Chapter 21: SS6 – Ezme – The Nature of War

Don’t act like you don’t want to be here Ezme, you’re clearly enjoying yourself.

[Phlink!]

Ezme was brought out of her thoughts, when the impact of a conjured projectile bounced against her armor. Her armor didn’t crack nor did it hurt her much, as her active body enhancement kept her body from being crushed.

It had the same appearance as the one Alarice was using. Except it looked more clunky, although well fitted to Ezme’s body. It lacked the graceful and well-fitting appearance that Alarice’s armor did on her. Ezme was a rank and file angel after all.

I need to focus.

Ezme focused her divine power into her wings, creating a sonic boom when she flapped her wings,  pushing the air as she launched into a new direction.

The angel flew through a plume of black smoke, rising from a burning house below her to gain some distance from her pursuers. 

The battle had been going on for days. The mortals in the city had fled long before, only the rear guard were present to guard their back. Who still numbered in the tens of thousands.

Coming out of the smoke she gripped her halberd tighter, separating a demon’s head from it’s shoulders in her swift passing.

Although angels could theoretically fight forever with the prayers they received, they still suffered from fatigue. 

Their physical bodies would begin complaining and become slower. And the mental strain was even worse, even if they fell into a trance while fighting. For when they noticed that the strike they thought would kill an enemy didn’t do so, they had to focus their mind on pushing the body. 

In that sense, they were like mortals, even if their bodies could be discarded. But creating a new body was no easy task, which put them out of the battlefield. Where they were needed.

Ezme turned her head to look back at her pursuers. 

These demons looked like human sized insects. Black exoskeleton, four legs and two arms with barbs along their forearms that lead to the spike after the wrist. And four large transparent wings. 

Ezme spotted an intact dwelling and landed on the pointed roof to face the demons chasing her. There were hundreds, but they were swarming after her in a drawn out cluster. She wouldn’t stay long. Deflect the first. Cleave the second. Then the rest should be close enough.

Holy Fire!

Ezme’s weapon ignited in white flames. 

The closest demons’ forearms began to glow with a blue hue as they made their final approach. A quick step to the side combined with a thrust with her halberd made the demon’s empowered slash fall short. Ezme let her weapon follow back over her head as the demon changed the weapon's direction as it tumbled past the roof, ignited in flames.

Ezme immediately pulled her halberd in an overhead swing, down onto the next demon’s shoulder as the demon’s thrusting limbs failed in reaching her.

Leaning back while extending her wings she looked up at the approaching swarm, meters away from her as she cancelled Holy Fire.

Shocking Wings!

Ezme’s body was forced to follow the movement of the divine skill she activated. Her wings flapped forward, faster than mortal eyes could follow as a sonic boom resounded through the desolate city. At the same time the roof under her armored feet collapsed, making her fall through it as the mass of her body suddenly increased.

Surprised at the unexpected outcome, she instinctively extended her wings. However the hole was too small to let her wings through, effectively catching her.

But now she was stuck, hanging down through the roof. 

Crap! I forgot mortal houses are fragile!

Looking down into the house, she could see some of the mortal soldiers giving eachother emergency treatment. They were staring up at her, jaws gaping.

Crap!! They saw me!

With cheeks burning with embarrassment her hands instantly went up to grab the edges of the hole and pulled herself up.

She quickly extended her wings and looked towards the demons that had been sent tumbling back by the shockwave her Shocking Wings had created. But any time she had gained was instantly lost as she made her miscalculation. They were already about to come at her as a swarm again.

Crap!!! I hope they don’t realize there were mortals here!

Ezme took flight, slowly at first to make the demons follow after her. She dodged several projectiles as she picked up speed and rose towards the sky. Ezme didn’t look back if the demons noticed the mortals inside or not. 

[Ezme, it’s lovely that you can find the time to mess around. That means you can collect more demons.](???)

Crap! He saw me too!

[I’m at my limit already! I wasn’t messing around!](Ezme)

[Hold out a little longer. Alarice is on her way.](???)

