Chapter 10 Blazing Gloria

After a torrent of embers rained down onto the ground, Bianka descended from the sky and onto the empty parking lot in front of the towering Gopura.

Air rushed onto her skin as her momentum started to speed up and the increase of friction was apparent as a spark of blazing Resolve combusted onto her Battlesuit. 

Bianka with quickened eyes discerned her target and positioned Abyss Flower downward. A trail of flames started to burst from her figure and she aimed toward a horde of Honkai Beasts.

A blazing meteor was to descend onto the battlefield!

Boom

The moment the flaming Divine Key made impact onto the ground an explosion of flames engulfed the silicon-covered Beasts into a scourged earth. Within the moment horrid screams wailed from within the Honkai Beasts' maw as their life was set ablaze.

In the aftermath, a small crater was pulverized into dust, and as the smoking embers, dying beasts and debris dust cleared up, a singular figure walked out of such a hell hole unscathed.

Bianka adjusted herself from the smoke and started to walk towards the Honkai Beasts. Their appearance was out of this existence, an inhumane shape of distorted abominations with white silicon shells as their base and lines of purple Honkai Energy pulsing through their bodies...Beasts that shouldn't exist on Earth.

A rosey blurred figure appeared beside the blonde-haired Valkryie, a honey blonde-haired lady wearing a maid outfit...Rita Rossewisse.

The Maid readied her lovely scythe and nodded to her Captain with a smile

"What a flashy entrance as expect of Master Durandal...But wouldn't that alert our enemies?"

"That was the point of it...If any Honkai Beasts lurked in the shadows they would soon approach our position. It's in their instincts to eliminate and harm Humanity. We'll take out the enemies in the surrounding area and make our way toward that giant tower."

"Roger that Master Bianka...I do wonder where Master Otto went."

"Knowing our Overseer...Something sneaky but maybe he's planning a surprise to aid us. I hope that's the case or investigating the Mastermind of the situation."

"Hmm...A possibility. Seeing as there's a horde of Beast in front of us...Would you mind having this dance with me?" The Maid bowed in front of Bianka and laid out her gloved hand.

The Valkryie didn't hesitate to take her hand. She tightly grabbed onto Rita's hand as the Maid suddenly twisted her body to throw Bianka into the horde of Beasts.

Chariots Honkai Beasts with arms bigger than a regular human, Archangels buzzing and twitching as their wings flutter, horse-shaped Honkai Beasts with female humanoid ridings on their back. 

They all had one thing in common their destination to the End Point of their lives and their assaulter was charging right at them!

Bianka shifted herself into a rushing spirit toward them and positioned Abyss Flower to ram right into them. As her speed picked up so did her Resolve and at the moment on the tip of the Divine Key was a flame about to incarnate everything in front of her.

"Flaming Impetus Forward!"

Numerous arms, legs, and silicon parts were torn apart by the sheer force of her lunge and now in the middle of all it, she drove the Divine Key into the ground as a pillar of bright orange flames emerged from her attack and seared her surroundings.

She moved ahead of her previous attack and stabbed a nearby Chariot Honkai Beast. Pushing the Abyss Flower further in she lifted it up and slammed it down into the broken ground causing it to instantly disappear into a sea of dust.

On the other side of the parking lot, the Schicksal Maid, Rita weaved under a blow from a Chariot and reached onto its back with graceful ease. She lifted up her scythe and cut off its head with a downward strike.

Her feet spurred in the air as she leaped from the quickly decaying carcass and appeared in front of another Chariot with thorny rose petals surrounding her. She gracefully descended upon each target with a charming smile and reaped their lives like a Femme Fatale.

After the last of their enemies were defeated, the two Valkryie regrouped with each other and were ready to climb into the Gopura but a certain static noise reached both of their ears.

"Hello, Bianka, Rita can you hear me...If not then I am gonna have to modify these earpieces that Nagamistu made.

"Overseer!" They both said at the same time.

"Why are you both surprised...I'd even given all your squad members an earpiece or is that I am actually using the intended function?" The once-familiar voice brought a sense of comfort to them both...Like riding a bus with a gun in hand just in case

"Sorry, it's just a bit unexpected...Is there anything you want to tell us or did you find anything, Overseer? A conspiracy or a hidden enemy in the shadows?" Bianka spoke swiftly while Rita listened in intently.

