Bab 64: Chapter 63 - Escalation of Conflict
Odin was not like his wife.
Well of course he grieved for his son Baldur but the boy's death was set in stone. Not only that, but he was not the kind of God that would fall under such a simple illusion.
Cebrail was nothing like Baldur. Baldur was expressive and kind and wonderful… on the surface. He was a person playing at being Human, and not to his own fault really. His complete invulnerability was a double edged sword as it did not protect him from only things that were dangerous but things that were not inherently.
For example, the dangers that came with emotions.
Cebrail was completely the opposite, she was cold on the outside as though she wanted to push everyone away however her heart was no doubt big given that she couldn't even seem to bring herself to push a single person away if they needed her help.
Though of course, this was not why he was backing her either. There were a lot of good people in the world no matter how much some people, Mekhi, may claim otherwise. So simply being good wasn't… well… it wasn't good enough to catch his attention.
What truly caught his attention was the fact that out of all the King Candidates he had met thus far she was the only one that was so moldable. She seemed to not have any grandiose goals like the other King Candidates, and she wasn't unwilling to listen to the ideas of others. Due to her more outsider-like perspective she could see the flaws in everyone else's wishes. If she won the game after conquering and understanding everyone else's wishes, what kind of world would she create using the empty throne?
This was the question gnawing at Odin's mind, his curiosity had not been peaked like this. Humans were indeed always full of surprises!
(Perhaps I should have her story written down? It'll be a bit of an interesting tale for those of the next world~) Odin did not fear change like Zeus and a few other gods, he believed it to be necessary. Old guys like him can't stay in power forever; it ruins the potential of the young. Being afraid of new things was the folly of the old and a dangerous thing indeed.
In this way, to some extent, Odin respected Rizevim for encouraging Humans to grow and evolve by not allowing the supernatural to intervene. Though perhaps he was a little sour since that meant Humans were straying away from gods more and more weakening them heavily.
(Actually, Solomon is probably recording all of this right now. Perhaps the whole story is already recorded down?)
Well in any case Odin was hopeful about Cebrail putting it simply. Though perhaps such hope on her shoulders was more of a burden than anything else. It did trouble him a bit but it also made it that much more interesting.
Would she fail due to the pressure or would she succeed in her endeavors with stylish ease?
Even those two options were so broad that a great deal of twists and turns were possible. This is why even now he is attempting to make sure her path wasn't obstructed by some of the other pantheons and why he was watching her right this instant. Well he was also watching her because he wasn't an idiot and knew that he would have to step in to stop her and her aunt.
"Break." Marilyn uttered the word as she pointed the tip glowed and let out a burst of blue Magic Power.
It was in appearance the same attack as that of Cebrail's own but far faster and far stronger.
Cebrail was barely able to dodge it by releasing her Angel wings and jumping into the air using them as a boost.
"No. No. No. It isn't the same. My attack was simply a burst of raw magical power. It seems as though her Sacred Gear allowed her to put in a minuscule amount of Light Power and Magical Power before cycling it through and amplifying it." Marilyn mumbled not paying any mind to her niece that was slowly falling down to the ground.
Tossing her sword into the air Cebrail's Dimensional Storage opened up and she pulled out multiple swords. Tossing them at high speeds, they impacted the ground around Marilyn causing large explosions of dust.
She tossed twenty swords within three seconds and was going to throw more but could not slow her fall any further so she was forced to catch her Carnwennan in the middle of the air before landing.
"Style Sealing." The swords around Marilyn turned silver and the silver seals of Solomon appeared around her. Bursts of magical holy water erupted in the form of chains and bound Marilyn by the arms and legs with layers upon layers.
Unsheathing Carnwennan the moment her feet touched the ground a barrier formed around.
One slash of energy, two slashes, three slashes, four slashes, all the way up to ten slashes of silver energy which shot out and traveled into the cloud of dust cutting it to pieces.
Cebrail looking at Carnwennan only stopped her assault because it seemed as though cracks were beginning to appear on it from straining itself under the effects of Atypical Property. She sheathed the sword and instantly shadows of the sheath covered the blade healing it of the damage it suffered.
Vibrating in its sheath Carnwennan complained about how reckless Cebrail was, she needed to learn how to take care of her weapons better! A legendary weapon touched by God like itself deserved to be treated with utmost care…
"Cheep? Cheep?"
"Whenever you ask, 'did we get them' usually it means-" Cebrail began only to be interrupted by a sudden pain in her left shoulder. Looking down what she found was beyond troubling. A black serpent was attached to her shoulder clinging to it with its teeth.
Immediately she attempts to grab it but just as quickly it sinks into her skin leaving nothing but a black serpent tattoo snaking around her arm and burning her skin.
"Ugh!" Cebrail fell to one knee and even dropped her weapon. The pain from the snake wasn't the same as being hit by a bat or a truck. It was a searing inner pain and a sudden incredible weakness of the body.
Her blood was boiling, her skin was turning red with heat, and her body felt heavy as though every move she made was like wading in the deepest part of a pool.
"*Huff* *Huff* What…What did you do?" Cebrail struggled out as she held her shoulder tightly, the place where she had been bitten wasn't healing at all.
"The Church of Necessary Evil specializes in protecting Humanity from ALL supernatural threats. That includes you Angels as well." Marilyn stated simply while dusting herself off and began to approach Cebrail. "You're outclassed, outgunned, and completely outwitted. You're done kid."
"I haven't lost yet…" Letting go of her wound the blood on her hand glows dazzlingly producing an elegant streak of light. "We are not in the Human World you know? That means I still have one weapon ready to be used and abused."
