I stood on the top of a skyscraper, lowering my hood and opening my eyes, revealing myself once I knew my students were not close to the heart of the city. I looked down at my hand, the wind wisping gently against my face with gentle kisses.
Glancing up at the sky, I could see the Polaris Star shining brightly amongst the orange sky and knew He had not left me. Exhaling softly, I took a deep breath then exhaled slowly, clearing my mind of any thoughts that didn't align with Yesha.
"Even when I remain alone...these people are within my kingdom in Qutsade, outside my own faith. I will not abandon them, Manaport will not have them. The Synagogue of the Devil shall not corrupt the lost for much longer," I began, holding my hand up at the sky and balled it into a fist.
"Lord Nox," Selene called from behind, walking into the roof top with Lamed, Sayu, and Victoria.
I lowered my hand, turning around to face Selene and her team with a serious expression. "You're here. The demons haven't been released yet, but I'm sure Manaport will be targeting people with strong Spirit Energy first."
"They need Spirit Energy to sustain these demons, meaning sacrifices are made to power these demons," I continued then turned around to look at the city below. "With what energy I have now, being at 60%, I want you four to focus on collecting the remaining citizens not in our Lord's name in Qutsadese, but His name...Jesus."
"So you want us to spread the Gospel to the people of Dongchon? Didn't you just say this city was condemned?" Lamed asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.
"She's being judged, and during trial, you still have the jury, us. Right now, I am the judge, and everyone here is getting a retrial. I will not allow Cho Jin-Hyan to win. Save as people as you can, the number doesn't matter...even if it's just one," I said, my gaze never leaving the city below.
"How much time do we have before Ingris and Pamon are released?" Victoria asked with urgency, not wanting to waste another second with dialogue.
I awakened my Yaoke, reading into the Spirit Energy flow of Ingris and Pamon, noticing they were still in their containers with a separate countdown. Using the divine vision, I could see they were being held in the blimps themselves, the flow of aura leading to the two aircrafts.
"We have 45 minutes, and usually that's a lot of time...but time is something we do not have during Judgement. Once Ingris and Pamon are released, it will be too late for Dongchon. The Dongchon Trial lasts for 45 minutes," I answered, closing my eyes and letting out a soft exhale.
"2,700 entire seconds? This is gonna be tough with how pretty big Dongchon is. Isn't every other person in the city unrighteous except for us like you said?" Sayu asked with curiosity, resting her hands behind her head.
"A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. His Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. His command was for us to bring people to Him before the two are released. The number doesn't matter. Those with ears...will hear you," I said, holding my hand out and calling forth a massive white eagle to me.
"His sheep hear His voice, and they follow Him. Just as I Echo Him, they will hear Him even through time. Now go, we don't have much time left," I said, mounting into my eagle and flying down into the city.
"C'mon everyone! Let's go try to lead as many people as we can!" Selene said with encouragement, psyching herself up for the incredulous task.
Lamed, Sayu, and Victoria were all on board with the plan, the four of them making their quick descent off the skyscrapers and onto ground level. The city seemed more quiet, the only sounds being the whispering winds around. The remaining citizens of Dongchon were all hiding, the plan simple.
Bring people to Christ.
Below, inside a bowling alley, a man exhaled softly as he sat in one of the seats, watching as his girlfriend bowled a few rounds on a lane. He leaned forward on his seat as he looked at the news broadcast on his phone, noticing the city had settled down.
"Hey, what's it looking like out there? Has it all settled down?" The woman asked, walking over to her boyfriend then sat down next to him.
"It's calm for now...looks like the Meet had settled down, but the blimps are still here," He answered, taking a drag out of his cigarette and exhaled softly. "Looks like it's pretty safe to go out there just to look around."
"I wouldn't risk it...being Yascean and Alrean doesn't spare us from getting sneaked up on by a random spirit. For now, I'm—" She began then paused as she heard the front doors opening and closing, turning her attention to the entrance. "Hey, hey, Jayden..! There's a strange guy in here..."
"Probably another surviving citizen, it's nothing to be alarmed about, Anaise. It's probably just some homeless guy anyway," Jayden said, continuing to look through the news broadcast.
"You hide within a bowling alley, when you could've escaped the city with my students. Do you truly not see what is going on?" I began, walking to an adjacent lane and picked up a bowling ball, rolling it down the lane to land a strike.
Jayden became alerted at my tone, glancing over at the next lane to him to see me standing in front of the lane. He rose an eyebrow at me, turning his screen off then sat back in his seat. "And who are you?"
"Who I am isn't important, nor do we have the time to get into the formalities. Your city is in danger and in 45 minutes, judgement will be enacted upon it. Fires from above shall rain down, quenching your city in agony and regret," I answered, watching the machine set up my set of pins once more.
"Yeah, sure dude. Just another one of those Jenovah's Witnesses or something. Listen bud, your God ain't real pal," Anaise called out to me, scoffing lighting and crossing her arms while rolling her eyes dismissively.
