Sari’aél called upon Milthren, her divine weapon, as her new master commanded her to take action, eyes tracking Baxter across the room.

Her body felt trapped in a black hole, yet even when alive, she could have easily escaped—whatever restriction she was under to not overwhelm Elinor was so great that all of the senses and powers she’d naturally possessed since birth were blocked from her.

If she wanted to accomplish what her Empress wished, she first needed to understand the shackles weaving throughout her Core. A new force was implanted in her breast, though—the Empress’s seed that connected them.

All action slowed as her golden irises moved to her shifting weapon, currently in the form of an ax; there was weight behind it that she’d never felt, and the divine light she could transfer to the object was like a grain of sand to a galaxy … She truly was weak.

The armor she wore was so much more durable than her own power matrix that the material spread out across her figure would protect her better than her power shield—what would happen if she were cut? She’d seen creatures with liquid in their veins, yet the Empress’s returned had a different substance pumping within them; did she no longer have the celestial flames within her body?

There were so many questions, yet her heart felt whole with the divine chains binding her natural strength. A warmth and freedom that was released from within her breast when the cords wrapped around her she couldn’t explain.

Elinor’s System wove through her, studying, morphing around her entire being to simulate her natural talents and gifts as a Daughter of the Sun. It took its time, having to spread across the entirety of her Core, returning information to Sari’aél’s mind about her abilities.

It was funny, really; the thing felt so triumphant with every unlocked skill that reached new heights upon replicating her powers and placing them in her hands. One ability, in particular, drew her attention that was in a curious condition; by the influence involved, she knew her father had opened it up to the seed when Elinor was in his presence.

Iris’s location within the Empress’s Nexus became visible as every member of Elinor’s faction birthed inside her mind, including every creature connected to her Religious System. The seed was thrilled to send her information since she could decipher its actions.

Skills opened before her, and Sari’aél tilted her neck to follow Baxter’s slow movements. They may have been incredibly sluggish, yet he could still dodge and counter Holy Rays III. The red sash around his body defused unusual energy across its host; every thread was imbued with various forces that provided some kind of protection or offensive capability.

“... I have had enough of this farce!” the bird roared, hands shifting to leathery wings that emanate a crimson glow; the power was being pulled from the sash to his form, transferring through his spiritual nexus, empowering him.

The six swirling beams of holy light were met by the gale of red force, dispersing the rays, and he’d maneuvered in such a way as to attack Elinor. “You are a blight against artistic freedom!”

Edmon’s concerned tone entered her mind. “I will protect…”

Sari’aél’s white and gold radiance amplified, wings curving around her floating body as a small smile brightening her full, pink lips; the seed was attempting to replicate her powers and the minute cheers it gave were amusing. “To ignore me is foolish.”

She overlooked Edmon’s recommendation, moving between Elinor and the red wave and spread her wings, releasing a surge of solar force that combated his attack, Solar Flare III.

Sari’aél’s activated Lesser Quicken III, her entire being emanating golden rays that almost instantaneously cut past Solar Flare and Baxter’s combating waves. Then, moving at extreme speeds to appear before him, she infused Milthren with power, coating the ax in holy flames.

“I—Incredible…” Baxter gasped, space quivering around his form. “Heh, you’ll have to do better than that, dear.”

“Oh?” the Seraph’s eyes narrowed with a smirk. “Escaping through spatial folds is quite laughable.”

Baxter vanished as Sari’aél’s edge cut through the air; he appeared beside the door with laughter—Spatial Rend III—Milthren cut the closed gateway his ability left, fracturing space like it were only glass, allowing the ax to follow its target.

“... Impossible…” Baxter gasped, stumbling back from the breached gateway while holding his chest, holy flames flaring to life from the wound. A black substance emitted from his sash in an attempt to smother her flames and recover the deep gash.

A sun-like globe of pulsating radiation grew in Sari’aél’s delicate fingers—Solar Smite III—as she lifted her free hand to the gateway the creature made, sealed, and she’d blown through, sending a pillar of light half the size of Baxter’s body through. “What a pitiful performance … I expected more,” she lamented.

