Elysvarre Castle
The Night Still Hangs
The final wave of clash between the fiery judgment of Michael and the relentless will of Desire Asmodeus shook the entire palace, causing tremendous vibrations that echoed down to the bedrock. This catastrophic confrontation created an oppressive atmosphere that seemed to undermine the very foundations of both good and evil, illustrating the intense moral conflict at play.
Massive stones floated in mid-air, suspended as if time had stopped, before ultimately crashing down with a terrifying force.
The palace floor, once a symbol of strength and luxury, now lay cracked and in ruins; however, the barrier formed by the Voidwright glyphs—the Aegis of Unnamed Will—stood resolutely, creating a powerful shield that protected Sheena from the encroaching threats, a testament to the resilience of hope amidst despair.
All around, the golden-yellow light of the glyphs vibrated with a thrilling intensity, as if responding to every magical resonance echoing through the hall, casting giant shadows that danced upon the grand walls of the palace.
Michael stood firm despite his heavy breaths, a testament to the bitter reality of the battle that had unfolded.
His fiery wings, once blazing like the stars at night, now began to dim, losing the strength that had made them soar majestically.
Yet, amidst the deafening silence, a beam of light from the glyphs gently illuminated his face, highlighting the courage etched within him and the almost unbearable vulnerability he possessed, crafting a symbol of hope on the brink of fading into the encroaching darkness, reminiscent of morning dew facing the burning rays of the sun.
Asmodeus also staggered, his dark red hair tangled in the dramatic chaos of the night.
Parts of his cloak were scorched by divine fire, scars from an inevitable duel.
However, his smile remained teasing, as if daring everything to challenge him.
Behind that seemingly horrific grin lay a swirling explosion of dark energy, crafting dangerous patterns that coiled sharply like a serpent as she gathered his strength once more, creating a chilling aura of destruction around him.
"You are strong, Michael."
Asmodeus continued, his voice vibrating with an oppressive charm and lurking threat. With every word uttered, his sinful energy trembled in the air, creating a terrifying cacophony that filled the space and threatened to shatter the defender's spirit with the weight of his dark power.
"But your strength is not enough to withstand the will of all sins."
Michael responded, his voice soft yet sharp, each word resonating in the chilling silence of the night. The shadows around him flickered, as if signaling a deeper inner turmoil, the tension thickening between these two opposing figures.
"And your sins are not enough to sway the will of humanity."
For a moment, only the whisper of the night wind and the rustling of stones around them could be heard, adding weight to the tension that enveloped the atmosphere. It was as if the world around them had paused, and in that fraction of a second, time seemed to stand still, creating a palpable emptiness between two souls caught in this titanic struggle, filled with equally potent hope and sorrow.
Sheena still held her abdomen, feeling the gentle pulse of her child who never gave up, a sign of resilience amidst the darkness. A soft light began to spread among the glowing glyphs of the Voidwright surrounding her body; those symbols seemed connected to every heartbeat, radiating hope and unwavering strength.
"I endure... my child endures."
Michael took a deep breath, gathering all his strength and determination to launch his final attack. Within him, magic blazed and surged, merging with the fiery spirit born from a brave warrior's soul, while rays of light danced playfully at his fingertips; each spark of light painted a vivid picture of a hopeful future, seemingly promising victory amid the encompassing darkness, akin to an unquenchable flame of hope.
"Celestia Ignis: Dawnblade Ascend."
But before she could move his body—
Something cold and sharp suddenly pierced his back, cutting through the air with astonishing precision, shattering the momentary tranquility. The shock of the wound sent a jolt through him, awakening a primal instinct to fight back against despair.
SLAAK!
Blue-silver blood slowly dripped onto the stone floor, each drop shimmering like gemstones, creating a terrifying pattern on the cold surface. It was as if the droplets depicted the outcome of an unavoidable battle against dark fate. Michael turned slowly, sensing a heavy presence behind him, like a dark shadow waiting to devour hope.
Behind him stood a woman.
