The higher one’s cultivation was, the higher their zone of activity in a war was. This maxim had been tried and tested throughout Orb’s history…or at least the Five Lands, on the sole basis that attacking from above had a great deal of advantages as compared to the other way around. Gemini’s experience in the Second Extermination had highlighted vividly the results of losing control of the highest battleground.

Total extermination.

Attacks with qi by any Paragon — or Exemplar, although Gemini wasn’t sure about the difference between the two, if there were actually any — had an incredible area of effect, longevity and destructive capability. The first two aspects were best exploited when attacking from a height advantage, and also resulted in secondary effects like the breaking of troop formations through panic and fear.

The demons had suffered immense losses during the first few attacks — their Exemplars had tried to attack the city walls some seven hundred metres aboveground, and they were promptly shot down by nearly-unavoidable attacks by Ark City’s Paragons almost immediately afterwards for their trouble, without being able to return fire.

After a few days of one-sided defeats, their foes had finally gotten it into their heads to fight in their own respective zones. Only after that did Ark City’s losses start to climb — but their adaptation was inevitable anyway.

“It’s you again,” Gemini muttered, when he saw the demon he was facing. His foe was large, built like a train, and wielded two huge clubs that had broken his sword the first time Gemini tried to block them. The Constellation had killed him multiple times handily, but each successive death had taught the demon a good lesson on how to fight.

“Yes, it’s me,” replied the demon. “Don’t worry. I won’t be like you. When I finally crush that head of yours, I’ll make sure to eat your core too.”

“You say that every time,” Gemini replied, “but you never even got past the first step, did you?”

“It’s a learning process.” The wrestler-like demon replied. “As long as you don’t join us, you’ll eventually fall.”

He laughed cruelly. “And then…well, there won’t be a ‘then’ for you. I’m looking forward to the taste of your core now. I’ll tell your corpse what it tastes like, if there is still one by the time I’m done with you.”

“Bring it, muscle freak.” Gemini raised his hand. “Skill: Twin Stars’ Sorrow.”

Gemini’s body glittered as a cloak fell around it, and the Constellation pointed a brilliant blade of qi at the demon, who readied his clubs in response. Light flickered as he closed in on the demon, who immediately brought the club in his left hand to block. A minor jolt ran through Gemini’s foe as his sword slammed onto the demon’s left club, and the Constellation twisted on the spot to dodge the enemy’s counterattack.

Air screamed as the club whizzed past his ear, and as a single strand of hair fell, Gemini took out a sword from his inventory. His free hand gripping onto it tightly, he stabbed it into the demon’s right arm, aiming for the biceps. There was a moment of resistance where sword met skin, but all that followed was a howl as Gemini’s weapon plunged deep into his enemy’s arm.

He twisted the weapon, which immediately broke, before blasting himself backwards with an outburst of energy. Air whipped past him again as the demon swung his uninjured arm in the general direction of Gemini, but the demon was a step too late.

“That sword! That hidden sword!” The demon clutched at his left hand, where a shard of Gemini’s now broken weapon was embedded deep inside. “Despicable bastard!”

“You’re one to speak,” Gemini replied coldly.

His foe’s reply was some incomprehensible. His three eyes had turned red, and drool was beginning to leak out of his mouth. Muscles bulged, and the veins in the demon’s head began to show. Such a change wasn’t anything new to the Constellation — the demon had given in to his urges entirely. In such a state, a primal demon was at his strongest…and at his weakest too.

It was the demon’s turn to close the distance. Gemini, who was now bobbing and weaving through the raging storm of attacks, had shortened the blade in his hand into a small dagger, keeping his eyes trained on the demon’s face the entire time. Energy began to gather around the demon’s clubs as he continued to swing them around madly, sending out arcs of light that slammed into the ground below.

The storm of blows continued to rage on, but as the demon raised his right arm for the eighty-third time, Gemini stabbed outwards at a frightening speed. The club in his hand jerked, and fell from his twitching palm as the Constellation forced the sword through his shoulder entirely. The demon raised his left arm, but it spasmed and turned limp before it could move anymore. The club in his left hand slipped out of the demon’s hand and dropped like a rock, following the trajectory of its twin.

A second later, Gemini sliced off the demon’s right arm with a mighty effort. Blood gushed out of the opening like a fountain, and red began to fade from the demon’s eyes.

“I…lose. Yet again.” The demon forced out some words. “Truly…my enemy.”

“Yes,” said Gemini. “All who threaten Ark City must die.”

“Truth.” The demon struggled feebly, his floating body now unstable and jerky. “Fight was…fun. Lost bet again from losing. I’ll win one day.”

Gemini nodded. “One day.”

“Goodbye. For now.” The demon closed its eyes. Gemini stared at its unmoving form. Blood had stopped gushing out of his mutilated shoulder — his foe was already dead. The remnants of his qi were still keeping him aloft for now, but without an Engine or a consciousness to continue influencing that flow, the demon would plummet to the ground soon.

Qi flooded out of Gemini’s arms, turning to a sharp stream of energy that grounded the demon’s body into non-existence. With the only Exemplar overseeing this battlefield now dead, the Constellation turned his attention to the lower combat zones, and started striking out at enemies from his current position.

It didn’t take long for him to wipe out the demons — but they would be back the next day. Over and over. The Constellation glanced at the bloody battlefield, and returned to Ark City.

“Good job out there, Gemini,” said Campmaster Magnus.

“Thank you, Campmaster,” Gemini replied. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes. Thank you for your concern,” said the Campmaster. “Normally, I’ll be ushering you off for a hearty meal, but there’s something that needs us all to be present.”

“Something?”

“Someone from the Ars Tribe has come to see us. And she has news to bear.”