Once again, Cuifen sat within the Quarantine room. Unlike the usual silence she’d become used to, the sound of gunshots and beams echoed from the outside. If this wasn’t enough to tell her what was going on, it was the tremors that kept happening time and time again. She silently got to her feet, and began to gaze around the room. In order to do something she’d wanted to for a long time, making her escape. Her hand drifted toward her chin, as the facts she knew began to run through her head.

“While I could take care of these words… The surveillance around here is too good, I won't be able to exit without the Proto-humans here being alerted…With what this disease has done- I can't do much... I’m nowhere near what I Could’ve been. But maybe I can use that commotion to my advantage.”

She was soon snapped out of her thoughts, as the familiar sound of a railgun sounded outside of the room. Followed by a loud boom, as the building shook. Screams echoed throughout, though, they were silenced within seconds, as the sound of machine-guns echoed through the hallways… Cuifen rushed to the glass on the walls of the chamber, pressing her face on the glass as her eyes shot around, attempting to figure out what was going on. She could make out the destroyed concrete walls, and the soldiers that rushed to see the cause of this, from deeper within the complex. Only to be reduced to a red mist in a burst of gunfire within moments of arriving.

“What’s going on here?”

Soon, arriving at the wall, was a Kaemerge HAU, the standard mass production model. The cockpit hatch opened, as a wire dropped from it. It was then that the pilot dropped out, a ventilator mask on his face, and the rest of his body covered in a Hazmat. Cuifen focused her gaze on him, as he tapped a code into the holographic display that appeared in front of the door, it would soon slide open. Following this, the man leisurely entered, as he turned his attention toward her. A deep voice rang from his throat.

“You're Cuifen Yu, Yes?”

“That’s right. Why do you ask?”

“Come with me, the one known as Liang Yu has arrived here.”

Cuifen’s eyes widened in surprise… She went silent in her disbelief. After all this time, and all the searching he’d have to do. He was here?

“Brother?! What is he doing here? Has he found me?”

“Looks like it. I’ve decided to bring you over to him. I only ask that you put this on first.”

He gestured at a black, rubber suit that lay in his hand, throwing it at Cuifen. She caught it, and soon, began to slip it on, with the pilot looking the other way. As the girl continued to place it on, slipping it over her arms and legs, as one would expect, there was some feeling of mistrust within her. After all, he was nobody she recognized. And the fact that he was in a Kaemerge HAU, made her suspicion increase more.

“That's good and all, but… Why are you helping me, Mister ...?”

“Kasiro… Langezan Kasiro.” He responded.

Alright, Mister Lagrenzan, Why are you helping me?”

“First of all, it's Langezan. Second of all, I want to get rid of these traitors… As I patrolled, I began to see more suspicious actions in those I thought were my comrades and some of the top brass… Their discussions of a "New God'', all that Anti-Imperial Rhetoric. But in the end, I bit my tongue, so I wouldn't alert them to the fact that I was on to them. It seems I made the right choice. I made them believe I agreed with their ideology. The divinity of the south Asian Branches general, and the marquess of the Grakis Region, Agni. Though given how long you’ve been here, I'm sure you already know him.”

“Of Course.”

“From what I’ve seen and heard, The next stage of Agni’s plan will be to solidify his power. He wiped out all of the Ardamites in this base and hung the ones in the others out to dry.”

Cuifen paused at this, as her gaze moved to the ground.

“He'd kill his own men?”

Kasiro shook his head.

“It's not that he'd kill his own men. Rather- he never considered them HIS men to begin with… We can continue this elsewhere- Put this hazmat on, and let's go… We don't want to keep him waiting, now do we?”

Even with his words, there was a nagging feeling in Cuifen’s mind... One that warned her of the potential danger in trusting him. So much so, that she could not hold back on the questions.

“You’re with the Kaemerge-- so why help either of us?”

Kasiro glanced back at her

“While that is true, I’d rather let HIS plans succeed rather than Agni’s… Agni is just rushing for power, that brother of yours is doing this for family.”

He began walking back to the machine with this said. Apparently, more than enough for Cuifen, as she started following.

Part B

Elsewhere, Liang and Kabir stared at one another for some moments. The two both stayed in their respective stances, but it was Liang to make the first move. Drawing the Jian off of his side, he dashed forward, swiping at Kabir. However, his opponent jumped to the left, moving out of the way. But, Liang quickly placed his foot unto the ground, changing his direction, as he bounded toward him. He soon took another swipe, leaving a gash on his shoulder, tearing the cloth, and exposing it to the open air. As he landed behind him, he soon bounded back at him, but his target avoided him, launching a kick at him. Which hit him square in the chest.

Liang was soon sent flying back, crashing through the wall, and destroying it. As his foot landed on the grass outside, he skidded to a stop. No sooner did Kabir rush out in an attempt to attack him once again. However, Liang’s eyes quickly focused on him as he did. He jumped out of the way, before lifting his leg, Pivoting, and launching a kick at the front of the man’s neck. But, his attack would fail, as he stopped just short of the kick, before jumping back to create some distance.

