Chapter 5
The Temple of Riverfork served a greater purpose than just honouring the Five Gods of humanity. It was more than just a structure made of white stones and large windows depicting the War of Ascension, the event that led humanity to a new age. The temple of Riverfork was an old fortress from ancient times, rebuilt after a time to serve as a temple. Hence, the reason why there were so many citizens of Riverfork flocking to that place searching for help.
Sister Helena stood stoically amidst the pandemonium that swirled around her. A throng of wounded and scorched people pressed in on her, clamouring for her attention and help. Yet despite the urgency of their needs, Sister Helena's mind remained steadfastly fixed on a single thought, a single thing—the Hellfront.
Sister Helena could see the vast frontier of dead soil, with hundreds of fortifications and trenches, as far as her eye could see. Some fortresses were as old as the war itself, and some of the trenches were built on top of older ones. Never moving, stuck in time, an eternal battle between humans and demons. Sister Helena could almost smell it—the mud, ashes, blood, and magic. It was a scent that she would never forget, even after all these years.
"Sister! Please help me!"
"Please, Sister Helena! My son!"
"Sister Helena, my daughter is not waking up!"
"Please, I don't want to die—!"
The voices were all too loud. Sister Helena wanted to help. But there were too many. Their faces, the blood, and their screams all at the same time were too much for her. Her mind couldn't process it all.
Medic! Where is the sister?! We have three wounded here!
Captain Haltwing! They are being surrounded! We have to help them!
Negative! If we leave our post, the entire B sector will fall! The demons will have an open window to attack the Citadel! We have to hold! We have to hold the line!
But captain—!
Hold the line!
Sister Helena felt as though her own words were a curse weighing her down. As captain, she had to make difficult decisions to ensure the survival of both herself and her people. Despite her confident demeanour, Sister Helena was a shattered individual, bearing the scars of war. There were times when she was tired of thinking. The only thing that kept her grounded and alive was the memory of her older sister. That was it. Nothing more for a failure like her.
"Aunt! Please, Aunt Helena!"
Sister Helena snapped back as she felt Mikael's hand touching hers. There, those eyes she recognised immediately gazed upon her. The same blue shade as hers. The same as her older sister.
A piercing sense of regret and shame consumed Sister Helena. But she needed to shake the feeling, no matter what she thought of herself. She wasn't the type of person who put her own life above others. As she stood there, lost in thought, she realised that the people of Riverfork were counting on her. They needed Captain Haltwing, the Battlesister, not Sister Helena. She couldn't afford to let them down. She knew that every moment she spent brooding over her past mistakes, someone else would bear the brunt of it. Therefore, she resolved to put her personal anguish aside and focus on the greater good.
"Squire!"
Mikael was frozen in place when he heard his aunt's voice, which sounded exactly like his father's commanding voice. He realised that she was no longer the sister in charge of the temple in Riverfork. Instead, she was the battlesister she used to be, and he understood why. A demon was attacking them. The town was in flames, and their lives were at risk.
Mikael's trembling body showcased his fears, but he refused to allow people to suffer in front of him.
"Yes!" Mikael exclaimed, standing firmly before his aunt.
"Go to my room. There is a chest inside the wardrobe. Inside, you'll find a scroll and health potions. Bring them here."
"Understood!"
Sister Helena nodded as she watched her nephew go. Soon enough, she took a deep breath and glanced at the row of people before her. The wails of pain, the smell of scorched skin, the scent of blood. All made her shiver, but her determination kept her from breaking. She prioritised the pain of others over her own, just like her sister would.
"Attention!" Sister Helena yelled, her voice resonating across the hall. "People who aren't hurt, please move out of the way for those who are! Please move the burn victims to the left side! Next to me! You two! Get rid of the tables to make room for them!"
Soon, the people followed the sister's commands, quickly making space for the burned victims. But while, Sister Helena saw that many people were targets of the blaze surrounding Riverfork. The truth was that she worried about those who had the misfortune of encountering the Ghouls and undead.
"Mama! Mama!" A child screamed, and Sister Helena arrived quickly, hissing at the sight before her.
"Oh, Miri," Sister Helena softly muttered as she saw her friend bleed profusely from an amputated arm. Although, it looked as if a creature had chewed Miri's arm entirely. The bone was visible, the flesh was hanging from it, and the blood was everywhere. Thankfully, Miri had acted quickly and got rid of her hand before it infected her.
