Ascension of the Nephilim

Kyros's form of light had stunned Diana.

The purity and form of Kyros were so strong and pure that it caused a Paladin-in-training to marvel as if she had found the highest goal and dream that she would strive for. 

Kyros was curious at his sword and cloak. Using Skotos is Phos, the entire power that appeared on his sword and cloak had transformed into that of light.

The darkness had become light, and the blood that sword was covered with had somehow turned into a white-like flame.

Kyros was amazed. 

"I guess I'm a Paladin now?" Kyros shrugged his shoulder and opened his console to check his weapons.

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Purifying Sword of Ten Thousand Justices

Attack: 31

Durability: 30

Recovers durability when exposed to Light Energy and Fire

Ethereal Angel Summon (1)

Soul Purging

Dark Purging

Flame Blade

Heart of Ascension (1)

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Raiment of White

Defense: 60

Durability: 30

Recovers durability when exposed to Light Energy.

Light Resistance: +33

Light Flash

Light Barrier

Heart of Ascension (1)

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"Wow." Kyros couldn't help but praise. The Heart of the Fallen had changed with his power.

"So this is the power of Mysterion?"

"It opens up a lot of possibilities! Remember what I told you about the two Elemental opposites? Light and Darkness allows you to wield certain elements within your range. I thought whoever made the Temple left you those Elemental Cores so that you can have more power. But it seems I was mistaken! You always had the power to wield all elements! With this power, and with Greater God Daradiel's Code, you could become the first being to wield all elements!" Calaminus exclaimed.

"I remember. It's quite interesting what powers I will soon be capable of wielding. For example, if I get the Celestial Code, will I have all Elemental Cores? Is that even possible?"

"You already have Earth, Entropy, and Dark. If you add me, then you have Time!" Calaminus explained.

As Kyros was lost in his own thoughts, the Coven and Diana kept gazing and even slowly approached the strange figure of a Paladin which such holiness that it surpassed the display of power that the Paladins of the Vaux Imperial Kingdom displayed.

The Vaux Imperial Kingdom had long sent their strong Paladins to showcase the Holiness and power of their Paladins to all neighboring kingdoms and as a means to evangelize them. As such, most warriors and nobles have seen the power of Paladins.

"If Lord Kyros were to showcase his power as a Paladin, wouldn't more people rush to join our family?" Martha asked Diana.

Diana could only glance and admire the power.

Suddenly, the powers switched back to the detestable darkness.

"What happened? Why did you stop? Bring it back!" Diana wept.

"Erm... Sorry, mother. But that form consumes magic."

"And that Darkness you are summoning doesn't?"

"Well... No. I have a Dark Core now. It's similar to the Entropy Core, but this one is within me. So I was using the stored mana of that core. Of course, it grows as I level up too! Neat, huh?"

"Why does a Paladin of great power have a Darkcore in him?!" Diana went back to her angry form.

"Let's just say I am both." Kyros laughed.

"We have to move now. We don't know what the Blood Calamity would do. But by the looks of it, she won't be able to move immediately. Still, staying here won't do any good. So, let's take a quick look at what else we can get in this mines and get out."

"Lord Kyros? What about Fate?" Avary asked.

"Erm... Fate... has acted strange. I think... it's favoring us for now." Scarlet answered.

"Oh? Why do you think that?"

"I don't know." Scarlet sighed.

"This sounds suspicious..." Martha answered.

"It's not. It's the real deal. Scarlet is right. What a trickster this Fate is. She seemed to have blessed you guys because of our act of defeating this guy."

"Why would Fate do that?"

"It's complicated. But to make the long story short, Fate is helping us grow strong enough to fight a force more powerful than herself. And this enemy, the Blood Calamity, belongs to that enemy. Think about it. If I couldn't deflect his soul attack, we would have died for real!"

"That's true..." Scarlet could not help but look at her arm and recall the painful event.

"Then we won because we outsmarted it." Martha understood what had happened.

"Correct. That was a close call, honestly. If our enemy were not made aware of what I gained from Fate, we would have died. However, this enemy is more nefarious. It doesn't play any rules and wants to kill us. The more trials of Fate we complete, the more this enemy can attack us."

"Who is this enemy?"