I nodded at her statement, my gaze continuing to face forward. "Yeah, the Biblos does say God doesn't exist...but it says only a fool in their heart will say God doesn't exist. However, I'm not here to preach. All I have to say is that our Lord Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Light of Salvation."
"He is the Eternal Son of God, God who dwelt amongst us in flesh, who lived a perfect life and died sinless for me and for you, the Believers and Non-believers. He, through me, wants to see you live...two promising people with a future," I continued, glancing back at them with a hopeful expression.
"But, you don't have to take my word for it... however, while you have the time to. Test me. Test every spirit. I will lead you to Him, and as long as He remains my Source, by His Hands, I will not forsake you," I finished.
Jayden and Anaise stared at me for a moment, both of them lost in their confusion then glanced at each other. Jayden snickered lightly, pointing his thumb at me which caused Anaise to cover her mouth to hide her laughter, the two of them not taking me seriously.
"This guy. He actually believes that fairytale, and he said he was sent by God to save us. What a joke. No thanks bro, we're good," Jayden said, leaning back in his seat and looked over at me with a smirk.
"Yeah, we're good off that. You can hang out, but not around us," Anaise said with a light giggle, crossing one leg over the other.
I looked at the two of them, seeing that their hearts were hardened, wounded, and hurt. My eyes closed as I let out a soft exhale with a smile, nodding at their decisions. "I understand...but it's not too late. You don't have much time, but it's not too late to reconsider. After all, the one you feel most comfortable under right now is currently binding you."
Jayden's laughter slowed at my comment, his brow raising with curiosity by what I meant. "What? What are you talking about?"
"Do you find comfort in Manaport in this moment? If you do, where is your protection? Your safety? Who will be your intersessor when Judgement strikes? Who will be standing behind you when you come face to face with God at the throne?" I asked, noticing tougher love seemed to work on them to get their full attention.
"Hey...I recognize your face! You're on ACU's Most Wanted, your bounty is worth 5,000,000 Zodia!" Jayden said, his eyes widening as he recognized my face.
"I have played these games before...I have been hunted in my own Academy grounds before. But this isn't about me, it's about you and your girlfriend," I said, walking toward them and taking my seat in front of them. "People will see but not perceive, and will hear but not understand."
"You watched on the news swarms of demonic spirits flooding the streets, Valkyrias and Heroes risking their lives for you, heard the announcements of Cho Jin-Hyan himself, yet...you still don't understand your city has been blamed by the Devil himself," I added, my gaze shifting between the two then glanced at my watch.
"That was just the rules of the Meet, and so what? The demons are dealt with, exorcized and defeated. What does this have to do with anything?" Jayden questioned, still skeptical about where I was going with my statements.
"Two more demons remain and when they are released, they will come after people like you first for power and energy. Your fates will be sealed in 38 minutes if you don't make a choice," I warned and met their unsettled gazes, lowering my arm and exhaling softly. "It's either you're God's ally, son and daughter, or you're His enemy in this moment."
"Destruction lies at your door and you need a Savior to carry you through the flames, to lift you through the storms, to protect you from the strongest winds...lest you desire a body fit for eternal destruction. Right now, He's calling you...make the right choice," I finished, ending the conversation there and standing up from my seat, taking my leave.
"Hold it, ninja..." Jayden said, crossing his arms with his eyes closed and smirked with annoyance. "You come here, spit some wisdom and leave? You don't even tell us what dangers await?"
I stopped walking and exhaled softly, lowering my head and slipping my hands into my coat pockets. "Does it truly matter what demons they are or their names? You don't live long enough to know who Ingris and Pamon truly are...nor be able to stand against them."
"Not even am I sure if I can beat them as I am now, that's why...you need a Savior. One who will save you from early eternity either with him or separated from him. I don't want to pressure you, but if you do want to test me...you'll find me at City Hall,"
Jayden and Anaise looked back toward me and watched as I left the bowling alley, the two of them still confused but felt a sense of urgency and desperation in my voice. Despite thinking my statements were strange and outside a character they didn't know, they sensed there being truths to my statements.
Jayden scoffed with a smirk, looking ahead at the pins before him down the lane. "He said it didn't matter...and still gave us their names. He definitely knows something..."
"I guess...but did you hear his voice? He sounded desperate, like grief filled. I dunno, but something in me says we should check out Dongchon City Hall...but that's where they recruit people for guilds and stuff..." Anaise said, glancing over at Jayden and noticed his introspective expression.
"Is he trying to convert us..? But why? What's makes Ingris and Pamon so strong that Nigoku can't save us from the issue..?" Jayden asked, mentally playing back my statements to seek any answers from them.
------------------------------
Selene and Lamed wandered the empty streets together, trying to find someone who would respond to the Good News, to find another righteous person within the city. Amongst their travels, they stumbled upon a father and his young daughter roaming the empty streets to find safety from the looming dangers.
