Chapter 1067 Angels of Goddess Ava
Observing the celestial skirmish above, Billy snapped the reins in a bid to propel the carriage forward. Meanwhile, high in the heavens, the azure-clad angels of Kranar clashed with their gray-armored counterparts serving Rainar. Kranar's angels wielded weapons hewn from frozen lightning, while Rainar's emissaries brandished blades forged of ice.
"Damn it!" Billy's exclamation resounded as the tempestuous winds intensified due to the celestial battle unfolding overhead.
Within the carriage, Michael felt the mounting strength of the gale slow the horses' progress. Soon, the carriage swayed precariously, tilting to one side under the onslaught of the storm's fury.
"The wind is too strong!" Micah shouted as they struggled to maintain their balance.
Reacting swiftly, Michael leapt to the ground and, with a determined effort, managed to steady the listing carriage. As he grappled with the vehicle, a bolt of lightning conjured by Kranar's angels struck perilously close, mere meters away.
"Fucking morons. They are going to kill everyone in this carriage," Ayag's frustrated voice emanated from Michael's coat.
"You should use your powers and carry the carriage to the city gates," Sarba's counsel urged Michael to draw upon his abilities.
Yet, Michael resisted, wary of unveiling his godly powers and potentially alerting the pantheon. While he exerted himself to keep the carriage upright, a curious jade radiance caught his attention in the sky above. Raising his gaze, Michael discerned an elven figure with undulating green tresses, porcelain complexion, and robes the hue of jade. Adorned with verdant wings, the ethereal being gracefully descended beside him.
"Who are you?" Michael inquired, feigning his struggle to stabilize the swaying carriage.
Unperturbed by his query, the green-haired elf favored him with a serene smile. Gently waving her hands, she conjured an emerald bubble that enveloped the carriage. Without delay, she seized Michael's hand, initiating an ascent towards the sky. As the horses neighed in distress, the elf directed a calming breeze their way, pacifying the agitated animals.
Soon, the carriage, shielded by the elven enchantment, began to rise into the sky. Michael and the elf shared a prolonged gaze, yet neither uttered a single word. Safeguarded by the elf's intervention, they ascended toward the city through the azure expanse.
Within the city's protective walls, the scene that met Michael's gaze was one of desolation. Except for the imposing structure crafted from glass and adorned with gilded embellishments, the remainder of the kingdom appeared haphazardly constructed, resembling a sprawling slum. Buildings stood crammed together without any semblance of a plan, devoid of side alleys or spacing. These houses appeared weathered, ancient, and poised to crumble at any given moment.
The narrow streets lay deserted, and a putrid odor permeated the air, further intensified by the incessant downpour. Amid this grim setting, the celestial battle raged on in the heavens, where lightning streaks and frosty blades clashed. The impact of their skirmish toppled a few buildings, their collapse accompanied by heart-rending cries from within.
Inquiring about the chaos below, Michael turned to the green-haired woman. "Aren't you going to intervene?"
Her response was calm. "They will tend to them."
Michael's gaze descended, observing the emergence of green-robed figures rushing to the scene. These elves, emanating a dim green radiance, initiated rescue operations, pulling people from the debris. However, some among them shook their heads, signaling that not all had been fortunate enough to survive.
As Michael lifted his eyes, the celestial conflict continued unabated, the battling angels seemingly heedless of the city's inhabitants. Michael reflected on his own experiences in Nagaland, where he too had fought without considering the well-being of the citizens. Yet, the Guardian Guild had been there to evacuate people. Here, however, these citizens lacked such protection.
Gradually, the elven woman guided the carriage's descent, and they alighted before a structure fashioned from verdant stones.
"Escort the refugees into the temple," the elven woman instructed Micah, Billy, and Leon. To Michael's surprise, they complied without question, immediately springing into action.
"Rest within the temple. You must be exhausted," the elven woman suggested, her hand moving towards Michael's forehead. However, before she could touch him, Michael intercepted her wrist.
"I'm fine," Michael reassured her.
The elf smiled, recognizing the apprehension in Michael's eyes regarding her true identity.
"Come with me into the temple," the elven woman invited, leading the way as Michael followed. The refugees conveyed their gratitude with nods, silently acknowledging Michael's presence as he accompanied the elf into the temple.
Inside, soft candlelight illuminated the space, permeated by a delicate, soothing fragrance. Yet, what truly astonished Michael was the temple's interior spaciousness. It was as though some enchantment, possibly runes, had been employed to manipulate the very fabric of space, rendering the temple considerably more expansive within than its exterior dimensions suggested.
Within this temple sanctuary, injured refugees rested on the floor, tended to by green-robed elves who skillfully attended to their wounds.
"You don't appear to be a typical refugee or someone in need of assistance. What is your story?" the elf inquired, her tone gentle.
"You haven't introduced yourself either," Michael responded, his curiosity piqued.
"I am Fayeth, an angel of Ava, the goddess of healing," the elf revealed.
