Anna now knew for sure that these people were stupid.
But to be stupid enough to just lock her in a cage and not even restrain her after what she had done with Paladins that came after her.
She leaned her head against the iron bars. "Younglings are naive as usual..." She muttered under her breath.
'Do they think I am stuck in here? Funny.' Anna grinned as she looked outside the cell.
Fortunately, she was alone, which would make it easier to avoid dragging others into trouble.
The only thing she had to make sure of was that Walter wasn't nearby; other than that, she felt no fear about escaping from their clutches.
While she wasn't as strong as she used to be, it did not mean that she was helpless.
She leaned onto the bars.
It was only matter of time before Walter would go for Aury, and she would be damned if she was to let such a thing happen.
While combat against him was impossible, no matter how skilled one was in the face of Overwhelming power, it was meaningless.
While she could deal with a near limitless number of grunts, once elites started coming, she would struggle and ultimately succumb.
There was no reason to fight them.
No, instead, it was always better to retreat and plan the way to beat them in other fields than power.
In her long life, she had never met someone powerful who was also smart enough not to throw it around, it was a rather interesting prospect.
However, she was rather surprised when her dear Aury, a girl she considered her own granddaughter, brought a man radiating more power than she had ever felt in her life.
Not only that, the way he carried and seemed to talk seemed to be with purpose, without a sign of arrogance.
It was terrifying, more terrifying than Walter by a long shot.
But Aurelia looked at him with such admiration and love that she couldn't even feel that fear. No, she only felt respect for such a man.
'She deserves a respectable husband.' Her lips curled into a smile as she gripped the bars.
[Rust Metal], her hands shimmered in a dull bronze shine before the very bars crumbled to dust.
Most of the time, she hated relying on so-called "skills", as they made a warrior complacent and dulled their actual combat skills.
However, this time around, it was an ideal time to use them.
Her class was that of a Druid.
As one of Natura's faithful in the past, before she was forced to renounce the faith for the safety of her own family, she was capable of manipulating nature in a limited way.
It was rather sad that her old faith was being rooted out by Chrunus.
However, what Aury's husband told her was that the true God had made himself known.
It wouldn't be long before the Church of Chrunus would be brought to its knees.
That much she was sure of.
While she didn't know how powerful Aury's husband was, his power was undeniable.
However, Anna still doubted Chrunus would sit idly by.
She knew the truth of his tyranny, she knew what he had done to Natura and what he still is doing.
And yet it did not matter.
She just hoped that the God she followed now spared Natura.
She had only communed with the goddess twice, and each time she had the impression of a sweet and innocent girl despite her immense power, yet the second time she seemed distraught while keeping her divine dignity.
Anna could see straight through it.
No matter if you were a mortal or an immensely powerful god, you leaked emotion.
An emotion someone is attuned to, they could sense even if it's hidden.
It hurt her heart that someone as sweet as Natura would be abused by a tyrant.
Despite being a goddess, she couldn't help but feel bad for her.
She stepped over the crumbling bars before placing her hands on her hips and stretching backward.
She had to find others.
No matter what happened, she didn't want to lose any of the new Christians.
'It hurt enough losing Natura's followers...' She sighed as her eyes scanned the environment.
It was a large and dark basement, lit by dim torches on each side.
Its walls were lined with prison cells, able to hold around 5 people each.
The floor was made of bare stone, a stark contrast to the marble floors of the cathedral proper.
She stepped towards the stairs.
While the ones leading towards the Cathedral would allow her to make her way out, it was not her goal.
She turned around.
She knew that the Cathedral's underbelly was massive.
If she were to wander for too long, she would never be able to safely rescue others.
What's worse, she could be caught by Walter.
"It's always annoying when you don't know where the enemy is..." She approached the circular stairwell that led deeper inside the Cathedral's catacombs.
It was rather shameful to keep prisoners in the same place as the dead, but it did not matter to her.
They wouldn't be kept for long.
Just as she was about to step down, she heard footsteps coming from the Cathedral proper.
'Great...' She looked around before dashing down the stairs.
She had nowhere to run, so she had to be quick.
Her breath was shallow and ragged. "Old age seems to truly be catching up..."
She swallowed her shame as she made her way deeper inside the catacombs.
However, instead of the empty crypt like she expected, she found Walter.
Sitting casually in a chair while reading a scroll.
"So I was correct, you were gonna foolishly attempt to rescue heretics instead of running, Master of the Fist of Death, Anna."
He raised himself from his seating position before dark mist coalesced in his hand, forming a pitch black sword.
Anna did not answer, but instead merely took a stance, ready to fight for her life.
"It was no wonder you killed so many of my men, however... You will be sacrificed to Chrunus soon."
As his words left his mouth he charged at Anna, his massive frame eclipsing her own.
A single hit would be her doom.