The concentrated beam of nuclear particles transmitted through the spatial hole to be met by a feathery barrier; Sari’aél shook her head as he was blasted through the open doorway, passing over Tiffany and Azalea’s sleeping forms.

The effulgence incinerated the raven feathers in an instant, evaporating the emerald crystal underneath to burn most of Baxter’s fluff.

Baxter flipped through the air, cracked leathery wings glowing red with dozens of fissures across its width, and parts of his wooly coat revealed bone and cracked skin. “Heh-he-ugggh … agh! Yes! This was—was such a pleasure … Oh, but … this fire…” he mumbled, panicked voice reverting to another language.

Using Lesser Quicken, Sari’aél was in front of him in a flash of light, yet the silken edge of his red sash flared with black flames before Milthren cleaved him in two.

Her ax passed through the lingering remains of the haze as it vanished—it never crossed her mind that a creature would take their own life, but after seeing the suicide attack with JadeFire within the Nalvean Empire, the thought came.

“... Hmm…” However, the odd transfer of energy the flames left made her question the possibility; he didn’t bend space like before, yet he’d moved locations in a manner she couldn’t follow in her current weak state.

He was retreating back to where Iris was, and she couldn’t allow him to do anything to the creature she was supposed to save, which meant…

Sari’aél looked down at her ax, taking a long breath before activating the skill her father had given her that would grow with Elinor—Divine Release - Stage I. If she couldn’t follow or overpower him in her current state, then she needed to temporarily reach higher.

Divine Release - Stage 1/5: (Cooldown: 1 Week; Cost: ½ Strength for 24 Hours; Duration: 2 Minutes; Range: N/A) Active, Divine-Type, Level Link - Elinor, Grade Link - Elinor, Rank Link - Elinor; unseals a minute fraction of her divine inheritance for a short period.

Chained - If Sari’aél uses any of the following stages of this ability, the previous stages will automatically be placed on cooldown, and if it was already on cooldown, its current cooldown time would be doubled—will not be doubled twice—1-week will become 2-weeks for Stage 1.

A shuddering breath quivered through Sari’aél’s chest like the weight of what seemed a million suns releasing their pull against her body—Higher Solar Aura III, Advanced Senses II, and Higher Holy Presence III—reactively emanating to eradicate the hidden devices causing the swirling mist around the hall.

Anything she felt was out of place or an enemy to Elinor was evaporated within her vicinity as her field of perception expanded. No longer blocked by physical objects standing in the way of her light, a shimmering radiance surrounded her illuminated figure.

Quicken IV brought her to float in front of Baxter, traveling over three hundred miles in an instant; Sari’aél gave him a serene smile. “I believe we have some unfinished business.”

The clouds dispersed from the aura of solar waves as the fibers on Baxter’s sash withered black, discharging numerous automatic defenses while seeking to protect him from the radioactive particles flooding the sky.

“... Magnificent,” he whispered when a purple 3D hexagram encompassed his body. Still, it was eaten away by the solar effulgence as it forced him toward the rolling hills of infertile soil below, hosting weed-like fields to the north of the Empress’s city.

Sari’aél’s attention was pulled away from the falling bird, snatched by the hidden city behind her. The Seraph’s fingers tightening on her ax—the cloud-covered island in the sky was producing a massive spatial warp, but there was something else inside the distorted zone.

Golden irises hardening, she funneled her divine energy into Milthren, causing a few of the runes engraved on it to illuminate as she flipped it around and threw it into the haze, causing a shockwave—the island was trying to escape, and its protective shells were strong enough to hamper many of her sensory abilities. Yet, she could still pinpoint its radiating power-core.

Her weapon disappeared into the fog before a massive explosion erupted outward, sending the clouds scattering as the butt of her ax struck the first barrier, expelling holy flames that devoured the shield; having instantly calculated the proper angle and rotation, it devastated the next four before breaking through the underside of the island and striking the power-core.

Using her link to Milthren, Sari’aél activated one of her weapon’s traits, Spatial Lock II, but she didn’t have enough strength to hamper whatever substance the metallic core used.

