Reyl ran towards the enemy’s right side, swinging his sword in orderly patterns creating the shape of Phoenix Fire Wings. Before Reyl’s attack even reached the enemy, came as well a combination of slashing and stabbing of a trident towards Lei’s right side, accompanied by Declan’s yell, "Illuminating Light of Faith!"

Again the woman who called herself a goddess became overwhelmed by two mere humans. Let alone countering them, even blocking their attacks proved difficult for her. The energy flow inside her body were still disrupted and uncontrollable.

A few seconds later, Reyl and Declan jumped in retreat. Their barrages against Lei have ceased just to be followed by the third layer attack.

“Inferno!”

Suddenly fire pillars erupted from the floor below Lei’s feet, blazingly furiously like a sea of Hellfire. The power of this ultimate spell was capable to grill everyone who was ensnared inside the the area above the fiery hexagram symbol on the ground.

Even the goddess cried in pain when she felt the brunt of this infernal torture. Her pale blue skin gradually blackened like a charcoal. Her body was floated to the air uncontrollably.

The blazing fire kept running amok for a while. Then the flame gradually decereased, until it ceased totally. The only thing remain was a charred crater on the floor.

Nepathya Lei was reeling. Her hands were over her wide open eyes. The skin on her hands looked dirty, stained black like a pile of ash was just poured onto her. The base color of her skin was no longer blue, instead it was back to her normal human skin. The divine crystal armor she has previously worn has been burnt, gone.

“How… why? My skin… my divine bdy?” Lei rubbed all over her own body, from her messy hair down to her face, the scars all over her, and…. the blood on her hands.

“Red… the blood is red… It’s over… all my hard work… gone… My dream…. perished…”

Supporting herself with her staff, Sophia spoke feebly, “Not yet, teacher. All is not over. The divine power surely has not completely merged with your body. But at least it has protected you and prevented your death from being turned to ashes by my Hellfire spell. In other words, it has given you the last chance to repent and begin anew.”

The teacher stared towards her former pupil. Stumbling, Lei approached Sophia, showing her a weak smile. Sophia smiled back at her. Lei's hand reached for Sophia…

And suddenly Lei twisted Sophia's hand so the latter dropped her staff. Lei caught said staff then put the sharp tip of its hook on her pupil’s tender neck.

“Agh, Madame Lei, you….!” Much weakened after using her ultimate spell, Sophia could do little to resist.

“Hmph, even though you certainly have proven yourself capable of mastering the strongest fire spell and showed your talent and prowess as a sorceress, you’re still a foolish, naïve girl,” said Lei as a crazed expression showed on her face. “Haven't I lectured you enough about me preferring death rather then spending my remaining life as an ordinary human? Since I am about to die anyway, at least I can take my beloved pupil to accompany me to hell… heeheehee.”

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From behind appeared Reyl who was covered in scars. He pointed his sword towards Lei, shouting, “Nepathya Lei, you have really lost your mind. Let go of Sophia. If you want to die, die on your own. Don’t involve us in your crazy world.”

“Reyl, Reyl, Reyl, the knight in shining armor who is always ready to protect his dearest.” Lei then turned around to face him with her hostage. “I have an idea, how about you come with me to hell in her stead?”

One voice echoed, “No! Don’t! Just take my life, let go of Sophia. Let me be the one to accompany you. I’m cheerful and full of jokes, I won’t bore you down!”

All eyes turned on Declan who said all that in pleading tone. Without threat, without combat stance.

“Wow, one more young knight ready to sacrifice himself for the beloved's happiness. Pretty touching, but still I prefer Sophia. I don’t like your stupid face.” Her hand proceeded to tighten the tip Sophia’s hooked staff against the owner’s neck. “Enough with the chatters. Farewell, Sophia, I shall follow you soon enough.”

“Wait!”

One yell halted Lei halfway. Right in front of her was Maven, who stood firm with a bow on her left hand extended straight. An arrow was pushing against the bow string that she pulled very hard, ready to be fired at will.

“Hoho, what else do we have here? The crybaby elf also wants to play hero? Useless! If you shoot, that arrow will also hit Sophia! If not, I will kill her myself with her own weapon.”

Maven’s Eagle Eye looked extremely sharply. She could see Lei’s face and body were entirely behind Sophia’s, whom she was using as a meat shield. One wrong move, Sophia will die with her.

“If so, then it’s worth a try,“ Maven commented, unfazed. “I don’t mind taking one or two more lives. I just have to make sure an ambitious lunatic like you won’t see tomorrow to endanger Everna. A sacrifice for that cause will be a noble thing to die for. I’m sure Sophia would agree.”

Sophia didn’t respond. That girl was already pale and shivering.

“Oh, is that true? That kind of thinking is something I’ve been looking for. The Grim Reaper, a suitable candidate to be my heir…"

Unwarily, the former goddess reared her left face out of behind Sophia’s back of the head, exposing her crystal eye. Seizing that chance, Maven’s eyes flashed. She released her bowstring. Her arrow dashed, it stroke right on Lei’s crystal eye and continued to pierce the ex-goddess' head.

The force of the arrow shot also pushed Maven's body back. Sophia’s hooked-staff was dropped from Lei's hand, with its tip only made a little scratch on Sophia’s neck.

“Aack…! I can’t believe….”

Before Lei could finish her sentence, she has already lost her life. The knockback sent her corpse flying like a snapped kite, until it collided onto the obelisk where the ancient goddess lied, staining it with her own blood.

A moment later, the obelisk reacted. Its magical ice surface froze the blood instantly, enveloping the corpse of supposed heir completely, sealing her fate. Nepathya Lei got to share a room with Frei Val’shka in an endless sleep.

Seeing the end of her former teacher, Sophia didn’t cry. Still shivering, she picked up her magic staff from the floor. She gazed upon the obelisk containing the two corpses for a while, before falling exhausted to the ground.

“Sophia!” Declan the stray cleric ran for her and carried her. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. I’m wounded, exhausted, and traumatized after everything that has happened. I think I will need some time to recover before deciding what to do next,” she said weakly while coughing.

Of course Reyl, Sophia's official lover also approached her. He told her, “Sophia, here, let me put the ointment first. Calm yourself so you can recover faster.”

Maven began to feel very awkward. Her face turned gloom to see Sophia receiving the two men's attention. Declan perhaps was doing his job as a physician. But Reyl’s attitude was firm. His care for her lover seemed unshakeable forever.

A moment later, Maven's face turned firm, expressing a new resolve. Still rather weak due to her wounds, she turned around. Her feet began to move almost without a sound, leaving the core chamber of the Crystal Palace.