HEX: Aspect Of The Void

In a flash, Talia and Shamac dashed toward the two Apostles who stood motionless at a distance, leaving Shamac behind them to observe the fight.

"Foolish mongrels" Gratiana muttered.

Matching each other's pace, they fluidly swept through the distance and reached Gratiana's location in no time. Attacking from opposite directions, they lunged their fists to hit her.

Immediately, a white barrier enveloped Gratiana and Maria, who cling to her. Both attacks launched by Talia and Ana were repelled by the luminous field, sending both of them flying away due to its force.

"Tch, I knew it. It's going to be troublesome with that little one around…" Shamac muttered as he observed the fight.

Ana and Talia turned their bodies midair, and landed on their feet, a little distance from the protected opponents.

"Are you really looking down on me? What was with that pathetic display of power?" Gratiana scowled.

Talia and Ana smiled when she said this. They weren't fools. The two of them saw what had happened when the Forest Guardian used its full force to attack the force field. The power he used recoiled and was redirected at him. If they had done the same and gone all out, the attack on them would be devastating.

"The power of that shell is only proportionate to the amount of force used. We'll take damage if we attack it head-on, but we still need to break the barrier…" Talia said to Ana.

"I suppose that leaves us with only one choice then… We'll just strike at a distance" Ana smiled.

The two women nodded, and leaped back, creating even more distance between the enemy and them.

Gratiana patiently observed them with folded hands. No matter what they did, it wouldn't be enough to break through the barrier. It was impenetrable, an effect of a Relic granted to her by the Prophet himself.

"Even I would have to use a great deal of power to break it…" Gratiana mused.

She didn't know how the master of these heathens was able to shatter it apart so easily, but the ones in front of her didn't stand a chance.

Take and Ana smiled once they had reached a safe distance from Gratiana and Maria.

"[REALM OF LIMBO]"

"[COCOON OF DARKNESS]"

Ana and Talia simultaneously muttered silently.

Suddenly a massive surge of power emerged from the both of them, sending shockwaves to permeate all around the room. The air vibrated and the ground shook due to the forceful emission of power from the two of them.

Gratiana and Maria were unaffected by this since they were within the barrier, but they were still surprised by the amount of force they possessed.

Without giving them any opportunity to think, Talia and Ana raised their hands and focused their attacks on the barrier in front of them.

"[3rd Seal Release]" Talia whispered, increasing the strength of the aura surrounding her even more.

Wings emerged from her back, however, they weren't white as in the past. The shimmering wings appeared to glow with a pink hue, having silver linings decorating the tip and designing the body.

Talia appeared glorious in her new light as she ascended into the air and looked down on her opponents with a condescending smile. Her hands remained outstretched and an unbelievable amount of energy began to converge on it.

While Gratiana was focused on Talia's transformation, Ana's eyes glowed white, causing her REALM to open even further into the depth of the vast space she had access to.

"Fourth Set: Blast" She smiled.

Immediately, weapons started to appear behind and beside her in multitudes. They had golden appearances, with a white aura surrounding them. The weapons appeared to be in the shapes of wands and cannons. They numbered in over two dozen. Surges of energy and cackles of lightning began to emanate from the tip of the treasures Ana brought forth, all targeted at a single target.

"You…" Gratiana gritted her teeth, glaring at Ana with a shocked and distasteful expression.

However, before she could let out her words, both women fired off their attacks consecutively.

Talia's silver-pink spirals of energy, coupled with Ana's several beams of differing energies all launched at the protected Apostles. As they flowed side by side, the varying forms of power converged, mixing with one another, increasing the total destructive capacity they possessed individually.

In a split second, the combined blast hit the barrier, causing a massive shock wave to envelop the area, devastating the walls and ceilings of the room. The floors cracked and the concrete above their head broke apart, crashing into the ground.

Shamac protected himself with his shadow, but still ensured to keep observing the fight. Ana's treasures immediately shot any debris that headed toward her, causing them to shatter immediately. Talia easily evaded the falling debris, gliding through the air as she reunited with Ana.

"So, you think that did the trick?" Taliban asked, returning to the ground with her wings still behind her.

Ana could sense the enemies using her Apostle privilege of Extrasensory perception. She smiled as she shook her head.

"If only it were that simple…" Ana mumbled

Getting a hint of what her partner meant, Talia flexed her wings, building up some energy within them. She then flapped it slightly, and a gust of wind blew throughout the room. The dust caused by the debris and destruction was waved off by the stroke of her wings causing visibility to return.

"… Unfortunately, these Apostles aren't as easy to beat"

Gratiana's scowl caused her entire face to wrinkle, she was visibly upset, even more than before. Her fists were clenched and her animosity was fixated on Ana.