[You’ve been saying that for two days Cato!](Ezme)

[Alarice just contacted me, she’s defeated the demon lord to the north and is now heading here.](Cato)

[...Fine!](Ezme)

Ezme flapped her wings faster as she was crossing the path of another angel. He too was followed by a swarm of demons. Ezme pointed her free palm behind her brother.

Shockwave!

Ezme drew in her wings and twirled to avoid the tumbling demons that were crashing into each other. The ones affected by the shockwave, and those following behind them, changed targets to chase after her. 

When extending her wings she looked back. There were thousands of them now.

My brother can get more now. He’s only got a few after him.

Ezme rapidly beat her wings to gain the altitude she lost when dodging the demons.

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[Siblings, Alarice is now preparing for the final approach. Make a final round to draw in the demons.](Cato)

Ezme turned towards the edge of the city to look for more demons to collect. I won’t go very far. If Alarice is already approaching I can’t risk losing my tail now.

Spotting a group of demons, Ezme ascended further. Once gaining altitude she drew her wings in again to gain velocity and approached them in a twisting curve as she descended. Ezme activated her body enhancement skill and swung her weapon as she poured divine power into it when passing.

[Blade Extension!]

[Phlink!]

A demon successfully got in a strike on her armor-covered torso. The strike had been hard - hard enough to crack her ribs.

In return Ezme had cut three demons with her swing.

A few dozen joined her swarm as she began flapping her wings again, ignoring the pain in her chest.

[Alarice has begun her final approach. Bring them in and prepare to disperse.](Cato)

Ezme tilted her wings to turn towards the city center. She flew slowly, without letting the demons catch up to her, for she knew it would get crowded and chaotic if they had to keep the dozen swarms of incoming demons occupied in too close proximity to each other.

Ezme arrived at the centermost district of the city and began flying around it. She could see her siblings all arrive one by one, demons in tow as they flew around in random patterns. 

She didn’t have to wait long for the final order.

[Disperse!](Cato)

As soon as Ezme got the order, she filled her wings with divine power and broke the sound barrier when she beat her wings. Within a second she was outside the city, within two passing over a forest. After a third second she stopped and turned to look back. 

Ezme could see the swarms of demons swirling around above the city. They had already begun to disperse and spread out over the city.

Ezme thought went to the mortals still left in the city. She had tried not to think about them, but she knew this would be happening before she even arrived. Now the tears couldn’t be held back any further.

May your next lives be ones in peace, brave mortals. I will not forget your sacrifices. 

Six seconds had passed since Ezme stopped far from the city when a blinding second sun appeared in the bright sky. 

The next second the giant, dome-shaped wall of white fire reached the city, reducing it to rubble. Ezme watched the resulting shockwave of air flatten the trees as it approached her in silence.

 

_____________________________

 

“You wasted your strength again, didn’t you?”(Alarice)

The first words Alarice spoke to Ezme as she arrived at the crater in the center of the ruined city didn’t lift her mood.

“I-I know.” Ezme responded with an inclined head.

“Ezme did well Alarice. A few mistakes aside.”(Cato)

“What is ‘a few’?”(Alarice)

“...Alright, but the point is that she’s improving.”(Cato)

“She needs to improve faster, or else she’ll come to regret it. Soon.”(Alarice)

“Certainly, but she’s on the right path. You don’t-... ”(Cato)

[Ezme, I miss yoouu. Come back to meee.](Amara)

Ezme’s face flushed at the voice in her head. Once again she was reminded that she had to tell Amara that she was using telepathy unconsciously. It had been fun listening to it at first, but when Alarice had come to fetch Ezme she realised it was inappropriate. She deserved to know that sometimes her thoughts were leaking.

“...-me. Ezme!”(Alarice)

“Eh? Yes?”(Ezme)

“Who were you talking to?”(Alarice)

“I-I wasn’t talking to anyone!”(Ezme)

“It was the mortal, I see. Who else could it have been.” Alarice sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I-I’m sorry. I only received-.”(Ezme)

[Ezmeee. I’m bored without youu.](Amara)

“Hmm. I see. You need to tell her to seal her thoughts. I receive messages on occasion as well.”(Alarice)

Ezme looked up with large eyes. “You do?”

“Yes. That impudent mortal seemingly likes to call me names.” Alarice sighed.