Chapter 22: The Butterfly and the Holder of Flames.
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"It's dark... yet so warm..."
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"Wait... why am I here?"
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"I can't... remember anything."
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From the slumbering dark void, light shines before her eyes. A woman with a beautiful flow of green hair woke up from her bed with a yawn before looking around and finds herself in a bedroom. Yet her sense felt a familiar tinge of sensation and then looks back, then forth. The priestess shakes her head before patting both of her cheeks.
"How long have I been asleep?" She questioned herself. "Ugh, my head hurts... it felt like I've been working tirelessly."
The priestess slowly gets up and went for the nearest closet. She opened up and smiled to see her Priestess garment that is stored inside and changed her sleepwear. Minutes later, she heard a knock on the door and turns around. It opens up and a small girl with brown hair, tied in twin tails, came in with and looks up to the Priestess with a smile.
"Ah! Big sis! You're awake!" The little girl jumped with joy. "Everyone's having breakfast and we're worried that you didn't wake up earlier!"
"Oh dear, it's late?" The priestess widened her eyes in surprise. "I'd better go into the kitchen. Thank you, Emiyu!"
"There's still some food left!" Emiyu calls out loud. "Don't worry Sasha, they're still warm!"
...
An hour had passed since her late breakfast, Sasha is doing her usual routine to take care of Orphans; praying, eating, teaching, and some enjoyable activities they're usually doing in the orphanage's backside. Lisia and Emiyu are currently playing tag along with other kids while Sasha sat on her wooden chair, reading a book. That's not until she heard someone came from behind and saw a man with red hair and currently wore in his Order Armor.
She smiled at the man, which Sasha saw him as a brother and grew up with each other since they were children.
"Hey, Sasha!" Elt greeted with a smile with a wave of his hand. "It's been a while."
"Ah, Elt." Sasha then dismissed her book before standing up. "How was your duty?"
"Well... kinda boring nowadays." Elt sighed while looking down in dissatisfaction. "There is still no further news of monster activities going on in the frontiers."
"I-... I see." Sasha then felt a strange sensation, as if something went aloof until one unusual thing came into her mind and spoke out loud. "It's... probably the Silver-Blue Knight fighting them."
"The Silver-Blue Knight?" Elt then raised his eyebrow in question. "Who's that guy?"
'...Huh? Why did I say that?' Sasha then stood silent for a moment before looking around in confusion. 'From where did I hear that name?'
"Sasha?" Elt stood dumbfounded to see his big sis turning her face left and right as if it lost her in thoughts or looking around if there was someone. But there was none except the children. Then he snaps his fingers. "Hey! Wake up!"
The priestess jolts up in surprise and then turns back to Elt, to which he expressed a face of worry.
"You're acting strange," He said while comforting Sasha. "You might've been overworking tirelessly almost every day, I think you need to take a rest."
"O-Oh, is that so?" Sasha then flustered back with an embarrassed look. "I think you're right. I have worried Ash when I keep up like this!"
"... Who's Ash?" Elt raised his eyebrow once with a puzzled look and tilts his head to the left then to the right before looking back at Sasha. "You've met a new friend?"
Sasha widened her eyes in disbelief. From where did she know his name? Wait, "his"? The name indicates that it presumably belonged to a man. But that's not the point; her head felt a slight pain and tensed as she looked up to the children before turning to Elt which he expressed his worry.
"Sasha? are you alright?"
"I'm not feeling well, Elt." Sasha groaned while massaging her temples before heading inside the orphanage. "I-... I need to take some water."
"Huh?... Alright, then I'll look out for the children." Elt then smiled before turning his attention to the two girls, Lisia and Emiyu waving at him. "Having fun you two?"
...
"Wh-What is happening to me...?" Sasha walked through the hallways while taking some deep breaths before she reached her bedroom and closed the door shut. "From where... did I know that name...?"
"Looks liketh, I've awakened thy hath lost memories." The Warrior Nun widened her eyes in shock to hear a garbled voice coming out from nowhere. She raised her hand to summon her staff, but it didn't appear before the voice continued its words. "Be not afraid, Sasha Fullmoon. I've cometh with nay harm."
"Wh-Who are you!?" Sasha steeled her eyes while looking around. "Show yourself!"
"Right hither."
Sasha stopped before turning around, her eyebrows raised and gawked in disbelief. In front of her stood a live bonfire in the middle of her room. She can feel its radiant warmth emanating from the flames. But the strangest thing of all is that the flame itself didn't burn the wooden floors and spoke to her in a strange accent and words. Sasha shakes her head off in her belief to remove some ridiculous hallucination before looking up once again. And the flames still stood there.
"What on earth...?" The Maiden of Lescatie uttered. "Who are you?... Are you an... Elemental?"
"Hahaha! Nay, far from it. The people of mine own fusty realm referred to me known as "The Flames". A God... sort of."The Flame Entity introduced itself as it spoke in a thousand voices before a clear male voice spoke up. "Listen very well, Daughter of Light. I came hither to awaken thee from thoust slumber. Thine memories and thine past hast locked hence by the manifestation of thy desires."
"Wait... what!?" Sasha expressed her shock of a sudden. "You're telling me that this... is a dream?"
"Yes, indeed. An illusion whither thoust catch but a wink in a world. A world madeth by thy desire whither thou liveth' in a peaceful life." The Flames replied. "Ash Cyrus, mine own current Holder, is on his way to saveth thee from this slumbering prison."
"Th-This can't be! But all of this felt so real!" Sasha then spoke up agitatedly in question while stepping back in doubt. "How is this an illusion and who is Ash Cyrus and how did I know his name!?"
"...Observe."
The Flames then suddenly grew and burned their surroundings alight. Sasha shielded herself from the blast until the consuming flames spread all across the room until stone walls dissolved into flaming embers along with the furniture, windows, and the door as well. The Priestess slowly lowered her arms and opened her eyes before expressing her shock whilst she finds herself in a middle of a dark void. Then Sasha felt a strange sensation before looking and saw her body is in its corporeal state like a spirit with an aura of blue, glistened with radiance.
"Wh-What's all of this?"
"Thou art in the middle of thine spiritual core." The Flames answered before several visions of familiar scenes appeared. "Take heed and look up to thine memory fragment and thoust tryeth to remember it."
Sasha then saw a fragment of light floating nearby, curious as it sounds. The Warrior Nun raised her arms and carefully touched the fragment piece, then her eyes dilate while hearing several voices in her head that sound strikingly familiar.
"But Ms. Fullmoon, look!" Sasha saw herself looking down on Ralph, a boy who's making a pleading look while pointing his finger upwards towards the Knight. "It's the Silver-Blue Knight that everyone is talking about!"
Sasha turns around to see herself in her memory, who looks up to the Silver-Blue Knight before letting out a small gasp. She hushed the two boys back in the Orphanage before looking towards the armored warrior. Is this the mysterious Silver-Blue Knight she kept mentioning without knowing?
"S-Sorry about that... umm, Mister..?"
"...Ash." The Knight responded with a muffled voice behind his helmet. "...Ash Cyrus."
