Skyfire Avenue

The hopes and dreams of the Eastern people were in every bolt of that bastion ship. Their alliance had been stuck under the thumb of the North for years, waiting for the opportunity to rise above their oppressors in a single brilliant move.

This is why although Middle Heaven already proved its might several times over in battles past, it still had more surprises in store.

And Terminal Ray was nothing short of devastating. Lan Qing’s plan had been to save revealing it for a surprise attack on the alien home worlds! Now, though, his target was different.

That relatively insignificant line followed in the wake of Poseidon’s Soft Water explosions. However the burning trail it blazed was not pointed at the Violet Prince or Princess. Jue Di had explained to Lan Qing that the connection between them and the home worlds was exceedingly close. There existed the possibility they would be teleported to safely if their lives were threatened.

A weapon that could kill an Infinite-level alien could still be resisted for a time. At least long enough for the home worlds to react.

Terminal Ray was a danger, but also a great burden on Middle Heaven. A single use consumed nearly everything in the bastion’s stores.

There was no one around to witness it, but if there had been witnesses in the bastion they would have found Lan Qing with eyes blazing gold. Before him was a smaller figure - that of Jun’er.

She held her astrum, the Eye of Tomorrow, aloft in her tiny hands. Her body was encased by the nurturing energy of Lan Qing’s power. His own hands danced like butterflies over the controls before him. Several screens in the area around him began to flicker and change.

Terminal Ray was guided by the power of prophecy and assessment. Both were used to aim the laser where it was needed most.

The orange gold ray blazed for but a moment. Unlike Terminator’s shot, which went on for a time, Terminal Ray was gone in a blink. It passed through a cluster of five aliens, and little else.

Those were the aliens dispatched by the Violet Prince to reinforce his flank. When the light flit passed them they did not react. On the contrary, they grew very still.

For ten seconds no one moved. Then, fleck by fleck, the avatars crumbled away and spread out through space as a fine ash. In a single shot five Nirvana-level beasts were erased, sending a shock through the alien forces.

The aliens’ greatest advantage was in strength and numbers. They had more Infinite-, and Nirvana-level warriors than the humans by far.

In the moments after Middle Heaven’s attack, the Violet Prince and Princess felt their breath catch in their throats. A palpable fear swept through them just as Poseidon’s payload was beating down.

Middle Heaven broke off its charge after eliminating the avatars. The peeled quickly to the side, toward Jue Di and the horde’s right flank. Between the scourge of the corrosive cloud and Jue Di’s attack, the right wing was nearly crushed. But the beasts were many, more than Jue Di could destroy in a single strike.

As Middle Heaven bore down on its remnants, it engages its secondary weapons. Those monsters witch slipped passed Jue Di were faced with the firepower of the bastion.

Within Middle Heaven’s control room Lan Qing had returned to normal, and Jun’re had found a place nearby to sit quietly. The ship shook from the cost of using its ultimate weapon.

Lan Qing was nothing if not efficient. A single shot and not only had he reduced the number of his powerful adversaries, but also terrified them. He wanted them to know they weren’t invincible. If Lan Jue were not down among the alien planets somewhere now, he would have preferred to save it as a surprise strike on the home worlds themselves.