‎Kiel and his brethren flew toward the divine barrier at the same speed. When they were close to the barrier, they surrounded the barrier to find the weak spots. It was as they had expected that Serena’s divine power was imperfect and impure, after all, her soul was damned just like them and the other Fallen Watchers.

‎Serena who saw it, she tried to reinforce that barrier but it was already too late when Kiel and his brethren released beams of light and hit the barrier from different sides. The moment the barrier shattered, the demons slowly regained their power. They were close to losing the battle, but now that the barrier had been destroyed, the table could turn.

‎The demons were enraged and began to massacre the humans, ripping and tearing their bodies like wet papers. Although humans witnessed the gruesome and terrifying power of demons, they didn’t falter. They all charged toward the demons, avenging their fallen brothers and sisters who fought for humanity.

‎Kiel and his brethren flew toward Serena since their objective was to kill her and to bring Lilith back to hell. However, Lazarus, Arandil, Uriel, Xena, Nior, and Castor blocked them and sent them away from Serena.

‎”Saint Serena, we will take care of those demons,” Lazarus said with a cold and serious expression. “We will do everything we can to stop them from reaching you,” he added with determination.

‎Arandil and the others nodded, agreeing with what Lazarus said because they knew the key to their survival lay in her hands. They all then chased where Kiel and his brethren went from the attack they did to them.

‎Serena felt her chest tighten and it was hard for her to breathe. She collapsed to her knees, her hand clutched onto her chest. Aurelia and Monica hurriedly ran toward her and checked her condition. They tried to use their divine power, but they found nothing wrong with her body.

‎”Saint Serena, are you okay?” Aurelia asked, worried that Serena might become like her mother.

‎”I’m…” Serena breathed heavily as sweat began to fall from her forehead. “Fine…” She answered as she nodded.

‎”No, you’re not fine, Saint Serena,” Monica said with a serious expression and looked around at the chaos. “Send someone to escort her into the palace, Aurelia. She needs rest, and we don’t have people to spare just to look after her,” she looked at Aurelia.

‎Aurelia nodded with understanding and then ordered one of the Paladins to protect her. She ordered the Paladin to escort Serena to the palace and let the Black Hands and Rasmus’ people take care of her.

‎Serena wore a black robe and put on a hood to hide her presence from the demons. She was escorted through the fourth gate and entered the palace area. She hid her divinity so no demons would know that she had gone, especially Kiel and his brethren.

‎Serena safely entered the palace with the Paladin. However, she stood there in front of the door and the paladin was confused as to why she suddenly stopped moving.

‎”I’ll be fine on my own from here. You should go back,” Serena said, her exhausted expression painted on her face. “Go, everyone needs you,” she stared into the paladin’s eyes that were hidden underneath the helmet.

‎The Paladin bowed his head before he left the palace and ran back to join the fight. Serena stared at the door for a while before her expression turned back to normal after she pretended to be weak. She walked the grand hallway before she stopped and looked at the two doors that led to different areas of the palace. The right door led to where Carrion, Erlina, Javi, Darus, Astrea, and the Black Hands were. The left door led to the private area where the secret chamber was.

‎Serena’s eyes stared at the right door, but her body moved toward the left door. She entered the private area and walked the long hallway, unbothered by the sound of the screams of the Nephilim’s and the explosions of Lenin’s magic.

‎When she stood in front of the painting, she pushed it aside and entered the hidden passage. She walked down the stairs until she saw the wooden door that led to the secret chamber. The moment she opened the door, she was surprised and stood still at the door when she saw Astrea standing in front of the corpse.

‎”I was wondering who it was, and I expected a powerful demon to enter this chamber. But now that I found out it was you, somehow I feel like meeting a powerful demon here gives me the same unsettling feeling,” Astrea said, slowly turning her head to look Serena in the eyes with her face that was covered in bandages. “What are you scheming, Saint Serena? You should be out there, not here.”

‎Serena took a few steps forward and closed the door behind her, her eyes never leaving Astrea.

‎”I need that power, Astrea,” Serena said with a cold expression. “The cult wants it, the demons want it, and Aurelia doesn’t want it. Everything that’s happening here, this corpse is one of the reasons why,” she pointed out as she walked toward the corpse, standing on the other side of the stone coffin.

‎”Let me devour her power and make it mine,” Serena said as she stared at the corpse that looked like a sleeping woman. “That’s if you still care about the future of humankind, Astrea. The future of your daughter,” she glanced at Astrea with a cold gaze.

‎”I see…” Astrea closed her eyes, and that alone was painful enough for her. “If that’s the case, you should take mine as well, at least what I have left,” she slowly opened her eyes and stared into Serena’s eyes.

‎Serena didn’t react to Astrea’s blunt request. She didn’t expect that Astrea had given up on living or perhaps had accepted her fate.

‎”But I have a request, Saint Serena. I have only one request,” Astrea said, her voice having grown weaker. “My request is for you to answer this question of mine. Are you supporting Count Rasmus Blackheart and his cause?” She asked.

‎”Yes, I am,” Serena answered without hesitation. On the day she met Rasmus for the first time after Lilith possessed Serena’s body, she didn’t trust him, and didn’t even care about his words. However, the more she knew him, the less she resisted his words until on that rainy day where she realized that she didn’t mind bending her knees for him.

‎”Can I ask you another thing?” Astrea asked, realizing that she might have overstepped her boundaries. “What’s Rasmus’ goal and how will the world suffer from it?” She asked.

‎Serena nodded, knowing this would be Astrea’s final request.

‎Daryus was anxious, waiting outside Astrea’s chamber because Astrea requested to be left alone for a moment. It had been a while since then, and he knew that Astrea’s condition had reached its critical state that anything could cause her significant pain and even death.

‎While Daryus was deep in thought, he heard footsteps coming into the corner of the hallway. He thought it was Astrea, and he was right, but he didn’t expect that Astrea was being carried by Serena in her arms. The way Astrea’s arm hung lifelessly, he collapsed to his knees, his mouth gaping and unable to utter a single word.

‎”She’s gone,” Serena said, standing in front of Daryus. “She wished to be placed on her bed,” she looked at the door to Astrea’s chamber.

‎Daryus lowered his head, mourning for a moment before he steeled himself and got up to open the door for Serena. They entered the room, and it was eerily quiet until Daryus burst into tears and began to sob uncontrollably. He was the only one who knew how much Astrea suffered and endured, from how she lost hope, then got her hope up before that hope betrayed her. He vividly remembered every moment he had in this room with her, and it pained him more than ever because he was the one who tried his best to cure her condition.

‎Serena let Daryus mourn and cry his eyes out as she carefully put Astrea on the bed. She stood there, staring down at Astrea’s expression filled with guilt and regret.

‎”For the first time in my life, I end a human’s life…” Serena muttered to herself. “Hell isn’t for you…” She closed her eyes as she hurriedly left the room. “It’s for someone like me…” Her eyes glowed bright yellow as she felt a surge of divine power run through her veins.

Serena walked out of the palace and looked at the chaotic battle beyond the fourth wall. She took a deep breath and slowly raised her head to look at the bright sky, showing that morning had come. Suddenly a bright divine light descended from the sky, and that attracted everyone’s attention even Satan.

“So this is the trick up your sleeves, Kyros…” Satan stared at the divine light, knowing that it was higher beings that had descended and possessed someone’s body. “This is troublesome…” She realized that the situation might have gone out of hand.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep