It was an interesting experience seeing the darkened sky shroud Valar; however, for Cedric, this was precisely the event he had waited for.
Cedric and Aurelia stared at the sky, her gaze full of worry, but in Cedric's eyes, one could notice something different: Fury.
He had expected Chrunus to act and send the Cardinals directly, especially after their false faith had been deemed a heresy.
Chrunus, no matter how much he had defied God, would still follow his design. He was merely a demon masquerading as a supreme deity of this world.
What was a pretender to one true ruler of all that was, is, and will be?
The answer for Cedric was simple: the god of chaos was nothing.
"Aurelia, once the Cardinals show up, I will deal with them. Do not interfere, understood?" He turned to her, his gaze fierce enough to stab through her maiden heart.
She nodded, she knew better than to question her beloved in these matters, "Understood."
Cedric smiled as he slid his helmet back on.
He had carefully observed the outskirts of the city with his [God's Eye], making sure the Cardinals couldn't sneak past his careful gaze. And he was right, soon the 11 remaining Cardinals appeared in his [God's Eye] vision.
A sin would be heavy if they were left to their own devices. He jumped up, his silver-clad form striking through the storm conjured by Infidels.
His eyes darted over the surrounding area. Soon after, he found 11 entities, simultaneously casting what he identified as the [Chaos Storm].
While it seemed powerful, it wasn't as quick as his own [Divine Storm] was, and so it allowed Cedric to quickly put an end to their foolish practice.
[Heresy Purge], one by one, he purged the [Chaos Storm] from the Cardinals, forcing them to writhe on the ground as if they were children in pain.
Their pained screams were a song to his ears; the most despicable of infidels feared him, and they did not understand what was happening.
"Mockery of Christian clergy! So you have decided to show yourselves without me searching for you? God truly provides for his faithful. You who lead a church that hunts Christians will pay for your crimes in hell." His hand gripped Equilibrium as he approached slowly and methodically.
They crawled away from him like pathetic worms they were.
"That... is Iguva!" One of the Cardinals shouted, his voice cracking under the immense weight of the holy energy.
Cedric stopped for a moment, his grip tightening and his face furrowing. These Infidels just called him by the name of the Demon Emperor.
It was unforgivable, however, that presented an even better opportunity to extract bits of information.
"You called me Iguva? Interesting... You will tell me why!" Cedric chuckled as he approached the cowering elders.
He approached one of the Cardinals before raising his foot.
They attempted to use a skill, but before they could even think, [Heresy Purge] had erased it.
They would soon remain skill-less and at his mercy.
Their mist was long gone; they lacked the protection.
"Lord Iguva! Please spare us!" The 3rd Cardinal screeched. How quickly they switched up on their god, their bodies were as feeble as their faith in Chrunus.
His face twitched, it made him taste a horrible bitter taste in his mouth every time they called him Iguva. However, they were ignorant infidels who served a false god.
He approached one of the Cardinals, their High Class completely useless in the presence of Apex existence that was God's Chosen.
They were each as powerful as Apostle Avaros; however, this time, Cedric was not angry enough to fight them.
What they deserved was a purge by the hand of God's Chosen.
He approached the old man, his hand stretched in front of him, while pained moans escaped his lips.
Cedric raised his foot before bringing it down onto the head of the cardinal.
Crunch
Someone of high class usually should have enough strength to at least fight back, or even attempt to run away from Cedric. However, with a loss of so many skills, they were in so much pain that they were near complete paralysis.
Their [Gravity Orb] was erased, [Chaos Storm] was eradicated.
Other skills expunged.
Their buffs and blessings were erased.
Perhaps if Aurelia were the one fighting them, they would have caused her issues. It was one of the main reasons he had forbidden her from going after the Cardinals.
Who would allow someone as important as the First Star to fight anything capable of beating her?
Not only as the First Star in a way, but she was also personally important to him. How would he be expected to leave someone who had grown so much in his heart to fight against a dangerous enemy?
The answer was simple: he would make sure his Aurelia wouldn't have to fight such dangerous entities as the Cardinals.
He approached the next Cardinal before stopping mere steps away.
'Did I just call her, My Aurelia?' He cracked a smile.
He raised his foot and.
Splat
Another Cardinal died.
Their skills refused to obey them. After all, how could something that never existed obey their commands?
[Heresy Purge] made their skills never exist in the first place; they were old men with powerful bodies, and yet their souls were so shredded by the [Heresy Purge] that they could not utilize their physical power.
Soon, only 7 Cardinals remained. The pain slowly subsided as they rose to their feet. Their breathing was shallow, their pained breaths as present as when they were writhing on the ground.
"Iguva... You will fail. Chrunus will send lesser gods to this world... You will die!" Their voice was broken and pained; however, he had to fix one thing.
He charged and transformed another Cardinal into the red mist, "I am not Iguva."
Others stared with wide eyes. "Then, who are you?!"
Their fear dissipated for a moment as they realised they weren't dealing with the Demon Emperor, something he took a mental note of.
Even powerful servants of Chrunus feared him.
He chuckled menacingly, his armor glistering from the blood, "I am Cedric, God's Chosen and the one who will purge this world of both Demons and Chrunus."
The Cardinals nodded to each other before making distance, and yet their faces carried a look of disbelief.
They did not have any skills.
"What have you done?!"
"I purged heretical skills." He gripped Equilibirum as he slowly approached the desperate Cardinals, "When you meet Chrunus, tell him that God's Wrath is coming for him too."
With a single swing and a final scream, the Cardinals expired, returning to Chrunus at long last.
Yet, once again, Chrunus would be blind to an act of God. For even a powerful pagan god was unworthy of gazing into the light of God.