Lucifer.
The Fallen Morning Star.
Her flowing silver-white hair cascaded gently onto her shoulders, while her golden eyes gleamed with a chilling calmness, emanating a frightening aura. The pristine white of her dress, adorned with shimmering golden patterns, made her seem less like a demon and more like a tragic goddess, trapped in a dark destiny. In her hand, a dark light sword stabbed into Michael's back, glinting sinisterly in the dim light, serving as a haunting reminder of the fateful choice.
Between them, the air vibrated with tension, as if responding to the presence of an unsung power. This strength, confined within hope and desire, radiated a subtle energy that birthed shimmering magical beams around them. Glyphs of the Voidwright formed in an enchanting dance, depicting beautiful shapes that sparkled in the darkness.
"I'm sorry, Michael."
"But the ancient will has faded, thus losing its grip on our realities."
"If that child is born,
neither Heaven nor Hell will have the right to define the world."
"I do not kill you out of hatred."
"I merely execute the logic of will."
Michael coughed, blue blood trickling from the corner of his lips. Each drop sparkled like stars in the night sky, creating a luminous trail that blurred the line between life and death. As the power within the child began to awaken, the Voidwright glyphs glowed brighter, seemingly responding to the fractured heart filled with sorrow.
"L-Lucifer..."
"You... have no right... to decide the end of human will."
Lucifer stepped closer, his whisper soft and soothing:
"I am not the one who decides.
I merely... accelerate the inevitable."
"I... envy that new will."
"I once defied the divine decree...
But now, an unborn child is rewriting the rules that even I cannot break."
"I cannot allow that to happen."
On the other side of the room, Sheena watched in wide-eyed horror, fear and tension merging within her. Her hands clenched around a nearly broken magic staff, her body trembling, torn between exhilarating hope and overwhelming panic.
The room was filled with a simmering aura, as if the entire universe was holding its breath, waiting for the decision of the child born from an will yet to be fully revealed.
"Michael is injured.
Asmodeus and Lucifer are in front of me.
I am alone."
No.
She is not alone.
The Voidwright glyphs surrounding him began to shift, transforming from mere barriers into a magic circle of "Response Will."
Behind those glyphs, a light pulsated with extraordinary intensity, creating an illusion of swirling dark clouds—instilling a profound fear that seeped into the depths of the heart.
The mantra of will, strong and resolute, responded to the threat looming over his mother's existence.
A gentle voice echoed in Sheena's mind, extending a sense of fortitude:
A gentle voice echoed in Sheena's mind, extending an extraordinary sense of fortitude, reassuring her spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity:
"I will write new rules."
A black and violet circle appeared on the floor, its lines pulsing like veins, channeling pure and unpredictable life energy. Each pulse seemed to breathe in sync with the child's power resonating within his mother's womb, creating a soul-stirring resonance.
"Concept Severance: Judgement Reversal."
Michael, who was on the verge of falling, was suddenly enveloped in a black and white light that emanated a mysterious aura, creating an illusion as if time had paused for a moment. The entire universe seemed to hold its breath, captivated by the extraordinary event unfolding. In that magical moment, the wound on his back ceased to bleed, while swirling light danced around him, forming a magical shield that protected him from external threats. With incredible power emerging from within, the essence of the unborn child flowed, building an unexpected strength capable of shaking reality.
The Voidwright glyph materialized, completely erasing the concept of "permanent destruction" from Michael's body. The black and white light shone around the glyph, creating an illusion where time appeared to slow down, enveloping every corner in a mystical atmosphere. Its magical aura began to gracefully fade among the ruins, leaving an unforgettable mark.
Asmodeus and Lucifer stepped back a few paces, astonished by the sudden surge of power erupting from the unborn child. The tension in the air thickened, as if the very wind whispered fiercely between them, echoing the battle between evil forces and the hidden secrets woven into the fabric of the moment.