"Sir! Excuse me!" Selene began, hurrying toward the two and managed to get their attention then looked down at the young girl, noticing she was blind in both eyes. "Oh...your daughter..."
"Yeah...she's been blind since the day she was born. She's been by my side since her mother passed, and now...we have to find somewhere safe to hide due to our apartment complex being leveled," The father said somberly, looking down at his blind daughter and gently squeezed her hand.
"Papa, are there people in front of us?" The daughter asked sweetly, her gaze continuing ahead with a warm smile.
Selene and Lamed felt their hearts sink hearing her question, the thought of an innocent soul like hers entering into the world blind breaking them slightly even though they have seen worse. The father could only remain strong outwardly, but inwardly he resented, his heart holding in his deepest pains.
"Somedays...I wake up and ask why God has cursed us so. I look back each day to see where I screwed up but can never find one. My little girl has been bullied and ridiculed for something she couldn't control, and He remains silent," The man said with pain in his tone, feeling his daughter squeezing his hand gently.
Selene lifted her gaze to look at the hurting father in front of her once more, seeing that he didn't hate God or despise Him, more upset from the years of silence and trials. Seeing his faith was slipping, she took a step forward then crouched down in front of the girl.
"Hi, cutie...what's your name?" Selene asked in a soft tone, giving the girl a warm smile.
"My name is Junia! Who are you?" Junia asked excitedly, her gaze looking just past Selene but she knew she was there.
"My name is Selene Arcania, and it's nice to meet you. Tell me, do you believe in God?" Selene asked, curious of what Junia's answer would be.
"Mhm!~ I hear His voice everyday and I can see visions from Him! Yesha always tells me that He loves me and Papa," Junia beamed with excitement, her Holy Fire emitting from her chest with passion.
The father exhaled softly at her answer, shifting his gaze to the sky. "It surely doesn't feel that way...what have I done to deserve my daughter to be born with blindness? If not me, was it my daughter who loves you dearly?"
"Neither you nor Junia have sinned, but your daughter was born blind, so that one day the works of God might be displayed," I said as I walked toward them from behind, my tone immediately capturing the attention of the father.
"Lord Nox. Did you find anyone?" Lamed asked, watching as I approached calmly.
I shook my head and quietly inspected the man and his daughter, noticing his daughter possessed a Holy Fire yet his fire was slowly drifting away. "No, but we might have a start..."
"It's you... You're Noxius Ascea Exzodia, The Echo..." The man said, staring at me with a hint of awe and respect.
"Noxius? Like the Dong-ga Park Hero, Nox? Papa, he's here in Dongchon?" Junia asked with bubbling excitement, turning the opposite way of where I stood.
I chuckled softly at the two of them, feeling relieved that there were people who didn't see me as an immediate villain or believe in Manaport's lies. I walked over to Junia and kneeled down in front of her. "Junia, follow the sound of my voice...you can hear me?"
"I can! Mhm!" Junia nodded excitedly, giggling with excitement as I placed my hand upon her hair.
"What are you planning to do? It's nice that you all can be so kind to my daughter, but kindness alone won't help her blindness. I've taken her to the best doctors I know, doctors who have cured blindness before but could not heal her," The father said, watching as I inspected Junia closely with gentle touches of her face.
"It's because you took her to a unbelieving generation, lukewarm doctors in which your daughter's pure spirit has spat out," I replied, exhaling softly and lowered my head to check my watch, seeing we only had 30 minutes left. "How long shall I stay with thee? How long shall I put up with thee..?"
Junia looked ahead, but I could tell her eyes were directly upon me. I smiled at her warmly, placing my hands upon her eyes which put her into a deep, gentle rest. Selene, Lamed, and Junia's father gasped as the young girl went limp, Junia's father glancing at me with a slight glare.
"What have you done to her? Aren't you supposed to be helping her? She looks like she's dead! Wake her up if you can do anything about this!" The father demanded, his emotions raising over the roof as light sparks crackled around his body.
"'If you can,'" I repeated, looking down at Junia who looked peaceful as she tested in my arms. "Everything is possible for one who believes."
Immediately Junia's father exclaimed profoundly, "I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief, please! Junia is all I have left with me...I can't lose her as well to the evils of this world too..."
"Lord Nox..." Selene said gently, placing her hand upon my shoulder and looked at me with a saddened gaze.
I looked up at Selene then glanced around, noticing a small crowd of 10 people had formed around us from Junia's father's exclamation. I looked down at Junia, placing my hand over her eyes gently. "You blind and unseeing spirit...exit this girl's body and never enter again so she may see the light of the world that our God has left us with.."
The Spirit within her shrieked and left her body with his hands over his eyes, a bright light from above shining down to cast the demon out of Dongchon with ease. In my arms, Junia looked much more like a corpse to the point where the onlookers whispered, "she's dead."
Suddenly, a soft wind gently blew and entered through her nose, filling her with living air and waking her back up peacefully. As she slowly opened her eyes, the first sight she looked upon was her own Father.
