Synthe_
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As creatures of pure conviction, a Justicar must ensure that their each and every action brings judgment with it. Ephemera grinned beneath her helmet, remembering the ancient scriptures read to her as a child. No barrier can hold back a motivated Justicar, and no sinner may hide from their wrath. She could feel her right arm beginning to fail, the sword embedded in it slowly eating away at her strength. Despite the growing pain seeping out of her shoulder, her mind hardly spared a second to acknowledge it. And most importantly, remember that no Justicar accomplished great things alone. They are a vessel, conduits through which the Lord Protector acts. Her grip tightened around the blade lodged in her shoulder, starting to breathe more heavily as she closed her eyes. The human tried to pull his weapon away, tugging with as much force as he could muster, but her iron grip held firm. With a sigh, Ephemera reached out once again to the Lord’s waiting gaze. Great Lord Protector, all I request of you is the power to deliver to this sinner his end. Strength to move and strike with the unyielding fervor of my conviction, to fulfill the duty you have given me. In offering I give you my blade, not because my arm fails me, but because your strength is all I need to carry out this trial. With your blessing, I need nothing more than my bare hands to cleanse this one’s soul. Beyond the veil, Ephemera swore she could feel a smile grace her presence. These words are accepted. Her claymore began to glow a fiery white, lines of flaming brilliance streaming down to the handle. Even through gauntleted hands, Ephemera could feel the radiant power growing to a dangerous intensity. As the blade was claimed by the Lord Protector, the Seraph smiled, pleased that her words were taken without question. Letting go of the handle, she raised her injured arm to help hold Kynes’s sword in place. Now resting on the ground, the claymore glowed with such a light that even closed eyes were unable to obstruct it. Just as the fallen blade was overcome with the glory of the Lord, so too was Ephemera’s body. Divine energy streamed through her, permeating every crevice of her soul. Strength that she held once before returned to her left arm, causing brilliant light to leap from the crevices of her plate. Her legs, too, were released from the chains of lethargy as they bursted with vigor, reflecting off the glass beneath her knees. With a low growl and a soul boiling with wrath, Ephemera opened her eyes. Kynes wore a desperate expression, only worsening as his final attempt to retrieve his weapon failed. She grinned with sadistic amusement at his futile struggle, nearly laughing as she pulled herself right up to his face. In a single motion, both hands released the blade in her shoulder, allowing Kynes to finally pull it free. At the same time, she moved her left shoulder towards his torso, using her strengthened arm to push with all her might. Already slightly off-balance from the unexpected release of his weapon, the human was unable to react to Ephemera's startlingly powerful movement. With all the force of her newly-enhanced limbs, Kynes was sent flying across the field of glass. Ephemera lifted herself up carefully, noting the sharp spears of pain that shot down her right side whenever she moved her shoulder. Nothing more than an annoyance... she thought, stepping past her blade. Fragments of glass crunched beneath her boots as she began to run, crossing the sizable distance to her quarry. The human had recovered from yet another harsh landing, clambering to his feet in a clumsy defensive stance. The light seeping from her legs allowed Ephemera to cross the distance between them in the blink of an eye, noticeably startling her enemy. As she closed in, she held her left gauntlet up front in an offensive position, while her right hung to her side to avoid causing pain. Just as the Seraph crossed within striking distance, Kynes made his move. With speed completely uncharacteristic of his uncertain expression, he thrust his blade directly towards the crack in her shoulder plating. Beneath her mask, Ephemera’s grin widened. Don’t take me for incapacitated, fool. In spite of the ferocious pain emanating from her wound, she raised her right hand directly into the path of the human’s sword, wrapping her fingers around the dull edges. With a single, painful movement, she ripped the weapon from his uncertain grasp and sent it spinning across the glass. His eyes widened in surprise as he was disarmed, shocked that her arm was still able to function after being wounded. In the same movement, Ephemera twisted her body to the right, pushing her fist towards the human’s torso as a deadly left hook. His reaction was quick, carefully pulling himself to the side in an attempt to get away from her strike. If only that had been her intent. Got you. Arm surging with divine vigor, she redirected her hand in an instant. All it took was a tiny push upwards and to her right, and her gauntleted hand met his neck before the sword had even hit the ground. Kynes gasped in surprise as her grip tightened, struggling to breathe as his boots were lifted from the ground. Desperately clawing at her grip, his expression filled with panic, looking down and meeting her gaze. Frozen, unmoving eyes stared back from behind her helmet, now visible because of their proximity, filled with intoxicating hatred. “Surely now you realize you never stood a chance, heretic.” Ephemera’s words had never conveyed such contempt, such disgust before. “You’re lucky you managed to land a good hit on me, for that I think you deserve praise.” She raised him a tad higher as he continued to gasp for air, searching for any hope of release. “Repent, and I’ll make your passage painless.” As Kynes offered no response, Ephemera could do nothing but grin ear to ear.
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