“This is so boring,” Tanya moned

She sat on top of a gigantic moving platform taking up both lanes of the usually crowded road. It was beautifully decorated with flowers and vines in the spirit of Yule who lent his power to grow crops in the dead of winter. To each of Tanya’s sides sat her friend, bodyguards, and family. Mildrith sat to her left, Alda to her right. Carr, Asta, and Garland sat just in front of her as a barrier to the other nobles riding ahead of them.

“Why do I even need to be here?” Tanya continued losing her serious demeanor now that she was surrounded by friends.

“You’re here because you’re the regent,” Mildrith said. “The regent is important, so you have to be part of the parade. And wave to the people, it's basically your job.”

Tanya eyed the streets that were far more deserted than the previous year's festival. “What I should be doing is finding how Fenrir is getting such powerful weapons. Hardly anyone is here thanks to the recent attacks and a few city guards have actually been killed.”

“The fewer people the better I say,” Alda added. “Makes it easier for us to see them coming.”

“There might not even be an attack with so few people here,” Asta said hopefully.

“I wouldn't count on,” Bitarr chuckled from within one of Tanya's breast pockets. He was currently using Brand’s form but shrunk his purely mana-based body to the size of a mouse. “You people are shitting all over the local gods and that never turns out well.”

Tanya quirks an eyebrow. “I didn't know you cared which gods were in charge.”

“I don't. Yule definitely doesn't either, but him being Vara’s son makes her priest treat this day like some great victory over the local gods. To me, Vara’s priest shouldn't even be here, at the very least not in this number. This is a day for farmers, hunters, and common folk. It's not for fancy-dressed judgmental clergymen or any of you nobles.”

“It sounds to me like you're saying I should leave,” Tanya said in an agreeable tone.

“What I’m saying is keep your shields up Garland, I feel em slipping.”

Garland's face reddened as he reinforced the mana shield he created with Bitarr’s help around the group. “Don't worry about the shield. No one can see it so only brute force could possibly break it. And last I checked; Fenrir has no high-level magic users.”

Terrified screams suddenly sprang up from the priestly procession ahead. Tanya quickly stood collecting mana in her eyes to get a better look. The platform most of the Vara’s and Yule’s priest used was covered in a cloud of darkness that couldn't be pierced by mage sight. It eroded any light that encountered it and seemed to death magic but it expanded in a perfect sphere instead of a cloud.

“Is that a death magic bomb,” Carr asked but not in his usual excited tone. “Are death bombs even a thing?”

He wasn't the only one shaken. Alda, who was looking forward to the encounter, was visibly pale along with Mildrith, who was usually calm and collected. Now she sputtered incoherently as she came to the same realization as everyone else. The sphere of death was moving too fast to escape. In mere seconds they’d be inside it and die instantly from mana depletion.

Asta was the first to act. She raised her staff sending a stream of power into Garland’s shield greatly strengthening it. This snapped Tanya out of shock enough to turn to the only person that could save them.

“Bitarr, absorb it!” she shouted.

Bitarr jumped out of Tanya’s pocket growing to his full side instantly. “I could save you if that really was death magic. But-.”

Bitarr left the rest his words unsaid as the darkness hit Garland’s shields and passed right through without slowing or breaking it. Tanya shut her eyes and braced for death. When she felt no pain, she thought her end might have been painless but when the screams of the crowd around her continued to assault her senses she opened her eyes to nothingness.

It was as if her eyes were still shut in the dead of night. She quickly created a mage light but saw nothing even as she intensified its glow. But the darkness did not stop her from hearing explosions in the distance that were growing closer.

“Use your magic perception if you want to see,” Bitarr advised. “No light can cut through this shit.”

Tanya listened eminently forcing her mana outward with little result. Her mana pool was that of a mage, so she lacked the control needed to see through her perception. “You know what this is.”

Bitarr sounded a bit unsure. “Yeah, but this is a bit much for one of Amra’s faithful. She may have finally chosen an avatar but why would one here?” Bitarr’s eyes widened as a realization came to him from the form he held. “Well, that explains it.”

Tanya’s other questions paused when she finally got a look at her surroundings. Garland, Asta, and Carr were all panicked due to their blindness while Bitarr held Alda and Mildrith by their waste; both knocked out.

“What happened to them?” Tanya asked. Bitarr shrugged as if he didn’t know. “Bill shit! What aren’t you telling me!”

Without an answer, Bitarr threw Alda and Mildrith behind him conjuring axes in both hands. Then Tanya felt someone races into her perception field from above. Before she could react, whatever was coming at her showered her with the unmistakable warmth and smell of blood.