"Papa..? P-Papa?!" Junia gasped, tears immediately welling up in her eyes as she covered her mouth then she turned her head to glance over at me with another gasp. "I-I can see...I can see!"
"She can see?! God!" Junia's father exclaimed loudly, clapping his hands together and fell to his knees with tears in his eyes. "You healed her! My baby girl can finally see!"
The crowd around us was astonished and amazed by the miraculous act, their gazes shifting toward me with wonder. I helped Junia back onto her feet, my gaze shifting around to the ten that witnessed everything.
"Everyone hear what the Lord has said! You have witnessed one of many powers and miracles of God through me and each and every one of you can also experience His miracles. He can heal whatever pain you have just as He has done for Junia and her father! You don't have much time left, but with what little time you have," I began, pausing for a bit then glanced at the sky.
"You can still choose...to be His child or be eliminated and that's the harsh truths right now! Manaport is corrupting your city and using it as a sacrifice! If you stand against them, spread the news that the Kingdom of God is amongst us! Save your brothers and sisters too, I beg! God can save you in this moment if you trust in Him!" I finished, my watch beeping as the 25 minute mark struck.
The crowd of 10 heard my message, Holy Fires emitting upon their chests and their hearts moved by the message. Suddenly, a memory called back to me from my conversation with God as I noticed we had begun to go backwards from one, now to ten righteous people.
"Surely, you don't think converting a bunch of people to the Yeshan Faith will prevent your looming destruction?" Michin's annoying tone asked within the crowd, pushing people out of his way as he walked toward me.
Lamed stepped in front of me protectively, his cold blue eyes glowing as frost began to form upon his body. "Who are you...and what is your connection with Lord Nox?"
"Calm down, Frosty. Your Lord happens to be rather close with one of my playthings...but soon he won't be a problem. It'll be easier if you surrender now and let me kill you here so you won't have to experience humiliating defeat on broadcast by our strongest weapons!" Michin laughed, looking at me and noticed my serious expression and stopped laughing.
Michin cleared his throat and crossed his arms, flipping his hair coolly. "In other words, you're finished, Noxius!"
"You may see me as resisting you, but right now...I am actively seeking mercy for you and this condemned city. If not for these ten people around us, in 24 minutes your city will be doomed," I said in a firm tone, my gaze meeting Michin's directly.
"Mercy for us? Look at The Echo of Christ everyone! The Saint of Exzodia!" Michin mocked with a sneer, his eyes glowing as he pulled out his pocket watch. "You think you have power, but here in Dongchon, this is Wonderland territory!"
"Scatter my sheep and spread the news!" I commanded, my command causing their Holy Fires to glow and they all began to scatter about through the city.
Junia watched as everyone left then looked ahead at Michin, shivering heavily as she felt no good energy from him then shuffled behind her father. "Papa...he's scary.."
"What are you two doing? Scatter! This street is compromised, so leave!" Lamed instructed, looking back at Junia and her father.
Her father grunted softly at Lamed's intense tone, picking up his daughter in his arms then began to hurry off as Junia looked at us, watching our forms gradually grow smaller as they retreated. She waved goodbye toward us, hoping to see us again in the near future.
I stretched my arms and legs, taking a deep breath then exhaled slowly. "Let's end this quickly and continue our search. We should spend no longer than five minutes on a guy like the Crazy Hatter."
Michin rose an eyebrow as I revealed his identity without ever meeting him before, his interest growing more. "Kim Eun was right about you...you are something special!"
"Selene, you go ahead. Lord Nox and I have this guy covered," Lamed said, draconic energy leaking from his pores as he prepared himself for battle.
Selene nodded and made her quick retreat with a warp, her butterflies scattering about in the area. Once her final butterfly left, Lamed charged forward with a powerful shovel hook but Michin evaded it then remained defensively responsible by blocking his left chop.
Michin pushed his arm away and followed with a palm strike, but a thin sheet of frost protected Lamed from the attack then repelled his arm backwards. Lamed countered with a powerful knee strike to Michin's stomach, a small pool of frost growing upon his stomach.
"Lord Nox!" Lamed called out as he sent Michin flying backwards, watching as I charged forward at high speeds.
Michin landed on the ground and looked up, watching as I approached and launched a roundhouse kick aimed at my head. I doved forward into a roll to dodge his kick then swept him off his feet, following it with spinning heel kick to the back of his head to cause him to flip.
Spinning on my hand, I struck him with a flashing Capoeira kick, lightning flashing upon impact and stunning him upon his feet. Standing back onto my own feet, I threw a roundhouse as a feint to get him to block high which opened him up to Lamed's Glacier Crush upon his midsection.
Michin groaned in pain, more of his torso becoming covered in frost from Lamed's devastating palm strike. He succumbed onto one knee, clutching his stomach and coughing heavily. "I yield..! I yield you crazy sons of bitches!"
Lamed gripped Michin's hair tightly and pulled upon his head to force him to look up at him, his gaze becoming as sharp as a dragon's intimidating stare. "There is no yielding right now...in this moment you're gonna tell us where Overseer Cho Jin-Hyan hides.."