"GAH!" Sasha suddenly gasped out for air before several pieces of her missing memories went into her mind, from escaping Lescatie, meeting Siegward and Co, Then her adventures in the Dungeons and meeting Sif, the Greatwolf. "Hah!... Hah!... Ash Cyrus... By the Chief God, Ash!"
"Did thou receive thine memories?"
"Y-Yes... I remember it now, the temptations of the Fallen God have turned me into... something worse!" Upon speaking those words, Sasha felt her legs feet weak before she slumped to the ground and sobbed. "I-... I can't believe it... wh-what am I going to do if he founds out that I turned into a monster!?"
"Calm down, Daughter of Light. Dost not fret such thing to bethink about worrying thoughts."
"Calm down!? How am I supposed to calm down!?" Sasha cried out loud in desperation. "I need to get out... is there a way!?"
The Bonfire stood idle before it manifests a vision, Sasha heard clanking footsteps of metal and steel dangling like it was dragged up by a staircase. She turns around and saw Ash. Sasha then expressed sadness to see him exhausted as if he went through multiple battles without rest before he pulls up a Radiant Lifegem and restored his body's condition. Then he looks up and his eyes went wide once he saw her behind the vision.
Then he spoke up. "... Sasha?"
'Wait... he can see me!?' Her face then expressed in surprise. 'If he can hear me out from here-'
"Oh dear, 't seemeth like the foreign energy is preventing thine call."
"Ash... Please, hurry! You must-!"
Suddenly, the demonic energy manifested into a violent whirlwind like a serpent and smashed the vision into pieces. Sasha stood appalled before the serpent-like being turned its attention to Sasha and dive in to consume her. The Warrior Nun shields herself from hostile being until the Flames created a barrier and dissolved the giant serpent into millions of fragmented embers. The Demonic Energy soon recognized the omnipotent energy that radiates from the Flame and left the Maiden in peace.
"That was a close one." The Flame said. "We art not welcomed hither despite we art inside of thine live vessel."
"This mana... it feels so familiar. Yet different." Sasha said before reaching her hand and touched the purple-hue mist made of pure energy until her eyes dilated in shock. "Wait... this is..."
"Yes, 't is forsooth thine energy." The Flame interrupts with an answer. "Unfortunately, it is turning against thee after thine transformation as a monster... trying to imprison the lasteth remaining source of thine humanity."
"So... um, Mr. Flame?" Sasha then questioned. "Why would the Fallen God send the Dark Priests to abduct to me...? Why me? She says my desires have called out for her, but I wished nothing!"
"It is true, thou didn't wish for such desire because thou restrained from it." The Flame explained to her. "That is not until her words tempted thy inner desires and a new soul hath awakened; separating itself from thine original soul. As a result, a degenerate manifestation of thine wilt hath taken over thy vessel by force and pleasure. Then locked thee away whilst thine human self remains."
Sasha stood silently for a moment after hearing his explanation. But her question remains unanswered. "But why does Fallen God wanted me?"
"'Tis so-called, "God" is naught more but a stubborn being. She hast chosen 'thee as her favorite candidate for her lowly and forsaken Faith." The Flame answered with an unamused tone. "I have sealed her fate before her beloved friend from the underworld sends a warning, but they remain ignored. These 'gods' 'art trying to alter their own fate in 'hir favor; but alas. Thither is naught they couldst dost to save themselves."
"Hold on a second, you're telling me it fates the Fallen God to die?" Sasha uttered in disbelief. "Th-That's not possible, they're divine beings and you're saying that Ash is going up against her?!"
"...The Deities of this world art not immortals, Daughter of Light, they art beings with great powers." The Flames answered with a giant voice, which caught her off guard. "But they art not Eternal. They extend their lifespan by consuming Amrita to remain in power."
"But how is Ash going to fight umm... a deity?" Sasha then said in worry. "We mortals couldn't stand to their power..."
"Do not fret, the Knight thoust hold dear is a Warrior with unimaginable power," The Flame replied before Sasha fell silent upon hearing that. The entity then chuckled. "Trust me, I've observed his feats that art supposed to be impossible."
The Flame then used its powers once more and a new vision manifested. Sasha observed the new situation going on and saw her monsterized counterpart summoned her magic vines which caught him off guard. The Dark Priest then lauded her words towards him, telling him to surrender. The priestess remained silent in disbelief while seeing her depraved counterpart who acts obsessively to the Knight until she felt heat coming from her side. She turned around to see the Flames made a fiery radiance and then turn her attention again to the vision, then saw Ash freed himself from his captivity. Which made the Dark Priest reeling back in surprise.
"Sasha, talk to him. Quick!" The Flames said it out loud. "He must defeat the manifestation of thy desires and he should make his way into Pandemonium to defeat the Fallen God, thou'll meet him thither!"
The Priestess stood perplexed for a moment before she speaks out for him through the Vision.
"Ash, help me! Please!" Sasha cried out loud "Free me from my prison!"
The two stood for a moment in silence until the Dark Priest looked around in bewilderment after hearing her voice. But Ash stood completely still before he spoke out in reply.
"Sasha, can you hear me?"
'Thank the Chief God, he can hear me!' Sasha gasped in joy. 'I need to tell him what he must do!'
"Yes, a warm Flame has allowed me to speak for you, so hear me out before it dies out." She replied in return. "Defeat my dark spirit, the manifestation of my desires that has taken control over my vessel and make your way to Pandemonium... from there, I will wait for you."
Once she finishes, a cloud of demonic energy crawled through and devoured the vision, covering it to prevent her to witness the outside world. Sasha stood back to avoid being caught by the malevolent fog before the Flames protected her using a barrier, turning the hostile clouds of demonic energy into burning ashes. Then the ground rumbled as if an earthquake occurred throughout the entire void.
"Your counterpart is fighting thy beloved knight, yet I hear thy counterpart is puzzled by his words and couldn't accept the world of reality." The Flame stated before it witnessed Sasha's corporal body glows of a sudden. "Oh, that's faster than I expected."
"Wh-What's happening to me!?" Sasha cried out hysterically. "Why do I feel so... relieved?"
"It looks like thou art free from this prison, but...!?" Suddenly, the Flames noticed a gigantic hand suddenly came out from the darkness and snatched the Priestess away. "So thou has sealed thine fate... The Greed of this God knows nay bounds, so thine reckless desire grants thee a horrible death!"
"No!" Sasha tries to pry herself from the hands of the Fallen God and cried out. "H-Help me!"
"Brace yourself!"
The Flames then emit light that covered the entire void, Sasha shields herself from the blinding light before her vision became dark. After a few moments of silence, her view stirred from the darkness before she caught sight of a Silver-Blue Knight lying unconsciously. She wanted to help him out, but the strangest thing of all is that her body felt weird, and seeing how large Ash became is that of a giant. Sasha then looked down at her new appearance.
"Eh?... E-E-EEEHHHH!?"
Never in her life that she would have the experience to become other than an ordinary human, a butterfly.
"What is this!?" Her mind frantically yelled out loud. "I-... I'm a Butterfly!"