**********

Uhtred studied his friends with more than a little envy. Both were preparing for the upcoming fight with a calm he didn’t possess. Astrid teleported each of her knives into her hand rechecking the magic on each with an excited expectation on her face. Brand sat in a lotus position maintaining the bubble of air allowing them to breathe within Uhtred’s personal shadow. The mana around him shifted through a rainbow of colors ensuring he had access to his full range of defenses runes and wards. When he finished, Brand looked like a child expecting gifts on his birthday, anxiously waiting to open his new toys.

There was something missing in those two. They lacked the hesitation most were burdened with when facing death. It seemed the war they were about to wage was nothing to them. As long as Astrid could enjoy a good fight and Brand had a chance to collect power magic-user corpses they seemed happy.

Uhtred, on the other hand, was a thief at heart. He didn't even feel that he was that strong. Thankfully he wasn't tasked with eliminating any targets. Mostly because he wasn’t sure he couldn’t, at least not the ones that mattered. Even with the hundreds of weapons stored in his shadow, Uhtred stood no chance against a VIP. He wasn't sure Brand did either, but his friend never fought impossible battles, so he’d do his job.

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Uhtred spread his mana around himself erecting a shield. It should have been light blue but was an ominous black with streaks of blue. His magic had been so since receiving his last blessing. He dared not question it. His mana now felt more protenant and covered his face in a veil of darkness even Brand’s perception could not pierce it his friend’s frustration.

Uhtred peered into Alfhiem from the shadows. “It’s time.” He only sent his hands through the shadow just in case and called on one of his newest divine gifts. “True Darkness.”

A black marble sided sphere appeared between Uhtred’s hands. After a breath, it expanded covering about half a mile in darkness that repealed all light. Uhtred then exited his shadow followed by Brand and Astrid. They split off in different directions while Uhtred ran in a cloak of shadows towards his goal. He ultimately decided to fly avoiding the crowds of blinded and terrified people.

In the heart of the chaos, he saw several targets. One was especially close so Uhtred guided his shadow up his body and pulled a baculous from his otherworldly armory right into his hand. But before he was able to form a spell Brand’s spear stabbed through the woman’s chest and into four others before stopping, killing them all instantly. A moment later an ax flew past Uhtred killing just as many as the spear. But it kept going, cutting down priests and nobles alike with purpose thanks to Brand direct control.

More fell before Uhtred could act as Astrid danced amongst the madness. She also sang a beautiful yet defining song robbing those around her of yet another of their senses. Several powerful magi died with no way to defend themselves, each perishing with a slit throat or punctured heart.

Without the need to join in combat, Uhtred pulled each body he passed into his shadow securing them for later use. He left any not on his path for later as he wasn't willing to sacrifice any time away from his mission. His decision proved to be the right one as he spotted one of the winged demigods diving for Tanya.

Uhtred tucked his baculous into his cloak and pulled out a thin glowing blade as long as he was tall. It was an extremely unstable magical weapon created with overpowered enchantments that would ultimately destroy it within a few uses. No one in their right mind would bring such a weapon onto the battlefield. Its effect might be several times more powerful than a correctly made weapon, but within one or two swings, it would turn to dust, so it was a good thing Uhtred had hundreds more stashed within his shadow.

With a two-handed grip, Uhtred made a single swing that sent a thin blast of air towards the demigod. She seemed to notice the attack as it closed on her, but a fountain of blood bursting out from where her head used to be proved she wasn't fast enough to avoid it. Uhtred followed his first attack with another this time aimed at the flame wings demigod who also dove towards Tanya. Unfortunately, his sister's death made him abandon his attack and fly into the relative safety of the sky which Uhtred was perfectly fine with.

Uhtred landed right behind Tanya’s escort just before his sword turned to dust. With a nod to Bitarr, he sent his shadow out and gobbled up Mildrith and Alda before Tanya could collect herself after being drenched in demigod blood. As soon as she did, Uhtred fell into the darkness avoiding Leo’s claw by a hair’s breadth. But at least he managed to get those two off out of the battle. According to Brand, having a speedster and blade conjurer fighting would get them killed long before an apex magic-user could get the chance.

**********

Brand had grown to hate god magic, mostly because he saw no way to grasp even a fundamental understanding of it. Uhtred's blessing was an exception though. He didn't care how True Darkness worked, not when it allowed him to tear his way through the Yule Festival practically unchallenged.