"We have earned our power from Fate, and as to why we have it, is to challenge this unknown enemy. Remember the strange rock we found that the Golem City was guarding? It talked about strange powers called End and Beginning. We are somehow caught up in that place. Not to mention, there are the lurking monsters beyond the Golem City."

"I haven't seen that Temple or the monsters in it. But it feels that we have a lot of things to fight." Martha sighed.

"Which is why I plan to take away the other distracting things. We have to keep the Blood Calamity weakened. Grugnyr, take the heads of these vampires and show them to the towns you go to. But take the large one along as proof. But your goal is to bring those heads back to the main fort. If you fail, then more orcs will die here. If the Blood Calamity awakens in its full power too fast, we will have problems. Convince the group and make them check this place to see all the deaths that have been caused. Whatever you do, make this place full of powerful warriors with intense security." Kyros reminded.

"I will not fail!" Grugnyr vowed.

"The rest of us will begin our attacks to some of the towns and outpost."

"Attack outposts? Why?" Martha was confused.

"Remember our plan. We are to stir the entire Lowlands to war. When we attack that outpost, the orcs assume that a powerful human patrol is attacking and trying to infiltrate this land. This will accomplish several things. If war happens, we will have very few enemies or companions scouting the Temple area. In doing so, the orcs will fortify each outpost, and even their scouts will be careful. This will make it harder for the Blood Calamity to attack. Mom, you have to show your power once more. I will join you, of course, to make it look real."

"Won't my appearance here spark suspicion to the orc kingdoms? By now, our previous attack should have been made known. Won't me appearing again be reckless? The Steele Family could take the blame from it."

"Our initial plan was to go back to the Airom Vagat under the guise that you fought and freed us. We can use that excuse. We deny our involvement in raiding that orc patrol, but we can just admit it as for our outpost raids. We will claim that the attacks they made on the Steele family led you up here and that those assaults were your attempts to free those slaves we found."

"That would work." Diana nodded.

"I'll instruct Gregory and the three H's to teach the slaves things about the Steele Family so that they would not look as if they were in our service for a long time," Kyros added.

"Alright, gang. Let's see what we can find in this mine... I'll be bringing in more things to the Temple." Kyros smiled as he took out the notebook and wrote more instructions as to what to do. The notebook had been in his pocket all the time. In case things would turn bad, Kyros could write some instructions and send them back to warn Branze and Aron.

But now, Kyros made orders to ensure that the room will always be cleared. Kyros had seen precious stones of all sorts and is confident that many of the Temple's Quest would be completed.

Kyros sent it notebook and began to order his group to move. Grugnyr began his quest and headed out to go to the nearby towns.

But as the group moved...

Aron and Branze were amazed at what happened to the Temple.

When Kyros killed the large orc who had the soul blood of the Blood Calamity, he was awarded 10,000 points which made the Temple reach the next level. And all the Temple's skills also increased.

Hallowed Grounds, which Kyros had against the low-leveled Shades and links the Kyros to the Temple Core, became Holy Grounds.

Greater Holy Healing had become True Holy Healing and increased the capability and speed of the Temple to heal and mend wounds.

But these two things were only made possible because the next locked skill was enabled.

Holy Beam had been unlocked.

The beams of the Temple now had pure Holy Energy.

Kyros didn't know that these changes happened as he didn't attempt to go through all the details of the Temple. Kyros assumed that Holy Beam meant that he could shoot holy beams and didn't know it was talking about the structural element that primarily resists loads of stone and marble within the Temple!

The massive changes made the two brothers fall into a fanatical and crazed state. 

They could now train and harness Holy energy.

"Brother! Father is coming! Let's achieve full-paladin mode before he arrives!" Aron laughed.

"Three steps ahead of you. With this much holy energy, I can finally do more experiments! Knights! You won't just be knights! You will be Holy Knights!"

The knights cheered as they heard the arrogant conclusion that Branze declared. When a knight begins to pursue a Paladin path and begins the foundational transformation through the different ways in instilling the Holy in them, they become Holy Knights. Only the rich Viscounts can pursue this. The Steele Family didn't have the resources to make Branze and Aron into Holy Knights. And the cost of creating Paladins, which is the peak of this path, was astronomical! 

But now, the conservative and pessimistic Branze Steele said that the knights would all walk this path. And that created an uproar as the knights of the Steele Family saw great hope.