Her full lips tightened—Iris was so close—she couldn’t let them escape, and she ran the risk of being teleported to an unknown place if she joined their retreat.

Sari’aél activated Divine Release - Stage 2.

Divine Release - Stage 2/5: (Cooldown: 3 Months; Cost: ½ Strength for 48 Hours; Duration: 2 Minutes; Range: N/A) Active, Divine-Type, Level Link - Elinor, Grade Link - Elinor, Rank Link - Elinor; unseals a minute fraction of her divine inheritance for a short period.

Higher Solar Aura III became Greater Solar Aura II, Higher Advanced Senses II went to Awakening I, and Higher Holy Presence III turned to Greater Holy Presence II.

The nighttime sky lit like noonday; her splendor tamed the weather, and she funneled energy into Milthren—seconds before the spatial warp completed, Greater Locking III anchored the space.

Her aura expelled the clouds obscuring the island city; the crack in the translucent barriers was over twelve meters in diameter, and her divine energy was proving too much for the city’s infrastructure, falling one after the other.

A strange sound, like buzzing insects, filled the air as hundreds of flying creatures took to the sky to intercept her, yet the moment they left the barrier, their warriors were turned to ash and swept away by the wind.

Tens of thousands of various intelligent beings populating the tundra below gazed up at her in fascination, many doing strange rituals, and with her increased awareness, she knew which were frightened or elated.

Sari’aél’s golden eyes widened as her senses penetrated the city’s warping attributes—there was something very sinister and powerful within. A dozen or so strong individuals would be somewhat troublesome in her base-state, yet three were far above the rest, and two more hid their true strength.

The weakest of the three creatures appeared out of a black void several meters next to her; its thin, pale white humanoid form had spikes sticking out of several areas, and a crown-like headpiece was fused to its head. Thin hair was pulled around from its bulky back to its chest, metallic bindings of power sending energy to its brain through the locks.

Now that the figure was closer, Sari’aél knew it was a female of its species. She held a curved, wicked black blade infused with corruption in her left hand, and gray, otherworldly wood was bonded to her skin, acting as a barrier for the corrupting energy she wielded.

The thing released a hissing shriek that would have driven most creatures insane; her oversized hands sparked with energy, condensing an unheavenly force to generate a controlled, miniature black hole.

Her sunken black eyes were seeking to understand her, but it was worthless in her 2nd release. Sari’aél absently brought in one of her left wings and flicked it out to blow the alien away, forcing her to retreat; the potent mystical rocks floating around her large blue halo crumbled, releasing purple flames to protect her.

Something even greater than the alien was on the move; the strongest was recovering at the base of the island, the 2nd most powerful creature was about to make his way to her.

A storm is coming … I’m not on equal ground. Sari’aél held up her hand with a light laugh, heart burning with a sensation she’d never felt—excitement for battle; Milthren returned to her left hand to transform into his greatsword-form. I’m weak … to think I had to go this far, but I suppose it is why the Empress needed me and why Father granted me access to this unsealing method. I actually must become stronger … such a thrilling sensation.

A chilling silence fell over the sounds of insects, and the odd female creature retreated as gray mist wove out of the shattered barriers of the city, a baleful presence within. It twisted and turned, combatting Greater Solar Aura II, blanketing the island just before the intense radiation could ravage its surface.

She activated Divine Release - Stage 3, putting Stage 1 on a two-week cooldown and binding Stage 2 for six months.

Divine Release - Stage 3/5: (Cooldown: 9 Months (this planet’s month/day calendar); Cost: ½ Strength for a Week; Duration: 1 Minute; Range: N/A) Active, Divine-Type, Level Link - Elinor, Grade Link - Elinor, Rank Link - Elinor; unseals a minute fraction of her divine inheritance for a short period.

Sari’aél drew back her sword with a small smile as another portion of her divinity returned; if her base form was a single grain of sand in a galaxy, and Stage 2 a small pinch, at the 3rd mark, she was grasping a handful.

