In the dim light of a dingy warehouse, two groups silently stared each other down as tension crackled through the air. Maven’s desire to continue patting Ela’s head, the Apostles apoplectic rage at his failure, and the befuddlement of the goons all came together to create an odd air of tension in the room.

The silence couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity - only ending once Maven’s lazily confident voice drifted through the air. “Well…… If you’re just going to stand there like idiots, I guess I’ll make the first move.” Maven said in a confident tone, using her free hand to cast a spell and kick things off.

Instead of bringing out the dragon again, which was so large it could easily collapse the building, Maven opted to create to create something much more compact this time around. Opting to have some fun with this battle, Maven used this opportunity to bring one of her favorite toys to life by creating a couple of giant boxing robots to fight on your behalf. Imbued liberally with divinity and composed exclusively of her own unique element, Maven was confident these contrasting white and black steel guardians would guarantee her victory.

“Go get ‘em, Rock ‘em Sock ‘ems! Teach those jerks who’s boss!” Maven cheered as she cheerfully willed one of her creations toward the Apostle, her mood much improved with Ela safely back in her arms. So improved, in fact, that she kicked the battle off without ever even stopping her stroking of Ela’s head.

Startled out of his rage-induced stupor by the intimidating sight of a three meter robot speedily running toward him, the boy shouted, “You dare?!” Desperate to halt the oncoming fist of the robot, he hastily attempted to construct a protective space barrier.

Normally, a space-attribute barrier, no matter how hastily constructed, would be more than enough to block any normal magic that could be thrown at it. Unfortunately for him, however, the robot whose fist was rapidly approaching his cute little face was not only infused enough divinity to shatter a thousand of his barriers, but it also possessed the ability to manipulate space - allowing its fist to slip right through the boy’s barrier as if it weren’t even there.

“AAAAH!!” The Apostle screamed as an enormous magic-clad fist slammed directly into his angelic face with all the force of a speeding truck, the impact sending him tumbling through the air like a poorly made rag doll.

“Your Grace!!” The goons all shouted in unison, absolutely flabbergasted at the pitiful state of their invincible Apostle. Ruffians they may be, their loyalty must still be commended - they all began to dash to his aid with nary a second of hesitation.

“Ah, ah, ah, that’s not happening.” Shayna said as she stepped between the two while shaking her finger chidingly. “I can’t be letting the young miss do all the work, now can I? What kind of maid would that make me?”

“Quite right,” Fay said as lined up beside her, her light magic crackling around her dangerously. “We shouldn’t leave everything up to Maven.”

“Hehe, sounds fun…… These fools might be able to serve as at least a small diversion.” Henna said as she drifted in, smiling like a playful cat as she filled the air with ash-colored laughing skulls.

“Don’t forget about me!” Kannon complained as she flitted over too, showing off her best crouching tiger pose all the while.

“Stop talking, you impudent fools!” The leading thug said with his face red in anger. “You’d better get out of our way, if you don’t want to get hurt.”

“That’s no way to talk to a lady,” Shayna said in a prim voice. “Sounds like someone needs a lesson in manners.”

“Enough talking, more fighting!” Kannon said impatiently, kicking off the group brawl by sending out a life magic spell into the wooden floor below and setting off a massive growth spree. In the blink of an eye, flexible branches sprouted their way out of long dead planks and wormed their around the men’s legs, holding dozens of brawny thugs tightly in place without any effort.

“You’re always so impatient,” Henna said as she cast a death attribute spell of her own, one that would slowly leach the life and energy from the men - your standard Life Drain, meant to slowly render them powerless over time. As opposed to her selfish sister, Henna was sensitive to her friends’ desire to contribute to the battle.

“Can’t let these goddesses get all the credit.” Shayna said as she created dozens and dozens of stone bullets in mid-air as easy as breathing. Then, displaying a godly accuracy honed over long years, she sent a single bullet rocketing toward each man’s temple. Locked in place as they were, the goons were helpless to avoid them. With a loud thunk, every single one of the thugs lost consciousness at the same time and fell to the floor powerlessly.

Fae, could only stare the crumpled men on the floor in disappointment. Everyone else got the opportunity to show off, except for her. The loss of an opportunity to impress her goddess sent her drooping, like a dog whose bone had been snatched away. “Looks like the only thing I can do at this point is just to tie them up.” She said as she created shackled of hardened light, preventing them from moving a muscle. There was no chance of them saving the Apostle now, passed out on the floor as he was.