Crimson Skies, Part II

                                    

                                          
Since he was still too far to be of help, he scooped up a rock on the way and lobbed it at Ming Chen as hard as he could. The man must have been too focused to notice. The rock struck him on the side of the head.
He screamed and turned enraged eyes on Wu Jian, but that was good. It meant Hou Jingshu was no longer in immediate danger.
He and Wu Meiying soon reached Ming Cheng and began their fierce confrontation. The man swung his sword down from above, but Wu Jian dodged to the side, kicked the pommel, and knocked it out of Ming Chen's hand. The weapon impaled the ground several chi away.
Wu Jian thought this would give them an advantage, but then pain seared his chest as he was kicked hard so hard his feet left the ground. He struck the ground back first and tumbled. The world became a blur of motion before he rolled to a stop some distance away. He couldn't get up immediately. The agonizing sensation of being unable to draw breath kept him pinned for several seconds.
Grimacing, he eventually climbed to his feet and saw Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu keeping their enemy occupied. Cuts were appearing on their snow white skin. It angered Wu Jian. Seeing the people he loved get hurt made him so angry that he saw red, though he did his best to remain calm. This was a battle. This was war. He could not let anger cloud his judgement or his loved ones would die.
Wu Jian raced forward and scooped up some dirt. Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu saw him coming and kept Ming Chen occupied, but the man seemed to have sensed what they were doing. He locked blades with Hou Jingshu, kicked Wu Meiying away, then tried to cut off the Shang Princess's arm.
That was when Wu Jian appeared.
"Eat dirt!"
He threw the dirt in Ming Chen's eyes. The man screamed and clawed at his eyes as he stumbled backward.
"Damn you! You fucking brat! You're courting death!"
Wu Jian didn't waste time. He rushed forward, spun around, and threw a double palm strike that slammed into Ming Chen's chest. The man doubled over and vomited blood as Wu Jian leapt away. Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu took that chance to close the distance and finish him.
"Earth Dome!"
Striking the ground, the man erected a wall that surrounded him on all sides. It curved upward and created a dome that protected him from the two. Their foot and butterfly swords respectively bounced off the hard earth. They landed on the ground next to Wu Jian.
"I don't think we can break through that," Wu Meiying said.
"I know we can't break through that," Hou Jingshu rebuked.
"What should we do?" asked Wu Jian.
"Earth Spikes!"
Neither of the girls could answer before a dozen spikes shot from the ground. Wu Jian pushed the pair out of the way and leapt back. He was not fast enough. Biting back a yelp of pain as a spike impaled his left arm, he landed awkwardly on the ground and clutched the now bleeding appendage to his side.
It's just a superficial wound. Nothing too serious. But I can't afford to get too injured. We're already at a huge disadvantage in this fight.
A section of the dome in front of Wu Jian suddenly crumbled and Ming Chen burst out of it, rushing headlong toward him. There was madness in the man's bloodshot eyes.
Breathing heavily, Wu Jian rolled across the ground as the other man's sword sang of death. The jian sliced through the ground like it was made of butter. Wu Jian landed on his feet, but he stumbled. It took him a moment to realize his foot had become trapped by earth.