"...Ugh..." Sasha then heard a groan before she turns around. She saw the Knight sat up and observed his surrounding, the butterfly then realized how he was perplexed behind his helmet as she was. "What... is this place...?"
"Ash! Over here!" Sasha cried out. But to her realization, she couldn't talk. "Wait... He can't hear me?"
"Unfortunately, that is all that I couldst dost. Thy corporeal vessel is imprisoned by the goddess, but I saved thy consciousness." She heard a familiar voice in her mind. "Thou must guide him to the Temple of the Fallen God."
"Wait... so this is your plan?"
"Originally intended until the Fallen God sealeth her own fate." Then a trail of embers appears and glittered across the dark void; leading to a likely path for an exit. "Lead him, he can't see my works."
The Butterfly then understood and flies in front of the Knight and flew her way into the fog. But to her surprise, she saw him standing there in bewilderment for a moment before he speaks up.
"So... should I be following you?"
"Of course. I forgot I couldn't speak!" Sasha rolled her eyes before flapping her wings, then flies up and down.
"I take that as a yes."
Ash then stepped in and followed her through the foggy void. Minutes passed and Sasha saw a faint light in the midst of the dark void before a portal opened up. Sasha couldn't believe that she is witnessing a Spirit Tunnel, and this is her first time seeing it for real since that type of magic is relatively advanced for human casters. But it is often common to the Spell-casting Monsters of the Demon Realm.
Sasha mustered up her courage and entered the portal first until Ash soon followed before the entrance behind them closed. Then she heard voices spiraled through the magic tunnel. There are voices of distant moaning and orgasm. Sasha blushed furiously red in embarrassment once she gets to see spirits copulating themselves in this afterlife. But this isn't about what the afterlife she envisions back in her time working with the Order and she's a woman of dignity for Chief God's sake!
"W-WAAAHH! Is this really the afterlife!?" Sasha cried out loud while trying not to see it."This is not what I envision about!"
"Nay, this isn't the actual afterlife. It is an illusion made by the Goddess of life and death. She only made a paradise for spirits of both good and evil to feel welcome and experience more pleasures of their desires," The Flames replied within her mind. "Thy ancestors and parents were a part of this as well."
"H-Huh!?" Sasha felt her core shaken. "So you're telling me that... whenever I die..."
"Hahaha! Be not afraid, that won't happen to thee in the future. It will someday change, and the spirits of thine family will soon be freed from this eternal illusion." The Flame said with laughter. "The real afterlife is but a gateway to the next life filleth' with new challenges, and not a single native spirit hath ever gone thither. Only the spirits of the Lord Soul who art born and died on this very world have only passed those doors."
"Spirits of the Lord Soul?" Sasha then felt her eyebrow raised in question. "What is a... Lord Soul?"
"Ah, unfortunately, that is mostly confidential. But I'll share with you some of my knowledge;" The Flame replied and then described. "Those who are born with such a soul are favored by their own fate."
"Wait, you mean they're Heroes?" Sasha guessed curiously.
"Well... sort of." Little did Sasha knew, the Flame speaks half of the truth.
Sasha then looks up to Ash before she turned her attention to where is staring at is an opening at the end of the tunnel. Sasha flew up and landed on his right shoulder before the Knight marched out from the tunnel and felt his boots touched the dusty ground. Sasha became awed at what she is seeing to see some floating island above the deep purple-hue clouds that covered the entire skies.
"Pan-de-monium." The Butterfly turns around and saw Ash reading a stone sign out loud before he raised his eyebrow. "Pandemonium."
Once she heard that word could only mean one thing; she and Ash have entered the realm of the Fallen God. Thus, in her worry, Ash might get overwhelmed by the Dark Valkyries at once when he, as a mortal human being, would ever set foot on their realm would only mean the security will come for the intruders. After a while going through the depraved realm, Sasha couldn't help but trying to look away from every couple they come across who were copulating from every corner. There are even children as young as ten years or younger who even had sex with adult men without shame.
"I can't stand this... This... is this what they wanted?" Sasha felt sick and dizzy while observing them. She couldn't fathom to even think to imagine a scenario where the depravity of the Fallen God would send her new adherent such as herself to taint the orphans who could turn themselves into monsters. Such a path that her monsterized self would willingly spread the Faith of the Fallen even beyond at any cost, but if she were normal, her dignity as a human won't allow that. "I can't believe this... is this really the paradise what my desires have craved for?"
After an hour has passed; Ash sneaked his way to the Fallen City of Pandemonium, much to her surprise that he wasn't detected by the Valkyries. Once they reached the walls, she saw him pulls out a wooden staff from his small box and casts an invisibility spell upon himself while putting a ring to cover up the sounds of his footsteps.
"By the Chief God, he has some useful spells and items," Sasha spoke in awe while following Ash, who simply walked through the Gates without being detected. Then she felt herself pouting in annoyance. "I'm so jealous! I wished I could learn such spells to make fun of him..."
Another couple of hours have passed, and the two made their way to the Temple of the Fallen God after breaching the security perimeters while guiding him through the complexed labyrinth inside the tunnels until he killed a couple of Dark Valkyrie's who are guarding the throne hall. Once he stepped into the throne hall of the Fallen God, Sasha noticed two of the Deity's beloved adherents were hiding behind the marble pillars; a Dark Angel and a Valkyrie, yet none of them moved and shivered in fear while observing Ash for a while until the entire world froze and a dark void took over the hall before a massive voluptuous shadow emerged from the darkness.
"That's her, the Fallen God." The flame within her mind spoke.
Sasha could only squeal in fright to witness a massive humanoid figure of the Fallen God herself. The Deity then spoke her words in her attempts to tempt the Astoran with a seducing tone, but she reeled back in disbelief to see a human denied her before she sees Ash drew a Lightning Spear.
"No, Ash! You can't hurt a God-"
But realizing that her voice can't be heard, it was too late. Ash hurled a lightning spear and struck the Fallen God against her right shoulder. But to her shock, the Goddess reared back in pain and can see the damage that was inflicted on the deity. An ugly hole was torn apart by his lightning and trails of black blood oozed out from her wound.
"Th-This can't be!"The Fallen God shrieked out loud. "How is it possible that your powers can harm me!?"
"These powers don't belong to me," Ash spoke with an indifferent tone. "Beings who utilized the Power of Lords made them, to destroy the everlasting creatures... and Gods."
Upon hearing his words, Sasha felt her eyes grew in disbelief. "Huh? Powers that can hurt Gods!?"
"Wh-What..." The Fallen God uttered before she saw small glitters of embers and ashes billowed underneath his feet once he stepped forth. "J-Just what are you!"
"... I am a Knight who you just messed with... and all I want is to get her back." The Fallen Deity then faltered back as fear swept over her core before Ash swung his Claymore, pointing up to the Goddess. "Then you can't stop me from doing it."
From that moment, Sasha then realized that her Knight, who took up the oath which she held dear; is challenging the Goddess of Depravity.
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...
"Powers... to slay Gods?... Pah!" The Fallen God openly mocked. "This is a joke! There is no such way a mortal could receive powers!"