"Hey, Helena, how're you doing?" Miri mumbled, barely having any strength left in her to speak. It was clear that Miri had lost a lot of blood before the tourniquet was applied to her. "It's fine. We Etlines are made of the hard stuff!"
Miri chuckled dryly as Sister Helena sighed. "It's going to be alright, Miri. Don't worry, I am going to make the pain stop in a blink," Sister Helena replied quickly, kneeling beside her.
"You hear that, sweetie? Mama is going to be fine."
Miri whispered as her daughter sobbed next to her. "Please! Sister Helena! Save, mama!"
"Calm down, honey, everything will be fine!" Miri hushed gently as Sister Helena focused on the task at hand.
Before attempting any healing spells, Sister Helena carefully cleaned Miri's wound to prevent infection from Ghoul's saliva. Sister Helena casted [Clean Wound] first and [Flesh's Saturation] before manually dressing the wound with bandages. Then, she used [Minor Healing] to close the wound thoroughly, removing the pain but leaving a numb feeling of discomfort and ache. Although Miri would have to live with only one arm, her daughter would not become an orphan.
Sister Helena took a deep breath before hearing Mikael approaching her with the scroll and a box of health potions.
"Here it is!" Mikael shouted as he made his way towards her.
"Pass the health potions to those with urgent wounds," Sister Helena stated, knowing full well that those potions wouldn't be sufficient for that many people. "Do you remember the four points of combat healing?"
"Yes! Stop the bleeding, clean the wound, saturate it, and cover it with bandages before healing!" Mikael replied quickly, earning a smile from his aunt, who stared back at him with a proud smile on her face.
"Good boy, now go!" Sister Helena said, making her nephew, Mikael, stand up quickly and go to show his aunt that she could trust him with the task at hand. "Sister, if you could see him now."
The sister mumbled before taking a deep breath. She glanced at her hand and had to clench it hard to stop it from shaking. Get a grip! Focus! Focus! She whispered to herself, mentally preparing to use the scroll before time ran out.
When casting a spell, it's not enough to know the words. Magic was a complex matter, requiring an understanding of the spell's technicalities, nature, and workings, for example, for those who wanted to learn healing magic. To heal properly, it was necessary for them to study medicine. Without this knowledge, how could they effectively mend a broken bone or perform a life-saving surgery? Although magic may be powerful, its effectiveness depends heavily on the user's knowledge and skills.
They claimed that casting a spell represented the power of the mind, but if the mind were empty, it would also result in an empty spell.
Besides, those who learn healing magic must be able to still perform their duties to help people, even if they run out of Mana. And in that profession, healers run out of Mana quickly. Sister Helena knew that too well during her time at the Hellfront. There were many times when she ran out of Mana and had to perform surgeries without it.
"And we don't have enough health potions. There are so many wounded," Sister Helena muttered as she laid the scroll on the ground, slowly chanting some words. "Maybe it is for the best."
Although Sister Helena knew health potions could be helpful in dire situations, she knew that they should not be relied upon as a primary solution. In fact, they may cause more harm than good if not used properly. One potential issue with health potions was their aggressive nature. They could heal even the most severe wound. But, they would do so forcibly, like leaving whatever caused the injury inside the body and causing infection at a later time because the wound was not cleaned properly. On other occasions, however, the health potion would attack the body rather than the injury because of how aggressive it could be, leading to symptoms like fever, vomiting, and general fatigue.
Something Sister Helena was aware of and wanted to avoid. But right now, she couldn't do much.
"Here we go. I hope she doesn't get angry at me," Sister Helena muttered to herself as she glanced down at the scroll lying on the ground. She took a deep breath and concentrated her Mana on the scroll. Gradually, the paper with its mysterious symbols started to glow, responding favourably to Sister Helena's Mana. "Summoning: [Aler'ami, the Fairy of Healing]"
A glowing light revealed a small, tiny figure emerging from the letters and scroll.
"Ah! You did it! After such a long time!" The tiny little fairy exclaimed loudly, her voice echoing in the temple's hall. The fairy stood only 10cm tall, with bright yellow hair, big hazel eyes, and two crystalline wings that seemed to reflect the light itself. She wore a dress made of leaves of various colours and held a small staff in her tiny hands. "Uwa! I've missed you so much, Helena!"
