"Mercy!" Unai had reverted back to his human form, a far cry from his previous muscular appearance. Emancipated and unable to move he laid on the floor as Edgar stood above him with resolute eyes.
"Looks like we were both wrong," there was no mercy in his eyes, "We took an extra minute."
"Wait please I can-."
With no remorse Edgar crashed the dark sphere beneath his feet, "That was for Orpheus." He raised his foot once more even as Unai began to fade away to goop. "And this is for Riften." Another stamp and the false gods head splashed away into a black mess. With the fight over he sheathed his blade and clapped his hands whispering a silent prayer to his friends now passed.
The fight had been quick but also came at a cost. Each of the six showed their wear as their armour and clothes had been shredded. Estile had come out the worst. With her ability to heal through the most grievous of wounds she had taken a key role to defend them all from the worst. Her clothes and armour were barely holding together revealing the seemingly delicate skin beneath. A cloak was thrown her way and she caught it easily.
Kyle looked away from her, "Put it on before your clothes fall off please. We don't need you making things too adult."
Sephie laughed at his innocence, "What happened to you boys always trying to peek at us?"
"That's a game, this isn't," he replied seriously. "Karen do you think the others are okay?"
"They'll be fine," Estile was the one who answered. Although Kyle's cloak had also been torn, it was much warmer than before. "Those four together are good at stalling. We need to move on."
"Estile is right," Karen nodded and looked towards the multiple exists from the room. "We don't know what is coming and we don't have much time. Arvel I know you're worried but we need you to find the path."
The flaxen haired man nodded, "I'm on it." He bent to one knee and closed his eyes. Several seconds past before he pointed towards one of the passages. "It's that way. The resonance is strongest down that path."
"Then let's move." Together the six ran down the stone corridor. With Arvel at the head they were able to navigate the increasingly complex maze of passages.
As the minutes passed each of them felt the pressure around them begin to heave and flow. Like the breathes of a majestic beast it shook their hearts again and again. There was no telling how deep they had gone but it was clear they were getting closer. A final turn and suddenly without warning they were forced into a grand chamber. The ceiling stood fifty feet tall and radiated a golden light. All across the room, each block of stone was covered in the now familiar story that had been etched previously but now even more so, the touch had become delicate and the details finer. At the end of the chamber a raised stage set itself, and on top an altar was a simple ball of white light delicately flickering.
"That's it?" Sephie questioned for them all. "Is that the Sleeping God?" At that moment another beat echoed throughout the chamber sending shockwaves of energy through their every pore. "You know what that actually may be it."
Arvel shook his head, eyes narrowed towards the white flickering orb of light, "That's not it. I mean, at least that's not the entire God. That's a passage."
"So we go in then?" Sephie looked at them all.
"That's all we can try," Karen nodded firmly. "We can't let the demons continue to kill the other races... and if this really is the source, it's the only way." There was no telling what kind of impact killing a God would result in, or if they even could but from months of fighting the demons and watching the people they swore to protect die... they knew the demons would never stop.
"Hold on what's that," Kyle drew his sword as their eyes shifted to a forming black mass in the centre of the room. The spiralling black oozed together and quickly began to form the shape of a near formless creature. More like a fluid, the thing floated before them with no clear shape. Similar to the false Gods they had fought already it released a foreboding pressure.
"It's a Primarch...," Estile answered with sombre eyes.
"A what?" Sephie looked at her incredulously.
"I've seen something like this before, though not quite like this." Her dreams hadn't been clear and although she couldn't remember everything the sensation was familiar. "It's not angry." Like the demons who only targeted the other races the strange creature disregarded them.
"Not yet," Karen frowned, "but I have the feeling that once we step closer it'll show its true opinion of us." She breathed out and turned to her companions, "Which brings us to my next point. Arvel, Estile, you're staying out here."
"What?" the two replied shocked.
"Sorry bud we already discussed this," Kyle placed his hand on Arvel's shoulder intently. "There's no telling what's on the other side of that passage and we need someone on this side."