"I did...The case of the Temple emitting a high-rising amount of Honkai Energy seemed to be because of a certain organization that worships Honkai Beasts and a particular False God."

"Isn't that The Church of Monsters...They're in my eyes the worst of the worst. Performing sacrificial rituals akin to the Aztecs and ripping the beating hearts out of the innocent along with draining their blood...Sorry if that made you uncomfortable, Master Bianka."

Bianka's face was gray pale hearing this but she shook her head and her face was determined as ever...Those who side with the Honkai couldn't be considered human anymore in her eyes. She once experienced the horrors of the Honkai hurting the one she cherished...Their inhuman madness reaching into the World. She wouldn't let happen again!

"I am fine you can continue...I want to know more about our enemies."

Hearing her words, Otto continued in a soft somber tone.

"The Church of Monsters was formed after the Second Eruption by the name of Flitz Lovelace...Seeing the Catastrophe that the Honkai caused they must have admitted defeat and submitted to them. 

Over the years they amassed quite a hefty following but thanks to Schicksals' effort their numbers have been Culled to the point they are hidden in the deepest darkest of corners...I didn't expect them to show up but thankfully I had some "Foresight"

Anyways their organizational structure was that they had their Leader or Pope to be exact and to spread their faith they had 18 of their most devoted followers called Shepards to lead small sections of their organization but as you know...Every organization filled with that many factions is bound to have conflicts."

Rita soon chimed in, "Yes thanks to part of that...The Church of Monsters has been scattered and 7 of the 18 Shepherds are the only ones left and Flitz Lovelace has been assassinated by a Third Party. We don't know much about the assassin only that they left a raven feather."

With the Schicksal Maid done explaining, Otto soon got to talk about his points.

"Great...Now that we're all caught in about a minute a group of their followers will soon descend from that Gopura you're trying to get in."

Bianka and Rita tightened their weapons upon hearing this.

"You're telling us this now?" The blonde-haired Valkryie loudly said.

"My mistake but I just wanted you to have a whole picture...Anyway, there's a Shepard on the 20th Floor, his name is Inzalo Syed middle-aged man with black hair. 

He's one-of-a-kind since he was the only Male Shepard to have a Natural Stigmata of being able to control and manipulate blood. 

So avoid his blood when he tries to snipe you otherwise you might be in a little trouble but if you want to take down the whole tower...It's your call, Bianka. Unless you're starting to get guilty of property and historical damage."

"Thank you for the info, Overseer, late but reliable. Though are you not going to join us in the fight." Bianka asked. 

"I will after you deal with the Shepard as there are more looming matters like how could a concealed place like this be suddenly revealed."

Otto soon cut the transmission leaving Bianka in a daze but nevertheless, she turned her gaze to her Deputy Captain.

Bianka took a step forward, lance ready and armed.

"Rita take care of the ground I'll aim for him up in there."

The Maid nodded in response and raised her hand. "Would you like me to throw you again?"

Bianka shook her head and turned toward the Gopura. It was too risky. He could blast me in the air with some form of attack, so I'll have to improvise."

Her mind raced through many options. The Zeroth Power of her Divine Key would work, but it would drain her severely. The other option, simply picking up the 20-story high tower or striking it with all her might, would work, but it would also cause major destruction to everything around her. So, she chose the lesser evil.

Before Bianka could move to start her plan, the entrance of the religious building was suddenly opened in a booming might, and the next moment several cloaked bloody figures were pouring out into the parking lot where the two Valkyries were stationed.

"Rita!"

The Maid suddenly appeared before Bianka and gracefully bowed toward her captain with elegant grace.

"At your service, Master Bianka!"

The Femme Fatale's eyes grew bright crimson and she quickly appeared above the crowd of followers. No matter if it was a Beast, Honkai, Human, or Robot she was already prepared to reap their lives like weeds.

Even as her scythe swung at the moment, a sense of foreboding engulfed Rita. Within a split second, she positioned her weapon, spinning it rapidly to block whatever was coming at her.

Rita's instincts were right on the mark as a beam of piercing blood was shot from the tower. Her body was flung back from the sheer force of it and within her sight was a man on top of the Gopura wearing a bloodied religious cloak.

