AbyssRaven
patreon
Chapter 287: Fighting against a Goddess. [Release Version]
🕑 Added 2022-03-01 02:43:03 +0000 UTCEdit: Pretty large edits, especially a rewrite to Ellaine's conflict with Kronnaz.
_______________________________
“G-Goddess?! Are you kidding me!”
“How is something this random possible?! Did we touch something cursed for this terrible luck?!”
Oh, if only you guys knew…
I couldn't help but recall all the memories of when I fought against a giant rachonoid queen and her swarm of children, of that time a wyvern nearly killed me, of that moment when I discovered an ancient demon possessing my mana rings, and when Griffonpeak was invaded by demonkins to kill our Griffon King, not to mention my memory of actually dying once! Tatsuya and Kyouya might have heard our stories, but I guess they haven’t realized just how unlucky Aurora was when it came to encounters.
However, even then, I somehow felt surprised to see that a goddess, one of the subordinate goddesses of Marsven nonetheless, appeared before us. I wanted to deny it. It was impossible! How and why would one appear before us like this? What was her reason?
And why did it have to be Kronnaz, the Goddess of Vengeance and Grudges? Why couldn’t it be one of the Goddess’s subordinates like Yeostar, the God of Knighthood, Bravery, and Loyalty?
“Put on the necklaces.” The goddess commanded with her imposing voice, and our bodies moved to put on the necklaces she threw at us irregardless of our actual wills.
“Argk! Fuck, not again!” Tatsuya lamented.
Is this the power of a god? Of course, the Goddess probably could have done this every time we met. Such a higher being would have the divine power to overwhelm us!
<[Bonding of Trials (10 protective charms)] inflicted on [Human, Ellaine Fiero Helvas]>
What is this thing? Identify!
<Information Blocked>
Dammit! Worth the try…
Not a sliver of information was given, despite me having [Identify Lv. 8].
<Trial of the Goddess of Vengeance and Grudges
Objective: Consume one protective charm on Kronnaz’s amulet
Reward: A blessing or boon from the Goddess of Vengeance and Grudges
Penalty: The destruction of [Human, Ellaine Fiero Helvas]’s mana rings and the demon mana inside>
A new System message revealed itself before my eyes, forcing me to finally accept the reality of the situation.
“Prepare yourselves, young humans!” The humongous woman readied herself. Her yellow eyes were so sharp they could kill something with its glare alone.
With a height that could even dwarf the already tall Yorshka and skin so gray it melted into the dark night, this elven woman was the definition of intimidating. She might not have been wearing any armor but her rather immodest clothes fully displayed her tensed up muscles. So large they could crush skulls, I had a bad feeling even my okl’luthier’s [Blade] couldn’t even pierce her skin.
We were hopelessly outmatched.
But yet… we needed to fight. I unsheathed my whipsword and cast my buffing spells on myself and the two boys.
<[Various Spell Buffs] inflicted on [Human, Ellaine Fiero Helvas]>
[“Hmm? Oh my, you are actually fighting for me? Even against a goddess? My, my, Ellaine, you are as captivating as always~”]
S-Shut up, Klea!
I could hear my face warming up by Klea’s constant flirtatious attitude, making it always hard to get accustomed to while the situation was this serious. On the other hand, Tatsuya and Kyouya looked at me as if I was crazy, thinking that challenging this goddess was foolhardy.
It was, but we really didn’t have any choice in this matter.
“The battle has already begun, you two! I don’t think we can talk our way out of this!” I rationalized the situation, to which the goddess nodded.
“Yes, whether allies or enemies, we are to fight here. If you are true warriors, then prepare yourselves!” Kronnaz stomped her feets on the ground, creating a small earthquake as her eyes began to glow. “Contend against me! Humph!”
With a single trust, black mana surged from her open palm, consuming us entirely. Like being trapped in a storm or torrent, our bodies were forced away, struggling to find some way to counter it. Before I could respond with a spell to dampen it, a large shock spread from our back as we slammed hard into the ground.
<Charms: 9>
Urgh!
My Health wasn’t reduced, but I could still feel the pain assaulting my whole body. That wave she sent out didn’t feel threatening at first, but it was a trick. Klea informed me the black mana had entered my body, targeting my mana paths and stifling my mana regeneration.
“Move! Fight!” I heard before my [Detection Sensor] and [Danger Perception] noticed anything.
I snapped my head up only to see a fist land straight into my face, forcing me deeper into the ground.
Arck!