The Fallen God then raised her hand and used her ability to freeze time and the very air that surrounds her, froze. But to her disbelief, she saw the Knight still moved on his own.
"Impossible, no mortal should move when I freeze time!" The Fallen God said out loudly before Ash drew a Lightning Arrow and struck to the right side of her chest, but it merely missed her core, but it sends another wave of painful pang before the giant deity kneeled and groaned in pain. "GAH!... Hah!... So it does hurt after all."
The Deity saw the Knight drew his Claymore before she shot a glare towards his very core. Ash felt an entity entered through his body and the Fallen God smirked in victory in her search for his weakness to be exploited. Unfortunately, once her vision entered into his very core, she found no sign of his spirit or anything to manipulate his mind until she saw multiple hands sprouted out from the darkness, reaching out for her, and grabbed her eye.
To the horror of the Fallen God, she shrieked in pain while holding her left eye before faltering back in fear. "Wh-What are you!? Your soul isn't even human!"
Ash didn't reply and kept stepping forward as he drew his claymore. The Fallen God grit her teeth and raised her left massive arm to slam him down on the ground, Ash avoided her attack by strafing to the right and rolled backward to dodge her sweep, then rolled forwards once the Fallen God used her right first, but missed her target until Ash countered as he strafed back and slashed her fingers with his claymore and drew the blood of the Goddess.
"CURSES! EVEN YOUR WEAPON CAN HURT ME AS WELL!?"
The Fallen God teleported away from the Knight and summoned several portals above the Astoran Knight before purple beams rained down. Ash rolled away and dodged her beams until the Fallen God summoned two gigantic orbs before hurling towards the mortal warrior. But he dodged right away to avoid her attacks.
"FEAR MY TRUE POWER!"
The Fallen God roared before sending another beam. Unfortunately, the human rolled away before it could even hit them. The Deities knew Humans would tremble in fear as they witnessed the powers of the Gods, even prideful Heroes of the Order would be beaten down easily to think that they just can protect themselves using barriers and magic armor. But this human stands out from the rest and didn't even falter nor begging for mercy. He just avoided them while flawlessly rolling around at all costs.
"JUST STAY STILL YOU INSECT!"
"Alright, just don't get cocky." Ash breathed out calmly underneath his helmet while calming down his thoughts. "This is just getting started."
Ash raised his talisman and summoned a Great Lightning Spear and hurled it towards the Goddess as she just raised a barrier, yet it tore through and pierced the lower left side of her body which she reeled back in pain once more.
"Damnit!... Damnit!" The Fallen God felt her rage grew and drew a large surge of energy billowed underneath her feet like a vortex. "I HAD ENOUGH!"
The rage of the Fallen God exploded in a fiery blast of energy, which sends Ash flying backward and hit the ground. The Knight quickly got up by his feet and picked up his Claymore until he saw the Fallen God sends another beam towards him before he rolled away and a long blast of explosions erupted. Ash was caught by one of the explosive blasts in a sudden, flinging him through the air and roughly crashed to the ground once more.
The Knight groggily stood up and then his tongue tastes his own blood trickling down from his nose. 'Damnation, gotta be careful with that... her beams are similar to Midir's, but they're bigger.'
Ash then sprints to the Fallen God while raising his shield until he saw the Deity smiled wickedly, knowing there's another trick on her sleeve. Several black portals appeared and gigantic arms sprouts out. The Knight rolls away to avoid the first one and strafed through the incoming attacks until one hand appeared from below and caught him. Then he is raised from the ground before facing the Fallen God.
"Hah! Is that all? A pity that you get caught easily."The Deity mocked before her hand slowly squeezes the Knight. "Once I'm done with you. I will shall erase your soul and mend your spirit anew that will benefit the desires of your new Maiden!"
Ash grits his teeth and struggles with his shoulders until he successfully pries off his left arm and then immediately dug his hand on the gigantic index finger of the Fallen God before activating his Pyromancy Flames.
'Sacred Flames!'
The flames suddenly burst out in fury, and the Fallen God winced and screeched in pain before throwing the Knight in a far distance. The Deity looked down on her index finger is burned to crisps and then shot a glare at the mortal who is struggling to get up. Now the goddess of depravity knew that this mortal couldn't be redeemed from his nature and his existence needs to be eliminated for good. Then the Fallen God needs to rethink her decision for her new adherent and wanted Sasha's old memories to be eradicated as well and remove her beloved desires to be together with the Knight and should've stayed with her beloved man in Lescatie as it originally intended.
"Oh no, this is bad!"
Sasha watched in horror as soon as she saw a massive amount of energy spiraling behind the Fallen God and then flew to Ash. The Knight stood weakly before his right knee limped and fell again to the ground once more. His body took a toll after getting thrown from the giant Goddess and then looked up to the Butterfly.
"H-Heh... looks like you're getting worried..." He uttered weakly with a smile behind his helmet before letting out a few coughs. "Sorry that I got too careless... Sasha wouldn't be happy if she saw me like this..."
"Ash! Don't say such things!" Sasha begged anxiously with a pained tone. "Please... Don't!"
"This is the end, Mortal!"Ash and Sasha heard the Goddess spoke with malice once she raised her left arm. "You may have been my first adversary to defy me and faced a God without fear. After all, your existence alone surely piqued my ire. Sadly, I shall end you and erase every flesh and bone. Here and now!"
"NO!"
The Fallen God moved her hand down and an enormous wave of mana emerged. Sasha flew in front of Ash and hoped for a miracle to come until her Knight shielded her over with a Crest Shield. The Butterfly looks up and watched him braced the inevitable before the enormous mana washed over like a dangerous tidal wave trying to bog him down.
"Sorry, Sasha... I-... I..." Ash then kneeled while still struggling to hold up the shield. "Couldn't save you..."
"Ash... I..." Sasha uttered before she felt her eyes teared up with a broken heart. "I'm so sorry..."
At that moment, another blast went through before his shield got blasted away. The Knight struggled to keep up while shielding the butterfly until he braced another deadly wave of mana that could only mean death until several serpents made of pure energy manifested themselves and tackled him hard to the ground that squeezed the air from his lungs. He breathes heavily for air until closed his eyes and braced for the inevitable fate that he is going to face, that is not until his vision went black.
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...
...
"So you're going to give up?"
Ash opened his eyes wide open and finds himself floating around the empty void. He turns around left and right to see if someone is there, but he found none.
"Is that how the new Dark Lord himself will act?" He heard thousands of voice speaks out in a sudden. "You should be better than that."
Then, out from the darkness; he saw a humongous figure standing on his feet and wore armor, which the former Undead is awfully familiar with. That demented charred steel and his cindered glow.
"You're... the Soul of Cinder," Ash spoke up in surprise. "But... how?"
"I am within your Soul, and neither the same Hollow you knew, Ash Cyrus."The Soul of Cinder replied while tilting his head aside. "I've seen your struggle and yet you disappoint me. You couldn't protect the person you loved."
"I see..." Ash then went silent for a moment as he looked down with his face darkened. "So this must be the end... huh."
