The Deceiver's Path - Chapter 96 - Are All Angels Wusses? (Patreon)

Ophelia stood on a shining bridge stretching across the sky toward a soaring castle. The structure floated above wispy clouds on a foundation of radiance; its impossibly tall walls gleamed like molten gold, with slow-moving currents of light pulsing within the masonry. In the distance, a great silver dragon slumbered on a cloud, its scales rippling with the rays of the burning white sun.

As she took in the vista, all she could think was how boring this place was. Already, she’d unlocked the holy system and received half a dozen weapon skills along with a bunch of stupid farming ones. But since then, she’d just been left standing here.

Where is my stupid guide?

When Piper had gone to the Infernal Realm, she’d gotten to fight demons and crazy trees with tentacles. Meanwhile, she was stuck here staring at clouds.

As if in response to her thoughts, a flock of winged humanoids soared past. One of them broke off and descended to land in front of her. The man, if you could call him that, stood nearly double her height. His face almost made her shudder, looking far too perfect and almost inhuman. Meanwhile, his muscles appeared as if they had been carved from granite.

“Welcome,” the man said in a pure, resonant voice. “My name is Elarion, and I have been awaiting your arrival, Ophelia, daughter of Ethel and Alfred.”

She scowled at him. “If you knew I was coming, how come you made me wait on this bridge?”

The man chuckled, the sound like the clearest bell tone. “I do apologize for the delay. Are you ready to receive your class, Ophelia?”

A surge of excitement shot through her veins. Finally, she was going to become a warrior. She just hoped these wussy angels didn’t try to give her something stupid like a cleric class. More than anything, she wanted to beat the crap out of anyone who tried to hurt her best friend, Piper.

“It better be something good.” She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you dare try to make me a heavenly bard or something stupid like that. I’m not playing an instrument!”

 Elarion's eyes sparkled. “I wouldn’t dream of choosing such an unworthy class for you.”

As she opened her mouth to reply, hundreds of angels soared past overhead like a flock of oversized birds. Many of them wore golden armor, while others were dressed in simple robes. A few of them alighted on a nearby cloud and began to sing.

The singing made Ophelia clamped her hands over her ears; it sounded like the purest thing she’d ever heard, but almost overwhelmed her senses. She felt a wave of dizziness just from listening to it.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse them,” Elarion said. “It has been many years since anyone from the mortal realm arrived here. They are simply excited.”

“Could you tell them to shut up?” Ophelia said. “I think my eyes are about to pop out!”

“As you wish.” Elarion gestured at the musicians and singer, who immediately took flight and flapped away. “Angelic singing is difficult for many mortal minds to comprehend.”

Ophelia sighed and rolled her eyes. “Can we just get to the class already? I need to get back and beat up some guys holding me. My new class can do that, right? I’d like to knock them right through a wall.”

Elarion smiled gently. “I have selected several classes perfectly suited to your experience in the mortal realm.”

“And then I get to fight an angel?” she asked excitedly. “I bet I’ll win for sure.”

“We would never do anything that risked injuring you,” Elarion gasped, looking horrified. “This is not the Infernal Realm.”

“Oh, I see.” Ophelia dropped her gaze and kicked the surface of the bridge. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed at the news that she wouldn’t get to fight anyone. Why couldn’t she have just gone to the Infernal Realm? Piper had made it sound like so much fun.

“Now, this may feel vaguely unpleasant,” he said, raising his hand. “I do apologize most profusely for inflicting any sort of discomfort on you.”

Once again, she rolled her eyes. Were all angels this wimpy?

Golden flames wreathed Elarion’s hand before arcing toward her head.

She flinched back instinctively as the flames impacted her face. A moment later, a dull ache spread through her forehead, making her wince slightly. Then writing filled her vision.

Celestial Ravager (Mythic)

The celestial ravager is holy wrath given flesh. She is a berserker who fights for the heavens themselves and smites her foes with divine fury. When battle begins, she transforms pain and wounds into fury, fueling ever escalating power until her blows land like falling stars.

Demon Hunter (Epic)

The demon hunter exists to eradicate the ancient enemies of the Celestial Realm. She stalks demons with merciless efficiency, banishing them with cleansing magic and swift strikes. No creature of the abyss is safe in the presence of a demon hunter.

Ophelia read the text haltingly, stumbling over some of the words. For the first time in her life, she was grateful her mother had forced her to practice her letters every night by firelight. Otherwise, she might be in trouble right now.

As she finished reading the second class, she scowled. “Hey! My friend got a whole bunch of classes. Why didn’t I?”

For the first time, Elarion frowned. The expression looked completely foreign to his face. “If you are referencing the foul demon you cavort with, then their kind is granted far more spells and skills than a mortal.”

“Don’t call her a foul demon.” Ophelia crossed her arms. “Only I can call her that.”

“I will refrain from using that term again. Now, have you chosen your class?”