<Charms: 8>
<Proficiency requirement fulfilled. [Physical Super-Resistance Lv. 3] gained>
<Acquisition requirement fulfilled. [Dark Resistance Lv. 1] gained>
“Shit! Ellaine! Druidification!”
“Taunt!”
“Patronizing me with a [Taunt], child? Ha! I shall play along for your sake! Defend yourself! Raise that shield arm!”
My brain rattled in my head. I felt ill, unbalanced. I could hear people talking around me, but my whole world was swerving around as I pushed myself up. I spat out dirt from my mouth and gritted my teeth. I couldn’t feel my sword in my hand. Where was it?
I couldn’t think right… outside of standing up.
[“Klea! Assimilation, now!”]
[“13% only, Ellaine. Lend me your mana!”]
<[Okl’Luthier’s Power] assimilation rate: 1%>
Klea’s mana began flowing through my blood, entering my body from head to toe. Just like last time, the process wasn’t painful but the fact my heart was beating faster than normal was a worry for me. I had to let the blood move through my organs, but I had to control it. I couldn’t let anything inside of me rupture.
“Oho?” Kronnaz noticed my transformation before smacking Kyouya away. A chill went down my spine as I feared she would attack me mid-transformation. “You are using this power already? Do you rely purely on this power, girl? Pitiful girl, your arrogance to transform while I stand before you will not go unnoticed.”
“Dragoon Dive!” Like an arrow, Tatsuya descended down from the skies.
I expected his attack to create a dust cloud, but all it did was force the goddess to move her attention to him, grabbing his spear before it could touch her. His attack was completely nullified.
“What?!” Tatsuya exclaimed, surprised, but he recovered quickly enough to throw a kick in his wolfkin form.
<[Okl’Luthier’s Power] assimilation rate: 5%>
“Too slow.” She redirected his kick away from her face and slammed Tatsuya right onto the ground. She then turned her eyes back to me, maneuvering forward to the point I couldn’t read where she would move.
But I knew it was towards me.
Ribcage!
The moment I predicted she would land a hit on me, the flesh tendrils on my left arm hardened up and formed four sets of bones with a purple barrier around them, defending me at the very last second.
However, they cracked immediately. They couldn’t handle the force of Kronnaz’s fists long enough for me to breathe. Although it slowed down the assimilation process, I had to dodge back and conjure [Terra Wall]s and [Bedrock Blades] to obscure her vision. However I struggled, though, this woman was undeterred by it all.
She jumped over the large walls and maneuvered through the field of large earth blades with the poise of a dancer. No moves were wasted as she twisted and turned, captivating me just as Tasnianna’s and Hestia’s dances would.
<[Okl’Luthier’s Power] assimilation rate: 9%>
“I erected a mana barrier around the area. Nothing comes in or out without my permission. Run as much as you want, but that won’t be enough to escape from me. Humph!” Kronnaz stomped the ground, causing three large circle spots around me to brighten up before exploding in a pillar of black light.
I narrowly dodged out of the explosion with [Wind Blast], but suddenly, two large shadow tendrils grabbed onto my legs and pulled towards the goddess. I materialized [Whiplash] on my left arm and grabbed onto a [Bedrock Blade] I created. With [Musclemass], I tried to pulled myself away, only for two additional shadow tendrils to appear and drag me in faster.
Shit! I can’t free myself!
[“Protect you heart, Ellaine!”] Klea warned me and I obeyed, creating [Ribcage] around my body.
“Weak,” she announced before throwing another fist at me!
… But that hit never landed.
“Spiral!”
The air twisted around as something like a tornado shot at the goddess. She turned her attention away from me, swatting it back onto the ground with a black tendril coming from her shadow.
“Argh!”
“Tatsuya!” I shouted as he took another hard hit when he tried to attack again.
“You come at me like a fly — without a single thought. Strength and training are useless if you know naught of how to fight but as a mindless berserker. You are trying my patience with this pathetic display. Are you truly the people my step-sister has chosen to champion her Divine Quest?”
Huh? Step-sister? Who is she talking abou— Urgh?!
“This is disappointing. Vivi and Elsa told me to test you, but you have been below any expectations I had. I am done playing this game.”
Her tone of voice suddenly changed. From how stiff she talked before, you would have thought she was only here because she was ordered to. There was no malice or friendliness at first, but now, you could only hear the anxiety-inducing disgust from her.
Moments before Tatsuya appeared, her eyes when she nearly punched me were almost suffocating. Her displeasure at fighting us was almost too palpable. And it wasn’t just because she didn’t want to. Because of my link with Klea, I could feel what Klea was sensing from the goddess — she thought of us as nothing more than a waste of time.
