Abyssal Awakening

Third Resonance.

Shiera's form began to change as a blend of both Holy and Abyssal energy rushed outward.

Divinity rained down from the sky with the formation of nine suns.

From this light, a gilded winged helmet covered the upper half of her face, allowing her white hair to flow freely as it reflected the radiance of the suns.

The nine suns burned away the shadows upon the battlefield as Shiera activated her first Law.

Law of Solstice – Allies bathed in the rays of her suns shall meet no harm.

That removes the pressure of keeping everyone alive during the fight.

A tether was formed between Shiera and the nine suns, she established her second law!

Law of Solstice – Nine Suns, Nine Lives.

Each one stores a 'death', allowing her to bypass it nine times while also storing the cause of death, thus making her immune while her laws are in effect.

As for the third, Shiera decided to save it for now.

"Truly the Apostle of Preservation, one who vowed to keep the people safe along with the Apostle of Protection. Many claim you wield the blade for death yet... here you stand, using one of your precious laws to protect them." The doctor laughed, clapping his hands.

"Keep clapping and I'll cut them off first!" Shiera gnashed her teeth as she snapped her finger.

A flash of solar light and countless rays shot down from the nine suns.

"Number 27, it's your turn." The doctor commanded as a dark shadow flashed out from the group.

Her body crafted from a strange crystal, grey hair slowly darkening near the tips and a pair of black angel wings.

A corrupted halo spun on her head as she created a blade of darkness and slashed towards the sky.

"Do you think something like that would be enough to extinguish my light?" Shiera whispered, appearing in front of the hybrid as her hands crushed the head immediately. Shadow wasn't even allowed to escape her hands before being burned away.

"Oh my… Are you sure you should use this much power? Isn't it rather exhausting for you to try so hard for small fries?" The Doctor asked, not fazed by the fact that a precious hybrid was killed so easily.

Or at least that would be the case if she didn't regenerate next to him.

"What trickery is this?" Shiera frowned, looking down at her hands.

"A prototype. This will be a demonstration to see how effective the new hybrid models are. Is the new blood as potent as the man suggests or is it a false recreation of dear Alice? Let us find out!" The Doctor grinned.

But just as the other prototypes were about to make a move, a giant shadow loomed over them.

*BANG!!!

Radiant energy crashed down from above.

Arax has joined the fight!

"Thanks." Arax stood next to Shiera with a serious expression on his face.

Since his darling daughter was going to be coming here whether he liked it or not, the best thing he could do right now was to deal with this pest!

"You're welcome. Plus, it's not like I have many Laws that help with fighting to behind with." Shiera smiled, adjusting her stance to one where she entirely focuses on offence and gives up on defence.

"What would Gwenny think if she's to find out about your title?" She asked with a relaxed smile while staring at the army of hybrids.

"That's… a bridge that I'll cross when the time comes." Arax scratched his head.

To Gwen, he was the Apostle of Protection. Someone who has vowed to use his hands for protecting the masses rather than destruction.

But in situations like this, he couldn't hold back.

When the Abyss grants a Lord a title, that title cannot be changed. It can be inherited by one who has yet to become a Lord, but not by one who has already reached Lordship.

Yet as with all things, exceptions always exist.

The Apostle of Protection, few have seen him ever go on the offensive. In fact, many would think of him as incapable of doing so.

He is a man with a giant shield, what else is he to do but defend?

They were sorely mistaken.

Shiera, the Apostle of Preservation was tasked with keeping the natural order. To make sure the landscape doesn't get destroyed, to make sure that the people survive a clash of higher powers.

Arax, in his usual state, was tasked to be the ultimate shield. To defend and protect.

But when the natural order cannot be preserved, one must cleanse the land of its filth.

Shiera, while strong, was not the strongest. In fact, she acted as a limiter of sorts.

"Same as usual?" Shiera chuckled.

"Same as usual." Arax cracked his knuckles.

Shiera clenched her fist, a burning radiant sun erupted within the centre of the nine. Different to the others and housing a massive wellspring of divinity.

As the shell peeled away, a single burning ember could be seen.

