Defiance of the Fall

Chapter 1257: Orionis Blade

Faith and determination strong enough to move mountains failed to make the rusty sword so much as stir. Joanna railed at her weakness, her failure to fulfill her duty. What good was finishing her seal if it didn't let her protect her Emperor and fend off his enemies? Was this the reward awaiting her companions after risking their lives to bring her here?It wasn't right, but Joanna was all out of ideas. The [Orionis Blade] wasn't an enemy that the [Eight Hells Suppression] could overcome. Her unsealed gates were already wide open, and she was trading Longevity for strength. She'd even brought out her master's avatar in hopes her presence would subdue the reticent sword. If anything, it fought back with increased ferocity.

Trembling muscles tore from the blade's violent rejection, and her bones crackled like chestnuts roasting. Her physical suffering was nothing compared to the agony of ancient faith punishing her attempt to subvert its existence. The pain only made her dig deeper and push harder. She couldn't stop, not while her companions were still fighting to keep the hope alive.

It was futile. Joanna felt like she was back on those heavenly stairs, knowingly walking toward her death. Joanna didn't fear death any more after finding her path. She only felt regret as she fell to her knees. She wished she could have contributed more to the mission and Earth's safety. She wished she could have fought by his side a while longer.

He appeared in a cascade of starlight, no different than a divine revelation before a devout believer. A blinding light shook Joanna's muddled mind awake, and answered prayers filled her drained body with power. Nothing could withstand her Emperor's descent. The swarm of puppets collapsed when a wave of celestial might swept through their ranks.

A hand made from starlight appeared over hers, and Joanna felt born anew. The waning stream pouring into the [Orionis Blade] was reinvigorated with boundless energy and profound, steadfast faith. All rust and corruption were burnt away, and hostile beliefs guarding the battery submitted to the Emperor's will. It was ready.

The imperial apparition faded, leaving a burst of images and a short message.

Joanna gripped the sword, her mind unprecedentedly clear. She didn't care about the fantastical transformation her accumulated faith was undergoing. She was the Emperor's spear, and she had her orders. She closed her eyes, becoming starlight and death.

The deadly streak emerging from a hidden chute arced, passing right by the misshapen creature banging against the gate. Its cruel aura filled Joanna with renewed hatred, yet she kept going with blinding speed. She only had a few seconds, even with the Emperor's assistance. The stellar sword entered the torn wall further down. Joanna could feel her target was close, but another enemy was in the way.

Ancient, boundless, Killing Intent emerged from the [Gate of Imperial Mandate], and the waxing starlight rallied while gaining a reddish hue. The shadows cast by the twisted metal suddenly looked like wretched figures locked in eternal suffering after going against the Empire.

The Foreign God didn't get the chance to react before the bloodthirsty [Orionis Blade] punched through its chest, leaving a hole dozens of miles across. An ocean of corruption poured out of the wound, triggering a fierce resistance by the lingering starlight. Joanna neither had the strength nor time to finish the job.

Only a thin sliver of her blade remained, and it had a designated target. The weapon passed through over a dozen layers of reinforced metal without slowing down. She was wielding the final judgment of the Centurion Base, and nothing would bar her path. Then, she was inside a vast empty space, faced with the same creature shown in the burst of images.

The [Orionis Blade] looked smaller than a mote of dust when it stabbed into the slumbering puppet's forehead. However, the final spurt of energy was the most refined. The purple scar was cauterized and closed, ending the corruption. Joanna felt her consciousness fade and used her last scraps of energy to impale a teeming mass of invasive energy further in.

Killing Intent, Faith, and starlight spread like wildfire, and the purple taint was helpless before their wrath. Joanna grinned as she toppled over, her connection severed. Mission accomplished.

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Zac exhaled as he withdrew from the [Orionis Platform]. Joanna had gone above and beyond, not only destroying the Qriz'Ul consciousness but leaving a nasty wound on a Foreign God. The hole was already closing, but the sudden strike gave the invaders pause.

Even the God trying to break through the octagon's defenses had stopped throwing itself against the wall of faith, warily looking around for more stellar swords. Zac could still feel its intense desire for destruction and knew it was a temporary reprieve. There was a deep-seated hatred driving the Foreign Gods, and Zac doubted any threat would make them back down.

Zac didn't continue igniting the beacon despite the pressing danger. He was already seeing double after activating the first four towers. Fury and anxiety could only take one so far, and helping Joanna activate the sword had worsened his condition. Any more, and his soul would break down before reaching the finish line.

He was only at the halfway line, with three outer towers and the central spire remaining. The Centurion Base's systems weren't designed to be controlled by a Hegemon, and its dilapidated state only made the process harder.

Boxes and vials appeared around Zac, who swallowed a mix of soul-nurturing pills and Natural Treasures. A chaotic yet nurturing torrent entered his mind, sweeping away exhaustion and replenishing his Mental Energy. It would take a while for the explosive concoction to kick in, and Zac used the downtime to focus on the other threat.

The Foreign Gods were temporarily subdued. The pope was not, and he'd almost made it through the barriers while Zac worked on the [OrionisBlade]. Zac wracked his mind in

Zac drew a ragged breath as two links were erected. He felt as though a primordial fire from the dawn of time replaced his ichor, and he saw the world through new eyes. His body held the power to shatter mountains and overturn seas. Not even the churning clouds above were safe from his might. They actually froze when coming in contact with the majestic aura pouring out of the tower.

The Eternal Guardians had awakened for one final mission.