"And lying or evading will not help you. My butterflies are all around the city, and the Lord detests dishonest scales. His eyes are everywhere including within...my own," I said as I awakened my Yaoke, walking closer to him and stood over Michin.
"However, lying or not...your choice here matters. Surrender, or fall with your comrades," I said, using my golden chains to bind him in place for interrogation then formed a hand seal. "Realm Manifest: Heavenly Jury."
A dome of holy light formed around the street we were in, trapping me, Michin, and Lamed inside while only the outside saw a holy barrier they could not enter. Trial was now in session for Michin who was trapped in my Realm, a pocket domain only used for perfect interrogation.
Inside my Realm resembled a small courtroom with Michin standing on the other side of me and Lamed, glancing around the realm to see Virtue Angel Statues surrounding the courtroom. Nina, the Virgo Zodiac Champion, handed me a sealed envelope with evidence inside.
I hit my gavel against my block three times, looking down at Michin and set the hammer down. "Court is now in session. Michin Haeteo, you are being accused of luring Senior High School Valkyrias into traffic rings for Manaport, specifically working under Overseer Cho Jin-Hyan and you are currently grooming Kan Ha-Rin and Kim Eun of Grushia High School."
"Bullshit! What do you have on me that supports that claim? What Kim Eun and I have in completely consensual, so you're just talking out of your ass buddy," Michin said, leaning forward against his desk casually and scoffed.
"If there was no evidence, Lord Nox would not have an envelope in his hand right now. As he has stated before, lying will not get you anywhere. Acting as your prosecutor, I will be sure to get you the punishment you deserve," Lamed promised, his sharp gaze earning one from Michin back.
"Michin Haeteo, why should I declare you innocent of your sins? Why should you be able to walk out of my domain freely?" I asked, silently waiting for Michin to speak up for himself.
Michin smirked at my question and stood up straight, placing his hands upon the desk before him. "Because I didn't do anything regarding what you speak of. Sure, I work for Cho Jin-Hyan but I do not traffic women."
"He has chosen...Denial," Nina said, her scaled tipping over to the lie cup.
"I see..." I said, tossing the envelope to Lamed since I already knew what was inside it due to my Domain's effect to be connected with God's clarity. "Lamed, your rebuttal."
"Lie?! How would you know I am lying? You made an accusation and—"
"Silence," I commanded, my gaze shifting over to Michin, whose voice did not work until Lamed gave his rebuttal. "You shall not speak until your prosecutor is done...you should have chosen truth."
Lamed glanced over the files within the envelope, his eyes darkening as he reviewed each ignored police report, every picture, and every account upon each page. "You've trafficked over 20 Valkyria for their bodies and Stigmata, you're actively grooming Ha-Rin and corrupting her mind, you take advantage of Kim Eun sexually...and most importantly, you do know where Cho Jin-Hyan is..."
"Overseer Cho Jin-Hyan is in Dongchon! Lord Nox, Michin Haeteo is guilty of all charged!" Lamed roared, his roar sending chills down Michin's spine.
Michin grunted softly and looked up at me, clenching his teeth and slamming his hands upon the desk. "What?! How could you know this if we have never met before?! That could be fabricated!"
"You stood before my court without a lawyer and defended yourself, took the sins you committed as your own, and even lied in front of the Heavenly Jury...you have a Judas Spirit and a parasite within you. Nina, what is the judgement?" I asked, picking up my gavel.
"He chose Denial and was Tried as Guilty. As punishment, the Dark Lord of Desire, Lilith, shall have his soul and turn him into an Imp for he chooses worldly desires over the things of God. God allows him to drink from his own cup, but his fate...shall be sealed," Nina announced, the sound of my gavel crashing down following afterward.
Michin grunted heavily then watched as the Realm shattered and we all returned to the physical realm. He looked around at his body, noticing he was still normal then smirked at me. "You casted judgement and it didn't work? What kind of Echo are you?"
"Just like Dongchon, you're given a countdown before you meet your inevitable fate. Depending on your choices and slow down the clock, or even stop it...or it can speed it up and your fate will be met like a thief in the night. My God have mercy on you, Haeteo," I said, turning away to walk off and continue my mission.
Lamed followed behind, leaving Michin alone to reflect on my words and what just occured. He looked at his hand, noticing no difference in feeling or appearance at the moment, but little did he know, Lilith's Monsters were already stalking him within the shadows.
-----------------------------------
Sayu and Victoria raced through the streets of people each spreading the news of the incoming judgement on the city, the two watching one Holy Fire emerge after another the number increasing from 10 to 12 to 15 to 25 then 30. Reaching a large church lot, they stopped as they noticed a crowd of people gathering there, mostly Valkyrian Women with their children.
Amongst the crowd stood a lean man with a scar running horizontally along his face, his face gentle and sweet like the rest. He helped people inside the church then turned to Sayu and Victoria who were approaching, immediately sensing their immense Spiritual Energy.
