The stillness of the night was shattered by a deafening sound—the echo of crackling flames, the wind tearing through ravaged trees, and the heavy breathing of warriors on alert. After a dinner that was meant to mark a moment of reconnection and rest, fate had imposed a new trial upon the Templars.
Aelion was extinguishing the last campfires when he sensed a strange vibration in the air. Something powerful was approaching—something that his barrier, the Protective Shell, was supposed to stop. His instincts did not fail him. He watched as the obelisks, pillars of energy that upheld the village's protection, began to collapse one by one, like dominoes.
- Aelion: "This is no accident," Aelion murmured, clenching his fists.
Neptune, still awake, noticed his companion's behavior and approached, eyebrows furrowed in concern.
- Neptune: "Aelion, what's happening?"
- Aelion: "Something… or someone is breaking through my barrier," he replied, eyes fixed on the horizon. "And it's not just anyone. Be ready."
With measured steps, they moved toward the source of the mysterious force. The darkness around them grew denser, almost suffocating, as tension mounted. Then, from the shadows, a hooded figure emerged.
- Neptune: "Who are you?" Neptune asked, his voice firm but cautious.
The stranger didn't answer at once. Slowly, he pulled back his hood, revealing a strikingly beautiful, pale face and cold eyes that radiated power.
- Asmodeus: "I am Asmodeus of the Axiom," he announced in a grave tone. "One of the Ten Decrees of the Abyss. I've come here with a purpose—hand over the location of the Segen bearers of the Four Seraphim."His gaze locked onto Neptune, having sensed his presence...
Neptune stepped forward, heart pounding. He knew Asmodeus spoke of the Meeres Segen he carried, but he kept his composure.
- Neptune: "There are no bearers here besides me," Neptune responded firmly.
- Asmodeus(thinking): "Then the Decree didn't activate on him. That means..."
- Asmodeus: "Oh, but I can feel their presence," Asmodeus retorted, a cruel smile curling on his lips. "Hiding them is useless."
Aelion, however, wasn't about to yield.
- Aelion: "These lands are no place for demons, Asmodeus. Leave now—or I will make you."
The Geulim laughed—a sound that reverberated like thunder through the air.
- Asmodeus: "Then try your luck."
Aelion immediately activated his perk, Gandhāra Protection, a golden aura illuminating the area as he summoned the Blades of Gandhāra. With a swift movement, dozens of energy swords tore through the air toward Asmodeus.
The attack was swift and devastating. The blades pierced Asmodeus's armor, causing burns that echoed the power of Throk's Sonne Segen. Even so, the Abyssal Decree did not retreat.
- Asmodeus: "Interesting..." Asmodeus said, wiping the blood from his mouth. "But that won't be enough."
With a roar, he activated his spiritual ability, Demon's Crater, unleashing a barrage of punches—over 437 in total—that shook the ground and opened massive craters all around. Aelion, however, held firm, protected by his Gandhāra Shield, which withstood each impact.
Still, the situation worsened when Asmodeus revealed his trump card: the last cell of Baphomet that had remained dormant. Their fusion turned Asmodeus into an even more terrifying force.
- Asmodeus: "Now, tell me…" he demanded, as his right side morphed into a grotesque form, "where are the other bearers?"
A desperate village soldier cried out:
- Soldier: "They're not here! Only Neptune is!"
In that instant, the Axiom Decree activated. The soldier was turned into stone—forever frozen in his lie.
Aelion clenched his teeth, furious and powerless. Neptune had to step in—killing Asmodeus was impossible for Aelion due to the Decree of Unprotection, which punished anyone attempting to assassinate him.
- Asmodeus: "It seems we're at an impasse," Asmodeus said, amused. "But I propose… something different."
He smiled and gestured toward Aelion.
- Asmodeus: "A game. A clash of attacks. We'll trade blows consecutively until one of us runs out of spiritual energy. No outside interference—otherwise, the Axiom Decree activates. The same goes for me. If you accept, I will temporarily disable the Decree of Unprotection."
Aelion hesitated, but he knew this was the only way to protect the village without sacrificing lives.
- Aelion: "I accept."
The battle began, and each blow was a spectacle of strength and endurance. The ground quaked, the flames of Asmodeus's Infernal Blasts clashed against the Gandhāra Shield, while the village began to suffer the consequences.
Midoki, awakened by the guards, arrived at the battlefield and was shocked by the scene. He listened to the conditions imposed by Asmodeus and understood that any interference would break the pact.
Even so, he watched with a heavy heart as Aelion stood his ground with everything he had. The clash escalated—and the fate of all seemed to hang by a thread.