Michael pondered for a few moments, his thoughts turning over. After some contemplation, he made up his mind to enlist Fayeth's assistance in locating Marli's worshippers. Ensuring the safe passage of Marli's followers back to her was paramount, as it required finding the individual among them who possessed an artifact from Marli, capable of opening a portal to her forest.
"I'm John. I've come here to find the worshippers of Goddess Marli," Michael revealed, his decision finally made after careful consideration.
"Worshippers of Goddess Marli?" Fayeth appeared surprised, yet a swift assessment of Michael seemed to provide her with some insight.
"You don't strike me as Marli's typical angel," Fayeth commented, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Marli's angel," Michael thought wryly to himself.
"I'm not. I just need to locate them and ensure they escape Nimbosia before they're caught in the crossfire of the angelic battle," Michael explained, gesturing towards the temple's shuddering walls, a consequence of the ongoing celestial conflict.
"Do you happen to know where I can find Marli's worshippers?" Michael inquired.
In response, Fayeth let out a sigh, her eyes briefly revealing a glint of sorrow that Michael couldn't ignore.
"Unfortunately, I do know. However, it won't be a straightforward task to locate them," Fayeth replied.
Michael sighed in acknowledgment.
"Believe me, nothing in my life comes easy," Michael's sigh carried the weight of his experiences.
"If you don't mind my asking, why are you extending aid to Goddess Marli?" Fayeth's curiosity prompted her to question Michael's motives.
"Just repaying a debt," Michael offered, opting to keep his motivations guarded. The truth was, his intention behind helping Marli was to secure her alliance. In the impending struggles against Dagon and the pantheon, Michael knew he required allies, given that most gods wouldn't readily side with the God of Darkness. Gaining allies was crucial for his cause.
Fayeth's nod was slow and contemplative, but her eyes betrayed a sense of skepticism about Michael. As a non-god, she couldn't naturally discern his true nature; at most, she might assume he was an angel or a formidable higher-level cultivator. To consider him a god would require witnessing the full extent of his powers, something he wasn't eager to reveal.
"Where can I find them?" Michael inquired, directing the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"They're being held in Rainar's temple," Fayeth replied with a hint of sadness in her voice.
Michael's intuition wasn't wrong; there was an undercurrent of trouble in the situation.
"It doesn't sound promising," he prodded further.
"It's not. God Rainar is losing ground to Kranar in their celestial conflict. He's desperate for continuous worship, hence the city's emptiness," Fayeth explained, her tone carrying a mix of sympathy and disdain.
"Under the king's orders, Rainar's loyal follower, the lackey, has commanded the citizens to remain indoors and worship Rainar fervently. Meanwhile, Marli's worshippers have been forcibly taken to Rainar's temple and are being coerced into becoming his followers," Fayeth revealed, a touch of disgust in her words. In the realm of gods, converting one god's worshippers into another's was considered a malevolent act. However, if the targeted god wasn't part of the pantheon, their actions against each other's followers often went unnoticed by the higher powers. As Marli wasn't part of the pantheon and Rainar was, the latter could impose his authority over Marli's worshippers without much consequence.
"How does that process work? Are they subjected to mind control or some other manipulation?" Michael's curiosity prompted him to inquire.
"That's certainly possible, but I don't believe they've reached that stage yet. It's more likely they are undergoing physical torment," Fayeth responded.
For a brief moment, Michael fell into contemplation, mentally recording the information he'd received. Yet, abruptly, Fayeth's words trailed off, and her gaze fixed on him.
"But you don't need to delve into those specifics. Rescuing them from Rainar's temple is a nearly impossible feat. Even the king would have little sway in this matter. My advice is to turn around and leave the kingdom," Fayeth suggested.
Caught between his curiosity and his commitment to saving Marli's worshippers, Michael hesitated momentarily. Ultimately, he decided to embrace the risk and venture into the temple himself.
The driving force behind Michael's decision was his pursuit of badass points. He recognized that playing it overly safe and timid wouldn't earn him the kind of recognition he desired.
"At the very least, I can assess the situation. If it proves too risky, I'll relay the message to Marli," Michael affirmed. His casual reference to Goddess Marli sparked a flicker of uncertainty within Fayeth.
"Well, I can't prevent you from aiding those in need. It's not in Goddess Ava's nature to inhibit such actions," Fayeth acknowledged.
As another tremor rumbled through the air, Michael couldn't help but ask, "Any idea when this war might stop?" The intensity of the angels' battle was palpable, escalating with each passing second.
"I truly don't know. The timeline depends on the pantheon's intervention. It's uncommon for them to stand aloof during a confrontation between two of their own," Fayeth replied, her tone tinged with doubt and hesitation.
The more Michael learned about the pantheon, the deeper his confusion grew. Something seemed to be diverting the pantheon's attention from their responsibilities. While the pantheon was undoubtedly engaged in handling Dagon, the fact remained that Dagon couldn't yet breach the realm of gods. This led Michael to question what force could be holding the pantheon back from fulfilling their duties and what might be preventing the gods from abandoning their domains.
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