However, Liang would soon reach into a pack on his side, pulling out his Shuriken once again. Grasping them between his fingers, as he swung his arm, they flew out as blurs, Puncturing his opponent’s body all over. Despite this, he looked unphased. Liang raised an eyebrow but ultimately went toward the man with his blade once again, leaving a gash on the side of his body. Soon, dashing back toward him, he soon sent his blade at the man’s upper back. The blade soon came out of the other side of his body. Liang leaped back, yanking his blade out of his torso as he did so. Only to be met by the man leaping toward him, fist ready to strike him, as if nothing had happened!

Liang looked up at this in surprise, as he placed a hand on the arm, before redirecting it, changing the path of the fist. Before, he gripped the arm once more, before throwing Kabir over his shoulder. No sooner did his adversary land, flipping away from him, and landing on his feet, before he shot forward, right toward the Youth’s back. Something that did not go unnoticed, with his gaze flying back. But, as soon as he did so, a knee came into his view. That collided with his chin, knocking him off balance, as he flew backward. His head sent lurching back, as he flew into the air. Kabir bent his knees, as he prepared to make his final strike.

He soon burst up into the air, going past Liang as he moved above. Waiting for the man to come close to him once more, before he front flipped, Launching an ax kick at Liang. But, the Martial Artist took notice, putting his arms together above him, to stop the kick. Before he sidestepped, moving to the man’s right, before jabbing his blade into the man's body, 10s of times, staining the steel with the man’s blood. Before he jumped back… He gritted his teeth as he took note of a certain fact.

“Dammit- I've stabbed him multiple times-- and he hasn't even slowed down?! Those attacks should've been fatal. I’ve been hitting vital spots all this time. On top of that His qi funnelways keeps around… Just what am I dealing with here?”

A smirk began to crawl onto Kabir’s face as he took note of the change in the Youth’s demeanor. A low chuckle following afterward.

“Didn’t expect this much trouble, did you?”

Not responding to the words, Liang resumed his attack, Taking the Zhi Nu off of his belt, and swung his arm, sending the blades of the whip at his opponent, and leaving a gash on his torso. He swung once more, bringing it back, before thrusting it forward once again. Stabbing right through the man’s shoulder, the blade coming through the other end. Before, he retracted the end... As he went to observe the wounds on the man’s body. What he took note of was the smaller wounds he’d put on his body closing almost instantly. With the other gashes he left, beginning to do the same.

“He can regenerate, that much I understand. But there’s something else going on here. Those strikes should’ve at least slown him down, even if not for long… But I haven’t even seen that much. And given the fact that his Qi points have been moving. He’s…”

His eyes widened.

“He’s moving his organs around?!”

“Whoa. Looks like I really let this drag on for too long if you figured that out. Though, it’s not like it matters.” He began, the cockiness in his tone more than visible. Something followed with clenched fists, and a faint green light flowing around him.

“You’ll be dead before you can do anything with it!”

Liang tsked, as his hand inched toward his belt.”

“We’ll See about that!!!”

Liang grabbed his shurikens between his fingers once more, as he kept his gaze focused upon his opponent... With what he told him, he at least had some semblance of a plan.

“I have a mark on his funnelways now... If I notice the flow of QI within him changing, that tells me he’s moving his organs again. If his regeneration is potent enough to survive that, it’ll be an issue... But either way, that’s speculation, and that’s not what I need right now. I’ll strike in that instant, I’ll need to be quick, a second at the most.”

And, as he did so, he soon took notice the force that flowed within him began to change. It was then that he soon launched another round of Shirukens at his opponent. They soon pierced his body, but he once again looked unphased, as he charged at his opponent. Liang’s attack was not finished yet, however. He grasped more between his fingers, flinging another at the man. However, Kabir was quick, bounding around the room to avoid the Shurikens… Or, at the least, that was what he thought. As Liang drew the shurikens that “Missed” to him, with the tug of his wires! Detecting the motion, Kabir quickly attempted to move out of the way, mostly successful, aside from one that embedded itself into his shoulder. He glanced at it, before tearing it out, flinging it back at his opponent. Liang smirked at this.

“Checkmate..”

Liang made the shurikens attached to the wires clash into each other, as he released his grip. They began to ricochet around the room, with many using the one thrown back by Kabir to continue bounding around. Soon enough, they began making their way back to Kabir, stabbing into his body from all angles. It was only then that the man’s smile disappeared, as he attempted to jump out of the way… But, it was much too late, as, coming through his lower torso, was the very same Shiruken he threw back. Kabir’s look changed to one of surprise. His breath’s began labored as he coughed, heaved, and then launched blood onto the floor below them. With the red liquid dripping heaved, and then, out came blood, pouring out of his mouth. He was well aware of what happened, his opponent had hit his lungs.

“I’ve seen right through it-- Not only does it take time for your organs to move-- There’s a gap between movements---30 seconds!”