"Ami, it's been a while," Sister Helena commented as the tiny fairy excitedly soared around her.
"That's right! You never invite me to chat anymore. You used to call me to share cookies!"
"I apologise," Sister Helena replied softly. "But right now, I need your help, Ami. A demon knight is attacking Riverfork; as you can see, I have my hands full. I cast [Holy Protective Dome]. I must maintain my Mana. If not, the spell will vanish."
"Demon knight? Here? So far on the continent?" Ami mumbled worriedly. "They are truly getting more aggressive."
"I know," Sister Helena replied, not hiding how worried she was, too. "But answers could wait. Right now, we have to help the people. Can you take care of the burn victims?"
Ami, the fairy, looked around and saw the burned victims lying on the floor. Some had third-degree burns, and others were more lucky. But their wails of sorrow and pain reached her ears as one of the divine beings. Ami couldn't ignore their suffering. "Mmh! Don't worry, Helena! Leave it to me!" The fairy spoke with a confident smile on her face.
Ami swiftly flew over the group of burn victims, and soon she spoke with a loud voice, or as loud as a fairy could be. "Alright! Please gather around! I can only do this once!"
As Ami exclaimed, she started muttering in an ancient language. Gradually, a large ring formed around the group of burned individuals, and a blue light beam enveloped them, easing their pain and relieving their burns.
"[Aura of Relief and Healing]" Ami's spell was stunningly beautiful and almost holy. While aiding Sister Helena with other patients, Mikael couldn't help but stare in awe at its sheer power.
"Amazing! That's a tier-five spell!" Mikael commented while her aunt rolled her eyes at her nephew's reaction.
"Focus, Mikael," his aunt called. "Focus on what's in front of you."
"Y-yeah! Sorry!"
Sister Helena noticed her nephew's admiration for the fairy's abilities, which reminded her of her own reaction when she first met Ami many years ago. Fairies were one of the 12 divine beings in the world, comprised of pure Mana, and magic was innate to them. It was their nature. Sister Helena had Ami as a summon scroll because the Haltwing family had rescued Ami in the past, and fairies never forget their friends. Ami made a pact with the Haltwing family to answer their call as long as they had pure intentions of helping others.
Right now, Sister Helena wanted to aid as many people as she could. Even so, the events taking place outside the temple's walls were fraying the battlesister's nerves.
"Markus, be careful," Sister Helena mumbled to herself, knowing that the commander of the Holy Knight had been bringing survivors to the temple. Still, if there were a demon knight out there, it would soon become a battle for survival. And she hoped luck would be on their side.
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Commander Markus's mace found his target, a ghoul's head, and the impact splattered all around him. The dark creature didn't stand a chance against the commander of the Holy Knights. But killing a ghoul for him was easy, yet there were so many and never-ending.
"Disgusting."
Commander Markus glared fiercely at the horde of undead and ghouls approaching the temple. He was accompanied by the remaining Riverfork town guards, consisting of only a few soldiers. All of whom were still in shock by what was happening around them. The moaning and hissing sounds made by the undead were terrifying, but what truly made the town guards feel nauseous was the fact that these undead were once their friends. Riverfork, being a small town, meant that each undead was somehow connected to them, and every time they eliminated one, they lost a companion, a family member, or a lover.
"The town! It's gone!" A guard exclaimed, holding his spear with a trembling hand. "What can we do?!"
"There is no end," one of the guards whispered, watching the undead horde before them. "How many have died? Our town is gone!"
"Enough! Focus! Do not let fear hold you! Fall back to the temple! Now!" Commander Markus ordered them to fall back to the last defence position.
He knew that Rivefork was lost, and if the fire did not obliterate it all. Then, the undead and ghouls would do the rest. But if survivors were still left somewhere, Commander Markus hoped they would escape.
"We need to hold, that's all."
Commander Markus's goal was to hold down until reinforcements arrived. Thankfully, he used Sister Helena's Echo to contact the Holy Kingdom. Still, even then, it would take time for them to arrive.
"Where is that woman?" Commander Markus muttered, recalling the white-haired woman's plan to handle the demons. Despite his doubts, he remained suspicious of her. There was something strange about her. What was it? Commander Markus couldn't say.
