In the inner sanctum of the Cathedral of the First Saint…
This is it! The final destination of our little Dungeon excursion. This place is a splitting image of the Sepulchre of God – the Ecclesiarch’s abode, luxury and all. Fancy living!
Here in this place, the undying spirit of the First Saint, the Devata Alyssa Alcadeias, administers the final test for the aspiring Healer and Paladin – a two-on-one battle. Wielding a fiery claymore and a holy staff of pure light, she’s quite deadly! And those facing judgement have to use all they’ve learned to survive this deadliness for three whole minutes. Nothing more, nothing less.
However, a Devata’s dance is a deadly one, even if she’s holding back. In the previous timeline, Anna and I survived that dance. Barely. But we did! Now, however… I don’t think Saint Alyssa’s gonna hold back in this timeline. Especially not against me.
Past the red carpet lining the way for Anna and me in red and gold, the Holy Grail and the Blessed Rosary sit side-by-side upon a gilded altar where Lady Iris’ desk would be. The Grail is a simple cup befitting any hardworking person, while the Rosary is a little more fancy with gold and jewels. They look like they’re free to take, but I know better – an extraordinarily powerful presence, stronger than even that bloody Phoenix from earlier, emanates from the altar itself. No points for guessing who it is!
“Hero. Paladin. Welcome.”
Saint Alyssa’s voice rests on an even keel, her words calm like falling petals, like rain in the forest, like summer before fall, as she appears before us. In a brilliant flash of white and red light, draped from head-to-toe in shimmering, radiant, flowing ethereal robes. Elvish ears and locks of hair slip from her hooded, faceless visage, like long strands of resplendent light.
“The two of you have come a long way for this audience with me. You’ve both survived the trials of our blessed Order and persevered in the face of adversity. I’m equally impressed and proud. Especially of you, young Paladin.”
“Oh my! Really!?” Anna exclaims, smiling brightly with a hand on her cheek as Saint Alyssa nods at her. “Umm… I was doing my best! Like I always do!”
“Indeed, Paladin. You have served your Healer well. And now…”
Two fiery claymores, each the size of Ascalon, manifest in each of Saint Alyssa’s hands. That’s… one more than the usual. Oh boy. Wielding them casually like they’re a pair of shortswords, she assumes a battle stance as a white-gold and ruby-studded hourglass materialises upon the altar, its upper half full with sand.
“Three minutes. Nothing more, nothing less,” Saint Alyssa states gracefully as the gaze of her ethereal visage falls on me and me alone. “But know this… Healer – you are here in your full power, and thus subject to my full power. As you are the challenger here, to you and your Paladin goes the first blow.”
“I’ll have it no other way,” I answer with a smile as I ready Elizabeth, while Anna unsheathes Ascalon. “We’re ready for whatever you’ve got!”
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
----------------------------------------
Dancing with the First Saint…
Three minutes, Saint Alyssa said. Nothing more. Nothing less. I’m thinking that I can work with this as we stare each other down while backing up for some space, as I bestow my Divine Blessing on Anna with a wave of my hand and a prayer.
That was our first move. In the blink of an eye, Saint Alyssa rushes into melee range with blindingly inhuman speed, twin claymores gunning for me. Anna rushes forward as well, intercepting her attack with Ascalon’s edge. Silver and golden Sanctuaries glow powerfully beneath them as their blades clash in a symphony of blessed silver and fire.
“Rinnah preserve me…” Anna rasps, as radiant sparks and sanctified flames fall upon her and Saint Alyssa. “Blessed is your strength which tempers my will…”
With an outstretched hand, I cast Heal on Anna, showering her in the warmth of white and blue light. It’s enough to let her match the Devata’s blades. But even then… she’s losing ground, bit by bit, as Saint Alyssa advances slowly and methodically.
Good grief. Saint Alyssa’s trying to force this fight closer and closer to me, it seems. Close enough that I feel the stinging sharpness of blades and fire cutting and burning into the stony exterior of my Mage Armour. It does hurt quite a bit… I’ll say. But I keep at it, keeping the Heal spells coming for Anna, one after another.
But neither Anna nor I can keep this up for much longer. I charge up a massive bolt of Holy Fire with Saint Alyssa’s name on it, hoping to tip the balance of power as I did with that Dullahan earlier. But before I can, Saint Alyssa breaks the stalemate of blades between her and Anna, kicking her right in the stomach as soon as an opening presents itself, sending her tumbling towards the floor, knocking her out cold.
“Anna!”
I rush over to her side as quickly as I can, but Saint Alyssa rushes forth with that same inhuman speed, twin claymores poised to eviscerate me into nothingness. In those moments right before certain death… I breathe in deeply, focusing my Mana into Elizabeth… such that, just as those claymores come for me, I use my staff as an Aura Blade, parrying the Devata’s executioner’s blow with everything I’ve got… pushing her back with all the force of my Aura.
It’s… just enough! I feel my chest tighten, blood rushing up into my mouth as I find myself staggering backwards… just a few steps back as I parry that attack meant to finish me off. And I’m still… standing. Still in it to win it!
“That spell you used was Aura Blade…” Saint Alyssa states as she disengages gracefully, landing on the balls of her ethereal feet. “My magic.”
“Yeah…” I answer with gritted teeth, blood spilling down my lips as I bring up my hand, trembling with white and blue light, to Heal myself. “It is…”
“Hmm. How interesting.”
“Heh! I’m just… full of surprises…”
“But will it save you and your Paladin? There’s only one way to find out.”
Immediately, Saint Alyssa rushes at me with those fiery claymores of hers. Weaving more and more Mana into Elizabeth, I bring up my Aura Blade and deflect a guillotine stroke from her left claymore, before backing up and parrying another deathblow from coming in hot from her right. She isn’t stopping… but I match each strike with my own, parrying with all the speed and strength I can muster. I’m not too good with a blade… but I’m giving it my all anyway… even if…
“Woah! Shit…”
I barely get outta the way as a concentrated blast of Holy Fire erupts from all around Saint Alyssa, having swapped her blades for a staff of fire and light. But it’s a feint to get me to drop my guard, to lose focus… for while the flames burn, her staff swaps back to her claymores as she rushes in and bashes me, knocking me across the room, down to the ground.
Uh oh. This might be it. As Saint Alyssa rushes in to finish me for good, I raise my Aura Blade once more, bracing myself for the end… only to have Anna rush in, placing herself between me and Saint Alyssa as she parries the latter’s attack with Ascalon’s edge.
“Anna…”
“Rinnah… you are my goodness… my sword and shield…” Anna utters as she and Ascalon hold the line against Saint Alyssa and her twin claymores. “I trust in you…”
It’s right about then, as their blades clash anew… that the hourglass on the altar shatters, signifying that three minutes has passed. Gotta say… it’s like music to my ears!