As the rumbling intensified across the sky, so did the fight between gods and demons. The Huntress Goddess of the Moon, Artemis, released thousands of arrows in a single battle. Her enemies found it impossible to get close, and even if they did, she was still stronger than them.
The dividing line between gods and mortals became more apparent with each passing second. No matter how hard mortals struggled or the number of tricks up their sleeves, they were helpless against Artemis. Even if they found some way to attack her, she seemed to have an arrow for every situation.
The battle was long, and the goddess seemed to be stalling for time until she obtained her offering. However, her expression changed when the rumbling ceased. A great shadow took over the world, crawling to their location with unprecedented speed.
"Playtime is over, mortals," said Artemis as she stared at them with a serious face. "It seems that humans of this realm are useless and will not be offering me the maiden. Before he arrives… I shall kill you."
Seraphine landed on the ground, confused, with an eye bleeding out to cover half of her face. Ilia Perli was no better, as his body was riddled with wounds that he scorched to stop their bleeding. As for the feline beast, it was collapsed on the ground with hundreds of arrows impaled into its body.
Lord of Crestview died in the earlier battle, and the lord of Elvenheim was severely injured. Margery stood her ground, but her face was becoming pale. These tired mortals were already reaching their limits but conquering them when they felt an intense feeling of dread.
A terrifying killing intent exploded from the goddess, her eyes holding miniature stars within them. The bloodthirsty gaze left the group trembling with fear. Then, she smiled at them and flicked her bowstring.
Boom!
A sonic boom echoed throughout the battlefield as everyone fell to their knees. Seraphine coughed blood as she felt her insides being ripped apart. When she looked at the goddess, she found her pulling on the bowstring with arrows of golden mana.
"As the Huntress Goddess of the Moon, I hereby forbid you from entering the cycle of reincarnation," muttered Artemis while glaring at them. Her golden arrows multiplied as the blinding light prevented her enemies from seeing her, only hearing her voice. "Through the authority given to me by the creator, I command this mana to change their soul forever, letting them wander through the cosmos."
Seraphine then felt the golden light invade her body, seeking to destroy her soul. The arrow has not pierced her, but it seems that this mana was changing the very nature of her soul, making it impossible to reincarnate.
"How can you break the cycle of reincarnation?" shouted Seraphine through the blinding light, hoping the goddess would answer her. After all, reincarnation was said to be the next path souls take after their bodies die.
After a few moments of silence, Artemis answered her with a haughty voice. "It can only be stopped by its creator."
Despite the confusion her answer caused, the goddess shot her arrows at them. Seraphine stood there, helpless of preventing this. If she had her former powers, she would have been able to contend against a single god. However, she was weakened in this tower, making her only hope… that he would arrive.
The golden light exploded toward them in a circular fashion, expanding to obliterate anything in its path. Seraphine saw the light heading toward her, but she did not resign to her fate just yet. Until the very last moment, she wanted to keep her eyes open.
Her soul had been marked by the golden energy, preventing it from entering the cycle of reincarnation. If this golden light managed to kill her, her soul would be sent to the cosmos, either wandering or to be devoured by soul eaters.
As the light was about to slam into her, Seraphine could no longer see anything. The expected pain did not arrive, and there was nothing but darkness. Seraphine was confused, as she was still alive, but somehow could not see anything.
"Its creator?" asked a soft voice from the darkness, jolting her mind awake as tears came to her eyes. This familiar voice and comforting presence were none other than the man she has been waiting for her entire life.
A golden flame appeared before her, illuminating the figure of a single man staring at it. His black hair was long, with a short beard covering his face. His golden eyes reflected the golden flame as it danced atop his hand.
"Who are you to prevent them from reincarnation?" asked the man with a soft voice without removing his eyes from the flame. "What right do you have to sentence them to death? Because you are a god? Because you are stronger?"
His voice slowly turned more aggressive as he lifted his eyes toward the distance. Seraphine could not see what face the goddess was making in this darkness. All she could see was his expression, portraying the injustice she felt as her people got murdered.
Tears fell from the demon's eyes for the first time ever since her people were killed by the gods. As her vision blurred, Seraphine felt warmth on her palm. She looked down to her side to find her sister holding her hand.
"Lumi?" croaked Seraphine, choking on her tears as she stared at the ghost of her sister with confusion. Her younger sister smiled at her before turning into black light that flew toward his back. Seraphine followed it with her eyes, which landed again on the man holding the golden flame.
Once again, her tears fell without her control. It was the first time she saw her sister in a very long time. Seraphine heard a groan from a distance, which she turned to see Whisker raising his head in the beast form. A white feline creature stood in front of him, giving him a smile, before also turning into a black light and going toward Seika.
"Lucius!" shouted the feline beast in a hoarse voice as he reached toward the shadow of his friend. Seraphine then realized that this vision did not belong to her only. The man she chose to follow was carrying the will of millions of people that suffered injustice.
"The suffering ends here, Artemis," said the man with golden eyes, wrath appearing in his golden eyes. His hand gripped the flame tightly, making it explode. Golden mana exploded in every direction, but this time it healed their wounds.
Light returned to the world in a single instant, revealing the situation here. Artemis was still standing with her bow raised, aiming at Seika with a fearful expression. Then, without thinking, she released another arrow at him.
Golden mana exploded, but Seika stepped forward and disappeared. A black dagger appeared in his hand as he cut through the battlefield in an instant, severing the golden arrow in half. Then, he reached the goddess who could not react in time.
"Tell your king that I have returned," whispered Seika as his golden eyes narrowed moment before he slashed through her waist, cutting the goddess in half and passing through her.
lightsΝοvεl ƈοm Silence descended on the world as Artemis was separated into two parts, one carrying her shocked expression and the other falling to the ground. Black light tore through her that traced back to the dagger Seika wielded.
Boom!
As soon as his foot stepped on the ground, everything happened in an instant. He traveled faster than sound, severed her in half, and then the ground failed to withstand his step.
The gale of wind made them unable to see what happened next, but Seraphine heard the goddess falling on the ground, unable to comprehend how easily she lost. Her mouth managed to utter soft voices that expressed her shock.
"How… can you… control the golden… mana?" the severed body asked as she stared at the man's back, her lips trembling. "You are not the promised demon king!"
"I might not be the most orthodox," said Seika as he stared at the black dagger. "However, I chose to accept the voices demanding injustice, and I promised them one thing," he said and turned toward her, eyes full of determination. "I will kill every last god."
As she heard his declaration, Seraphine felt like her heart tried to leap from her chest. This excitement was long lost under feeling of duty toward her people. Although she still had questions about the golden mana, she realized without a doubt, that this man was…
"The Returning King!"
Seraphine fell to her knee, her hand touching the ground. Then, her head bowed as her entire body kept shaking with awe. She has never felt this much respect for another person.
The rest followed suit, kneeling on the ground in the same fashion. Seika stared at them with his golden eyes, choosing to remain silent. Instead, he turned toward Artemis, who was still staring at him.
"That strike was not enough to kill you, Artemis," said Seika with a smile as he raised his dagger again, letting it unleash a cry of wrath. "Choose between death or fleeing."
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