Soon enough, as they arrived at the temple, the Holy Knight's commander saw a large group of undead and ghouls ahead of them, blocking their path. Those undead couldn't pass Sister Helena [Holy Protective Dome], but they could try to stop them.
"Where did they come from?!" One of the guards exclaimed in horror.
"Stay behind me," the commander sneered as he pointed his mace at the dark creatures.
"[Radiant Light]" He chanted, and a golden beam pierced the foul creatures, burning those whom the holy light touched. No darkness could prevail as long as he was left standing. "Now, behind me!"
Commander Markus kept his shield up and forcefully, without fear or hesitation, made his way to the temple. The town guards hurriedly followed the path left behind by Commander Markus. Yet, one of them was suddenly caught by a ghoul, who latched on his leg, ripping apart his flesh in just a few bites.
"ARGH!"
The screams of the town guard and the desperation of his voice froze the other town guards, who could only glance back and see their comrade being eaten by the Ghoul and soon the undead. Piece by piece, the guard was torn apart with no mercy by those dark creatures. Their dread kept them from acting on their desire to assist their friend. Yet, someone tried to help.
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"[Arm-strengh] [Leg-Strengh] [Swiftness] [Dash] [Piercing Edge]"
A girl with blue hair dashed in, slicing undead and Ghouls with ease. Commander Markus recognised her. It was the hero who was burned by Hellfire. The same one was healed by that person.
The girl with lustrous blue hair displayed remarkable agility as she swiftly and precisely unleashed devastating blows upon the undead and Ghouls. Her movements were perfectly coordinated—not a single step amiss—and her sword sliced through their flesh with a sharp and swift sound. The girl showed no fear as she cut the enemies in front of her. It was clear to Commander Markus that the girl had seen the undead and Ghouls before.
She approached the town guard but saw nothing but a twisted face, contorted in suffering and moaning loudly. What was left of the guard, a half-eating body, crawled itself towards the girl with one goal in mind: to share his dammed fate.
"I was late," the girl whispered, watching the guard she wanted to save open his mouth and try to bite her. He was an undead already. "I'm sorry."
The girl whispered before impaling her sword into the undead's head, hopefully giving him peace. Still, the young hero realised that she was surrounded by dark creatures. She had no time to dwell on her mistakes or failures.
"[Dash]" With remarkable speed, she darted towards Commander Markus inside the dome covering the temple. The girl took a deep breath, relaxing her muscles for a few seconds.
Commander Markus knew the girl was not just an amateur hero. If she was sent to the Hellfront, it must be because she belongs to the Tier 2 class of heroes. It was an impressive feat for someone so young, meaning that this girl had a talent.
"Impressive girl," Commander Markus commented as the girl glanced in his direction.
"I want to help," she replied quietly. Her voice was tender and soft. Clearly, she did not speak too much but instead listened. "Although, I don't know how much I can do."
The girl said this, looking at the number of dark creatures surrounding them. Sister Helena's spell was the only thing stopping them, but that wouldn't last long. Both she and Commander Markus knew it.
"Still, it's better than nothing," Commander Markus said. "You were at the Hellfront, weren't you? You were part of the Hero detachment."
The girl appeared uncomfortable as she thought about the past events. Her body trembled at the harrowing memories that haunted her. She still felt the sensation of her skin melting away and the smell of it. The cries of her friends as they were burned alive were loud inside her mind, and she relieved them the moment she was pulled down into the mud, unable to flee or help them. "Yes, we were serving under Lt. Helsem on the Grey Rock site."
Commander Markus sighed. "You were in the middle of it. The first big battle in decades."
The young girl said nothing as her finger touched her face before remembering what she wanted to do. "Where is the woman with white hair?!" She asked quickly. "I must find her!"
Commander Markus raised an eyebrow, watching the sudden change of expression on the girl's face. "She must be somewhere in the town. With any luck, she must be—"
A sudden, thunderous sound was heard across Riverfork town. Both the girl and Commander Marcus glared at the sky. They saw the one responsible for the current madness and desolation striking such a peaceful place. Hovering above them, the demonic knight possessed an ominous aura, its skin a murky tan, and its eyes eerily aglow with a fiery red hue. Adorned with two menacing horns, the creature exuded an unmistakable malevolence that filled the air with an oppressive sense of dread. Yet, his face had an eerie calmness to it.