She was angered at how miserably below her expectations we were. And that aura was too frightening to react to.
“Fuck you!” But in the middle of this fruitless battle, a single cry broke through the disdain of the displeased elven goddess. “Don’t you even think of underestimating two fucking MMO players!”
“Hraaah!”
I spotted three round objects suddenly flying in from the corner of my eyes, three balls made from solid rock. In the next moment, they exploded, sending out an explosion of white flames to blanket my sight and Kronnaz’s.
“A surprise attack?” A barrier of dark mana surrounded Kronnaz, warding off the flames before they could hurt her, which inevitably also protected me from them. “Do you really— Hrm?!”
Blades attached to a single mana thread flew out and wrapped themselves against the goddess’s protected arm, pulling her forward a bit. In the next moment, Tatsuya growled in his druid form and re-engaged by using my whipsword to drag himself closer from beside me.
<[Okl’Luthier’s Power] assimilation rate: 11%>
Like a whirlwind, he swung his spear from side to side and thrust it with fierce determination against this imposing enemy despite his other hand having to hold onto my whipsword to hold her arm back. Although her left hand was restricted by my sword, the goddess still managed to deftly evade all his attacks, but she couldn’t counterattack as effectively as before.
Still, a hit did land on him, but in the next second, Kyouya dashed through the flames and replaced him. “Ellaine!” Tatsuya called out as he recovered by landing on a tree, signaling for me to attack. So, I did.
I pulled out one of Hestia’s holy flame bombs and used it by pouring my mana into it. A charm was used from the bomb’s initial explosion, sadly, but Hestia’s white fire easily burned away the shadow tendrils holding me down.
<Charms: 7>
<[Battle Frenzy (Imitation)] inflicted on [Human, Ellaine Fiero Helvas]>
My armor’s effect spurred my body against the fear I had for this divine being, pushing my mind into a tranquil state where I saw the battle in a clearer mind. I could think faster and the more I wanted to win this battle, the more I could feel my body rising in strength. A feral frenzy turned into an unbreakable and ever growing resolve. This was just an imitation, so I could only imagine what a real [Battle Frenzy] would feel.
Blade!
My flesh tendril erupted from my left arm and formed a large sword. As Kyouya occupied Kronnaz, I struck my blade at her legs, but she quickly reacted to this by jumping over my attack. Kyouya followed up by charging at her with his shield, knocking her back before she could kick me.
<[Okl’Luthier’s Power] assimilation rate: 12%>
I dissipated [Blade] and and formed [Whiplash], shooting it like an arrow at Kronnaz’s arm, restricting that arm in the same way. Kyouya’s sword then glowed blue, enveloped by an aura of mana, and swung it. Despite her restrained arms, Kronnaz still managed to counter the strike by redirecting it with her hand.
This left Kyouya open for an attack, but he was saved at the very last second when Tatsuya intervened. “Rush Hour!” he roared as his skin turned redder. With a burst of speed, he threw my sword back to me and took over the situation with a flurry of attacks.
Whenever Kronnaz wanted to counter, Kyouya would take over by throwing a bomb or use his weapons to answer back, giving Tatsuya all the time to attack. This was the synergy between these two. Over the one week where we worked together on Quests, I’ve learned how these two loved to fight, and it was in this formation with this rhythm.
[“What are you doing staring at them like that, Ellaine? Go!”] Klea urged me and I snapped out of my amazement.
“Tatsuya! Kyouya!” Tensing up my left arm, I [Dragoon Jump]ed by pulling on the [Whiplash], catapulting myself towards Kronnaz.
““Got it!”” Both of them understood me without talking about it and made a clear path for my trajectory.
<[Okl’Luthier’s Power] assimilation rate: 13%>
[“Now, Ellaine! Transform!”]
And, just as my head was almost squashed by the goddess in response to my attack, an eruption of mana burst out from me, blowing up the area around me. I didn’t know if I actually hit Kronnaz, but I could feel a ton of weird sensations across my body. On my back, my buttocks, and my head. Something was growing out from those places.
[“Focus! Don’t let the energy overwhelm you, Ellaine! Pierce through with my power, engage her with the power of a demon of lust!”]
Wings of bone sprout from my back, a forked tail from my buttocks, and two demonic horns from my head. After my armor was retrieved, Master Grimnir made some modifications to my armor to accommodate these new features according to Yorshka’s own armor. Moveable back plates managed by mana.
