understand the situation! I'm trying to save our lives!" Sade glared with fire burning in her heated gaze at the fearful Orlun.
Her tiny fists tightened like knots while tears ran down her young face.
"You... you and everyone here are all weak," Sade said quietly but all present heard it still.
Mari's eyes opened wide with bloodshot veins running through both optics. After another moment tears poured out as he put his head down in shame. He fell to both shaky knees.
Bam!
Before anyone could respond the top of the dome collapsed as the both Aye and Dakari fell down fighting.
Sade's eyes shine with the star if hope as she yelled,"mother!"
"S-sade!" Aye responded before she realized it. Dakari's eyes lit up with as he quickly looked at Sade then Aye.
He smiled as he bashed Aye with an elbow to her jaw. Aye retaliated with a lightning infused punch to the throat.
Dakari visible winced as lightning course through his vocal cords.
"Damn! I think she just fired my vocal cords. No more arts for now then." Dakari accepted the reality with increasing ferocity in his attacks.
Kazi observed for another moment before finally taking action.
He instantly made his shadowy way to Sade and emerged from her shadow to take her hostage.
"You keep fighting miss and I'll slit this little girl's throat!" Kazi shouted out with his Kaskura held tightly against Sade's jugular.
Aye upon seeing this immediately froze all movement aside from her flapping wings. Dakari soon crashed onto the ground hard enough to create a pit.
Bam!
He groaned and moaned as he laid there with his face gazing upward at Aye. His body was battered, cut, scratched, and bitten all over. His two hands especially were nearly mangled with multiple fingers being bent in the wrong place. His throat felt like a pit of fire made it its home. His reserves of spiritual energy were at rock bottom.
Yet with all of this he still began chuckling despite or maybe because of the immense pain it brought.
"Hahahahahaha!" The emerging laughter sounded as though a demon spawned from Dakari's wicked heart to consume the souls of man. Most primal, most viscous, most cruel. Cruel not only to its enemies, but cruel to itself without measure.
The demon rose slowly with a fatigued sluggish stance that dared any friend or foe to approach it and see what happens.
Aye having a moment to collect herself observed the surroundings to see the full scope of the situation.
More then a hundred people were laid bare on the soil, forever still they shall be. Mari sat with a horrified expression on his face. Orlun stood as still as stone with a conflicted aura about him. Then finally Sade simply who closed her eyes with the calm grace of the elderly when their time comes.
She took a deep breath before saying reluctantly.
"Ok... we surrender. Our lives, are yours."
Sade shot Aye a look of shock that soon turned to anger.
"Mother! What are you doing?! Don't surrender to them!" Sade screamed even as Kazi pressed his blade even tighter against her throat.
"Child be quiet!" Aye's authoritative shout resounded throughout the earth dome. Quieting even the attackers for a moment of involuntary pause.
She glided down like something akin to an angel touching feet to the earth for the first time. Silence and solace the air was around Aye Makoiri while she dispelled her wings and lifted her hands up.