The Sorceress: Blossoming Power

Xinyi squatted on the ground, trying several times to call Skrider out but failed. Her shoulders sagged because of tiredness and frustration. After a minute, she straightened her back again. Then she dug deeper in her heart for the most special moments in her life.

There was one or someone special, the late Lady Xian Ai, the woman she knew as her mother. From then on, childhood memories started flooding in her mind. She recalled the happy days Lady Ai cuddled and told her stories as she tucked her to bed. How the woman looked after and taught her with care.

She smiled as tears began falling on her closed eyes as she thought of those carefree days the mother feigned sickness to take Xinyi away from the animals. The times she fell asleep in her mother's arms and more. As memories flooded, tears fell like a stream on her face. Those wonderful memories drowned her in her emotions and forgot to call Skrider.

Good thing, Nianshi was there to remind her. "My lady, call Skrider now."

That reminder scolded her and softly said, "Skrider."

Skrider slowly appeared from a thin apparition into a full-bodied green cat with a line of thorns on his spine. However, instead of greeting her…

"Why are you still here? Go back now. Your husband is facing a great army," he shouted while he gestured shooing her away.

"What?" Xinyi couldn't understand why Skrider got angry after her successful summon.

"What what? I've warned you. There's war and your husband's life is in danger. Yet you played around instead of flying directly to Fengfu. You better come into my space now so I can send you there right away."

Xinyi smacked her forehead, feeling foolish forgetting it after she met the group with blue stones. She faced Nianshi and the Hutyuns. "Leave this place now as fast as you can. We'll meet at Fengfu."

"Yes, my lady," they replied together.

Xinyi held Skrider's hand and in that instant... without half a second delay... she saw herself standing at Fengfu's gate, shocking her in disbelief for the speed. She looked around, trying to acquaint herself with the whole situation base on Skrider's warnings and saw chaos everywhere.

The gate was closed. Dead soldiers from both sides sprawled on the ground. Arrows stood on the dead combined with holes because of the pebbles Tyriece sent.

This what occurred earlier before she arrived.

Ming used his wind power to send back the arrows but he couldn't save all of his men because some arrows had Wag stone, rendering his power useless. He almost got hit by arrows too. Thankfully, Zhai had pulled the table in time to cover both of them. The other side of the table looked like a porcupine's back.

Tyriece and the other three knights came out to help after the rain of arrows ceased.

Now, Zhai, Ming, Tyriece, and the knights stood in one line as they faced the Goding soldiers who were wearing red bracelets. But Ming and Tyriece felt weak as the Wag stone affected their bodies.

Zhai used his twin swords and slashed at two men with speed. One sword deflected on a shield but the other blade sliced a man's arm with a Wag bracelet. "Ahhh!" The man cried kneeling as blood gushed out from the opened wound.

The three knights covered the weakened and kneeling Tyriece to protect him from the soldiers running toward him.

Ming had difficulty fighting the urge to kneel as the Wag's power vibrated to his body. Using the strength left in him, he raised his bloodied sword and crudely whacked a soldier's belly. Another soldier with blond hair thrust a spear on Ming's side but an arrow hit the soldier's chest first and fell dead.

Ming turned to the wall and nodded at the standing Lifen with a bow in hand. The gate opened and Lei clan's men came out the gate to rescue them.

"Zhai, let's go." Ming turned around to run toward the gate while his men fought, giving them a chance to enter the city. And... he saw his wife running toward him.

"Xin… Xinyi?" Ming said, halting in his tracks, momentarily shocked to see her while gladness filled his chest. "You… you're back... Hurry! Let's go in. It's dangerous here." He extended a hand to reach her.

Before Ming could hold her, Xinyi moved to his right. She placed her hands on his shoulder and used him as support as she swung her body up, kicking a soldier's face who ran to pierce a sword on Ming's back. That kick sent the man on the ground, blood at the side of his mouth.

Without sparing a second to rest, Xinyi yanked the sword from that soldier and in a single wave of her hand, a loud twang sounded as she deflected a spear flying on her way.

Ming spun around and saw her standing with a sword lifted sideways. Yards away from them was a man with blue cape riding a brown horse with hands raised in front of him. It was Sir Gerd who threw the spear intended for Ming.

Without further delay, Sir Gerd raised his sword and yelled. "Charge! Kill them and take over the city!"