Chapter 18: Sonic Boom

The Hall of Final Echoes was about to live up to its name as the clash between these lethal warriors commenced.

'I have to fight…running would be pointless against these guys! They're strong! Zephyr…if only you were buddy…now I'm scared. I feel alone again.' Torin thought. 'I'll attack first!'

The fight erupted with Torin dashing forward, his spectral wolves howling from the ethereal realm with each forceful kick towards Kage. Kage, swathed in his red and white aura, dodged agilely, his chains clinking melodically but deadly as they whipped forward towards Torin's advance. The chains wrapped momentarily around Torin's leg, yanking him off balance while Kage's rapid movement allowed him to avoid the snapping jaws of spectral wolves.

Kage chuckled, "As expected of a Blood Sect assassin, strike true or strike first or some shit like that."

Torin thought, 'He talks as if he was expecting us ... .somethings not right!'

In the tree tops outside of the capital, Jiho watched, his arms folded as he saw the festival continue, seeing that people were somewhat oblivious to Torin's fight.

'I would go down and aid him, but a leader like me can't interfere in an assassin's first mission. Vaelle would've jumped in even if she weren't supposed to. Tch. That damn rebel. I need you back here.'

"Enjoying the view?" A voice said behind Jiho.

Jiho paused, he recognized the voice; it was the Head's voice. Jiho's heart pounded with intensity as the Head's voice got closer.

Jiho said, "You're here?"

"Yes. I am. Things don't seem to be going well, are they?"

"No sir they aren't. Torin has been made easily when we for sure thought we had it all under control and laid out. Our intel suggested they wouldn't be made."

"Is that so?"

"Unless…"

"That's right. I sent one of our own to spill a leak to the Black Lotus. He acted as a messenger."

Jiho was internally frustrated, but sighed, "May I ask the reason why?"

"Things never went well on your first mission, did it? No. This is the real world, these children need to experience some tables to turn in any situation."

"But if they die…"

"Do not question me. Whoever dies, dies. It'll be their own fault. Everyone in the Black Lotus knows about this. Overhearing the conversations of our prospects sparked something in me. They all have one thing in common: Revenge, and a means to overcome their own faults and internal issues. And they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve what they want most. So this will surely put them to the test. The Black Lotus sect are no joke, they are truly terrifying in the eyes of man, besides me."

"I guess it's for the best."

"I'm glad you agree with this. It'll be a shame if you didn't." The Head smiled, vanishing.

Jiho thought, 'I don't agree with this. He's punishing me. Is it because I look up to Vaelle? Fuck…those brats are gonna die down there. And I can't do anything to stop it or interfere. What happened to the Blood Sect?'

Back at Torin's fight, Hajen moved like a shadow, concentrating his black qi into a fist that slammed into the side of an assassin from Yeonhee's team. The sonic boom punch resonated, causing a brutal ripple effect, shattering a nearby pillar, with debris clouding the air. The defending assassin buckled under the force, his bones crushed by the devastating power, collapsing amidst a cloud of dust and splintered marble.

Torin, sliding across the floor, thought, 'Awwww man. One can manipulate spectral chains with his qi, which from the wounds it gives, flowers grow from the wound which causes it to sap the qi reserves of someone! And the other can focus his qi into his strikes and martial arts for sonic booms and blows! The one I'm fighting must be a 7th gate qi fighter, and the other one must be a 6th gate qi fighter.'

6th Gate: Gate of Resonance - At this advanced level, Qi users can resonate with the natural energies of the world or qi rune weapons in perfect harmony, allowing them to perform feats that defy ordinary physical limits. Due to Hajen's sonic boom, which is manipulating sound and gravity force itself.

7th gate: Gate of Manifestation - Practitioners can now manifest physical forms from Qi, such as shields, weapons, or even ethereal constructs, which can interact with the physical world. Due to Kage's spectral chains that have materialized which have even more special properties to them.

Torin continued to think, 'I'm not that strong, and neither are the others! How can I win? Will I even win? I'll just keep using the dagger for now…'

Regaining his footing, Torin swung his qi-rune dagger with deadly precision at Hajen, who parried with his own forearm, wrapped in a dark aura that lessened the spectral bite. The impact echoed through the hall, a chorus of spectral wolves syncing with each strike, their biting anger leaving ethereal marks on Hajen's aura.

Circling around, Kage's chains snaked through the air, lashing out with a flourish that brushed against one of Yeonhee's assassins, leaving roses blooming from the fresh wounds. The roses drained the weakened assassin's qi, turning vibrant petals into a dark crimson as the life faded from the assailant's eyes.

"AGHH!"

Torin gritted his teeth, thinking, 'They're dropping like flies!'

Hajen smiled, "You guys CAN'T be the famous Blood Sect assassins, right? We heard the rumors that they are highly skilled in combat, not some weak brats."

'Don't say anything. Don't say anything!' Torin thinks.

Kage said, "I've always wanted to fight them, but this had been too easy!"

