Page 57 of The Wind Dancer
“Don’t pretend to be brave, Fu Shang,” I said, circling to his left. “You’re hurt. Do you feel the poison destroying you from the inside? You have two options left: tell us everything and get a quick death, or we watch you die slowly. Personally, I’d prefer the second option.”
Fu Shang gritted his teeth. Sweat broke out on his forehead. He also felt the poison’s effects, but admitting defeat was worse than death to him.
“Bastards,” his mistress hissed and stepped forward. I saw the muscles on her arms bulge, and her claws quivered slightly, eager to dig into flesh. “You... don’t understand... whoyou’re up against... the Harbinger’s servants will devour your souls!”
Mei Lin let out a short, emotionless laugh. Then she moved forward.
And the fight began.
Fu Shang lunged at me, his sword glinting in the dim light. I barely managed to dodge, and I felt the sharp steel slice through the air a hair’s width away from my face. I struck back with my dagger, aiming for his neck, but he parried, spun, and kicked me in the side.
Pain shot through my ribs, but I didn’t allow myself to falter. I took a step forward, coming into extremely close range, and began a flurry of strikes at him.
A sword was deadlier than a dagger, but it needed room to breathe.
And I gave him none.
The old snake was good. Even while wounded and poisoned, he desperately fought back, holding on to life.
There was a wet sound of flesh being torn coming from the side. I saw Fu Shang’s mistress, in a frenzied leap, aiming to sink her claws into Mei Lin’s throat. Mei Lin stepped aside with effortless grace and delivered a surgically precise blow. Her sword shot out like lightning, and it ripped the mistress’s stomach. Her guts spilled out onto the ground, but the creature growled, trying to bite Mei Lin.
Fu Shang’s blade whistled through the air as it came at me, but I managed to dodge. The old man was still so strong, much stronger than an ordinary person. Incredibly fast, too, hishands moved at lightning speed, even with the wounds and the poison. I couldn’t use the throwing daggers in this close range, but they were still good backups.
My mentor taught me very well. Every fighter had weaknesses, and I found his. His fighting style relied on relentless attacks, forcing the opponent to always be on the defense.
But two could play this game!
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the dark liquid that the creature’s blood had become trickling down Mei Lin’s blade. She wasn’t just trying to kill her, she was dissecting her alive. The Lord Claw’s eyes were as cold as ice, but her movements were quick and perfectly controlled. She seemed to be in some sort of battle trance.
Her sword cut through flesh like paper. Whatever enjoyment she had taken in the fight was gone. The creature couldn’t handle this kind of pain.
I swung a dagger at Fu Shang’s liver and the other at his face, but he didn’t even blink. His sword moved quickly, blocking my attack. I began to understand why this bastard climbed so high in the cult. He had always loved power, and the cult had given him more than enough.
There was a nasty sound of flesh ripping close by. I saw Mei Lin chopping off the creature’s right arm. Black sludge gushed out from it like a fountain. The creature kept on trying to kill Mei Lin, but she mercilessly continued her unsettling assault.
No matter how good Fu Shang was, the wounds and poison were helping me more by the second. I could feel that hismovements were now a bit slower. I worried it may be a trap, but I had to strike.
I stepped forward and blocked his strike with my left-hand dagger, and then I closed the distance. I then immediately swung my other dagger at his face, making him lean back to dodge. As my arm moved, the hand twisted, and a glorious sound followed. The bracer activated.
One arrow struck his shoulder, and two struck his chest.
Fu Shang took a step back, trying to get out of range, but I was already raising my other hand. Three more arrows covered with the most powerful tranquilizer I could get struck the old snake.
His legs began to give out, and the sword fell out of his hands. His breathing became heavy, and his gaze turned hazy. Looking into his closing eyes, I hissed:
“Here I am, bastard. Using the tricks Feng Shen loved so much.”
There was a heavy sigh from the side, followed by a squelching sound. Turning my head, I saw Mei Lin methodically finishing off the creature.
She stood over the mutilated body of her opponent. A shudder ran through her body. I sensed that it wasn’t fear. Perhaps it was anger, or even relief. Taking a step toward her, I saw a boundless depth of emotion in her eyes.
For one fleeting moment, she seemed vulnerable, but the very next second, she was again the most dangerous woman I knew.
“The job’s done.” Mei Lin sounded very tired. “My people will arrive soon.”
“It’s strange that they haven’t arrived yet. With their help, we would’ve finished up much quicker.”
“They came across several nests of those creatures. Do you even understand what that means, Feng Lao?” Her voice was filled with rage.
