The barrier was pathetically mitigated by Adeline, who looked unaffected. Florence maintained a clear mind as he turned to his black scriptures. He either needed to use all his cards now or use the white scriptures first. Adeline disappeared from his vision as blood sprayed behind him. He turned and saw one of the black scriptures stabbed by the large sword. She pulled out her sword, together with parts of his guts and rib cage. Florence took several steps back as the scriptures attacked Adeline, but her body turned to red mist.
“No need to panic; you will die last.”
Florence turned to the source of the voice and saw Adeline choking one of the clergy while the other was beheaded next to her. She struggled and tried to break free, but it was all for naught. Adeline tightened her grip, crushing her neck as her body went limp. Blood flowed into Adeline and her sword as the clergy became a shriveled meat suit. She threw the body away as scriptures came attacking once more. The rows of blood spears fell down, impaling some of the white scriptures. The black scriptures were able to dodge and block as they stopped their attack.
“You shield yourselves with your faith, but in the end, you are simply flesh and bones ripe with fear.”
Adeline stepped forward as she stared at the scriptures, who instinctively backed off. Florence could sense the tension getting to his scriptures.
“Do not fear, for the gods always walk with you!”
Florence started a prayer as his entire body glowed a bright gold, which spread towards the scriptures who were revitalized. They held a formation and circled Adeline. She let out a small scoff, then disappeared once more.
“We are a hundred and forty strong against one demon! Watch your backs; stay together.”
Florence ordered, but screams suddenly could be heard behind him, and he turned. He saw several knights skewed into the air by red poles which were erected from the ground. Another set of screams could be heard to his left as several knights fell headless, and some even cut in half. More screams could be heard to his right. As he turned, he saw the afterimage of Adeline’s jet-black armor covered in blood. Florence’s mind raced as he held the tablet deep inside his clothing but decided not to. He should not waver at this critical moment. He chanted another spell as the skies were painted by a golden circle, temporarily clearing the entire field, revealing Adeline as she cut down another scripture.
“The light of justice.”
“Are you going to fight me or continue to cower?”
“My scriptures, she is vulnerable; attack now.”
“Yes, walk to your death!”
Over sixty scriptures came charging at Adeline. She raised her red moon as the symbols glowed a deep red. A bright red beam shot from the tip of the sword, tearing through some of the scriptures, with the rest jumping out of the way.
“Huh, so that’s what it does.”
Adeline spoke as she drew in more blood, directing most of it into her sword as the symbols glowed.
“Shields!”
The black scriptures with huge shields stepped forward and planted them as the rest took cover. Another red beam was blasted from her sword, clashing violently against the shields. The sparks suddenly ignited the red mist into a purple blaze. The flames spread throughout the area, adding an intense heat as he started another prayer. Their armor started to radiate gold, protecting them from the heat. Florence started to look around the hellscape as he tried to find Adeline. The sight of red pulsating horns caught his attention. It slowly approached them as the sound of powerful thuds could be heard. The ground shook slightly with every step Adeline took as Florence started to sweat, and it dripped down his face.
“Black scriptures, advance! Fight in the name of the holy kingdom!”
The black scriptures stepped forward with their shields as they met Adeline. Spears shot out between the gaps, colliding with her armor. They retracted the spears, then suddenly parted as a huge ballista arrow came flying towards her. Adeline swung her sword as it cleanly cut it in half but was followed by another one which struck her shoulder fiercely, pushing her entire body back. A huge fiery ball came down on Adeline as she took in the full force of the impact as the shattered stone spread everywhere, creating a huge ball of dust. The white scriptures charged once again as arrows flew from the back while they loaded another round in both ballistas. Red moon appeared from the dust cloud, cutting ten white scriptures in half as Adeline appeared once more as she dislodged the large arrow from her shoulder.
“I am disappointed. Is that all you could muster, men and women of gods?”
“MAGES, USE ALL YOUR SPELLS!”
Adeline was instantly surrounded by multiple magic circles as she was bombarded by different spells.
“The sword of justice.”
