Skyfire Avenue

Thor shimmered as it cloaked, and shot into the air. Lan Jue chuckled in relief. “I almost forgot you’re a space-time Paragon. Accommodating these people isn’t hard for you. But will they be safe in the temporary dimensions you create?”

The Wine Master proudly replied. “Have faith in my specialty.”

“So why hasn’t our specialist thought of this before?” He teased.

The elder Paragon was somewhat sheepish. “I’ve never tried it before, of course I wouldn’t just think of it. We can use this to save the humans we come across. My temporary dimension can safely store ten thousand people without issue. With effort I can support even more. We should take back some of the infected humans, and research the changes to their DNA.”

“Alright!” At first Lan Jue’s heart had been pained to see his fellow humans being killed and tortured with no way to help. But the goodness and righteousness of his character refused to let him simply stand by and watch. At his wit’s end the Wine Master’s abilities had revealed the silver lining to the dark cloud of alien atrocity. Bringing him had been an excellent decision. In a blink they’d saved a thousand people – most of them mutated, yes, but there was a chance to save them!

Thor continued its flight. Swarms of aliens approached from every direction, but the ones nearby were too few to cause alarm. Yet, Lan Jue wasn’t here to fight. Right now his interest was how to save more people, so he fled the area in lieu of fighting. They made for the horizon, Thor’s radar sweeping the ground for any more survivors.

A planet’s population was enormous. Lan Jue couldn’t allow these beasts to experiment on the unfortunate souls that had lived here. From the brief encounter Lan Jue could tell that those who had undergone mutation seemed to lose their faculties. However, their aggressiveness remained with a thirst for destruction. The integrity of their bodies remained, with the only changes seeming to be a massive increase in strength. It was like being injected with a genetic decoction.

They couldn’t know what specifically happened to these victims until the Keeper and Bookworm had a chance to take a look.

Before long Lan Jue discovered another group of humans in the midst of these torturous experiments. He didn’t hesitate before rushing in to save them, making quick work of their monstrous captors. Thankfully this group seemed better off, and only a few had been turned.

After the third batch the Wine Master was reaching the limits of his capabilities. However, it was then they discovered the largest group yet. Thousands of captives were huddled in a large arena awaiting infection.

Meanwhile the planet was abuzz with alien activity. They descended from surrounding space, galvanized by the actions of Lan Jue’s team and looking for any sign of the agitators.

“We can’t keep this up, Jewelry Master. My carrying capacity is at its limit. This planet alone could have had a billion people, we can’t save them all unless we take back the whole planet.” The Wine Master’s voice was solemn, but firm.

Lan Jue was crestfallen. He knew the Wine Master was right. The aliens wouldn’t stand by while they freed their slaves. They’d only been successful up to this point because the creatures had had their attention on the skies. Now that they sensed a disturbance more attention would be paid to the ground.

Verifying that many survivors yet lived would have to be enough. They could consider ways to help them once their mission was complete, though the only way to save them all would be to retake the planet. Lan Jue let the obsessive need to help them subside, and he took a breath. “Let’s continue with the mission.”

Thor raced forward so fast that it became a beam of blue light. Any alien in its path was cut in two before it knew what was happening. Lan Jue and his team vanished into the distance.

They had a fair knowledge of conditions on the surface, including the presence of survivors. They also confirmed that it was entirely under alien control. What was important now was the location of the alien home worlds, as well as their reasons for taking these planets. It was time to see what they could find on the far side of the world.

Lan Jue sped forward when suddenly the sky grew dim. A colossal beast descended from the heavens right in their path. The scene that unfolded shocked Lan Jue to his core.

It was an umbrella alien, psionically powerful but defenseless in a fight. Without a doubt they’d been discovered, but this wasn’t what surprised Lan Jue. As they watched a host of mechas detached from the embrace of the alien and came their way, each of them radiating a dark red light. Soon they were surrounded.

Lan Jue’s military experience helped him to recognize these mechas as Western army. Their color was slightly different, and the aura they radiated was sick and evil.

Lan Jue growled to the others. “It seems the infected keep their skills, maybe even a level of intelligence. They’re just under enemy control. It seems even more likely we can save them if we can break the connection.”

“Let’s go!” He had no stomach for killing humans. Thor shot into the distance like a bolt of lightning, unfazed by the mechas attempts to encircle it. Herein was Thor’s greatest benefit. In combat Lan Jue didn’t need the mecha, but the suit and his Discipline together resulted in tremendous speed – even light speed for short periods. In outer space the aliens might have been able to keep up, but not within a planet’s atmosphere. Catching Thor would not be easy. The only creatures Lan Jue feared encountering where the Violet Prince or Princess.

That didn’t mean their troubles were over. Scores of the aliens were descending onto the planet. The more that appeared the less their cloaking equipment would help them. A hideous bird-like monster appeared in their path with speed nearly a match for Thor. It was nearly three times the size of Thor and shimmered with a metallic luster. With an ear-piercing screech it swatted a wing at the mecha.

“Hmph!” The Pharmacist’s tone was cold and commanding. A burst of white light spread out from her. Seven twinkling stars emerged.

The beast screeched again, but its cry was cut short as it split in two halves. Thor stood safely in the center as the corpse tumbled passed on either side. Occisus was more than a match for any of these beasts.

The Pharmacist stood upon Thor’s shoulder, steadying herself with a hand on the mecha’s head. With a flash of white light the Banishing Blade appeared in her right hand.

“You fly, leave the rest to me.” Her voice was calm, but the Wine Master was taken aback by the threatening aura he felt from her. The Harbinger Fairy was a sight to behold. As he watched she pointed forward with Occisus and a white light issued forth. It marked a path, but also covered them in a protective shell. The mecha was carried along with the sword’s energy.

Thor raced forward. As the Pharmacist instructed, Lan Jue focused on guiding the mecha, while the white light of Occisus obliterated anything in its path. A rain of corpses marked their passage.

The Wine Master cleaned up their mess. As they carved a path through the enemy he brandished his scepter. Flashes of silver sparked as vital crystals were snapped up. Not one was missed.

Lan Jue and the others continued their indomitable trek through the column of light. Nothing stood in their way. The Pharmacist’s mighty powers left their foes with the choice to either flee or die.

But just then, several monsters over a thousand meters long – stronger than the typical beasts – moved to bar their path. From experience they knew creatures like this were equivalent to ninth level Adepts, with deep wells of energy at their command. They were perhaps better equated to battleships, some even strong enough to rival dreadnaughts. The Pharmacist didn’t seem bothered and the light of her weapon continued to blaze a path forward.

The first one to reach them looked like a crocodile. It opened its maw and spat an orb of purple-black light at them. The air grew thick and ropy like they’d suddenly been emerged in a swamp.

Futile!

A flash of white light from Occisus and the danger was gone. In the face of the Banishing Blade’s incomparable power nothing the beast attempted could stop their charge. It was like a burning knife through bubble gum. 1

The crocodile froze in mid-air, locked in their path as the light from Occisus passed through it. The Wine Master smirked, playing with a pale purple vital crystal about the size of his fist.

“Not bad. A good specimen!”

A crystal of this caliber was useful to even one of his status.

The crocodile slowly peeled apart and collapsed to the ground below.

1. That’s TJSS’s conjunction, not mine.