Chapter 282: Holy war 20

Alarms rang out in every corner of the garden that resembled paradise.

The cacophony of screams reverberated through the sacred grounds, while explosions punctuated the air like a grotesque symphony.

Divinity surged across creation as light and darkness clashed in a battle of epic proportions.

"Agh!!!"

"What is going on?"

"Where did these guys come from?"

Angels and divine beings alike wondered in sheer surprise and fear as mysterious black and golden portals suddenly appeared in their garden-like prison.

From these portals emerged demons and monstrous creatures with horrific forms, launching a brutal assault and tearing each celestial being apart.

Though they were divine by nature, granting them inherent advantages in combat, they were caught off guard.

A sudden, ambush-like invasion was not something any of them had prepared for. Panic spread like wildfire among the ranks of the heavenly host.

"W-what should we do?" an angel stammered, eyes wide with terror. But before anyone could respond, the angel beside him exploded in a spray of golden blood as a gigantic, one-eyed demon crushed him underfoot.

"GEGEGEGEGE!" the demon laughed, a grotesque and mocking sound that echoed through the chaos.

The surviving angel froze, paralyzed by the sight of the monstrous being before him. Its single, malevolent eye gleamed with a sinister light, reveling in the fear it instilled.

The garden, once a place of serene beauty and divine order, was now a battlefield drenched in blood and filled with the sounds of suffering.

Angels fought valiantly, their radiant swords clashing against the dark, twisted weapons of their assailants. But the surprise and ferocity of the attack left them struggling to mount a coherent defense.

Above the fray, higher-ranking celestial beings attempted to organize a counteroffensive, their voices barely audible over the din of battle.

Columns of divine light pierced the darkened sky as they summoned their powers, but for every demon they vanquished, more seemed to pour through the portals.

"S-stay away from me, demon!" the angel stammered, trying to muster his courage. He channeled his light magic into his arms, preparing to fire off a beam of divine energy. But his body refused to cooperate, freezing in place as an overwhelming fear gripped him.

He wondered what was happening, but his thoughts were cut short when the demon's hoof-like foot came into view, inches from his face.

BOOOM!!!

The ground shook violently, as if a massive ballistic missile had struck.

The demon relished the moment, a wicked smile spreading across its face.

However, its expression soon turned to confusion. It felt no resistance, no sensation of crushing the angel beneath its hooves.

Perplexed, the demon snapped its fingers, dispersing the dust cloud that had risen from the impact. Lifting its foot from the crater, it peered down, trying to understand what had happened.

But before it could fully comprehend the scene, the demon saw its own torso from a strange angle.

????

A split second later, demonic blood filled the air as the demon's head detached from its body, rolling through the empty space.

A golden light, blinding and pure, sliced through the demon's vision, the last thing it would ever see.

Zing!!!

The light emanated from a sword wielded by a newly arrived figure—a radiant archangel, his form glowing with divine energy.

With a swift, decisive motion, he had decapitated the monstrous cyclops, saving his fellow angel from certain death.

The fallen demon's body slumped to the ground, its life force extinguished.

The archangel stood tall, his presence a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. He turned to the terrified angel, extending a hand to help him up.

"Tsk...!"

Marvey clicked his tongue in annoyance and threw the angel in his arms to the ground.

"Act like an idiot again and I'll kill you myself," he snarled at the frozen angel, who couldn't even muster a response. Though both were angels, their reactions to danger were starkly different.

Marvey found himself wondering if most angels were as docile as his brother, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior.

He shook his head, pushing aside his irritation, and surveyed the ongoing battlefield. The scene was grim. "At this rate, we'll be wiped out in a matter of minutes," he muttered under his breath.

Despite having prepared for an invasion by capturing one of the monsters' beloved humans, they hadn't anticipated this level of ferocity.

Literally thousands upon thousands of demons were pouring out of dark portals, their numbers seemingly endless.

The only reason they hadn't been overrun yet was thanks to Marvey, his high-ranking subordinates, and his brother. Together, they were eight angels in total, putting up a fight and actually making a difference in the battle.

Marvey glanced at his bretheren, who was still trembling but managing to stay on his feet.

"We need to hold this place." Marvey said, his voice a mix of determination and desperation.

