"Why did you run!" Verk snarled at his brother. They were sheltered in the ruins of a long abandoned church in the mountains, close to the mountain sanctuary. Acht tended to a small fire, giving him a narrowed glare. "We could have won! You could have won!"
"That's not why I was there," his brother replied. "Solaris told me you've set upon a foolish path. As your older brother, it's my duty to save your neck at least once. If you want to try again, I won't stop you."
Verk gashed his teeth, but didn't have the strength to stand. "They'll be expecting me now! What am I to do? You know what they're attempting to do, surely Solaris will not stand idly by and let them summon Lilith?"
"Of course not, you fool."
"Then you can…"
"Don't mistake my goddess, Verk," Acht snapped. "If I am to go, it will not to be save that girl. It will be to kill her. Solaris maybe generous and kind, but she is also pragmatic. All attempts to save Minette will be made, but should the need arise, I will kill her."
"Is that the limit of the Archsaints' might?" He'd heard endless tales of the Archsaints' battles; they always seemed to come through in the end. "Surely something can be done?"
"If she were anywhere else in the world, if my comrades weren't stretched thin, and she was of the faith, perhaps. But Mint is Marduk, the most fortified Minervian kingdom; the other Archsaints are on the other side of the continent and beyond, and she is to this day still an Elfanian. Would any other god go through such an effort to save another god's follower?" Acht's gaze narrowed further. "Would Elfania? Would she even attempt to save the girl and not kill her outright for the greater good?"
Verk didn't need to answer. He knew. That didn't mean he had to accept it. "How many Archsaints would you need to get Mint out alive?"
A grin spread across his brother's lips, "Two at minimum, one to distract, one to do the actual rescuing. Granted, it's not a guaranteed thing. Time would be against us. Shame there are only six Archsaints right now."
Verk's ears perked up. "There are only six Archsaints?"
"Strange, isn't, usually the ranks get filled right away, but Solaris has been slow to ordain a new one. I've had to run myself ragged to hide it from the Minervians. She seems to have a certain person in mind, but they're being unusually stubborn."
"Is that so?" Verk rose to his feet and looked towards the altar of the church. It was said praying in such a place as this would allow the goddess to hear those more clearly. "Could you step out for a moment?"
"Certainly."
Verk boldly marched to the altar of Solaris; he had underestimated the goddess. This was downright deceitful. Or perhaps divine bullying.
"I know you're listening; you've been monitoring us, Minette especially ever since she asked for aid." Verk clenched his fists as he looked upon Solaris's visage. "Your much greedier than one would presume, Goddess of the Azure Sky. If you grant me your blessing, I will match Minette's offer. I will be your sworn sword for 100 years of service, but only on the condition that Mint is recused safety. If she's killed, my offer is void. Got that?"
Usually taking such a tone with a god was normally a quick way to get struck by lightning, but all Verk heard was an amused chuckle. He turned around, catching the briefest image of a woman made of blazing azure. A burning pain filled his chest as the symbol of Solaris was seared into his chest.
I've given you the means; now you must make your wish a reality. Go forth, my loyal Fenrir.
---
Mint shuffled unsteadily, the heavy irons upon feet hindering her movements. She wasn't certain why they clamped her in irons after all this time. Her escorts—two monstrous men—were more than equipped to stop any attempts to flee.
The day finally arrived; all the preparations were complete. She would be sacrificed. Her body given to the Lady of the Seventh Ring, Lilith. After that, the tide of the war would tip in Minerva's favor.
How is that I have become responsible for the end of the world? She's been the bastard child of a king, fated to serve as a maid, only to be suddenly titled a princess and married off, and now she was here. I wonder how my tale will be spun.
To think she was fated to join the list of maidens slain to further the goals of Minerva. It was laughable.
"I realize I'm sentenced to die, but must I wear this for it?" Her escorts didn't reply, merely letting her stew in silence. What clothes she died in were hardly relevant, but rather than the gowns she's worn until now, or some ragged piece of cloth. Her capturers forced her into what amounted to a thong and a breast-band, something only a succubus would be caught dead in.