Her entire body was overtaken by holy light, and Sari’aél’s tranquil tone greeted the new entity. “I finally understand what it is Elinor promised.”

Greater Solar Aura II advanced to Lesser Divine Aura I, golden radiance becoming white as the explosion of force stopped the gray mist’s advance, revealing the source within.

When Higher Advanced Senses II transformed into Greater Awakening V, she saw precisely what she was up against—an ancient fiend. He wore artifacts far more potent than himself, each with the power to devastate a continent.

However, one item held her attention, a small sphere with an inner working so complex she couldn’t hope to decipher it, and for good reason.

Greater Holy Presence II was overshadowed by Lesser Divine Presence I, and the sky became blinding—to look at her would be to witness the sun itself. Every cloud in the sky vanished, night chased away by her brilliance. To not glass the land below, she teleported above the city, using the creature’s fog as a barrier, yet the atmosphere parted to reveal the blackness of space.

“... You have visited the Children of the Sun?” Sari’aél asked, transferring her divine energy into Milthren to use Greater Holy Rend V.

The entity threw a shifting, cube-like object into the sky as she slashed the air with her celestial weapon, warping space and leaving a ripple of distorted waves in its path. It erupted into bright blue lightning, enclosing the two of them in a locked area, yet her attack cut a rend in the fabric of the spatial prison. The creature tried to block it with a long tail, creating a small gash that released crystal blood.

Sari’aél spread her wings in preparation to begin the fight when the entity did something she did not expect, taking the Binding Sphere of the Blood Sun and jamming it into his chest. A noise akin to a meteor impact radiated within the boxed space … her language, butchered beyond question, yet understandable, nonetheless. “Offer … blood for blood … peace … understanding … I leave…”

The entity’s face blanched as a flaming halo circled his chest, and Sari’aél lips parted in disbelief—the celestial song filled the space as he was linked to The Source … her father’s sacred power weaving through the Core of his very existence.

“... You invoke the Song of Peace and Understanding?” Sari’aél whispered.

The strength within her fell into oblivion, seals rebinding her divinity as she released the skill, returning to her bondage and the added weight that the Divinity Release Skill imposed; she’d be half her base strength for a week, yet the song of The Source filled her very soul with serenity.

Her glorious blaze dimming, Sari’aél glanced left; the strange alien-like creature returned from a void as the blue cube-like prison was recalled. A black ray of gravity expelled toward her—enough force to crush her within her severely weakened state, yet she simply watched with a small smile.

The powerful entity beside her transformed into gray smoke, weaving through the air at a blinding speed to neutralize the gravitational force and screeched something in the same harsh language the female alien used, forcefully teleporting her to some unknown location with a ruby substance that surrounded her from the fog.

Sari’aél clasped her hands behind her back and between her wings, head tilting to the left as her platinum blonde hair billowed in the wind. “Your comrade is quite blessed that you stopped her— breaking the Song of Peace and Understanding is to void one’s existence from reality.”

He slowly turned to face her, and Sari’aél looked down at his burning tail as he continued to combat her former power, seeking to consume him. His jaw parted with a low grunt. “Hmm … A Daughter of the Sun … Yet … Something is not right.”

* * *

Sar'ollaz’s clawed feet clicked against the enchanted Ulithian stone floor of his island’s hallways, thick, frilled white hair and shifting blood moving around his face—the liquid acted as a means of communication among his ancient people, sliding around his large, curved horns—not that many of his people still lived.

His gray metallic outfit was comprised of tiny interwoven plates, links that were kept together by the bloodstone on his chest.

A week ago, he’d come across a fascinating stowaway on his vessel, but it took a few days to brush up on his Thélméthra. It had been many millennia since he’d last encountered the species.

Using his telekinetic abilities, he opened the door’s lock combination on instinct, walking through to appraise the human-shaped fiend of a million worlds. Since he’d trapped her, she’d been held in the stasis restraint chamber for further study.

She had very high mental resilience, which was relatively uncommon for entities of her strength—even more bizarre, it had advanced to a stage where even he had trouble peering inside her well organized and defended mind—and it happened moments after she’d noticed his intrusion.

