Walking through the outer sect district brought back memories of James's time in Settling Stone. Although, the buildings in the Running River sect were made mostly of wood, with many near the rushing river being stone. It appeared as if those buildings were carved directly from the mountain and were larger than most anything in the sect.

The river split the sect in half before cascading down the mountain to the city below. Dozens, if not hundreds of cultivators were near the river, meditating and he could feel the Qi in the air churning.

James marveled at the barracks that made up the lower sect. He passed two of them that flanked the main path, and could hear many cultivators sparring and learning new fighting techniques. Spreading out his soul, he felt that each barracks had at least two hundred people in each.

Reaching the inner sect district, he was nearly stopped by the guards. With a sharp glare and a pulse of his soul, he pushed them back. He might have used too much force as they smacked into the walls with deep thuds before sliding to the ground.

Ignoring them, he entered the inner sect and watched as hundreds of cultivators started to converge on him. It would seem that Running River had more sect members than Settling Stone. A lot more. It made sense why so many were living in the city down below. The enchanters likely didn't have workshops on the mountain.

James continued to walk, not slowing as cultivators stepped into his path. Many of them had souls that felt like they had something to prove by stopping him, only for those souls to be snuffed out in an instant.

Leaving corpses behind, the others quickly learned to stay away. Panning his gaze over the gathering, he kept his glare and anger in place. He didn't see any demi-humans on the mountain and that irked him more than it normally would.

Does the world truly discriminate that much? Why would they exclude demi-humans? Some of them can be very powerful.

He wished he had the answers, but the world was large and it wasn't likely he would learn anything. The answer was probably lost with time, or the elders were keeping it close to their hearts.

Reaching the core of the sect took many long minutes as the cultivators slowly parted around him. He wanted to yell at them all, but knew it wouldn't solve anything.

Stepping through the next gate, he found himself in a large, open space with only a few buildings, and even more built directly into the mountain's side. Spreading out his soul, he locked onto the five nascent soul cultivators and pulled. Either they came out to meet him, or he tore them apart, it was their choice.

They all chose the same and nearly disappeared from their buildings and reappeared in front of him in a burst of speed. The air shook around him, fluttering his clothes as he eyed the three men and two women. All three men had black hair and nearly black eyes. The two women were at least different in that one was a red head, and the other blonde. All five of them were tanned, but the red head had freckles covering nearly every part of her exposed skin. Which wasn't much since she wore a robe with the sleeves rolled up.

"Let's talk," James said after a moment of sizing up his enemies.

"You killed our disciples!" one of the men growled.

Glancing over his shoulder, James found that the cultivators were still gathering outside the gate. With a flick of his soul, he killed another, dropping the corpse to the ground.

"Each second you keep me waiting, I'm going to kill another," James stated. To prove his point, he killed another.

"Stop!" one of the women screamed. "Come with me."

Letting the next cultivator go, he turned to the woman and started walking. "Do you know why I'm here?" James asked.

"No," the blonde huffed. "But there has to be a reason that you are killing my disciples."

"There is." James could feel the other elders following. The blonde kept a steady pace as she led them to one of the smaller buildings.

Stepping inside, she ushered him over to a few comfortable looking cushions around a low table. A disciple was shakily setting out tea for them, likely hearing them coming, or somehow already knowing they would be using this building.

James sat at the table and adjusted himself so he was comfortable before picking up the tea. Sampling the brew, he smiled. It was pleasant and light.

The other elders sat around the table, joining him in drinking the tea. "Why are you here," one of the men asked.

"The Forsaken children and adults," James stated. "One or more of you helped create them. I intend to find out who. I also have a message from Elder Bo of Settling Stone."

"None of us would create those monsters," the blonde stated.

"And yet you held back your cultivators from helping." Snorting, James kept his soul on the others as he felt two of them shift slightly. One was the man in the middle and the other the red head. Focusing on the man, James said, "you can either talk, or I can simply kill you."

The man sneered at him. "Do you think you can take all five of us?"

Cocking his brow, James started to chuckle. "Yes, yes I do. You all know what I am, but you don't know what level I am or what I can do."

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Soul cultivator," the blonde muttered.

"Correct and I can guarantee that I'm vastly stronger than all five of you combined. Now, the man in the middle and the red head have a lot to explain. Either you talk, or I start ripping your souls apart until you do." To prove his point, he ripped the smallest amount of their souls away, making them scream in pain as he pierced their nascent souls.

"Stop!" the red head begged.

"Talk!" James hissed. "Why would you create the monsters?"

"We were ordered to…" Gasping for another breath, she took a moment before continuing. "The Forsaken were meant to be taken to the nest near the Africa rent."

"What are these nests?" James asked. "I've heard very little about them."

"You created those monsters?" the blonde asked. "Our city was nearly destroyed!"

One of the other men set down his cup roughly, breaking the glass. "You captured children! For a failed experiment!"

The red head glanced at the man in the middle and all eyes followed hers.

"Paul?" the blonde asked. "You were part of this?"

"I was," the man admitted. "We are losing ground and it won't be long until another nest grows closer to China. If that happens, we'll be overrun. The wasteland is already within a two week journey from here."

"One week from Settling Stone," James stated.

Paul nodded.

