72 - Messing with Heralds, A sure way to die

A tentacled deformed abomination screeched as a blade plowed through it exiting from behind what looked like its head. The white fire called Starfire flickered across the Velcenite steel and also burned the creature inside out.

Yes, the entire band of beings had decided to call the ore from which their first swords were forged off after it was a blacksmith. Not like the blacksmith himself was even aware as he stood at the very forefront swinging his hammer with gusto.

The Kershini pulled his hands back slicing in the space behind him and shredding another fragment in two. Though the body instead of splitting apart burnt to nothing. Whether it was the fire itself or the traces of divinity within, it didn't matter as the abomination just like the first one became nothing as the flames burned it away. Such was the lethality of Starfire.

Behind the Kershini a Kyratk with its wings outstretched 'hovered' in the space above the rock slab formed by Dumdriel with much difficulty, black fumes emitted from the scaled bat-like wings as the Devil clashed with two feline-looking fragments with several tentacles waving about them.

The Kershini was swift flapping its wings once and leaving a streak of white as it dashed up to one of the felines. With a stroke, it dismembered the head just as Devil slew the other. Both nodded to the other as their enemies burned away into nothing.

Osvildas appeared to be just as deadly to the anti-life as Starfire. Both flames would be a bane to the life seekers that were still terrorizing the outside of Erizos regions.

Back to back Kershini and Kyratk fought against the anti-life flooding of the long slab. Across a similar event could be seen, either Kershini and Kyratk or same backing the other. Some even went solo as they fought with the various fragments attacking them. This went to show the mutual enmity both order and chaos had for anti-life.

Helma found herself within a fifty-meter radius of slaughter with Yiris the annoying over beautiful Kyratk devil. His sneer was as contagious as an addictive and his body movements fluid like a dancer. One who saw him would never accept that he had just been recently born let alone it being his first battle.

It was just like his trait explained, war and combat can't to him naturally. It wasn't just him either all the other Kyratks were the same. It was almost like their domain as they moved untethered either in duos with the Kershini Angels, their fellow Kyratk Devils, or solo.

Velcenite blades flashed nonstop around as the slaughtered fragments in all directions. Yet it didn't mean the Kershinis were bad or something. In fact, it was farther from it. Where the devils could be classified as damage givers the Archangels were tanks or knights. Unbending and unrelenting. Unmoving as they took attack upon attack and dishing back with single stroke damage.

Yet what was worse was that there were countless Heralds within a 500meter range. What did that mean? Effective execution. With the passive effect for the blades of Ankar, Deadpool, there was assured hundred percent death.

Even without the effect just Starfire and Osvildas were already enough to end it. Which meant the entire battle was a one-sided slaughter. Something Syrin and the rest of the Azkolves could only note as they observed from the rear with Velces.

"This, ..." Tepes could only glare shocked at what he was seeing.

"Wow. Even we couldn't end them so effectively in melee combat." Tarin muttered feeling peeved at how easy the Heralds made it look.

"What do you expect? Thu was what father made them for right?" Velces queried looking unsurprised. None of the Azkolves blamed his ignorance though. He hadn't actually fought those things to note how ferocious they were. So it was only normal he'd think it was all normal.

"Yes. But still. It's not as easy. At least it shouldn't look so easy." Ausal informed. The God looked at her curious.

"Really?" he asked. The eight all nodded.

"This Heralds. They're broken. What kind of effectiveness is this?" Beleza could only ask calmly. The rest nodded agreeing.

"I guess we could be better at spells?" Syrin muttered. Then realizing the Heralds hadn't even used spells yet decided they couldn't be sure.

Yiris killed another fragment before dashing forward his wings folded behind him. Getting to Helma who was surrounded by five of the fragments he dived in to aid her. Helma stood feet locked to the ground as she swung her longsword in a circle. Unlike the Kyratks who could withdraw their scaled wings into their backs, the Kershini could meld theirs onto their skin creating an extra layer of armor at whatever part they wished.

This was exactly what most of the Archangels like Helma had done. Looking like a bulked-up knight in armor and without the wings to block her cleave she put her entire strength into the strike aiming to end all five at once. Yiris was faster, sliding beneath her blade and popping up to the left of her strike where she hadn't reached. Sword forward he the gated, piercing the blade into the lumpy-looking thing. Its tentacle stiffened just as it reached Helma's back then.. poof.