His long tail showed that he was not just a demon knight but more. Still, he remained stoic and looked down at both humans.
"I did not expect to see a Holy Knight commander here," the demon stated with an almost calm voice. "What a surprise."
Commander Markus furrowed his brow, his mind racing as he attempted to place the unfamiliar demon before him. Despite not being able to identify this evil creature in his mind, Markus couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. If the demon was aware of him, it likely held a high rank within the Demon King's army.
"Fiend, you have nerves to attack so far on the continent. If you think this is going to end well for you—"
"I have no time to speak with you, human," the demon knight interrupted. "I know your logic, and I have no desire to hear your fantasies."
Commander Markus saw red, fury slowly rising inside him as he clenched his mace.
"I shall bring you down and make you pay for what you did," the commander of the Holy Knight hissed fiercely. "For every child that dies, for all your race has brought down upon us! I will smite you with all I have!"
The demon knight scoffed angrily. "Humanity has itself to blame for what has happened now and in the past. We didn't start this war, but like always, humans, with their little mortal minds, forget the mistakes they made."
Commander Markus's face grew colder, but before he could do anything, he gazed upon the strange sphere in the demon's hand—an orb emanating dark energy. He couldn't quite identify it at first.
"True, I'd prefer not to attack such a remote human town, but time is of the essence. We had no other choice," the demon stated before looking at the sphere slowly, feeling heavier. The harvesting of souls was almost over. But it wouldn't be enough to unlock it; he would need more, and he knew that. Still, the setback would allow him to get his body used to the magic of the stone.
If only he had listened to me. With this, we no longer have to hide. With the Oclura Stone, we can protect ourselves.
The demon thought before giving a brief glance at the temple's dome. He knew such a spell was powerful enough to keep him at bay for a while. The demon honestly did not expect to meet a human with a talent in this town, of all places.
"[Holy Protective Dome] is an impressive Tier Five spell that requires a lot of Mana to maintain and concentration. The Holy Kingdom used it often at the Hellfront. But I doubt this town has the resources to use advanced Spell Stones. This means that there must be a Cleric somewhere inside the temple, a human capable of casting Tier Five magic," The demon chuckled as Commander Markus glared stoically at the demon banter.
"Normally, it would take a long time to take it down, but," the demon said before smirking at the orb in his hand. "I don't want to waste any time."
The sphere radiated with dark energy, and the air around it began to crack thanks to the powerful dark magic emanating from it.
"I don't have to tell you this, commander," the demon called from high above the sky. "The gap between Tiers Five and Six is as big as a hill to a mountain."
The demon declared this as he slowly caressed the sphere in his hands. The energy emanating from it was palpable, making the demon's eyes gleam with anticipation.
"Humanity was not blessed with abundant Mana and veins in which that divine essence travels. Even though, of course, there are humans who can surpass those limitations," The demon gave the girl next to the commander a nasty smirk, making the young hero shiver. "Yet, the truth remains. You're weak in the face of beings like us."
"True, humanity cannot compete in terms of magic with the Mythical Races! But humanity thrives without magic!" Commander Markus yelled at him, proudly standing his ground.
"True, you do thrive without it. Humanity's necessity to survive is one of the reasons you have become the dominant race in these times," The demon knight gritted his teeth in both disdain and admiration, feeling a bittersweet sensation that held more than just resentment. "However, it's undeniable that magic will always be the heart of our world. As for you, my dear human, while Mana flows in you. You're the outsider of this group, the black sheep, if you will."
As the demon lifted his hand, a circle appeared above him, filled with symbols written in a language exclusive to the demonic race. This caused a vortex of air to surround the demon. Commander Markus was taken aback, as he couldn't identify the spell. Despite this, he could sense that the amount of mana being used exceeded Tier Five.
"[Abyssimal Spears of Death]" The demon casted his spell, creating a giant spear of dark mist that shattered the protective dome of the temple when it impacted it. The blast was powerful enough to cause some damage to the buildings around the temple. The sheer explosion propelled Commander Markus and the young hero away, tumbling through the air before crashing onto the buildings left standing. They landed with a thud, momentarily stunned but otherwise unharmed.
Still, the demon's spell's damage showed that he was stronger than his companions.
"Truly, what a powerful defensive spell," the demon declared, watching the temple still standing. He expected as much, truly. Still, it was a good thing it was intact. The demon needed what was inside there.
