The Silent Guard (mxm)

Chapter 43

Qi managed to deflect the rain of ice, but his spiritual shield splintered repeatedly as it wore down during the bombardment. It fractured into a thousand particles of light after only a few minutes, the last fragments falling away like dying stars. By that time, Qi hurried to switch tactics and yanked his sword from its sheath before swinging it upward, just-barely managing to intercept Yuen Shui's own blade. Unfortunately, he didn't know a lot about the man besides his battle prowess, so when a wave of spiritual energy surged from his weapon, Qi was too slow to react.    

Frigid ice flowed swiftly over his own weapon like a miniature tsunami wave, freezing the left side of his sword into pointed spikes that looked disturbingly like the claws of a massive beast. Qi felt the ice grab hold of his left hand in that same moment, but managed to rip his right one away from the hilt right as the frost chilled its fingertips. 

He noticed Zen considering intervening during that action, but quickly shook his head right before jumping backwards to dodge another attack. He needed him to keep the wind barrier up. 

"You are quite fast, your highness, but I feel as if you are distracted," Yuen Shui said as he spared Zen an intrigued glance. 

Qi took that chance to begin lunging forward, but stopped himself almost immediately when the invisible top of the spider they were fighting upon froze in an instant. The beast beneath their feet shuddered and hissed, making Qi stumble. 

Shui didn't hesitate to press his advantage as he ran across the thick patch of ice without a single issue. Qi was just able to lift his weapon that was still frozen to his numbing left hand so that he could block, but he hadn't expected the amount of force the man would put into his attack. The ice frozen onto his weapon shattered, absorbing the slightest bit of the power from the impact before Qi took the remainder of the hit, forcing him to kneel as he lifted his right hand to help brace his sword. 

It had been a mistake. 

The ice that still remained frozen over his left hand seemed to sense the heat from his right one and immediately latched onto his fingers, freezing them to his sword's hilt, too. 

"I applaud your effort, but it is fruitless. I also know that my brother is somehow involved in this coup. Where is he?" Shui asked as he calmly lowered his weapon to his side. He clearly didn't take Qi seriously, and he couldn't blame him. The man was an extremely high ranking general and a master of war. 

I know that I cannot beat him, but I can stall him. 

He could already sense Yuen Huang and Lee Shaan nearby, and he knew that they wouldn't waste any chances to further their plan. 

"You think that I can't tell he's here somewhere?" the man asked as he slowly lifted his blade toward Qi's throat. 

"I hold the utmost respect for his highness, but I will not have my little brother put to death for being misguided."

Misguided? 

Qi narrowed his eyes on the sword now settled beneath his chin, its frigid tempered steel biting into his skin. He noticed the wind barrier slowly beginning to dissipate and bit his tongue on a reprimand. Their spider had ceased moving forward once part of its back had been frozen and he had a sword to his throat. Zen would not listen to him even if he were ordered to stand down, so he would let him make his own decisions on the situation. 

As for himself...

"Lord Shui, I have done nothing to sway your brother's decision concerning this matter," he said calmly even as his heart raced in his chest as Zen finally finished tearing down his wind barrier. 

He expected the palace guards that had ambushed them from the beginning to start climbing the invisible spider's legs and join the fight, but when none appeared, his brow furrowed in confusion.