Born in Blood



After the lure was the entrapping, followed by the ambush.

Using a powerful inscribed item, courtesy of the Golden Cranes, a massive, circular Formation would trap everyone inside.

There were roughly twelve Leash Elders that would join that meeting. Only their Patriarch would remain back at the Sect.

Once they slaughtered everyone inside the enclosed area, they'd go for him too, with the Unforgiven Shadow at their side.

However, the Golden Crane Elders were not allowed to fight with the Temple. 

They'd already done their job in creating the inscribed items that the Temple would use to fight with.

And, they were known to be a cowardly bunch, even as Zeniths.

Still, a fight at the Ravenous Leashes' grounds was being lowered, but it wasn't completely zero.

Their entire fighting style was centered around Spirit Beasts, which came in endless varieties and offered powerful abilities. 

If they escaped, they would obviously alert everyone.

Formations that blocked out any connection between Jades were riddled across the island, but the Leashes could fly.

Well, not them, but their aerial Spirit Beasts.

The fight would take place in the very center of the island, within a massive structure that the Temple themselves had made for the occasion.

It was a massive, dome-shaped building made out of gold. The vast interior was empty, except for a wide, circular table that the Elders could sit around.

Within the walls themselves, were traps and hidden rooms that the Elders and acolytes could bombard their opponents from.

Even the chairs the Leashes would sit upon would transform into spikes and burning chains upon activation.

Twelve chairs on one side, fourteen on the other.

Since some of the Sects the Temple defeated contained appearance-changing martial arts, their disguises were not a problem.

Using an amplifying device made by the Cranes, the Shadows' presences could momentarily imitate a Rank 4's, but that was it.

Under their the Temples' chairs were hidden teleportation matrices, and when the barrage of attacks began, they would simply blink to safety.

Also, the floor was also lined with several explosive devices and deadly traps, beams of condensed water and bursts of wild flame would spew out as soon as they were activated.

The building itself was a Rank 4 inscribed item. It completely canceled out any noise or vibrations that might occur inside.

No screams or shouts for help would be heard.

With all these preparations, Liam was still not sure they would win.

There were twelve Elders. 

And from what he knew, they had a Rank 4 beast as their inhuman companion.

In total, that meant they would have to fight against 24 Zeniths.

Only with the advantage of surprise, preparation and massive amounts of inscribed items at their side.

Liam could only focus on making more needles and hope to do his part.

///

Finding himself a small, hidden room within the massive dome, Liam hid his presence, cloaked himself with Shadow and kept quiet.

The walls of such a space were covered with inscriptions, but it didn't hurt to be safe.

All around him were similar rooms, barely large enough for him to stretch his hands through.

There were more than three thousand of these rooms, after all, curved around the dome-like shape of the structure.

Every single one of them housed an acolyte with an inscribed item of sorts. 

Something like this used up massive amounts of resources, but it was worth it. No punches would be pulled. 

If 12 Zeniths were killed, the Temple could afford to fight on even ground.

Soon enough, a sharp whistling, a loud thumping, a rhythmic slithering grew louder in the distance.

'Here they are,' Liam thought with a focused expression. 

In his hand was the newer and improved Abyssal Needle, ready to be thrown at a moment's notice.

Slowly, the various noises dwindled down, but in a quieter fashion, made its way through the dome's interior.

Twelve Elders – wearing black and red themed robes – entered through, mounted upon various Spirit Beasts. 

Among them was a crowned eagle, a crystal-eyed stag, a crimson tiger, a double-jawed lion, a metal boar, a green-horned snake, and more.

The Elders' appearances somehow matched their companions.

"I see you all have gathered already. Since when have you all been under the sheets?" the strongest of them, the one with the crimson tiger, said with a scowl.

The Berserker Hound, disguised as the Iron Giant, stepped forward with a frown, even though he wasn't exactly as strong as him.

"Since a head worth three million 'Ora' Stones had entered the island," he said. "And since none of you have done anything to take advantage of it."

Crimson Tiger, the Leash Elder's moniker, shot the Berserker a hard glare. 

The atmosphere within the hall already grew dark.

Before it degenerated any further further, Maeve, disguised as the Alluring Fairy Patriarch, soothed things over with a gentle voice and a dazzling appearance.

"Now, now, best we talk things over, yes? Please, take your seats. Violence isn't the only way to solve things, no?" she said with a smile.

With her words, the air turned a little less tense.

Still, slight scowls were visible on the Leashes' faces.

A moment later, they parked their beasts and took their designated seats.

Perfect.

Hearing their muffled words through the wall of his hiding space, Liam heaved a slight breath. 

'The crimson tiger is of the fire element, but that's not the problem. If that Metal Boar activates its defensive ability, it'll block most of the barrage.'

A few minutes passed.

The Temple was trying to gain as much information as possible from the Elders.

They were going to die shortly, after all.

Might as well make the most out of what they knew.

Eventually, Verium, disguised as the Nine Palm Patriarch, made a slight smile as he reclined in his chair.

The thirteen other Elders/Shadows imitated him with slight smiles on their faces.

"I think that just about concludes it," said Verium.

"Conclude what?" Horned Viper asked with a cold tone, sensing something strange—

SHING!

Abruptly, fourteen figures disappeared from the Hallroom, and more than three thousand compartments opened up from the curved dome walls.