34 A Bush's Limit

(This starts when the four mercenaries grab Joe with chains.)

  During Joe's struggle, Elanor and Billy continue to clash. "Damn it, stupid bull spoiling my fun," Elanor curses.

  "Ha, ha, looks like you can't be smug anymore," Billy laughs, relieved. Betraying Billy's expectations, the beauty's smile grows even larger. In his eyes, this was no longer the smile of a woman. The smile seems to consume her face, the muscles rippling strangely. This is the face of a man-eating monster that lures its prey with lust.

  Elanor's stance changes from a chaotic fighting style using only the strength of her arms. Her feet stamp the ground her knees bend into a lower stance giving her more control of her body. Her arms and leg muscles ripple as she becomes as solid as a mountain.

  Elanor clutches her sword with her right hand and swings with the might of a giant. Billy shakes in fear at this sudden change. 'My shield can't take this strike,' he concludes. His only hope is to parry with his sword. So he counter-swings in the hope of deflecting this blow enough to save his life. As the two swords clash, Billy is shocked to see Elanor release her sword. Even without the mass from her body, Billy's muscles feel like the force is ripping them apart. Elanor's sword strikes the ground next to him, causing a chasm two feet wide and four feet deep. A tree 20 yards behind him is cut in twain by the energy of that one strike.

  "hu," Billy releases his breath in relief. However, he's celebrated too soon. Elanor is now in very close range with him. Her feet are rooted to the ground like some ancient tree. Elanor's left fist comes from behind the sword strike multiplying the force. Her fist smashes right into Billy's shield. The destruction is immediate. The shield blasts apart the shrapnel rips his body into shreds. Billy can't even feel the pain because he sees death right in front of him. The shield doesn't slow Elanor's left hook at all. The fist expands quickly towards his face. Billy barely manages to get his arms up into an X block.

  Elanor's punch hits Billy's block directly. If he hadn't gotten it up in time, his head would be gone. Still, the force smashes his arms entirely. His bones turn into dust, his muscles into mush, as his arms pop like water balloons. "Argh," a blood-curdling scream escapes his mouth. He spins through the air, a stream of blood spraying around like a fountain. He smashes through three trees before tumbling brutally on the ground.

  "MOOOO!" Joe yells with unwillingness. Elanor looks to the sky to see Joe being pierced by spears. John's leaves flutter. Joe's heart-shaking call shatters the heart of the villagers. Tears form in their eyes as their Guardian Spirit howls in pain. Their legs give out, and they huddle together for support.

  As the mercenaries' spear tips pierce the bull's hide, the world around them loses its color. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO JOE!" a raging voice blares in every living thing's head. The anger in this voice makes even the seasoned mercenaries shudder.

  As the four continue to pierce the bull, they feel their bodies slow to a crawl. It was as if they'd sunk into the mud. The world around them seems to be rejecting their existence. "What the hell is going on!" Marvin yells in fear.

  The villagers feel their blood boil with the rage of a thousand suns. A fire flows through their veins. It's almost unbearable. Every living thing within a mile is affected by the same phenomenon.

  'This is the suppression force of facing an army,' Jonathon realizes in surprise. They can all feel the rage in the air. It is as if every living thing will die to give them a paper cut. "Shit, why is a sovereignty expertise master here?" Steven curses in horror. With this revelation, all four of them have a cold sweat. 'A Sovereignty master has unleashed his territory!' they all conclude at the same time. Their minds can barely keep up. 'How can someone with an upper six expertise be here?'

  Joe feels the bit of ancestral blood within him activate. 'You fool, what are you doing? Bulls don't standstill. They charge forth!' an ancient voice bellows from eons ago. The fiery energy he'd suddenly felt flow through his veins smashes the suppression of the chains. "MAAARRRROOOOO!" Joe explodes with ferocity. The spears have pierced a foot deep into his gut, causing Joe to bleed profusely. Yet, he never felt so powerful.

  Joe burst forward with all his strength. His guts ripping open as the spears pull out sideways. The chains drag the four mercenaries behind him. "Flee for your lives!" Billy screeches while coughing up blood. The four don't need any goading. All four quickly disperse in separate directions.

  Still, they are being suppressed by a territory. Even at their fastest, it feels like they are snails racing a hair. Steven unluckily catches the eye of Joe first. The demonic bull can only see red as he charges at his attacker.

  Joe's ancestral truth boosts his attack. Steven has no chance to escape. He pulls out a defensive item from his interspatial ring. A ceramic bowl flies out, covering the mercenary. Joe pays no mind to this new obstacle crashing right into the bowl. His horns pierce the artifact causing cracks to spread out like spider webs. Then the thick bull skull makes contact, breaking the bowl into pieces as if it was fine china.

  Steven spent so much on this life-saving item. Yet now it is garbage. Tears fall from his eyes as the bull's forehead lands on his chest. His chest caves in, and his ribs pierce his lungs blood spurts out of his mouth as he is sent flying. Even this is not the end of Steven's suffering, though, as he lands on a large boulder that looks like a porcupine. Hundreds of spikes pierce his body. His lifeblood flowing out into the boulders cracked surface.

  Billy drags his broken body to its feet as he joins his compatriots in escape. "Where do you think you're going?" Elanor inquires the mercenary. She quickly pursues the man with her fist clenched.

  "Let him go," she hears in her head. "What have you gone insane? stupid bush," she yells back at the hill. "There is no time. You need to help heal Joe," John retorts quickly. She then sees the bull's shaky legs as he stumbles. Sighing while swishing back her hair, she stops her pursuit and returns.

  As John's rage turns to worry, the world returns to normal. As he becomes level-headed, he feels something unusual from the plants. Everything that has his energy had felt his rage. But It feels as if the plant life owes him something that transcends one insignificant lifetime.

______________

  In an unknown location, a woman sits on a throne. She's adorned with a simple crown. Her form is not discernible by mortals. Her eyes long closed suddenly open. "Antheia, attend me!" she commands. Cloaked servants follow a young beauty into the throne room. They all kneel subserviently to the woman on the throne.

  "He has reincarnated. Find him at all costs!" She instructs.

  "Yes, mother!" The young beauty acknowledges.