Ashes Of The War God

Chapter 8: The Divine Executioners

Chen Feng and Lin Yue reached Red Sand Town as the sun began to set. The town was small, maybe fifty buildings scattered around a central square. Most structures were made of red clay that matched the desert around them.

The streets were empty. Too empty.

"Something is wrong," Lin Yue said quietly. "Where is everyone?"

Chen Feng drew his sword. "Stay close."

They walked down the main street. Doors hung open. Market stalls stood abandoned with goods still on display. A cooking pot sat over a dead fire, food burned to ash inside.

"It looks like everyone left in a hurry," Lin Yue checked an open doorway. "Or they were taken."

A sound came from the town square ahead. Footsteps. Multiple people walking in formation.

Chen Feng and Lin Yue ducked behind a building and looked around the corner.

Twelve figures stood in the square, arranged in a circle. They wore black armor that seemed to absorb light. Each one carried different weapons. Swords, spears, axes, chains. Their faces were covered by helmets with no eye holes.

"Divine Executioners," Lin Yue breathed. "Grandmother told me stories about them. Elite warriors from the Heavenly Palace. Each one can fight a hundred normal soldiers alone."

"How many are there supposed to be?"

"Twelve in total. All of them." She looked at Chen Feng with fear. "They sent the entire unit just for you."

In the center of the circle stood an old man. He was tied to a wooden post, head hanging down. Blood covered his simple robes.

"That must be Zhang Wei," Chen Feng said. "Your general. The one who was supposed to help us."

One of the Executioners spoke. His voice was deep and emotionless. "Chen Feng. We know you are here. Show yourself or we kill this old man. You have one minute."

Chen Feng started to move forward but Lin Yue grabbed his arm.

"It is a trap. They want you to surrender."

"I know. But I cannot let them kill him because of me."

"He knew the risks. Grandmother said he has been waiting for you for five hundred years. He would not want you to throw your life away."

Chen Feng looked at the old man tied to the post. Even from here, he could see Zhang Wei was badly wounded. If the Executioners had been questioning him, they already knew everything he could tell them.

The lead Executioner raised his hand. "Time is up. Since you will not show yourself, the old man dies."

He walked toward Zhang Wei, sword raised.

"Wait!" Chen Feng stepped out from behind the building. "I am here. Let him go."

All twelve Executioners turned to face him. The lead one lowered his sword.

"The former God of War. You look pathetic in that weak mortal body." The Executioner walked closer. "Lord Shen Wu sends his regards. And his order for your execution."

"My brother always was good at sending others to do his dirty work." Chen Feng raised his sword. "But twelve against one? He must fear me more than I thought."

"Fear you? No. He simply wants this done properly." The Executioner gestured to his companions. "We are here to ensure you die completely. No seal this time. No exile. Just death."

Lin Yue stepped out beside Chen Feng, her bow ready.

"Ah, the phoenix girl." The Executioner tilted his head. "Lord Shen Wu said you would be with him. Kill her too."

Two Executioners broke from the circle and moved toward Lin Yue.

Chen Feng stepped between them. "You want me? Then face me. Leave her out of this."

"Noble. But pointless." The lead Executioner raised his hand. "Kill them both."

The twelve warriors attacked as one.

Chen Feng met the first attacker's sword with his own blade. The impact sent shock waves through his arms. These warriors were strong. Much stronger than the bounty hunters or Seal Guardians.

He blocked another strike, then a third. His body moved with techniques from his past life, muscle memory guiding his defense. But he was surrounded. Weapons came from all directions.

A spear grazed his side, tearing cloth and drawing blood. An axe nearly took his head off. He ducked and rolled, coming up just in time to block a sword aimed at his back.

Lin Yue fired arrows as fast as she could. Her shots were accurate, aimed at gaps in the armor. But the Executioners were too fast. They dodged or deflected every arrow.

One Executioner reached her. His chain whip lashed out, wrapping around her bow and ripping it from her hands.

