Apostles' War

Beneath the Cathedral, France – 12:44 AM

The cry of the Grinshade Lord echoed like shattered glass across the vaulted crypt, its many faces distorting into grotesque parodies of laughter, grief, and rage. Its massive body quivered as if made of stretched skin and black glass, trailing tendrils of mockery and false light.

But for the first time since it had desecrated this holy place — it recoiled.

It felt it.

The presence of three Apostles.

The burning sigils on their left hands shimmered like stars carved from truth. Light pulsed in waves through the ruins, burning away the illusion-laced mist that clung to the ground.

And at the center, the newest flame burned the brightest.

Elian Reyes stood tall, the Seraphblade held steady in both hands. Its edge shimmered with soft radiance — not blinding, but warm. Not furious, but righteous.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore," he said quietly.

The Grinshade Lord screeched. And the battle began.

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Enoch Ruiz charged first, golden footprints flaring around him as Saint's Descent remained active. Each step carved glowing marks into the stone, and every demon that touched the circle was blasted back as if struck by divine wind.

"Let's keep the pressure on!" he called.

A sweeping kick launched three lesser Grinshades into the air, where they were crushed against the ceiling by pillars of light.

Leon Yu flickered into being just behind Elian — the Cloak of the Nameless fading

"You take center," he said. "We flank."

He blurred sideways again, vanishing. The Grinshade Lord screamed, unable to sense him, and tendrils lashed out blindly — but Leon was already there, smashing one of its mouths with a glowing palm strike. The creature buckled, suddenly overwhelmed by the enforced humility of Echo of the Meek.

-------

Elian ran forward, heart pounding, every instinct screaming at him to run — but the Seraphblade pulsed with steady calm.

When the first tendril reached him, he moved.

[Merciful Severance]

The blade sliced through the demonic flesh — not with fury, but with radiant release. The tendril dissolved into motes of white flame. The Grinshade Lord screamed, not in agony, but shame — a reaction born of purging.

"Let's end this," Elian whispered.

He raised his hand. A soft shield bloomed around the three of them — [Shield of Warmth] — not just protecting them, but searing any Grinshade that dared come close.

Leon emerged from the cloak again and struck at the legs. "The joints—hit the joints! It's unstable when it moves."

"I've got it!" Enoch shouted. He leapt, leaving holy footprints mid-air, and came crashing down like a meteor on the Grinshade Lord's back.

The Lord shrieked — too many voices speaking at once. Mockery became desperation. The air warped, and suddenly all their faces appeared in the air, mocking them with twisted versions of their own voices:

"Elian — you're just pretending."

"Leon — you crave recognition."

"Enoch — your faith is brittle."

But the shield held.

Elian gripped his blade. "I've doubted. I've feared. I've run. But I'm still here."

Leon, voice calm, added, "You can't shame someone who doesn't need to be seen."

And Enoch simply smiled. "I don't need proof. I believe."

All three moved at once.

[Merciful Severance] [Unyielding March] and [Cloak of the Nameless] converged in a final assault.

Elian pierced the core — a heart-shaped void leaking lies.

Leon shattered the mask behind its skull.

Enoch stomped the ground and sent a pillar of divine light straight through its spine.

The Grinshade Lord collapsed — not with an explosion, but a sigh — like a lie finally exposed.

Its thousand laughing voices fell silent.

And the crypt was still.

Ash fell like snow in the silence.

The three Apostles stood in the soft glow of their fading relics.

No one spoke for a moment.

Then Elian looked at his hand — the sigil still there, but quiet. His blade slowly dissolved into light.

Enoch clapped his shoulder. "You didn't break."

Leon nodded. "You never needed to be perfect. You only needed to stand."

Elian smiled, tired and trembling. "So… does that mean I passed?"

Enoch grinned. "You didn't just pass, man. You got it."