The Godslayer's Return

Five: The Seraphim's Descent

The night air was heavy, thick with mist that clung to the forest like a shroud. Kael’s cave was hidden deep within a ridge, surrounded by jagged rocks and thorny underbrush, but even here he felt it, the oppressive weight of something vast and otherworldly moving closer.

The gods had sent their hunters.

Kael sat cross-legged near the Fallen Star shard, eyes closed, body still. 

To a casual observer, he seemed at rest. But his mind was racing, analyzing every detail of his situation.

His strength had risen to the equivalent of a mid-tier cultivator, still far from his former glory, but enough to crush most mortals. The relic had accelerated his recovery, repairing his spiritual core and fortifying his body. But a Seraphim…

Kael exhaled slowly. Seraphim weren’t mortals. They were divine enforcers, beings molded by heaven’s will, designed to hunt and destroy threats like him. Even at his peak, they’d been a challenge. In this weakened state, facing one directly was suicide.

But Kael Draven had never believed in impossible odds.

Hours passed, and the forest outside fell eerily silent. The usual chirping of insects was gone. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

Kael rose, slipping his dagger into his belt and strapping the relic securely to his back. He extinguished the glow crystal and stepped toward the mouth of the cave.

A faint light pulsed between the trees, soft and golden, growing brighter with each passing moment. Kael crouched low, his breathing steady.

Then he saw it.

The Seraphim descended like a star falling from heaven, its wings of golden light cutting through the mist. It was tall, its form humanoid but unnaturally perfect, clad in silver-white armor that gleamed with divine radiance. 

A halo of burning light hovered above its head, and in its hand, it carried a spear forged from pure energy.

Its eyes glowed with cold, unfeeling judgment as it surveyed the forest.

Kael’s grip tightened on his dagger.

The Seraphim spoke, its voice a deep, resonant echo that seemed to vibrate through the trees. “Kael Draven. Godslayer. You will kneel.”

Kael smirked. “I’ve done enough kneeling for one lifetime.”

The Seraphim raised its spear, and a beam of light shot from its tip, obliterating the rocks where Kael had been crouching a moment earlier. He rolled aside, diving into the shadows of the forest.

The Seraphim moved with terrifying speed, its wings slicing through branches as it pursued him. Kael darted between trees, using every ounce of his agility to stay ahead. He couldn’t fight it head-on. Not yet.

He needed to think.

Kael skidded to a stop near a deep ravine, the rushing sound of water far below. He turned, breathing hard, as the Seraphim descended gracefully, hovering just above the ground.

“You cannot escape judgment,” it intoned, its glowing eyes fixed on him.

Kael wiped blood from his cheek, smiling faintly. “I’m not running.”

The Seraphim tilted its head, as if curious.

Kael slowly drew the Fallen Star shard from his back. The relic pulsed with silver light, the air around it crackling with energy.

The Seraphim’s expression didn’t change, but Kael felt the sudden tension in the air.

“An artifact of the fallen age,” it said. “You should not possess it.”

“Then take it from me,” Kael replied.

The Seraphim moved.

Kael barely had time to react. The divine spear thrust forward, a streak of golden light. Kael twisted aside, but the sheer force of the attack sent him flying, crashing into a tree. Pain shot through his ribs, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself up.

The Seraphim’s wings flared, sending a shockwave of light through the forest. Trees splintered and fell, the ground cracking under the force.

Kael crouched low, dagger in one hand, relic in the other. “Fine,” he muttered. “Let’s see if you like surprises.”

He slammed the relic into the ground.

Silver energy erupted outward, clashing with the Seraphim’s golden light. The shockwave sent both combatants sliding back. The Seraphim’s calm expression faltered slightly as it steadied itself.

Kael smirked. “Not bad, huh?”

The Seraphim’s eyes narrowed. “You are unworthy.”

It vanished in a flash of light, reappearing behind him. Kael spun, barely parrying the spear with the relic. The impact sent him staggering. 

He slashed upward with his dagger, but the Seraphim blocked effortlessly, countering with a brutal kick that sent him sprawling.

Kael rolled to his feet, panting. He could feel his body straining, his muscles screaming in protest. Every clash was a reminder of the vast gulf between his current strength and his former power.

But he wasn’t done yet.

The Seraphim advanced, spear glowing brighter. Kael backed toward the ravine, eyes scanning the terrain. He needed an opening.

Then he spotted it, a massive, dead tree leaning precariously over the cliff’s edge, its roots barely clinging to the soil.

Kael smirked.

“Come on, angel,” he muttered. “Just a little closer.”

The Seraphim lunged, spear aimed at his heart. Kael sidestepped, grabbed the spear shaft, and twisted, using the Seraphim’s own momentum to pull it forward. The creature stumbled slightly, a a rare sign of imbalance.

Kael seized the opportunity. He hurled the relic at the leaning tree.

The shard struck the trunk, releasing a burst of energy that shattered it. The massive tree toppled forward, crashing down toward the ravine.

The Seraphim’s wings flared as it tried to take flight, but Kael was already moving. He lunged forward, slamming into the Seraphim with all his strength, driving both of them over the edge.

They plummeted.

The Seraphim twisted midair, wings snapping open to slow its fall, but Kael clung to it like a shadow, driving his dagger into the creature’s shoulder joint. Sparks of divine energy exploded, and the Seraphim roared in pain.

Kael used the distraction to push off, grabbing a protruding rock on the cliffside. 

The Seraphim plummeted into the raging river below, vanishing in a burst of light.

Kael hauled himself up onto a ledge, panting. His ribs felt broken, his arm burned from divine backlash, but he was alive.

And for now, the Seraphim was gone.

Kael climbed back to the forest floor, retrieving the Fallen Star shard from where it had landed. The relic pulsed softly, as if pleased.

“That makes two godsends I’ve embarrassed,” Kael muttered with a smirk. “They’ll be furious.”

But even as he spoke, a chill crept down his spine. The Seraphim hadn’t been defeated, it had been delayed. And now, heaven knew exactly where he was.

Kael sheathed his dagger and started moving. He needed to disappear before reinforcements arrived.

As he slipped through the forest, a faint rustle caught his attention. He froze, dagger in hand.

A soft voice spoke from the shadows.

“You fight like someone who’s already dead.”

Kael turned sharply. The silver-haired woman stepped into view, her amber eyes glimmering in the darkness.

“Aelira,” Kael said, recognizing her from the clearing.

She smiled faintly. “You’re full of surprises, Godslayer. Not many mortals walk away from a Seraphim.”

Kael didn’t lower his dagger. “Not many people follow me this closely.”

Aelira tilted her head. “I told you I’d be watching.”

Kael studied her carefully. “Why?”

Her smile faded. “Because the last time you defied heaven, the world burned.”

Kael’s jaw tightened.

“And this time?” he asked.

She stepped closer, her presence radiating quiet power. “This time, I want to see if you’ll burn it again.”

Before Kael could respond, she vanished into a silver mist, leaving only her words hanging in the air.

Kael exhaled slowly. “Great,” he muttered. “Another mystery.”

He adjusted the shard on his back and kept moving, the forest around him alive with danger. He had no allies, no sanctuary, and every realm was hunting him.

But Kael Draven had been here before. And this time, he wouldn’t fall.

Far above, in the halls of heaven, the Seraphim knelt before the gods, its armor scorched and cracked.

“He has grown stronger,” it said, voice steady despite its wounds.

One of the gods leaned forward, eyes glowing like molten gold. “Then we escalate, summon the Ascendants.”

The others murmured in agreement.

The hunt for the Godslayer had only just begun.