Nine Paths of Asura - Original Wuxia Part 2!!

Chapter 218-The Old Guard's Last Watch

Sigh. I have no idea how the days are passing anymore. Just can't seem to stay focused.

CRAAAAAAAAAAACK

In the battlefield amidst the far side of the universe, countless pits erupted. They spewed magma and fire, caustic spittle splashing everywhere. On the battlefield, the ancient clan of Watchers fought on. They were all heroes of the last generation, the ones known as the Old Guard.

"So...it's come to this. The Void Abyss has opened. Looks like it's time to die old friends." The white haired man raised his ancient halberd and spoke with a dark expression. In the distance, a massive furrough formed in the dirt, mud and boulders flying out as ancient seals cracked and timeworn chains shattered. "There is no containing the disaster anymore."

The black haired man, a little younger than the white had an expressionless face. But deep beneath, one could see a tinge of worry, even panic.

"What do we do old friend? It's too soon. The next generation is not ready for this yet. But we are so old, so weak already. How can we hold?" He sighed as he stroked a long ebony blade in his hand. It was almost a full two meters long and the shocking aura it displayed had given many of the creatures pause as they climbed out of the Hells. The old white-haired man grinned, his tri-bladed halberd twirling as he roared and the numerous heroes of mankind rallied to his cry,

"What do we do? We...buy...another...moment. Make every breath count old friend. For each breath you breath, ensure that one of these foul beasts breaths no more! For every drop of blood you shed, ensure that a new river of their's is born! For each last moment of your life, understand that you fight for more than just your own life. You fight for your RACE! This may not be humanity's last stand, but it is the Old Guard's last watch. What do you have to fear? We all should have died long ago. To endure until this moment so we can watch over our children one last time? That is a blessing which the Heavens never intended hahaha!" He chuckled and the assembled heroes also  laughed so that the ground shook and some of the smaller demonic pits even collapsed! A deafening peal of laughter rocked the land and for a moment the enemy's willpower faltered. It was just a moment's respite before the storm. 

"Listen to me...we have all lived honorably. An example which this generation is too young to follow. So we can only do one thing now. We must die honorably, and teach them why they must live! Trust that they will not waste this one moment we have worked so hard for. This generation will overthrow this vicious cycle!" The old white-haired man charged forward, his halberd whirling, phantasmic techniques spinning everywhere and behind him, every last hero followed his lead. Not a single one faltered in this final moment though in front of them, an endless army of enemies awaited. This was a scene reminiscent of the apocalypse, a taste of the end which had come just a little early. 

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"Have you heard of the Old Guard? I think you have met them before." The middle-aged demon said as Lineir reeled from the shock of learning that the Hells and humanity had once been allies.

"Old Guard? I think...yes, I have met them. But I don't know who they are. Is their leader a white-haired man with a giant halberd?" Lineir gave up trying to hold his tongue. This subject seemed innocent enough anyways and he was eager to learn more. As he recalled, the Old Guard had came when Dahn was fighting the angelic armies over the Hellhole.

"Yes. I know him well, he is from the generation before me. The Old Guard is a special group of humanity's heroes. They are tasked with watching over an ancient battleground. There, phantoms of the past, ancient demons who have been cursed to hate forever, linger. These demons are not like the ones you have met Lineir. They have been corrupted, it's hard to say if they are even truly demons anymore. In that place they were sealed away and became...something different. They thirst for the surface in a way which regular demons do not. They cannot control themselves, when the seal grows thin at the end of a generation, they always try to come out. However...this generation is different. It was calculated long ago by a certain Heavenly prophet that the seal this generation would not just grow thin. It would break. The Old Guard will fall. And when they do...the ancient demons of the past will rise once more." The demon sighed, holding the bridge of his nose while stirring his tea with a porcelain spoon absentmindedly.

"Why do you care? Is it not a good thing? Humanity rules the surface so if we are set upon by these ancient demons isn't that in your side's favor?" Lineir could control himself no more. He had to ask.

"Oh? You think it is a good thing if humanity learns to hate us demons even more? No Lineir, that is not a good thing at all. Humanity is the youngest of the three great forces. There is a saying. It goes, the Heavens were born first, the Hells chasing soon after. But humans will always rise no matter when they are born. The meaning is simple. The Heavens have control of the most resources and the most innate talent, but they reproduce far too slowly. The Hells can reproduce quickly, but we are divided amongst many races, incapable of uniting and condemned to the place with the worst resources. Only humanity has the ability to rise from nothing but mortal soil to challenge everything. Why do you think the Heavens isolate themselves from us? It's because they are afraid kid! Though they may have won the last engagement, it taught them that they are not infallible or invincible. Sooner or later, one day the Hells and humanity will rise again and on that day...the Heavens will fall!"