His hands were clasped together like a prayer and he aimed straight at the two Valkyries. An orb of pulsing blood condensed into its absolute limit onto the top of his hand and the next moment it burst into a sonic boom heading toward his target.

Rita stepped toward the side as the crimson beam pierced into the ground creating a dent in the street, the Maid let out a cheeky smile at the easily dodged attack.

'Using his followers as a distraction while he keeps on stalling by shooting potshots at us...How unclothe but tactical. It is a pity that it's not enough to stop Master Bianka.'

As the Shepard readied for another blast, the blonde Valkryie slammed her spear down creating a smokescreen. He let out an irritated tsk and immediately decided to retreat...He was smart enough to know he was about to get bombed.

His legs ran as fast as he could and he leaped off the Gopura just in time as he narrowly dodged a lance constructed of flames racing toward him his head with a tilt to the side. Inzalo's pupils dilated as he felt an explosion of fire and scorching heat lick his body from behind.

He shifted his body to make his descent toward the ground an advantage and within his hand, a mace of blood was conjured. With his speed picking up and added momentum his tightly held weapon clashed with the graceful rosey scythe of the Maid.

A shockwave of pure force spread throughout the parking lot, blowing the dust and smoke away from the two figures clashing.

Inzalo could feel his spine tingle and his arms shaking from the sheer force of his stunt. No ordinary human would survive such a feat but he was a Shepard of Baptism, the one drenched in blood and spread the great faith of Endless Devouring!

He soon disengaged from the contest of strength as he knew it wouldn't be wise to go toe to toe against a S-Rank Valkryie. He backed away from the life-reaping maid and sided with his followers.

"My children, gather around for a feast that will resonate for the starved and forsaken. Lend me your faith so we can offer those two wretched hearts to our Great One!" 

His words stirred up those around him and they circled him in the middle. Their cloaked bloodied figures covered him from the peering eyes of the two Valkryie. Their blood-caked hands raised up in unison with the Shepard.

A glowing mass of bubbling crimson started to gather from above, shrouding the area in scarlet light and soon it gathered on top of the Shepard. A crown of amassed blood started to form and adorned his head...Its light gave out a sinister eerieness as it pulsed like a heartbeat.

Within Inzalo's hand that same blight conjured a specter of pure scarlet and within the next moment he wielded into the Heavens, rallying those around him with fervor and bloodlust.

The cloak-covered followers revealed themselves and uncovered their hoods as the bloody light seeped into their skin. They were all of varying ages but they all had the same characteristics, pale skin, and eyes bloodshot. Even with such certainty, they moved their feet in a frenzied rhythm and voice chanting their one and only God.

"Ourachaca, Ourachaca, Ourachaca, Ourachaca, Ourachaca, Ourachaca, Ourachaca, Ourachaca!"

Instead of feeling fearful upon such a sight, the two Valkyries stood calm and planned their next moves.

Rita was the first to move and within a second rosey after images of the Maid scattered around the blooding mass of followers. They flickered onto each of their eyes, misleading them to guess who was the real Rita. 

Until The Shepard in the middle of the flock of hungry bloody ghouls, felt a heavy pressure onto his shoulders but he didn't take a look up as the rose-covered scythe slashed out his windpipe.

A sharp pain was felt in everyone's throat. Several hands grasped onto their neck for a moment, while others ignored the pain.

He didn't despair at the life-reaping attack but instead grinned maniacally as the blood dripping from his neck suddenly burst into tendrils of eldritch horror grasped onto the blade that previously ripped his life.

A strong grip tightened onto the tip of the blade and burdened with such a force, Rita smiled and calmly stated a well-known fact.

"Even with your group of strengthed zombies...Don't you realize it's still not enough for a S-Rank Class Valkryie?"

The tendrils of blood were forcefully ripped out of his wounds as Rita pulled out her scythe from its weak grasp and quickly jumped back to Bianka's side.

"Ha! You should have taken the chance of attacking me while you still can." Inzalo mocked as the crimson-tinted specter surged with coursing power and he soon pointed it at the two.

Rita responded with a slight sweet smile and talked him down.