The demon elegantly landed at the temple entrances, knowing the souls inside would empower the Oclura Stone.
"We must make sacrifices if we want to survive," the demon muttered to himself in a low and rumbling voice. He appeared to be attempting to justify his actions as a necessary means of ensuring the survival of his entire race. "If you won't make the hard choices. I will, my king."
He said before the figure of a woman appeared before him.
"Stay away from my house, demon."
Sister Helena's voice snapped the demon's thoughts as he glared at her with inquisitive eyes.
"A Battlesister," the demon hummed deeply. "It makes sense now. You must be the one responsible for protecting this town. What a bad job you've been doing."
Sister Helena glared at the demon before her, watching him closely, knowing that if this Demon Knight could destroy [Holy Protective Dome] with his spell. Then, she wasn't sure she could win against him. But behind her was what was left of Riverfork. The people of the town she called home, even in the face of death, she couldn't turn away. Her hands trembled at the thought of death. She was afraid. But how could she face her sister again if she were to run now? Sister Helena refused to bring more shame into her family.
Avran, the Silver Lion, please give me the courage to fight my fears. Tissania, Maide of Protection, guide my sword and shield and aid me in protecting the innocent. Belen, the Ghost of Departure and Guider. If I die, steer my soul to the Everlong and let it find eternal peace.
Sister Helena prayed in her thoughts, making her peace.
"I will not let you take a single step more."
The demon raised an eyebrow, amused by the Battlesister. "You don't have much Mana in you. I can see it. You're not in a position to fight."
"Mana or not. I will not let you hurt the people behind me," Sister Helena replied, accepting her fate with a calm demeanour, ready to sacrifice her life just to give enough time for reinforcement to arrive.
"Shame," the demon sighed before inspecting the woman before him—the blond hair and blue eye. There was something he recognised in the Battlesister. "Before I kill you, what is your name?"
Sister Helena frowned deeply at the question, but whatever she could do to win more time, she'd take it. "Sister Helena, that's what people call me."
"Helena? Could it be—" The demon mumbled deeply. "Are you, perhaps, related to Saint Catherine?"
Sister Helena frowned as anger filled her eyes when a demon spoke her older sister's name.
"That's my sister you dared to speak of, fiend!" Sister Helena snapped, making the demon chuckle ever so slightly.
"Then I cannot kill you," the demon muttered to himself as Sister Helena frowned at that statement. "I could not possibly do it without facing the ire of my king."
"What?" Sister Helena then mumbled, confused at what it could possibly mean.
"[Control Chains Spectre]" The demon knight casted a spell swiftly, and a set of chains materialised from the dark orb. Fiercely and without mercy, trapping Sister Helena. "Stay there, Saint Catherine's sister."
Sister Helena fought against the magical chains, but they held her tightly. But the more she fought against it, the tighter it became. Those magical chains had small, little pikes that were slowly piercing her armour, sinking into her skin, and when they did, Sister Helena began to feel a burning sensation and pain like no other. She had used up all her Mana healing the wounded, making her unable to cast anything that would help her. Ami! I leave the rest to you! she thought in despair, hoping that her dear friend would be able to help the citizen escape the temple by the secret passage.
"Helena!" Commander Markus yelled as the demon knight hissed at his presence. "[Smite Flame]" The commander's attack was enough to make the demon knight fall back, forcing him to block the barrage of attacks by drawing his demonic sword. Commander Markus's skills were not to be scoffed at. The demon knight knew that and hated the fact that he was forced to respect human strength and experience.
Commander Markus's gaze became rigid and cold. His mace moved with such agility and deadly precision that if the demon knight weren't as powerful as he was, he would've been on the receiving end of one of the strikes.
"[Holy Flame Burst]" The commander casted his spell, to which the demon reacted in time.
"[Mystical Sigil of Defending]" The demon knight spell blocked Commander Markus's magic attack. Yet, the commander of the Holy Knight moved his mace immediately after casting, pretty much using his spell as bait in order to strike the demon knight down with his weapon. And the demon knight wasn't a fool; he saw it coming and used a shield to protect him from both attacks.
But as he was facing the commander of the Holy Knights, another person dashed in, aiming to strike the demon while he was distracted.
The demon knight felt another presence behind him and saw the blue-haired girl quickly aiming her sword at him.