I have assimilated with Klea, once again.
“Interesting…” As the dust settled, Kronnaz appeared from it. “A human using the power of a demon to become a demonkin. Long has it been since I last saw this… So many of them were corrupted by this power, consumed by the darkness and enticing powers. You too rely on this power instead of cultivating your own strength.”
“… Yes, I admit that!” I grimaced as I twisted my body, [Musclesmass] covering my whole body to power it up.
Using my weapon’s range advantage, I began my attacks with the extended blade, prompting Kronnaz to stay on her feet and dodge away.
“Call me a selfish brat or what, but this is the path I’ve taken. You are here to test that, right, Goddess Kronnaz? That I can control this demon?”
“Hmph.” Kronnaz stomped the ground, shaking me slightly off-balance and delaying my next attack by a fraction, only for my [Danger Perception] to activate just in time to react. As I saw Kronnaz teleport — No, dash at me — I stopped my sword arm and rolled to the side as she smashed the ground.
“You dodged that?” Kronnaz raised an eyebrow before I used my bone wings to fly up. “Power doesn’t come lightly if you skip on the process, girl. A gift is a given, but talent can only blossom with sweat and blood. And I dislike the stench of a demon’s powers corrupting the people of my home.”
Kronnaz stomped her feet down and reached her hand into her shadow, pulling out what looked like a black spear and threw it at me. I managed to dodge it by flying to the side, but a strong wind current was created as it flew by, staggering me.
In the next moment, tendrils grew from Kronnaz’s shadow, which she used as platforms to reach me in the sky. With her arms, heavy blows came raining down on me, forcing me to materialize [Whiplash] on my left arm and grab onto a tree with it to flee from her. With Klea helping me out with the flying part, I was able to keep maneuvering around the forest while shooting out my whipsword in an attempt to hit her.
It was a battle in the air. Even without a weapon, Kronnaz was too formidable. I could feel my sweat drenching my whole face since practically the start of this whole conflict, but I couldn’t even see a single bead on hers.
Every blow she threw at me was heavy and felt like even the wind was fighting against me at this point. I tried to dash around with my abilities, but it was strenuous. I had to land a hit, but Kronnaz wouldn’t let me even take a break to breathe.
“I remember my grudge with you demons,” she whispered with rage filling her voice as we fought. “You killed my children. You killed Vivi’s children. You killed Elsa’s children. And all three of us had to witness the souls of our precious family depart. It broke our hearts as Elsa was forced to erase their memories in accordance with her role. And now, you have tempted another mortal to do your bidding!”
“No! Wait, I was the one who chose—” I wanted to argue back, but Kronnaz ignored my attempts.
“And for that, you are pitiful, human girl. You tasted her power, and in a moment of absolute weakness, you were taken in. You might not have been corrupted by her yet, which is a feat worth praising you for, but time will prove me correct.”
“But until then, as you can see, I am fully in control of my emotions and demonic corruption despite currently being assimilated with Klea’s blood!” I shouted back as I fended off two of her black spears with [Blade]. “Yes, this power is not mine! I never said it was mine in the first place! I know I’m borrowing it from Klea, but that doesn’t mean all my efforts to get it in control are a waste!”
“And with those words, you continue to condemn your allies to a future death. A death created when this demon consumes you. Child, you know nought of the terror Klea’Hatma had done when she was still at her peak.”
“Grk…!”
Hestia’s face and our talk after the Griffonpeak invasion flashed before me.
Just like what Hestia said. Klea was a wildcard, and if she were to ever regain her powers, she wou— GrrGRAK!
Like a sword piercing my heart, Hestia’s worry and anxiousness about me and my deal resurfaced. And, in this small window of weakness, Kronnaz managed to land a dizzying blow to my face, sending me crashing back to the ground.
<Charms: 6>
[“Ellaine! Focus! Kronnaz was a war leader back when she was active on the mortal planes! Not only did she learn combat from the Origin Gods, but she also studied amongst the strongest warriors during the demon war! Some of them even became gods. Battles aren’t won purely through prowess, but through mental and psychological damage, too! As the Goddess of Grudges, she is fully aware of both.”]
[“Uof… I know, I know. Sorry.”]
My head felt like it could break open at any point. Trying to soothe it, I noticed one of my horns broke upon impact. Once again, my Health didn’t deplete thanks to the protective charms, but it honestly felt like I could die at this very moment.
However, Kronnaz wasn’t willing to give me any time to think or recover, as she stomped on the ground where I was just a few seconds ago. Whilst rolling away, I materialized [Whiplash] on my three tails and pulled myself away before Kronnaz crushed the grounds we stood on.
