The mutant had been tracking him with its own unique footing. Like a beast from mythical legends, the thing had grown. It was now slightly bigger in appearance, its bony armor replaced by icy hardened skin that laid underneath patches of whitened fur. Small horns began on its head and became bigger spikes going down its spine till it ended with small spikes at the top of it rump. Its tail translucent like ice or water...

When its paws touched the ground, it cause the ground to freeze with ice forming beneath its paws. The light footing barely made a sound, though the air became chilly where ever the cat gracefully pounce to. Its keen golden eyes staring intently at the prey before it.

"Hey?" Lu Xing suddenly let out in a chilling voice as his head c.o.c.ked to the right, his expression dark, "What do you think you're going to do?"

His eyes had become golden, and his pupil thin like a cats. The glare he gave the mutant cat was frightening... The mutant cat s.h.i.+vered slightly under the killing intent before quickly moving away from sight.

'I didn't want to use this...but once this thing gets full control of all it's abilities...' Lu Xing thought, 'I'm dead.'

He concentrated on the metal bat in his hand, and pictured a future him taking it and melting it...then slowly creating a broadsword out of it...

Suddenly his flame came to life and engulfed the bat. Soon the bat seemed to dissolve within only to reform... Into the very broadsword of which Lu Xing had pictured.

Lu Xing tested out its weight, and found it to be no heavier than the bat he had been holding.

'Not bad.' Lu Xing admired his handy work and gave it a test swing, similar to how he'd swing a bat, "This should do it."

'Now I have seven minutes till the effect wears off...' Lu Xing thought grimly, 'then the backlash -'

Suddenly the air around him chilled, and Lu Xing struck out with the sword. The sword deflected seven sharp ice shards, breaking them to pieces. His sword continuously spewed out blue flames, with his const.i.tution...

7 minutes.

"Tsk. Bring it." Lu Xing's eyes instantly met the mutant's own eyes, before he disappeared from sight.

"BAAAMMMM!" The sword struck hard against the ground causing a gust of wind, and the ground to split.

The mutant cat had pounced away from its spot just in time to avoid that oncoming hit.

"Tch." Lu Xing gritted his teeth and instantly lifted the sword and swung to attack.

"Guurrrhhhh..." The thing growled showing its sharp teeth, an ice barrier appeared where Lu Xing struck.

The barrier cracked instantly upon impact, something the mutant cat hadn't counted on...

"Your not getting away that easily!" Through gritted teeth, Lu Xing continued the swing of the sword at full force, even after the barrier shattered.

Thus he was able to hit it head on.

The mutant cat gave a shrill shriek as its head was severed in half...it only ended when half its head slid down onto the ground with a heavy 'thud'.

"Game set." Lu Xing said, the sword disolving back into its original form, almost like a rewind...

Lu Xing finally felt the backlash.

He gripped his right arm, and crumpled to the ground in intense agony. His veins glowing blue as though the fire were flowing through them. Lu Xing felt his vision darkening...

'I-' He pa.s.sed out before his train of thought could finish.

The skies overhead began to darken...

And the barely visible moon began to turn red...

☆☆☆

"Dad? Shouldn't we turn back?!" Xiaolang asked into his cell.

He was still driving the truck, but had half the mind to turnit around.

"Son, I get how you feel...but we can't do that." Peng Xiong responded feeling frustrated at the helplessness of the situation.

His duty was to get his kids to safety...

Otherwise he would've turned around long ago to rescue Lu Xing.

'That kid...causing us to worry.' Peng Xiong thought as he gripped the steering wheel.

Yiran looked at her dad, her eyes s.h.i.+ning with tears.

"He...won't die? Right?" Yiran asked.

Her brother remained silent on the cell, but her father took a hand off the steering wheel and rubbed her head.

"Everything will be alright." Peng Xiong said, then he let out a heavy sigh, "I know your not kids anymore...I just...Xiaolang can you swear you'll be careful?"

Xiaolang was surprised by his father's response, but nodded before remembering his father couldn't see him nod, "I can do it."

His dad also had a gps, so them getting to Lu Xing's warehouse without him was doable.

"Good, roll down the pa.s.senger window and get close to my window, I've got something to hand over." Peng Xiong said as he rolleddown his own window.

"Got it." Xiaolang replied.

☆☆☆

Next to Lu Xing, the mutant cat's carca.s.s had started to freeze over...

Soon after, the ground began to freeze over as well. Only Lu Xing's surrounding remained untouched by the frost. His breathing came in short painful gasps.

Finally his right arm began to lessen in pain.

His breathing began to calm, as his eyes slowly opened. The hazy fog from within his mind also began to clear. Lu Xing was finally able to move...

"Agh." Lu Xing let out gripping his right arm as sharp ice began to splinter out from it, 'd.a.m.n it. Coming in contact with the ice mutation caused a divergence in my chi.'

The backlash had only been part of the problem...but this.

'Like a disease.' Lu Xing thought grimly as he pulled himself into a lotus position and one handed dug out the other mutant cat core he had.

Holding it he began to absorb the core's chi, his flame barely able to handle the process. The ice that was sticking out from his arm began to crack until finally it shatter to pieces. Lu Xing's flame instinctively began to seal the open gashes on his arm.

Sweating from the sheer amount of chi he was withdrawing from the core...Lu Xing felt a sort of tension building up within the center of his own chi...