Asura watched in disbelief as the horde poured out before his eyes. The storm was clearing above. The fires were dying, their light extinguished, but the sky above remained dark, filled with the beating wings of wyverns and small black dragons. Their eyes were filled with only hunger, focused on the living, eager to bite into their flesh. The drakes, lyndwyrms, and wyrms slithered, crawling over the debris. Those closest to the priests snapped toward their beating hearts, their stomachs rumbling at the sight of fresh, ripe meat.
"This really won't fucking end, will it?" Asura muttered, preparing to drop Kane. Rose grabbed his arm before he could move. "Protect Kane. We'll handle this now." She urged.
"What? Like hell I'd miss a fight." He scoffed at the thought of abandoning his friends. Her gaze was locked to his. Her resolve was firm, solid like steel. "You are exhausted. Rest." Her bright red eyes seemed to understand what lay deep within. He was tired, but he could not rest yet.
"And you and Mel are half burnt like bacon." He retorted, shrugging her off.
Lydia, standing beside them, clenched her fists. Lightning crackled from her body to the ground, her blessing surging as the quotidian mana from the newly born dragons filled the air.
"Don't worry, I can handle a few dragons. That big one was a doozy, but I'm still confident as a Paladin." He said. The word had a nice tone to it. He thought, a shining smile on his face. "If anything, all of you should rest."
Rose slammed her weapon into the ground with a force that made the earth tremble. "I can fight." She replied, her face lax, unimpressed.
Wain, sitting nearby, stared at the swarm of dragons. It's like insects… A few perched on the rubble, while many prowled the streets, ready to tear through anything in their path. "I can't. This one's on you. If I fight any longer, I'm a dead man." Wain exclaimed, his eyes sunken.
Just as they spoke, a red drake shot up from the ground, leaping toward Rose with jaws wide to rip into her head. But a blast from Mel's shotgun rang out, and pellets coated in amber flames ripped through the drake's skull. Half of its head exploded as the pellets carved through. Its body fell hard, lifeless at Rose's feet.
Mel kicked the lifeless drake's head, sending blood spraying across the ground."I'm also okay." She said, her amber eyes blazing with determination. "A little sunburn isn't stop me from getting my payback on that serpent."
She then turned, blasting a Wyvern out of the air as it swooped from above. The pellets ripped through its wings, shredding through, sending it tumbling to the floor. Then, a second shot followed, finding its way through the head of the wyvern as it tried to recover and push off the ground. Its large body slumped, and Mel smiled.
"Let's get to work, girls." She said, prancing off as if letting loose. Mel racked another shot.
"Where the hell is Ash?" Asura asked, turning to Wain, who sat exhausted on the ground next to him.
"He's in a building nearby." Wain waved as if gesturing to one of the many buildings. "He's fine. When we left, I made the golem hide him."
Asura watched as the three women fought with all their strength against the oncoming tide of wyrms and dragons from all sides. Lydia danced between the lyndwyrms and wyrms, striking with precision and might. Their jaws snapped shut where she had just been, but Lydia's quick footwork seemed to keep her a step ahead. When the dragons got too close, she delivered crushing blows to their skulls, and each strike was followed by a sickening crunch that echoed like thunder after lightning.
Anyone who made it past Lydia's relentless attack was met with Rose's wrecking ball, which punched through dragons and wyrms, sending them crashing to the ground in a mangled mess. Black water surged and crashed like walls of water, sending those attacking from the sky tumbling to the earth as they tried to pierce through.
Mel switched out her shotgun for an assault rifle, its large drum magazine hanging underneath its body. The large silver gun with dark wooden stock shimmered. A burst of gunfire filled the air, illuminating the battlefield. The dragons and wyverns, drawn by the light, flew straight into the storm of bullets. The sound of gunfire and struck flesh filled the air as dragons and wyverns fell from the sky, their bodies riddled with holes. Asura watched as they descended, a sight of ducks being hunted in a field.