"... So you remain silent?" The Soul of Cinder felt his eyebrow raised in question before he turned his back to the Ashen One. "Hmph, you may have slain Warriors, Heroes, Kings, Dragons, and Gods. I expected much from you to arise."
...
"I want to ask of you and will promise me one thing?" Ash then heard a familiar voice and turned around, seeing Sasha and himself. A familiar scene where he took upon her oath. "As your Acquaintance... will you swear my oath to fight and protect me by my side?"
"Then... why?"
"It's because you said that you're afraid of losing me," Sasha responds with a melancholic tone while her grip tightens. "You... don't want to experience that loss again, wouldn't you?"
Is it true that he's afraid of losing her and let her remain as a monster? Does his last desire want him to let it go and remain for an eternal slumber?... No, he has one purpose and he won't let that happen. He promised her... a promise that he will protect Sasha and the children, whatever the cost it takes. Even if it took his own life. He musn't...
"Ash!" The Knight widened his eyes. He heard her voice from a distance. "Please... don't die!"
... Don't die?... Under this hopeless situation?
"Please... don't leave us!..." Ash then widened his eyes in realization once he heard her weep. "You promised me... that you shouldn't leave me alone... will you?"
At that moment, Ash felt his soul growls like a beast before clenching his fists.
"... No, I've sworn myself as thy sword... that... that..." As his words uttered, his soul then ignites as flames within him slowly grew and Ash saw his memories flashed in his mind to see Sasha, the children, Siegward and the others who looked up to him. Then he saw their struggles in their adventures from where he had been through. "I just don't want to die here... not for a worthless purpose!"
"Holder of the Flames, thine soul art awakened!"
Once the voice of the Flame declared his will, his entire being slowly burned. Embers glow through his armor and Ash felt some power had risen from his very own, a Fragment of the Dark; burning passionately, which responded accordingly to his Will. The Soul of Cinder felt a familiar sensation of its aura. Radiance of a power emitted behind him before turning back to witness the Knight, who he was once an Undead and a former enemy, suddenly bursts into flames and sees his eyes glow red under the shadows of his face. The Soul of Cinder stood in surprise to witness the flaming Lord Soul Fragment of Darkness has awakened by the words of his unfathomable will and emotions, then it soon realized that such power was awakened by his desire to free his Maiden from the clutches of the Fallen God.
"So thou art chosen by the Flames... for a desire to save a life." The Hollow chuckled, amusing himself before raising his hand. "Very well. It seems I've underestimated thee, and now I have seen why the Flames have chosen you as its new Holder. Now go forth and show the Gods of this world... what the Power of the Lords can do."
...
The Fallen God saw the Mortal Knight lie unconsciously on the ground and laughed wickedly that her victory has been achieved. Sasha, whilst in her butterfly form, hid under his arms to protect herself from the ravaging mana and desperately cried him out.
"Ash... please... wake up!" Sasha raised her voice before slowly breaking down to tears in vain. "Don't give up... Please, I don't want to lose you!"
As if she prayed for a miracle, her wish is granted. Sasha mourned before she felt a warm radiance emitting from the Knight before his body suddenly engulfed him in flames. Sasha reeled back in terror before she looks up to see Ash slowly rose up before more flames erupted in his surroundings. The Warrior Nun couldn't fathom what is she's witnessing, Ash's entire body glowed like embers until she saw his eyes flashed blood red... like a hollow. The Fallen God stopped her celebration once she felt a foreboding aura of heat.
"A-Ash...?" Sasha uttered in fear before flying away from the Silver-Blue Knight. "Wh-What just happened to him?"
"I have awakened his soul." The Flames responded. "Since he is mine current Holder, his genuine powers are going to be unleashed."
The Fallen God slowly gazed down and widened her eyes in horror to witness a Knight, engulfed in embers, walking through her deadly storm of mana. The Demonic Energy around him tried to push down and overcome the Cindered Knight with the sensations of pleasures and comfort. But it soon burned within his body, making it as fuel for his power, and it grew even more dangerous. The monster mana then manifests itself into physical corporeal forms of clones which depict several types of mamono's to combat the foreign threat; ranging from Succubuses to the Dragon Mamonos and started tackling the Knight in its desperation.
But the Flames swirled into a massive vortex, catching the clones by their flaming tendrils and burned them within the into ashes as if nothing left. The Dark Lord, cindered by the Flames, felt more energy coming in as the Demonic Energy tried to suppress it, but to no avail until the storm of the Fallen God dispersed in a sudden and the Knight marches towards the goddess.
"This is impossible!" The Fallen God said out loud while reeling back in disbelief. "No mortal can have that much power!"
The Deity then desperately created several beams in her attempts to disintegrate him, but unfortunately, glitters of light appeared and deflected the beams in several opposite directions in much to her dismay. The Fallen God then raised her left arm and created a massive orb of pure energy which grew twice the size of a six-story building and hurled towards the Cindered Knight.
Ash saw the giant ball of energy coming straight to him and raised his hand to stop the massive orb upon contact. The Fallen God reeled back in terror to witness her attack have stopped by his hand until Ash sends a pulse before the massive ball of energy suddenly cracked into millions of pieces and disintegrated in flaming ashes. The Deity grits her teeth in frustration and her ranged attacks could do nothing to stop him as he gets close and teleports away from him in a distance.
"Valkyries to me!"
In an instant, hundreds of Dark Valkyries appeared out of nowhere and surrounds the Fallen God to protect her. But they reeled back in horror once they saw the flaming Knight marched in their direction and hesitate to take action.
"Y-Your Unholiness, wh-what is that... thing!?"
"It's an abomination, and I need you to eliminate him at once!" The Fallen God ordered as she points out. "Don't let this man destroy this Paradise!"
"A-At your command!" The Valkyrie Commander saluted before raising her hand and lowered it down. "Eliminate him!"
The Dark Valkyries pulled down their visors and flew towards the Cindered Knight with their weapons raised. Ash raised his Astoran Straight Sword, poured the energy of the Lords into his weapon until the blades twists and charred into a new form of weapon, a Firelink Greatsword. Just before the Valkyries would reach him, Ash plunged his sword into the ground and sends a powerful blast like a massive explosion, sending a tidal wave of heat that disintegrates the Valkyries in his surroundings into dust and no bones remain. The blast also reached the Fallen God and charred her body alive as she screamed in agony. She tried to use her magic to remove the flames, yet it helped a little as if the flames remain unaffected by her power. Then it endlessly spread out and consuming her whole.
'I must get out of this shell!'
The Fallen God manifests her spiritual body to human size before escaping her gigantic shell of her own through the nape. She had created that giant shell and perfected it over centuries ever since she became a God of Depravity. But now, it was consumed by the ravaging flames before it fell apart into dust. The Fallen God glared angrily to the Cindered Knight and summoned her twin-blades and she dashed to the Knight then raised her swords to cleave him apart in a flurry of swings. But Ash deflected every strike before he strafed back to avoid her blow and reached out his hand. He cast the Profaned Flames and blew her away after the fiery blast.