"You dare to use Grace?! How dare you sully the divine art when you have abandoned the will of the gods. You damned bitch! I've changed my mind. I wanted to end you swiftly, but that would be too merciful to you. I'll be sure to utterly devastate you and enjoy myself as I watch you slowly give in to despair and see the error of your ways, you cur!"

Gratiana's bloodshot eyes were filled with uncontrollable resentment, and her bloodlust made the hairs on Ana's body stand. Even Maria, who stops beside her was trembling at the sight of her superior.

For Gratiana, who believed in the supremacy of Apostles and the arts given to them called Grace, seeing Ana use such a sacred power was beyond the realm of anything she could forgive or tolerate.

Ana stood firm and decided not to be intimidated by Gratiana's yells of threat.

What was more important was how to destroy their protection... It was too firm.

Shamac watched the fight unfold from afar and tried to figure out their next course of action. The barrier was in the way, and the highly explosive attacks of the both of them combined didn't even leave a dent.

"Master Hexarion used less power to break the barrier, though… Is there a trick to it?" He considered within himself.

Suddenly, a spark appeared in his head and a sudden idea popped in. He grinned to himself and considered the possibility.

"Talia! Ana! You can't break the barrier with just brute force!" He yelled, quickly calling their attention to him.

They both looked back, responding to his sudden call. He smiled at them and gave a sly look.

"Use that 'other power' the Boss gifted you" Shamac stated.

Their eyes widened as he told them this, and they glanced at themselves to reach a consensus.

"It's worth a shot…" Talia mumbled.

"This could… Actually work…" Ana reasoned.

Both women suddenly retracted their powers, once again returning to their original state. Talia's winds dissipated, turning into particles of light while Ana's treasures vanished, returning to the space they came from.

"What are they up to now?" Gratiana mumbled.

She could attack them if she wanted, and most likely kill them off. However, she still had to conserve her power.

"I'll just let you waste your energy on this futile attempt, then I'll take my time to discipline you all… Especially you, Ana. I'll make you wish you were dead, or back in the village of those Barbarians who defined you every day" Gratiana grinned widely.

"[COCOON OF DARKNESS]" Talia muttered.

"Isn't that what she did before...?" Gratiana asked herself, carefully observing Talia.

"0th Seal Release… Dark Cloak"

Suddenly, a black-purple material appeared, covering Talia's body. The material permeated her skin, gripping it tightly, until her entire self was covered in it, to the exception of her face.

"… So you finally learned it" Ana smiled.

Talia nodded, remembering what it took her to obtain the form she had now.

Hexarion had been disappointed that she was only able to utilize the first seal since she went through metamorphosis. She also couldn't use the Cocoon Of Darkness, a special Treasure Hexarion bestowed upon her and the only thing keeping her alive.

In order to please him, she worked hard while within ROOT until she finally achieved breaking other seals and partially using the Cocoon's power.

"It won't last long though… Ana!" Talia said, raising her voice at the last word.

"Got it!"

Ana's eyes glowed.

Immediately, Talia disappeared. The two Apostles were flustered by what had just happened, however, Gratiana quickly regained her composure.

"So, you took her within the Realm? What of it?" She said, eyeing Ana suspiciously.

Suddenly, Talia appeared in front of the Barrier, her fists raised to strike the barrier with a great deal of force.

"This again? It's useless-"

As Gratiana spoke, Talia's hands made an impact with the barrier. The sudden clash between the two opposing forces made a deafening sound. However, instead of her being repelled from the light field, something surprising occurred.

<Crack>

Gratiana's eyes bulged.

"W-What?!" She let out in shock.

The light barrier cracked even further, the thin lines which indicated its damage spread throughout the spherical light protection.

The barrier shattered immediately, causing Maria to scream in pain, due to her connection to the light barrier that broke apart.

She fell unconscious immediately. Falling into Gratiana's bosom.

"Y-Yes!" Talia grinned.

She did it, she really broke it apart… By using the strange power of the Cocoon, just as Shamac wanted.

She turned back and smiled at her two allies. However, their face didn't depict joy, but horror. Their eyes widened and their mouth fell with slight fear and worry.

"Talia, get out of there!" Shamac quickly shouted.

"Eh?" Talia muttered in confusion.

She was busy facing her comrades that she lost focus on the enemy. Gratiana, whose looks now resembled one saddened with rage, glared at Talia's frame.

<Splurge>

Blood splattered throughout the floor, oozing from the top as it spilled.

<Cough>

"Bleughh" Talia groaned as she vomited blood.

Her eyes widened in shock as she looked below her and saw a sword pierced through her stomach.

"W-Wha…?!" She let out weakly.

She slowly tilted her head to face Gratiana, and her eyes bulged at what was waiting for her.

Many swords were still laying overhead, waiting to descend upon Talia. They glowed silver and white and their edges pointed to Talia, with Gratiana's will being the only thing holding them back.

"Die, wench!"

Suddenly, the suspended blades fell from midair aid descended upon Talia.