The blood-soaked bodies of the dragons were riddled with bullet holes, and before they could pile up, their lifeless forms erupted into flames. The fire devoured their corpses just as they had wished to do to them, leaving nothing behind but ash. Asura couldn't help but think how fleeting their lives had been, like grubs or mayflies. They existed for only a few breaths before being snuffed out.
The flames grew bright, their consuming nature growing wilder. Before they knew it, they had attracted more and more dragons as time passed. Soon, the fire became blinding, and it felt as though the entire corpse of Jormungandr itself was heading straight toward the priests.
Mel braced her gun against her shoulder, tirelessly reloading the drum magazine as hundreds of rounds poured out in rapid succession. She was running out of ammunition, her mana dwindling.
Dragons crashed into the ruined buildings, their bodies smashing through rubble and debris. Some of them unleashed bursts of fire from their mouths, learning to control the flames or the elements, while others, like Lyndwyrms, sent bolts of lightning arcing toward the priests.
Lydia struck down anything she could get her hands on. Her fists and legs were drenched in their blood. When the lyndwyrms opened their mouths to unleash bolts of lightning, she shoved her fists into their throats, channeling her mana through her arms. With a burst of webbed light, their heads exploded, the lightning inside them crackling.
Rose stood firm, her weapon in hand, deflecting dragons' magic with ease. As they tried to manipulate the elements, water surged from the ground in geysers, slamming into their heads and sending them snapping into their kind. The lightning they breathed turned against them, cleaving their allies that stood at their side. As each bolt tore through their scales, their blood splattered and mistified into a red cloud that settled in the street.
Out of nowhere, seven golden angels appeared throughout the battlefield, their transparent wings spreading wide. Lydia snapped her fingers, marking the living with her blessing. With a smile, she watched as the angels raised their weapons high. Three of them carried enormous hammers, bringing them down onto the dragons below with crushing force. The others wielded sickles that tore through the swarm, cutting down the creatures like grass.
Asura's eyes never drifted from the three. Every step, every shot, every use of their powers told him they were growing slower. Everyone was exhausted, and it was only a matter of time before they found the crack in the wall of their adrenaline.
"Judex Divinum destroys the enemies of the righteous and all that is good. Let the blaze of anger consume your heart, but only against those who will never repent." Asura's white eyes blazed as his mana coursed through his body, expelling out into the world. "Through Uriel, we are emboldened by his wrath. Go forth, the few, strike down the multitude. For your strength is the Lord's, and it never yields to the wicked."
White flames erupted all around the women. Their mana mixed with Asura's, and their hearts welled with courage and vigor. Lydia's lightning crackled and danced with the white flame, while Mel's amber flames mixed and swirled into the holy fire. Rose's black liquid flames shimmered like stars in the void, scorching the dragons on contact and boiling them alive.
Asura smiled as his fire swelled and his tattooed runes ignited once more. The paladins' blood pumped rapidly as their hearts were covered by Uriel's wrath. The Paladin's blood pumped fiercely as the flames filled them with courage and hatred for the wicked. Their hearts beat as one, and their eyes gleamed white with righteous wrath. The incantation echoed in their ears like a battle cry, calling them to strike down their enemies.
Lydia laughed, her lightning alive, frenzied. It whipped through the air, tearing apart anything in its path. She channeled her mana into her fists, and with two explosive strikes to the ground, a burst of electricity spread out, tearing through the dragons like roots through the earth. Each bolt struck wildly but only cleaved through the wicked, stopping only when they collided with the buildings on either side of her.
Hundreds of dragons fell in a heap, their lifeless bodies littering the battlefield. Lydia took a quick breath. "What was that, Asura?" She asked, nearly addicted to the mana.
"No clue," he replied, his grin widening. "Something Uriel left in my head."
"It feels amazing!" Lydia exclaimed, exhilarated by the power surging through her.
