He’d waited for this this day – this moment – for many long years. He’d hidden like a rat from the fury of universal protogenia ever since his power became too great to hide. He’d wracked his brain day in and day out, trying to find a way to protect himself.
At last he had found his answer. In joining with Queen and Consort they’d created a realm of their own, and a singular entity to rule over it. He had arisen to the status of a Golden Immortal. [1. Immortals have their own levels, and the golden immortals are among the highest.]
To his knowledge there were no other beings like him in all of the universe.
So this is what the ancient human immortals felt, he told himself. It was glorious, and one more step toward the ultimate power of Da Luo Golden Immortality.
Upon becoming a golden immortal, Monarch enjoyed the protection of the immortal realm. He no longer had to fear retribution from universal protogenia. To be finally unfettered was comforting beyond expression. With the immortal realms protection he could employ his full power without hesitation.
After the brief display of his abilities he felt that nothing could stand in his way. These humans – even the Photographer for all her power – were no more than insects before him.
It was true that there was a faint sense of danger from the Banishing Blades. However, as the greatest living creature in all of space and time he need not hide any longer. The time for shrinking away had passed, and the danger he perceived only increased his fervor. It was an opportunity to flex his new muscles.
Changes had come over the Violet Prince and the three headed abomination as well. It was clear as they rushed forward to deal with the humans. Like Monarch they were protected from universal protogenia by the presence of their immortal realm, and thus were able to use their full strength. The benefits were especially evident for the hydra, whose powers had risen beyond that of the Infinite and approached immortal-level.
For the humans, Luo Xianni led the defensive charge. She was joined by the Wine Master, Clockmaker, Driver, Keeper, Bookworm and the Gourmet. There was also the newly arrived Hua Li and Ch Cheng, as well as the Pauper, and the two Gods of Wine. Twelve all together, with the singular aim of protecting Lan Jue and his three companions.
Luo Xianni’s face was a somber mask. She knew that the appearance of a golden immortal reduced their chance of success tremendously. She did not understand why Monarch didn’t hurry to destroy the Strategy himself, but she wasn’t going to give up an opportunity to fight back.
With this determined passion in her heart she led the way. The pink camera in her hand flashed again and again. She couldn’t stop them, but she could at least slow her enemies down.
Without Lan Jue and the other sword bearers, these twelve Paragons were in dire straights. Indeed Luo Xianni was with them, but besides her only the Wine Master and Clockmaker were Reflections of Heaven and Earth. The Driver was next, at the upper borders of the Realm of Protogenia.
Against two creatures who no longer had to fear universal protogenia, it seemed like more than they could handle. Battle broke out in dramatic fashion, with the light of their clash blasted through the area as the Paragons fought for their lives.
Monarch turned and swung his attention toward the four bastions, which had since regrouped. He held himself with an almost playful air. Tyrannosaurus had been severely damaged but could continue fighting. Of course, at this point all their guns were useless.
None of their attacks had any affect against Monarch. On the contrary the energy from them seemed to make him stronger. They were forced to look on, silent and ineffectual.
Monarch narrowed his eyes, focusing on the shifting forces within him and the perfection of the immortal realm he’d created. After its creation was complete, his internal environment was ever changing – affected by the presence and power of Europa. This was a special sort of protogenia, one he’d studied for years locked in human genetics.
In many ways he’d build this place based on the ancestral memory of the human immortal plane. That mythical land was the foundation he would build upon. His immortal realm would continue to grow just like him, evolving as more immortal creatures took residence within.
Monarch had only just stepped through the door. He searched the collected knowledge and experience of the human species, gathered through their DNA, looking for a way to quickly improve their strength.
The answer came to him quickly. The quickest route was the power of faith.
In the days of the immortal they continued to grow and expand their immortal realm through the faith of the common man. The stronger these past immortals became the more they lent to the realm itself, which in turn protected them more effectively.
That was then.
