Chapter 275 - The War Princess, Athena
In the blazing fires of the first hell, a lone woman was flying through the skies under the protection of two golden glowing elementals carrying huge hammers. The elementals were unique beings that could be summoned as protectors by knowledgeable Celestials, and came from an ability called [Empyrean Guards]
[Empyrean Guards] was a skill that was only used by the most proficient of the Celestial Disciples, as it was one that was commonly used by Celestials themselves. The initial stages could summon one Empyrean Guard that let out a holy fate aura, and it acted on their summoner's behalf to bring justice to all those that stood against them.
There were two Empyrean Guards flying next to the dark skinned Athena, their bodies letting out impeccable strength at the Void Rank. The Empyrean Guards carried golden hammers in each of their hands, and these hammers would release resplendent rays of light that went on to strike and obliterate all the infernals that they came across.
It was through these summoned guards that Athena continued to rack at points that she now neared the top position that the Vampyre Prince was holding on to. She was continuing her duty of wiping out the infernals when her beautiful expression changed as she looked in a particular direction. Her gaze that was calm and cool changed slightly, as she felt a tremendously powerful force coming.
The force was barreling towards her at extremely high speeds and would most likely be there in only a matter of seconds. She had already ascertained this rushing enemy to be an Infernal as it let out an unbearable stench.
She also felt the power that seemed to be in the Void Realm, and yet it wasn't in that realm at the same time. But even with this wild level of power, this infernal had somehow managed to remain in the First Realm of Hell.
Athena's gaze hardened as in the midst of all this, wisps of understanding were coming out as she began analyzing the significance of this Infernal. Her expression became stern as unlike what many others would do when faced with a power of crazy levels coming towards them, she did not leave. She did not teleport away nor use her medallion as a life-saving tool.
No, she chose to meet this coming enemy head-on.
Essence erupted from her as she prepared to match the powerful enemy that was coming, a holy golden light releasing from her. The extension of bringing out the holy aspect from the Law of Fate was something that very few Celestials could manage to do. Those that were learning how to manipulate fate or influence it could very rarely dip their hands into the pool that pulled out this tremendously powerful holy aura. This special power added a domineering effect to one's attacks, making those facing them feel an oppressive feeling from the depths of their souls.
Athena's rumbling essence summoned two more Empyrean Guards as all four became drenched in abundant golden light and were reinforced in power. The bodies of the Empyrean Guards became larger as two shining white wings erupted from their backs, making them much faster.
The four guards each stood in front of Athena as they prepared to clash with the coming infernal. She did not have to wait long as the Infernal was rushing towards her unique signature at rapid speeds, its body tearing through space as it arrived in a grandiose fashion.
BOOM!
A tremendously powerful sound reverberated throughout as the only greeting the Aberration gave to the enemies that it met was a powerful attack that almost always reaped their lives.
Athena took a look at the appearing Infernal in front of her, observing his unique features and the blue runic inscriptions that covered its horns. Many things came into place as she used her abundant knowledge to put all the information together.
She looked at this infernal that had not ascended to the Second Realm of Hell even though its power very clearly did not match the maximum allowed level at the First Hell. She observed the blue runic inscriptions to be the origins of the diametrically opposed beings that this Infernal had killed. It had consolidated its power, reinforcing its strength more and more as it rose to higher levels and yet still remained in this realm.
Her gaze became even more stern as she fully decided to fight this terrible foe no matter what it took. From her abundant knowledge, she was able to come to a conclusion that this was an Aberration, and she knew that Aberrations could eventually become the Generals or Scions of the Infernal Lords, and in some rare cases, those that were talented enough could rise to become actual Infernal Lords in the future.
She could not let this happen!
Too many deaths would be caused by the rise of a new Infernal Lord, even if this Aberration in front of her only carried a possibility. She would be there to prevent the possibility, even if she had to lay down her life.
This was a promise she made to herself a long time ago, before she even joined the ranks of Celestials. She grew up with war and death all around her, watching her family, friends, and anything she was close to die as the years passed. While watching all the senseless deaths from years of war, she told herself that if she had the power to bring a stop to all of it, she would do it without a second thought!
Thoughts and wishes did not make the Universe flow in a perfect order though, strength did. She had no strength and could only watch her world gradually turn to ruin, her life saved by a single Celestial as fate still had something in store for her.
Over the years she spent being trained by the Celestials and learning the ideology that allowed them to look at the larger picture of Order and Balance, she had always continued to ask herself, what exactly did fate want from her?
This singular pondering on fate allowed her to exceed all expectations when learning the techniques that relied on the Law of Fate, giving her the special position she held today, but she was still searching. She traversed many stars over the last few years as she intervened and stopped the destruction of worlds, and at the same time took the lives of many that would only sow discord and more chaos in the universe.
She always continued to ponder on the teachings of the Celestials all these years while searching. She was taught to train her will to become as strong as possible, because she would be forced to take actions that very few had the wills to carry out. Very few could see the larger goal when it came to taking the lives of a few to save an insurmountable number of others. Yet, she continued to ask herself, was this the path that fate wanted her on? She had never found an answer, but she continued to live by her ideals as she chose to stand against this Infernal.
She knew her power might not be a match against this terrible beast in front of her, but she would do it nonetheless as this beast could be a cause for a tremendous amount of chaos in the future. She couldn't have that, as she stood to maintain order. She would stand against this beast because that was who she was.
She was the disciple that was most proficient in her understanding of fate that she brought shock to the higher echelons of Celestials. She was the War Princess, the one who stood for order and balance!
YAAH!
She let out a valiant scream as she summoned long golden hammers into her hands as well, joining her four Empyrean Guards as they flanked and attacked the Infernal letting out powerful waves of power.
The Aberration looked at this being it could not kill with its first attack as it sensed the abundant amount of essence cl.u.s.tered within this one being, its eyes turning greedy as it wanted to devour her right away. The wide expansive wings on its back let out fumes of flames as it swiped its powerful claw forward, multiple tendrils of flames appearing as they formed into larger spinning flames, eventually becoming terrible tornadoes of hellish flames that multiplied all around him.
With a wave of its hands, more and more hellish rotating flames appeared and rushed towards the beings glowing in golden energy and holding huge hammers in their hands, along with the resplendent Athena valiantly rushing forth towards it!
BOOM!
A momentous battle had begun in the First Realm of Hell.
At the same time, multiple figures at the Void Rank entered, their bodies covered in a golden aura. These were the incarnations that the Celestial Grandmaster had sent forth, powerful beings of the Void Realm that were now reinforced with the power of a Celestial.
Their bodies let out wild vibrations of strength as the golden aura around them continued to pull them forward towards one single location, towards the only Celestial Disciple remaining in the First Realm of Hell.