Thélméthra had some of the most acute senses out of all the entities he’d examined, it wasn’t a surprise that she’d be able to detect his mental intrusion, yet a few topics weren’t adding up.

Iris … the feminine creature, had a level of decorum and mental fortitude of a World Queen … although her strength for such a title was lacking by far. Then there was the issue about her biology—there was the possibility of creating more brood, but it was sealed by some unknown power he couldn’t fathom.

A fount of energy was well-hidden within her being that escaped him, and it was vexing.

Another strange connection he’d learned was that this Queen served another, yet discovering who that was had been a challenge, and why she’d chosen to forego the Thélméthra form was beyond him. This new body type possibly had its advantages but was far weaker than the raw ability of her original state.

It seemed the Thélméthra had evolved in a rather engaging manner since his prior understanding of the conquering race—and yet there were more of the species on the planet that were nothing like this specimen—Iris could transform into the various entities within his fortress.

He studied her delicate face as her white and black hair weaved in the bright red beam she floated in. “... Who are you protecting so diligently?”

Sar'ollaz released her from the stasis, keeping her restrained in the field; oddly, she’d been growing weaker over the week, too, which was fascinating. How she was losing strength in the stasis restraints was another mystery.

She slowly slid open her calm, deep red eyes, leveling with his solid crimson stare. Iris had pretended to be unconscious the first time he’d awoken her, but she’d learned it was foolish to waste his time.

Flicking his long, powerful tail to the left, Sar'ollaz clasped his hands behind his back with a grin, blood shifting around his horns, hair, and face to illustrate the action as he flexed his throat. “It took me a bit to recall your language, Queen Iris. I find it rather disturbing you have not submitted to my strength—Has your species moved beyond that genetic marker?”

Iris only returned silence as she meticulously scoped out her restraints, the room, and him with her senses.

“Hmm…” he carefully circled her mental defenses, examining each wall for cracks, yet she was still managing to find ways to seal any advantage he’d spotted the day before. Walking around her, he talked while studying her body and mind. “I’ve asked myself, why do I question such simple creatures as Thélméthra? You eat, evolve the next generation, fight for territory, repeat—I’ve killed several World Queens in the past—fearsome foes for me, at the time, and quite skilled in various ways.”

He stopped in front of her again. “Hmm … Should I assume you were simply here to invoke your instincts? No … I think not. Your method was utterly unfit for the World Queens I’ve met in the past—You are without daughters and a brood. What am I missing?”

A long pause ensued as he continued to scan the humanoid Thélméthra’s form. “... Why this shape and not your original?”

For the first time, Iris spoke, causing a grin to shift his blood. “I cannot return to my original state while in these restraints; I could demonstrate it.”

“Fascinating…” his head tilted to the side, jaw snapping shut as he sensed Baxter’s return—he had lost a few of his greatest treasures and was injured yet in high spirits. In fact, he’d been the same earlier this week—perhaps he should inquire further, but there were times that the Baraayas was true to his race and became rather bothersome to deal with.

Still, the fact Baxter took a deadly blow was of concern—there were undoubtedly powerful things on this planet when they’d initially scanned the world. But, at the same time, nothing of significant danger should have been close enough to offer the Baraayas harm, and he was an intelligent fellow to avoid such instances.

An explosive aura emanated across the mountains in the city-castle structure Baxter had commented on earlier that week, catching him off-guard. Nothing like this energy signature should have existed on this plane of existence, let alone this planet—yet it was somewhat weak.

Oracle responded instantly in her monotone voice. “Unidentified figure located near Final Bastion—Covenant Member Baxter under assault—lightly wounded. Stealth Mode Protocols in effect, teleport activation in five seconds—Baxter in critical condition. Defensive Guard initiated—Defensive Guard neutralized.”

Iris’s cold stare and unresponsive face pulled his focus back. “... You are concerned.”