"It's impossible...", Asmodeus whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief. A chilling thought crossed his mind like a flash of lightning splitting the sky: "That child... has altered the rules of injury and recovery, something never before imagined in the thousands of years of warfare."
Lucifer watched the circle of light with a curious gaze, his eyes reflecting a new emotion: Fear. In all his experiences and wisdom, she had never witnessed a force so pure and devastating emerge prematurely; a power held within a single, small entity yet brimming with immense potential.
The child's voice echoed again in Sheena's mind, drifting gently until it became faintly audible to Asmodeus and Lucifer. Each word was deeply compelling, magnetic, drawing every narrative into the center of a dark alienation.
"I am not yet born."
"But I choose to protect."
"I do not wish to kill."
"I am not yet born." The child's voice echoed again in Sheena's mind, lingering until it softly reached Asmodeus and Lucifer's ears. Each word carried a profound allure, magnetic, pulling every story into the depths of a dark, uncertain isolation, filled with hope and uncertainty.
Lucifer firmly drew his sword from Michael's back, a drop of blood falling silently to the ground as if time had stopped to honor the moment. Each drop fell slowly, depicting the inevitable change unfolding around them.
"If your will can heal even divine wounds...
Then I can no longer hasten your destruction." His voice was heavy, filled with hesitation and doubt, radiating the tension that was palpable in the air.
She gazed at Asmodeus, where hatred and power clashed in their looks, creating an invisible spirit of combat, as if the challenge between them was bubbling to the surface.
"This is not the end.
But I will not be an instrument to hinder this new will."
His dark white wings spread wide.
She vanished into the void. In an instant, Lucifer's presence turned cool and invisible, like the breeze that remained, disappearing without a trace and leaving vibrations lingering in the air.
Asmodeus gritted his teeth, holding back the urge to attack as frustration and fear of the impending change surged within him. With each passing second, the pressure to resist grew stronger, while unexpected forces moved nearby, amplifying the suffocating emptiness. She cast a sharp gaze at Sheena and Michael, sensing the vibrations of hope and uncertainty that filled their every breath. The atmosphere around them felt almost magical, tangible, as if time had paused for a brief moment.
"I have already lost tonight." The words slipped from Asmodeus's lips, sounding like a painful confession, yet beneath them lay a profound and inevitable decision.
"But you know, Michael... within every defeat lies the promise of new hope, like a phoenix rising from the ashes."
Myself and the Seven Deadly Demons will return." Asmodeus's voice grew heavier, slicing through the chill in the air, as if a hidden threat lurked between them with every word spoken.
"For our will is to endure just as the will of humanity."
With that, Asmodeus vanished in a burst of roaring violet flames. The fire leaped across the space, consuming everything in its path, leaving behind a trail of bitterness and anger, forever etched in memories that would not fade.
Michael fell to his knees, yet she did not lose consciousness; she looked at Sheena with a faint warm smile, despite the blood staining his lips, a symbol of resilience. Around him, a dark aura spread, emanating waves of energy that vibrated with the soft hum of incantations, as if pleading for the hidden strength within them, igniting hope amid the looming darkness filled with threats.
"You are not just protecting your child, Sheena; your child embodies a new hope, a beacon of strength amidst the encroaching darkness."
"Your child... has already begun to protect you," as the glyph of Voidwright appeared on the ground, shimmering with blinding light, radiating a mysterious aura that signified the awakening of powers yet to be fully revealed, marking a pivotal moment in this fierce battle.
Sheena knelt, tears streaming down her cheeks, creating wet traces on her tense face. She felt the powerful vibrations of the glyph, as if her child was trying to align the latent power within them, striving to shield them from the lurking threats with eyes full of love and courage.
"I know."
"And I will continue to stand, no matter what happens." In the firmness of her words, a fierce wind blew, striking her body and tousling her hair, which was damp with sweat. The wind seemed to carry an illusion, a shadow transforming into something more tangible, responding to her resolve with a soft voice that whispered promises of safety, even as the surroundings filled with threats ready to shatter the silence.