Monarch became to outline the makings of a plan. Suddenly it seemed destroying the human race was not the most effective use of his powers. Devouring them would help him minimally, if at all, even for someone like Luo Xianni. Consuming another’s life force would only help him if he were feeding on other immortals.
In addition, his immortal realm required more denizens, not less. Killing those with the most potential was counter intuitive. It was better to subjugate these humans and become their master. Through their faith he would be made greater.
Suddenly he was less willing to turn his hand against his future subjects. He had enough power now to capture these Paragons. Once they were made more pliable – reeducated, as it were – they could become the first caste of immortals in the world he had built. Monarch was pleased with the idea.
Realizing these plans would not be difficult. As for the Banishing Blades, he figured they had to be relics from the human’s ancient gods, passed down through the years. Admittedly part of the reason he did not move to stop them was because he was curious. What were these weapons capable of, these creations of the old pantheon? When they came under his control, how could he use them to his benefit?
As an immortal his perception was near omniscient. He saw that the four sword bearers were yet to unleash the true power of these weapons. And so, he chose to watch and commit their process to memory.
Indeed Lan Jue and his companions had come upon a problem. The demands of the swords were growing to be more than they could offer.
Thanks to Qianlin’s Queen of Heaven powers they were recovering energy quickly, but they were still overwhelmed. What’s more they were not blind to the chaos around them, speed would ensure the greatest effect against their foes. They also feared the backlash if Monarch interrupted their process.
The light from the four swords had almost completed arranging itself, but fear still broiled in the hearts of Lan Jue and his friends. Once the arrangement was complete the Banishing Strategy would unleash its true power. Monarch would surely sense the threat to his life and would have to respond with his full might. This was before they considered how much energy the strategy would drain from them in order to complete the ritual.
“We have to finish it, even if we must sacrifice ourselves.” Lan Qing shouted.
Li Ke had not revealed it to them, but Lan Qing had discovered mysteries of his own while researching the strategy. He discovered a method by which they could complete the ritual even if they didn’t have the needed power. Self-sacrifice. They could offer up their own life force to fuel the Strategy’s completion.
Of course this was a tragic prospect, but one they had to consider. There were no other choices, and the cost of failure was too high. Thus the sword bearers joined with the weapons, and in so doing made themselves into fuel for the terrible fires of the Banishing Strategy.
The hydra-beast came at the Paragons flailing its six weapons, pushing them back one by one. Were it not for the Driver’s Primordial lightning and the danger it presented, the monster would have quickly cut them all down.
Meanwhile the Photographer was struggling to contain the Violet Prince. She was struggling against the threat of universal protogenia, and was still a novice to the powers of the Infinite. In contrast the Prince fought back without fear of consequence. In addition the immortal realm was constantly feeding him energy. It was only a matter of time before Luo Xianni was overcome.
Tens of thousands of soldiers were forced to watch. There was nothing they could do. The fight was also being live streamed all across human space. Official channels had been shut down across the North and East, however, as the situation unfolded. Politicians, who’d witnessed Tyrannosaurus being swatted away, had lost any hope of victory. Many were preparing to flee.
Perhaps, these people thought, if they got far enough away there was a chance they could survive. Staying would be waiting for death. This new creature and the world it had created was beyond their darkest nightmares.
Tendrils of light continued to gather, layer upon layer painted in the four hues of the Banishing Blades. The foundation of the Banishing Strategy was complete. However, pulses of energy revealed that it had become unstable.
“Truly pathetic!” Monarch felt something, some inexplicable sense that put him on edge. He waved his right hand and two waves of golden light washed over the Violet Prince and the hydra.
Both alien champions experienced a mighty surge in power. Luo Xianni took a head-on punch from the Prince that sent her sprawling. For the others the situation was worse. The Pauper got caught by a direct strike from the abomination and was cut down. His body exploded into dust and was no more. Skyfire Avenue had lost another Paragon.
There was no time for sorrow. The three-headed, six-armed monster did not let up. The Keeper and Bookworm exchange a silent but telling glance as their bodies began to glow. Lan Qing had stopped them before. Now it seemed like it was finally their time.
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