"Welcome to Wawan Church, I encourage you all to enter for safety while the city is undergoing judgement! Come, come!" The man encouraged, smiling at the two then noticed the two women were not budging.
Sayu looked down at her phone, reading the chat messages and noticed they were telling her to not go inside. She glanced back up at the man, sucking her teeth lightly and smirked. "My people are telling me to not trust you, and for some reason I don't..."
"I can see the confusion with the scar upon my face on how I could be intimidating and untrustworthy, but can I have you think opposite for a moment? All of these people need protection from what is to come, you included," The man said, giving the two an honest expression and a reassuring smile.
Victoria exhaled softly then stepped forward, making her way toward the church. "We should at least investigate. After all, we don't have much time left to escape ourselves.."
Sayu huffed softly, crossing her arms and groaned lightly, reluctantly following behind Victoria. "I don't know, it seems like a ploy. And I know traps!"
The man watched as the two entered the church then glanced back, seeing no one else was approaching then followed the two inside. Once inside, he closed the doors and locked them with a binding seal. He looked behind himself, noticing everyone seated in their seats and wondering what would happen.
Sayu and Victoria sat along the choir stand, counting every head within the congregation then spotted two people wearing hooded white cloaks within the crowd. Both of them bore Apostle Emblem buttons upon their cloak, the detail catching their eyes then they glanced at one another with intrigue.
"Sir! What is about to happen? Everyone is having talks about the destruction of Dongchon and Manaport having ties to it? Our city is in ruins and my children currently have no place to stay!" One Aetherian mother cried out, standing up from her seat to look at the scarred man.
"I agree with her! We demand answers now!" One man rallied, standing up from his seat as well.
The man chuckled as he listened to the uproar within the crowd, holding his hands up to calm everyone as he walked down the aisle. "Calm down everyone, I will explain everything. Firstly, yes, Dongchon is being destroyed but I can be saved. One man is tearing down our city and his name is Nox. He is a Dark Lord, judging our beautiful city for no reason!"
Sayu gasped and was about to speak up, but Victoria covered her mouth, silencing her so the man could say everything be needed to say. Sayu mumbled against her hand, wanting to stop the man from blatantly lying to everyone but sat back to watch.
"Together, if we all band with one another, we can stop this threat! You all are familiar with Ragnarok, the Extension of God known as the Exzodia's Archangel of War? First Ruler of Qutsade? He has sent Nox, and Ragnarok is the main enemy!" The scarred man rallied, holding his fist up to inspire the crowd.
"Valkyrias and Heroes, rise up together now if you want to save Dongchon from utter destruction! Just like the days of old, the Last Dark Lord comes to destroy what is left!" The scarred man continued, pausing as he heard a scoff and a laugh.
The first hooded figure shook his head as he listened to the man's claims and accusations, lowering his hood to reveal himself as John the Beloved, Echo of John the Apostle. "You dare lie in the Lord's House, paint an echoing might as darkness?"
"Even a pagan wouldn't dare throw such false claims into the wind without sustainable evidence," The second hooded figure said, lowering his hood to reveal himself as Holy Knight James, Echo of James, son of Zebedee. "You're lucky this isn't the Heavenly Jury, or else you would be immediately tried guilty."
"Apostle Rank Heroes within Dongchon?" One woman gasped in awe, her eyes illuminating with pure hope as her Holy Fire emerged from her chest.
"It's members of the Holy Saints, John and James!" A man from across the church gasped, recognizing the two immediately.
The scarred man smirked at the two, placing a hand upon his hip and met their gazes. "Apostle Ranks huh? How did you two slip my eyes..? No matter, you have no way of disproving what I said because it is true!"
"It's not true..." A man said within the crowd, looking up at the scarred man with fiery eyes, sparks crackling around his body. "You're a liar and I know because I just came from where he performed the miracle, the miracle of healing my daughter!"
The scarred man looked at the father then shifted his gaze over to his daughter, Junia, who sat next to him. He slightly tilted his head up and smirked, not knowing how to refute the evidence before him. "So he's also a miracle worker now..?"
"Why did you drag us here?! Who are you really?!" Another mother asked, holding her two sons close to her as protection.
The scarred man exhaled softly, running his hand through his hair and closed his eyes. "Honestly, it's almost like God is personally just watching me... alright. My name is Cha'ange, I am a Captain of Manaport...and none of you are leaving this church alive.."
"If we fall, we'll power up Ingris and Pamon as much as we can through sacrifice! We will not allow Noxius to win!" Cha'ange revealed with a villainous laugh, revealing a large sacrificial magic circle along the floors of the church.
Everyone within the church gasped as the red light illuminated the entire building, nether energy particles rising from the magic circle and inducing pure fear inside the hearts of those who could not endure the sights. Junia's father quickly placed a blindfold over her eyes, so she did not have to see the pure evils in front of them.
