Chapter 47: Schemes

"Master Frances." A young man calls.

An elderly man adorned in priestly robes wakes from his sleep. He sat himself in front of a dead fireplace in his bedroom. He glances at a young-looking man who looked very concerned. "What is it?"

"T-t-the demons! They broke through! What should we do???"

The priest looks back the man in surprise. "How did they- Have they invaded this church?" The priest asks.

"N-no. B-b-but it's only a matter of time. The Generals are trying to hold back the Demons all by themselves and there's no one else out there to back them up!"

"Blasphemy! We have men in reserve."

"But they're all dead, Master! Slaughtered by the Demon Queen herself!"

A cold sweat ran down the old man's face. "T-the Demon Queen…T-that means…"

The head priest struggled up from his chair, grabbing a satchel. "We must go! We need to gather our most loyal and devout."

"But it's not safe! You need to escape now-!"

"Nonsense! There is no escape. If we don't kill the King and Queen of the Demons, the entirety of humankind will perish beneath those monstrosities!"

The young man Reluctantly assists the Priest out of the room. The Priest stops, catching his breath.

"My child… This day I have no doubts that we will see God. But I know for a fact that this day we will see a Miracle beyond all comprehension. Are you ready to give your life in the name of God?

The young man grasps onto the priest's hand with both his own. "Of Course! I'm ready and willing."

"Very good. Now post haste!"

********

Both General Trevor and Ceil found themselves surround by some of the most powerful demons they've faces. The intense aura of everyone there was almost sickening.

"There you are Lillian. I see you have the last two there's two men left," Lucius said.

"Yes. These two are the last generals of the confederate army. I offer mercy but they'd rather die an honorable death it seems."

Lillian turned her attention to both Jala and Azar."Jala, Azar you can kill them. Me and Lucius will be watching just outside this courtyard."

The two generals looked at both Jala and Azar with Familiarity. Ceil furrowed his brow. "Aren't they…"

A blood thirsty aura crept behind the two generals. The feeling of suffocation intensifying with each passing second. The two men shuddered involuntarily, feel a hand be being placed on their shoulder.

"Relax, If I wanted to kill you two, I would've done it already. I'm just giving you two a fair warning…," Lillian said.

Lillian continued on her way to Lucius and her demon Generals.

A Realization passed through both men at once. They both grasped their chests at once feeling for something of importance.

"W-when did she-" Trevor was cut off.

"She erased our memories." Ceil said. "She must've destroyed it somehow when we were fighting her then."

"Lillian." Lucius whispered. "are you sure you don't want me to kill them?"

"They can handle it just fine, Besides I want to give them fighting chance at the very least."

Lucius chuckled hearing this. "So you feel pity for them. Alright. have it your way."

Lillian turned back to the generals with a smile. "You two can consider this your execution. But if you somehow live, I'll just erase the memories of your whole life." She said cheerfully.

Hearing this cheerful tone only served to put the men on edge further.

"Azar, Jala. have fun...," Lillian Said. " and Good luck~!"

Azar Rolled her eyes as she conjured forth an explosive ball of Magic. "Let me handle this." Azar sent an explosive magic ball their way. Exploding upon impact.

Her bored gaze soon turned to surprise as they found the two generals. Their armors glowed a strange blow hue.

"What kind of magic-"

Jala cut Azar off, sending blue flames of Magic. But this becomes waved off from the hefty swing of Ciel's sword.

Jala narrowed his eyes. "These Humans…"

"Be careful you two… They're more powerful than you think," Lillian said.

Lillian and Lucius distanced themselves as a much intense stare down ensued. With the last confederate Generals looking back at the Demon generals with determinations, While Jala and Azar couldn't look less interested.

Jala manifests streams of water around him while Azar prepares a ball of fire in one hand and an explosive ball of magic in the other.

Wasting no time, Both sides engaged. Azar and Jala sent their magic attacks at both generals and the Two generals charged in. The first wave of Azar attacks washed off the two generals.

