The Angel Fell Twice

Chapter 20. Hell On Earth

Outside, the city was alive with the clamor of pursuit. Torches blazed in the hands of an angry mob, their flickering light casting frantic shadows across the cobblestones. The relentless thud of boots, the clink of swords and spears, and the cacophony of shouts filled the night air. "Death to Ragnar!" they chanted, their voices a fierce symphony of vengeance.
Amidst the chaos, Marina crouched high in the branches of a distant tree. Her breath came in short, uneven bursts as she watched the turmoil below. The torchlight flickered across her face, revealing eyes filled with fear and regret. Her fists clenched tightly, her knuckles white as she shook her head in disbelief.
The chaos of the city below mirrored the turmoil within her, the conflict a haunting reminder of the choices that had led her to this point. "What have I done..." she murmured. She noticed the Holy Legion's guards led by Isabel. A villager pointed towards the tree. "He went that way!" they yelled. Marina glared at Isabel, before landing down, wincing as her wing was still missing but bandaged now.

Ragnar's eyes narrowed as they locked onto the massive trunk of the World Tree, the ancient source of Stormfell's power. His gaze flicked to the figure standing guard, the Protector, unwavering by the sacred roots. Determination fueled his steps as he sprinted toward the tree, muscles tensing with demonic energy. With a roar, Ragnar launched himself into the air, his fist crashing into the trunk with a force that reverberated through the earth. The entire town trembled, buildings quaking as a shockwave rippled out from the impact.
Undeterred, Ragnar unleashed a flurry of blows against the tree, each one more furious than the last. But before he could deal a fatal strike, a powerful force slammed into him, sending him skidding back. Ragnar rolled to his feet and turned to face the Protector.

"Begone, demon," the Protector commanded, his voice resonant and unwavering. He drew his golden sword, the blade gleaming with aetheric energy.

Ragnar's lips curled into a snarl, and from his fingertips emerged long, black claws, sharp as obsidian. "The day has come when Stormfell will fall," he hissed, his voice low and venomous. "And with it, your precious tree of aether. Your people don't deserve the power it gives."

"You do not have to do this," the Protector replied, his tone measured, yet filled with a cold finality. "Leave this place, or I will be forced to end your life."

Ragnar laughed, a dark, bitter sound. "After all you've done? After all the pain you've caused? You think I'll just walk away? No. Your people deserve hell on earth... And I am that hell."

The Protector's grip tightened on his sword as he began to advance, each step deliberate and unhurried. Ragnar's laughter faded into a low growl as he raised his blade, dragging it along the ground, sparks flying in his wake.

Their gazes locked, the Protector's calm resolve meeting Ragnar's seething fury. Ragnar knew this fight could only end one way, but his hatred burned hotter than his fear of death.
Ragnar's breath came in ragged gasps as his vision darkened with fury. The memories of Marina's suffering—her agonized screams as the knights tore her wing from her back—burned like a brand in his mind. He could still see her blood staining the sacred ground, her tears mingling with the dirt, her cries unanswered by the heavens she had once served. His chest heaved with a rage so deep it threatened to consume him entirely.

The Protector, clad in resplendent white armor, seemed untouched by Ragnar's fury. His face hidden beneath a helmet, he was the embodiment of divine justice, a faceless guardian whose every movement was precise and controlled. The golden sword in his hand glowed with aetheric energy, humming with a power that seemed to pulse in time with the World Tree itself.

"You... will pay for her suffering!" Ragnar roared, launching himself at the Protector, claws slashing through the air. His voice was thick with vengeance, every word dripping with venom.

The Protector's voice remained calm, devoid of emotion. "Your vengeance blinds you, demon. This ends now." He sidestepped Ragnar's furious assault with ease, his sword swinging in a wide arc that Ragnar barely managed to deflect.

Ragnar growled, his strikes becoming more desperate, more erratic. "She bled for you! And now... now you defend these people?" He slashed again, his claws aiming for the Protector's neck, but the blade of the golden sword intercepted it effortlessly.

"These people," the Protector said, parrying Ragnar's blows with a steady hand, "are under my protection. I do not fight for them alone—I fight for the balance, for the aether that sustains our world. You seek to destroy what you do not understand."

"You think I care about your balance?" Ragnar spat, lunging again. "They deserve nothing but death! And I will be their executioner!"

The Protector's grip tightened on his sword as he sidestepped Ragnar's wild charge. "You bring only ruin, Ragnar. Your soul is already lost." His tone was somber, almost regretful. "But I will not let you destroy the World Tree."

With a guttural roar, Ragnar summoned all his demonic strength and charged, his blade aimed straight for the Protector's heart. "I will kill you! I will burn your precious tree to ash!"

The Protector remained still until the last moment, then moved with blinding speed. "No, Ragnar. This ends now."

In a single fluid motion, the Protector sidestepped and plunged his golden sword into Ragnar's chest, piercing his heart with cold precision. The impact stopped Ragnar cold, his breath leaving his lungs in a shuddering gasp.

Ragnar stared down at the glowing blade buried in his chest, disbelief and agony etched across his features. "No... it can't end like this..."

The Protector twisted the blade, his voice calm and resolute. "It was always going to end this way, Ragnar. Your hatred consumed you, and now it has destroyed you."

Ragnar's strength ebbed away, his claws retracting as he fell to his knees. "Marina..." he whispered, his voice breaking. His vision blurred, the world fading into a haze of light and shadow.

The Protector watched as Ragnar's life drained away, his posture unwavering. "May you find the peace in death that eluded you in life," he said quietly, withdrawing his sword as Ragnar collapsed to the ground.