The False God and the True God (2)
In the dead center of the Labyrinth Tower's 5th floor stood a gloomy, shadowy castle.
Having broken through hordes of zombies, Kenion and his paladins reached the castle gates.
"What a truly evil aura."
Kenion's face hardened as he gazed up at the dark castle.
"But Deus is with us!"
"That's right! As long as Deus is with us, defeat is impossible for us!"
The atmosphere was so terrifying that even the saints might wet themselves and flee, but the paladins stood firm.
"...Yeah. He will be."
Is Deus really with us?
Is Deus truly the savior god who will redeem us?
For the sake of reaching that truth, I will conquer this castle.
Kenion steeled his resolve once more and began their advance into the castle.
-Kieeeek!
Zombies bursting through the walls.
-Kuueeek!
Zombies rising from the ground.
-Grraaaargh!
Countless zombies lunged at the paladins.
"We're far from done!"
"By the light of Deus!"
The paladins, hardened by countless battles even before entering the Labyrinth Tower, found the zombies no match in undead extermination.
"At this rate, conquering this castle will be easy!"
The paladins' expressions brightened.
The castle's core was near.
Conquest of the 5th floor was within sight.
The paladins brimmed with hope, but Kenion's face remained grim by contrast.
Are you truly with us, Deus? Guiding us?
They had delved deep into the castle without facing any real obstacles. Nothing had barred their path.
Is a god really on our side?
Were my doubts unfounded?
For some reason, he had a premonition that the answers lay at this castle's end.
The paladins swept through the zombies along the castle corridors and reached the grand banquet hall at its innermost depths.
Standing before the massive doors of the banquet hall, Kenion checked for presences around them and turned to his followers.
"Beyond this door lies a powerful foe. Likely the master of this castle and the one who raised these undead. And the final boss of this floor."
The target of the main quest that would clear the floor upon defeat.
The paladins hardened their resolve.
"This is the first true powerhouse we've faced since entering the Labyrinth Tower. It won't be easy. Stronger and more dangerous than any enemy we've met so far. But who are we? Speak! Who are we?!"
"Warriors of faith following Deus's will!"
"The blades of the god that annihilate Deus's enemies!"
"Yes! We are the swords of our lord Deus! Warriors clad in the armor of his word, wielding the weapons of faith! No enemy, however mighty, can bar our path!"
"No! Nothing can stop us!"
"Today! Here, we shall manifest Deus's glory and make his name echo across the heavens and earth! For Deus!"
"""For Deuuus!"""
Boom!
The paladins kicked open the banquet hall doors and charged inside.
The grand banquet hall was shrouded in thick, blood-red mist.
"This is...!"
"What in the world happened here...!"
There, the paladins discovered human body parts scattered everywhere.
In the center stood a man with skin so pallid it scarcely seemed human.
"Humans."
His crimson eyes fixed on the paladins.
"Heh... minions of a god, eh."
"Vampire!"
A vampire, a wretched being cursed by the divine, unable to live under sunlight.
"Foul demon! In the name of Deus, I judge you here and now!"
Kenion thrust forward his warhammer wreathed in holy power and declared.
"Hahaha! You lot dare?!"
The vampire clenched his right fist hard.
Thud!
The scattered body parts throughout the banquet hall floated into the air.
"Weaklings who cry out a god's name."
Arms, legs, heads—even organs—rose and flew toward the vampire.
"Pathetic fools whose only trick is vainly invoking their god."
Squelch!
Parts that once functioned as human limbs burst into chunks of meat.
Flesh turned to mere droplets of blood.
A rain of blood poured down, centered on the vampire.
"Behold the power of true strength and lament your frailty!"
Bloody wings unfurled massively from the vampire.
"Blasphemous fiend spouting nonsense! Warriors of the god! Judge this cursed monster in the name of the divine!"
"Deus wills it!"
"Eternal be the almighty Deus!"
Kenion charged the vampire, his paladins forming up behind him in perfect formation. The Holy Kingdom's strongest force, capable of even hunting liches, arrayed against a single vampire.
An overwhelming wave of holy power surged forth, but...
The vampire at its forefront sneered wickedly.
