The smoke began to thin. Ashes danced in the air like a profaned snow, resting on the bodies and ruins. Even with part of the devastated square the crowd that still breathed kneeling slowly, one by one, as in a reflection conditioned to the presence of the divine.
Jandiana continued to radiate her power, her strength almost breaking her sword that cut the invading humans. It was too risky to use your powers, not when your people were in danger.
Small flames escaped from her skin, a power that threatened to overflow. Frowning, Jandiana clenched her fingers in her grip and cut off the invading humans. She needed to contain herself as much as she could.
"Damn... for sure that baby dragon did not plan this alone..." snarled the goddess, retreating a few steps.
Columns were falling crushing civilians. The temple knights rescued the wounded and survivors, bringing them to a last-minute shelter near the temple. But they still sought the safety that their goddess could — and should — grant them.
"Goddess! Please help us!"
"Save us!"
"Take them away!!" Ordered the goddess when more flames came out of her skin "Now!"
The knights dragged people along while another squad focused on combat. There was no time to think of a plan. There was no time. Only action.
And Jandiana was without both as the consequences of her non-ascension brought.
The power began to make her skin shine. The hair of fire began to flutter, and flames appeared on her tips. The heat emanated by Jandiana grew as if the sun itself had descended from the heavens and covered it like a blanket.
Enemies who tried to hurt the divine, were burned in seconds. The priests and priestesses who tried to appease the power had hardly a chance to approach. There was no discernment between good and evil, even if Jandiana tried to avoid it.
Her flames simply swallowed everything in the way.
The cries of despair were mixed with the fear of falling into the hands of enemies or being swallowed by those sacred flames. No matter where to run, only destruction awaited the citizens of Bortoise.
When a choir group was about to be incinerated, Yvaine came in creating a barrier with her own divine energy. Her starry eyes revealed a world of possibilities, which Yvaine tried to avoid.
"Control yourself, Jandiana! Riteun's barrier is still up, this power of Riteun won't last long."
"Argh!!!"
Jandiana's flames flew like crimson chains to attack Yvaine. The barrier prevented the worst, and Yvaine moved her fingers making the sparkles around her come together and form a golden thread. She had used it to hold Jandiana's wrists and ankles and immobilize her.
Jandiana's strength was not small.
The lack of control clouded her mind and discernment. Using her own sword, Jandiana cut the thread and advanced against Yvaine. Even though she was rebuilding her wires and using them to prevent larger attacks, Yvaine still cared about the civilians around.
"Master!!!"
Jandiana's theiodesmos, a young girl with worried features, swayed between helping the humans or her master. Even though her voice reached Jandiana, she received no response back. Her doom only deepened.
"Please master..."
"Damn what a mess."
The voice that came suddenly made Yvaine sway. The presence and bond that existed within strengthened her determination to keep the place safe. She clenched her fingers, forcing the golden threads to bring Jandiana down to the ground, and instinctively diminished her divine presence.
"My Lord, what are you doing here?"
With the help of Aries and Linus, Cale walked through the ruins of the temple. His sore expression hidden under the hood, but his head moved showing that he looked around before facing Jandiana.
"You..."
Subtly pushing the arm of Aries, the demigod managed to get rid of the support to stumble up to Jandiana. He tried to hide his difficulty in breathing before her suffocating divine presence, although it was flawed. Crouching in front of her, Cale raised his amethyst eyes under the darkness of his disguise, looking at her dangerously.
"Let's test something."
"Don't you dare touch my master, you bastard!!!" cried out to theiodesmos, Solardus, but she was prevented by Aries who held her by the collar of her robe "Ahh... Let me go, you giant..."
"Quiet, brat. Your voice is still annoying."
Ignoring the mess behind him, Cale extended his trembling hand until he was a few centimeters from Jandiana's face. Breathing deeply until he felt his lungs about to writhe in his chest, he let his curse act.
He wanted to feel his curse rather than ignore his painful sensations. Cale would look for every damned sign that seemed to kill him inside. Focus on it until he feel pull something from Jandiana.
Jandiana and Solardus widened their eyes as they watched a damned demigod suck such strong divine power. It was amazing and frightening how the flames emanated by the local goddess were sucked in. They flickered and disappeared as they approached the heat of Cale's hand, silent and gentle.
