Even though the thing in front of me looked somewhat human, it possessed no fingernails or skin.

  "We have to get out of here", Li expressed, panic clearly overtaking her words. I could even see her lips trembling a little.

  Marth and the cat stood back up, it was pretty clear they had also felt the aura this being had been emanating.

  The form slowly came closer to us, the sky still completely pitch bck.

  As Allison came back to her senses, I felt a cold sensation on my neck. Suddenly, the strange amalgamation pointed to Li.

  As if she understood what that meant, Allison immediately grabbed Li, forcibly making her duck.

  I couldn't understand why she took the initiative to do that but I couldn't deny her instinct had been right. Some of the soldiers still surrounding us disappearing into the darkness, only leaving behind their scream of agony.

  Did the darkness absorb them?

  "This is a warning shot! That thing is twisted and vile, it just wants to toy with us!"

  I didn't really know her that much but she never seemed the type to shout like this. Those words are spoken out of real fear.

  She's holding Li to her dear life...

  Why did that thing point to her in the first pce?

  "What the hell is that", questioned Jessica.

  "This amount of karmic energy, I've never felt such a rge amount before... It's so dense and heavy even standing there feels tiring."

  I had felt that too, according to what Li said, this is supposedly a god that managed to manifest using Allison apostle status as a waypoint.

  Panicked, one of the soldiers started bsting that thing with his riffle. As expected, it had no effect, the bullets simply traversing the body of this creature.

  "Below you!"

  Allison screamed to me.

  I wasn't stupid enough to not take her advice, it was pretty clear she could perceive the intents of that "god".

  I suppose it's possible you become intrinsically linked with the god that gives you your powers on way deeper level than I initially thought off when you become a apostle.

  "We can't fight nor beat that thing, we have to get out of here asap."

  As she said this, Li looked at the soldiers behind her.

  "Don't tell me you're pnning on taking them with us through a portal! You're already reaching your limit, if you make a really big portal right now, how many years of your life are you gonna shave off as a trade off?!"

  "I can't just let them die."

  "It's always like this with you! When will you understand that in some situations some lives become more valuable than others?!"

  Li put her hand on Allison's cheek, seeking to reassure her.

  "I know how you are, Allison, you may say that but the life you're pnning to sacrifice is yours... I won't let you do that..."

  Li pushed Allison, a shadow quickly approaching her.

  Once again, Allison grabbed her, projecting her body on the ground, pushing Li out of the way.

  "That's weird."

  The darkness dissipated as soon as it touched her body.

  We were all surprised but Li had a theory.

  "I see... It makes sense, she has some immunity to her authority as an apostle. I thought she stopped being one as soon as that thing came out of her body..."

  Wouldn't that mean it isn't actually the gods themselves that makes someone but something else. Perhaps the status is determined by some other entity while only the power given are from the god itself.

  My Children, it would be soundly advised to listen to the half blood.

  A voice we didn't know spoke directly those words into our heads. It's definitely one of those gods again.

  "Where did that come from", Marth asked.

  "I know that thing is bad news, Xiuhtecuhtli but it can't be that bad, right?"

  Nothing but a fool would dare to do battle with fire itself. Your "self" cks in honour and dignity as she knows what battles aren't worth being fought.

  I understand now, it's the god of fire she serves that is talking in our mind right now.

  "Could you transte for me, please, Venus?"

  She was only met with silence.

  "Alright, I get it, Lady Venus!"

  It is fairly simple actually, my Childs. Some of us most magnificent deities simply are embodiments of concepts. Engaging in a grand battle with night itself is foolish, you see, for even if you stab, ssh or push it away, the night never leaves.

  "Another voice again."

  "You get used to it eventually, was Aria's response to Marth statement

  "Essentially, Lady Venus is saying we would be dumbasses if we tried to fight that thing."

  She focused her eyes, looking at the creature.

  "My pigmalion eyes should be able to see sewing lines yet they don't appear on that thing. Lady Venus has a point, it's like we're fighting the concept of darkness itself, we would never win."

  Sound as if water dropped on the ground could be heard.

  "Allison, your left ear!"