"You're a sick man! Who do you think you are to do this to us?!" A Valkyria yelled out, unleashing her aura and charged toward Cha'ange at full speeds.
As she launched her strike toward his jaw, he caught her fist and glanced over at her with a wicked expression. He palmed her face, transfiguring her entire body into a wooden staff which immediately killed her. Her Spirit Energy slowly entered the magic circle, the sigil humming lowly with power.
An uproar began to spread out as everyone scattered to escape the deranged man who had just killed a woman using transfiguration, the man enjoying the sounds of panic and screaming as they raced throughout the church to find an exit. He launched his staff forward, the staff piercing through three people and becoming embedded into the door.
Sayu, Victoria, John and James, and Junia's father could not believe what they were seeing, Cha'ange revealing his true nature and using Wawan Church as a sacrificing ground for Manaport's demons. As he turned his gaze to Junia and her father, her father quickly held her closely to him, his gaze becoming more fierce and fiery.
"Mr. Vaughn...I believe it's time for you to join the rest...or you can live by handing your child to me," Cha'ange said, holding his hand out with a mocking chuckle.
Vaughn scoffed at Cha'ange, his blazing armor appearing around his body like flares from the sun and his flaming sword manifesting in front of him with intense heat. "The only way you'll have her...is if you kill me where I stand."
"But you won't get the change to. Not while we are here," John said, his light aura beginning to flow around his body.
Cha'ange looked around himself, noticing everyone still standing strong was prepared to take him down and save the remaining citizens within the church. "Now, this has gotten very interesting..."
Sayu grit her teeth then sprinted forward, vaulting over the choir stand then launched an axe kick toward Cha'ange, but he swiftly dodged the attack into James. James swung his great sword aiming to cleave Cha'ange in two, but Cha'ange transfigured his arm into a blade and pivoted around to clash with James.
James grunted as he was pushed backwards, but John charged toward with a rushing knee which was evaded then launched a blast of light energy toward him. Cha'ange blocked the blast of light, grunting softly as the explosion pushed him backwards then he grabbed a bench then hurled it toward John at high speeds.
"Move!" Victoria commanded, pushing John to the side then snapped her fingers, invisible slashes cleaving the bench into multiple pieces. She thrusted her arm toward Cha'ange, flaying winds rushing toward him. "You'll fall inside your own domain demon!"
Cha'ange grunted as the heavy cutting winds struck his body, leaving tiny cuts against his face and arms but he let out a roar, the pressure winds of his bellow dispelling the winds immediately. "There is nothing you can do to win! You're trapped here, so even if you beat me, this building will swallow you all whole!"
"Is that so? If this building is an enemy of God also...then we'll burn the entire thing down!" Sayu roared, a starlike flash shining brightly against her chest. She let out a bellow as she transformed into her Ignis Star Form, the rushing heats spreading across the room.
Cha'ange grunted softly at Sayu's energy, guarding himself from her flaring energy and hummed softly with interest. 'Her energy just skyrocketed to S Rank...just who are these Arcanian Students..?'
Vaughn watched as John, James, Sayu, and Victoria worked together to protect the remaining living citizens inside the church, his eyes searching around to find any way to escape the chaos. With Junia in his arms, he made a run for it down a random hall for an exit.
Cha'ange noticed Vaughn escaping and rushed toward him, grabbing a dead citizen and transfiguring his body into a javelin to hurl at him. "You will not escape!"
Junia, even though blindfolded, held her hand up toward the javelin and condensed the space between the javelin and Cha'ange, displacing the javelin into his stomach. Cha'ange groaned as his own weapon pierced him, looking down and grunting heavily with confusion as his own blood pooled down his stomach.
"What the heck just happened?" John asked, glancing back at where Junia was last seen and the javelin inside Cha'ange's stomach. "I didn't even see it happen.."
"Whatever it was gave us enough time to deal with this guy! Let's strike him down!" James rallied, charging forward then spun counterclockwise into an upper slash.
Cha'ange grunted as he tried to stop his attack, but got his forearm severed off in the process, causing him to groan loudly in pain. While he was staggered, John rushed in with a flurry of light imbued strikes, each strike burning Cha'ange more and more as his attacks landed successfully.
Upon John's next strike, Cha'ange opened his mouth wide and a sword flew out of his mouth the impale John's skull, catching John by surprise. Once again, Victoria saved John by pulling him out the way then took the blade to the chest, John and James gasping with shock.
Cha'ange grinned as he walked backwards, the blade fully leaving his mouth then he pulled the sword out of her chest by the handle. "Sacrificial heroes never win at the end of the day...you were better letting him die.."
Victoria staggered onto her feet, chuckling lightly as her wound immediately began to heal and caught Cha'ange off guard. "A wound like that is not enough to take me down. You heavily underestimate me and my partner!"
"Your partner?" Cha'ange asked then became alert as he heard Sayu's bellow at his left, his gaze shifting over but it was too late.