Ophelia pressed her lips together. She really, really wanted to take the demon hunter class, just to use it against Piper. But her other class was Mythic. And it sounded perfect for a warrior.

Exhaling, she came to a decision. “I want to take the Celestial Ravager class.”

“An excellent choice.” Elarion glanced up at the sky, his frown deepening. “I’m afraid our time is short. We must hurry this along if we are to avoid catastrophe. The hour grows late and enemies arise for the first time in millennia.”

“I’ve already had a disaster,” Ophelia said. “I was kidnapped by a bunch of jerks.”

“No, another presence draws near to their manor. Should you perish, I foresee terrible consequences in the future.”

“Who said I’m going to die?” A cold chill crept up her spine. Were the Ares brothers going to do something to her while she was awakening? That was totally unfair. You’d have to be a total chicken to attack someone while they were unconscious.

The angel shook his head. “A multitude of future visions swirl around the ascendant realms. The moment you reach out to snatch one, it evaporates like mist in your grip. However, I see terrible outcomes mounting with each moment we delay.”

“So why are you standing around flapping your gums?”

The angel chuckled. “I know a good and just heart beats beneath your harsh exterior. Do not try to dupe me, Ophelia.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she muttered.

Without another word, the angel spun around and set out at a ridiculously fast pace toward the castle. As he walked, he plucked a shining light out of the sky and began to fiddle with it.

Ophelia had to sprint to keep up with Elarion. Didn’t he know she had little legs? And weren’t angels supposed to be these amazing servants of Infernus? What was ruder than making someone run to keep up?

I guess he did say we don’t have much time.

She swallowed her complaint and raced after the angel. The bridge proved to be deceptively long. The scale of everything in this stupid realm felt off. She couldn’t tell how big anything was just by looking at it.

Several hours passed as they traversed the length of the bridge. Finally, they arrived at the golden gates leading into the castle. She gaped up at two warriors standing guard; they stood taller than the highest tree back on the farm. Both of them were clad entirely in shining silver armor.

“I guess I shouldn’t piss you guys off,” she said, looking up at them in awe. The power radiating off them put those stupid bloodsuckers back in Alderwick to shame. A single one of these angels could probably beat up every vampire in the empire.

Elarion nodded to the guards, and the gates swung open at their approach. Beyond was a courtyard bustling with hundreds of angels. Unlike outside, none of them wore armor, and most of them carried books and scrolls.

At their appearance, everyone froze and stared. A few of them even dropped their scrolls, their faces twisting with shock. They looked at her as if a sabre-toothed tiger had just strolled into their kitchen.

“I’ll afraid you’ll have to excuse their rudeness,” Elarion said. “The arrival of a mortal in the realm again portends something truly cataclysmic in the future.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Ophelia yawned. “Bad stuff is going to happen. Now, where do I get my class?”

Elarion strode to the center of the courtyard and clapped his hands. A moment later, a heavily armored angel descended from one of the towers. The form-fitting armor identified the new arrival as a woman, and she beat her wings rapidly to land gently in front of Ophelia.

“I am Lumira,” she said in a throaty voice. “Who challenges me for my class?”

“I do!” Ophelia shouted, stepping forward. Then she paused and glanced around. She needed a weapon if she was going to fight the angel. “Umm... I just need a weapon first. Even a club would do.”

Lumira strode forward, a massive glowing halberd appearing in her hand. “I am impressed with your bravery, little one.”

Ophelia scowled. “Who are you calling little?”

“Your body may be small, but your heart is large.”

“I still don’t like that.”

With a sigh, the angel swung her halberd up, gripping it with both hands. “Shall we commence?”

“Wait!” Ophelia desperately looked around for a weapon. “I need something to fight with!”

But the angel didn’t listen to her pleas and stalked forward. She stumbled back, searching for anything she could use. As she scanned the ground, she realized there wasn’t a single thing she could use as a weapon—not even a loose rock.

She threw up her hands as the angel lifted her weapon, golden light pouring out of the shaft. But instead of striking, the angel knelt and reversed the weapon, offering her the haft.

“I yield,” Lumira said with a smile. “The class is yours.”

“Do you think that’s funny?” she stormed. “If I had a stick, I could have killed you.”

“My life most definitely would have been forfeit if you had possessed such a powerful weapon.”

“That’s not funny.” She fought down the urge to pout. “Are all angels jerks?”

Elarion walked forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Once again, I must apologize. The next part of the process is equally uncomfortable. Are you prepared to receive your class?”

“I guess.”

The second the words left her mouth, the angel spoke words thrumming with ancient power, and she felt pain explode in her head. The world around her darkened as she was transported to another place.

As the world once again brightened, she found herself floating above a fortress fashioned from giant corpses. On the rotting ramparts stood legions of undead, grasping weapons of impossible power. At their head was a skeleton wearing a crown of bone.