"[Precise Strike]" The girl shouted, hoping to land a clean strike on the evil creature before her. Yet, the demon casted [Amour of the Dead Dragon], making him able to endure the girl's attack without a problem. But the girl wasn't easily defeated by that skill. She began her bombardment of lightning-fast slashes, one after another, but the demon's skin was tough enough to withstand the girl's common blade. Yet, he was forced to use his blade to stop the girl from attacking him, allowing Markus to attack freely.
The demon knight noticed that things were different when facing Commander Markus's holy mace. He was able to block a direct hit with his arm, but the Vigilte steel, known as Holy Steel, used to create the mace caused a painful burning sensation on his skin, making him hiss.
"Enough of this!" The demon knight snapped in fury. "[Unholy Essence Blast]"
The attack sent both Markus and the girl flying again as the demon knight glared with visible fury at the humans.
"Markus!" Sister Helena yelled, watching her brother-in-law's body slam hard on the ground.
"I offered mercy, but you refused. I tried to speed things up, but you slowed them down. If you desire martyrdom, I will grant it! [Demonic Aspect: True Demon]"
The demon's body transformed as large black wings sprouted from his back. His body grew into a grotesque form, and his eyes glowed even brighter while his twisted horns became more asymmetrical. While his past form was almost elegant in a malevolent sense of the word, this form showcased his true nature as an evil entity.
"I shall end all of you then!" The demon knight exclaimed, losing his temper and reason to his evil nature. "I, Lazael, am the holder of the Oclura Stone. I shall ascend as the Demon Lord and bring utter devastation and demise upon humanity!"
Lazael held the dark sphere greedily. He could feel the Oclura Stone's dark energy rushing inside his body. His Mana was burning up with power. Lazael could feel it. He would ascend into a Demon Lord, and he would show those others who claimed that title why they shouldn't waste more time pondering about their future. No, Lazael thought that he was the one destined to become the Demon King. In his madness, filled by the dark artefact in his hand, he believed that the Oclura Stone had the power to bring forth a new era for them, and the demonic race would be able to save themselves from extinction. Sacrifices would be made to achieve it. Lazael knew it. The Oclura stone required more souls, and more lives needed to be harvested to fully unlock its true potential. But what were a few thousand lives in the face of salvation?
"A price I am willing to pay," Lazael whispered before holding the orb tightly. "No matter the cost."
Sister Helena, Commander Markus, and the blue-haired girl were stunned at the fact that a demon had in his power one of the cursed items of Seltura, one of the Four Corrupted Gods.
How could he acquire such an item? That was the question at hand, but they might not have the time. However, if the demon king had in his hand an Oclura Stone, the Holy Kingdom, all of Equidaeria would be in great danger.
"I see I have arrived just in time."
Everyone then stared at the white-haired girl, who stood still, unfazed by what was happening in front of her.
Lazael frowned deeply, feeling a sudden uneasiness. "Who are you?" He asked before suddenly realising that his ghouls and undead were gone. What? When did it happen? There were still a lot of them left. He was suddenly alarmed.
"My name is Avnas," she replied, tilting her head and watching the demon before her with intrigue. "Sorry for taking a long time. There were some people still alive in the town. I have saved them. Do not worry."
Usually, Sister Helena would've been quite happy to hear that. However, she was still thinking about survival and realising that the demon before her had a powerful item that could bring chaos to the whole continent.
But if Avnas was there with them, maybe there was still hope. Nevertheless, the demon before them was a powerful one. He won't be easily defeated.
"Avnas, you say," the demon hissed. "I don't know how you managed to survive this long or how you could pass by my undead and ghouls. But you should know you are facing death. I am Lazael! I am on the verge of evolving into a Demon Lord! You should be wary of what it could entail."
With those words, Avnas tilted her head in a slightly amused manner. "Demon Lord, you say? I see. I guess being melodramatic is part of the lore," she mumbled to herself. "I've dealt with those two demons before. You seem stronger. Please show me."
Those words surprised Lazael. "Glasiel and Orthod are dead? Impossible. A mere human cannot kill a demon knight!"
Avnas did not bother to reply. She just stood there, watching him. Lazael then flew above her, unsure of that eerie feeling flooding his consciousness. He simply shook it off before giving the Oclura Stone a look. "So be it! Do you wish to know my power? I'll grant it to you!"
