---Last time---
Huxian: ...What’s your name? The agent who delivered the blade didn’t seem to know, but he did recognise you when we brought you here.
Little Girl: No no no!!! Now get now!!! Wave big wave coming Hu-gege now!!! Yi can’t wait!!!
*For a moment, Huxian could only look at the girl, nonplussed, before stretching out his senses once again - and cursing. Not about to argue further, he nodded and stood*
Huxian: I’ll handle it. Stay here. No arguments.
*That said, Huxian moved to the door, just in time as he almost ran straight into the medic and another agent that were heading the other way*
Huxian: Good timing. The girl woke up, but I’ve got something to attend to. If the two of you could help keep an eye on this one and the others, I need to find a guy with a peach sword.
-------
*Speeding through the base, Huxian only absentmindedly misses crashing into anyone, following where he knew the agent keeping the Peach Wood Sword was. Disregarding his usually impeccable manners, he slams open the door, amber eyes quickly fixing onto the agent in question, even as other agents in the room murmured amongst themselves at Huxian’s out of character display*
Huxian: You. The Peach Wood Sword. Where is it?
Agent 1: *Hastily unwraps a bundle he was carrying* Here sir. Why, what's the matter?
Huxian: Our schedule’s moved up. We’ve got more of those things not far away. If we’re going to have enough time, I’m going to need to do something to delay. Where are we in evacuations? Please tell me they’re at least in the safe zones.
Agent 2: 99% of the people are in the safe zones, we just have a few stragglers/ nonbeliever types. We should have all the civilians in the the zones in approximately 30 or so minutes-
Huxian: Stubborn idiots…
*The pake haired man pinches his nose for a second, taking a deep breath before looking them over once more, expression set*
Huxian: Very well. I’ll buy you time. Get as many agents on this as possible. After that, I need those traps and every available troop gathered ASAP. You-
*Pointing to the man who had handed him the sword*
Huxian: With me. We’re making a temporary barrier to give them as much time as possible. Everyone, move out!
Agents: SIR!
*Clambering into company vehicles, the large group of agents set out to the perimeter of the city. Knowing that his current aid would follow him, Huxian, sword in hand, lead the way to the centre of the town. With a murmur of instructions, the two set up the area that would become the ‘core’ of the temporary barrier. That done, the agent stepped back while Huxian put the finishing touches and took the sword in hand. Chant on his lips, Huxian plunged the sword into the centre, like a key in a lock. Despite the sword being made of wood, it sunk into the glowing earth like a knife through butter. What looked like ghostly blue fire shot outwards, a manifestation of the users energy that swallowed the city, a protective barrier forming. Even with just that, Huxian could already feel it slowly sapping at his strength. With shuddering breath, Huxian rested his forehead on the hilt of the blade, eyes closed as he gathered himself once more*
Agent 1: ….How long can you keep that up for? It looks like it already nipping at your presence. Sir...
*Shifting away from the sword, he offers a characteristic smirk, though those who knew him well might have noted that it wasn’t quite as genuine as usual*
Huxian: Using this level of magecraft for an entire city as large as Beijing is going to be a little shock to the system. I’ll be fine. Just be glad that it’s me tying the barrier down, otherwise you’d only get a few hours.
*His expression slips, eyes becoming more solemn, serious*
Huxian: As it is...A couple of days. Three at a push. After that, I’ll be too exhausted to hold it up longer. Will that be enough time for the last of the preparations?
Agent 1: A day and a bit at the earliest, half a day for checks and then take it down. We might need you again on the third day. So you’ll need to rest at that time Sir. well do… something for that time that your resting. How long will you need to recover at least somewhat back to health again? Also is ‘that,’ form going to tire you out you might want to revert back to your other state maybe that would be able to save you from burning out too quickly.
Huxian: At least until the barrier is down. I may need to flip back and forth, though. Tch….I want sushi for this….Stupid undead. If it wasn’t for the people I’d just torch this entire place to cinders and be done with it.
