Chapter 15: A Traumatic Battle

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Overlord: Celestial Crusade

"They are...too much".

Aethaion and Themis along with the elder and his aids were sitting on the dining table with the commander of the Orcs, Mary Jane Kelly, and the elder was stupified by the level of the conversation. Not only were Aethaion and Mary Jane exchanging one term after the other in order to establish a better relationship for their tribes, but they were speaking in a very friendly tone that felt out of place regarding what happened days ago.

"...I suggest this and this to be areas that can be used by both tribes, what do you say?" asked Aethaion while pointing at two areas on a map, with Mary seeming skeptical.

"I agree, and with the river nearby, we can share it as well." Mary Jane acknowledged Aethaion's proposal. Aethaion then stood up and extended his hand to a confused Mary.

"I believe that we can officially talk about peaceful coexistence, what do you say, Mary?" he asked, with her seeming uncertain.

"I agree and since we're gonna form this, we need a name." Mary suggested before it clicked into her head. "The Abelion Alliance?" She'd suggested. "We can actually try to unify the entire Abelion Hills under one banner and help each other out?"

"That would be excellent but in order to do that, we must first negotiate with all the tribes. I believe it will be difficult..." he ended up saying troubled.

"Difficult yes, but not impossible!" Mary exclaimed as she slammed her fist onto the table. "So, when shall we began to organize diplomatic parties?"

Aethaion then took a look around, seeing the elder and his aides along with everyone else in the room except Themis being tense, with him chuckling "Well, before focusing on diplomatic parties, how about a party to celebrate our alliance? Seems like our people need it." he proposed, with the tension in the room seeming to relax a little by his proposal.

"Sure thing, why not have one? We can continue sometime tomorrow!" Mary stood up as she declared her words. "Everyone here, everyone is going smoothly, please enjoy the food and refreshments!"

Upon hearing that, everyone in the room, Themis included, became glad.

An hour passed

The dinner room became lively "Long live Lord Aethaion and Lady Mary Jane!" shouted the elder who was drunk while he was dancing with his aides and the orc guards.

"They surely are way different." commented Themis, with Aethaion chuckling.

"Of course they are. Everyone here and outside is partying hard." said Aethaion as he was hearing the festivities outside and then went on the balcony where Mary Jane was "Are you enjoying the lively festivities?" he asked while looking at both Orcs and Bafolk being merry, with them feasting, drinking and dancing while he could see some being around a bafolk and orc that were arm wrestling.

"It sure makes me forgot where I am at least." Mary chuckles nervously before chugging down a full wooden cupe of the strongest alcohol they had after she said that. "Yeah... forget.."

Upon hearing these words, curiosity sprung in Aethaion "Seems like you are plagued by painful memories. I won't pry any further if you don't want to talk." he said with consideration.

"I'd rather not, not right now anyways since we're meant to be having a good time, ya know." Mary smiled as she drank her share.

"I see, you are right." replied Aethaion in agreement and continued enjoying the festivities.

In a dark room

A group of hooded men were facing their hands at an ethereal globe and then, a red dot appeared on a point "Sir, we found her! We found the rogue god!" said one of them alerted, with a man in high quality priest clothes then heading outside.

"Mobilize the Third Black Scripture Squad and give them *that*." he ordered, with the hooded men freezing in shock and terror from what they ended up hearing for a moment.

"Y-Yes, sir!"

After partying and talking to friends and allies, Mary decided to talk an walk outside of the village's border, having left the walls and walked around the fields of the Abelion Hills and taking in the cold fresh air and the night sky of uncountable stars. "What a gorgeous sight, back home in my world it never had this... besides family..." Mary sighs sadly as she thought on her family back in her world, wandering if her male body is still there but dead, and her soul was taken to this new world.

At the village's gates, orcs and bafolk alike were sharing a toast "To our union!" said a bafolk while holding a cup of ale and making a toast. As they were drinking, shadowy figures began appearing to the horizon "Huh? What are th-?"