"They need experience" Dumdriel stated and then went silent as usual. Velces was quick to note the comment. Quickly latching onto the muscular Askolve he questioned his thoughts.

Dumdriel wasn't bothered to talk simply looking to Syrin. Over the time since their birth, the muscular male and the female had gotten a synergy between them. As such it wasn't hard to say that amongst the Askolves the two were the closest.

"He means that power and skill most times are ineffective for one who has no real experience". Velces still clinging to the shorter being creating a funny scene nodded thoughtfully to Syrin's words.

" In that case fighting now will earn some of this experience. ?" he asked innocently. All of Erizos creation's had a connection to the system, Berus who could give them information on normal things thereby educating them. This was a feature the Askolves used to learn how to be less animalistic in behavior. It was also what Velces was using to learn things on the fly. Knowing that the system was his father's mental voice since Erizos said so he felt like he was always being taught by his parent.

Either way, the Askolves jerked unsure of how to answer as they stared at each other. To let him fight or not? While he was a God and strong, his divinity was nowhere to that of All-father, even his physique couldn't compare.

To the Askolves, Velces was a baby next to his father. No matter how they looked at him they could only see a tall figure surrounded by a sea of black, sword flashing before him as countless fragments were eviscerated.

Subconsciously they already began making up their minds to only let Erizos train him. Well at least most of them.

"Let em go. Him strong." Juju was out and fast standing by Velces side and attempting to tap the godling on his shoulder.

"He'll make it".

" Let him. Plus he needs the experience. " The one to speak now was Tepes. As a fire Askolve who tapped from Duztros too, Tepes felt a sense of kinship with Velces that was stronger than the others. He was inclined to aid the godling better.

It wasn't like they could stop the godling if he wished. After all, he wasn't just any god but one of the sun and the firstborn of their maker. Yet fortunately, Velces had manners and intelligence something Berus had instilled in him surprisingly.

So while he could do whatever he wished Velces was wise enough to listen to these divine neasts who had been around longer than him.

"Very well. But not yet. Wait till the Heralds start getting overwhelmed." Syrin accepted. She was the unofficial spokeswoman of the team. While Dumdriel was the veto leader his lack of communication put her in the spot. Not like the others minded.

"Why wait?" Valves asked impatiently. His behavior was truly childlike.

"Teaching them too. Aid is relevant, if they need help they'll call " Geral said. This Azkolve was lying on the ground looking at the black space above. It was a good mention that with Velces there shining like a star just like his father or probably even brighter due to his sun attribute there was light for a long way. Though it failed to pierce the dark mass of writhing abominations.

The Azkolves and holding watched as the Heralds were spread out effectively cutting and slicing through the numerous creatures nonstop.

"Those swords do give them a good advantage". Tarin sighed before looking to his claws as he filed one with the other creating sparks from the friction.

"Oh, it's getting heated too."Tepes suddenly exclaimed his finger pointed to a direction in the battle. Everyone's eyes followed landing on the area where the Heralds were spread out even more. There they watched a lone Kershini Archangel tussling solo with a huge double in size colossal fragment. Its four arms moving fast though not as fast trying to catch the evading Kershini.

The problem wasn't from the thing's size though but its little minions around it who stopped the Kershini from delivering a blow. Each time he moved, yes a make Archangel, the little fragments like thoughtful creatures would take the hit for the colossal.

Watching closely they all see that the Kershini was doing something else mentally while fighting. Though he tried to kill the minions as fast as possible too.

With each attempt made it was obvious that the Kershini for the first time after birth was getting used to the feeling called frustration. His moves became quite erratic suddenly as he moved faster attempting to slay the minions faster while inching close to the colossal when with its mental awareness elsewhere.

Yet his fast pace or lack of concentration on the big thing led to it getting grabbed and devoured in one bite by a huge whale-like creature that tore past from behind as he rolled in an attempt to evade the colossal.

All the limbs of the Azkolve froze instantly.

'The All-father wouldn't be pleased '

'That was fast.

'All-father might punish us for this'.

Several thoughts that were alike lit up in their brain as they watched the thing's mouth shut. Yet all of them looked back just as Velces spoke.

" Is that a good lesson enough?" he asked innocently not even realizing how he sounded like he was blaming them for letting the Archangel die. Yet before they could respond or react more an unbelievable scene took place.

Velces flung his hammer forward with the flames around it ignited.