Agent 3: *Pft!* now now sir we can't go burning down your ‘favourite’ city, but the Sushi can be arranged we do have one of your venerate chef at base after all.
Huxian: *Mischievously* Who, myself?
Agent 1: *Shaking head* Sir…. I can't with you…. Uh uh.. I just can't.
Agent 2: Well then, I’ll be off. I managed to rigg most of the city's scenes to play a sun rise and hopefully... *Presses button*
*A loud cockerel sound rings through the city, in addition to the sound of Cats cry. Lips curling into a smirk, Huxian nodded in approval. The sounds keeping the Jiangshi at bay would relieve a bit of the pressure on holding up the barrier, especially since they would be less inclined to try to bash through it.*
Huxian: If we’re set here, help with the others. Faster we’re prepared, the less rest time I’ll need before we send the Jianshi to kingdom come. I’ll meet you back at base. Though if you could let the others know I’ll be in my other form for a bit. As much as I like the attention, we do need to stay focused.
Agents 3 & 4: *Eyes glistening and Whisper* Cute! Fluffy!
*Huxian turned his eyes onto the agents, his smirk seemed oddly fanged, like a predator considering what prey to devour first*
Agents 3 & 4… Ack eh… YES SIR!!!
Agent 2: Anyway~ I’ll need about an hour to get the acoustics just right. How are the mirrors coming along?
Agent 4: They’re not quite ready. We have local priests and our own Mystics setting them up and even blessing normal mirrors to attempt to do the job. Well need about a day or two to have them ready. But setting them up is going to be an issue.
Huxian: Since I’m pretty much spending my time as a battery for this...I’ll be sure to mark on a map in your communicators where the Jiangshi are located. If nothing else it’s good to know where they are, but I want to track them down so we can deal with the infestation in one go.
Agent 1: I can help with that this is my home after all I'm pretty familiar with the back streets if that helps. I used to be a delivery boy after all *Grin*
once we have a map we can mark off some off certain areas, so they don't get far.
Huxian: Then we’re in agreement of our next course of action. If there’s nothing else, let’s get this show on the road.
Agents: Sir!
Huxian: We’ll meet back at base in 2300 hours for the briefing. We can’t afford any slip ups from this point on.
*Nodding in response, the agents get to work while Agent 1 escorts Huxin back to the vehicle. Resting his head against the cool glass, Huxian’s eyes begin to close, a hand resting on the blade. It felt like it was pulsating, almost like a heartbeat. Was it his own presence? No, it felt like the life force of someone else. A hazy image began to become somewhat tangerble in his mind. A beautiful landscape a temple? And a humanoid figure…. The spirit of the bade perhaps? Yes it seemed most plasable, most likely trying to convey a message.*
Sword: *SFX soft hum*
*Startled, Huxian’s eyes widen, but he forced himself to remain still so as not to startle the others. Glancing to make sure no one else heard the voice he did, he closed his eyes once more and tentatively focused his thoughts onto the blade*
Huxian [Thoughts]: Yes, I’m Huxian.
Sword: *SFX soft hum*
Huxian [Thoughts]:...I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting it would be you...Still, that makes me wonder...Why did you tie yourself to this sword?
Sword: *SFX soft hum*
Huxian [Thoughts]:...In...what way?
Sword: *SFX soft hum*
Huxian [Thoughts]: *Frowning* ….Them again...Still, that they’ve managed this much….they’ve got smarter.
Sword: *SFX soft hum*
*Sorrow stabbed at his heart as he heard the swords words.*
Huxian [Thoughts]: ….I thought there was something strange….does she know?
*At the swords response, Huxian took a shaky breath. What was worse, he was pretty sure he couldn’t tell her either.*
Huxian [Thoughts]: Dammit…
Sword: *SFX soft hum*
Huxian [Thoughts]: I promise you then, your sacrifice won’t be in vein.
Sword: *SFX soft hum*
*Huxian tightened his hand on the hilt of the blade, hoping that the sword would be able to feel his sincerity through their current bond*
Huxian [Thoughts]: Thank you, my friend.
[END]
No comments:
Post a Comment