Leave a comment

“Star Soaring Halo.”

The Flight Magic that allowed Seletina to soar over the gates of Ulbdor still persisted. The time of its use lasted for about half a minute, during which Seletina could manipulate the wings of light as she wished.

The magic circle, seemingly etched into Seletina’s back, flickered faintly, granting her the miracle of flight. She had transformed into an angel, gradually ascending into the crimson sky, leaving behind a trail of light.

“Wow. Flight Magic… And quite the magnificent one at that…”

General Aubance exclaimed while gazing out the window. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, his eyes fixed on Seletina as she soared.

“Wings of light huh… Now I see where the Angel nickname came from. Well then, show me what you’re capable of.”
“Won’t you be joining them, General?”

Etic, the head of the Adventurer Association, asked with a pale look on his face. He then continued, “That Demon is a registered Upper Rank. Its name is Wearer of Death. A run-of-the-mill adventurer stands no chance against that, no matter how strong they may be. If you don’t go out, General, I’m afraid that this city will–”

“Now, now, don’t rush me, Etic. It’s just getting to the good part.”
“What? The good part?”
“I wanted to gauge that young man, Tieck’s power, however, I never really got to the bottom of it. Now seems like a perfect opportunity to take my time and see what the Angel is capable of.”
“Do you realize what you’re saying? If that Demon goes on a rampage, let alone that boy, the whole city will be in danger! We don’t have the luxury to take our time! Hurry up and assist Sir Tieck!”
“Shut up for a moment.”
“What did you–”
“Didn’t I tell you that it’s just getting to the good part.”

An intense presence washed over Etic in an instant.

General Aubance allowed only a hint of anger to linger in the edges of his words, but it was undeniably intimidating. Touched by the unspoken anger of the man, Etic nervously swallowed.

Etic had previously described Aubance as wild yet mild-mannered and understanding, but now he realized the truth. Whether people lived or died seemed of little consequence to him.

What mattered were his own interests, what was convenient, and what intrigued him. Etic now understood that the three Great Generals that stood by the Emperor’s side were no simple people.

With cold sweat running down his back, Etic could only watch as General Aubance looked up happily at the sky.

◇◇◇

The Wearer of Death and the Angel confronted each other.

The Demon, cloaked in jet-black flames, observed the angel who held the Sacred Sword with great interest. The four eyes, nestled within the goat’s head, twitched and stared intently at Seletina.

She felt a creeping fear nibbling at the edges of her mind. Sweat still clung to her back, and when she licked her lips, they felt unpleasantly dry. Although the grip of Elyutinias’ handle felt familiar, the sword’s weight seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment.

The cool early spring air, tinted by the setting sun, clashed with the fiery presence of the Demon hovering before her. This marked Seletina’s second encounter with an Upper Rank Demon.

It’s okay. I’m sure I’ve grown since last time. So, it’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay.

She chanted those words three times in her mind, recalling a spell that Princess Eleanor had taught her during her time at the royal castle. Seletina found that repeating It’s okay three times in her mind strangely eased her nerves, just as Eleanor’s smile had always filled her with courage.

And then, “Here I go.”
Seletina declared, her words barely more than a whisper.

She skillfully manipulated her wings of light, enveloping herself in a powerful gust of wind. The world around her seemed to blur as she shot forward towards the Wearer of Death. The velocity was so remarkable that even Seletina herself felt inwardly surprised.

Seletina swung Elyutinias sideways, producing a sharp, high-pitched sound with a slight delay. She attempted to strike at the neck of the Wearer of Death, but her attack was thwarted.

She then noticed that a jet-black trident had suddenly appeared in the Wearer of Death’s hand. The black goat-like entity emitted eerie hums as it changed Elyutinias’ path, then let out a childlike laugh.

However, Seletina was well aware that her strike would not find its mark. Elyutinias in her hands did not defy being led down a different path.

“Ha!!!”

If she couldn’t overpower it, she would simply use its power against it. Seletina maintained her grip and executed a remarkable vertical spin, resembling a circular saw with precise aerial control.

Her movements exceeded the Demon’s predictions as her sword wrapped around the trident. The flowing circular path of her Sacred Sword, accompanied by a silvery afterglow, successfully struck the Wearer of Death’s shoulder.

The impact produced a crisp, flesh-tearing sound that resonated across the sunset sky, painting the crimson-toned canvas in a pulsating shade of red.

There was resistance!

Seletina skillfully manipulated her wings of light to somersault through the air, gracefully creating some distance.

The Wearer of Death remained still, tapping and inspecting its wounded shoulder, seemingly puzzled by the turn of events. Tilting its head, it glanced at the blood staining its hands and laughed innocently.

“What a cheerful goat…”

Seletina remarked, her heart racing in stark contrast to her calm demeanor. She’d managed to get the first strike against the Upper Rank Demon, however, “Now the real fight begins.” Seletina muttered as she saw the Wearer of Death’s smile fade off.

Red flames rose up, surrounding the goat. Its expression had experienced a complete change, now revealing a seething rage that radiated a palpable intent to kill.