Where he may have been overwhelmed by being surrounded by South Bastion nobles Brand was easily able to cut down Tanya’s enemies with ease. From those out of reach, he threw spinning axes he controlled directly occasionally painting targets with a cantrip for them to target. Everyone else received a skull-splitting ax or spear for their treason.

Brand burst through an expertly crafted mage shield delivering a kick to the creator's solar plexus. He reveled in how his foot shattered the man’s ribs and shredded his lungs. It was a fitting punishment for someone stealing gold from Tanya’s court. Moments later, a spear thrust ended a North Bastion spy then flying axes decapitated her entourage. The next head sent flying was a man that preferred his whore a bit too young. The one after that pretended to support his regent but all the while worked to have her killed. But when Brand came upon Eric he almost paused. The prince, to his surprise, was innocent so he ran past him only slicing off his left leg as he went.

After he finished killing his way through the South Bastion nobles, Brand surged towards Vara’s priest with an explosive dash. The resulting shockwave of his movement alerted several priests to his position. As one, they shot a constant stream of holy fire at Brand but to his surprise and annoyance, the white flame was barely above room temperature.

“I bet the flames are only meant to harm nonhumans,” Brand thought as he split the first of many priests in half with a diagonal swing. “But how do the flames know I’m human? It’s probably more god magic nonsense.”

Brand was having such an easy time with the holy flame that when he spotted the church's apex members, he turned to face them but came to a stop after only nine steps. The Archbishop was blindly crafting mana shields around herself without any hope of using her magic perception to see. In the darkness, she was obviously no threat but standing sentinel in front of her was the paladin who faced Brand with purpose as if he could tell where he was.

Brand dashed to the side with a conjured spear in one hand and threw it with deadly accuracy at the Archbishop. If her shields were conventional and not some world breaking god magic bullshit, the weapon should have pierced her chest with ease. But the spear was stopped inches from the Archbishop's person as the paladin caught its shaft then turned to once again face Brand.

“There’s no doubt now. He can sense me.”

A gentle thrum rippled through the air as a shield, an actual solid tower shield appeared on the paladin’s left arm. Brand had the sneaking suspicion it was silver like the rest of his armor and divine in nature. But was it indestructible? Brand charged with every intention of finding out.

Before closing half the distance, the paladin charged as well, only his charge was almost faster than the striker could react to. Without a second to spare, Brand raised his left arm conjuring the newest part of his arsenal. A circular shield, one not used since before Ragnarök solidified over his arm. With his shield tilted backward, Brand met the paladin’s creating a blast of force powerful enough to punch a small crater into the ground and send the paladin sliding over Brand’s head into the air.

With his hoplite shield now broken, Brand wanted to turn back to the Archbishop but when gigantic wings sprouted from the paladins back, he knew there was no time. True Darkness wouldn't last much longer so he had to finish this fight now.

Luckily, the wings did not seem quite functional. As soon as the paladin landed, they dissolve replaced by a spiked mace. Not waiting for his enemy to attack, Brand throttled his mana and charged. Right before landing his first ax swing, he redoubled his throttling speed moving to another side of the paladin in a blur of motion. A loud clang rang out as the paladin blocked the attack by his shield leaving his arm and moving through the air to protect his back. And like Brand theorized, he couldn't cut through it gods damn divine magic because that was the whole point. No matter how much power Brand had the divine object would never break, not in a thousand years, and not with all the knowledge in the universe.

The shield moved as the mace swung around catching Brand in the stomach and shattered his roots to the world as if they would paper. The blow sent him into the paved road digging a deep furrow with his body. The pain was like nothing he felt since striker training. If not for his Ironsides spell and converting a small part of the kinetic force to mana he would have been torn apart.

The striker was given no time to rest as the floating shield came down over him. Brand rolled to the side before the shield crashed down and sprang to his feet. Then he felt the paladin closing but not on him. The silver-clad warrior was pulled to his shield sliding his hand into its grip as soon as he reached it.

Without warning, blinding lights rained down on the festival once again as True Darkness came to an end. Within seconds everyone could see the Phantom's handiwork. The streets were stained so red by the blood of nobles and priests finding its original color would be difficult. The strangest part with a lack of bodies. Only a handful dotted the streets thanks to Uhtred who’d been collecting them. Further down the street was no better. In the darkness, Astrid made quick work of the vellian targets. Only the Bryers were left untouched but a few fired off spells out of fear leaving many of them wounded.

The problem now was Brand had a lot more than one apex cultivated to worry about. The Archbishop, Bryers, surviving nobles, and two winged demigods were all staring him down with murderous rage. There was only one thing to do in this situation so Brand played the part he crafted for himself.

“For Tir Na Nog!”