Lifting her hand, her palm faces up to the sky and instantly a nigh incalculable amount of Light Power began gathering at the palm of her hand, swirling like the wind it swelled and swelled and began to form a shape.
"It can't be!" Marilyn for perhaps the first time since she began fighting Cebrail was surprised as her eyes widened in shock her steps forced to halt. She knew exactly what weapon that girl was summoning. "You're insane! No! Gabriel is insane! What kind of person would give such a weapon to a child?!?!"
It was "The Ark" an Angel super weapon created to punish and cleanse the world of all impurities. Well, that was just a nice way of putting it at least, in truth it was a weapon created to bring about the end of the world through the endless pouring of holy water from the skies.
"You would actually use such a dangerous weapon just because we're not in the Human World?" Marilyn tossed her sword to the side and summoned her silver magic staff adorned with various white diamonds until the middle of the top which had a large blue diamond-like gem that glistened beautifully.
She pointed the staff ready to counter or cut off her niece's arm, although she suspected that cutting off her arm wouldn't do much at all.
Why was she trying to protect Brocéliande?
Truthfully even she didn't know herself. The fact was she could have simply retreated and left this problem to Viviane.
"..."
Viviane…this was her domain. Perhaps in her heart, Marilyn wanted to protect the place her mother called home, the place she was born. Despite all her expounding about how blood relations didn't matter…
She would never let go of her pride enough to admit this but still, she stood firm and began preparing a spell.
(I suppose this is where I intervene.) Odin thought before snapping his fingers.
Immediately a portal appeared behind each of these two women currently having the world's most deadly **** measuring contest.
"Ahhh!" Hearing the familiar voice of her royal grand vizier Reginleif behind her Cebrail instantly canceled the process of opening and activating The Ark and caught the young Valkyrie who slammed into her from behind.
Reginleif in confusion opened her eyes to find her face smashed into an incredibly flat chest hurting her nose. In most cases, one may not be capable of telling who they had suddenly fallen on instantly but Reginleif would be a fool to not recognize the person even without looking at them.
The smell was more than enough on its own, it was a clean smell like one might find on freshly cleaned clothes except without the artificial touch to it that would come from the chemicals in things like the detergent or soap.
It was a soft and comfortable scent that made Reginleif want to just cuddle up alongside Cebrail and take a nap. It was a scent she had to fight against every day for fear that she'd simply end up becoming a lazy invalid always relying on Cebrail!
Looking up her suspicions were confirmed as she was met with the beautiful face of her "boss" Cebrail. The Angel's yellow eyes peered down at her with both a hidden curiosity and a hidden worry.
Reginleif couldn't help but blush a bit as she was met with another thing she had been fighting against since she moved in with the Seraphim Princess. The girl's face was just too much!
"???" Cebrail tilted her head then flinched and dropped Reginleif as she was forced to grip her arm in pain.
Reginleif seeing Cebrail drop to a knee rushed over in worry now. "Cebrail, what's wrong!?!"
As soon as Reginleif asked however she noticed the serpent tattoo which was writhing and slithering on Cebrail's arm dangerously. "This is… a curse!"
Reginleif wasn't very familiar with removing curses, especially ones powerful enough to bypass the blessing properties of holy water.
"Heal!" Reginleif put a rune of healing on Cebrail and at the very least the Seraphim Princess looked as if she wasn't in as much pain, however it didn't do much else.
Touching the wound Reginleif immediately had to retract her hand, Cebrail's skin was as hot as a stove burning the Valkyrie to the touch.
(What do I do? What do I do? Snakes are creatures that can already bypass the fact that Angels are spiritual beings but Cebrail isn't even fully spiritual, she has flesh and blood.) Reginleif was at a loss and contemplated praying to Odin for assistance.
By Marilyn what appeared was Jeanne who she just like Cebrail dropped everything to catch in her arms. Jeanne, unlike Reginleif who was hurt as though she had hit a brick wall, hit a soft set of pillows which instantly put her back to sleep in the best way possible.
Pushing her apprentice away from her a bit the blonde girl's head lulled back however there was a note on her forehead.
"Stop being a child and just admit my daughter is the cutest in the world."
Marilyn scoffed at this note and crumbled it. "Cutest in the world? Please…"
Marilyn would never call Cebrail the cutest in the world! Never!
She knew exactly what this note was attempting to tell her subtly as well, Merlin wanted her to stop messing around and just train Cebrail and her group already.
Although what she didn't know was that the person who had written such a note was Odin himself not her brother.
Putting Jeanne on her back she snapped her fingers and instantly the curse on Cebrail's arm slithered off and into the grass as though it was a real snake.
"Oh?" Marilyn looked at Reginleif with visible interest. Her worried face was quite cute indeed, Marilyn had never had anyone but her brother show such an expression concerning herself, but her brother could never be cute. He was her brother after all.
Reginleif looked at Marilyn and could immediately tell that the woman was the strongest person besides Odin that she had ever met. Even stronger than the leader of the Valkyries Brynhildr who herself was quite comparable to a god.
Still, however her loyalty was much stronger than her fear and she moved in front of Cebrail who was recovering.
"W-Who are you?"
"My name is Marilyn I'm that… brats aunt."
"H-Huh?"
(This Valkyrie has quite a bit of magical potential, at least I won't be completely wasting my time.)
"Niece. Get up and let's go, we'll start this training or whatever as soon as Jeanne wakes up."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Lambhendelta
Lambhendelta Just had to remind you all that I haven't forgotten about the Ark and neither should all of you.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone