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"WHAT?" Cedric exclaimed. he took his time making his way to the palace, and then he felt immense power radiating from an uncomfortable distance from Archangels and Aurelia.
In the next moment, the connection to Ladios was cut off.
'THAT FOOL!' Fury Cedric felt was more intense than ever before.
He had warned him, he had given him a warning more than any other infidel.
He gazed at the dark presence with his [God's Eye], he was shocked, no not only shocked, he felt guilt.
He should have expected something like this, this whole thing was his fault.
"I should have killed him the moment I laid my eyes on him," Cedric muttered.
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Due to the sudden influx of dark energy, the former king of Valar, frail and old, had gained strength on par with the Middle sphere of Angels.
"You will regret this.. You test my vow once again..." Cedric said in a low tone, nearly containing an urge to reduce the entire city to ash.
He would punish that infidel. Avaros dared kill an Angel. He, too, was worse than a demon.
With suppressed rage, Cedric rushed towards the place; nothing would stand in his way. Avaros will die, and his god will meet its end soon enough.
It took mere moments for him to arrive before the palace, his [Divine Zeal] activated, threatening to crush anyone indiscriminately; everyone was an Infidel this time around.
"I gave you courtesy enough; I have given you a warning more than any Infidel before you, AND YOU DARE NOT HEED IT?!" Cedric spoke as he approached the Garden entrance.
"Cedric! My father...He killed..." Aurelia exclaimed, her hands clutching a shard of Ladios close to her chest.
"Hold onto him, Aurelia. I will deal with this Infidel," Cedric spoke gently, and yet his fury was on an all-time high.
"Time for you to die!" Avaros charged with his spear, and yet it did no damage, instead, he found himself launched into the air by a powerful punch, his spear turning into mist as it left his hands.
Before he could react, Cedric jumped after him, and with a great slam, Avaros was sent through the garden deep underground.
It did not take Avaros long to get his bearings, [Armament of Chrunus: Sword], [Gravity Lapse] [Gravity Orb]. Dark mist coalesced into a blade, shortly followed by Gravity being inverted.
"So Chrunus gave you Gravity and Darkness manipulation. As expected of a Pagan god." Cedric merely took the hit as he analyzed the powers granted by Chrunus.
"DIE!" Avaros screamed. However, he was cut short as Cedric gripped his arm, and with a mighty swing, Avaros was buried in the garden soil once again.
"How aren't you dead!? I HAVE POWER OF CHRUNUS, THE MIGHTIEST OF GODS!" Avaros screeched.
"Chrunus is nothing compared to Christ. Something that you will learn soon enough." In a moment, Cedric's gauntlet buried itself into the guts of Avaros.
"Agh! [Divine Mending]!" Avaros activated a skill to mend himself. Despite him being powerful, he was just a man, and as such, he would break under pain; after all, he merely repaired his body and did not heal the damage in the full sense.
Cedric wouldn't sit idly as Avaros repaired himself. He charged once again, this time hitting him with a knee, causing Avaros to gasp for air.
"Fuck... yo.." Before Avaros could even curse, he found himself in the air held by the monster, and with a sickening crunch, his back was broken in two.
Crunch~
"AHHGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Avaros screamed as he was thrown to the ground, his body broken.
[Dark Mending], Avaros mended his body once again.
"You... Cur..." Cedric's gauntlet plunged into his chest, and with a pull, the still beating heart was in his hands, the heart that he crushed mercilessly.
"AGHHH..." Avaros looked shocked, his previous confidence slowly fading.
"HOW? NO! I AM APOSTOLE OF CHRUNUS!" Avaros screamed once again [Dark Mending], working overtime to replace the heart he had lost.
Cedric did not allow him to speak instead, he grabbed the jaw and, with the force of 1000 men, ripped it off.
"Your god won't save you... You are to face judgment before Christ. You killed an Angel, you and your god will be cast to hell for that crime!" Cedric stated coldly.
