Cú Chulainn was being besieged by three Archangels. Their bodies burned with intense heat, and every attack carried rolling waves of scorching air, making Cú Chulainn feel as though he were facing his father, Lugh, the god of light and sun.
When he hurled his spear with all his strength, however, it merely drew some brilliant golden blood from them and failed to inflict any serious damage.
His body was already battered beyond recognition. Though the pain fueled his fury, his unyielding will to fight could not change the fact that he was at the end of his strength.
Despair rose in his heart.
At that moment, his two remaining godchild companions were struck down by another Archangel in the distance. The latter swiftly joined the assault against him.
The three Archangels surrounded him at the center, spreading their wings of light to seal off every possible route of escape. Then he saw the last Archangel draw a massive bow formed from flames and light.
A channel of magical power locked onto him. The arrow was aimed at his head, and he had nowhere left to evade.
"Ah!!" he roared madly, his body swelling another size as he attempted one final struggle.
Bang! The arrow flew, yet the death Cú Chulainn had expected did not arrive. Instead, the Archangel before him suddenly had its head blown apart. Golden blood splashed over him like molten metal, burning away large patches of his skin.
Yet that pain was nothing compared to the sudden turn of events. He stared in astonishment as the headless Archangel instantly lost its radiance, revealing a humanoid body without a head.
That body resembled a doll molded from melted wax, devoid of texture or detail, possessing only the rough outline of a human form.
Before he could examine