But the Goddess gained her distance away and raised her arms to call forth her power to summon a rain of beams made of pure demonic mana in its lethal form. But Ash waved his Firelink Greatsword and summoned a large Magic Barrier and Twisted Light just before the beams would hit their marks. Then the beams were absorbed and deflected in a sudden. Then Ash transformed his Greatsword into a pair of Scimitars and sprints forth to the Deity. The Fallen God caught the first strike and deflected it but the second blade swooped up from below and slightly cut her cheeks. The Fallen God saw her black own blood has drawn into the air.
"So you do bleed." The Fallen God heard his deep, cold voice behind his helmet. "Thou art not truly eternal."
She tried to strafe back to avoid his sudden flurry of strikes and thrusts, but the Silver-Blue Knight caught up to her and the Fallen God desperately tries to cast another one of her powers and called out another hail of her magic. A sword made of pure shot out from the skies before the two opponents break off and Ash rolled to the right and strafed to the left to avoid the incoming swords before he deflected one fallen sword and sprints relentlessly towards the Fallen God while under bombardments. The Fallen God merged her two swords into a Halberd and swung horizontally, but Ash rolled to duck under her deadly swing and staggered the Fallen God in pain once he sliced her right leg before she teleports once more and reappears in a much further distance.
"Damnit to Hel! Heal admit!"
The Fallen God cried out in vain while trying to regenerate her missing leg, yet to her horror, her powers are regenerating slowly while half of her power was being consumed by the burns that are biting through her wounds. She didn't expect to feel such agonizing pain in her first time since she became a god. Then she looks up to the Silver-Blue Knight that is coming closer. She raised her hand to freeze time, but it did not do any effect to stop him and casts a transparent barrier in a desperate attempt.
"D-Don't come any closer!"
Ash stopped his tracks before he gently placed his hand on the barrier, then one vibrating pulse rocked through the barrier and glowed red-orange, then cracks suddenly forms until he pushed his hand forwards. The barrier is shattered in a sudden, turning it into millions of glass shards. The Fallen God crawled back while looking up to the Knight in horror once she sees his red glowing eyes.
Ash moved his right hand, and a glow of distorted light appeared. The Fallen God then felt something on her hands and saw both of them glowed with the same color. She didn't know what it was, but she needs to get out as possible by using teleportation. Once she waved her hand... she widened her eyes in shock moments after her power didn't come to an effect to send her somewhere safe.
"Wh-What did you just do to me!?" The Fallen God cried out in horror. "Did you just... Did you just removed my powers!?"
Ash didn't reply and grabbed her by the neck with his left arm before raising her up to the air. The Fallen God choked and gagged for air as his grip tightened. She felt her powers slowly left her. The Goddess couldn't understand what was happening; The energy she had was immeasurable and unmatched for any mortals for centuries. But this was something else, as it was being drained by an individual. Her eyes glanced down and saw her powers were drawn to his core, burned as fuel to further increase his power while she is getting weaker within seconds.
"N-No! Please spare me! I am a G-God, I will grant w-whatever you want!" The Fallen God desperately stuttered out while trying to pry his hands off but to no avail. "I will grant you money, power even! Just please, I-I will give your beloved maiden back according to your terms!"
Ash then stood silently and stared at her while the Fallen God breaks out a tear as she struggled. Unfortunately, his grip hardened even further.
"You think I would grant thee mercy?" He spoke coldly while Sasha witnessed the entire scenario before she felt an icy chill through her spine. "After you lure countless souls into your so-called "Paradise"? I don't think so."
The Fallen God grits her teeth and clenched his wrist, begging him to let go. Ash then closed his eyes and saw a vision through the connection of her demonic energy. From there, he saw countless young women were transformed into succubuses before assaulting men and young boys, thus they were immediately raped and brainwashed by their dark, charming magic while the Fallen God and her adherents watched as it entertained them. He even saw several human kingdoms fell under the Lilims while the adherents of the Fallen Gods were also present in their conquest, and several regions with stubborn human resistance were transported into Pandemonium by the efforts of the Witches of the Sabbath, most notably the Shirokuto Sabbath.
Such visions coming from the past made his heart grow in rage.
"I-I promise I won't interfere with your-"
"SILENCE!... I have seen enough of your actions." Ash then shot her a dark glare before raising his Firelink Greatsword. "None of it were justified... You created more crimes to sway the minds of men into your favor for such a stupid idea... a so-called "Paradise" that has nothing to do to fix the world, nor would it achieve coexistence. Therefore, Fate has judged thee into the Abyss."
"No... No! NO!"
The cries of the Fallen God proved fruitless before the coiled sword jabbed through her body and pierced through from the back. Then he raised his sword with the impaled Goddess to the air before the Flames blazed as hot as the sun itself that burned the Goddess alive. The Deity screamed in pain and terror as she tries to escape from the coils. But it was futile and cried, asking forgiveness.
"I'm sorry... f-forgive me..."
At that moment, the body of the deity turned black as charcoal itself and still burning. Ash saw the face of the Fallen Goddess expressed her pain and agony as he knows she deserved to die, believing that her reign of depraving terror and her support to turn the entire world into a Demon Realm as the Demon Lord herself wishes would last forever would never interfere by anyone. But little did she know that one day, the world wouldn't be in their favor.
"I'm fain 'tis over." The Flame in her mind said with satisfaction. "Now the Fallen Realm shall nay longeth mingle the fates within the mortal realms. "
Sasha felt a sensation of relief washed over her. It is over before looking up at the burning body of the Fallen God. She knew no Hero alone would face the gods for centuries and knew there will be terrible consequences if one dares until he, the traveling Knight arrived. The Knight he took to uphold her Oath is anything but an ordinary human and capable to take down a god, which is impossible. Then Ash impaled his sword into the ground, breaking the charred body into millions of broken fragments before an orb popped out and grew to its original gigantic size.
Ash stepped towards the large orb and gently placed his right hand on the shell before Sasha flew over before he raised his eyebrow in confusion.
"Now wend Sasha, but there is one thing yond I hast to bid thee this." The Flames then explained. "Once thee re-emerged with thy original vessel. Thy memory shall best disappeareth and thou shalt not knoweth the events yond hadst did occur recently. "
"Huh!? You mean I won't remember anything once I get back to normal?"
"Unfortunately, yes. You are a part of her soul. A representation of her humanity and only you remember this, not her," The Flame replied with a sad sigh. "Once you wake up, I can only see you'll guess him who saved you."
"... I see... Then this must be a goodbye," Sasha said while looking down before she felt her lips formed a warm smile. "But... I won't forget this event... his valor he fought for me... and you, who wakes me up from that illusion. I thank you all for saving me."
"Now liveth for thine future."
Once the Flames said its last words to her, Sasha quietly lands on the orb before dissolving into dust and the Knight grew in surprise that the Orb glowed for a while before the shell breaks, falling itself apart in millions of tiny fragments. Ash caught Sasha in his arms in a bridal style before he breathes out in relief and felt the energy that empowered him slowly went out from his entire vessel, turning him back to normal.
"It's over." He whispered while looking down to the sleeping Warrior Nun before looking around the dark void. "So... how do I get out from this place?"
