399 Disgrace and Immolation

The ungodly friction of her dark blade and Chu Cheng’s fiery lotus caused an ear-splitting screech. It was eventually the eminance shadow blade that gave way, shattering into oblivion.

Chu Cheng thrust a palm forward, and at his command the smoldering buds began to shed petals. These petals were black as the world around them, and sharp as razors. They sliced erratically through the air toward the cloaked lady.

She brandished the rapier in her grip, and executed a series of rapid swiped all around. Crescent-shaped waves of energy spread out like ripples, leaving behind them tails of opaque light. Still the petals came, though many where swept away by the waves. The cloaked lady dodged and weaved among them like a shadow – no, like a host of shadows, too quick to fix your eyes on. In truth there were, for several shadowy clones had clawed free from her and scuttled through the dark.