Splinters of rock and earth shot out, and our clash continued as I had to weave myself through this hellish flurry of hits. [Whiplash],[Claw], [Musclemass], [Blade] and[Ribcage]. I was tiring my body out with my demonic abilities while combining them with spells and my whipsword to fend off this wrathful goddess.
“So much potential, wasted on conquering the ruinous powers inside you. The world is so vast. Talent as strong as yours, could have benefitted from study and training, instead of kneeling before this demon.”
“WHAT TALENT?!” I finally snapped. Kronnaz’s length scolding was too much for me and shouted out, leaving me open for another of her attacks.
<Charms: 5>
However, I didn’t flinch back. Rage and irritation urged my tongue to speak. I’ve lost my cool.
“Talent?! What talent?! All that talent went to my brother during our childhood. How often must I hear how talented he was. How often must I hear from my peers how he was assuredly the heir of our house. What talent, when my own father gave up on training me, giving me over to Mother to become a mage instead!”
I might have made up with Father after all these years, but those memories didn’t just change or disappear from my mind. The Chezaic twins weren’t the only ones who belittled my situation, but they were the most outspoken ones of all of them. I loathed myself. I loathed my inability to become as good as Brother.
So, I gave up. I couldn’t take it anymore. I handed my birthright over, as I knew nobody expected me to win against him during the heir trials. However, what did I gain from all of them? More mockery. More of the same.
Every decision I made up until now always felt wrong to others. They always felt wrong to me.
Kronnaz frowned at my words, looking at me as if I was nothing more than a spoiled child. “You are able to contend with me right now. Do you call this a lack of tale—”
“This isn’t even my own efforts! You don’t know me! You don’t know how I’ve gotten all of this!” I rebuked her completely as my time with Aurora came to mind. “My levels? Hestia’s doing. My training? Hestia, Father, Dame Yorshka, and Empress Melloxtressa! Through one sliver of luck in the cave that I trapped myself in, my whole life changed. I grabbed this light with all I could, and this is where the aurora brought me to. None of this was through my talents, all of this was through luck alone!”
“…”
“And I don’t want to regret any of my choices! I wanted to get rid of all the disappointment in my life. Make my parents proud for once. So I became a member of Aurora. I accepted the dangers before me, only for my mother to scold me for it! And then I nearly died. Sweat, tears, and blood? I’ve experienced them all! All to become the same knight in the stories of my childhood!”
I lashed out, my attacks became wilder and wilder. Klea tried to stop me from attacking so recklessly, but my actions went unpunished. Kronnaz simply looked at me. She remained on the defensive, blocking my attacks whilst I lashed out with both my tongue and my weapons. Even now, some part of me understood she was showing me mercy by allowing me to release this tension in my heart.
“Yes! I took on Klea’s powers! I used some type of excuse I never thought would have worked, if it weren’t for Hestia’s and the Goddess’s kind souls. I’ve taken upon this road, knowing I was bearing the sins of a monster on my hands. I could have enslaved Klea as the Goddess offered me, but I refused. This went against my morals. My ideal justice… I’ve experienced death almost twice now! I don’t want to die knowing all I was, was another lady living her short life only to disappear by the next two generations!”
“So you accepted this shortcut? Your lack of talent does not entitle you to take on a demon’s power to compensate. Even humans managed to reach the heights of godhood. One of my teachers is amongst that group.”
“You do not get to judge me, Goddess Kronnaz! You don’t! The only gods I have faith in are Goddess Aurena and the Pantheon of Light! As long as the Goddess believes I am fit for this duty, then I will be. I will keep on sweating and coughing up blood. I will train and learn everyday under those more wise than me. I will master my whipsword, my spells, and these abominable powers inside! The lust of power I have? They do not have a hold on me!”
[“Undo the assimilation, Klea!”] I ordered.
[“Huh? Ellaine, wait!”] I could feel her flabbergasted at my sudden request, but I didn’t let her try to talk me out of this.
With one strong [Wind Blast], I blew myself away from the Goddess. As I slided along the ground, I sheathed my sword and began to pull my spell rings off my fingers.
[“Shit! Ellaine! If you do this forcibly, you’ll just hurt yourself!”]
I could feel the spell rings somehow resisting to be pulled out, probably since they were glued to my body from the blood I was getting from Klea. In a panic, Klea had to quickly start the de-assimilation, undoing my transformation until I was able to pull both rings off my hands.