Florence added another prayer; a large circle appeared behind him, emitting blinding golden light as a large sword descended on Adeline’s position with a thunderous sound. Florence started to pant heavily as he watched, but then the ray of justice finally ran out as everything fell quiet as the fluttering flames slowly disappeared and the sun shone once again. This filled Florence with new hope as he anxiously waited for the dust to settle. The sound of armor moving could be heard as several white scriptures dove headfirst into the dust ball. Adeline appeared with her dark armor charred from the magical attacks. The white scriptures were raised from the ground by an invisible force behind her. She took several heavy steps while holding red moon; everyone instinctively took several steps back.
“All of that just to scratch my armor. Pathetic.”
The levitating white scriptures’ bodies imploded as blood gushed out of their armor, then dropped to the ground. Red mist filled the entire battlefield, choking out the sunlight once more. She planted her sword on the ground as rows of blood spikes emerged from the ground, impaling multiple white scriptures. The black scriptures let out a roar as the mages once again prepared multiple spells. Another ballistic arrow got fired towards Adeline, but she effortlessly dodged as she started to run towards them. Another one was fired but brushed against her helmet as she got closer. Her red spears landed on the trebuchet just before it could fire, destroying it. The white scriptures stepped forward, trying to stop Adeline, but with a swing of her sword, they were all cut in half. The large sword moved incredibly fast, leaving the white scriptures completely defenseless.
“I will show you what a real demon is.”
Florence frantically looked for the silver tablet as the remaining scriptures went charging in. They tried using a combination of their shields and mana, but Adeline was far too strong as she kicked the shields away. She violently turned around with the red moon, cutting through everything that was near her. She then absorbed the blood and launched another powerful red beam, killing everything in front of her. She disappeared as Florence frantically pulled the nearby black scriptures to protect him as screams rang out. Florence was caught in two minds; he wanted to protect his image in front of the other bishops and the Cardinals, but he could sense his imminent death. The once strong one hundred and forty scriptures got reduced to just twenty, who were all protecting Florence. Adeline emerged from the red mist, choking the clergy who had a blindfold. Unlike the others, she did not struggle and simply accepted her fate; she did not even say a last prayer. Adeline decided to spare her as her body hit the ground. She lay down as if she was dead. She gathered enough strength to lift her head as she saw Adeline’s red cloak, then passed out once more.
“You all reek of fear. What happened to your faith?” Adeline stood in front of them as she wiped some of the dust off her armor.
“We will never waver!” Florence protested.
“Yet your legs are shaking. Do you know why your faith has failed you?” Adeline spoke as she circled the survivors like a shark which tasted blood.
“My faith remains strong, demon. Nothing will ever change that.” Florence remained defiant as Adeline stopped. She planted her sword on the ground, then removed her helmet and placed it on the handle of her sword.
“You never truly believed in the gods you prayed for, priest. You were too busy playing god yourself.” Adeline approached the group as they stepped back. Florence reached for the silver tablet and finally revealed it, ready to use it as death crept closer.
“That is why your gods are not answering you even at this moment, because you’re a charlatan. Did you humans really believe that the gods gave you permission to act in such a perverse manner, to play god over those who are weaker than you?” Adeline spoke as the remaining black scriptures aroused their mana and attacked her. She raised her hand as they all froze in position, then rose up to the sky as blood started to trickle down.
“Once I am done here, I will come for your holy city. It is a shame you won’t be able to watch it burn to the ground.” Florence suddenly lost control of his body as it slightly rose up from the ground. He slowly drifted towards Adeline while still holding the silver tablet. His eyes turned bloodshot as blood started to be squeezed out of his body. He gathered all his strength as he opened his mouth.
“Transforium.”
A bright flash covered the area as Florence’s body seemingly disappeared. Adeline crashed the remaining scriptures as they all fell down.
“Run, little mouse.” Adeline turned as she wore her helmet and took the red moon.
Florence’s body suddenly fell in a white church hall covered with marble and gold. He coughed out blood as his mind raced. Someone approached him and knelt down as he tended to his wounds.
“What happened, Bishop Florence?”
“She is coming.”
“Who is coming?”
“Death is coming for us all.” Florence grabbed the person’s clothes as he screamed. Fear had fully consumed Florence as his defiant exterior finally fell. Some clergy and scriptures came rushing in as they calmed the frantic Florence who slipped deeper into insanity. They drugged him away, leaving behind the man whose robes were covered by blood.
“We need to recall all the scriptures,” the man spoke with a frown.
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They are cooked. This people were not ready for Adeline and Melora at all.