The black lightning exploded from his palm. There was no chance of protecting herself from it this time. It would tear her apart.

You are a strange girl.

Apeliotes took the force of the blast, using a crude sealing method to force the Patriarch from diverting the dark power away. As the black tendrils tore away at his frail body and she struggled to find the smallest ounce of strength within herself to save him, Wotan pulled her away.

Your actions are illogical. I now see what Ophion saw in you.

The childish sprite writhed in pain as his body disintegrated under the force of the Patriarch’s hatred.

It’s funny I should do this. This is illogical. And I’ve never found anything ‘funny’ before. You really are a strange girl.

The attacked ceased and the Patriarch lowered his hand. Though the chamber was now filled with the corruption he’d wrought, Phantasia could feel a soothing strength coming from – of all places – Wotan. A man she’d considered an enemy, who had put her friends through so much pain and hardship, was placing his faith in her. He leant down and whispered in her ear, his eyes fixed on the Patriarch.

“Hold on. She won’t be happy with this,”

The Patriarch raised both hands and his power began to compress to such a degree that it was creating ripples of heat in the air – magic of that magnitude would be enough to destroy both her and Wotan! She braced herself, hoping Wotan’s faith would be enough to protect them both, but was confused as to why Wotan wasn’t preparing his own defence.

Then the scream came. It shattered the silence like a stone breaking water, and the Patriarch was distracted from his magical preparations. Phantasia could sense the newcomer before the malicious priest could look up and see her. Phantasia could feel the raw power compressing in the mana streams – the power of an adept Fire faerie, an aura she recognised from her visit to the Fire Queendom.

Yokai Kitsune, handmaiden to Princess Yosei Suzaku. Like many of her kind, she had developed signature attacks to identify herself in battle. Once such ability involved her compressing elemental power into a spinning wheel and tossing it at her target.

One such wheel drilled down towards the Patriarch, burning the air with every rapid spin. The Patriarch didn’t even have time to divert his own pre-prepared attack to counter it before the wheel exploded into the far end of the room, consuming him, his knights and the whole balcony in searing flames.

Yokai landed in front of the devastation, clicked her fingers, and the chamber collapsed in an avalanche of rubble. In the burning mass if elemental energy, Phantasia could no longer sense the dense shell of the Patriarch’s corrupt aura.

“Well, I did promise Apeliotes I’d make an entrance,” said Yokai.

~ An explosion of rage ends the battle?! ~
~ Next: A tactical retreat! ~

Chapter 22
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