"Manifestation!" Arax shouted.

The veins on his arm bulged as radiant solar fire coursed through his body. From his hand, an orb of pure light appeared as a link was formed from the ember and this orb.

The Doctor's hybrids lunged forward, sensing an ominous presence.

But this time, it was Shiera's turn to guard.

Gods were born with several powers at their disposal.

One such was the crystallisation of their myth. Stories that exaggerated a God's tale to further boost their power.

Clenching his fist, the orb of light transformed into a single golden spear with a solar orb held within the spearhead.

Crystallisation of Myth – Night Breaker Spear!

The weapon that Solaris used to split open the night sky and welcome the radiance of dawn!

While Arax wasn't a God, a blend of his renewed title and authority granted by Solaris allowed him to borrow the divine artifact.

Arax – Apostle of Protection, Abyss Lord of Destruction!

A man so suitable for destruction that the moment the previous Lord died, he was given the option to renew his title.

The one in a billion.

Even the Doctor had lost his smile as this wasn't within his calculations.

Arax twirled the spear while transforming his giant shield into a small round shield.

A spear and shield combo.

Golden markings spread across his body as a helmet manifested with flames acting as the plume.

"Follow me!" Arax roared, erupting with a burst of speed.

"Right behind you!" Shiera covered his spear side.

One of the Hybrids tried to stop them but Arax slammed his shield into her body.

*CRACK!!!

The sound of bones shattering from the impact could be heard as he pushed her back before impaling her several times with his spear.

Raising the body into the sky, a pillar of flames erupted, burning away the fragments.

This time, it did not regenerate.

"Hou~ Seems like there is a limitation to how many times you can regenerate yourselves. Hit you hard enough and you can't come back." Arax grinned.

Unlike his usual warm self, he was now akin to an unsheathed blade. Bloodthirst radiated from his weapon as his eyes were now sharp with killing intent.

The Doctor took a few steps back and folded his arms, observing the situation.

A spear infused with the powers of Solaris' divinity along with the power of destruction. A shield with the power of protection that can block any strike.

Beside him, the Apostle of preservation who can store attacks or keep herself from harm. Not to mention the nine suns above her.

He scratched his chin.

While the new hybrids have demonstrated fantastic results, they were not all powerful.

In exchange for superior regeneration that can fix them even with their entire body destroyed, their durability has been significantly reduced.

Each of them carries about 3 to 5 lives and certain attacks past a threshold, like the one Arax used, may take more than one.

Without saying anything else, the Doctor flicked his finger, allowing more hybrids to lunge towards the two.

"Shield deployed." Arax narrowed his gaze and slammed his shield forward.

A golden barrier manifested around them.

He watched the hybrids tear away at his barrier. Pieces falling off from the corruption.

Creasing his brows, Arax held the spear in front of him.

Third resonance!

A cape of flames fluttered behind him. Golden armour covered his chest, forearms and shin while a sun was born in the centre of his chest.

The spear in his hands transformed. The outer shell of gold peeled away to reveal the charred molten core.

Law of Destruction – No wounds inflicted shall be healed.

Law of Destruction – All restraints and protection shall shatter beneath the will of destruction.

Activating two laws at once, the chest of destruction shimmered behind Arax. Veins on his arms bulged from the influx of power, crackles of golden energy coiling around his spear.

The Doctor's pupil constricted. Even if his 'core' wasn't here, with these two Laws he wasn't safe! No matter the distance, the damage will be reflected onto his body!

"Where do you think you're running off to!" Shiera laughed maniacally seeing the panic in his face.

Law of Solstice – Still Horizon.

With this, no one could move, including herself.

But she wasn't done.

With her blessing of preservation, she secured the surrounding space, preventing it from being destroyed while also locking people into their current bodies.

A defensive tool yet futile when faced with Arax's Law.

"Face your judgment vermin." Arax's power boiled to its peak as the sky was ripped apart by the light of the true sun. Discarding his shield, Arax gritted his teeth.

His body was struggling to contain the power within the spear as cracks began to form in his arm.

With a single twist of his body, he unleashed a horizontal strike!