PHASE 47 - THE HERETIC’S DESTINED DESTROYER

The white flowery lady that has been eclipsing the moon spread out her arms outward and four white flower buds materialized like drones. It hovered around her as if those are bees ready to protect their beehive.

“Tiara, you know her?” I asked my girlfriend who is still suffering from chained bondage.

“Y-Yes.” Tiara nodded weakly. “She is the person I battled during the Gate Guardian Tournament, during the battle royale. I think her name is Esperia…”

“Yes, Esperia.” Jeanne joined our conversation. “However, that is not her true identity. She is hiding more things that nobody would expect.”

Jeanne looked above and glared at the flowery lady.

“Isn’t that right, Heretic?”

“Hohoho! You are right, Jeannette of another universe!” Esperia laughed. “It seems that you have done your assignment well, considering that we’ve only met a couple of times.”

“Of course. I will not forget that face who betrayed my allies and killed them in the process.” Jeanne said. She looked at us fellow Aether Crusade members and announced a warning. “Hold your ground, Gate Guardians! She is one of the Thirteen Heretics!”

I have no idea what Jeanne means, and I don’t know what’s the deal about Thirteen Heretics either. I activated my and stared at Esperia to try to read her future movements, but it seems that I can’t get a prediction of her. It’s the very same thing as the Fake Outsider and Aeternos.

“How did you hijack the God Cores?” I asked out loud.

“It is simple,” Esperia said with a grim smile on her face. “I just entered the front door of the shrine a few minutes ago and injected my prana signatures on the God Cores.”

“That’s impossible!” Tiara cried. “The place is guarded by the shrine maidens!”

“Oh, you mean this?”

The coldest chill went to our spine and all the hairs in our skin stood up the moment Esperia materialized a thing from her right claw-like hand. She is now holding a severed lifeless head, one of those familiar to us.

It was the head of Ayano, the current leader of the Kozukata Shrine.

“N-NOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Tiara hollered out loud. “M-MISS AYANOOO!!!”

Esperia gave a satisfied smug. “I used my shape-shifting ability to disguise myself as this poor shrine maiden. I never would have thought that you’ll be fooled so easily! Hahaha!”

“Damn you!” I immediately stabbed my sword in the air and a wind tornado drill materialized that surged towards the enemy. “!!!”

Suddenly, one of the flower bud drones unleashed a bright white laser that immediately destroyed my tornado missile.

“All Aether Crusade, attack at once! Don’t hold back!” Jeanne proclaimed. “Alaric, stay on Tiara’s side and defend her!”

I hate to admit it, but I will have to obey Jeanne as her tactic is better than what I had in mind. If Tiara gets killed here, it’s all game over.

“!!!” Kristoff unleashed his accurate and precise arrow towards the enemy. However, one of the flower bud drones unleashed a beam that vaporized the projectile completely.

“!!!” Francois immediately transformed into a macho man God of Smithing. He magically created giant flaming axes on each of his hand and swung it rapidly like a boomerang, aimed at the flowery lady.

Two of the flower bud drones fired lasers to deflect the axes, but it was not enough. So Esperia commanded her drones to shield her from the attack. There was a huge explosion upon the impact of the axes on the drones, and both axes and drones were utterly destroyed and converted to ashes.

“Phew! That was a close one!” Esperia laughed.

“Don’t be so cocky!” Helena cried as she teleported towards the back of the flowering witch. She made a full-force downward swing with her buster sword that is coated with lightning energy. “!!!”

“Kyaaah!” Esperia cried as she caught the attack head-on. If my eyes are not lying to me, her right shoulder was split out of her main body when she took that electrifying buster sword to smash from the Kendo champion. With a powerful force, Esperia was dunked and crashed to the body of the bell tower.

As a result, the platform we’re all standing immediately collapsed to the ground.

“Tiara!” I leaped forward and hugged my girlfriend tight. I expanded my armor’s crystal ice function to make a barrier around us so that the debris will not hurt my love. "!!!"

There was a thick smoke that engulfed the area which lasted for a minute.

<>

When the smoke faded, the battlefield became clear. I checked Tiara first if she’s okay. So far, I didn’t see any wounds on her body. The that has been cast upon her is no longer tightening, but the God Cores continue to restrain her movements.

“Tiara, are you alright?” I asked.

“Y-Yes.” Tiara nodded with a tired smile on her face. “Thank you, Rikkun.”

I removed the crystal armor that has been covering us and then checked the surroundings. I made a headcount on my allies and they seem to be doing fine too. Jeanne, Helena, Lord Hephaestus, Drex, Kristoff, and Naomi are there with their weapons deployed. They are bravely facing the crash site of that flowery bitch. Some of them sustained minor bruises and scratches, but none of them are fatal or performance-weakening nonetheless.

“!!!” Naomi raised her staff, and water sprayed from the edge of it. The staff made a drizzle that healed the Aether Crusade members on its area of effect.

The only one that’s not on the ’s range was Jeanne. Naomi seemed to do it on purpose, but Jeanne is not bothered with it.

The smoke finally cleared on the crash site, and a silhouette of a deformed woman appeared. She seemed to have lost her right shoulder all the way to the right arm, and her neck seemed to be hanging her head.

“Hohoho! Damn you, Helena Efilion! You almost killed me.” The flower witch said.

When Esperia revealed herself, we all gritted our teeth in awe.

That woman is still alive even if her neck is twisted. She’s like a zombie that is full of cuts and fractures but still moves like it is still living.

Suddenly, brown roots started to spawn from the dismembered shoulder of Esperia. Her neck also twisted back to its original position. Her bones snapped inward, reversing the fractures she sustained. Esperia is now fully healed as if the battle is yet to take place.

When the cross-sigil on the undying witch’s eyes glowed red, a definite fear went down to everyone’s soul.

“Just what the heck are you?” Helena muttered. “You’re not a Cursed Guardian, but how come that you contain this much evil in your heart?”

“Let me tell you who I really am.” Esperia made a lady-like genuflect. “I am one of the Thirteen Heretics that guides our chosen ones to end a world.”

Suddenly, we all heard a ripping of flesh, followed by a weak cry.

“A-Ack!” It was Drex’s voice. After that, we all heard a giant battle mace clanging to the ground.

When we looked in his direction, I saw a familiar face. It was a tall man wearing a black tattered cloak. He is wearing a skull mask that has been cracked on its left side. He is also wielding a hellish fork.

I can’t be mistaken… it is Hades!

“Ack…” Drex uttered a soft cry as life escaped from his body. Right now, he had his heart torn to shreds by the God of Underworld’s boney hands. When Hades drew out his hand from our punkster's chest, Drex fell lifeless on the floor.

“W-What the heck is happening here…” I muttered.

I can no longer process what’s happening. It all came so fast. It’s just like facing the Fake Outsider once again…

“Oh, let me introduce to you the master I serve.” Esperia bowed. “This is Lord Hades, my destined one, and the destroyer of universes. All hail to him.”