Herald of Disaster ~ Even Immortality Ends

[foresightis2020]

Shinjiro can witness that there are a number of individuals gathered in a place that seems filled with strange ruins, floating above ground, broken from wear and tear, or otherwise still barely standing.

Jing Yuan himself is there, alongside a few fellows like a very short long pink haired woman, a male with long black hair and green eyes, and another woman with pink hair, though short. There is also a brown-haired elder man, and a grey short-haired male.

At this time, Jing Yuan speaks, "My astral guests, when you first appeared on the Luofu, your stated aim was the resolution of the Stellaron crisis. I was concerned that the Stellaron Hunters harbored ulterior motives and refused your offer. I see now that I was overly anxious."

After that moment of pause, he even smiles, stating, "Nevertheless, it is true that the motives of the Stellaron Hunters were not what they appeared, haha. In order that the Express and the Xianzhou fight side bye side, Kafka lured you here and broaden the scope of the crisis...in doing so, she succeeded in making clear that your sincerity is beyond doubt. The Luofu is in your debt, and I have no right to seek further assistance from you."

There's a pause as a grave expression comes over Jing Yuan, and he says, "However, as Lady Fu has explained, the appearance of Phantylia means that the situation is far from under our control. As general of the Luofu, it would be foolish of me not to ask Dan Heng and the rest of you for your strength at this critical moment."

The brown-haired male with glasses speaks up, saying, "Even if the crisis on the Luofu had nothing to do with the Stellaron, I would be willing to help...but I can't speak for the other members of my crew."

The three crewmembers, Dan Heng included (revealed by when the pink-haired lady speaks his name) decide to throw their lot in with the brunet. Jing Yuan smiles, saying, "Thank you, Dan Heng."

When Jing Yuan is asked what the master plan is...he simply states that there is none. Only a bet on Dan Heng's capabilities.

Then, after further discussion, Dan Heng manages to make what appears to be the sea part to reveal more hidden ruins and something like a draconic apparition up ahead. Jing Yuan strides forward to get a better look at everything.

Following his appraisal of its appearance, he turns his attention to the short long haired woman, asking for her to come forward, to which she answers in affirmation.

"Remain here — lead the Cloud Knights in defense of this passage. We must prevent further incidents."

She seems startled at this as she asks, "Jing Yuan...General, are you planning to face Phantylia alone?"

At that, Jing Yuan turns his attention towards Dan Heng and his friends as he replies, "I wouldn't say so, I'll be counting on a few friends for support."

Soldiers begin to protest, only for Jing Yuan to deny their assistance, and then say, "You have a more important duty. Cloud Knights, attention! After I enter the Ambrosial Arbor, and if the seawater returns to its original state, you must withdraw immediately and seal off the delve once more. The Master Diviner will lead you."

After hearing their affirmative response, he says quieter to Fu, "Lady Fu, if I am unable to return, I entrust you with the important task of relaying the full account to the other Xianzhou ships."

After that, the scene changes to the group who is making their way to the Ambrosial Arbor. All the way before they are standing before a bridge, where the draconic figure rests ever closer; Jing Yuan stops to ask, "I hope everyone is prepared?"

With affirmations being received, Dan Heng works his magic once again, the draconic seal breaking with a raise of a hand and application of strange magic.

Their surroundings seem shrouded in mostly fog and cloud, but also branches and leaves that reach as well as sprout from the unknown. There is a strangely colored flame of some sort, and from it a female's voice speaks, "Oh? Hee-hee, has the general of the Luofu chosen to grace me with his presence?"

The pink short-haired lady shouts, "That witch! She was waiting for us the whole time. Show yourself, Phantylia!"

Phantylia merely asks them to wait for herself to be made presentable.

Jing Yuan commands a little after the creature speaks, "All of you ready yourselves. Dan Heng, guard my back. I'm counting on you."

Dan Heng replies, "Understood."

After that, Phantylia's wisp-like being drops upon the small platform she had been floating above, seeming to wreathe it in unnatural flame, which spirals up above a certain point. Then, with a light flash of yellow, it reveals a larger figure, standing tall.

The battle for the Xianzhou Luofu has begun.

The creature states, "Benefactors, behold this beautiful body...the miracles of Abundance live up to the name.

The very power that brough the Xianzhou long life, I will use it to bring destruction!"

Jing Yuan sets out his command, "Phantylia has usurped the power of the Arbor...all of you — focus on destroying the phantom flowers — I'll go for the body."

As they fight, fiercer than ever, she makes a few smart remarks, to which Jing Yuan makes commentary on the fact the weeds in his garden give him more trouble. This makes her all the more amused, catching her attention for his apparent arrogance; but even so, they fight fiercer than ever. Her forms shift, from blue-colored to yellow as they beat down her health.

Jing Yuan's voice is raised as he continues to talk smack. "So much effort to crush us, and met with so little success...I wonder what the other Ravagers would think."

She frowns, saying, "It's almost as if you can't wait to be acquainted with them...I'm afraid you won't have the chance."

Finally, after they beat her down once more, Phantylia makes a rather unfortunate declaration, "For my next trick, I shall turn each one of you into my Voidrangers. The power of the Destruction will eat away at your flesh and transform you into pawns of the great Nanook!"

She then sneers as she turns her attention towards Jing Yuan, entrapping him within a lotus like contraption that conjures a strange energy that paralyzes him, "Let's start with this arrogant Xianzhou General..."

Once it reaches its apex, seeming to slam down into him, Jing Yuan is brought to one knee, glaive on the floor, nothing to say.

She then raises one hand only to bring it down, purple energy then resulting in forcing Jing Yuan to be suspended mid-air. Sickly green and blue energy forcibly enters into the man's body from a myriad directions. All things considered, it appears as unpleasant as it looks, though he certainly hardly makes a sound. She chuckles as she asks, "I wonder if the transformation of a Xianzhou general into a Void Ranger...would cast the Luofu back into chaos?"

"Destruction works in fascinating ways."

Then, Jing Yuan looks up at her in defiance, and she seems perturbed as she asks, "What are you—"

After laying prone in the air Jing Yuan struggles with a ferocity that makes it apparent he is not about to take it lying down, with a strange gold light enveloping him as well as his eyes. All at the same time a part of Phantylia is smashed into pieces by something.

Then, he shouts as he clenches his right hand into a tight fist, "Dan Heng! Do it—"

Does one remember? When Jing Yuan stated he had no plan?

That he had nothing in store, only to rely on Dan Heng's capabilities?

There is a sense that somehow, his words while true, had not exactly scraped the entire truth.

Behind the creature is a towering, golden phantasm of a monstrosity, standing about 626 feet tall and wide, with a spear in hand, ready to bring it down upon Phantylia at the same time Dan Heng answers Jing Yuan's call.

All the same, Dan Heng's spear pierces into Jing Yuan's back with terrifying and startling accuracy with all the force of Permanence's Scion behind it, at the same time the golden creature brings its own weapon down into Phantylia. It is as ruthless and damaging as it looks, both to Jing Yuan and Phantylia, the latter of which crumbles in the face of such power. As for Jing Yuan?

He can only be accepting of the result, the wound having it not just made itself apparent on the creature that connected her life to his, but his own as well, red tinted where it landed. The spear had dispersed from where it once impaled him and once it had, he can only accept the result, causing Jing Yuan's eyes to close shut, and he falls, down, down—