Below, a single angel strode up the road leading to the fortress. She wore glittering silver armor and held a halberd in one hand. At her approach, the very world warped as she gathered an incomprehensible amount of power.

A wave of projectiles and spells surged out toward the angel as she neared the grisly fortress. For a moment, she disappeared under the hail of attacks before reemerging untouched. With every spell and arrow that struck her, she only seemed to grow stronger.

Ophelia watched with awe as the attacks became more frantic. Spells vaporized vast swathes of the land outside the castle, yet none harmed the angel who continued her inexorable advance.

When the winged woman reached the gates, she lifted her glowing halberd and brought it down like a bolt from the heavens. The impact sundered the land and collapsed the front wall of the fortress.

Hundreds of undead toppled toward the angel, and a spinning ring of light sprang up around her. In the blink of an eye, she had shredded countless undead, leaving only their leader blocking the breach in the wall.

She marched toward the skeleton with the bone crown, a slight smile on her face. They came together, almost too fast to follow, exchanging blows. A clarion cry rang out, and they separated.

The skeleton stumbled to its knees. Almost in slow motion, he sagged to the ground. The crown tumbled from his head and rolled before being stopped by the angel’s armored boot.

With their leader fallen, thousands of other undead turned to flee. But before they could get far, the angel lifted her hand, and a blazing light appeared in the heavens. She brought down her arm, and a star descended to strike the center of the fortress. It exploded in a blast brighter than the sun, and when the dust had cleared, no trace of the undead remained.

As the battle finished, Ophelia felt herself drifting away. She blinked once, twice, and then found herself back in the angel’s castle.

New writing filled her vision.

Congratulations! You have learned the spell, Divine Rage Level 1.

A celestial ravager is unstoppable when in the grips of divine rage. Any strikes or spells that would normally wound her are instead converted into strength. During the duration of this spell, she is immune to all damage, and pain only fuels her rage.

A second one followed.

Congratulations! You have learned the spell, Halo of Destruction Level 1.

A celestial ravager is equally deadly against a single foe or an entire army. When faced with multiple opponents, she can summon a halo of destruction. A spinning circle of light springs up around her, shredding any who dare approach.

“That was so cool!” she gushed. “Will I be able to do that?”

“In time, perhaps,” Elarion replied. “While you were witnessing the vision, I crafted a gift to take back to your realm.” He held out his hand, displaying a golden sword vibrating with power.

“That’s for me?” her mouth dropped open in wonder.

Elarion reversed the blade, offering her the hilt. “I also took the liberty of imbuing it with a spell allowing you to call it any time you wish. Simply use the skill [Summon Celestial Sword] to gain access to the blade.”

She took the weapon breathlessly. While it didn’t feel quite as powerful as the angel blade she’d discovered in the Black Pyramid, this thing was still awesome. She couldn’t wait to try it out.

“Now, you must return with all haste,” Elarion said. “I fear we tarried too long already.”

Before she could reply, Elarion raised his hand. She let out a cry as her blade disappeared and golden lines formed around her, creating ever more complex patterns. The magic wove together to create a portal, and a gale-force wind sprang up to push her through.

For a second, she found herself in darkness before her vision cleared to reveal the dim cell underneath the Ares manor. Almost immediately, the sweet, perfumed scent of the Celestial Realm was replaced by the smell of her bucket in the corner that desperately needed to be emptied.

Staring at the cell’s door, she prepared to call upon one of her spells. She bet that [Halo of Destruction] would cut through it no problem. As she started to cast, the door swung open, revealing half a dozen nuns in red robes beyond.

Elissa stood at the forefront. In her hand, she clutched what looked like a stuffed raven. She raised the bird, and a wave of darkness flowed across the room.

“Katerina?” the inquisitor called out. “What do you see?”

A younger woman stepped forward and concentrated. After a second, her mouth dropped open. “She’s a heretic!”

“What class does she have?”

Ophelia stepped forward and grinned. “You’re about to find out.” She tried to activate [Halo of Destruction] but nothing happened.

Had she used the spell wrong? She’d spent a lot of time discussing how to use skills and spells with her mother. She could have sworn all you had to do was think about the spell and it would activate.

“Celestial Ravager,” Katerina whispered. “It’s a mythic class.”

“So, Firsts Citizen Ares didn’t lie.” Elissa waved at Ophelia. “Seize her and then provide the man with his reward. Also, inform him that his son’s crimes will be expunged from the record as he requested.”

Ophelia stumbled back as the nuns surged into the room. She kept trying to activate her spells, her frustration growing with each failed attempt. Why wouldn’t they work?

She dodged under a punch and lashed out with one of her own. Her fist connected with a nun’s chin, snapping her head back. She ducked low before throwing herself forward.

Knocking a nun off her feet, she punched, kicked, and even bit a grasping hand. The nuns cursed as she kept them at bay for a few seconds. Then something struck the back of her head, and she knew only darkness.