"Lin Yue!" Chen Feng tried to reach her but three Executioners blocked his path.

She stumbled backward. The Executioner raised his sword to strike.

Then something changed in Lin Yue's eyes. They flashed gold. Fire erupted from her hands, not just a barrier this time but actual flames that took the shape of wings.

The Executioner's sword melted as it touched the fire. He screamed and jumped back.

"Phoenix fire," the lead Executioner said. "So the bloodline is stronger than we thought. Interesting."

Lin Yue's flames grew larger, forcing the Executioners away from her. But Chen Feng could see the effort was draining her. Sweat poured down her face. Her hands shook.

She could not maintain it much longer.

Chen Feng made a decision. He touched the jade pendant and found the crack in his seal. The same crack he had used to break the formation.

He pulled more power through it.

Energy flooded his body. His wounds closed. His speed doubled. His strength tripled.

But he could feel the danger. Opening the seal too much, too fast, could destroy him from the inside. The power was like poison and medicine at the same time.

He had maybe two minutes before his body gave out.

Two minutes to win or die trying.

Chen Feng moved like lightning. His sword became a blur. The first Executioner did not even see the strike that cut through his armor. The warrior fell, not dead but badly wounded.

The others backed away, forming a defensive circle.

"He is stronger than reported," one said.

"It does not matter. He cannot maintain that level of power. His body is still mortal. It will break." The lead Executioner raised his sword. "Overwhelm him. Force him to burn through his energy."

They attacked again, but this time more carefully. Not trying to kill quickly, just keeping pressure on him. Making him use power with every defense.

Chen Feng understood their strategy. They were right. He could feel his body starting to crack under the strain. Blood vessels burst in his eyes. His muscles screamed in pain.

Thirty seconds left. Maybe less.

He needed to end this now.

Chen Feng gathered all his remaining power into one attack. The same technique he had used at the South Gate. Golden energy flowed into his sword, making it glow like a small sun.

"Flowing Water Strike!"

He swung with everything he had.

The golden energy wave exploded outward in all directions. It hit the Executioners like a wall of solid force. Half of them were thrown backward. Their armor shattered. Some fell unconscious.

But not all of them.

The lead Executioner was still standing. His armor was cracked but intact. He looked at Chen Feng and laughed.

"Impressive. But now you are empty."

He was right. Chen Feng had nothing left. The jade pendant was cold. His body was breaking. He could barely stand.

The Executioner walked forward slowly. "Any last words, former god?"

Chen Feng raised his sword with trembling hands. "Just one. Look up."

The Executioner did.

Above them, the sky was changing. Clouds swirled in a massive circle. Lightning flashed. Thunder rolled.

"What is this?" the Executioner demanded.

At the wooden post, Zhang Wei lifted his head. Blood ran down his face but he was smiling.

"You fools," the old general said. "You brought twelve Divine Executioners to kill him. You pushed him to use real power for the first time in a thousand years."

"So what?"

"So the Heavens are watching now." Zhang Wei laughed weakly. "And they remember him. The one who was never supposed to be sealed in the first place."

A bolt of lightning struck the ground between Chen Feng and the Executioner. When the light faded, a woman stood there.

She wore white robes that seemed to glow with inner light. Her face was beautiful but cold. Her eyes held the weight of eternity.

"Stop," she commanded. Her voice made reality itself vibrate.

Every Executioner immediately knelt. Even their leader dropped to one knee.

"Heavenly Messenger," he said. "We are following Lord Shen Wu's orders."

"Lord Shen Wu does not have authority here." The woman looked at Chen Feng. "The Heavenly Council has questions about his original sealing. Questions that were never properly answered."

She walked to Chen Feng and studied him. "You. Former God of War. The Council summons you to testify about the events one thousand years ago."

"I barely remember them," Chen Feng said.

"Then we will help you remember. Completely." She touched his forehead.

Chen Feng's world exploded into light and pain as every sealed memory came flooding back at once.

He screamed.

And remembered everything.