Once they had confirmed that the other side was an enemy, not a friend, the battle began immediately.
The Cultists charged first. Roaring, they raised their weapons and turned to rush the group. Meanwhile, several Lesser Devils appeared out of thin air above them, in what had seemed to be empty space. Less than a meter long, with red skin, bat wings, and spears in hand, they screeched and swooped toward the intruders.
The Duchess quickly ducked behind the Cultists. Glaring viciously at the uninvited guests, she shouted strange, evil incantations. Soon, hellish flames sprang from thin air and spiraled toward Katie and the Girl Knight at the front.
At the same time, the Elf Mage and Sophia acted swiftly. Ice crystals condensed from the air and formed spinning shields that blocked the encroaching flames. The Elf Mage's magic also took effect, completely suppressing the evil Hellfire.
The first thing the Cultists charging under cover of magic faced was the Greatsword in Katie's hands. With a sharp cry, she raised it high and brought it down in a powerful arc. The heavily armored Cultist leading the charge stepped forward, raising his Tower Shield to block her. The next instant, cold steel flashed, and the keen Greatsword sliced the armored warrior in two as smoothly as a knife through butter, without the slightest pause.
That blow stopped the other Cultists in their tracks. They stared at Katie, eyes wide with astonishment. They seemed utterly unable to understand how such a petite girl could possess so much strength-did she have Barbarian blood?
Katie plainly had no interest in what they thought. After cleaving the obstacle before her in two, she immediately charged into the Cultists' ranks and clashed with those fearless fanatics.
The Girl Knight did not move forward to help. Instead,