He glanced at Aurelia and duo of remaining angels, they were hurt but alive, and Aurelia stared at the battle intently while clutching the shard.
Avaros breathed heavily, trying to gather strength. His gaze fell on Aurelia. If paladin was too much for him to handle, then he would kill the woman he was protecting.
"You are not going anywhere." As Avaros scrambled to pull Aurelia with him, Cedric caught Avaros by the leg and pulled him to himself.
Cedric threw the Apostle in the air, and with another punch, he blasted a hole in his stomach, which was instantly filled with dark mist.
"You are resilient, and yet you too are approaching the limit." Cedric mocked the Apostle.
"You do not know what you are doing!" Avaros spoke, his breath shallow and ragged.
"I know fully well." Cedric gripped the skull of Avaros, his free arm gripping the arms of Avaros enough for the bone to break.
"AGHH! STOP YOU DAMNED MONSTER!" Avaros screamed.
Cedric wouldn't kill this man himself; no, Aurelia had that honor.
"Aurelia!" Cedric called for her.
"Yes!" She jumped as soon as she heard Cedric's voice, her terrified expression poorly hidden.
"You may kill him." Cedric dragged the Pagan Apostle before Aurelia, his hand firmly holding the Infidel for Aurelia's safety.
"You whore! Do you think you will kill me, huh? Chrunus will end you, and I will be welcomed to his domain!" He threatened.
Cedric saw Aurelia hesitating, her gaze switching from Shard of Ladios to Avaros.
Cedric showed patience, she had deserved this much. After all, Archangel died because he was merciful to an Infidel, a mistake Cedric swore to not repeat again.
Aurelia took a deep breath as she held the shard close. "I will do it..." She approached Zenith, she would end her father with her own hands.
"No, a whore like you would never be able to wound Apostle of Chrunus!" He smirked, clearly expecting Aurelia to back off. Cedric forced Apostle's face to the ground, exposing the neck of the Infidel.
Aurelia clutched the shard closely, she had to do it. For Cedric and for Ladios.
It took her a moment to gather her courage. "This is for Ladios!" She said solemnly as she swung Zenith, cleanly cutting off her Father's head, a look of disbelief clearly plastered on his decapitated head.
Headless Body of Avaros collapsed, threat finally vanguished.
Aurelia fell to her knees, she had taken the life of her own father, despite being absolute scum it still pained her to take a life of her own kin.
"You did what you had to do; the duty of the First Star is heavy," Cedric spoke to Aurelia, his tone gentle and understanding.
"All of this was my fault..." Cedric spoke gently.
Aurelia looked up with tears in her eyes, sadness visible. "No, please, Cedric, don't say that you saved me again!"
Aurelia mourned the loss of the Archangel that had protected her this entire time, he was truly a Guardian worthy of God.
"Aurelia, give me the shard of Ladios." Cedric opened his palm, expecting Aurelia to hand over the small crystal.
Rayn and Lucious nodded to her, encouraging her to comply.
She looked unsure, clearly trying to hold it close, "Please take care of him..."
Cedric made some distance before placing the shard on the ground.
"You should know, Aurelia. Death before God has no power. Death is a disease that afflicts those burdened by sin, Angel will never truly be dead." Cedric spoke with zeal.
Aurelia stared with confusion, intently listening to her savior.
"God, grant this lost soldier of yours a chance, may he continue to serve in your name, [Holy Ressurection]." A pillar of golden light shrouded the shard, its form twisting and expanding.
Aurelia stared in disbelief; the angel she had mourned was reconstructed before her very eyes.
'I really should learn to expect stunts my beloved pulls...Of course, he can resurrect him... I feel silly now.' She couldn't help but sigh as she wiped her tears. The moment Ladios emerged from Golden Light, she pounced and hugged him tightly, ignoring her own wound.
"LADIOS!" Her happiness was oozing from her very being despite the severe wound.
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As the Archangel emerged, Cedric used another apex skill [God's Holy Light], after all, he would not allow them to suffer needlessly.