“[Divine Barrier],” she calls just in time to stop a fusillade of rubble from hitting almost everyone in the great hall, even most of the [Nobles], [Guards], petitioners, and assorted hangers-on.

But most is not all. The unlucky sods and hapless [Guards] farthest from the throne are dismembered or slain by metal shrapnel.

“Guards up! Bladed Thorns, shield wall! Prepare for engagement.”

Trinity bellows, her team falls in at the front of the dias. They lap their large shields and brace. Trinity jumps forward, a frown on her face. Her own shield is raised, her spear rests in a thrower’s position.

Then the dust clears and light shines into the room.

Six wings hold aloft a set of incandescent golden armor. The wings shine beneath the light of the glowing halo floating behind the great, almighty being, and casting the room in a golden glow. Jessica feels a weight on her shoulders, as though pushing her to kneel.

But her training kicks in once again, and her aura flares out, blasting away the mental attack with surprising difficulty.

The being floats, unmoving as it stares at them.

Jessica activates the enchantment in her mask and uses [Analyze].

Micheal

Level 500 [Archangel Of War]

The strongest of the seven Archangels and a guardian of Heaven. Michael’s eternal purpose is to battle the forces of evil and destroy heretics.

Jessica steps back, her eyes widening at the information in front of her.

“[Stabilizing Spin], [Perfect Aim], [Overwhelming Throw],” she hears Trinity yell before her hand turns into a blur.

With a teeth-rattling crack, she launches her spear faster than sound. One instant, it’s in her hand; the air booms and in the next, it’s stopped by a golden barrier, similar to Jessica’s own, in front of the angel. Reverberations are felt from the impact, but the spear does not penetrate. The spear head caves in and the weapon ricochets to the side.

“Damn,” she hears Trinity curse, her hand raising up into the air.

The spear floats up before accelerating back to Trinity. She catches it with ease and readies for another throw.

The angel, who has not moved an inch, merely examines the room, not even considering the attack thrown at it.

“You have been found Wanting,” the thing speaks in a deep, resonant monotone. “Heretic King, you have judged and so you are Judged and the measure you gave shall be the measure you receive,” it continues, the head shifting, eventually stopping on Enderan who sits breathless on his throne.

“W-why are you here? What do you want from me?” Enderan asks, his usually stony expression is gone. The [King] can feel the power emanating from the being, far above anything he has ever felt or seen.

“I grant you the opportunity to confess, to recount your misdeeds before your retribution.”

Jessica swallows and looks at Enderan. She can't stop him, nor can Trinity. Only one person even can.

“Stall,” she whispers. “Bone can do something to stop it.”

Her words have the desired effect. Enderan gets his bearings, his hope reigniting, though fleeting

“I am not a heretic. Who dares to make those claims?” Enderan

The angel remains as still as it had been once it entered. The light around it however is ever shifting, fluctuating with its halo. The glowing ring sits behind it, casting the throne in the angel’s shadow.

“Your heresy is indisputable. I ask of your sins to alleviate your burden before I decide your sentence.”

Enderan looks to Jess, unable to read her expression, but all he can do is hope.

“What details? What have I done that is heretical?” he asks.

The being finally moves, its wings flapping once and sending a rushing wind through the throne room. Jessica, Enderan, and Trinity weather it without looking away.

They stand as ants before a giant.

“The Ignorance of your Heresy has been judged, and the sentence has been chosen.”

It ever so slowly turns its head to regard the room.

“You and those loyal to you shall be executed. Those not loyal to this Heretical [King] may leave now, or perish for their Heresy.”

Everyone hears its words, and it only takes a moment for the [Nobles] and [Guards] to stand and run to the exits. The Archangel watches silently.

Enderan, seeing his people leave, swallows his spit and looks at his wife who seems to be in a daze.

He takes her hand and pats it, grabbing her attention.

“Mercia, please leave me. You must survive.”

“What?” she asks, flabbergasted. “I… No! I would never leave you! If you plan to die, then I will be with you.”

He shakes his head, a sad smile coming to his lips. “No. Our daughters yet live. You must be there for them.”

Tears trickle down the [Queen]’s face as she wars with herself. At any other time, for any other reason, she would have stayed and died with her husband. She would fall into hell with him, if it wasn’t for…

She rises from her seat and leans into Enderan. They kiss one last time.

“I love you,” she says to him.

“And I you,” he replies back.

Mercia leans away, tears falling from her eyes. She lifts the sides of her dress and quickly makes her way out.

Enderan watches her leave, his expression holding naught but defeat. He looks around and finds that only Jess and the Bladed Thorns are still present.

“Both of you, thank you for defending me,” he starts, looking at the awaiting Archangel, “but it appears my doom is at hand.” He sighs. “Consider your contracts canceled. Leave. Do not waste your lives here.”