"No matter what, we can't let them break through, the cage."

His brother nodded weakly, trying to summon the courage that Marvey displayed so naturally.

Harvey and Marvey reacted immediately.

Marvey summoned his spear of light, its radiant glow a stark contrast to Elizabeth's darkness.

Harvey, his weapon crackling with lightning, took a defensive stance beside his brother.

....

'What's going on?' Elena wondered as she surveyed her surroundings. She had just been sleeping—no, she had been talking with Harvey just a while ago—and yet now she was back in her bed.

Did something happen?

The last thing she remembered was Harvey suddenly pointing his fingers at her while they were having a battle of chess.

But now the situation was like this... and for some reason, the garden she was imprisoned in had suddenly gone quiet.

Usually, the sound of chirping birds and the flowing water would fill the air, but nothing of the sort happened. An eerie silence had descended, unsettling her further.

Elena sat up, her heart pounding with confusion and a sense of foreboding.

The serene beauty of the garden, with its meticulously maintained flora and tranquil streams, now felt ominous.

".........."

The silence was unnatural, a stark contrast to the usual vibrancy of her surroundings.

She got out of bed, her feet touching the cool stone floor.

The stillness around her was oppressive, making her feel more isolated than ever. 'Something is wrong,' she thought, her intuition screaming at her to be cautious.

And for some reason, she felt extremely warm... Clenching her fist, she realized that her divine powers were back.

"The power of the sun?" she mumbled, awestruck by the sensation. It was the first time she had felt this in literal months. She couldn't help but wonder what was going on right now.

"Harvey?" she screamed aloud, trying to find her one and only friend as she walked around the garden with her bare feet. But soon, she stopped as she felt a presence behind her.

"Who's Harvey?"

The moment she heard the voice, Elena stopped moving.

Her heartbeat quickened, and a mix of familiarity, nostalgia, affection, and worry washed over her. She greatly missed this voice.

It was just a voice—a normal voice, per se—but why... why did it make her so happy and sad at the same time?

Slowly, she turned around, expecting to see the face of someone she had longed to see after all this time.

"A-Adrian?" she stuttered, tears welling up in her eyes. Her hands trembled as she reached out and grabbed his black cloak. "I-it's you, right? P-please tell me this isn't a dream."

Adrian stood before her, his eyes softening at the sight of her tears. He reached out, gently wiping a tear from her cheek with a gloved hand.

Elena tried to speak, but the flood of emotions overwhelmed her, and she began to cry, unable to hold back her tears.

Without a word, Adrian pulled her into a warm embrace, wrapping his arms around her trembling form.

She felt the solid comfort of his chest, the familiar scent of him bringing a rush of memories and emotions. His voice was a gentle whisper in her ear, soothing and real.

"It's me," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. "All of this is reality, my lovely Elena."

The sound of his voice, the feel of his arms around her—it was more than she could have hoped for.

She clung to him, her fingers gripping the fabric of his cloak as if afraid he might disappear.

The world around them faded, leaving just the two of them in their own bubble of reunion and relief.

Adrian pulled back slightly, just enough to look into her eyes. The intensity of his gaze conveyed everything words couldn't—love, relief, longing.

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the remnants of her tears. Then, with a tenderness that made her heart ache, he leaned in and kissed her.

The kiss was gentle at first, a soft meeting of lips that conveyed all the emotions they had kept bottled up.

But as the moments passed, it deepened, growing more passionate.

It was a kiss that spoke of lost time, of pain and hope, of love that had endured despite everything.

Elena melted into it, her hands moving up to thread through Adrian's hair, pulling him closer.

Time seemed to stand still as they kissed, the world around them irrelevant.

It lasted longer than any kiss they had ever shared before, a desperate affirmation of their bond, of their survival.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other's.

"I missed you so much~!" Elena whispered, her voice shaking with emotion.

Adrian smiled, a mixture of sadness and joy in his eyes. "I missed you too, Elena. More than words can say."

For a moment, they stood there, holding each other, grounding themselves in the reality of the moment.

The warmth of his embrace, the steady beat of his heart against hers—it all anchored Elena, helping her to believe that this was real, that Adrian was truly back.