She reached out, grabbing the lightning in her hands and whipping it into two bolts that seared through the air. The dragons recoiled in fear, their hesitation clear as they watched their kin slaughtered with ease. To Lydia's surprise, the wyverns and smaller dragons, who had once attacked thoughtlessly, now perched on the buildings, watching silently. They were waiting, studying, hoping for an opening to strike.
"They're getting smarter." She said, looking to Asura.
"Yeah." The ogre snorted at her words. "I would hope so after you've probably killed thousands of their buddies."
Bullets slammed into the heads of the dragons, sending them plummeting from their perches to the ground below. The sound of their bodies crashing against rubble and pavement made the remaining dragons take flight like startled birds.
"They're leaving," Rose said, watching as they soared toward the sun. "We can't let them escape the city. I bet there's still a few survivors throughout."
Lydia nodded, her eyes locked on the dragons as they flew westward. "We split up. I'll hunt down whatever I can."
"Wait, I don't know how long the incantation will last," Asura said. A surprising voice of reason amidst the chaos. "It might run out, and if we are separated, some of us will die. As much as I hate that guy, let's get Ash and stay together."
Wain stood and pulled out an herb. "I agree. There are still thousands of dragons in the city. Plus, she should be here by now." He declared.
Lydia raised an eyebrow. "Who?" She asked.
"Our cavalry." Wain pointed at the sky with a smile. "Look up."
Asura, Lydia, Mel, Rose, and Wain all turned their gazes upward. The ogre's eyes widened. At first, they looked like birds, flocks of them soaring in the sky, nearly blotting out the sun. As they drew closer, he realized they were falling. Thousands of rocks, like small meteorites, plummeted toward the city.
"Is that hail?" He asked. "Just wait. It's about to be a firework celebration kind of day." Wain replied, the smile still on his face.
"What?" Asura asked. His voice fluctuated with worry as they approached swiftly.
"You ever watch American Man?" Wain answered. The sudden reference left Asura stunned, confused about the correlation. "Yeah?" He said, hesitantly.
"It's the fourth of July."
Then, the rocks came soaring down. The first impact struck the ground, and Asura quickly realized they weren't just rocks. They were metallic bullets, each the size of a person. When they hit the earth, the shells exploded into brilliant fireballs, consuming the street in golden flames. The light was blinding as the first explosion hit.
The shockwave blasted their hair back, and the intense heat from the flames washed over them. No one flinched. In fact, Lydia smiled widely, and Mel groaned, exasperated. "You gotta be kidding me..." Mel said. Her voice grumbling in pain.
Lydia laughed as the second explosion followed immediately, and the third soon after, further down the street. The golden flames spread over every structure, but to Asura's surprise, the buildings remained standing, untouched. However, any dragon caught in the blast was completely disintegrated, nothing but vapor in the baptism of holy fire.
"That's awesome!" Asura exclaimed. His face lit up by the flashing light, a childlike eagerness in his eyes.
Lydia's grin widened. "Just wait." She said, a knowingness in her tone.
"Why? What's going to—" He tried to ask but stopped.
Then the rest hit. Thousands of shells fell, one after another, like a relentless storm. The explosions rang out in rapid succession, their force sending shockwaves that rattled everything around. Each blast was followed by another, and Asura watched in awe as the city shook with the violence of the holy assault. The shockwaves spread like dominos down the body of the fallen Jormungandr.
"Holy shit," Asura said, eyes wide with disbelief. "I need popcorn. This is like that snake game. Ha, ironic."
The force from the explosions parted the clouds above, revealing the stars in the sky. An omen that they had survived the storm. As the explosions rippled throughout the city in every direction, Asura watched the extermination of every dragon, leaving none to survive its wrath.
"Who can do something like this..." Asura muttered, watching in amazement.
Mel grumbled and crossed her arms. "My sister." She answered.
"What?" He asked, turning to Mel, but the sound of clicking heels perked his ears. An angry voice with a familiar accent and tone rang out.
"Why do you say 'sister' like you hate me?" The voice asked as Mel groaned.