The almost drunk bafolk couldn't finish his talk as armoured angels pierced him on his torso and heart, with everyone present being alerted.

"WE ARE UNDER AT-!" tried one of the present individuals to shout.

As Aethaion was watching the festivities, he sensed something and saw the gate being brought down by numerous angels that swiftly entered the village and began causing chaos, destroying property and killing anyone in sight.

"*Archangel Flames?! Then that means-!*" he thought alerted "I must use Message." he said "*Mary Jane, the village is attacked by Slane Theocracy!*" he said with a serious tone telepathetically.

"YA HEARD HIM ORC WARRIORS! THERY'RE ATTACKING OUR VILLAGE, GET THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO OUR SAFETY REGION, THE WARRIORS SHALL ATTACK! Ko'kar suddenly shouted as he threw an potion down onto the ground, releasing an odour that instantly buffed all of the warrior orcs. "Attack!" The orcs, lead by Ko'kar then began to charge at the Slane.

As the Orc began to charge, Mary Jane who was taking a walk received the message and was about to respond, only to get struck in her abdomen side suddenly, causing her tremble and fly down 5 meters from her position. She quickly got to strike again, only to get hit in the check and uppercuted, she was unable to keep up before she finally utilized her World Disaster spell, erupting an beam of fire into the sky that turned night to day. The spell died down only to see nothing.

"Show yourself!" Mary Jane said before she heard a voice.

"Very well, do it!" One shouted as an elderly woman appeared wearing what caused her have her heart drop as she looked horrified at what the elderly woman was wearing, the *World*-class Item Downfall of Castle and Country. Reacting as fast as she could, she charged at the elderly woman, fully prepared to impale the Sakegiri Blade into her, but hesitant at the last minute due to the feeling of cutting down an unarmed woman. At that moment, the World Item got her, taking control of Mary Jane as she stood down.

"Excellent work Kaire, a close call, but we got her." An man in robes smiled as he walked to Mary and grabbed her face. "Such a beautiful woman, we'll use her to destroy not only the orc village, but also the baefolk. Tell her to go back and attack everything in that village." Kaire did as she was told, ordering Mary to return and kill everything inside, no matter the age. Mary turned and leapt into the air as she went back to her village.

Meanwhile at the orc village.

"Keep it up! Get those shields up and form the phalanx formation, we'll take the blunt of the attack!" Ko'kar ordered as the orc with shields formed the formation with tight efficiency and coordination. "Lord Aethaion and Lady Themis, we're no match for their angels, we'll handle the humans on the ground and take out the summoners!"

"It will not be necessary. Themis, let them destroy themselves." ordered a calm Aethaion, with Themis bowing her head.

"As you wish, my Lord. *Widen Magic:Dominate Monster!*" she said and unleashed a cry, with the angels glowing and pausing any action "Destroy each other!" she ordered with an echoing voice, with the angels stabbing each other and dissolving into particles of light much to the awe of every orc and bafolk.

"Excellent Them-" he tried to say, only for an incoming figure to grab his attention "Themis, come here!" he ordered, with Themis looking something coming at her and she managing to teleport in the nick of time back to Aethaion.

Mary Jane soon landed inside the village, as if having received the message prior and for Ko'kar walked up as the other orcs formed an defensive line. "It's good to see ya so qui---" Much the dismay and shock everyone in the area, Mary nonchalantly and calmly impaled Ko'kar in the chest, raising her left hand did an sigil formed on it as well on Ko'kar's head. Then it snapped, dissolving Ko'kar into dust. At this moment, the orcs began to back away upon seeing Mary's eyes, eyes that has no emotion but an blank, diluted stare as if in an trance.

"Stop this madness, Mary Jane!" said Aethaion who appeared before her with Themis after the orc residents run away, with him gasping upon seeing her eyes. "*This state...there is only* one *thing that can do that to a player...* Themis, there must be people outside the village. Go and use your mental powers on them, especially one wearing a silvery white dress, one with the image of a five-clawed dragon soaring to the skies stitched in gold thread!" he demanded.