Then, there was a sound of crackling flames coming from behind and curiously turning around. Thus his eyes went wide in disbelief to see that thing again since he ever came to this world; a bonfire with a familiar coiled sword that stood near him.
"A bonfire... how did this get here?" Ash wondered himself before walking up to the flames. "Unless... the Flames is in this world as well?... hmm, now this gives me more questions than answer, but yet; who knows?"
Thus he raised his left hand above the coiled sword before they dissolved into dust. Once he disappeared from Pandemonium, the Flames unleashed its power of Disparity across the debauched realm; time now flows straight and thus awakening something worse, and beings arose from the black void from the Outer Ridges. It awoke thousands of shadowy humanoids in various heights and sizes before marching to the lands of Pandemonium. They emit cries, roars, and horrifying screams with emotions that swirled in the air, filled with rage, jealousy, hatred, and revenge. The Dark Valkyrie's who were guarding the cliffs facing the Outer Ridge watched in terror once they saw a sight of shadows coming towards the cliffs like a massive tidal wave.
"Wh-What in the name of Unholiness is that!?" A Dark Angel cried out in fear while pointing up. "We have to call the Goddess for help!"
But it was too late. The shadowy humanoids reached the edges of their realm and scale the cliffs. Several Valkyries flew down and tried to fend them off until one of them was caught by shadowy tentacles before she was torn apart. The Valkyries were mortified to see their first casualty was consumed by the dark before they flew back up.
"We must regroup with the others!" A Dark Valkyrie in their lead ordered before they reached the top. "We need to warn the-!?"
But once they looked up, they saw the skies forming cracks as if they were shattered and some floating islands of the Pandemonium slowly fell and crashed into the lands as it quaked the entire realm while they can hear people screaming out of fear and terror until black ooze descended from the dark heavens and touched the grounds. From there, several shadows emerged from the black substance and consumed any unfortunate denizens that dare to come near. Amid the chaos, the monster citizens cried out for help while being entangled by shadowy humanoids.
"NO! Leave me alone! I did nothing to you!"
"I know you... You took my life away!"
"Kenny! NO!"
"You shall feel our suffering!"
"Leah, we have to get out of here!"
"You cannot escape!"
Alina and Daria went out to see the commotion going outside the Temple of the Deity and widened their eyes when they witness that the entire realm is falling apart as if it were an apocalypse occurring in their own realm. Daria felt her knees trembled as a wave of pain and terror washed over her sense before her knees hit the ground.
"Wh-Where's the Fallen God...?" Daria uttered before looking up to Alina. "Where is she?... Sh-She should be here at any moment when this kind of trouble ensues..."
Alina stood in silence and clenched her fists, then she declared. "She's... dead."
"Wh-What...?" Daria's eyes grew blank. "But that's... that's..."
"Our Goddess should've been here when this happens, but she didn't come to fix this problem," Alina said stoically before she raised up Daria's left shoulder. "We must leave this realm immediately, and there is nothing for us to repel them."
"But that's impossible..." Daria uttered in disbelief while looking down and tears slowly trailed from her eyes. "Th-there's no way that he..."
...
Demon Realm of Lescatie.
...
Inside the chapel of a once former orphanage, the Dark Priests and their husbands prayed to the altar of the Fallen God while one Arch Priest is actively doing a sex ritual with her incubus partner in front of the masses to let their deity hear their prayers.
"Oh~ Fallen God, give us, ah~! An eternal grace for us and our husbands~!" The Arch Priest moaned while humping on her husband. "We, your faithful adherents, Mmmh~, required your guidance~"
"We required your guidance." The masses followed her words.
After she prayed for her deity, only what she received for a while was silence until the candles blew out and the entire chapel went dark; the entire mass grew in confusion once they felt a sensation of dread and coldness that emits throughout the halls until the Altar of the Fallen God suddenly collapses and broke into several pieces. Then the glass windows broke and blood oozed out from the statues of Dark Angels and Dark Valkyries.
Everyone screamed out in horror amidst the hysteria and quickly left the chapel while the Arch Priest still sat on top of her husband as she stared out in terror to witnessed the chaos that ensues during the daily mass.
"What is going on...?"
...
In several Divine Pantheons, a dreadful wave of aura filled with horrifying screams echoes through the divine realms. Bastet; the Goddess of the Cat Kingdom felt her fur froze with a chilling sensation and Poseidon, the Goddess of the Oceans, felt a malevolent aura had washed over her seas and her adherents saw the intimidating gray clouds loomed from the horizon with a terrifying storm.
Neutral Gods such as Eros and Ares have also felt the malevolent sensation through the air while Bacchus, who is enjoying her good time to taste some fine wine, felt a disturbance that came from the horizon. In Zipangu, several mamono's who held the powers akin to the deities felt an aura of death had washed ashore while the Gods within the Mist Continent felt something went awfully wrong as if the world obscures its fate from their eyes.
In the heavens, the wounded Chief God slowly opened her eyes before her head slowly stirred up from her bed while carefully tending her wounds and looked through the windows of her infirmary room. Then felt an ominous power has risen from the mortal realms.
"What... was that?"
...
Fallen Tower, Temple of Depravity.
...
Once the time flows once more in the mortal realms, Janeline, Amana, and Janice noticed that the bright light became dim and lowered their arms to see the results. Thus their eyes widened in surprise to see the Dark Priest that was once there, turned into something that they didn't expect. They saw Sasha is wearing a white gown, but that's not all; Her horns, her wings, and her chained tail were gone. Once they smelled her scent, they reeled back in shock in their realization that the monsterized human priestess went back to her human form.
"Th-That can't be!" Janeline uttered while shaking in disbelief. "Th-There's no way that he's able to turn her back!"
"What are we gonna do!?" Janice shouted out loud in fear once she sees the Silver-Blue Knight was freed from the entanglement of the black vines. "EEEEK! We have to get out here!"
"Yeah, better to be safe than struck by his sword," Amana spoke while running away without looking back. "I'm leaving!"
"O-Oi! Wait for us!" Janeline and Janice cried out at once before following her through a secret passageway.
Once the three ran away, Ivy then felt a chill going to her spine and peeked down to see the Silver-Blue Knight, where he gave her an icy stare. Ivy ran for the door to escape his glare.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Ash stared up to the balcony for a moment where the four Dark Priests had been before looking down to Sasha, where she is in deep sleep and out of consciousness. He then carried her out from the temple in a bridal style. Once he went out, he saw Arcturus and Sif reached the last area of the final floor before he was reunited with the rest of the group.
"Sir Cyrus! I'm glad you're safe!" Sif spoke up in relief once he sees the green-haired woman in his arms. "Looks like we saved her just in time."
"Yeah, after going on our tour to see dead bodies," Reginald spoke up nonchalantly while pointing his thumb back.
"Haaah!... Haaaaah!... YOU!" Ash then heard Elaine's pained voice and her heavy breathing. The Orc looked up at him and yelled. "Next time, don't leave us behind! This isn't a race!... Oh wait, is that Sasha?"
"Oh yeah, it is her!" Elen then ran up to the couple and checked her condition. "What happened to her?"