Ciel makes the first move to attack Azar. She barely dodges, then Blasting an explosion at close range at him!

Jala and Trevor however find himself in an equal stalemate as Jala's ice magic seems to crack apart upon impact. He conjures forth his blood blade sword, blocking the attack.

"Lillian. What's going on here?" Lucius asked.

As both Lillian and Lucius watched the exchange of parries and dodges, Lillian explains the strange circumstances they're seeing. "Those two men you see are wearing Armor from the previous Heroes of Prophecy. It's said in the scriptures that these armors were blessed by God himself to withstand all evil unnatural to this world."

"They've prepared themselves well then. But this won't save them."

"No. It won't." Lillian agreed.

Jala Swung his sword harder, Making Trevor feel the heft of his swing.

Trevor glanced at Lillian and Lucius. Another push of Strength. "Your opponent is me," Jala said.

Jala pushed Trevor away. Trevor stood his ground, racing back to Jala. The General then held out his hand.

Jala swung his blade, Nearly missing the head of the general that Ducked in time.

Crouching down and touching the ground beneath, he had a pillar of earth shoot him into the air!

Trevor attacks Jala from above.

Yet again this is blocked. With Trevor's looking even more determined.

With Azar and Ciel however, Azar is keeping her distance from the man, splashing him with waves of Explosive and fire magic. Her frustration started to become more and more evident.

She switches up her attack, instead conjuring a ball of earth. She reshapes it into a long rod using it to block Ciel's attack.

She pushes him back, conjuring five additional balls of earth, launching at the

Looking back to Azar she disappeared from his sight. "Where'd she-"

"I've always preferred getting my hands dirty anyways," Azar stated. She showed up right behind Ciel with a huge clever looking weapon in hand, posed and ready to strike.

A cold sweat ran down Ciel's face. He quickly jerked his body to block this strike head on.

The Weight of her blindingly fast attack sent him tumbling in the church, destroying its wall.

Ciel getting up notices the dent in his sword. Looking around he's also now surrounded by the remaining Civilians of the town who are cowering.

Azar entering the church readies an explosive magic ball again.

"So this is where the other humans are."

She launches it straight at Ciel, but mustering as much power as possible he sends out a wave of pure wind magic pushing everything away and sending Azar's magic back at her.

She cuts through the magic, letting it explode.

Through the smoke Ciel charges back landing a blow on Azar. She grits her teeth. "You filthy bastard." She muttered.

Summoning an earth ball she reformed it into a club, using it to smack the general back into the church, and onto civilians. Screams of women and children filled the room. Azar sent out a flurry of Explosive magic and fire magic in the General's direction, killing other women and children in the process.

She stomps onto the general's chest, completely denting the armor. "OH, It looks like your armor's about to break. How sad." She conjures forth another ball shaping it into a sword this time.

"Nothing Personal, Ciel…"

"W-we had a deal." Ciel wheezed.

"The deal still stands. All your leader has to do is blow the horn… Oh. And about us returning to the pit… We lied." Azar gave a more devilish smile.

She stabbed the General through the throat, sending the entirety of her blade through it.

Back with Jala and Trevor, Jala is matching the General strike for strike. Hearing another set of explosions, Trevor glanced back, Concerned.

"You're distracted again," Jala said.

Jala landed a strike onto Trevor's chest, sending him flying through the air. He landed onto his back hard, leaving him gasping for breath.

Trevor Drove his sword into the ground, supporting his climb back to his feet.

Trevor sucked the air around him, pulling his sword from the ground, Parrying Jala's attack.

Eventually the two clashed, interlocking their swords. Jala's calmness became unnerving to Trevor. He could tell at the glance that this demon looked down on him.

"How disappointing," Jala said. "I expected more of a challenge. Then again, no human can never reach the level of the Heroes of Prophecy"

"Y-you bastards…!" Trevor gritted his teeth. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you two." He muttered.