My tail and wings fell on to the ground, turning into a meaty goo. I felt ill after the rings were off, puking out a dark red bile. Although still queasy from the after effects, I let my two spell rings fall onto the ground, leaving Klea there to question if I had lost my mind.
“You…” As always, Kronnaz was too fast. She made it here before I could unsheath my blade. “… are foolish. You have no hope to win even with the demon power, but now you believe you can do it without her?”
“You told me to not rely on it,” I replied through bated breath. “I can give it up at any time. If the Goddess wills it, I will. However, I won’t give up on this power so easily without her command. I’ve spent too much sweat and blood on it already. Even if it’s Hestia, Saori, Tasianna, or Master Grimnir, I won’t give up on this. No, I won't! I will convince them I can control this beast without enslaving her. For a sinner like her, death is what she deserves. Not slavery. Never slavery!”
If there is one thing Griffonpeak will never do unlike the other human countries is to allow slavery to become legal inside our borders. As a noble, someone who is supposed to be the ideal of the kingdom, I will never let myself enslave Klea’Hatma!
This is my justice. This is what I believed in as a soon-to-be knight! Naive or spoiled, call me what you wanted!
[“E-Ellaine…”] Klea’s voice entered my head. Even now, our telepathic link remained.
“… Foolish. No mortal can escape the enticing lust for power! You will feel it soon. However, I shall show you mercy. The mercy of never having to experience your own undoing by the hands of a demon! Hraah!”
Urk! Move!
The lethargy after de-assimilating was slowing down my body. I couldn’t dodge in time!
Shit!
“Hey, did you two forget we were here?”
As I could see Kronnaz’s fist shooting towards me, she suddenly aborted her attack and dodged backwards as a shimmer in the dark landed in between us. It blew me away, helping me land back on my wobbly legs. Turning my head up, there, I saw Tatsuya wielding his spear with its tip covered in Hestia’s white fire.
“Stop listening to what she has to say!” he shouted at me. “It doesn’t matter what your choices have been up to this point! Shit happens! Shit happens all the time! Like how we Japanese were transported to this world! How the church wanted us to all become murderers. Like how a dead wolf made me drink his blood to escape dying in his grav— Ugagk!”
Kronnaz dashed forward and landed another hit at Tatsuya, only for Kyouya to catch him and shove him forward. Like an unrelenting force, Tatsuya didn’t let this stop him and sprang right back at the goddess.
“If the blood of some dead wolf managed to give me such a strong ability, then couldn’t it also start mind controlling me? I’m living with that damn fear, Ellaine! I get you! However, if you ask me, you do have a talent, you know! A very good talent! The fact you’ve been able to control and actually improve your transformation powers is hype-worthy!”
“Hype?” I tilted my head. Did his translator malfunction?
“You’re good in our books, is what he wanted to say— Wraaah!” Kyouya answered for him before Kronnaz smashed him out of the way. After he landed on the ground, he pulled out his [Room] runes and placed them on the ground. “We’ll get support, so get your head back into the—”
“That won’t work.” As the portal was about to open up, something interfered with it, causing the runes to fizzle out. “As I said, nobody can enter this place without my permission. Do not belittle a god, child. Anything concerning the Divine system is something I could control.”
“Oh, are you freaking kidding me?! Haaa!” Tatsuya shouted as he continued his onslaught, never waning and giving up. Kyouya, too, didn’t seem like he would give up, standing back up and throwing holy bombs at her.
“Persistence… praise-worthy, at least. Still not enough.” The glare Kronnaz had before dissipated, returning to that neutral expression she had at the start. However, that didn’t mean her blows were any less restrained, as she still managed to smack Tatsuya and Kyouya around. “Your charms are almost used up. I will soon free you from the demon. Your excessive lust for power will end here.”
“I have my lust in control!” I charged forward, blocking Kronnaz’s attack from connecting to Tatsuya with [Bedrock Blades]. “I have a lust for happiness! I want to be happy and remain happy! And just like Hestia, I will protect that happiness no matter what!”
“Ellaine!” Kyouya threw my spell rings back at me as I pushed the goddess back with multiple [Tornado Bullet]. If any of them hit her, she would have lost.
“Thanks!” I grabbed them and put the rings back on my fingers. “Klea, I’m sorry. One more assimilation! I want to win this!”
[“You almost scared me there by leaving me behind but… Fuck it! Another transformation will push your arcane corruption up so drink afterwards. Don’t even think of a third, so don’t throw me away, Ellaine!”]