I suppose Lilith is the mother of succubi… this makes more sense now that I think about it.
Mint couldn't contain her laughter. Perhaps the cheering crowd of demon lovers below thought she'd gone mad now that the hour of her death was here. She couldn't help but laugh at the fact she was worried about her wardrobe.
Perhaps I have gone mad.
Her escorts brought her to the center of an altar, locking her chains to the anchors in the stone. A complex array was carved into the platform, various materials comprising: tentacles, dragon scales, barrels of blood, and what looked like reproductive organs from various creatures.
"Let us delay no further!" A Minervian dark priest announced. Purple-robed practitioners carrying chime staves took up positions around her, chanting and ringing their bells. "Those who seek the glory of our goddess, step forward!"
A line of naked women approached the altar and took a sip from a black chalice. They stood in each cardinal direction with a knife in their hands. In unison they raised the daggers their throats and cheerily said, "For our goddess and mother, Minerva, please use us as you will!"
They slit their throats, their blood bursting into violet flames as they fell, the array coming to life as their blazing blood filled the grooves. The priests' chanting grew louder, reaching a fever pitch!
Mint felt her entire body shiver. She looked down; her shadow twisted and churned like a black tide. "What!" Her feet sank into the endless black pool of darkness; tiny tendrils latched onto her flesh. Deep in the inky blackness, she saw a pair of glowing violet eyes.
So that's Lilith…
There was no room for embarrassment as her fear literally ran down her legs. A single clawed nail rose from the ground, the tip ablaze with amethyst flame. Rising higher and higher from the earth, first a wrist, and then an entire arm. The burning claw slowly closed in on her stomach, aiming right for her womb.
Verk… Mint stifled a cry. She wouldn't let them see her break. She held on for this long, she wouldn't give up! Not until the end! Throwing her weight back, she felt the cuffs dig into her flesh. A sinister chuckle reverberated from the writhing shadow, the burning finger drawing closer.
Mint activity sawed her wrists against her cuffs, blood wetting her hands. The tip of the claw was barely a hair's width away.
"HIYA!"
A flash of azure whipped past her vision, the menacing arm dissipating into flakes of black ash. Screams of panic and rage filled the air. Two of the priests were bisected; their bodies consumed by a whipping flame of azure.
Fighting back tears, Mint felt a smile spread across her lips as her chains were shattered. She was whisked off the ground and pulled into a familiar embrace.
"Verk…" she'd believed he was alive and longed for him to save her like a princess in a fairy tale. And here he was.
"Keep you your mouth closed!" He barked, shattering the romance of the moment. Mint stayed her tongue as they were suddenly propelled into the sky by the azure wings on Verk's back.
Mint knew how he'd gotten them; only a follower of Solaris could obtain the wings of an angel. To think Verk would go so far for her.
"Do you have a plan?" She screamed as they ripped through the sky, a horde of demons on their tail.
"Not die and make it home!"
"Fine by me!"
Verk moved her to the nook of his arm and drew his sword. Did he truly intend to fight them all? There must be hundreds of them! The air vibrated with power as lightning gathered along the length of Verk's sword.
"Rain Ether!" He slashed the air, cleaving the sky with lightning. Demons fell like flies, the loosed thunderbolts twisting and turning to strike any foul monster. She'd never seen such a powerful attack in her entire life! All the demons were turned into specks of white ash, safe for three.
"Hang on tight," Verk warned as the three figures charged gleefully at them. He readied his sword and flew to meet them.
Mint felt her panicked screams could be forgiven. The stories never quite articulated what it was like to be a literal sack of potatoes during such an epic climax such as this.
If I survive this, I'm correcting that! She vowed as the clang of steel filled the sky.
--breakio
"We meet again, boy!" Ulysses the Bear Feral roared with glee as he flew through the sky with raven black wings. "I hope you're tougher than last time!"
