Just how long must I endure?

How many battles must I face?

How many comrades must I lose?

When will this torment end?

Goddess Yue… Give me an answer…

++

A dark sky looms over the wasteland that is known as the Void Plains. It was a lifeless place that connects the different planes. But in this lifeless stretch of wasteland, dark forces are forming. Upon the endless wastes, a mass of demons formed. Marching like ants, with one purpose.

To invade and destroy Astrea.

To do so, they must go through a portal, and in these seemingly endless plains, there was only one such portal.

But there was one obstacle that hinders them.

“Here they come! Everyone weapons ready!” A tall blond man wearing silver armor with a symbol of the moon on his chest shouts. Brandishing his great sword that is as long as he was tall, he turned to the man beside him. “So… How are you doing greenhorn? Not what you expected to face for your first mission I presume? Unfortunately, it is too late to back out now. No one is going through that portal until the Goddess says so.”

“Don’t worry Captain Marius. I know what I signed up on.” The dark-haired man named Artreus answered. Although he is standing at 180 cm, he still stood a head shorter than the Captain, the soldier wearing steel armor with a similar symbol of the moon on his chest gazed upon the horde of demon without fear in his eyes. “If the Goddess wills it, then I will make it happen. Even if I die in the process.” He declared as he raised his sword and shield in anticipation of the battle to come.

“Well said greenhorn.” A red-haired woman carrying a 3-meter polearm clapped his shoulder. “Although the Goddess will be more pleased if we all return alive to serve her more. So don’t get too heroic and die now. Don’t worry. Were here to watch your back. So I am expecting you to watch mine.” She flashed a warm smile at the soldier which made him blush.

“Grisha, I told you many times before. No flirting when we're on a mission. Seriously, if you could stop teasing new blood and instead do your job seriously, you would be leading your squad by now.” Said the bespectacled woman.

“Oh, Moira. You know leadership doesn’t suit me.” Grisha wrapped her arms around Moira. “I would rather fight a demon butt naked with only a fork rather than lead. How about you Devin. Would you like to lead?” She asked the knight who was caressing his twin 1.5-meter-tall double-headed battle-ax.

“I don’t care. As long as I can fight the enemies of the Goddess, then I am happy.” Devin, a man as tall as a bear with muscles like one too. He stood there as he gazed longingly at the horde of demons like a girl who was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her long-estranged lover.

“What a battle freak. You were ready to fight the other Paladins just to be assigned on this mission.” Bran, a 2-meter bald mustached man wielding a longsword which is emitting holy energy butts in. “I bet you were also ecstatic to receive a ring of sustenance and the ring of endurance. With both of those accessories, you could fight to your heart's content all day long.”

“Everyone! Stop goofing off and stand ready!” Every paladin stood in attention upon hearing Marius’ roar. “Men and women of the Order of the Radiant Moon! The Goddess Yue bestowed upon us the greatest and noblest of all missions. Be the vanguard of Astrea. Behind us is the only portal that connects the demonic plane to our own. Created by men and women who lusted for fell to the lies that promised power and prestige. Our Order might have defeated them, but our mission is far from over!” He said before pointing his sword towards the approaching hoard of demons. “Before you stand the foul beings who aim to corrupt and destroy our lands and I will die before letting these wretched demons take even a single step on our world! Brothers and Sisters! Stand with me and together we will push back these abominations from whence they came! Be brave for the blessings of the Gods are upon us! For the Order! FOR ASTREA!”

“FOR ASTREA!” All the Paladins roared as the hoard of demons crashed upon their lines as a wave crashes on the beach.

The lifeless Void Planes sprung into life as the entirety of the wasteland was filled by the sound of battle. Sword hitting flesh. Claws and fangs against metal. Explosion rung all around as both demons fight to break through the wall of Paladins. The Paladins, on the other hand, stood their ground and kept dispatching demons left and right. Artreus stand shield to shield with the other Paladins, pushing back the wave of demons with their shield, and claiming their lives with their swords. Grisha and Devin push forward, clearing the area before them as each swing of their weapons claims 3 to 5 lives of their enemies. On the other side, corpses of demons started piling up as Moira’s rapier gives them another hole in their forehead and chest with surgical accuracy. Blinding flashes of light filled the battlefield as Bran purifies the demons with each slash of his holy sword, burning their corrupt bodies into ashes. In the middle of the formation was Captain Marius. His greatsword scything through the air, reaping demon lives like a farmer harvesting rice while his Aura fills the Paladins with courage and strength. There might only be 20 Paladins against a hundred demons. But through the might of their arms, and strength of their belief, they exterminated their enemies and sent their souls back to whence they came.

And so, with shouts of triumph filling the Void Plains, the first day of their mission end.