Without warning, Leviathan launched her attack, icy blasts hurtling towards Uriel. The air around them grew frigid, the ground beneath their feet crackling with frost. Uriel dodged and parried, her sword glowing with celestial light as she countered Leviathan's strikes.
The battle was fierce and unrelenting. Leviathan's mastery over ice and mental manipulation tested Uriel's every limit. She conjured walls of ice, sent shards flying, and probed Uriel's mind with whispers of doubt and fear.
Uriel whirled around, her wings unfurling in a burst of golden light that shattered the nearest ice wall. Leviathan sneered, her eyes glinting with malice. She raised her hands, and a storm of razor-sharp icicles swirled around her, darting towards Uriel like hungry predators. Uriel's blade flashed, cutting through the icy barrage with precision, each strike ringing like a chime in the frozen air.
"Is that all you have?" Uriel taunted, her voice steady despite the growing cold. Her breath crystallized in the air as she spoke, the temperature continuing to drop.
Leviathan smirked, her form shimmering with a blue aura. "Hardly," she hissed. With a wave of her hand, the ground beneath Uriel exploded into jagged ice spikes. Uriel leapt into the air, her wings beating with powerful strokes, carrying her above the deadly terrain.
From her aerial vantage point, Uriel summoned a beam of divine light, directing it towards Leviathan. The beam struck with searing intensity, but Leviathan was quick to react. She enveloped herself in a barrier of ice, the divine light melting parts of it but failing to penetrate completely. Leviathan emerged from the barrier, her expression a mix of fury and determination.
With a roar, Leviathan unleashed a torrent of icy wind, her power amplified by her rage. Uriel was forced back, her wings straining against the gale. The cold bit into her, but she held firm, drawing upon the warmth of her inner light. She channeled her energy into her sword, the blade glowing brighter with each passing second.
Leviathan's attacks grew more frenzied. She summoned a colossal ice dragon that lunged at Uriel, its maw opening wide to release a stream of freezing breath. Uriel dived, rolling to avoid the attack, and then flew upwards, her sword cleaving through the dragon’s icy form, shattering it into a shower of frost.
Uriel's counterattack was relentless. She dived towards Leviathan, her blade a streak of light in the dim, frozen battlefield. Leviathan conjured another ice wall, but Uriel smashed through it, the shards scattering like glittering stars. They clashed again, their powers colliding in a dazzling display of light and dark.
Leviathan tried to worm her way into Uriel's mind once more, sending tendrils of doubt and fear creeping into her thoughts. Uriel's vision blurred for a moment, but she shook her head, her resolve hardening. She let out a cry of defiance, her celestial light flaring, pushing the insidious whispers away.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Just as Uriel began to gain the upper hand, Leviathan paused, her head tilting as if listening to a distant call. With a frustrated snarl, she stepped back. "This isn't over, Uriel. I have been summoned."
Before Uriel could respond, Leviathan vanished, leaving behind only the remnants of their fierce battle and the lingering chill of her presence. Uriel stood amidst the ruins of ice and snow, her breath coming in heavy puffs, her sword still glowing with the fading light of her divine power.
Exhausted and bruised, Uriel collapsed onto the snow-covered ground, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. The once serene landscape of Mount Elysium's Edge was now marred by the signs of their confrontation cracked ice, scorched earth, and scattered feathers. The celestial light from her sword dimmed, reflecting her waning strength.
As she rested, Uriel's thoughts raced. Why had Leviathan been called away so suddenly? What did it mean for her mission to find Michael? And what role did Beelzebub play in this unfolding drama?
The cold seeped into her bones, but she welcomed the chill, using it to sharpen her focus. Leviathan's sudden departure was unsettling. The ice demon was not one to retreat unless something of greater importance demanded her attention. Uriel's mind turned over the possibilities, each one more troubling than the last.
Her thoughts drifted to Michael. The archangel had been missing for too long, and his absence was a dark void in the heavenly ranks. Uriel's mission to find him had taken her through perilous realms and now, to this frigid battleground. The encounter with Leviathan was unexpected, and her words hinted at a larger scheme in motion.
Beelzebub. The name sent a shiver down her spine, colder than the icy winds that whipped around her. The prince of demons was a master of manipulation and chaos. His involvement meant that the stakes were higher than she had imagined. What plans did he have, and how were they intertwined with Leviathan's actions?
Uriel closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment of respite. She knew that her journey was far from over and that greater challenges lay ahead. Her body ached from the clash, but her spirit remained unbroken. The celestial warmth within her flickered, a small but steady flame against the encroaching darkness.
She could feel the presence of her fallen feathers scattered across the battlefield, each one a symbol of the strength and purity she fought to protect. Slowly, she gathered her thoughts, drawing energy from the remnants of her light. She envisioned Michael, his radiant presence guiding her path, and felt a renewed sense of purpose.
Uriel’s rest was brief, but it was enough to restore a measure of her strength. She rose to her feet, the chill of the snow biting through her armor. Her wings unfurled, shaking off the ice and snow that clung to them. With a deep breath, she focused on the next steps.
The path ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger and deception. But Uriel was resolute. She would uncover the truth behind Leviathan's sudden retreat and Beelzebub's sinister plans. And she would find Michael, no matter the cost.
With a final glance at the scarred battlefield, Uriel launched herself into the sky. The horizon stretched before her, a canvas of endless possibilities and hidden perils. As she soared, the weight of her mission pressed down on her, but so did the strength of her resolve. She was Uriel, the Lightbringer, and she would not falter.
The journey was far from over, but she was ready to face whatever lay ahead.