"Don't worry, Sasha is safe," Ash replied until the floor rocked of a sudden. "What the-!? An earthquake?"
...
Way down to the entrance of the tower, Siegward felt the earth shakes tremendously and saw the entire structure slowly collapse itself before he saw the stone bridges tore apart by the quakes.
"Oh dear... this isn't good," Siegward spoke up in horror.
...
"It looks like this entire place is falling apart!" Junayd then placed his Carthus Greatsword. "We have to get out of here, quick!"
"But how!? We're on top of the tower!" Elaine screamed out in pure fear. "Oh Lords, I'm afraid to die!"
Then Ash stepped in before he pulls out his Talisman. "Everyone, just gather with me! I have an idea."
At that moment, everybody widened their eyes in disbelief at the Silver-Blue Knight before Elen spoke up. "An idea!? We don't have time!"
"I know, but I'm sure this will work," Ash replied desperately. "Just trust me, I have a teleportation spell with me."
The rest of the gang looked upon each other in hesitation before Arcturus and Junayd slowly agreed while Elen massaged her temples and Reginald slapped his own face until he gave out a deep sigh.
"If this fails, I swear I'm going to kick your ass in the afterlife." Elaine shot Ash an angry glare. Well, she's not wrong unless if the Undead curse would be involved. "Just make it sure to send us somewhere safe."
"Don't worry, that won't happen." Ash then smiled in relief behind his helmet. "Alright, just stick with me."
The group gathered around the Silver-Blue Knight until Ash kneeled and chanted a prayer, thinking where he could land. Then his only thoughts are Siegward and his carriage where they are still waiting for them.
'Homeward!'
Upon casting the miracle, a pentagon appeared right below them and vanished from thin air within mere seconds. Meanwhile, Lucian and Vermut came out from their hiding places while still looking to the same spot where the Silver-Blue Knight and his companions left off with transportation magic. Vermut then crossed her arms and sighed in defeat.
"I can't believe the Silver-Blue Knight did it to change her back to human," Vermut said before biting bitterly on her own lips. "An adversary such as him will give more troubles for the Fourth Borne than the threats of the Order."
"Indeed, Wilmarina will be in tears once she hears the Knight had dwindled our warriors of the Ice Flower," Lucian said admittingly while expressing grief and sadness that ached her heart. "Mira... her husband Marco and the others are all dead..."
"... We need to get out from this tower," Vermut said before her wings spread out and float into the air. "It's about to collapse."
Lucian then looks back and saw the earth shakes and the floor crumbled down until Lucian spread her wings, then followed Vermut. Once the top of the Tower collapses, the two knights of the Ice Flower noticed there is another winged figure flies out from the collapsing building and saw Eva carrying a heavily wounded Kirsche. Lucian sighed deeply in relief that they were still alive as well before heading their way back to Lescatie. From the other side of the wide moat that surrounds the tower, Siegward witnessed the colossal building silently collapsed before an extremely loud bang ensues and enormous clouds of dust particles lifted up high into the skies before he noticed a glowing hue appeared beside him. Thus, in his surprise, he saw Ash, Sasha, Sif, and the others as well appeared out from thin air.
"Well... thank goodness it worked." Ash sighed in relief.
"Oh dear heavens! You came out just in time!" Siegwards praised with his arms raised high before turning his gaze to Ash. "And Sasha is safe and sound! Praise the Lords in thy favor, you are truly a Knight for her in need!"
Ash couldn't help but feel embarrassed, yet embracing the gratitude of his words. Then he turned his gaze around and looked up, watching the remaining debris of the Tower fell from the high heavens. Thus he saw the same Temple of Depravity crashed into the ground until nothing is left. The altar of the Fallen God within the temple had fallen from grace, and its decapitated head made of marble lay among the debris.
...
The sun slowly set from the skies while Siegwards whipped a leash on the horses. The crew inside the wagon rests until Sasha groans and yawned before stretching her arms, then sitting up.
"Hm?... What the-? Everyone!?" Sasha said out loud in surprise, before everyone inside the covered wagon jolts up in surprise and wide awake and Siegward turns his head around. "Wh-What's going on over here and... wait, why am I wearing a gown?"
"Sasha! You're awake!" Elaine suddenly hugged the Priestess in much to her surprise. "I can't believe we just traveled our asses to save you!"
"... What?" Sasha raised her eyebrow in confusion.
"We just saved you." The Warrior Nun then turns over to Reginald, expressing his smirk. "You were abducted from a couple of nights ago."
"Huh?... Wait... Oh!" The Priestess then jolts in realization. "That's right! But how did you find me?"
"Ash tracked down your abductors using a Guidance Spell," Arcturus replied. "So we fought our way through the Tower until your Knight just caved all his way through and found you on the last floor."
Sasha then turns around before looking down to see the Silver-Blue Knight, sleeping while sitting. "But... how did he save me?"
"What do you mean?" Elen raised her eyebrow. "He just found you inside a temple."
"No, I mean not that... I remember when I got monsterized." Once Sasha spoke those words, the crew then expressed their surprise and disbelief. "Could it be that Ash might have used a Purging Stone?"
"... Or something else that could save you if the first plan failed." Sasha then turned around to Siegward with a concern. "He always has a backup plan in a case since you two are awfully close to each other."
Sasha stared at him dumbfoundedly for a moment until she felt a strange sensation in her lips, Sasha gently touched it with her finger before her eyes widened in realization as it felt that she was kissed by someone. She remembered the time when his wife, Jennifer, talks about the "Kiss" that has turned her back to human.
'Could it be...' Sasha then slowly turned around to Ash with a red shade of colors appearing on her cheeks. "Wh-Who... s-saved me?"
"Well, you can guess who," Junayd stated with a grin while crossing his arms.
For a few moments of silence, the crew grew eerie silent before sharing their looks of confusion. But Sasha never said another word before she sits beside Ash and held him by his arms while doing an embarrassed expression with a pout and furious red shades of colors appeared on her cheeks once more.
"Ash... once we get home... y-you'd better take responsibility."
At that moment, Junayd and Siegwards snickered while the rest grew even more confused except for her.
"Well then, after all of this is settled," Siegward then spoke up. "Let's make our way home and celebrate!"
Once the Onion made his declaration, he and Junayd raised their fists up high into the air with their victorious smiles as the Wagon quietly make its way to Gerth. But in the midst of their celebration, Sasha smiled as she hugged his arm tightly before closing her eyes.
"Thank you."
...
Chapter 22: Ends.
Achievement Unlocked; The God Slayer.
Author's note; Whew... guys, I felt like I've finished the first volume of this story. But wait, there is more to come! So btw, what kind of anime opening music would you choose for this entire volume? While I was writing the last part of this chapter, I was listening to MHA Ost's to keep it motivated. But some parts of this chapter are kinda written like a Shonen but blended together with Seinen.
However, I have to check up on errors and misspellings, but I'll just update it to make it more refined. However, about the Flames is just the Flames itself, but reborn without the Undead Curse. Thus I've let it speak with the old 16th Century Shakespearean langauge.
So then, Volume 1; Ends.