Skullgorn, Manuheim, Heaven *** It climbed down the pillar, head first. Its claws were buried against the stonework. His head with whiskers like spears, and his forearms were the first to reveal from the mantle of darkness from above, then its torsos with stripes like tiger but skin like a snake, then its tail was long and strong. Its eyes, yellow and luminous, locked on them like they were helpless prey. Its size was gargantuan like they were a little mouse. “What the…” Dreygo reacted first. “The same but a different kind of breed, I guess.” “Why do you say so? It’s the same ugliness, I suppose.” Zudkiel said. “I have a bad feeling about this,” Dreygo said, his sword ready. Hell beasts were pure ugly and rotten as if they all came from one creator. But this Hellcat, it’s not the same anymore. First, he had ever seen, seemingly modified, or experimented to become hybrids of several kinds. “Elaine, hide!” The words came almost involuntarily. Elaine scuttled immediately behind the
Skullgorn, Manuheim, Heaven *** The third level of Skullgorn was not what they expected. It somewhat emulated a King’s chamber. Chandeliers, bright and golden, hung overhead but without chains, seemingly an invisible energy kept them afloat. Carpets weaved with rare linen of Oshengard, placed on sides, and to the hallway. The stonework of walls and columns was molded impressively, shiny and marbled, and patterned with symbols. The room was wide and columned. Weapons with high-class sophistication were displayed on the walls, on the columns, and together with shields and armor. Three prison guards, the same regalia as the Angel scouts they had met outside Skullgorn, greeted them with hostility. “Prison Guards of Skullgorn, I am Zudkiel. The Hero of Manuheim. If you know me, let us pass to that door.” Zudkiel pointed to large double doors behind the three prison guards as he ambled first among the group. “We know who you are old soul. And your agenda is not welcome here.” “Call yo
From afar, they saw an image distortion, seemingly a minute or a slight light refraction, in the air. They saw Nethaniel fly past the distortion and some static electricity was discernable. It was the barrier. Zudkiel and Elaine passed through unharmed but as Viriel Dreygo passed, the transparent barrier restricted the Demon's entry. A cluster of Electricity was visible and prohibits Dreygo’s body to pass through, electrocuting him, and eventually, he fell. Viriel’s grasp released Dreygo in mid-air. Dreygo felt the biting pain of electricity burning his innards and tingling his spine, paralyzing his body right after hitting an invisible and indestructible wall. Viriel stormed on an accelerated descent with strong flaps on his wings and chase the falling demon. Dreygo screamed, his hands waving in the air and spinning as he crashed again the barrier as he descended. He can take the fall, he assessed. But knowing the crash would be enormously painful, it would take significant time to
Manuheim, Heaven *** Rooms after room greeted them. Large doors, towering among them, opened and showed the utmost sophistication of artistry and design. Guards stood by beside the doors as they sauntered in, escorted by Alketh and a few other Angel warriors. The Castle had carpet all over the floor, Dreygo had found difficulty in cleaning his shoes with the mud covering his soles. “Shit all over.” He muttered by himself as he brushed the mud off with soft linen near him. The Angel warriors in that room squinted with anger at the Demon that disrespected such a fine and exquisite collection. A ballroom, Alketh took them, where a series of chandeliers hung above were floating precariously. The room, even with its vast size, was filled with magic. Dreygo felt it as he took a step inside the room. The atmosphere shifted, an invisible load had burdened his shoulder. Seemingly, he was the only one being affected by it. Elaine took time to inspect the diamond-filled walls that glistened
A sea of angel warriors populated the vast clearing in the city boundaries of Manuheim. A sharp array of golden, silver, and white armor, in battle formations with only the Pylon Shields as the first line of defense. Their armors seemed not soiled with dirt and had outshone the bright sky above them. Dreygo and his comrades landed from behind the ranks of the Angel warriors, Nethaniel took point. There they found a War general, an Angel of the Second Ranks, Krastius. He introduced himself and greeted them in a friendly manner. “Nethaniel. I had a word with Captain Alketh. The odds are better this time having you in this war.” The general said. The sharp features of his build unmatched the ragged features of his face. His eyes though had matched with his scars on his cheek. “An update from my scouts. Kragus have about a million of his troops. They can’t count properly, they were scattered all over the Mierka hills down the valley of Treefall. It is the route of our scouts to take a g
A door slid open and made way for a dark chasm. A platform awaited them after the door and they stepped in. The platform hovered in the air and moved downwards through a wide space of dark environment and a bottomless pit. Not even the walls could not be seen. Pylons hung precariously scattered within the vast space held by high-tension wires and a source of illumination. The platform literally flew downwards and they held themselves on the available handles preventing them from falling. On the far end of the chasm, one could find the levels of floors constructed way down below. Only a golden wall with the same doors that opened them to the chasm could be seen with directional lights, an offering of safe passage that one could be guided with. Viriel held the controls of the platform as it moved. More of the flying platforms float with Souls and Angel warriors on them hovering back and forth bringing about random things. Everyone seemed to be preparing for the worst, as they were tol
Nethaniel knew about the underground tunnels. They have set traps below them. Traps that could kill an army and collapse the tunnel in between Decadia and Manuheim. Nethaniel coordinated with War generals to increase the scouts at eight-kilometer radial distance from the shields and possible entry points inside the city. They continued monitoring on Mierka Mountains, treacherous hills from Decadia to Manuheim for anticipating the enemy spies. The dark cloud that swirled above the Demon army increased its size and every minute of it gave horror to the angel warriors. But these warriors do not succumb to their fears. Fear to them was lesser Faith and it had to be eliminated for one should portray loyalty to Heaven and its Supreme. The greater your Faith, the greater was your loyalty to the Supreme, and eventually the lesser fear. They were trained for hundreds of years, some of them half of a millennium to become better warriors for this coming war. Nethaniel do not fear of a million D
The tremors had loomed, shaking the ground stronger. The march came into a sprint as Nethaniel assumed. It grew stronger and stronger each time every waking minute. The war generals continued their words of motivation. Faith was mentioned a few more in all their statements. Nethaniel heard the prayers of the angel warriors grew stronger and all were addressed to Arkeus. The prayers remained unanswered but he could feel the air of Lord Arkeus’ grace had mantled the atmosphere provided comfort and strength and the motivation to offer life for the realm, for the balance, and for the pursuit of peace. Nethaniel thought of Dreygo and Elaine. Such participants were vital for the possibility of conjuring the spell as a solution to the worst scenario. A life for a life was the bargain that Elaine and Dreygo accepted. All Demon Lords should perish for the forbidden spell to work. With such greed and chaos, a sacrifice is a must but it should be worth it. For eternal peace, he th