Chapter 23

Despite the physical fatigue I was experiencing, I didn't stop chasing the angel who only knows how to run away. Everytime I try to close the distance between us, he pushes back farther while attacking me with magic. These chains are making my movements limited as well and decreasing my speed.

As I dodge an attack, another one follows.

"Coward!" I roared. I kicked a pebble with enough force to send it hauling towards him, but as soon as the pebble was about to reach him, a white shield appeared around him.

"It's called being smart, human. For someone like you who only knows how to fight with brute strength, you sure are not smart." The angel mocked, causing me to become even more angry.

This is annoying. Without access to magic, I can't do anything at all. As much as I want to send him flying, I have to find a way to defeat him. Then suddenly, the sound of the chains being dragged echoed in my ears.

Chains…

Without hesitation, I leaped upwards and swung my arms in a wide arc motion, causing the chains to follow through. The angel activated his shield, but as the chains hit, his shield was nulled. I remembered that these chains are anti magic. If I can't use my magic because it was attached to me, then what happens if it touches someone else? With quick thinking, I was able to develop a way to drag him down the ground.

The chains wrapped around his feet. I smashed the chains along with him to the ground, causing a deep crater and cracks to form around him. He coughed out blood. He tried to use magic against me, but because of the anti magic chains, he wasn't able to use any magic at all. I pulled the chain that was wrapped around his feet towards me, causing the angel to be pulled as well. As his face got close to me, my fist smashed his skull down the ground.

"Not yet enough." I said. I kept punching and smashing my enemy until his face was no longer recognizable. After a few minutes of barrage, I was pushed back from his kick. Yet the chains stopped the momentum. "Come over here!" I roared, pulling him again and continuing my barrage of attacks. There was no mercy behind them. It was pure hatred.

Out of nowhere, my chin met his fist, causing me to go backwards. The chains that were wrapped around his feet got loose, breaking himself free from the chains.

"I had enough!" The angel roared, causing a shockwave around him which pushed me back and those monkeys that were surrounding us. "I will destroy this entire damn town to dust, including the rebels! Begone, you inferior race!"

His body glowed brightly. Even without magic, I already knew what was about to happen. He was overloading his mana core, intending to cause an huge explosion that kills him and those that are around him. From every direction, the Heavenly Guards were evacuating already. As expected. They knew what was about to happen.

Damn it… If only I had magic, this fight would not be that complicated! But complaining won't help. I can't die here. Not until I get my vengeance!

I dashed forward towards the exploding angel with all my strength and power. I swung the chains like a fan so fast that it cut the air and shockwave around us. Before he could explode, the chains struck him, deactivating the overloaded mana core. The angel's brightness became dimmed.

"Y-you imbecile!" He said, but before he could finish talking, I unleashed a barrage of attacks against him, causing blood to squirt around me. I knew defeating an angel would not be easy. However, the Heavenly Guards were already launching their attacks against the angel. I kicked myself far from the angel, and all the attacks from the monkeys struck the enemy until nothing was left of him.

"Damn. I'm weak." I said to myself. The angel was defeated in the end. Yet I felt no joy to celebrate. Even though we won, I felt defeated. "These chains are making me weak." I said to myself. I watched as the town celebrated around the dead angel, whose body soon turned into stone. Then from stone to dust until it flew along with the wind. I stared at the ground where the body of the angel once was, reminiscing of the events that just transpired.

"Thank you, adventurer." The commander and the officers approached me. "You have saved us."

"No…" I said. "I was not able to do anything but to deal damage. Your soldiers did most of the work."

The commander chuckled. "Are you worried about those chains and not being able to use magic?" He asked. "It is displayed in your face."

I sighed. "Of course I am."

The commander looked at his comrades and they nodded their heads. After a few seconds, they handed me a staff wrapped around with red cloth.

"What is this?" I asked as I held the light staff in my hand.

"This is a weapon made from the strongest material of this world called Dryzentsuk Ore. This is what our General used against the queen and her Rulers during the rebellion." The commander said.

"Used against Vivian and her Rulers?" I asked.

"It is said that during the rebellion, he was able to severely wound the current queen. Thanks to the wounds she received, she lost her tremendous amount of magic. But before the General could kill her, five angels protected her against the General."

"And those five are now Rulers?" I asked. Rulers… I have heard of this somewhere… But, where?

"You don't need magic to use this weapon. Our General didn't even use magic during the rebellion. He was afraid that he might completely destroy the Sky Castle. So he wore anti magic chains and fought against her with no magic." The commander added, making me surprised.

Holy crap… To think that he stood toe to toe against the current ruler of the Heavenly Realm. Vivian is no joke even before her betrayal. I witnessed her combat skills. Whether she has magic or not, she was considered powerful in our kingdom. But to think this General would be able to wound her, even with the chains on.

And here I am complaining how weak I am with no magic. I am ashamed haha…

"This General must be strong. What happened to him?" I asked, curious of what happened after.

"Well, after we fled, the General stayed behind to make sure all of us were able to escape. From there, we have no idea if he is still alive or not." The commander frowned as well as his officers.

I clenched the staff. "He might be alive. I don't know nor I have no proof. But, please hope that he is still alive. I'm sure your General is not the type to give up or lose to anyone."

The commander smiled. "I hope so too. What are you going to do now?" He asked.

I have nothing to hide. I have seen how they hate Vivian. Them killing the angel was enough. If Vivian has millions of soldiers, it wouldn't hurt to build one as well to fight against her. "I am Princess Ashe, the daughter of Queen Ashe of Kingdom Borne from the Human Realm. I have come here to get my vengeance against Vivian, who killed my mother and destroyed our nation."

The commander and the officers, as well as those who heard my introduction, looked at me with wide eyes. "I am here to kill her. And if I want to kill her, I need forces with me. You want your General and your realm back right? Then help me help you."

The commander thought before answering. "Very well. We are under you, Princess… No, Queen Ashe." They all bowed down to me. Hearing a Queen before my name kind of made me smile. If my mother was here, I wonder what her reaction would be… No time to think of useless things. Set aside the joy moments and focus on dealing with the bad. If we want to obtain happiness, it's better to remove the problem that hinders our joy, isn't it?

After cleaning up the town and helping those who were wounded, I had a long and painful discussion of strategy with the commander and all his officers. After successfully creating a plan to deal against Vivian and her Army, I left the town to head towards the portal. The portal that leads to the Sky Castle.

"Well then… Your highness. We shall see each other again on the battlefield." The commander said.

"Yeah. This time, we will win." I smiled.

After saying my goodbyes, I left the town and headed deep down the forest, where the portal to Sky Castle is located.