A remaining assassin jumped at Kage, blades drawn. In a fluid motion, Kage entangled him with his chains, pulled him closer, and executed a precise kick to the sternum. As the chains withdrew, thorns left wounds flowering on the doomed assailant's chest, his body thudding heavily onto the mosaic floor, killing them."

"Way too easy."

Hajen unleashed a barrage of sonic boom punches at Torin, who managed to evade two but caught a harsh blow straight to the abdomen on the third. The air ripped violently around them, a shrieking howl mimicking the destructive power of Hajen's strikes, pushing Torin back against a stone column, which cracked on impact. Torin launched into the air, his wolves manifesting fully for a brief moment as he performed a spectacular downward kick aimed at Kage. Kage rolled to the side, his chains rising defensively, slashing across Torin's calf, embedding thorns that leeched his strength, causing him pain and slowing his movement.

Crawling from under a cascade of deadly strikes, one of Yeonhee's assassins lunged at Hajen, only to be caught mid-leap by a sonic boom punch. The assassin's chest exploded inwards, a gory display of the power contained within Hajen's clenched fists, his body slumping grotesquely as blood pooled beneath him.

"Next!" Hajen grinned.

Kage and Hajen synchronized, with Kage's chains binding Torin's arms while Hajen prepared another devastating punch. Torin's yi-rune dagger glowed, slicing through one of the chains and allowing him a momentary reprieve to summon a pack of wolves that charged at Hajen, giving Torin necessary cover to reassess. Sweeping back, Torin breathed heavily, his gaze calculating as he observed the remaining fighters. He touched the chain-wound on his leg, wincing as the embedded thorns pulsed. His spectral wolves prowled, their forms more solidified, their growls thunderous in the tense silence.

'That hurts…I can feel the thorns and flowers taking my qi reserves..is this guy using my qi for himself?! I hope not! Please no..'

Breaking the momentary truce, Hajen ran forward, his aura flaring intensely. A punch aimed squarely at Torin's chest hit with the full force of a thunderclap, reverberating around the hall and forcing Torin backward, his boots skidding on the polished floor.

Hajen chuckled, "Oh…? This one seems to be tougher than the others. Not even one punch or kick can make him explode like the other assassins. Maybe things are picking up!"

The last of Yeonhee's assassins made an ill-fated dash towards Hajen, desperation clear in his charge. Hajen sidestepped with a taunting smirk, dispatching him with a low blow that sent him tumbling lifelessly across the floor, his journey ended in harsh silence. Whirling with graceful ferocity, Kage's chains wrapped around Torin's torso, the embedded thorns drawing both blood and energy from him. Each movement Kage made controlled the bleeding chains like a puppeteer, draining Torin's strength exponentially with every tightening loop.

Torin, on the ground, kneeling and bleeding everywhere, said to himself, "We can't win..we have to run…"

With Hajen moving to flank him, and Kage tightening the chains, Torin fell to one knee, panting heavily. His hand gripped his dagger, channeling every ounce of qi into one last strike. As he thrust forward, both Kage and Hajen converged, their combined strike brutally overwhelming, a blur of black and red crashing against his desperate defenses.

Beaten down, Torin summoned his spectral wolves for a final show of defiance. They circled, forming a protective barrier, their eyes glinting with primal ferocity. Torin, bloodied and spent, glared up at his adversaries, his breath ragged but his spirit undeterred. They were surrounded by dead assassin bodies, their blood covering the floor with a scarlet color.

Kage said, "That CAN'T be it, right? The famous blood sect assassins…down in under 2 minutes?"

Hajen smirked, "Haha! Pathetic…when that messenger came and told us the Blood Sect assassins were planning on killing Yu Baozhai, we were actually excited. We've killed everyone that has fought us in less than 3 minutes, but none of them were as tough as you, boy. We wanted some action, a challenge."

Torin said to himself silently, "I feel alone again..helpless..Zephyr…help me…brother.."

(FLASHBACK)

(2 months ago)

In the winding alleys of the sect known as the Jade Fang, young Torin roamed alone. The other children, aware of Torin's unpredictably wild nature, would often scurry away at his approach. Laughter echoed into the narrow corridors, not in joy but in mockery and fear, as if his very presence unsettled the ancient cobbled stones.

"Hey! Wanna play tag?" Torin shouted gleefully to a group of kids, his voice echoing off the stoic stone walls. The children glanced at each other, their eyes wide with hesitance, before darting away, whispering, "Crazy Torin's coming!"

Dejected but undeterred, Torin wandered further, spotting an elderly vendor who smiled warily at him. "Ah, Torin. Looking for friends again?" she asked, her voice tinged with pity.

"Yeah, but no one wants to play," Torin replied, kicking at the dust.

It was on one of those lonely wanderings that Torin bumped into Zephyr, a slightly older boy with a mischievous glint in his dark eyes. Zephyr was from the Crimson Crane sect, a rival group known for their stealth and intelligence - skills that Zephyr was supposed to utilize as a spy.

Unlike the others, Zephyr didn't run away. Instead, he grinned and tossed Torin a ripe plum he had nicked from a market stand. "You look like you could use a friend!" he said. "You look lonely."

Torin hesitated, then smiled broadly, catching the plum. "I'm Torin! You wanna play or something?"