Liang jumped back, as his Draconic aura swarmed around his body once again, he flew at his opponent, with his right leg bent. Kabir began to move back, in his attempt to avoid the attack. But, Liang simply sped up, not willing to allow his escape.

“Chuojiao Art - Azure Dragons Fang!!!”

Liang smashed his foot into the man’s neck. Before twisting his body, and striking him with the left. But, he did not stop there. Launching kick after kick into the man’s neck. It was only after about fifty that he stopped. Just to launch his fist into his stomach. Folding the man’s torso over his fist, and increasing whatever damage was already there.

“Dammit!!”

This would prove to not be the end- as he proceeded to withdraw his Jiian- slicing his opponent all over, time and time again, the speed increasing as he proceeded. The attack continued relentlessly, until by the end, the man was but chunks of skin and flesh that fell upon the floor. Liang looked down at his blade, and swiped it, removing the excess blood. Now, his gaze went toward the ceiling that lay in the roof, that had since become the only source of light. The very center of the base, where the largest building, one about 6 stories, and wider than the rest, lay. It more resembled the traditional architecture of the region than any modern building. Its walls are built with white bricks, and a flat roof.. That would likely be his next target.

“I’ll regroup with Lafeyah.” Liang mumbled.

Now, the martial artist began to fly toward the building. As he glanced to his right, he noticed that Bijan came to fly beside him, keeping pace.

“I took care of the guy that came after me, you?”

Liang nodded.

“Yeah, But we aren’t out of the woods just yet. We still have that power we sensed earlier to deal with. It’s faint, but I sense Cuifen’s protomis, and it’s getting closer…”

Liang and Bijan looked in the same direction, with Langezan’s HAU flying toward them, light streaking from its thrusters. It soon stopped in front of them, levitating in the air. The cockpit soon parted, and they saw the two sitting within, Cuifen, wearing a Protective suit around her body, and Langezan. For quite some time, there was silence. As the two took in the sight, the one they’d fought to try to see for years was right in front of them. Something that, expectedly, left them not knowing what to say. But, as Liang floated closer to the machine, she reached out, and brought him into a bone-crushing hug. At first, he was surprised at this, looking down upon her. But he eventually returned her hug.

“Brother, it's been years…”

“That it has… I apologize for being blind all this time, the Kaemerge never had our interests in mind...It was painfully obvious.”

Cuifen shook her head.

“I’m just glad you’re okay… There’s no need to beat yourself up over that.”

For a moment, the two remained there in silence, until Liang eventually broke off the hug, though, it went without saying, that he stayed close to her.

“Alright then… It’s time to move on to a different subject.”

Liang turned his gaze to the man piloting the HAU, as his sister had before, he eyed Lanzengan with suspicon.

“You there… As I can tell from that uniform of yours- you’re likely from the Kaemerge...What is your reason for helping us?”

“True as that may be as of right now we share common interests, Liang Yu, Bijan Lafeyah… The one who leads this base, along with his men have turned to form their own empire. All loyalists have already been killed… I will not allow that false god Agni to take power… “

Liang paused, considering what he said, and his actions beforehand... No logical conclusion led to a fight, and, as such, he decided.

“I’ll ignore you for now…”

Liang focused his gaze on the largest building once again, Arching his brows.

“We have bigger issues to worry about- Bijan, watch Cuifen. I'm going to fight Agni myself.”

Bijan’s eyes widened as he heard this, his gaze flying over to Liang.

“Hold on a minute-”

However, Bijan was cut off as Liang dashed away, leaving him floating in silence. He sighed as he turned toward Cuifen, putting his hand out.

“Alright, So you’re Cuifen... I’m Bijan Lafeyah- one of Liang’s allies…”

Cuifen smiled at this, as she put her hand out as well, shaking.

“Oh, it's good to see that he’s grouped up with someone. He was always a loner back when we were kids… But, that aside, please go help him, he can be stubborn but, I don’t think he’ll stop you.”

Bijan nodded, as he retracted his hand.

“Don’t worry, I was already planning on doing that.”

No sooner did Bijan shoot through the sky in pursuit of Liang… Within the central building, Agni sat on his throne. His elbow on the armrest and his face rested on his hand. At the moment, it was quiet, himself being the only one in the chamber. The rest of his troops having since run out to try to make a dent in the attackers, at the very least. However, this quiet was soon destroyed, as, crashing through the roof, sending rock in debris into the room, was Yu Liang.

“So you’ve gotten through them… It’s a shame, they were good men. Even so, I have more than enough strength to avenge them. No mere mortal stands a chance against my might. Especially those who’ve fallen into my trap once before… You will be turned to ash-- by my divine flames.”

Liang scoffed.

“:You call that a threat? Yet another divine wannabe throws a hissy fit, and you expect me to just run away and forget that you had my sister locked up in here?”

He paused, as a blue light began to flow around him.

“I won’t let myself lose to you.”

To Be Continued