"By a multitude," Verk felt the holy flames of Solaris surge through his body. "Fenrir!"
He'd just become an archsaint, and hadn't the time to test the abilities of his new companion: The Guard Dog of Heaven, Archangel Fenrir. So he'd have to contend with his usual bag of tricks with a little Solarian flair mixed in. Fenrir laid a paw on Verk's mind; the mental burden of managing his new wings and well as his divine flame usage disappeared.
Do what you need; I will make it happen. Fenrir assured him.
"Good to know! REV! BURST!" Creating an explosion behind him, Verk roared towards the Bear Demon Lord. Ulysses' jolly grin never dropped as he swung his mighty axe with tremendous force and speed, but it wasn't enough. "That's one!" Verk growled as the bear's head flew off his shoulders, turning to ash.
With Mint in his left arm, Verk charged towards the next incoming enemy—Demon Lord Dorgan—the vampire elf.
"You gave up the blessings of the spirits!" Dorgan raged, his corrupted wind spirits unleashing a whirlwind of air slashes as they clashed. "Do you know what've done, fool!"
"Yes," creating a solid sphere of holy fire around him, Verk got Dorgan to back off. His spirits weren't so lucky.
"You destroyed them? Without hesitation?" Before Dorgan could summon more spirits, Verk ran him through, the holy flames quickly devouring the vampire.
The last to come was Kalpens, who observed the death of his fellow demon lords with an amused expression as he smoked his pipe.
"Took care of both of them, singled handed and with a girl in yer arms." Kalpens laughed, tossing his pipe away, readying his scimitar. "Would you look at that, I'm shaking."
"You could have attacked all at once," Verk retorted, readying his sword as well. Kalpens scoffed.
"And miss out on the fun? I didn't become a Demon Lord by such cowardly means; I'd rather die on my terms than live with such weakness."
The single-horned demon flashed forward in a brilliant display of speed. Funny, only days ago Verk was hard pressed to stop such an attack. Now it was moving slow as dripping honey in winter.
His blade found Kaplen's neck; the demon's grin never disappearing even as his body burned away into white ash. No others came at them. Seemed the ability to fly was in short supply here.
"Verk…" Mint tugged at his tunic, her eyes fixed at something in the distance as she pointed with a quivering hand.
"I know," he turned and came face to face with Biwanari once more. The demoness tore away her fancy ceremonial dress, leaving the barest of cloth around her person.
"This is why I love you mortals," she declared, summoning her chipped and rusted Shina blade from a hell portal. "You're always so amusing. You threw away everything for that girl, forsaking both your mother and Elfania, your entire family. Can you live that guilt?"
Verk couldn't keep the smile off his face. "I'm my father's son. Unlike him, I only need one woman in my life."
"Father…" Biwanari frowned, recognition spreading across her lips. "Oh my, you're one of Varick's bastards?"
"Straight from his loins."
They clashed, sparks flying as steel met steel. Biwanari's cackles filled the sky as she unleashed an unrelenting barrage of hellfire slashes. Verk fend off the demoness with one arm.
"Do you think that girl can survive a prolonged battle?"
Mint was gasping in his arm, she had no protection against their inhuman speed. Verk parried a slash while performing a dive, Biwanari giving chase.
"Running won't work either!" She sneered, thrusting her sword.
Verk dodged, spewed holy fire from his mouth and made a beeline towards the mountains.
"You think you can outrun me?"
"I don't need to!" Verk veered hard to the right, a beam of blinding light shooting past him and striking the demoness in the chest. She let out a horrible scream, her breasts smoking as cracks formed across her draconic flesh. She seethed through her teeth, glaring at the source of the attack.
"ACHT!"
From the peaks of the mountains his half-brother in his dragon form emerged, his chest pulsing with a bright silver light. The peak of the mountain lit up like a shining star, another blast of silver thunder splitting the sky. This time Biwanari saw it coming and dodged.
The demoness wore a pained smirk as she held her smoking chest, "I guess I can't play around. Damn brats."
