# Chapter 36: Blood and Shadows
Arthur's eyes snapped open, and he quickly noticed something amiss. He turned his gaze to the chest and saw Orin standing next to it, attempting to pry it open. "What do you think you're doing?" he shouted.
Orin jumped, turning to face Arthur with a determined expression. "I think I can open it. My blood... it might work."
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Orin took a deep breath. "In the Theocracy, there is a close relationship between the Celestials and humans. Sometimes, these relationships, whether consensual or not, lead to a mixing of Celestial and human blood, creating what is known as divine blood. Only those with divine blood can rule in the Theocracy. My family was exterminated because we had first-generation divine blood. I'm the last of my line."
Arthur's curiosity was piqued. "So, you think your blood can open the chest?"
Orin nodded. "It's worth a try."
He drew a knife and cut his palm, allowing the blood to flow over the chest's lock. The ancient runes began to glow, and the chest slowly creaked open. A thick, black smoke began to pour out, filling the air with the scent of ozone and the crackle of electricity. Arthur felt the hairs on his arms stand on end.
Baal's voice echoed in Arthur's mind, a rare note of concern in his tone. "I've seen something like this before, but I can't remember where…"
The smoke continued to billow out, forming into a towering figure with shadowy wings and blood-red eyes.
The creature stood over five meters tall, its presence radiating
malevolence
.
The smoke continued to swirl, gradually taking shape. Its voice was a guttural growl from the depths of hell. "Who dares summon - what the fuck?!"
"
Before it could finish, a bright light descended from the sky, enveloping Orin and pushing everyone back. Orin's demeanor changed, his movements and speech becoming more confident and authoritative. An aura of divine power surrounded him.
Baal's voice was urgent. "Arthur, we need to get out of here. That's an angel."
Arthur stared in shock. "The figure from the chest?"
"No, you idiot," Baal snapped. "The thing controlling Orin. That's an angel."
The angel's voice thundered, echoing with the sound of storms. "Which of you miserable mortals dared to break the seal?"
The dark smoke muttered, "Oh shit, oh shit," and tried to enter one of the adventurers' bodies, but failed. It eventually entered the leader, Darius. The angel, with a motion from Orin's hand, sent a bolt of lightning through Darius's heart, killing him instantly. The smoke turned its attention to Arthur.
"Azazel?" Baal's voice was a mix of surprise and recognition.
Azazel, the demonic smoke, cursed and tried to flee. "Fuck me…".
"Arthur, use Death Embrace! Catch that bastard!" Baal commanded.
Arthur didn't hesitate, channeling his energy into the Death Embrace technique. He felt Azazel's essence being pulled towards him, then into the ring, trapping the demon within.
The angel, now fully in control of Orin's body, turned its gaze on Arthur. "You will all pay for this."
Arthur bolted towards the ruins, his mind racing. "Baal, how do we fight an angel?"
"Kid, you don't. You run and you hide. We are in way over our heads."
As Arthur reached the ruins, he saw Orin--no, the angel--flying above him, wings made of pure energy. "What the hell? He can fly?"
Baal's voice was tense. "It's a wind magic technique, Tier 3. Make a note to learn it later."
The angel's voice boomed, "The demon has fled, but I will cleanse this place of all involved."
The ruins were eerily silent, the ancient stone structures looming around Arthur as he prepared for the inevitable confrontation. The air was thick with the scent of ozone, and the oppressive atmosphere was charged with an unnatural energy. Arthur's heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He tightened his grip on his weapon, feeling the weight of the impending battle.
Baal's voice, usually dripping with sarcasm, was uncharacteristically serious. "Kid, this is going to be tough. You've faced strong opponents before, but an angel is a whole different league."
Arthur took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I know, Baal. But we don't have a choice. If we don't stop him, we're all dead."
The angel, still inhabiting Orin's body, hovered above the ruins, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. The divine aura surrounding him was almost blinding, and Arthur could feel the sheer power radiating from him. He knew this fight would push him to his limits and beyond.
"Remember," Baal continued, "use your surroundings to your advantage. And don't forget, you have necromancy on your side."
Arthur nodded, determination hardening his resolve. He glanced at the altar, the focal point of energy he had identified earlier. It might be his only chance to turn the tide.
"Alright, let's do this," Arthur muttered, stepping forward to face the angel.
The angel descended, his wings shimmering with divine energy. As he landed, the ground trembled beneath his feet. Arthur took a defensive stance, eyes locked on his opponent. The angel wasted no time, launching a bolt of divine energy directly at Arthur.
Reacting swiftly, Arthur dodged to the side, the bolt narrowly missing him and scorching the ground where he had stood. The heat was intense, and Arthur could feel the hairs on his arms singeing.
"You're quicker than I expected, mortal," the angel intoned, his voice echoing through the ruins.
Arthur didn't reply, instead focusing on his next move. He summoned dark tendrils of necromantic energy, directing them towards the angel. The tendrils snaked through the air, aiming to entangle and bind the celestial being.
With a contemptuous wave of his hand, the angel dispelled the tendrils, his power overwhelming Arthur's initial attack. "Futile," he said, his tone dripping with disdain.
Arthur grit his teeth, frustration building. "Baal, any suggestions?"
"Keep him distracted," Baal replied. "Use hit-and-run tactics. Don't let him get a solid hit on you."
Arthur nodded subtly."
The intensity of the battle escalated as the angel unleashed a barrage of divine attacks. Bolts of energy, radiant and searing, rained down on Arthur, forcing him to dodge and weave through the ruins. Each near-miss sent shockwaves through the ancient stone, fragments of rock and dust filling the air.
Baal's voice was dark and intense. "Use your necromancy, boy. Raise the dead and overwhelm him."
Arthur retaliated with necromantic spells, summoning skeletal warriors from the ground. The skeletal minions charged at the angel, their bony limbs reaching out to grasp and hinder him. But the angel was relentless, smiting them with divine light that shattered their bones into dust.
Arthur gritted his teeth, summoning his energy. "Rise," he commanded, and the corpses of the fallen ogres began to stir, their eyes glowing with necromantic energy.
The undead ogres lumbered towards the angel, attacking with a ferocity born of death. The angel fought back, his divine power clashing with the dark magic animating the ogres. Arthur used the distraction to catch his breath, blood dripping from his wounds.
The angel's voice was filled with righteous fury. "You dare defile the dead? You will pay for your sins!"