Grin.
Kaboom!
Holy light filled the banquet hall.
Vast destructive holy power swirled around where the vampire had stood.
Pure purifying force that no undead could withstand exploded.
Even Kenion, who unleashed it, had no doubt the vampire was obliterated.
Their target had become a puddle of blood.
But...
"Foul holy power."
The vampire rose from the blood puddle.
"But it doesn't touch this body."
He had turned his entire form to blood to evade the paladins' attack.
The vampire raised both hands forward.
"Urgh!"
Danger!
Kenion wrapped his body in holy power and shouted.
"Everyone! Arm yourselves with holy might!"
No sooner had Kenion opened his mouth...
Kabooooom!
A storm of blood raged.
"Gaaaaah!"
Pain like his body being shredded by blades.
Though wrapped in holy power, the blood-blade gale tore through the defense.
Slashes like knife wounds appeared all over Kenion's body.
Hold on... hold on...!
Though he wanted to let go of consciousness, Kenion clung to it desperately.
An eternity seemed to pass.
"Kuhuk...!"
As the blood storm cleared, Kenion spat blood and leaned on his warhammer.
Thud thud.
Around him, paladins collapsed as unrecognizable lumps of meat.
All of them...
"You're alone now."
The vampire approached the ragged Kenion with a leisurely expression.
"And there were so many."
"...Nothing and one."
Kenion spat the blood pooling in his mouth, cloaked himself in holy power, and assumed a stance.
"Are worlds apart."
"Hmph."
The vampire's lips twisted long.
"Is that so."
Hummm.
A blood pulse emanated from the vampire.
"...This is!"
"Then show me."
Crack!
The mangled red meat lumps rose, no longer retaining their former reason—as undead.
"How you'll fight your comrades!"
-Kieeeek!
Paladin zombies lunged at Kenion.
"Tch!" Kenion forced his body to move, blocking attacks and retreating.
-Kieeeek!
Twelve zombies relentlessly assailed him.
"Damn...!"
Clang!
Boom!
Even a transcendent like Kenion, gravely wounded, struggled against the zombie horde of sturdy paladin flesh.
"Doesn't look like much difference to me?"
The vampire sneered as Kenion desperately fought his former comrades.
Deus...
Is this the fate of those who follow you?
Crack!
Like a broken machine, Kenion moved his tattered limbs to smash the lead zombie, thinking.
We fought to spread your glory.
We fought gazing only at you.
Yet this is our reward for staking our lives for you.
Unlike other players, no respawn with a flash of light.
They became the vampire's hideous undead minions.
Is this truly the end for god's warriors?
-Kieeeek!
Crack!
Kenion dodged a biting zombie and shattered its head with his warhammer.
Are you not an omniscient, omnipotent god?!
Can you not eradicate all evil and save your flock?!
Kenion's emotions surged with rage, his enveloping holy power flickering and waning.
If you are truly a god!
Our god!
Show us your miracle!
Crack!
The last zombie's head exploded under Kenion's warhammer.
Thud.
Kenion's legs, drained of nearly all strength, buckled, one knee hitting the ground.
With no faith left, the holy power sustaining his body vanished.
He could no longer stand.
No longer move.
My god...
Why...
Have you abandoned us...?
He didn't even want to move anymore.
Clap clap clap clap.
The vampire applauded the fallen Kenion.
"It is different. A little."
Snap!
The vampire flicked his fingers.
"Your flesh will make fine material."
-Grrraaah!
Zombies with crushed heads regenerated and rose again.
"But that's all. All you god-crying weaklings are the same. Screaming the name of a false god who won't aid you in your death throes."
The vampire pointed at Kenion.
"Now die."
-Kieeeek!
Zombies charged at Kenion once more.
Was faith in gods the mistake itself?
Is there truly no god who cares for humanity?
Are humans... worth so little?
...Was my entire life wrong?
His life, devoted solely to Deus, flashed before Kenion like a panorama.
Even my final moments in service to a god.
What have I lived for until now...?
In that moment of reflecting on his life of total surrender...
A resplendent warhammer, as if forged by a god himself, appeared alongside
the light of salvation descending upon him.