Boom!
The golden beam—or rather, the blazing spear that pierced through the demonic vulture—instantly incinerated the creature in a flash of holy fire. Reduced to ash, it didn't even have time to let out a scream.
The other vultures, sensing something amiss, turned their grotesque gazes toward the street where Loran's family stood.
Although the creatures possessed a certain level of intelligence, they couldn't comprehend how their companion had been killed.
Had it been struck by a monk's holy water-soaked crossbow bolt?
Perhaps a cannon round anointed with holy water?
Such incidents weren't unheard of, and to these creatures, death was an ordinary occurrence.
Undeterred, the remaining vultures prepared to dive lower and continue their hunt for the fleeing townsfolk below.
"Help!"
"Oh, my God!"
"Stop praying and run!"
The crowd's fear escalated as the demonic vultures swooped toward the streets.
Some fell to their knees, fervently praying for miracles from God or the angels of the heavenly host. Others, more pragmatic, yelled at the panicked worshippers to flee for their lives.
After all, why would God intervene?
If divine beings ever descended to Earth, it was only for saints, knights, or nuns deemed worthy of salvation. Common folk like them were no more than ants—not worthy of divine attention.
Christopher Loran, holding his daughter in one arm and pulling his son with the other, aimed to escape into a nearby alley.
Thud, thud!
A demonic vulture landed abruptly, blocking their path.
"Aah!"
The monstrous sight broke his daughter's composure. She screamed and clung to her father tightly, too terrified to open her eyes.
The vulture let out a blood-curdling screech, a proclamation of its dominance over the street and all the souls within it.
It lowered its grotesque beak, lined with bloodied veins, ready to devour the paralyzed townsfolk.
Thud!
Suddenly, a figure radiating a soft golden glow stepped forward, raising one hand to effortlessly stop the vulture's attack mid-swoop.
The townsfolk, who had braced themselves for certain death, opened their eyes in astonishment.
Standing between them and the beast was a towering woman clad in golden armor. Her waist-length hair glimmered in the faint light, and her presence exuded an aura akin to a "heavenly deity."
With a slight movement of her hand, she crushed the creature's beak.
Boom!
Golden flames erupted, engulfing the vulture entirely. In less than a second, it disintegrated into ashes.
Screech!
The other vultures, realizing the culprit behind their comrade's demise, screeched in rage and lunged at the golden-clad woman.
But before they could reach her—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sharp crack of rifle fire filled the air.
Thwack! Boom!
One by one, the vultures were pierced by large-caliber rounds, their bodies torn apart by the subsequent explosions. The energy released by the projectiles not only obliterated the creatures but also purified the remains, leaving behind no trace of their tainted flesh.
The townsfolk, including Loran and his children, now noticed heavily armored soldiers stationed at the edges of the street.
These towering warriors wielded massive rifles, more akin to handheld cannons, and their armor radiated an unfamiliar "sacred" aura. They systematically eliminated every demonic presence in the sky.
Above the town, a massive vessel—several hundred meters long—hovered silently, its size awe-inspiring.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Hundreds of missiles launched from the ship's flanks and soared through the air, leaving trails of white light as they targeted the demonic forces outside the steel walls.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The resulting explosions shook the ground violently, their force unmistakable.
Before the townsfolk could fully process what was happening, a fleet of unusual transport aircraft shimmered into visibility, emerging from a previously cloaked state.
These were Thunder III transports, larger and more heavily armored than their predecessors. Designed to carry Astartes warriors, they could easily break free from the planet's surface and even operate in orbit.
Six of these massive transports descended into key areas of the town: the central square near the church, wider streets, and one even landed near Loran's family.
Crash!
Despite the pilot's efforts, one of the transport's wings clipped a building during the descent.
Thud!
The craft landed heavily, its landing gear crushing the bricks beneath.
The front ramp lowered, revealing a squad of towering giants clad in black power armor.
Thud, thud!
These giants moved with incredible speed, becoming blurs as they charged toward the eastern wall, where the fiercest fighting was taking place.
From that direction, faint metallic shouts echoed back:
"For the Emperor!"
"For humanity!"
"Die! Die! Die!"
The sudden turn of events left the townsfolk frozen in shock.
"Dad, look! That big sister is coming this way!"
Loran's daughter's voice broke the eerie silence.
Following her gaze, Loran saw the radiant woman approaching them. She stopped in front of him, towering over him, and extended a gentle hand to place it on his daughter's head.
A soft golden light enveloped the girl, then spread to Loran as well.
He felt his fear and exhaustion melting away. The fatigue from years of grueling labor vanished, replaced by a warmth that seemed to rejuvenate his spirit.
"What... What is this?" Loran whispered, unable to believe what he felt.
"It's so warm..." his daughter murmured with wonder.
The surrounding townsfolk, witnessing this divine display, fell to their knees in reverence.
"An angel! A true angel!"
"Praise the Emperor!"
Even Loran's son, hesitant at first, started to kneel, only to stop when the woman spoke.
"There is no need to kneel, child," she said in a resonant voice. "I am not an angel, as you might imagine."
The boy stared at her in surprise. "You can read my thoughts?"
The woman smiled softly but didn't answer directly.
"Then who are you, big sister?" the little girl asked curiously.
The woman turned, addressing everyone with a voice that carried authority:
"I am the former Olympian Chief God, now the Goddess of War in service to the Emperor of Mankind—Pallas Athena!"
She raised her gleaming spear high, her voice echoing:
"I, alongside the warriors of the Empire, will not stand idly by as Heaven's so-called 'God' has. We will cleanse this land of the vile demons and heretics that plague it!
For humanity!
For the Empire!"
As she finished, golden light radiated from her spear, sweeping through the town and purging any remaining corruption.
The residents, captivated and awestruck, began to transfer their reverence from the Church to the Empire.
For many, this shift was immediate and heartfelt, particularly for those like Loran, who had long resented the Church's inaction.
However, the true loyalty of the townsfolk would depend on the Empire's actions in the days to come.
Meanwhile, outside the walls, the tide of battle had turned.
The Hellish forces, bolstered by monstrous tanks and endless swarms of demons, were obliterated by precision strikes and overwhelming force.
As towering black-armored warriors waded into the fray, the cries of "For the Emperor!" and the roar of their weapons heralded the Empire's undeniable dominance.
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