[“Got it, Klea! Let’s show this goddess what we’re made of!”]
Klea’s blood began coursing through my body before it erupted into another surge of power. Once again, wings and a tail were added to my body, and the one horn I lost before regenerated.
“Tatsuya! Kyouya! Let’s do this!”
““Right!””
A whole week. The three of us have been fighting with each other for three weeks now. While our cooperation was perfect yet, it was still good enough to not hinder each other. Tatsuya’s and Kyouya’s teamwork was especially amazing, as they seemed like a single unit when they fought.
Tatsuya led the fight, rushing at her with the frenzy of a beast, while Kyouya kept him safe by intercepting Kronnaz’s blow and warding them off. I was their safeguard. Standing behind them, I focused on supporting them with my whipsword and range options. Both Tatsuya and I were our main damage source, so the strategy was to overlap our attacks to pressure the enemy into a mistake.
Unfortunately, Kronnaz was difficult. She was stronger and more experienced. It felt like fighting against a mountain.
“You led us here!” I shouted as I took Tatsuya’s place to give him time to gather his breath. “Klea just informed me right now, that you and the Night sisters were the ones to lead us here! Goddess Ilsaphone and Goddess Vivachel. They were the ones who came to us that day and gave us that Quest, correct?!”
“Hmph.”
“She was right…” I mumbled, now fully trusting everything Klea told me while supporting the two boys. “Then the amulet, the amulet Asaka had! Why did Goddess Ilsaphone give it to her! Why were we led here?”
Klea also informed me that it was unlikely that they came here just for Goddess Ilsaphone’s goals, but that they also wanted to test me. Since I was under the Goddess’s protection, they couldn’t just interfere with Klea at will, apparently.
Therefore, this was all just a trial. However, at the same time, the Goddess was looking through my eyes. She could be evaluating my skills and thoughts at this very moment. I couldn’t fail, in other words. The Night Sisters might not be able to do anything, but if I couldn’t prove myself, then I will have to give up Klea.
If the Goddess commands me so, I would.
“Urk!”
<Charms: 4>
Still, determined or not, Kronnaz easily smacked Kyouya and me away. Landing back on my feet, I brought up the party menu on my bracelet.
_________________________________________________________________
Name: Tatsuya Nagata Level: 55 Job: Dragoon
Effects: [Bonding of Trials (2 protective charms)]
_________________________________________________________________
Name: Kyouya Ishiigami Level: 55 Job: Bulwark Knight
Effects: [Bonding of Trials (5 protective charms)]
_________________________________________________________________
Tatsuya!
Under Dame Yorshka, Tatsuya and Kyouya have been training tirelessly to keep up with everybody’s rising powers. However, unlike me, both were far below my level. Not only that, but Kyouya, who had no special powers outside of his “blessing,” was still able to keep fighting with Tatsuya helping him.
Did they have a talent for this? I didn’t know, but what I did know was we were fellow trainees. I had my own pride. I couldn’t let them work harder than me. As somebody who recognizes herself as being talentless when it comes to combat, at the very least, I couldn’t let my hard work become a waste.
… And, besides, if my talent really was keeping my emotions intact to control Klea, then I really shouldn’t lose this chance.
[“Tatsuya! Kyouya! We need to outmaneuver her!”] I told them telepathically before finally taking to the skies again.
“Oh! Got it!” Tatsuya announced before increasing his attack speed. This did open up ways for Kronnaz to counter, but I made sure to cover for him.
“Even an ogre would respect a human for fighting against adversity, children,” she commented before shadow tendrils sprung from her shadow, only for them to be destroyed by Hestia’s bombs once again. “That annoying little—?! Tsk, if you wish to challenge me, then I shall respond in kind!”
Kronnaz’s movement altered itself. Instead of countering or blocking our blows, it appeared more like she was dancing through all the attacks like the wind. However, Klea quickly warned me to be careful with attacks coming from around us, only for her warning to become true as a black hand materialized above me and slammed onto the ground.
<Charms: 3>
“Ellai— Ark!!” Kyouya cried out only for him to get hit, too.
“A dance… a dance to cull even armies.” She twisted her body even more, sending out multiple black hands to attack us. As we kept dodging them, she suddenly stopped and assumed another stance. “A dance… a dance to aggravate even the calmest oceans.”
Waves of black mana spread through the field, bursting into ripples of explosion whenever she reached a certain rhythm. By interchanging from one dance to the other, she kept us on our toes, making it harder and harder for us to fight. The skies and the earth, nowhere was safe.
<Charms: 2>
But we had to fight.
<Charms: 1>
We had to fight!
<Charms: 0>
We had to win!
[“Ellaine, stop!”]
“Ellaine, wa—!”
“Foolish girl! Don’t!”
Despite my charm having turned useless, unable to protect me anymore, I still kept on fighting. The only way for this fight to end was for all 30 charms to break. All we needed was one single second.
Ribcage! Hestia, I need your help!
As a black hand was sent my way, I conjured up a huge ribcage around me and threw a bomb in front of me. The white flames exploded, covering up my sight as I charged forward.
“Tatsuya! Kyouya! Do it!”
“Shit, you idiot, fuck it! Don’t die!”
“Wha— You foolish children!”
Death won’t get me this—!
And a loud bang erupted from the area.
…
…
But it didn’t come from my body.
“Stop.” A clear voice echoed through the forest, silencing the chaos in this battle field.
When the white flames dissipated from the area,, it revealed what actually happened. Three black hands, blocked by translucent barriers where I stood and around the boys. In the middle of those things, I laid on my back.
My sword?
Its edge was touching the Goddess’s bare foot. This should have been it, right? So, why was there no system message?
“The trial has ended.”
“Huh?!” I turned my head around to a lone robed person walking from behind a tree. From the sound of their voice, they sounded like a woman.
“Sister…” Kronnaz suddenly mumbled in exasperation, causing me to dart my head from her back to the robed person.
“I apologize for stopping you. I know you hate it but…” She took off her hood, revealing a pale as a ghost elven woman. “This is enough for us. I am now willing to approve of them and to proceed with all of this.”
… Is that… another goddess?
_______________________________________
Okay, I'll be honest. Not only did I find this chapter super hard to write, I also think it's just bad. Like, really bad, imo.
I personally think I'm being influenced by all the criticism I've received on Ellaine's character and her decision to use Klea'Hatma as a power source. I do understand where they come from, but it made it extremely hard for me write her properly here.
I am not sure if the chapter really was bad or not, but I do think the character arc for Ellaine in this chapter was butchered hard. I'm not even sure if that is the case, really, but that's my feelings on this chapter.
Therefore, I really hoped you guys would comment on it. Give me feedback, because I need it.
Edits: I took the feedback I got form you guys. How are the changes?
Comments
Will C
I think Ellaine needs a sold win on her own or with this group just to cement how powerful she actually is and to highlight she is useful and not deadweight. Personally I think what she needs is a mentor of her own for combat/magic or maybe a rare job that unlocks something new or just gives a confidence boost by existing.(Archangel Canidate) for example or just have her goddess speak to her and say she is pleased with her and tell her exactly what she needs to become an Archangel. He'll even go the whole way given the godess needs people and may her a Champion or Champion Canidate.
Yeah, that's why this whole scene felt unnatural. I just felt dissatisfied, which is why I had to put the author's note to ask for feedback. This wasn't a good chapter, imo, since I wrote Ellaine badly.
Diego Rossi
I agree with Will C. Having Ellaine doubt her decision this way, during an important fight, feel wrong. While reading I was even questioning if the goddess was using some kind of mental attack to weaken her.
Diego Rossi
I laid on my black. -> back
Hmm, that is a good point with your second paragraph. Ellaine has shown to be sensitive about her own talents and progress throughout the story. At best, if Kronnaz wanted to attack Ellaine mentally, that would be the path forward.
It's not like it's their fault, really. Like, I can understand the criticism, but it's hard for me to completely forget after reading them. Which probably affected how I wrote my own characters. Thanks, I thought I made Ellaine regress her development after the Griffonpeak accident.
Tarodan
I think there's nothing wrong with Elaine using Klea. The only part I didn't like was how easily Elaine's arc regressed over a few words from the goddess. She's been working herself to the bone, so I don't think that should've been a weak point in her psyche. She's also received nothing but support from her party members. If the goddess criticized her TALENT instead, maybe that would've put a knife in her gut. I feel like that's where her insecurities lie. She felt like no matter how hard she worked, she was still being left behind. (Whether that's true is extremely debatable, considering where she was at 6 months ago.) That's my take on it.
Will C
I mean I like Elaine and her decision to continue using her powers even knowing the risk. The only bad thing about this chapter is her falling back on her decision despite all ready having cone to terms with it previously. Honestly I think Elaine taking the power was the right choice and if that's what you planned keep running with it, at the end of the day there's always been a vocal minority who did not like her even before the demon thing so just stick to your guns and plow on.