Trevor pushed away from Jala. Holding and aiming his hands, he conjured a cube shape of earth magic, shooting it

Jala took the hits straight on, ignoring the attack. He grabs onto the neck of the General throwing him towards Lucius and Lillian. Ice started freezing around Trevor, Holding him in place,

He struggled to get out. Suddenly sharp pain as his arm was sliced through, then his opposite leg! Trevor can only scream from the pain, left at the mercy of the Demons. He glared back up and Lucius, the Demon King

"Y-you will die this day!"

Another arm is sliced followed by a scream. Jala now stepped onto the head of the now dying general.

Azar came from the church rolling the head of the General she just killed Lillian and Lucius. "My target is killed. What about you Jala?"

Trevor is now eye to eye with a deceased ally. He tries to hold out, determined to keep fighting.

Jala steps on the man harder.

"I was just about to end this actually."

Just before he could be finished off the General, subtle chanting and prayers of men and women began to be heard.

Priest's and other civilians in white robes start to enter into the courtyard along with the head priest and his assistant. Some people in white robes start to even exit the newly made hole from the church as well.

Azar rejoins the others, unsure what's going on.

Lucius watched, unamused.

The head priest became grim. "I now know the face of our enemy. The devil king that's brought his army of demons and wrought chaos and discord to our world. And who would seek to destroy us all."

Digging into his satchel the head priest brought out a familiar look black horn with gold inscriptions. "With this… We shall smite God's enemies. And save the world!"

Lillian could feel something scarily familiar with the horn the priest held. "Wait, isn't that-"

"Don't let him use that!!" Lucius shouted.

It clicked with her hearing Lucius command. Lillian spurred into action, launching pressure wind magic. But this was met with another Barrier protecting the Head priest! Leaving other people around him to perish.

Seeing this Lillian raced over to the old man. Thoughts racing in her head. "If this is like that other horn. This can only end badly!"

The Black horn bellowed its call for a good 5 seconds before Lillian tore through the barrier, killing the man with her own hands.

The man's body started to convulse

"I'm too late!!"

She quickly backed off the priest rejoining Lucius who readied his sword. "There's only one way they would have obtained that horn…" He growled. "…Rakon…"

Lillian glanced at Lucius, seeing his furious face. "Rakon? Why would he-"

"Shall I order a full-on retreat?" Azar inquired.

"Yes. have all the officers lead our troops as far from here as possible and fast!"

Smiling, she obliges, heading out to distribute the news.

"And Azar! Me and Lillian will need both you and Jala here."

Azar pauses for a moment before affirming her understanding.

Jala finally releases the general from his feet in favor of watching as a pure being of white emerges from the corpse of the priest. Trevor turns to witness the event too, hearing the crunching of bones and squelching of flesh.

It was just as Lillian feared. An angel with blonde hair and no face emerged as if reborn. It looked not too different from the Angel Enocht, but something felt eerily off about this particular Angel.

Not wasting time it assimilated the corpse into its body, gaining some of their facial features, his face contorted until it was satisfied with its own look. It then gave a look of disdain at the demons.

Joyful prayers and worship started to fill the courtyard.

"Please Terrocht save us from these evil beings!"

"Make them suffer for all our misery!"

"Save our country!"

The Angel standing tall held out his hands. "Then become one with me. Give me your hands."

Lucius held out his hands and without hesitation released a huge wave of Fire magic engulfing everyone before them in fire.

As the fire dissipated, it's revealed that all the people in the robes, starting to meld into the angel. Faces became lumps of flesh entering into the Angel.

Trevor seeing this starts to become more terrified. "I-is that truly an angel!???"

Terrocht raised a finger, point it to Trevor. Like a bullet its finger extended into the man's head, shocking everyone one there.

Lucius cut the finger, throwing the now dead General far from them.

"Jala burns every corpse you see to ash and Azar does the same. Lillian, We need to keep this angel distracted for as long as possible!"

The Angel started cackling. He then gave a smile. "I shall kill all demons in the name of Cassell."