Chapter 5: Puny Human

The giant halberd swung, clashing directly with the blade, which had once been crimson red but now gleamed with darkness. Groups of inquisitors surrounded Nicholas, some attempting to slip past him, but before they could, vials were hurled in their path, stopping them in their tracks. Out of the smoke from the vials emerged dark, monstrous creatures. A worm with translucent, slimy skin and razor-sharp teeth dripped green mucus around its jagged jaws. 

A fly with sharp appendages instantly drained the life from one of the inquisitors who was too slow to dodge its lethal lunge.

Faces stitched together, rotting, with each part falling apart, cried a hymn no one had ever heard. Their wails were so excruciating that even an angel was staggered for a moment.

The wailing cries of faces hindered the inquisitors, while the fly methodically picked them apart. For now, they were at a stalemate, and none of the inquisitors could get past Nicholas.

The worm had already split into tiny maggots, lunging toward the centaur. The centaur raised his halberd and declared, "I take an oath, no god shall descend today." Suddenly, a holy light enveloped the centaur. His angelic wings spread outward, and his halberd glowed with divine radiance. All the maggots attempting to attack the centaur were obliterated as they came within its radius. Nicholas stood stunned, captivated by the majestic and picturesque scene of an angelic descent.

During the earlier clash, Nicholas's sword, Gladius Ruber, had already developed cracks. It could have been due to the angel's titanic strength or the aftermath of losing grace. Gladius Ruber had completely lost its integrity.

Now, with a sword that could break at any moment, Nicholas faced the full power of an Oathbearer Seraphim. The angel moved at the speed of light, its glowing halberd already drawn back. It swung with immense force. Nicholas had foreseen the attack, but all he could do was use the flat edge of his sword to block it. He knew it wouldn't save him, but he had no other option, the angel's flight was too fast for the eye to follow.

The halberd smashed into the flat sword, shattering it into pieces. The impact slightly deflected the halberd, but it still plunged into Nicholas's shoulder, severing his entire arm. The dislodged limb flew through the air and splattered against the cathedral wall.

Nicholas didn't have the luxury of feeling pain. With adrenaline rushing, he stumbled back, trying to retreat, but the halberd was already hurtling toward him, its tip aimed to skewer. The sharp point reflected in Nicholas's eyes as he stood frozen, unable to close them, unwilling to accept his death.

But before the halberd could pierce Nicholas, a swarm of maggots shot toward the angel, attempting to eat their way through its flesh. Each tiny maggot that tried to nibble its armor was burned by the divine radiance, but it was enough to give Nicholas a few precious seconds to move out of the way.

Jack yelled, "Just a few more moments, Nick! Use Necrot to stop the bleeding, they won't eat you!"

The Seraphim stopped pursuing Nicholas and shifted his focus to a new target—someone who had just revealed his plan to the enemies.

In one swift motion, he closed the distance between himself and Jack. Drawing back his halberd, he prepared to strike, aiming to finish Jack in a single blow. This time, even if Jack tried to defend with his sword, it would be futile. The Seraphim had gained significant acceleration due to the larger space between them, making his attack far more powerful than the one Nicholas's sword had withstood.

Something was wrong, and though the Seraphim sensed it, he realized it too late. Jack's lips curled into a smirk as a mocking voice followed.

"Didn't the church tell you to never trust a blasphemer?"

Seraphim's eyes widened as Darkness emerged, gripping the halberd with his bare hand. Jack, already shutting his eyes, yelled, "Nick, close your eyes!"

Nicholas, barely able to open his eyes due to blood loss, heard Jack and quickly shut his eyelids. He was lucky not to see it, but the angel wasn't. He witnessed the corruption firsthand as it began to morph him. His armor slowly started to blacken.

Jack didn't hesitate. He dashed toward Nicholas, grabbed him by the waist, and hoisted him over his shoulder before running toward the sewers.

"Nick, it's me... You're going to be alright. Just hang in there. When you wake up, it'll be a much nicer place and there'll be hot coffee too."

The maggot had already stopped the bleeding, and its mucus acted as an antimicrobial to prevent infection. For now, Nicholas was safe.

The sewer entrance was near the priest's cabin, with a hallway leading up to the cleansing room where the priests purified themselves before praying. Its outlet had been burst open, just wide enough for a person to pass through—this was where Jack and Barchen had infiltrated the Cathedral.

Jack darted toward the sewer opening and vanished into it.

Back in the cathedral, Seraphim continued battling the descended god. He was not only facing a deity now but was also severely weakened after breaking his Oath. The divine resonance had backfired, leaving him far weaker than he had ever been since taking the Oath.

"Curse you! You are no god. I will destroy all your followers that pipsqueak and that rat. I'll ensure they meet a death so gruesome, they'll beg for it."

The darkness wrapped itself around the Seraphim as he groaned in agony. It would be over soon—blood streamed from his eyes, his body mangled and twisted, bones contorting into unnatural angles. He was slowly becoming a grotesque statue.

Before the transformation could complete, a beam of holy light pierced through, dispersing the darkness and halting the change.

A group of priests gathered around him, and one figure stepped forward, leaning toward the half-transformed angel. In a sorrowful tone, the figure asked, "What happened, Captain Otto?"

With bloodshot eyes, Otto turned slightly, his voice weak, raspy, and fading. Struggling to speak, he whispered, "The Firstborn has descended... two of them—they went into the sewers. They are dangerous."