“No,” Jessica states, voice hard. “If we can hold it off long enough, then Bone will arrive and deal with it.”

Enderan shakes his head, a sad smile on his face. “Even an entire team of Gold-plate Mercenaries would struggle to kill an [Archangel]. For you and Bone alone, I can see no chance.”

He forces out a little chuckle. “Still, thank you for that little bit of hope.”

“What? No, we have a chance! We just need to stall a bit more,” Jessica tells the king.

“Bladed Thorns! The battle is lost! Retreat downstairs!” Trinity yells.

Her team nods as one. They rush to the exits in an organized line, shields still raised towards the Archangel.

Enderan nods, seeing them leave. He looks to Trinity. “Thank you for the protection you've given me till now.”

Trinity snorts. She moves in front of Enderan, her shield still raised and spear ready.

“I am an Amazon. Only an Amazon Elder can order me to retreat,” she says proudly with a smile.

“This is death! Are you mad?” he asks.

She aims her spear at the Archangel. “I’ve turned away only once, and paid the price for it.” She chuckles madly. “There will not be a second time.”

Jessica frowns at the Amazon, practically feeling the fear in her laughter. Trinity fears death, practically expects it, but she stands firm in its presence.

Jessica smiles under her mask. She steps forward and stops the barrier spell.

“You both are crazy!” Enderan says, bewildered.

“Heretics,” Michael exclaims loudly, “You have been judged for your heresy. Speak your final words!” It spreads its arms, mana coalescing around it, preparing to be used for a spell.

Jessica takes and releases a deep breath. She calls up her mana and feeds it into a spell.

“[Grand Calling], [Multi Summon], [Summon Angel]:[Lancer Archetype],” she yells, releasing her mana above her.

Three dozen [Lancer Angels] appear, in a brilliant flash. Each one carries a massive lance, couched, ready to smash through all things, mundane or magical.

Trinity and Enderan gaze upward in shock. Each of the angels above them is over level one-hundred, and every last one of them has its weapon pointed toward the Archangel.

“Impossible,” Enderan exclaims. An [ArchPriestess] shouldn't be able to summon so many angels, let alone control them.

After a moment, Trinity looks away from the [Lancer Angels]. Her eyes fall on a tired but determined Jessica, breathing hard. Clearly, the incredible amount of mana she used all at once is taking its toll.

Jessica takes a breath again and then finally points. “Attack!”

All at once, thirty-six [Lancer Angels] accelerate towards Micheal, lances aimed for the Archangel’s core.

The Archangel raises his right hand with his palm upward.

“Serve your purpose.”

With that command, his halo shines brightly for but a moment… and then Jessica falls to her knees as the connection to her summons is torn from her.

The [Lancer Angels] slow to a stop right in front of the Archangel. They turn around and then aim their weapons at Jessica.

“To disrupt and usurp the agency of the divine is a truer Heresy than any other.” Michael spreads his arms, wings glowing brighter as points of light manifest around him.

He then points at Jessica.

“Burn.”

Biting her lip, Jessica raises both her hands. “[Divine Barrier]!” she yells, molding the barrier to only block in front of her. Trinity jumps in front of Enderan and yells, “[Perfect Block]”

Then the Archangel launches its attack. Beams of light, visible to the naked eye, shine on Jessica’s barrier. Their terrible heat slags the ground and the metal pillars melt and run like wax. The barrier overloads and explodes, sending her flying into a pillar. Jess feels her body crack and break, her mask is lost in the violent impact.

She coughs loudly, her body wracked with pain, but she endures. With the little mana she has left, she sends it through herself to assess the damage. What she finds is a surprise. Three broken ribs and severe bruising on her right shoulder and right hip.

Considering how spectacularly her barrier was detonated, she should have suffered a lot more damage if not death.

She grunts, struggling against her pain, and forces herself to stand. She looks at the throne. It is completely destroyed. Next to it, where she had been standing, is the ruined body of Joker. The undead had taken the brunt of the attack, sacrificing its body to save her.

She raises her finger. The ring Quasi had given her is very warm. She doesn't even remember it activating.

She continues looking and her eyes fall on the burned and broken bodies of Trinity and Enderan.

Both of them are dead.

She wasn't strong enough to protect them…

She shifts her gaze now at the Archangel, which continues to float in the air, uncaring of the ruin it has just brought

Once again, the Archangel raises its hand, creating several more glowing points around it.

“Your survival is Heresy! That cannot be allowed.”

The being lowers its hand and points.

Jessica looks down at her hands. She clenches her fist. She remembers the warning he gave her, about the danger… but she doesn't want to die.

Blood starts to pool on her palms as she makes up her mind.

She raises her hand to her face, the bracelet hidden underneath her clothes.

She opens her mouth and chokes out a word.

“Mule…”

The archangel releases its attack.

Reality shatters like glass…

And he steps forward.