"B-But lord Aethaion, I can't possibly leave you alo-!" she tried to say in protest, but then Aethaion manifested a white spear with gold markings and a blue jewel on its middle, with him pointing it at Mary Jane.

"*Lord Aethaion's **Judgement Spear**! A powerful Divine Item that bypasses all magic defenses and defensive buffs. If he has brought it out, then he is serious* As you wish, my Lord. I wish you luck in battle." she ended up saying bowing, with her then teleporting.

Aethaion then took a stance "Let's do this." he said determined.

Mary sprinted towards Aethaion as she drew the Sakegiri blade and began to attack him, where she began to utilizing the special Tsubame Gaeshi skill, which allowed her to swiftly and precisely strike ten consecutively slashes at any given target under an single breath.

Aethaion flew up just in the nick of time, avoiding Mary Jane's attack "*She is a Samurai, so her being nimble is a given. In that case...*" he thought and extended his hand "**Widen Maximize Magic: Crack In The Ground!**" he shouted. Then, fissures began forming in the area, with them closing gradually toward Mary Jane's spot.

Mary Jane simply turned and then leapt into the air high in the sky to escape the fissure and began to fall onto Aethaion and used her blade to strike against the Archangel.

As the two were fighting, Mimir left the village secretly because he was coveted by orc children who enjoyed the stories he had told and wanted to leave in order to do come see Aethaion and Mary Jane. He finally arrived, only to see the two fighting.

"The hell...?" Mimir questioned.

Aethaion didn't manage to fully avoid Mary Jane's full attack, with him having a slash on his lower belly "Seems like I have to fight with the intention to kill." he said and threw his spear high in the air, with his two hands glowing "*Forgive me, Mary Jane* **Triplet Boost Extend Maximize Magic: Michael**!" he shouted, with him then firing twelve beams of light from each hand that were travelling fast.

Mary raised her blade, intending on taking on the magic itself with the Sakegiri Blade. "Swift's of the gathering clouds... *Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi*" Mary finally shouted as the Sakegiri Blade radiated light and leapt towards the twelve beams of light as she'd purposely got hit on the beams. However painful it was, it did not show as Mary took the blund, bloody and wounded but still alive as she got close to Aethaion. "*Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, Jigen Yugamiwaza Shuhō*!" she'd shouted as in her perspective, time froze as two duplications of herself appeared in front of Aethaion, each carrying the Sakegiri Blade and each going for an vital spot; one to the neck, the other across the chest and the final one to his upper legs.

"Agh!" Aethaion fell hard on the ground, with him having a graze on his neck and a deep wound on his chest while his legs were damaged to the point he could barely stand, with the wounds glowing with light. "*If I was a second too late, she would have decapitated me!* he thought shocked "*Boost Magic: Heal!*" he thought and then, his body glowed, with his wounds closing and him standing up.

Aethaion took a look at Mary Jane, with her being at her limit but still capable for one more attack "I don't have any MP left, Mary Jane! So, how about one last attack?" he asked while pointing his spear at her.

Mary Jane landed on her two feet as she raised the Sakegiri Blade next to her, preparing for the definitive final attack. "Kurikara!" Mary Jane shouted as the Sakegiri Blade began to glow with mana before it dispersed, obviously using a spell from the World Disaster class drained every inch of her mana and the sword skill she just used to the highest level drained much of her physical. Instead, she just charged at Aethaion, intending to just use her *Divine*-class item to deal the finishing blow and attempted to pierce Aethaion by aiming directly at his spear.

"That was within my expectations." said Aethaion as Mary Jane was now close to him, with his spear disappearing into a portal and Aethaion's fist glowing "**Skill: War God's Blessing!**" he shouted as he punched Mary Jane's belly and his fist made a hole on it, with her belly having a faint glow "This class skill of mine empowers physical attacks and while I would love to end this with weapons clashing, you are very dangerous in close combat." he explained as he removed his fist from Mary Jane's body.