"Sure, I'm Zephyr. Let's see if you can catch me." And with that, a chase ensued throughout the bustling market, laughter filling the air as Torin found, for the first time, a companion in play.

Days turned into weeks. The boys became inseparable, engaging in sparring sessions where Torin's erratic energy met Zephyr's cunning dodges. They shared meals, typically stolen fruits or sneaky treats from unsuspecting vendors, laughing under the canopy of ancient trees.

One evening while they rested against a gnarled oak tree, Zephyr taught Torin how to make figures from leaves. "You fold it here, then here," Zephyr instructed, his fingers deftly creasing the green foliage.

"Like this?" Torin attempted, his creation more crumpled than crafted.

"Close enough!" Zephyr chuckled, ruffling Torin's hair in a big-brotherly gesture.

"Why did you choose to be my friend? Everyone else avoids me."

"They avoid me too. Because I don't talk a lot to certain people. They said I'm awkward. Me and you are alike."

Their boundless adventures, however, couldn't shield them from the brewing storm between their sects. One day, as they returned from exploring the nearby woodland, loud voices halted them at the Jade Fang's gates.

"It's that boy from Crimson Crane! He's corrupted our Torin!" an elder shouted as others gathered, nodding in anger.

"We should've known he was a spy for them."

Zephyr's usual smile faltered as Torin stepped forward. "No! Zephyr's my friend. He didn't do anything bad!" Torin's voice carried a rare seriousness.

But as fists clenched and faces turned stern, Zephyr grasped Torin's arm. "We need to go, now," he whispered, pulling him away as the crowd's shouts turned into chaos.

They ran, past familiar alleys and beyond the fields they had played in, until the lights of the sects were mere flickers in the distance. They found solitude under the stars, the night sky a blanket over their uncertain future.

"Zephyr, why are they so mad?" Torin asked, his voice small in the vast night.

"I was sent to spy on your sect, but I failed my mission by staying here and hanging out with you. So even if I do go back to my sect, they'll vanish me."

With Zephyr now taking on the role more of a guardian than a peer, they moved from one hidden glen to another, evading the ongoing conflict of their rival sects, at war as blood had shed. Though the weight of their situation pressed heavily on Zephyr, he never let that burden dim the light of adventure for Torin.

In the silent expanse of the wilderness, days fused into one another, each one a new chapter in the brotherly bond between Zephyr and Torin. Here, under the canopy of the dense forest or the sprawling skies of open meadows, Zephyr took on the role of protector, guide, and mentor to young Torin, each role worn with a grace that belied his own youth.

The mornings began with Zephyr teaching Torin how to read the sky—how the shape and the movement of clouds could tell you much about the day's weather. "See that cluster there? Looks like a bunch of feathers? Means we're clear for today," Zephyr would explain, pointing towards the heavens, a teaching moment seamlessly woven into their daily routine.

Hunting became a regular activity, a necessity to survive, and Zephyr was intent on teaching Torin the skills. With make-shift bows and arrows, Zephyr demonstrated the art of stalking prey, the importance of blending into their surroundings, a hand gently correcting Torin's posture or adjusting his grip. "Quiet feet, steady hands," he'd whisper as Torin attempted to mimic his movements, his face a mask of concentration.

Finding food wasn't always about the hunt; it was also about knowing the land. Zephyr pointed out which berries were safe to eat and which plants were better left untouched. These lessons often ended with them sitting by a stream, washing the fruits of their forage, Torin's questions bubbling like the water they sat beside. "Why's this one good and that one not?" he'd ask, and Zephyr would patiently explain.

Nights were for stories by the fire, where sparks leapt toward the stars as if trying to return home. There, Zephyr spun tales of legendary heroes and mythical beasts, each story carefully chosen to instill a mix of values and wonder in Torin. He watched, fascinated as the firelight danced across Zephyr's features, turning him momentarily into the heroes of which he spoke.

And when the fire dimmed to embers, Zephyr, ever vigilant, kept watch until the deep silence of the night told him it was safe to sleep. Even then, one eye would remain open, a habitual guard against any danger that might approach their makeshift camp.

(Flashback end)

In the present day, Torin was slowly standing up, his legs shaking as blood dripped from his hands and head, saying, "I don't wanna be alone again…"

He began to think of the pillow fight with Joon and the others, and he continued, "I might end up having friends…I don't wanna lose that."

Kage smirked, "You can't win, I don't even know why you're standing."

Torin struggled to stand up, but then dropped to his knees again, too weak.

Hajen walked towards him, saying, "Where are your friends? Maybe they'll be more of a challenge."

Torin laughed with a psychotic demeanor, "Haha…you won't beat them. I'm nothing compared to them."

"I bet you we can."

"Hmmm….you haven't come across our strongest member.."

Torin referred to Joon, but didn't want to expose his name.

Hajen chuckled, "This is great then. Since you don't wanna talk, I'll drag you to Yu Baozhai. Maybe then your strongest member will fight us."

"…Do it."

Hajen grabbed Torin by the hair, and dragged him outside, heading towards Yu Baozhai's seat.