Born in Blood



Hearing his words, the bartender's mask of stoicism was slowly starting to crack apart.

"If I report you to the Ravenous Leash Sect, you'll be executed on the spot. Do you have a screw loose in your head? Don't speak words you don't know the meanings of."

Liam's gaze remained hard.

"I know you won't. Why else would you be hiding in the middle of nowhere? I spent a total of three and a half months looking for that Sect, and they'd be fools not to take me in."

Silence.

Liam could see the flickering of emotions that became too complicated to understand – a mix of anger, panic and slow intent to kill. 

He remained quiet until the man answered.

Either the bartender was a Temple of Shadow member, or was afraid of someone from there. 

Nonetheless, where there is smoke, there is fire.

After considering Liam's words carefully, the so-called bartender shook his head.

"You are a fool. Searching three and a half months for a lost Sect. The attacks that spread throughout these regions are at random, and most of the time are done by extremists wanting to imitate the Temple's actions."

A scowl found its way on Liam's face. His Ashuran instincts told him to rip the man's head apart and force the truth out of him, but his human senses calmed his violent thoughts down. 

Liam couldn't tell if the man was lying or telling the truth. It was a mix of both, he was pretty sure, but he couldn't tell what parts.

"The Temple wasn't the only Sect bent on taking revenge on the attacking countries. They were one among thousands that riddled Ilali." 

Another truth. 

Liam clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"At least point me in a direction. Where can I look for them?" 

The man pursed his lips and shrugged.

"Maybe head towards th—"

Before the man could complete his sentence, a group of red-robed martial artists barged through the front door, kicking it open.

On their robe breast, was the embroidered emblem of a lion, the same as the Ravenous Leash Sect's statue.

Beside them were Rank 2 Spirit Beasts – snakes, wolves and lions that looked vicious and battle-ready.

Liam kept his head low as the four martial artists – who were more or less the same Rank as him – walked up to the bartender and gave the man piercing glares.

"Are you Zeth Ohm?" the broad-shouldered disciple in front asked. 

The bartender, who Liam now knew as Zeth, kept his face cold and emotionless. 

Tersely, he nodded.

"Come with us."

From the corner of his eye, Liam assessed Zeth's mental waves.

His intent to kill was higher than ever, and so was his worry.

Abruptly, Zeth's mental energies conjoined with Liam's. A private transmission.

[I lied,] Zeth transmitted after connecting with Liam, his gaze still towards the group. [Help me kill these guys, and I'll tell you the truth.]

Sighing, Liam shook his head at the man's deceptive antics. 

One of the martial artists saw Liam shaking his head and frowned.

"You come too. I have a bad feeling about yo—"

Liam blurred at the same time as Zeth.

Darkness tightened around Liam's feet as a pair of blades materialized in his hands. 

The closest man to him was too slow to react.

A corrosive line formed on both his neck and the wolf beside him. 

At the same time, Umbral Needles shot towards the other three at once.

SHING! POOF!

As Liam attempted to decapitate another, the disciple was already ready, barely deflecting with his bare hands that looked to be hardened with dark metal.

Liam's shortsword found its mark on the man's elbow, forming a deep gash and severing bone.

"What are you fools doing?!" he bellowed, attempting to create space to avoid the fumes of smoke within the small bar.

Meanwhile, Zeth managed to pierce his hand through one of the disciples' neck, his hand coated with a strange black substance.

To the other, he hurled a throwing knife guided by wind, but a flame-spewing snake managed to blow the dagger away.

A needle pierced the snake's head, killing it and exploding into gas.

Liam's smoke almost damaged him too, but Zeth managed to dodge backwards in the nick of time.

Out of four, two remained. 

The two Ravenous Leash disciples grimaced in pain, their beasts lay dead and motionless. In a panic, they attempted to use their spells and run away.

Below their feet, the ground trembled and jagged spikes burst from every corner, followed by a wave of flames that surged forward and engulfed the space.

Zeth jumped back as Liam jumped in. He couldn't afford to let them get away.

Liam activated the first form of Phantom's Way and managed to pierce the solar plexus of one of them, then swiped upward to cleave the man in half.

A spike impaled his leg and shoulder and the flames singed his skin, but he burst through the veil of fire and hurled as many needles as he could to the remaining disciple.

He fell with a powerless grunt as corrosive gas ate away at his flesh and bones. 

Liam heaved a sigh. He didn't doubt the entire city was going to look for them now. 

He quickly used his darkness to wipe away their bodies, took their rings, then made his way back to the "bartender".

The man's robe had been burnt off due to the flames churned out by the snake, revealing strange tattoos over his body.

"The truth. Now," Liam said in an even voice.

Zeth shot Liam an incredulous look. 

"You're a darkness cultivator?" he asked with pure shock. 

Liam frowned.

"Why do you think I'm looking for the Temple?"

Liam didn't fail to notice that black substance that somehow strengthened Zeth's body, but he saved those questions for later.

Zeth chuckled with amazement under his breath.

"If I knew you were a cultivator, I would've been glad to bring you to the Sect. The Temple has been looking for a darkness cultivator for centuries!"