Mary Janes eyes expression was one of shock and horror as she looked down at her body to see a hole before coughing blood up and her eyes slowly gaining no color as it dilated, indicating she had indeed passed away as she collapsed onto the ground, lifeless. The orcs looked at it in shock at how fast Mary Jane just died from an single blow of his fist as Mimir looked at Aethaion wide eyed. "Aethaion, considering you just killed the only other player we know, I suspect you had a plan where it was ultimately safe to kill her?" Mimir questioned Aethaion in an somewhat disdainful tone, but yet filled with curiosity on Aethaion's actiont to do so.

Aethaion then looked at him "Of course I had." he replied in a cold tone while extending his hand at Mary Jane's body "As you know, there are two ways to cancel the effects of World Items such as Downfall of Castle and Country: either the user cancels the effect themselves or the affected target dies. I took the latter because..." he explained and his hand began glowing as he was doing so "...I can do this, **True Resurrection!**" he shouted, with a ray of light falling on Mary Jane's body, with her wounds disappearing and her pierced belly closing.

As Mimir sighed, actually having forgotten the fact Aethaion can perform suich high-tier resurrection spell, the orcs in the area were utterly astounded and in awe, as if witnessing an fantastic miracle as one of the orc walked up to Aethaion. "Are you saying you can revive the dead? If you can, can you also bring Ko'kar back?" The orc desperately requested. "We now understand our beloved Chieftainess wouldn't kill one of us, but to know she did, she won't take it well is all." The orc said as he looked over to the now sleeping form of Mary Jane. "I do not care how you do it, if you do so, we'll be in your debt." The orc kneeled before Aethaion as did the other orcs. "You saved our leader, please save the one that brought her strength."

Aethaion was silent for a moment "Under normal circumstances, I could revive someone. However..." he said while looking further away "...I saw that orc's body turning to ash. I can't ressurect ashes." he explained disappointed, with everyone present seeming to be consumed by greater grief.

"My Lord, I have returned with these two, even though it seems too late." announced Themis who appeared from further away while dragging around a woman and a man in robes.

"That's true, but it's not your fault." he said reassuring her "It's my fault for being unable to completely fix what happened, but it would take a miracle to do so." he said disappointed.

Themis's head wings then flapped once "My Lord, don't you have the almighty ring "**Shooting Star**" that supposedly grants wishes? Can't you do something with it?" she wondered, with Aethaion freezing for a moment.

"*That's true. I have Shooting Star which allows me to use **Wish Upon A Star** three times free of EXP consuming, but will it work?*" he wondered while looking at his hand "*Then again, I suggested using it in order to restore Mimir's body. Also, I would have used it at some point to check if and how much the Super-Tier spell has changed, it's worth the try.*" he thought, with him having made a decision.

Aethaion extended his right hand while he was now surrounded by a huge, blue magic circle, with Themis along with everyone present looking in awe "I wish with all my heart that you succeed, my Lord." she said smiling while bowing her head, with Aethaion looking at her and then at his hand.

" *Let's try this first* Now, Shooting Star, I wish your three wishes to be refreshed every day!" he commanded, with the ring glowing and the glow covering his body for a while, with him laughing "Ha ha, hahahahaha." he laughed whoreheartedly, with him glowing for a moment and calming down. Then, he opened his left hand and manifested a small hourglass and after he repeated the process with his ring, he crushed the hourglass "Ring, I wish to completely restore the Orc Mary Jane Kelly killed today back to life!" he demanded.

Then, a whirlwind occured that gathered a lot of dust in a spot, forcing Themis and everyone else minus Aethaion to close their eyes and after a minute passed, Ko'kar's body was rebuilt, albeit with a scar on his chest and half his face burned.

