Kaecilius appeared behind Vog so suddenly, so unnaturally, that Vog's blood ran cold.
With a startled grunt, Vog rolled aside, instinctively trying to put distance between them. But he hadn't expected what came next.
In the blink of an eye, Kaecilius's magical whip lashed out, snaking around Vog's ankle and locking him in place. Before Vog could react, Kaecilius's boot slammed into his face, knocking him flat on the temple floor.
"That's for the punch you threw earlier," Kaecilius sneered. "I told you, your flashy little martial arts aren't worth a damn."
His tone dripped with mockery as he leaned down, eyes cold.
"So… where is this so-called 'Lord of Life' you worship? Why hasn't he shown up yet? If he doesn't appear soon, you're going to be my meal."
A dark chuckle escaped his lips.
"I'll even give you a chance. Three seconds. If your 'Lord of Life' doesn't arrive by then… I'll drain every last drop of life force from your body."
He began to count.
"Three… two… one"
He clicked his tongue mockingly.
"Tsk, tsk… Looks like your god can't hear your prayers. Or maybe… it's all been a lie. Maybe this so-called 'Lord of Life' doesn't even exist."
His smirk widened, full of disdain.
"My Lord's name is not to be defiled!" Vog's eyes burned crimson with rage.
Kaecilius only laughed in his face. "Fool. Then I'll just be taking your life force."
He raised his hand. The whip coiled around Vog's ankle slithered upward, reaching for his throat.
When suddenly, the statue before Vog erupted in a blinding burst of divine light.
The glow was so intense that the gathered mortals gasped and shielded their eyes. Any ordinary man would have been blinded. But Kaecilius, steeped in the dark arts, kept his black-rimmed gaze fixed on the radiance.
From within the brilliance stepped a girl in pristine white stockings.
Before Kaecilius could even process what he was seeing, a scarlet beam blasted forth from the jewel set in her forehead-crown. It tore through the air like a divine spear, striking his whip.
SHHRIP!
The magical construct snapped clean in two.
Kaecilius's eyes widened in shock.
Then BOOM!
A cannon roared to life, the shell howling toward him with unstoppable force.
Instinct saved him. He threw himself aside, rolling desperately across the ground as the blast shredded through where he had stood. By sheer luck, he survived.
But as he scrambled to his feet, he froze.
A white-haired girl stood before him, small and unassuming, yet radiating power that made his skin crawl.
Her eyes narrowed, her cheeks puffed with irritation.
"So you're the one who disturbed my nap? The one who dared insult my Master's name? Then you die. Laffey is mad now."
She clenched her tiny fist and swung it lazily forward.
It looked slow, almost casual. Ordinary. But Kaecilius's heart seized with terror. His instincts screamed louder than reason he couldn't dodge.
The fist touched his chest.
And in that instant, a force beyond comprehension exploded inside him.
He was airborne before he could react, flung back like a ragdoll.
KRRRUNCH!
He smashed through the temple wall, stone and dust flying. His body didn't stop there it tore through wall after wall, each impact shattering stone, until at last, after several crashes, his broken form collapsed in the rubble.
Kaecilius spat blood, his body trembling, barely able to move.
Laffey didn't even glance at him. Her gaze turned to the apprentice sorcerers who had followed him.
They had only an instant to scream before the jewel on her forehead blazed once more.
A torrent of crimson light swept across them. Bodies and heads were torn apart in a spray of fire and ash. In a heartbeat, they were gone.
The sheer, overwhelming force of her descent stunned everyone present.
It had happened in the blink of an eye, but the mark of her divine wrath would never be forgotten.
"So this is the emissary sent by the Lord of Life?"
"Her strength… it's unreal."
"If we believe with enough devotion, could we become this strong too?"
"Didn't you see our priest's power? He wasn't lying."
"Then it's true faith in the Lord of Life will make us strong!"
Kneeling before the radiant statue, the followers cried out in unison:
"The Lord of Life's divine might is infinite! His flame will never die!"
The awe Laffey inspired was overwhelming.
Those who had been shallow believers were now true followers. More than a dozen became fanatics on the spot.
Even Jason Kin, watching through the divine link, hadn't expected such a harvest of faith.
Having erased Kaecilius's apprentices with ease, Laffey strolled lazily forward, a bottle of Lafite wine dangling from her hand, her lips still sulky.
As she passed, the cannon mounted on her shoulder roared again, unleashing another thunderous blast
Straight at the broken body of Kaecilius.