"What does that sect have to do with anything?" the blonde asked.

James really should have gotten their names, but honestly, by the time he did, the conversation would practically be over. "He ordered the take over of Settling Stone. He had agents, and one of the elders tried to kill the others and take over in Running River's name. Your agents attacked my people."

The red head gulped and bowed her head. Paul met his gaze and held it steady. "Are they alive?"

James gave him a blank look. "Do you honestly think I would let anyone live that attacked my people?"

"No," the red head whispered.

Smiling, James shook his head. "Correct. Now, tell me why I shouldn't kill you two for causing me so many problems. Not only did I lose three people to your creations, but I also had to save your city."

For the first time, Paul paled.

"That's right." James sneered at the elders. "I lost three friends to your experiments."

"They were never meant to get out," the red head stated. "We were working on controlling them to attack the nest."

Closing his eyes for a moment, James rubbed the bridge of his nose. "About the nests."

The blonde answered, "they spawn the mutated monsters. Each nest produces a near endless supply of the creatures and their very presence corrupts the world. First, the rents expanded the wastelands, but after they gained enough ground, the nests grew. Soon, one will grow near China."

"Have you ever defeated one?" he asked.

All five of them shook their heads.

I guess I know what I'm handling after this…

Turning his attention back to Paul, he said, "I'm still going to kill you. This sect doesn't need five elders. Plus, I believe that you and the red head attacked Tian, who you were using against me."

The blonde groaned. "How far have you fallen, Paul?"

"Go ahead. Kill me," Paul challenged. "If you think it'll bring your three friends back, you are mistaken."

Grabbing the man's soul, James squeezed, making the elder gasp for each breath. "It's not about bringing them back. It's about stopping you from taking any more lives with your vile experiments!" Forcing his soul into Paul's, he ripped away section by section until nothing remained. A moment later, a corpse was all that was left.

Soul absorbed: Soul Strength: 10.012251 (+000050)

"Now you've done it," the red head started to laugh.

The worry James felt in that moment was palpable. He should have known better than to let his anger get the better of him, especially after the albino. Frowning, he moved to Paul's side and ripped his robe open and found an enchantment engraved on his chest. "What does it do?" he demanded.

"You'll learn soon enough. I pray that your whore of a Fenrir dies before you can arrive."

Growling, James ripped her soul apart before turning to the other three. "What did they do?"

The blonde shook her head. "I don't—"

James held up his hand, cutting her off as souls down in the city started to wink out. "Fuck…the city is under attack."

Jumping up, the elders prepared to move. James locked onto his friends and found them panicking. His heart started to race as he ran from the building. Amber was the most panicked and in pain and he needed to find her.

***

Amber held her bleeding side as Linda fired shot after shot into the growing crowd.

What the hell happened? One second we were treating the children, and the next they grew rabid and attacked. Mender…

Glancing over her shoulder, she found the healer recovering from a slashed throat. His clothes were soaked with blood, and she could feel his soul fluctuating as if it was fed on.

Dammit!

Checking herself, Amber could feel her own soul was drained slightly. All around her, people were dying as the streets became a battlefield. The residents that had been so peaceful were foaming at the mouth and wielding anything they could use as a weapon to attack one another.

Her side was healing slower than normal as she summoned her fiery cats to help her. "Protect Mender at all costs!"

Summoning her claws, she felt the rage take hold as she stepped out of the hospital. Behind her, dead doctors and children littered the building. Out on the street, Linda was picking off anyone that drew close. The residents were far stronger than should be possible. Some of them were taking two or three bullets to put them down.

"I'm going in!" she yelled up to the elf.

"What about Mender?" Linda yelled back.

"I have protectors on him."

Rubbing her side one last time, Amber pulled away her bloody hand. The wound was mostly sealed, but she could tell that she had to tap into her reserves to heal herself.

Switching her legs into her feline form, she summoned claws to her feet and empowered them with her soul. A mob was already growing a block away, the residents seemingly zombies as they wielded knives and even pans to attack. They had quickly killed the residents that weren't affected and banded together.

Fuck…

Dropping onto all fours, she raced toward the mob and started carving through the new monsters. Siphoning all that she could, she felt their souls flow into her much slower than normal. It might as well have been sludge as it tried to merge with her. That's when she realized that they might already be dead.

Activating Thousand Cuts with every swing, she poured her energy into shredding the monsters. Their vacant eyes followed her rapid movements as they began to swing at her.

Knives and claws cut into her back and sides as she tore through the group. Limbs and body parts scattered around the area before she finished and gasped for each breath.

"Get back here!" Linda screamed.

Gritting her teeth in pain, Amber turned back to the hospital and found another group trying to break through the entrance. Her cats were tearing them apart and feeding her souls, but it was becoming apparent that the cats were losing ground.

What's going on? What could have caused this?

Limping over to the new group, she readied her claws as they turned to her.

"Get up here!" Linda ordered.

"I can't leave Mender."

"Dammit!"

Nodding, Amber ran her fingers over her newest wounds as the group started staggering towards her. Lifting her hands, she readied her claws as Linda started picking off the group one by one.

Despite the pain, Amber charged the group. With any luck, Luna will make her way over, or maybe James will find her. Hopefully she wouldn't be dead by then.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.