"Gahhh!" Ko'kar coughed as he instantly stood up, much to the utter shock of every orc. "God damn, did I devour someone's ashees?" he coughed again. "Man, the taste is terrible.. wait.. didn't I die?" Ko'kar then looked over to the unconscious form of Mary Jane before turning to the archangel that resurrected him. "I know Mary, she wouldn't just hurt us even if the reasons were perfect." Ko'kar sighed as he felt his face, feeling the scar. "So, what did exactly happen?" Ko'kar asked the archangel as he also saw Themis with two unknown individuals. "Let's head inside to talk this out, also, let's get our leader to her room!"

After a few minutes

Aethaion was with Themis, Ko'kar and some few orcs were on the dining hall along with the elder and his aids "As many of you might have realized, this attack was caused by Slane Theocracy and this time, it was quite well organized. If Mary Jane wasn't stopped, she would have destroyed this village and have brought great havoc on the Abelion Hills." he explained serious.

"My Lord, we can't let Slane Theocracy keep getting away with this! You are immensely powerful, why don't you destroy them?!" asked the elder angry and confused, with Aethaion doing a hand motion to calm the elder.

"I understand your feelings, but like I told you before, if I attack them head on, that will cause a chain of reactions and events from other political forces, with only turmoil ending up plaguing the Hills." he explained, with the elder calming down upon hearing that "Also..." he said and swept his right hand and pointing at Themis who was holding a white robe with a golden dragon "...we have this powerful item now. Slane Theocracy must be in turmoil with its loss and in Mary Jane's possession, they will think twice before using anything big to attack." he explained in satisfaction.

"What exactly is it, Lord Aethaion? It just looks like an exotic attire." Ko'kar questioned "How is losing this gonna cause turmoil?"

Aethaion then walked at Themis and grabbed the robe "*If I say that we are from another world, they will be greatly shocked* Long ago, when the world was at its infancy, the World Tree known as YGGRASIL had numerous leaves that contained the world's essence. However, a now dead and immensely powerful creature devoured the tree and its leaves, with only two hundred leaves surviving and they became items of unimaginable power. This robe is one of them, with it having the power to charm anyone no matter how powerful or resistant to mind control." he explained, with everyone minus Themis seeming extremely shocked.

An elderly orc then chuckled upon hearing Aethaion's explanation "Well, the world tree YGGRASIL, that I had not heard in a long time... long time." The elder looked at everyone who seemed confused, including Aethaion as it should be expected that none would know the meaning. "Forgive me, but that word holds meaning to me, though I am not familiar with this version of the story, but the North has another version about two world trees; Eldrassil and finally YGGRASIL."

"Oh? That sounds interesting, truly, so I hope that you will tell me another time in length." asked Aethaion intrigued while looking at the orc elder and then grabbed the book that was at the left of his waist "This here is the Book of Azrael." he said and he opened it, with the purple flames surrounding it flaring up for a second, with everyone present seeming to feel awe and dread "This book too has the world's essense. As long as I possess it and Mary Jane gets the robe, we will be protected by the effects of other World Items such a these and even if Theocracy has other such items, we will be able to counter them if they use them against us, even though they will be more cautious in their usage from now on." he explained, closing the book and hanging it at his waist again.

"World items, can anyone use these?" Ko'kar asked. "It be neat for us to have one."

"While it would be interesting to find out, I believe only beings such as Mary Jane and I can use them at the moment." he explained with regret in his voice, only for the sound of steps grabbing his attention.

"Hey, hey ya lot keep it down..." Mary Jane tiredly said as she rubbed her eyes. "I feel so damn tired, I guess walking wasn't a good idea, hahaha." She'd chuckled softly before seeing the Downfall of Castle and Country. "Ooo, I never knew you had that!" she said while pointing to the robe world item.

"I'm glad that you recovered, Mary Jane. Also, it would be insane to not seize it." he explained and then clapped his hands "Now, since Mary Jane is finally awake, how about we visit our prisoners?" he proposed eagerly.

Mary Jane looked towards Aethaion with a confused expression. "We have prisoners, wait we have cells? Wait.. nevermind, lets talk to them.. for whatever reason."