A bitter pain stabbed at the Phantomâs chest. Sheâd had the gall to infiltrate Skyfire Avenue because she thought only the Epochrion was a problem. She was the only Reflection of Heaven and Earth, and thus the only one who could pose a threat. The other Paragons mostly new to their powers. Under those conditions fleeing wouldnât have been difficult.
But who could have anticipated the arrival of that freak, Lan Qing. A Reflection of Heaven and Earth immediately after breaking through, while she was still stuck.
âStay your hand!â The Astral Phantom cried.
The aura around Lan Qing dimmed, and Varochanaâs burning light receded. However, the whole universe around her seemed ready to detonate at a momentâs notice.
The Astral Phantom was red faced, and ground her teeth in fury. âI will absolutely not swear myself to you, but I will swear to three things, whenever you need them. Iâm a Paragon, I have my prideâŚâ
The pure fires sprang back to life before she could finish her thought. Their crackling cacophony drowned out her words.
Lan Qing addressed her with a calm voice. âYou arenât in a position to negotiate. You will die, or you will serve! Those are your only options.â
She couldnât form the words, she was putting all of her energy toward warding off the holy flames. Her belligerence seemed pointless in the face of the God of Wisdom. An Lunâs super soldier was completely immovable.
Varochanaâs flames dimmed again. The assassin took great gulps of breath, but only in part from the strain. She felt like she had been on the edge of a precipice, about to be swallowed up. The fear still seized her chest.
âI have limited patience. This is your final chance to make a decision.â Lan Qingâs keen eyes never left her.
The Phantomâs chest heaved as she fought to regain her breath. She wanted nothing more than to make Lan Qing stop breathing, but she when hanging over a ledge you didnât bite the hand holding you up.
âTen!â Lan Qingâs eyes were bright and firm.
âNine!â
âWait! What are your intentions?â The Phantom asked.
âEight!â He ignored her entirely and continued the count down.
âSeven!â
âWait! I need time to think. Give me time!â
âSix!â Lan Qingâs eyes were hard. His hands slowly rose and the fiery sun behind his head got brighter. Everything the light touched could hear the bone-shuddering chants of invisible bodhisattvas. It was so peaceful, but for the Astral Phantom it sounded like the inevitable march of death coming for her soul.
âYouâŚâ The struggle was clear in the Phantomâs eyes. She knew what it would mean if he marked her soul.
âThree!â Lan Qingâs hands rose higher.
âWait a minute! What happened to four and five?!â She whined.
The flames got higher.
âTwo!â Lan Qing had her shaken to the core. Why would he give her room to breathe?
âWait â fine, fine! I agree!â Every inch Lan Qingâs hands rose her willpower eroded. Eventually when it seemed he would move, her defenses collapsed. Nothing was more important than life.
The fiery lights around Lan Qingâs hands dispersed. His face changed. âSubmit your spirit, and donât think about pulling any tricks. I donât have the patience to fight you anymore. If I feel like anything isnât right, you wonât get a second chance.â
The Astral Phantom looked at him, conflicted. Her breath was rapid from exertion and fear. She was filled with regret. Why did she have to be so greedy? Avarice is what led her to this point. Everything would have been different. Her cherished life would not have been so upset.
âWhen⌠when you make the mark⌠if you wouldnâtâŚâ
The aura around Lan Qingâs hands flared. âI said no negotiations.â
âFine! Ruthless!â She glared bloody murder but darenât delay. She genuinely feared a change in Lan Qingâs mood. He might kill her at any moment.
Her heart was unwilling, but a decision had to be made. She took a deep breath, grit her teeth, and closed her eyes. The purple aura that had surrounded her was gone. Moments later a small vortex appeared in the center of her forehead. Flecks of black swirled through the outer edges, while in the center knelt the cloudy image of a silver man.
Soul essence! Only a Paragon was able to manifest an image of their own souls.
The fierce and bloodthirsty expression was gone. Now the Phantom was a ghost of pain and sorrow. When she opened her eyes they were wet with tears. Her piteous expression and beautiful face tugged at the heart.
âSuch a big man, bullying a weaker girl. I donât really have a choice, do I?â
In another circumstance, with another man, her desperate plea might have meant something. Unfortunately, Lan Qing was unmoved. He did not hesitate and pointed with an index finger. A beam of golden light issued forth with spiraling lines of archaic runes in tow. Each strange symbol pulsed with Buddhist mysticism. The golden light was peace and calm, delivered into the purple vortex.
The tide of the vortex lurched in protest, but almost instantly the Phantom felt the burning fires of Varochana lapping at her skin. The vortex stabilized shortly thereafter and allowed the light to pass.
The silver silhouette within the vortex became more distinct. A shrill cry from the depths of her spirit followed. The golden light struck it right on the forehead. It blazed a path, leaving a golden ä˝ behind. 1
The sudden, intense pain caused the Astral Phantom to fall. She shuddered uncontrollably, drenched in sweat.
When a Paragon applied their mark, it meant the victim had to do everything they commanded. If they refused, the Paragon could erase their soul with a thought. By that point it didnât matter how strong she became, the mark was there forever. There were very few instances where a mark like this had been placed. A Paragonâs dignity was sacrosanct. In the end it wasnât that the Phantom was lacking in dignity, but that her love of life was too great.
The golden light persisted for about a minute, then vanished. Shortly after the burning light filling the universe receded into the image of Vairochana behind Lan Qing. The bodies of both combatants returned to normal size, and their battlefield vanished back into the Clairvoyantâs Domain.