Chapter 215 - Or Die Trying

The uncontrolled Ming pulled his mystical sword, the ringing Verth, from its holder and about to cut Xinyi's face when a boulder rose in between them and threw Ming from where he stood. Then Tyriece appeared in front of Xinyi.

Earlier, the five on the wall saw the oddness of Xinyi's team. Tyriece's eyes were on Xinyi the whole time and saw Ming's hand move to his sword and aimed at Xinyi. "No!" Tyriece shouted and jumped from the wall with his stone, creating a floating stair toward Xinyi's side. And while hopping down, he lifted a hand, a big stone moved up from the ground, striking Ming's belly. 

Xinyi hurried to Ming's side, but Tyriece clasped her hand. "Don't. He might try to kill you again," he said with deep concern. For him, although Ming was his oath-brother, he wouldn't allow him to hurt Xinyi, even up to skin-deep. 

"Don't worry. I have my shield protecting me," she said and knelt at Ming's side and her palm covered his head. From her hands, Immense light surrounded Ming's every strand of hair and up to his neck. Then, as if that was enough, her light went to his chest. 

Inside Ming, his mind was battling the black brain-like mass controlling his mind. When his hand was about to reach his sword, his nerves trembled as he tried to control himself, but dismayed that the power inside him succeeded by letting him lift his sword. He thought of using his wind essence to cut his hand rather than wounding Xinyi, but totally grateful that a columned rock cut his movement and sent him flying backward. And without noticing, the blackness quickly engulfed his head down to his heart, subtly taking away his sanity and making Ming its own puppet. 

Xinyi's light attacked a blackness rounding Ming's heart and fought against it. The black thing spoke to her mind, which sounded like many voices, "You are nothing. You can't control me. I have great hatred against your kind. Your person trapped us in that cave and used us to protect it. You are vile, but you can't control us from ruling this man's body and mind."

Xinyi understood now that the smoke-like black mass was the hatred of those dead and greedy miners in the three caves in Cuxin Estate. She didn't say a word but strengthened and thickened her light, slowly dissolving the black thing until the last wisp of smoke vanished.

Time passed, and Ming's hand near Xinyi slowly lifted. Tyriece didn't delay and forced that hand down to the ground. He even placed a stone shackle on it to keep it in place.

Then Ming spoke. "I'm fine now. Please let me go." His eyes unfastened and they saw it was back to normal. The blackness earlier was already gone. 

Tyriece didn't listen yet, fearing for Xinyi. "How can I be sure?"

"You are my good brother Tyriece from Goding, a stone Chiangda." Ming said, softly. "Is that enough?" 

Without saying a word, Tyriece released him and they helped him get up.

"Sorry." Ming directly hugged his wife and faced Tyriece, but his hands were still around Xinyi. "Thank you for saving me from hurting my wife, brother. I owe you much."

Watching Ming's arms wrapping around Xinyi, Tyriece felt jealous but shifted his gaze and only said, "Stop using that deadly power, brother. You might try hurting her again without you knowing."

"Tyriece is right, brother," the newly arrived Lofey said. Lifen and the rest stayed on the wall but held their breaths while watching and released a good amount of air after they saw Ming embraced Xinyi. The danger had passed.

Ming nodded, but deep inside, 'Don't worry. I will harness this power and make it my own. This is the only way I can help Xinyi in her quest.'

Out of a sudden, they heard Xian Lang shouted from the wall. "The people inside are gone."

Their attention went to the camp and realized not a soul was no longer in sight. What they left were the pools of blood on the grassless land. The peacefulness inside told them that the prince saved his men and brought them into his domain. Yet, the Chiangdas the prince captured became prisoners. They had no way to save them now, and doubtful about the outcome of this war.

Within the prince's domain.

His men lay on beds. Looking at the complete structure of the place, this was not made of the mind-controlling power the prince had. It was really a unique building in his vast domain.

The prince called Falteth. "Are the prisoners secured?" he asked.

"Yes, Your Highness. But, Sire, will you be alright? You know, taking all of us here will harm you if we stay here longer." Falteth said, eyes drooping, looking at the prince's pale face. He Knew how much power the prince was exerting to keep them in the domain while holding the thinning shield outside. 

