Chapter 1163: The Battle Begins, The Floating Fortress

Chapter 1163: The Battle Begins, The Floating Fortress



"I apologize for the delay. There were several matters I needed to handle at the Bastion of Ashen Hope before I could return," Orion responded.

Nadia shook her head quickly. "No need to apologize. What matters is that you're finally here to lead us into the Harbinger's domain," she replied.

The high advisors nodded in agreement.

They had already assumed that Orion and his companions had delivered the same message they had given them to the Bastion of Ashen Hope and the Tidal Depths Kingdom. As for how those forces had responded, it wasn't her place to know, nor did she care to find out.

Orion smiled. "In that case, allow me to introduce you to Goddess Aurora, one of the divine beings primarily responsible for protecting Paradise. She's also the one who created the headless, winged spawns that have been protecting you all," he said, gesturing toward Aurora to introduce her to Nadia and the others.

Nadia and her high advisors stood frozen in place for a long moment before they recovered from their shock, their expressions becoming dignified.

BANG!!

BANG!!

BANG!!

They dropped to one knee on the watery rock, crushing it inward under their legs, and lowered their heads, bowing towards Aurora.

"A divine being from Paradise has graced us with her presence! Everyone, kneel and properly welcome her!" Nadia's words thundered across the ocean depths, piercing the ears of every nymph present.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

In an instant, they all realized that a goddess was in their midst, and one by one, they dropped to their knees and bowed towards Aurora.

Countless soft chimes of bells resounded across the surrounding water, and the floating trees descended to the ground.

"On behalf of the Bastion of Wailing Gnarled, I welcome you and thank you for the aid you have provided us through our most desperate times!" Nadia spoke, her voice controlled and steady.

"I wasn't expecting such a welcome," Aurora said with a light chuckle. "I like you all more now. After this, I'll ensure you can fit right into Paradise, so you don't have to worry about encountering any issues."

Nadia was surprised by Aurora's words but showed a look of relief on her face. She had been worried about getting on the goddess's wrong side for not showing enough respect after all the help she had provided. However, it seemed she had been overthinking it.

Despite being responsible for creating such a dreadful technique, the goddess wasn't as intimidating as Nadia had initially thought.

Still, Nadia didn't ultimately lower her guard. After all, divine beings were said to live far longer than mortals, each possessing distinct personalties. She knew it was best to tread carefully around Aurora.

"Thank you for your support, goddess. We feel much more at ease with your presence," Nadia responded.

The high advisors also nodded excitedly. With the support of a genuine goddess, their settlement within Paradise would be much easier than they had initially expected.

"Alright, you can all rise. We don't have all day to spend here," Aurora said.

Nadia nodded and rose, gesturing for the others to do the same.

Orion walked forward toward the edge of the cliff, and Aurora followed beside him.

BOOOMM!!

Countless violent ripples surged outward as both forces clashed fiercely.

Fortunately, the headless, winged spawns joined the fray, taking down the stronger tainted- three to six with a single strike-while leaving the weaker ones for the Bastion Of Wailling

Gnarled forces to handle.

Witnessing this, Nadia's heart swelled with confidence. She continued cutting down the

tainted that approached her, her frozen greatsword freezing them entirely before they shattered into pieces, scattering in the swirling water.

The entire Bastion of the Wailing Gnarled was also inspired by the sight and attacked with

renewed vigour as more tainted converged on their position.

On the cliff, Orion glanced at Aurora and nodded. "Let's go."

Aurora returned the nod, placed her hand on his shoulder, and vanished into her shadow.

......

The atmosphere was stifled with silence and tension within a dimly lit, large hall. The floor was marble, yet there were no other decorations in the room, not even a door at the wide entrance, except for a sizeable throne at the far edge of the hall.

Seated upon the side of the throne was an armoured man. His pale blue skin was marred with

countless unnatural black spots, and his icy blue eyes shone brightly in the darkness. Sprouting from his head were two fierce, reindeer-like antlers that stretched upward.

Strangely, the antlers seemed alive, moving as if stirred by an unseen wind despite the absence of any breeze in the stony hall. Resting against the armrest and the ground was an enormous battle axe, its blade gleaming dully, with a darkened helm on top, featuring two

wide openings on either side.

Suddenly, the man snapped his head towards the entrance, with a brief flash of surprise crossing his eyes before his expression returned to normal. "Who is it? Reveal yourself!" he commanded, his voice reverberating across the hall and violently shaking its very foundation.

Without another word, the man picked up the helm and placed it over his head. His antlers squeezed themselves through the gaps with swift, nimble movements.

At that moment, two individuals stepped through the entrance. The first was a man dressed in

a black shirt and trousers adorned with detailed golden patterns embellished with precious stones. His shoes, similarly adorned with jewellery, fit snugly.

A black mask with no lip or nose outline covered his face. It featured two black crystal lenses and was decorated with strange vines and monster designs, concealing his identity. Beside him stood a woman with a blend of golden and green hair pouring down her waist. She wore a mixed green and crimson gown, flowing just above her ankles, adorned with shimmering patterns resembling stars.

On her feet were simple string sandals, and in her hand was a mysterious sceptre shrouded in

fog. Only its half-arching head and a strange ball of light were visible, pulsing with powerful, mysterious energy.

They halted a distance away from the throne.