Then something silver blazed from the sky and hit the ground like a meteorite.
Kelsa recognized it as a sword-construct, but she’d never seen one so elaborate. It looked like an entire Remnant, sleek and compact, the color of polished steel. Its right arm was a blade and its left a shield, and its face like the head of a hatchet. Overall, it resembled a hunched armored skeleton.
But she only caught a glance of it until it moved, and then it was a flashing chrome blur.
Every technique heading Kelsa’s way burst into essence, either destroyed by the construct’s blade or blocked by its shield. It released a Striker technique that split into twelve different projectiles, each targeting a new enemy.
The balls of force exploded when they struck, and several nearby buildings collapsed. Dreadgod-controlled sacred artists went spilling to the ground. Kelsa was honestly relieved when she felt them still alive; she had been afraid that the defenses Lindon left her would automatically kill anything that threatened her.
Dross’ voice slipped into Kelsa’s ear. [I can sense that you are not calling her The Fleshripper.]
Kelsa hadn’t seen the construct rip anyone’s flesh yet. It seemed to focus on disabling targets rather than killing them; when a Lowgold struggled out of the rubble of her house to target Kelsa with another technique, the Fleshripper clubbed her and knocked the woman back down instead of decapitating her.
Then Kelsa felt a warning in her spirit and rolled away. Fingerling made a high-pitched keening noise and Jai Chen screamed her brother’s name.
Kelsa knew she wasn’t fast enough. A shining spearhead was already at her throat the instant she jumped backwards. How could she possibly outpace an Underlord?
A silver blade sliced Jai Long’s spear in half.
As Kelsa landed, a shield of gray force madra intercepted the wildly flying head of the spear and knocked it to the ground. Lindon’s puppet-construct stood over her with both of its arms ready, its hatchet-shaped head tracking Jai Long. The Underlord didn’t hesitate when he lost his weapon. He whirled in place, slamming the butt of his spear into the silver construct.
The mind-controlled Jai Long clashed with The Fleshripper, and each of their blows sent metallic thunder echoing up and down the street. Their motions were a blur.
Kelsa crouched next to Jai Chen. “Can you hit the ring over his head?”
Jai Chen wiped tears from her eyes and nodded. Next to her, Fingerling nodded along.
“I need you to break it. If you don’t, there’s nothing I can do to him.”
Another crowned sacred artist unveiled themselves behind them, and Kelsa sent her Foxfire shooting down the street in the form of tiny purple-white fireballs. Jai Chen focused on her brother and began whispering to Fingerling as Kelsa faced her new opponent.
Then she felt more.
From around the city, she sensed strong spirits heading her way. The fight had already attracted attention, and most people she could see weren’t controlled by the Silent King. The buildings the Fleshripper had toppled housed other people, and most were confused if not outright distraught. Though they did avoid the Underlord-level battle in the middle of the street.
Truegolds were heading toward the fight, which was to be expected. The fight would have attracted attention, and Serpent’s Grave had many Highgolds and Truegolds defending it.
When the first Truegold appeared, an old man, Kelsa let out a breath of relief. No halo.
Then he was blasted from the sky.
Three, four, five more Truegolds appeared, and Kelsa’ knees trembled. All of them wore white halos.
She ran to seize Jai Chen and flee, but she stopped when she heard Dross’ voice again.
[If you still find yourself on the brink of death, surrounded by enemies, activate the script in your belt to your left. Second compartment.]
Kelsa ran her spiritual senses and her hand into her belt, chiding herself as she did for ever complaining about how many features Lindon had built into her accessories. When she felt the script Dross mentioned, she activated it.
Beneath her feet in the Twin Star Sect compound, she felt constructs activate.
[Ah, then you are desperate. Savor this feeling, for it is only in desperation that you know you are truly alive.]
Kelsa hoped this recording of Dross wasn’t wasting time.
Fireballs appeared in the air next to toxic green spears and swirling blades while a Ruler technique seized the ground beneath her feet. Kelsa ran, activating the Fox Mirror behind her to give her foes a distraction.
[Activating Underlord Countermeasures Numbers Two through Four.]
“How many are there?” Kelsa asked as Striker techniques devastated the illusory clone of herself she’d left behind.