"Seeing as you're having a conversation with me, it must mean you're trying to buy time...Just as I am and especially the poison I laced onto my blade which should be taking effect."

The Shepard smirked at such a notion, with the blood coursing throughout all of his twenty-five followers it would be divided throughout all of them including himself...Poison would be negligible!

Within a moment, the dancing of bloody worship slowed, and the hand aiming its coursing power trembled. 

'You sly f*cker!'

As if his thoughts were read, Rita prepared her next words.

"I've read your files, Mr. Shepard spreading the damage and evenly dividing them amongst your followers but have you considered that a paralysis agent meant for Honkai Beasts would still work? 

For the many lives you have taken have you ever wondered what type of death your False God would ask of you? Would it be of blood and passion or death and decay?"

With her remark finished Rita disappeared into the background leaving the blonde Valkryie readying her lance. Bianka took a jousting position, feet tethered to the ground with all her strength and her lance aimed straight at her targets.

Instead of flames surging from the Divine Key, black vapor of death...It was the Withering and Decay ability of Abyss Flower...The Ultimate Counter to all organic matter

In a voice of holiness, Bianka started to chant her next attack.

"I am the Black Abyss that devours everything, the White Flower that nurtures all. I exist before creation. I exist after annihilation. Abyss Flower Second Level Output, Holy Bloom!"

Through his trembling arm, the Shepard focused the course of overflowing power that surged through his specter as he was prepared to unleash everything he had even at the cost of his undying faith and life but he couldn't react at all as a sudden white light engulfed his sight.

'Was this the White pearly bloody gates that was mentioned in the verses...The haven where all those loyal and faithful would gather to...' Such a thought was sadly interrupted as instead of bloody crimson skies...He met with the clear blue skies of reality.

"...F*ck." A curse was let out of his mouth. His back was onto the hard ground of stone, and a sense of numbing decay overtook his senses. He stared at his once arms and legs slowly decaying into black vapor only to be left limbless.

He saw his followers disappearing into that same blackness and light enough to have their ashes spread through the air. The Shepard knew he would be defeated by a well-known Schicksal Valkryie but this soon!

...He couldn't have retreated as escaping from a 2 S-Rank Valkyries would be impossible and so he took the action of fighting all out but it proved to be worthless. That was how life and nature were...It's quite unfair to all things.

'...Joining a Cult wasn't so bad...Meet some like-minded people, sacrifice those wretched nonbelievers, have a loyal following, and die to a top-class Valkryie...Too bad I didn't die to a Herrscher I heard they're the sweet Angels of the Lord...Well, at least our goal was achieved.'

He had many regrets and his mind surged back to the time when he lived a normal with his family...His Mother's cooking, his Father's stern lessons, and his Brother's energetic nature. The Dinner table was bustling with their laughter and banter

...Ah, how he regretted that he didn't take their lives before he left. How he regretted not taking more of his followers' lives before this. How he regretted not feasting on more flesh and blood.

His thoughts were interrupted as two Valkyries looked down on top of him with discerning glances.

Seeing such people staring down at him...He tried taking his own life by blowing himself with his blood pressure...He wouldn't snitch on his Great Lord!

Such an action was interrupted as a black-heeled foot stomped on his head and knocked him out.

With the threat lifted, the two of them took a moment to catch their breaths.

"I feel...All tuckered out." Bianka stated while sitting on the ground with Abyss Flower on her lap.

"That is expected when dishing out blasts of flames...It was especially cute when you chanted out those attacks like those characters in those shows." Rita teased with a smile.

Bianka's face flashed in embarrassment, "It was in the moment, and the previous user before Cecilia, Reanna Briganti used to say them before she betrayed Schicksal."

"So you decided to take her chants as your own to dispel such a fact?"

"Something like that...But maybe I should do my own thing and follow my own path instead of following theirs..."

"How mature! Well, I'll be waiting when you do, Master Bianka." Rita cheered.

"Thanks..." Taking the turn to relax Bianka suddenly remembered one important fact.

"Where's our Overseer?"

A/N: Sorry if you thought the fight was short...After all S-Rank Valkyries are very Overpowered compared to regular unawakened Stigma Users. Don't worry the other 6 Shepards left won't die instantly...Wink, Wink 🧐.