Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

1010  Chapter 1010- Seraphim of Honor— [Barachiel] (7)

From a distance, the battlefield looked like a churning maelstrom of life and death. Blood slicked the ground, and mangled bodies piled everywhere. Soldiers screamed, monsters roared, and spells clashed with dark magic in explosions of light and shadow.

This was history repeating itself, Simon thought. Even the angel's intervention could not change the grim reality. The demons were simply stronger, more numerous, and relentless.

The Kingdom of Orlandos was a dam holding back a flood, and it was cracking with each impact of the wave. How long could they hold on before their spirit breaks entirely?

 Still, even against the inevitable, the humans showed resilience. Each blow they delivered drained their strength, and the weight of their comrades' deaths hung heavy on their shoulders.

Yet they fought, they held their sword and died in battle.

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RUMBLE… finally with a rumble, the last bastion of their defence, the city wall also came down and the monsters and demons surged into the city. It was the beginning of the end.

'If Vincent and the other person didn't intervene now, it was all over for Orlandos' Simon thought to himself.

Just then, as if answering the prayers of all the humans in the city, a giant pillar of light shot from the centre of the city. It soared into the sky, splitting at its zenith and spreading wide like an umbrella of protection.

The divine light cascaded down, forming a shimmering dome over the city, pushing back the encroaching darkness.

The onrushing army of darkness was stalled unable to enter the barrier while the ones inside screamed in pain as the light fell on them.

"[Sanctum of protection] huh" Garvex recognised the spell and narrowed his eyes "Are they planning to turtle inside? Hmph, very well then, I will make you step out".

 Saying that, he gave the order that might as well have spelt the doom for the kingdom of Orlandos… that is if there wasn't that man there.

The surging army of darkness stopped their charge in front of the unbreakable barrier and retreated.

The demon lord's army was retreating, it was supposed to be a good sign. However, no human felt that way as all their eyes were strained towards the sky.

A suffocating pressure engulfed the plains and from the moonless night, they appeared. Numerous Demon Dukes stepped onto the sky, each radiating a nerve wrecking aura that sent waves of despair rolling across the city below.

It was not only them, even Simon who on the demon's side, widened his eyes in utter shock. A cursory glance told him that there were more than thirty Demon Dukes lining up in the sky.

A lineup like that, even at the Walpurgis and Hexennacht he had never witnessed such a congregation of raw, unrestrained power. Among them, there were also Vordanaz and Gareth.

The dukes floated in the sky, standing as if the air itself bent to their will, gazing down upon the protective barrier with scorn. The [Sanctum of Protection] might have been legendary for its defensive capabilities, but against the might of thirty super powerful Demon Dukes, it might just as well be glass.

The humans wanted to delay the battle or buy time with that barrier of protection. But that hopeful wish was rendered moot now that the high ranking demon nobles from the demon lord's army stepped forward.

This land was doomed if something extraordinary didn't intervene.

From the history, Simon knew that the clash between the Demon Lord of Envy, Agramon, and the Seraphim of Honor was inevitable. It was written into the fabric of this timeline, a battle that would shape the course of this war.

The question was when would it happen? Would it happen here and now? Or the final battlefield was somewhere else?

There was no way to know to know other than witnessing the fate changing battle itself.

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In the sky, one by one, the Demon Dukes extended their hands towards the barrier. As their palms faced the radiant dome, the air around them grew heavy, like a tar of dark energy. Their voices began to hum with a discordant symphony.

"?"

Observing their every action carefully, Simon was taken aback. What was that? What was this hum, this language that he was unfamiliar with yet felt so close to?

Their chant was like nothing Simon had ever heard before. It wasn't just a language, it was something primal. A tone so ancient and cryptic that it bypassed his mind and struck directly at the soul.

The very sound seemed to make his soul and body euphoric as if it was some kind of extremely soothing melody. Of course, this feeling was not reciprocated by the humans.

 For them, it was more of a hum that spelt their doom. In front of that tune, the barrier wrapped, distorting violently with every syllable. Finally, with the last syllable, whatever the Demon Dukes were doing, was completed.

"[Abyss Magic— Níðhögg]!" More than thirty beams of annihilation that stained even the night dark, was fired.

From the start of the chant to the firing of the magic, only a couple of seconds must have passed. Yet within the time frame that one took to blink, the black rays of light were already crashing against the barrier.

Abyss Magic… Simon silently repeated in his head. The moment he saw that magic, he felt as if something within him stirred. A hidden energy or perhaps a sleeping power that had been lying dormant within was suddenly stirred awake.

Abyss magic, this was the intermediate tier of Dark magic, the true essence and power of the demons. An attribute far more powerful and rare than any.

There were only a few things in this entire world that could contend against the might of the abyss magic. It was power exclusive to the demon nobles and what made them so powerful.

[Níðhögg] he silently repeated in his head, this was the magic that almost made him fail the trial and what injured him to that extend on Mount Gorgor. However, personal feelings aside, it was truly hard for him to hate the magic.