The morning sky bled gold.
It began as a shimmer — faint streaks of light flickering between clouds.Then the heavens split open, and the first divine army poured through like a burning flood.
Thousands of winged soldiers, their armor radiant as dawn, descended upon the snow-covered plains. Spears of light rained down, melting ice and earth alike.
The ground shook beneath Wintercrest.
The First Divine Invasion had begun.
From the fortress walls, horns blared. Direwolves howled in response, their deep voices shaking the frozen air.Warriors scrambled into formation — humans, elves, beastfolk, dwarves — their armor gleaming beneath the rising sun.
Arden stood at the forefront, golden Qi flaring around him like a blazing aura. His cloak snapped in the wind as he raised his sword skyward.
"Archers! Hold your line!""Mages, fortify the barrier!""Wolf riders — flank left!"
The air crackled with energy as hundreds of adventurers and soldiers took position.
Across the sky, the angels gathered into formation, a massive spearhead of divine light led by one figure whose wings burned azure.
Archangel Kael descended slowly, eyes cold with divine contempt.
"Arden of the North," his voice thundered across the valley, "your defiance ends here. Kneel, surrender your soul, and I shall grant your people mercy."
Arden looked up, eyes calm — fearless.
"I don't recall asking Heaven for mercy."
A murmur of laughter rippled through his troops, but it was cut short as Kael raised his spear.
"Then you will burn with them."
He hurled the spear.
It struck the mountain behind Wintercrest. The explosion shattered stone, sending avalanches crashing down. The fortress trembled.
But Arden didn't flinch. He drew his sword — Blackfang — and slashed forward.
"Formations! Prepare for Heaven's wrath!"
The first wave of angels dove, their weapons blazing.
Elven archers unleashed a storm of enchanted arrows. Each one glowed with runes, piercing divine armor and exploding in bursts of spirit flame.
Behind them, dwarven artillery roared — massive Qi cannons thundered, launching projectiles that detonated with golden fire, shredding angelic ranks.
Then the Wolf Riders charged.
Beastfolk mounted on direwolves the size of horses thundered across the snow, spears and halberds gleaming. Their war cries echoed through the plains as they tore into the enemy lines, matching divine soldiers blow for blow.
But for every angel that fell, two more descended.
Kael's voice echoed over the battlefield. "Mortals… insects playing war!"
He spread his wings, and the sky itself ignited. Lightning and fire poured from the heavens, sweeping across the valley.
Arden stood at the center, unmoved. His Qi flared like a rising sun, creating a golden barrier that shielded his soldiers from the onslaught.
The impact shattered the earth — but the barrier held.
Ryn appeared beside him, twin daggers glowing. "He's targeting the right flank! I'll intercept!"
"Go," Arden commanded. "Don't die."
She smirked. "I'll try not to."
She vanished in a blur, leaping across the battlefield to strike down a cluster of angels threatening the defense line.
Mira, the cat-girl martial artist, landed nearby with a spinning kick that shattered an angel's chestplate. Her tail flicked as she grinned. "You always attract the flashy ones, master."
"Then keep them busy," Arden said, raising his sword again. "I have an appointment with their general."
Arden leapt.
Qi burst from his feet, propelling him upward with explosive force. The world blurred beneath him as he soared toward Kael, golden trails spiraling behind him.
Kael met him midair, their weapons colliding in a blinding clash. The impact cracked the sky itself, thunder echoing through the heavens.
"A mortal dares reach the skies?!" Kael roared.
"A mortal dares take them back," Arden countered, eyes blazing.
Their duel raged above the clouds — Kael's divine spear against Arden's Qi-forged blade. Each strike sent ripples of power that shook the battlefield below.
Celestial lightning met martial flame. Divine hymns clashed against battle cries.
Kael's power was immense — the fury of the heavens condensed into every strike. But Arden's technique was sharper, his instincts honed by countless lifetimes of war.
He sidestepped a thrust and countered with a blazing strike.
"Heaven-Sundering Style — Third Form: Starfall Break!"
Golden light exploded outward. Kael was thrown back, feathers scattering like burning meteors.
Below, the mortal alliance pushed forward.
Selene raised her staff, chanting. "Divine ward, fifth seal — Eclipse Veil!"
A massive barrier of shadow enveloped the fortress, absorbing divine projectiles and redirecting their energy into concentrated beams that struck the angelic lines.
Elaris commanded the elven mages. "Channel through the leyline! Support the Duke!"
Dozens of elves raised their hands, their energy converging into a single beam of light that surged upward toward Arden.
He caught it — and his sword ignited brighter than ever before.
Kael's eyes widened. "You channel faith? From mortals?"
Arden smirked. "The difference between us, angel, is that my power is earned — not given."
He vanished in a flash of light, appearing behind Kael.
"Heaven-Sundering Style — Sixth Form: Horizon Cleaver!"
The world went silent.
Then the sky split apart.
Kael screamed as Arden's blade tore through his wings. Divine blood rained from the heavens, staining the snow below.
The Archangel crashed into the ground, his divine armor cracked and burning.
Arden landed beside him, sword resting on his shoulder.
"Go back to your god," he said coldly. "Tell him the North kneels to no one."
He struck.
Kael's body burst into light — a final scream echoing as his essence dissolved into the air.
The battlefield fell silent.The angels faltered.Then — one by one — they began to retreat, their light vanishing into the clouds.
Arden stood among the ruins, his soldiers cheering in victory.
Ryn approached, bloodied but smiling. "That's one Archangel down."
Arden looked toward the heavens, eyes glowing gold. "Six left."
The storm above swirled crimson — a new omen of divine fury.
The war had only just begun.