Cracks spread across Biwanari's entire body, spewing purple hellfire as her humanoid form burned away to what lay beneath. The wildfire grew in size, taking the shape of a long, coiling purple scaled serpent with: branch like antlers, large grasping talons, and crystal like protrusions that ran the entire length of its long body.
"Verk!" Mint panicked in his grasp as Biwanari's dragon form seemed to stretch on forever. She had to be at least three miles long; her tail barely above the ground as her head touched the clouds.
Acht unleashed another shining breath attack; the silver lightning struck the dark dragon, but was dispersed and absorbed by the crystals upon her back, which shone with an ominous light.
"Have this back!" Biwanari unleashed a breath of black lightning in Acht's direction. The Silver Drin avoided the attack, but the peak that was his perch was no more. "Now for you two!"
Even at full speed Verk couldn't avoid the demon dragon's body. The violent winds surrounding her threaten so send him flying; only through sheer divine strength did he hang onto Mint as they were flung about.
"Try this!" Verk unleashed a thunder slash; it too was absorbed.
"Fool," Biwanari scoffed slowly, bringing her head to bear. "I chose this body carefully; it's the body of a Drin Priestess from a long and powerful bloodline. I've no fear of Solaris's Divine Thunder."
"How about holy flames!" He unleashed two giant slashes of fire. They scorched Biwanari's scales, but even with his full might, the attack appeared little more than scratches. Biwanari chucked as her entire body pulsed, hellfire spewing from her chattering lips.
"Perish, fools!"
With no time to dodge, Verk erected a sphere of holy fire around them. The flames were intense, wearing his shield thin, but it held barely.
"What happened to keeping me alive!" Mint raged at the demon dragon, who chuckled in reply.
"Better to have you dead, then given away to the enemy."
"That won't happen," Verk held his blade towards the sky. "I won't let it! Manifest! Fenrir!"
The sky split open; a massive, three headed white wolf pounced out of the heavenly portal. It's three mouths biting at different lengths of Biwanari's body.
"You bastard mutt!" Biwanari ragged, wrapping her body around the divine wolf. Who retorted by spreading his twelve wings, his tail a long fiery white serpent. Latched onto Biwanari's neck, spewing venom and fire.
"Fenrir!" Verk flew beside the head, holding Biwanari's neck. Fenrir looked at him with his fiery sapphire eyes and said. Go!
Without hesitation, Verk flew away with Mint in his arms. Biwanari's curses boomed across the sky as Fenrir howled. Hellfire and holy flame exploded as the two divine being clashed.
"Verk…" Mint looked worriedly as Verk's flaming azure wings dissipated. Their altitude quickly dropping.
"It's… alright…" Verk gasped, adjusting their trajectory toward the snowy mountain peaks. Just before they crashed, Acht swooped down and grabbed them in his claws.
"Honestly, what a troublesome little brother." He chuckled, placing the two on his neck. "Hold on tight; we're going to go fast!"
Holy fire engulfed Acht's wings as he flapped them, creating thunderous booms in his wake as they crossed over the mountain and the tallgrass in an instant. One more burst and the Wrath Mountains were no longer insight.
--break
"You lose, foolish sister." Fenrir chuckled as his body dissipated into feathers. The bastard wolf laughed heartily, even as Biwanari swiped at him with her tail. She knew it was pointless. She hadn't defeated him; his vessel was simply too far away to maintain his material form.
Reverting to her humanoid form, Biwanari landed gently on the ground. Her hand firmly pressed on the spiderweb wound over her heart. Funny, it matched the scar on her other breast.
"They are your sons, Varick." Biwanari affectionately padded the scar on her left breast. The one the brothers' father had given her so many years ago. "I suppose I can let them go this once. Mother and sister won't be happy, but what can I do? Better to cut our losses."
With a hidden grin, Biwanari made her way towards the castle, but suddenly turned south.
"There's no need for me to stick around, might as well find my next plaything."