"Ignis Technique: Burning Halo of the Fourth Wheel Turning Storm!" Sayu bellowed, launching herself forward with a somersault and crushed Cha'ange's jaw with a supernova like attack.
Everyone guarded themselves from the intense blazing explosion, a pillar of fire breaking through the roof and reaching up to the sky. Harsh flames rushed through the room, searing everything in touch and setting even the magic circle ablaze.
Sayu groaned as she was knocked away by a giant hand pushing her against a wall, grunting as she was trapped against the hand's crushing pressure. Cha'ange transfigured his other hand into a fan, blowing away the smoke then smirked with increased enjoyment.
"Now the games have truly begun!" Cha'ange guffawed and shifted his arms into wings then flew off at high speeds.
"Catch him! Close off his escape route!" John called out, summoning his fishing rod then casted his hook toward Cha'ange, trying to hook his wing to catch him while Cha'ange evaded in the air. "Tch! I'm not as skilled as Peter with this, but we have to catch him!"
James dashed between the benches and scaled up the wall, launching himself toward Cha'ange with an overhead slash, but the tip of his sword was inches off from its mark. Cha'ange launched at James then kicked his back, sending him crashing into the benches, breaking them and leaving behind a smoke cloud.
Victoria targeted Cha'ange and snapped her fingers, a chart segment of slashes striking his left wing and leaving it a shredded mess. She grunted as her Cuts still weren't as potent as they should be. "Just one more!"
Cha'ange laughed at Victoria, transfiguring his arm into a cannon then took aim at her, finally catching her off guard. "Boom..~"
The barrel of his arm cannon began to glow red as an orange orb of energy formed inside then he fired a powerful energy blast, the explosion throwing everyone around away and leaving the worship room a ruined mess. Seeing everyone buried under the rubble, Cha'ange made his escape to find Vaughn and Junia.
Vaughn rushed through the church, helping other civilians escape their incoming doom to Cha'ange through a secret underground tunnel. One woman, whose name was Sheele Kasla, helped Vaughn and his daughter in and out of the underground tunnel.
"How many more are there?" Sheele asked with soft pants, moving her silver bangs from her tired eyes as she held Junia in her arms.
"Just a few more...just as God through Nox saved me and my daughter, I want to save these people as well. Thank you again, Sheele...it's nice to know this city isn't all truly heartless," Vaughn said, looking back at Sheele with a small smile.
Sheele smiled back at Vaughn, giving him a nod while adjusting a still blindfolded Junia in her arms. "Of course, I'm glad to see that there are still some good fruits growing in this thorny soil.."
The two gave each other warm smiles before continuing on their mission. As they reached the baptism room, they noticed one scared Valkyria hiding beside the pool curled into a ball. As they approached her to lead her to safety, a head slowly emerged from the pool waters and locked onto Vaughn with sinister eyes.
Sheele looked ahead at the pool, gasping softly and hurrying forward. "Vaughn! Look out!"
Before she could reach Vaughn, a hand rushed toward Vaughn to touch him, but he quickly blocked the hand using his sword with a heavy grunt. The hand drew back then surged toward the Valkyria, turning her into a demon wind shuriken before hurling it toward Vaughn.
Vaughn blocked the shuriken with another grunt, sliding backwards along the floors and looked up to see Cha'ange emerging from the waters. "You! Haven't you done enough damage?!"
"These normal humans won't do for the empowerment of Ingris and Pamon. They need something more... something pure," Cha'ange said ominously then lunged toward Sheele and Junia.
Selflessly, Vaughn threw himself toward Cha'ange and tackled him to the ground then went for the killing stab. Cha'ange shifted into a snake to slither between Vaughn's legs then reshifted back to normal, transfiguring his arm into a sword then thrusted forward.
Vaughn blocked behind himself, his sword releasing a blast of fire toward him and forcing Cha'ange to back away. Cha'ange began to concentrate hard, transfiguring his arm into three bladed whips then cracked all three toward Vaughn at blinding speeds in which he couldn't avoid.
"Vaughn!" Sheele cried out, feeling her heart drop as she knew Vaughn couldn't avoid the attack.
"I'll dismantle you!" Victoria's voice roared down the halls, a large cleaving slash cutting the baptism room in two.
Sheele and Vaughn watched as Cha'ange's arm whips fell into the ground then looked up to see both of his arms were cleaved as well, the room cut in three. Turning their eyes, they could see a weakened Sayu and Victoria standing down the hall with John and James arriving shortly after.
Cha'ange regenerated his arms with ease and growled lowly, seeing he was highly outnumbered now. He decided to take his leave before he could waste any more of his spiritual energy, turning his arms into wings and flying through the opening of the roof.
"We don't have much time left...we have to go to City Hall! Come on with us," Sayu warned in between her pants, rushing off toward the exit they made before hand.
Sheele and Vaughn watched as the four hurried off then decided to join them in their escape. With only 10 minutes left on the clock, everyone in the city knew hesitation was no longer an option. It was now time to choose...
Life or Death.