Nine Paths of Asura-Original Wuxia

Chapter 55- The Skeletal Shaman

"Follow me."

The soldiers only hesitated for a moment, before mobilizing as the sergeant quickly began to follow Lineir. This was a testament to their solid training and fundamentals in teamwork, as well as their leader's charisma and skills. Lineir cast a glance back over his shoulder and sucked in his breath. A nightmarish unholy scene was taking place.

Where the undead mob had been, was now a darkened patch of smoking ash and singed grass. The fragmented pieces could not even be called bones anymore, and did not make the slightest attempt to piece themselves together as Lineir's strongest technique had utterly devastated them beyond any hope of reformation. However, a hulking undead skeleton carrying a long black mace had appeared. It raised its mace high above its wicked skull and uttered a gutteral and throaty growl which should never be heard under the heavens. When it did, shivers crept up every man's spine, and the squadron halted slightly as they all stared back at the revolting presence they felt from behind.

Klack Klack Klack

Various pieces of bones began to meld together from the ashen pile, some from as far as 10 meters away would rise up and clump together. Anything that hadn't been completely burnt to grey ashes melded together and a huge three meter monstrosity appeared... a giant skeleton with a huge bone heavy sword. Lineir sucked in a breath and immediately yelled out,

"Go! Go!"

He turned and sprinted knowing that the enemy behind possessed methods which were inhumane. He whispered to Mei,

"I was sure I destroyed that heavy sword wielding skeleton, but that one just now was clearly the same, and even bigger than before! Mei, do you know what's happening in this place?"

 Mei cautiously speculated,

"This is not unheard of with higher level undead. That one you saw with the mace, I suspect it is a shaman type of undead, and can actually resurrect the spirits of other undead. I fear fighting in this jungle is useless, the number of undead here seems to be high, you are not powerful enough to casually turn all your enemies to ash, unless you can, they will simply keep coming. I can only say run. Abandon these soldiers if you must, remember, while these undead individually are not overwhelmingly strong, they will NEVER stop!"

Out of the corner of Lineir's eye, he saw a new line of undead appear behind the mace carrying shamanistic skeleton. Then another behind that, and another. The giant heavy sword wielding skeleton below was standing fully upright now, and it was pointing the flat crude blade at his back preparing to charge. The trees obscured his view, but he knew the horde was behind them. The men were panting, and the sergeant's breath was coming out in huge gasps as he realized that this mysterious young man in front of them was not confident in handling the threat. He could only hope to incite his men to ever greater speeds,

"Run! Anyone who falls behind will be left behind!" The sergeant cried out.

Lineir slowed his pace down to the speed of the soldiers, he could easily escape, but perhaps it was his past experiences fleeing undead before he became a cultivator, perhaps it was because he still was a bit soft, he did not abandon them, though it would be simplicity itself to do so. Ahead, the way was clear of undead, and the trees were growing a bit thinner, but behind, the trampling uncaring footsteps came from those who not only did not care for nature, but actively defied her. Lineir thought of a way to perhaps help their situation.

"Master, it is not true that the undead have some aversion to fire?" He hopefully enquired

"Kiddo, it is wrong to say they are averse, but more than it is one of the things which harms them significantly. They do not fear it, though it will burn them and make it difficult for them to regenerate. They will run through it unthinkingly if the powers behind them will it. Don't think that you can use a little fire to scare off that many undead." Mei warned Lineir, but he had already heard what he needed to know.

"Hmph, scare them off, they'd just come back later, no, I intend to finish them completely!"

He dragged his sword on the ground, leaping left before bounding to the right, yelling to the soldiers to keep on as he drew a line in the dirt, dividing the fleeing soldiers from the howling undead. As the moans filled his ears, he chased them out with a yell,

"Reverse Lightning Slash!"

Chi-Chi-Chi-BANG!

Instantly, a line of white lightning seared through the cut he had made in the ground, which then turned into a blazing explosion that shot burning dirt and plant matter high into the sky as he let the lightning Qi he had implanted run wild in the dry leaves and rotten jungle.

"Surge! Lightning Rebound!"

From the dividing line, a roaring fire welled walling off the tide of undead. A moments hesitation rippled through the horde as they came upon the fiery wall, but then the shaman skeleton raised its mace and the heavy sword skeleton simply stepped through. Instantly the horde lost all traces of hesitation and pushed on through. While the shaman and huge heavy sword skeleton were unaffected by the flames, the small ones all immediately blazed as the ghastly flesh inside was lit up.

Lineir triumphantly crowed,

"Hmph, all we have to do is avoid them for a while longer and they'll burn away into ash on their own now!"

His face paled as the men tired and started to fall behind.

"I really hope they do before these guys collapse though...else I fear not only will these men have to face the fear of being eaten, but also of being burned alive!"