"I-I understand," his reply was strained. Against a God he knew he wouldn't amount to much.
"Don't look like that, your skills are better elsewhere." Kyle let go, "We're only good at the other things...."
Estile was indignant, "What about me? If anyone stands a chance against a God it would be me. I'm heading in there with you Karen."
The red headed girl smiled softly, "Not this time. We... we probably won't be coming back. Edgar, Sephie, Kyle and I already prepared ourselves. The world still needs someone to protect it and that needs to be you."
"But-."
"No buts," her eyes focused on Estile's. "My closest friend.... Please look after the world while we're gone. If things don't go the way we want, I know you'll find a solution. You always do."
Estile wanted to say no, to scream for them all to stay or take her with them but deep in her heart she knew it was the right decision. "Fine... but all of you better come back."
The four shared a look and laughed, "We'll try."
"Come on everyone, one last group hug!" Sephie pulled them all together, even roping Edgar in tightly. "Say goodbye to the others for me."
"We will," Arvel wiped away his tearing eyes.
As they separated the six firmed themselves and faced the altar once more. The shifting Primarch above remained guarding the altar. The moment they stepped forward however the creature spread violently. Its mass doubled and enormous spears of black pointed towards them. It was their final warning.
Estile boldly walked forward drawing her sword, "Your fight is with me." The Primarch released a wobbling shriek that filled the chamber causing loose rubble to fall from the ceiling. With a melancholic determination she prepared herself, "Go. Arvel and I will take care of this. Just run with all you have."
"Thank you Estile," Karen leapt forward. The Primarch reacted firing its blackened spears only for each one to be blocked as Estile covered them.
"Goodbye," Edgar nodded following Karen.
"It's been fun!" Sephie shouted and joined them.
Finally passing by, Kyle gently poked Estile and looked back towards Arvel, "Don't forget me now."
"We won't," Arvel declared and summoning his strength joined Estile in fighting back the behemoth of darkness above them.
It was over much sooner than they all could expect. The desperate dash as Estile used all her speed and might to fend away the Primarch trying to stop them. Arvel who supported her with magic and blade. Sparks of light, powerful gusts and roaring screams. The creature was as frantic as they were and with every closing step it released more and more of itself. For a moment the two thought they wouldn't be enough and as Karen reached the flickering orb, of course she had to take a moment to inspect it. Those few seconds drove them both to their limits but then with a flash of light there was nothing. Estile whose sword swung towards the black mass suddenly met empty space and perplexed she landed lightly to the floor. The flickering white orb had vanished and so had her friends. It was now only Arvel and herself. The two left behind, their hearts still beating from exertion, could only feel an ebbing cold as a stifling silence oversaw the chamber.
Together the two walked to the top of the Altar and try as they might, neither could find a trace of the orb or where it had gone. Even Arvel's expertise was met with silence. All they could do was wait. The minutes passed and from the passage came the sound of rushed steps.
"Estile!" Lav and the others burst into the chamber. They looked remarkably better than the two on the altar and quickly approached. "I'm so glad you're both okay! Where are the others?"
"They're... gone," Estile answered with a tender remorse.
"You mean, they're not coming back?" Trent asked hoping for the answer he knew wouldn't come. Their silence was all he needed to understand.
Mori held her chest, "But I didn't feel them leave. If they died we would have felt it."
"They went to another plane of existence to fight a sleeping God. There's no telling what that could do," Arvel shook his head.
"So they left without us...." Ellen sighed before turning to Estile. "So what's next?"
As all their eyes lingered towards her, Estile knew that they couldn't just wait. If they did months could pass before they'd leave.
"We need to see if our work here is really done," Estile firmed her stance and replied back to their eyes with resolution. "Our target is the Holy City and our allies. There is still a war that needs to be won."
Before they could leave however a sudden sound caused them all to focus towards a small passage within the chamber. As one they prepared themselves for battle expecting the worse. The result however was the appearance of an elegantly robed figure laced in white and gold. The Mercenaries immediately knew what the robe meant, some even having met the man before.
"Laxus," Ellen whispered bitterly.