No one had been able to help Jandiana control her new power in the face of chaos. Not even Yvaine, a goddess, had succeeded.
But Cale got it.
Cale absorbed Jandiana's power in a dangerous and daring test. He was under Riteun's gaze and under attack, which he said not to get involved. Still, there he was.
The instant the flames disappeared, Solardus pushed Aries and let go, running towards Jandiana. The girl threw herself into her master's arms, holding her arms to help her get up.
"Master!!! I will take care of you, I..."
Explosions and more screams echoed. The girl raised her frightened eyes to the disaster that still occurred. Her indecision was remarkable, but her hands did not cease to try to free her master.
"The artifact..." she murmured fearful.
"Solardus... cough... Search for the artifact along with Yvaine and—"
Before Jandiana gave the order, Cale put himself in front.
"Did I suck your intelligence? You have no authority to give orders to Yvaine."
With the help of Theiodesmos, Jandiana stood up. Still sweaty and panting, her clear disaster conflicted with her intense and furious look. Although there was a strong divine presence coming from her, Cale refused to tremble. Even if his curse made him a coward, he was naturally stubborn.
"How do you dare to set foot in my temple?"
"The cursed one is watching closely as a supposed local goddess fails miserably to save her own people. If it were not for your inconvenience, I would not be wasting my time worrying about my Theiodesmos putting her live at risk because of you."
Yvaine was surprised to hear her master defend her. Not only that, but to the point of ignoring his own weakness to position himself so fiercely. A slight smile sprang from her lips.
Unlike her, Jandiana seemed disgusted with Cale's audacity. Still feeling the body battle with such conflicting energies within itself, Jandiana took a step forward and faced Cale with arrogance.
"Yvaine is here to fulfill the mission and assist in the ceremony. Even if a disaster has occurred, she must save people."
"Ask for help from the gods who hide among the wounded and refuse to move" cut him again, looking at her coldly "How dare you give orders to a goddess when you have not even ascended?"
"Worm of Nuria... Dare you give me orders? It was your curse that brought calamity to my people, I do not doubt."
The mention of Nuria made those amethyst eyes darken. The two Theiodesmos felt the bond tremble dangerously, and instinctively they were on alert.
Clenching his fists, Cale took a step forward. The anger — which at that time was already becoming a well-known old one — circulated furiously through his veins, activating any mode of survival that a cursed demigod could have. Cale sucked the divine energy and vitality without even wishing.
Although she felt this, Jandiana did not hesitate in her posture.
"It's easy for you to blame someone who has been cursed and thrown into exile. But it seems that you are unable to recognize your own incompetence. Are you ascending to the divine throne at the expense of whom, false goddess?"
The cold, empty look of Cale made Jandiana hesitate. She observed the reaction of Yvaine and Aries, who did not dare to interrupt Cale. Although Aries looked at her seriously never seen before.
Jandiana held her cracked staff and aimed it at Cale's chest. A direct and absolute threat that would make the world tremble.
"I should kill you right now, heretic."
"Beware of your own words" growled Aries as he stood in front of Cale. Yvaine also your side, protecting the master on her back "If not for the boy, you would be taking the lives of your own devotees."
"I am not grateful for a cursed power. Leave my city right now or I myself will invoke the Herald of Judgment to put you in the place that should never have lefted, heretic."
A faint smile appeared on Cale's face. An affront that Jandiana disliked even more.
"I will do it with great pleasure. I hope you lose absolutely everything, since you have failed miserably to be a goddess." Turning his back, Cale moved away from the temple "Let's go."
The moment Cale turned his back, ready to go, a strong presence fell on the four. It was overwhelming, as if the sun fell in all its glory on their bodies. It was so intense, that the interior of Cale turned and burned. An intense and suffocating cough weakened him at the same instant.
"CALE!!"
Quickly and desperately, Aries ignored the pressure and extended his arm. He held his master and the boy Linus, bringing them under his watch.
The feeling only increased, making Cale a weak who paid for his own curses. His veins burst, the pain inside his body stole his air...
What the hell was that?
"Child of the universe."
An ethereal and grave voice sounded among those four divine beings. Cale felt a strong shudder running through his body, and a cry cringed into his throat.
Jandiana widened her eyes, and Yvaine looked up to the sky.
"Riteun..."