NOVPUBPov Athena’s:
As soon as Zenos disappeared with the main forces of both sides, we invaded without pause, I, as a Hero of Zenos, was among the spearheads of the attack.
My swords shone as I activated the magical patterns on the swords along with my Holy Power.
I advanced among the rank and file soldiers ignoring most of them, even the weakest on our side could fight against 2 or 3 of them without risk and for those of my level they are just fodder representing danger only by acting together.
My focus of attack is not these weak enemies, I went after the Priests, I know the war strategies of the Church of Light, I had years of classes on these things and participated in some large-scale battles using these strategies, so I know how important the Priests are not only for healing, they are also responsible for strengthening the troops and performing the magical Rituals.
As my wings flapped, propelling me at high speed while maneuvering between enemy lines, I still swung my swords in passing, only to tear enemies apart in my path.
Because I knew the tactics of the Church of Light, I was able to recognize the layout of this place even without having ever been here, a large golden temple in the center with 4 Sacred Towers in the corners, on each of the 4 sides were camp sets, a storage center, a training center, and a Magic Ritual ready in preparation for special emergency situations like now.
It is precisely the Priests who created, controlled, and were able to activate these Rituals that could be used to reinforce barriers or provide great area healing support, it could even be a powerful attack, so I wanted to focus on these Priests.
Navigating between enemies and flying in an empty sky was the same thing for me, extremely easy, even without thinking, my muscle memory remembered the group movements of the Church of Light, I could do it even in my sleep.
Of course I knew I would be intercepted at some point and I was counting on it, I might know where to go, but that didn’t mean my target would be there and fighting through this war I realized that these Soldiers are really just used as fodder being discarded to be killed by the Church of Light.
No Templar or Priest is going to try to stop me for no reason during a massive invasion like this, they are busy defending important positions and important people, so as soon as I set one I will know I am on the right track.
With that in mind I left the first point which was the closest to the entrance, it was almost abandoned and the only Templar I found was weak, he was retreating to another position which was where I headed.
On my way I saw a Fire Pegasus flapping its wings creating firestorms, I saw hundreds of Thunder Monkeys no smaller than a Human doing hit and run tactics, I also saw a Firmament Tree that became a Dryad emerging from within Space with its Dryad on one of the branches, for some reason Irius flew past me along with a Celestial Crocodile.
The scene was spectacular to see, different creatures fighting against a Luminous Army, in the past I read stories and myths about it, but from the point of view of the Church of Light fighting against evil.
"I never thought that good and evil could be reversed like this or that one day I would fight alongside Monsters..." (I)
Maybe because I was lost in thought, but suddenly a ray of light hit me from behind making me fall straight to the ground where I was quickly surrounded by Templars of Light, their swords and spears coming towards me full of murderous intent.
"< Sword of Massacre First Form: Tear of Blood >" (I)
When I fell, I quickly recovered and stood up. The bracelet on my arm broke. It was an instant barrier item that Irina had given me. It was the only one I had that could withstand a Demigod’s attack before it broke. As soon as I stood up, blood flowed onto my swords, which I held with the blade facing down. I raised my hands before forcefully striking the ground, releasing a skill with Holy Power. A circular wave of blades expanded as if a drop had created these ripples when it fell. All the Templars were sent backwards. Some lost a limb, one of them lost his head, while half of them managed to defend themselves, receiving only cut wounds on their bodies. But it took them a while to realize the real attack. A blade of blood pierced them from the inside out, formed from their own blood in the opposite direction of any wound my attack created. Only the one who died was an exception. "Why don’t you show yourself instead of waiting for an opening to attack!?" (I)
"A traitor dares to question my combat methods!?"
I wasn’t afraid of these Templars, my strength level had exploded to heights I never imagined since becoming a Hero and I had also put a lot of effort into my training, even my Sword skills taught by Miss Natasha were very suitable for me as a Hero of the Blood.
My only fear was the one who had sneak attacked, even though I was distracted in my thoughts earlier, I don’t think I showed it outwardly, I was still flying between the enemies cutting down a few occasionally towards the next ritual point where the Priests may have gathered.
Even so someone noticed this lapse in concentration, someone strong enough to almost kill me with that last attack, it must be someone with at least the power of a Demigod, yet I still can’t find him.
Even while I was taking care of those Templars, I was still alert to my surroundings, but there was no other movement from the enemy, my attack also didn’t hit, revealing that it wasn’t very close, so I tried to provoke it in an attempt to discover its whereabouts and fortunately it responded by revealing itself.
It looked like a bird half my size, it was distorting the light around it to hide itself and emanated a Divine feeling, it was a Divine Beast of Light.
Something about this bird was familiar to me somehow, its presence, the way it looked at me with bloodthirsty rage, I could see resentment in that look, even its tone of speech was strangely familiar to me, making the heartbeat in my chest accelerate from the moment it appeared.
This restlessness bothers me, I don’t remember seeing a bird like this among the Divine Beasts of Baldr during my years of study, nor have I seen mentions of such a Divine beast with this appearance in any myth or legend.
"A new Divine Beast so cruel that it didn’t even try to save the Templars from Baldr, it really suits that God full of Evil!" (I)
"Trying to provoke me is useless, such a child wouldn’t be capable of that, I don’t care what you think or what you say, dead people are irrelevant to the living."
"..." (I)
Suddenly my mind went blank, the sentence she said was something I’ve heard many times, but it wasn’t just the sentence I heard, the way it was said and the tone of each word was exactly the same.
That train of thought began to wander to what happened before, how she was able to perceive my lack of concentration so accurately.
Then this thought took root in my mind and as if it was waiting for my eyes to focus on it, the bird began to change shape, its body of light became a little bigger, its wings grew adding a new pair, a slightly luminous marble-white skin appeared as part of the Light turned golden falling in threads over its shoulders, its body was slender unlike the past when it was riddled with well-trained muscles, but what I focused on was its face, it was slightly different, a little more beautiful and cold, but its eyes were the same, eyes full of resolution and a will as sharp as the blade of a sword.
Her lips weren’t smiling, but her eyes were as if she was enjoying seeing my disbelief at being in front of her once again.
"You should be dead... then how...?" (I)
"Sister..." (I)
"Don’t call me that!" (Andreia)
"< Divine Light Judgment Wing >" (Andreia)
"< Divine Blood Magic: Bloodline Guardian >" (I)
In her fury her wings glowed, creating thousands of rays of light raining down towards me, each of them emanating a great amount of destructive power. I bite my wrist without letting go of my swords that I had already recovered from the ground, then my blood flows behind me turning into particles of red light taking the form of a Blood Dragon 3 times larger than my body, it bends, embracing my body with its thick arms and closing its wings around me, a feeling of security takes over me as I feel several tremors without fear.
Soon it disappears with drops of blood falling around me, another intense red energy enters my swords, the remnants of power.
"You betrayed our family, betrayed me and most importantly, betrayed the great Baldr!" (Andreia)
"Your mere existence is a shame to everything I have accomplished in my life and to the entire history of our family." (Andreia)
"I must thank the great God who allowed me to serve him even after my death by recovering my Soul and granting..." (Andreia)
"Shut up and die already!!" (I)
"< Sword of Massacre Second Form: Rivers of Blood >" (I)