The robed man entered the chamber followed by several heavily armoured knights. His eyes flew straight to the altar growing wide in shock.
"No!" he screamed. "What have you done!? How dare you come here and-."
In a flash Ellen was in front of him with her hand gripped tightly above his mouth. The knights swung their weapons in response only for them to be batted aside like flies.
"I'd be careful with your words Laxus. We killed a God today, a High Priest would be simple."
His muffled screams grew in panic and almost out of pity Ellen let go, "Y-you fools! You've ruined everything." A blade appeared at his neck causing him to freeze but to the Mercenaries' surprise he continued, "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"We'll find out soon enough," with casual ease Ellen picked up the High Priest. "Now let's see how you got here."
The knights who tried to stand back up were quickly bound and dragged back the way they came. Under the pressure of the Mercenaries they could only stare downwards. Just like Ellen had thought, following the coerced instructions from the High Priest they entered a small room with a wide array of magic.
Estile stood above the glowing circuit, "Arvel, Lav, can you find where this goes?"
"One moment," Lav bent over as the two quickly investigated. All the while the High Priest continued to try speak, though now a cloth plugged his mouth.
Ellen who held him scowled and applied her intimidation, "Shut it. We're not in a good mood right now. You lost a God, but we lost our friends." Whether it was out of fear or something else, Laxus quietened down.
It only took a few seconds more before Arvel stood, "It leads to the Holy City of the Sleeping God."
"It's not a trap?" Estile clarified.
"I don't think so. If anything it's a stroke of luck."
"Luck huh...," Trent sighed. "I don't think we can call anything today lucky."
Estile however responded bluntly, "Things could have gone a lot worse. You all know that. Arvel, Lav can you get us out?"
"Easily," they replied in sync.
"Do it."
Within seconds the formation was activated and the engraved stone walls were replaced with an open room adorned with fine furnishing and decoration. It was filled with light. High windows lit up every corner with ease, an intense contrast compared to the dimly lit temple they had been in. The atmosphere however remained the same as a heavy weight continued to fill their hearts and the air around them.
Mori looked around briefly, "I've been here. This is within the Holy City main temple." She sent her eyes towards Laxus who remained tied up. "Where are the other High Priests?"
His eyes filled with contempt and even with the gag removed he refused to speak. Still being dragged along with them however were the knights of the temple.
"They should have been here as well," one responded slowly. His words immediately pulled the ire of his comrades and the High Priest.
"Traitor!" Laxus declared.
The knight glared back, "You became the traitor the moment you let these demons into the city!" With pleading eyes he bowed his head, "I've had enough. Mercenaries of the Ever-Garden end this war. There are still many people in the city who are on your side."
"Well looks like not everyone here has lost their minds," Trent gave the knight a nod and sent a cold anger to Laxus. He moved about the room and quickly inspected the furniture. "He's telling the truth. Until not long ago there were several others in here. Where did they go and why?"
Answering their question a loud horn blew in the distance alerting the entire city. It was a sound the Mercenaries were familiar with, the call of the Alliance.
"Trent stay here and keep searching. Make sure Laxus doesn't escape." Estile began to usher commands, "The rest of you with me."
"Lead the way," Lav stepped beside her and together they took the fastest route out from the temple, breaking through the windows above. On top the temple a near perfect view of the Holy City revolved around them and it was a welcome one. Against the city wall, the combined armies of the alliance marched at a full assault as the cities defences fell apart. Within the streets a chaotic rebellion had formed as the oppressed rose against the Churches sudden change. Within it all, not a single speck of any demon could be seen.
A sudden relief poured through Estile and wiping her eyes she could only stand still. Arvel who had faced the sacrifice of their friends was the same. Karen, Kyle, Sephie and Edgar... they had done it. Against the God they had won and banished the demons away.
"We did it." The twelve now down to six. They had given up so much but to see their accomplishments it was worth it. With a slap Estile righted herself, "We're not done yet. Make yourselves known. Make our enemies quake in fear. We've defeated a God and now we'll be taking back the City as well."