“Ah, heh … have you been analyzing my moods? You certainly are a Thélméthra … Mmh … What is this energy … to do this to Baxter…”

Balmuraun touched his mind with his thin fingers from within the fortress, deathly voice like nails against his skull. “... Divine Flames rain upon our heads, Sar'ollaz … White Illumin Protocol.”

Sar'ollaz’s tail went still from the dying elder god’s warning, issuing one of the numerous safeguards he’d developed and taught him over the eons—White Illumin was among the most urgent and cataclysmic.

The island was about to jump following the current protocols after the appearance of the powerful entity—yet in mere moments, the uncomfortable force it released outside struck the shields, ramming through the weakest point.

A rumble shook the entire island, likely causing most creatures to be thrown off their feet as the weapon dug through the ground shields … right for the power core, and the shocking part was that it succeeded.

He didn’t have time to ask questions as Baxter was pushed out of the sky by the mere presence of the figure, defenses crumbling under the intense rays of radiation.

Sar’ollaz mentally bridging a connection to Oracle, shouting, “White Illumin Protocol—get us to the farthest celestial…”

“... Too late…”

The unknown figure’s power amplified by impossible margins—Sar’ollaz’s blood pressed against his face in astonishment—it was swiftly closing the gap between even his strength.

Oracle continued to update the residents. “Teleportation unavailable—enemy’s dimensional lock is in effect, estimated time of next jump … 42-days. White Illumin Protocol in effect—several functions unavailable—Defensive Perminiters five, four, and three are down—two is down, one to fall in eight seconds—all life on the surface to be eradicated by radioactive waves; find shelter.”

Orinvia went to meet the figure, but after the leap, she was no match for their attacker and was blown away, forced to retreat and recover for a counteroffensive. Worse, he wasn’t focused enough on their attacker when they appeared, and as they grew, it became harder to penetrate the Holy Presence that shielded it.

Oracle’s soft, monotone voice echoed across the island as he processed what was happening outside, stunned at the monstrous strength this entity was hiding, only releasing the amount needed to combat their response—whoever this was, it had incredible senses and overwhelming power.

The White Illumin Protocol items were teleported to his person as he prepared to meet the entity … Only Sylez and he could match it at this point. The Vylaerian was currently in the far south, inspecting one of the exciting points this world had to offer.

Balmuraun’s grave voice echoed in his mind, bringing back memories the old god sent him of a time long in the past—long before Sar’ollaz’s own race was created, showing a vast, celestial kingdom. “Resistance is futile—a Daughter of the Sun stands against us—conduct the ritual to discover why and to plead for mercy.”

“I smell death on you,” Iris stated, and her lips curved in her suspended position.

“... Death finds us all, Queen Iris … It is how you face it that is of worth.”

* * *

Standing before the divine figure, Sar’ollaz frowned; Balmuraun had grown restless, formless fingers digging into his skull. “She is no longer … How … A Daughter of the Sun that is bound by her immense power … No … She is under the bondage of another that holds her divinity as a leash! … Investigate at all costs!”

He cleared his throat, translating the dying old god’s instructions in the language he projected—it burned his throat and made his mind dizzy—of course, the overwhelming divinity burning through his entirety was more peaceful and terrifying than anything he’d ever experienced in his eons of life.

“... Your representative … For Understanding … For Peace … Bring … Safe Passage … Guaranteed … By The Name of the Blood Sun…”

The heavenly woman’s amused smile and serene eyes held a hidden pity in them that caused Sar’ollaz to quiver—no one had ever put such conflicting emotions in his Core. “I will return with the Empress—The Blood Sun watches.”

A bright golden radiance illuminated her before she vanished, flying through the sky to return to the broken castle-city.

He sent word for repairs and rescue units to be deployed, yet his insides squirmed at the impossible to understand network he’d been joined to and the fathomless eye that rested upon him.

First an unusual Thélméthra … Now, a Daughter of the Sun, leashed by her own divinity … Explain what you know, Balmuraun … You and I are linked—If this holy artifact erases me … you cease to exist, as well.

“He-he-he-he-he … An opportunity, Sar’ollaz … To finally be rid of me.”

… Continue.