"This is exactly why I sent you away. You still haven't managed to mature and outgrow your childish attitude." The voice spoke, tinged with disappointment. "It seems Captain hasn't been disciplining you enough. Has he grown soft?"
"Really? You're nagging me when your city looks like this?" Mel said, scoffing at the woman's comments.
Asura turned around and found a tall woman with flowing red hair walking toward them. Every step she took was deliberate and graceful, like someone who had spent years perfecting her posture. Even Asura could tell she held herself with an air of command. She wore a dark blue military dress shirt, several medals adorning her left breast, and pristine white pants. But it was the blood-red tie and matching dress cap decorated with golden leaves that caught his attention.
Her hazel eyes locked with his, narrowing as a frown spread across her lips. Fuck, she's a stuck-up, Asura thought. He spat out the holy fire in his mouth, and the woman's disgust only deepened.
"I never thought I'd see the day my Paladins would be working with a demon." She remarked. Her voice dripped with anger.
Lydia was quick to respond, hoping to defuse the tension. "Wait, Mary, it's not what you think. He came from Mark and with Mel-" She said.
"Stand down, Lydia." The woman's voice was strong. Mary's eyes blazed with fury. Holy mana radiated from her body, engulfing the group in an intense heat that forced them into silence. Asura could feel the burn of her mana on his skin, but Uriel's power pushed back, keeping the oppressive force at bay.
"My city is in ruins," she spat. "Thousands have lost their lives. And here are my officers, playing team-up with a demon."
"Mary—" Lydia pleaded, but she was swiftly cut off. "Take Kane from his arms," Mary demanded.
Rose obeyed without question, grabbing hold of Kane and taking the boy from Asura's arms.
"Look, lady, I don't know who you are, but I can guess. You're the Archknight who runs this—wait, is that a tank?" He drifted off.
From behind the woman, a large massive vehicle took shape from golden mana like the walls crafted by Ash. However, there was no incantation spoken from her lips. Instead, it seemed to manifest simply from her mana alone.
"I've seen those in shows! That's wicked! Is there a dragon in there or something?" Asura looked up into the sky but saw nothing among the stars above. "Huh?"
A fire ignited in front of him, and he looked back to see the barrel of the large weapon aimed at him. The ogre watched in awe as a massive shell was fired from the barrel. The shell blocked the flames, creating a thin ring of fire like an eclipse before the sun. The ring of fire widened, and Asura realized, If I can see the bullet, that means—.
The massive shell shot out, and a loud boom rang through the air. The explosion erupted as the shell tore through the air, striking Asura square in the forehead. The blast sent Wain, Lydia, and Mel flying, while Rose stepped aside, holding Kane close to her chest. The golden flames engulfed Asura in its explosion, and Mary watched with cold, determined eyes as the blast consumed him.
The force of the blast snapped Asura's head back, sending him crashing to the ground with the same brutal impact the old man had delivered in the cathedral. A crater formed around his body, a cracked bowl-shaped indentation in the pavement that cradled him. His body hit the ground with a fleshy thud, sinking deep into the shattered street.
Although in pain, he chuckled, though every breath was a struggle. His lungs burned with each exhale. He tried to move, but his limbs betrayed him, refusing to obey. As he struggled, the woman approached the edge of the crater, her eyes filled with the same disgust as before. She looked down at him with cold contempt.
"To think a demon could possess holy mana…" Her formal, perfect face was twisted in abhorrence. "A filthy existence that should be wiped from this world."
"Not a demon... asshole." He gasped.
The tank fired. The round struck Asura in the chest, the explosion engulfing both him and the woman in a burst of flames. But as the fire swirled around them, Asura could only watch in horror as she stood motionless in the inferno, like a demon from hell presiding over its slave. Her eyes never blinked as she looked down at him with absolute disdain.
A chill swept over his body, the flames scorching him only to be replaced by an unnerving numbness. His vision blurred, fading into the creeping darkness, his consciousness slipping away. The last thing he saw was the woman from hell, her figure swallowed by the fire before he descended into the cold void.