Such self-sacrifice would cost the prince's powers to drain and might lose his life once there would be another bout of the fight between them and the Youshi Chiangdas. This was how heavy the burden the prince carried as their leader. But he also knew the prince could choose to slaughter their enemies but picked out the painful way, just for the woman called Lifen and for his newly met niece. He felt bad for the kind prince and wished he could unload the load off the great man's shoulders.

"I know my limit. I can still last until tomorrow morning. Anyway, I believe Galdriel and the warriors will be here before sunrise. Don't worry too much. Just help the healer in looking after the wounded. Did any of your comrades die?"

"One, Sire while we have twenty men who might face the grim reaper soon if the healer can't heal them all tonight."

"We can't lose our only healer. Make sure the healer is rested well after healing each. Let's hope for the best before the other healers will arrive tomorrow."

"As you wish, prince. But please get a good rest, too. Please, go to your stone bed now to replenish your losing power."

"Thanks, Falteth. You're a good friend. I'll leave the rest to you." The prince left after speaking.

Falteth bowed, stood up, and looked at the prince's sagging arms and until he receded from view. This man wasn't young anymore, but because of the exceptional powers of the royalties, his vitality and youthful strength were still obvious. But with this war, he was afraid for the prince's life. However, he couldn't stop himself from blaming His Highness. He shouldn't have held his hand and everything would be over, then they could go home sooner. Sighing, he went to the infirmary in another building to look after their lone healer.

The prince left and appeared in a foggy cave with a stone bed made of black Vesver, a power amplifier, and blue Kreg stone, to help renew his powers and physical strength. in the midst of a smoking pool at one side of the white stoned room. He passed through a line of blooming lavenders and inhaled deeply its soothing smell. This place was like heaven. He brought this place as his solitude to regain his strength and maintain his powers. Without this cavern, he couldn't be as powerful as he was now. Yet, he could only keep half of his power. This resulted from the different constitution of this world, Chiji, compared to Platanna. The Kore's structure was unlike theirs and made it difficult for their powers to hold.

Platanna's Kore could absorb the life essence straight from Vethilles, but just to keep up with their lifestyle and advanced armaments, the people misused its powers, leading to the Kore's losing half of its core. Thus, it had to rely on the machine they made but had to be fed with powers either from their people or from the stones. Sadly, it all happened hundreds of years ago. He heard rumors that there were some unwritten reasons for the Kore's loss, but they never passed such sensitive knowledge on to the new generation. They lost it for good. 

Their ancestors studied the other world's structure and discovered the power stones present in Chiji. From there, they carefully entered Chiji and started the Cleansing Fire Organization after they saw the powers the Chiangdas possessed. These mighty people might interfere with their affairs once discovered. But… everything would always end. They had expected this. Hence, the king sent him to take as many stones as possible so they had enough in their storage while they would study another way to hold their Kore. 

Their first plan was to get a boatful of power stones and abandon this world, knowing the result of their exploitations. Chiji might not last but only a decade more and die. However, they didn't expect the Great King would send another Chief Guardian to help this world while this mythical person abandoned them for good. If only a Chief Guardian who had guidance from the Great King would come, they might find a solution for their world. But the last Chief Guardian came hundreds of years ago and no one followed. 

They'd been waiting and seeking such a person to be sent, but their hopes had shattered and sorted out a way for them to survive.

He was ready to fight head-on with Chiji's Chief Guardian, but never expected that it was his only niece that was assigned here. As a father of his children and a brother to his only living sibling, he couldn't lay a hand against Xinyi. This was not a simple decision he made and expected punishment from the League of Kingdoms, the ruling group of people that kept Platanna alive, once he failed. 

He took his shoes off, waded in the pool's water, and laid on top of the stone bed. He needed to replenish his powers as much as he could to survive another bout against Xinyi tomorrow, and he might let go of her and cut off ties with his sister, for the sake of Platanna. Mostly, to hold the shield in place to keep them safe. As he lay, he hoped he would last until they returned to Platanna or died trying.