Lazael lifted his arm in a deliberate motion, and with a sudden burst of mystical energy, a sizable circular formation adorned with enigmatic symbols materialised above him. Avnas glared at the mysterious circle with intrigue. The characters were so unique that only those with demonic blood could decipher them. However, to Avnas's surprise, she was able to understand the glyphs with ease despite never seeing them before. It was a peculiar sensation as if the circle were calling out to her in a language only she could comprehend.
Ah, this is quite weird. Avnas thought before a loud roaring sound brought her attention to the demon above her.
"Face down, my powerful spell! By victim of the gap between us and you humans!" Lazael yelled as the circle began to morph into something else. "[Deathly Sigil of the Burning Torc]"
"Avnas! Run!" Sister Helena yelled, knowing that a Tier Six spell could kill anyone, even if they could reach the heights of magic. Yet, Avnas stood still, unmoving, just looking at the spell with curious eyes.
"That's not a spell, I know," Avnas mumbled before Lazael's attack came rushing down on her. The explosion caused significant damage to the town, destroying a large portion of it and hindering any rebuilding efforts. Fortunately, the temple remained intact despite the impact of the blast. Still, those who were in its vicinity were thrown away by the force of the explosion.
Lazael scoffed, watching the debris slowly fade away. He wouldn't be surprised if there was nothing left of the white-haired woman. Yet, he began to think that if he genuinely wanted to reach the title of Demon Lord, he would have to be able to perform Tier Seven. That was another mountain to climb, but he would achieve it. Failure was not an option.
"As long as I have the Oclura Stone. My power will continue to grow. I already feel it. My Mana is shaping me."
Lazael mumbled, knowing he still had to harvest the souls of those humans before more arrived. "Still, Glasiel and Orthod are dead. It can't be. It's not possible."
Lazael slowly landed on the ground, watching the destruction his spell had caused. However, all of his plans came to a sudden stop when he heard a voice.
"Mm, that's what it felt like to receive damage."
Lazael froze in place as he glared at the white-haired woman still standing in the same spot as she was, completely ignoring the devastation around her.
"It felt a bit strange. I received damage but didn't feel pain," Avnas mumbled before watching the demon knight before her. "Maybe the attack wasn't strong enough to cause me pain? Or was it something else?"
"How? How are you alive?" Lazael mumbled, stunned by what his eyes were seeing.
"I could tell you, but you won't believe it," Avnas replied with a nasty smirk on her face. "Still, thank you. My experiment was worthwhile. Still, I've got a lot to learn."
Avnas then gently raised her hand as her eyes focused on Lazael, who was still processing what was happening. "[Arcane Warphole]"
Lazael witnessed a phenomenon that resembled a crack in reality, as if the environment had shattered like a window. He stood motionless, unsure of the spell's effect, until he felt a force drawing him in. The fissure rapidly pulled everything in its path, including Lazael. The intensity was so great that he couldn't even cry out. In an instant, he vanished. His identity and future were no longer relevant, as Avnas had erased him from existence.
The mighty demon knight was no more.
"Uh, that's not what the spell used to do," Avnas mumbled, surprised at what she saw. "Just how different are my spells?"
Avnas then saw the dark sphere on the ground. Slowly, she picked it up and stared at it. Avnas wasn't sure what it was, but it looked a bit fragile. Curiosity struck, and she shook it to see if something inside it moved, like those bauble balls they sell on Christmas. But when she did that. It slipped out of her hands, shattering as it hit the ground.
"Ah," Avnas, the great, mumbled. She looked around and was thankful that no one saw her. So, she gave the broken orb a little kick, pushing the evidence of her crime away from her. "I didn't do anything."
Avnas began to whistle before wondering what sort of magic the demon was using.
Soon enough, as Avnas was debating just how different her abilities were in that world, she heard a loud cracking sound from the sky. And soon, a large shadow clouded what was left of Riverfork.
Avnas glanced up and was entirely dazed to see something like that in this world.
"This world is getting weirder by the second."
Avnas stated, watching the large zeppelin-type ship flying above her. Honestly, her adventures in this world were just beginning.
The Saints Are Coming! [https://i.postimg.cc/yNmj7xG9/a82298dc4b9b4afdb0c648ac4f3968f0.jpg]