166 Ash

At the gates entering Starlight City, a demon beast encase in a shell comparable to that of a humongous tortoise heeded its master's cry to charge.

BAM!

It tried barging through the red glowing prism in which all were confined. As its tough shell smashed against the prism it suddenly stood still.

Soon the beast panicked as it felt something was not right. All then looked in sheer horror as ash began falling in clumps from the demon beast's body.

On its back, a horrifying sound was heard coming from its master who screamed in terror as he watched his hands too turned to ash.

Then his torso, before his screams were nullified with his whole body combusting into ash.

The onlookers who bore witness to the events no longer tried to charge out of the city. They detoured engaging in a stampede to its nucleus.

"Mama, Mama! I'm scared!"

A boy called out for his mother only to see her motionless, buried under hundreds of feet which continuously pummeled her beneath.

At that moment Mama was no more as with every step she became embedded in the ground.

This was not intentional, as the doers were unaware of the act. Only feeling a squishy bulky substance beneath their feet as they ran without knowing where their journey lies.

All that went through their minds was knowing what the prism brought was far worse than where their new destination did. In times of true terror, it is only fittest of the fittest that survive.

This mother was not the only victim of the stampedes as countless acts such as these occurred throughout the city.

Through sheer panic, the death toll continuously escalated. Sons and daughters would have to go their days as orphans.

Mothers and Fathers would see the future without an heir. Husbands became widowers and wives were now widows.

Soon the onlookers noticed something odd occurring within the prism. From all appearances, it was continuously enclosing on the city's walls. The distance between the two shrunk with each second that passed by.

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The stampeding crowds barged past Taf and Marco as they headed inward to the city's center. There he stood assessing the man before him who seemed unperturbed by their suffering.

"Aren't you going to scamper along too, kid?"

Marco grinned as he questioned. Obviously he was one who thrived in chaos.

"You disappoint me 'True Lord'. I had actually hoped the first lord realm cultivator I confronted would be someone that I possibly could hold in high esteem."

Taf shook his head as he saw the grin slowly fading from Marco's face. The more time he spent with this youth he felt something peculiar about him.

"Before your actions were meticulous and piqued my interest. A mystery that stopped me in my tracks.

Yet we finally meet and all I feel is only disappointment. Even the bandits I previously confronted were held in higher regard."

As Taf spoke he wove his hand in the direction of an infant when seeing a demon beast's trailing leg was a millisecond from crushing his skull.

An apparent force field formed around the child protecting him inside as he held his head in fear. Taf then moved him with a swinging motion of his hand into a building where his mother screamed for him to run.

His every action was seen by Marco. This teenager who he seemingly met by chance, not only did he appear quite strong for his age but by his words he was suspicious of his presence all along.

He would have to search long and wide to find another so bold in the presence of a lord.

Soon Taf heard a few persons calling his name. He then took a glance back before uttering a few more words to Marco.

"Allow me to handle some affairs, won't you?"

He smiled before turning his attention to some members of squad Malgrey which included Lovren, Luke, Cameron, and Malgrey himself. Accompanying them were Ava, Selena, and Malnor.

They all looked on terrified at the sight of the gigantic red glowing prism. Everything it touched was automatically turned to ash.

"Taf that's one of the legendary destructive tools of the Crows. It's the Incinerating Prism, code name, Ash."

A flustered Ava spoke, still not a hundred percent from the previous battle. Malnor then chimed in saying,

"Within a fifty-minute period, all inside its confinement are refined to ash.

So it really was the Crows all along!"

Malnor fumed as the screams of agony filled the city. Then he noticed something peculiar so he conveyed his suspicions to the rest.

"Wait.., It's glowing red while the Crow's prism has a golden radiance."

CRACK! CRACK! BOOM!

The prism finally made its way to the walls as it combusted into ash that spread throughout the city.

All could now see it's glowing presence unhindered slowly making its way into the city of starlights, which inch by inch became irradicated.

This escalated the panicking as all felt the end was near. This was apparently the beginning of the apocalypse.

"What do we do?"

Lovren began to sweat profusely. This was hell for anyone who was claustrophobic as the prism continuously shrunk erasing all in its wake.

They looked to Taf who was always the picture of tranquility, in this situation too he still remained composed.

" Firstly, all remain calm. Recruit the city's remaining guards into the fold. Let's try to recover some semblance of order.

Assessing the rate at which the device is refining the city, it stands to reason that at this moment the City's center will be the last left standing.

Usher all civilians to its center while I handle a slight problem."

His words caused Marco to burst into laughter. Especially when hearing the last parts of his sentiments, 'slight problem'.

They all were puzzled as to what this problem Taf spoke of could possibly be. Until they saw a man of slender build dressed in all black clothing.

He gave them an unsettling feeling as he stared. It was as though their lives had already been forfeited.

Then they all came to the conclusion this man must have some involvement with the prism. However, they knew that Taf was the strongest of them all.

If this man was still standing before them he must be quiet powerful. He emitted no qi so he could be mistaken as a mortal Similarly to Taf.

If they could offer assistance that would be ideal. Yet, common sense told them they would be more of a hindrance than a help.

Soon Malgrey dragged Lovren as he made a motion for his saber. Obviously he had a death sentence wanting to intervene.

Seeing their hesitation Taf uttered,

"I'll be fine. Every second you wait hundreds of innocent lives are lost."

His words seemingly jolted them all into actions as they ignited their qi then dispersed hearing the commands of Malnor, Ava, and Malgrey.

Throughout all that occurred during their interaction, Marco looked on as if watching a show. Allowing the members of the Dark Abylis Sect to have their moment.

After all, what could a group led by some ninth stage qi cultivators possibly accomplished when faced against one in the realm of lords?

What intrigued him was this kid was seemingly the one in charge as he issued orders. How he garnered their respect to such a degree fascinated him.

"So this is your end game, huh? Framing the Crows with genocide?"

Taf casually spoke while assessing the situation. His words startled Marco before he started to chuckle.

"It seems I have a little detective in my midst. Tell me how did you come to this conclusion?"

Marco playfully questioned as though he had all the time in the world at his disposal.  Still, the crowds frantically barged through uncaring of the two's interaction.

Obviously they were two mentally defective patients just released from the asylum. They could see the world burning and care not one bit. At least this what some persons assumed.

"I've always had my doubts about the involvement of the Crows. Perfectly finding pins on mercenaries employed by them. Isn't that a bit too convenient?

Drax spoke something which got me thinking. He said high powered clients always fear the retaliation of targets if they are unsuccessful. If so be the case why would the Crows go through such stress?"

Taf continued as Marco was a bit intrigued as to what this kid deduced listened while he spoke.

"Hiring outsiders to do their bidding and putting such precautionary measures as a mercenary contract in place. Only to let it fall apart by having the mercenaries carrying on their possession pins and emblems.

If they were so hell-bent on war, why not simply storm the gates of the Dark Abylis Sect? Wouldn't that allow less time for a counter from their foe?"

Soon Taf saw Marco clapping his hands together before he replied,

"Well done, however, young one this could simply be dismissed as the incompetence on the part of both parties."

His words only brought a smile to Taf's face as he countered by saying,

"This is highly unlikely but the most telling clue is your actions now. Brandishing an item strictly identifiable with the Crows' trademark ash. Yet it isn't theirs, is it?"

Taf questioned as he continued,

"I assume barring all transmission is a means to hide this slight detail from the sect when they conduct their investigation on what unfolded? Would that be a glaring red flag for all to see?

Therefore from all indications, there is a third party that is trying to play the role of a puppeteer."

To be continued.

Nb/Unedited version