Of Gods and Man - Where Angels and Demons Tread Ch.3

For millennia, The Shaded Asylum progressed undisturbed. Demons and angels set aside their differences to form bonds and unions, and from their inclusion they bore the Yman, a symbolic middle ground between the two. This new race combined the best of both worlds, though lacked defining features such as wings, halos, tails, or other traits. Instead, their power, magical prowess, adaptability, and other features outshone their parents. However, the bloodline was diluted as the Yman interbred with one another, or with other angels and demons, causing them to become weaker with each successive generation.

It was no matter...It was time to enact their plan to end this war once and for all. Ysolt, Gajaal, and the rest of the refugees reasoned an attack on the Realm of Shadows was their best bet considering they were less organized. Gajaal would take his forces, which were a majority of the angels, demons, and the strongest generations of Yman, and march, leaving Ysolt and the remainders behind to protect their little city.

With a kiss upon her forehead, he departed, his eyes set for war.

by Leo Hao

The battle raged as they began to attack the left flank of the demonic horde. Every Yman was worth ten demons, and they appeared to be winning. They were relentless, pushing the scourge back and even capturing many to prevent them from respawning in their bubbling, hellish pits, yet they underestimated their foe. Neither angels, nor demons, much like other humanoids interacted with the Gods very often, so it was easy to consider them absent, even though they were far from it. Stepping into the war put the God at risk of attack, or exerting too much essence could make set them vulnerable and open to attack, and so the fight was left to their minions, but Azox - God of Destruction had far too much pride to let these defectors storm his dark realm. As they marched to his gates, a feat even angels, his direct adversary, had not accomplished, he made himself known.

"What gall you have, little pawn, to strike out against me..."

The dark words hung in the pitch black abyss. The forces, armed against him, peered about in confusion, looking for the source of the sound. All around them nestled nothing but shadow...Pure darkness...Until a set of gleaming red rubies, the size of stained glass windows, opened, and his horrifying size revealed itself. His very claw was the size of a full grown man, his tail capable of swiping an entire nation to oblivion. He was truly worthy of his title as the Master of Terror.

"You will kneel, Azox! This war will be over and neither you, nor Ciel can stop us!"

Gajaal's words spurning a mighty warcry from his army which echoed, well beyond the dark realm of the underworld, beyond the Broken Battlefield, into the Realm of Light. This was their moment. And with zeal they rose to the challenge, leaping at his ebon hide and striking with their weapons. This, however, was fruitless. These were mortals, angels, demons, or otherwise, against a God...A deity created for the sole purpose of overseeing chaos and destruction.

Each sword swing was met with a dismissive swat of the hand, and every stab of an axe was crushed under the weight of his serpent tail. It was only when a spear, tossed by Agna herself, connected with the eyelid of Azox, piercing the tender hide and causing an enraged roar that shook the very foundation of the realm, did it seem as though any progress was made, and even then, it was short lived. They had gathered his ire and by his dark glare, he was finished playing by the rules of war. He was going to end all life, even if it meant expending himself in the process.

Yet Gajaal and his army was not alone. As Azox thrashed and spewed incinerating beams over the interlopers, wiping out a majority of angels, demons, and Yman in short order, a golden light began to pour over the battlefield. Ciel - Goddess of Life had been alerted the moment Azox took his place on the battlefield, but even alarming, she began to detect new and strange life. As impetuous and juvenile as she could be, life to her was precious and worth protecting.

Unfortunately, she was too late.

She arrived just in time to spot the surviving Yman being crushed under the stomping feet of the dark lord, and just in time to be targeted by Azox's wrath. As he craned his onyx neck back to flambe the goddess of Life, Gajaal tossed his axe into the fresh wound and staggered the otherwise fatal blow, only to be scooped up and properly devoured by gnashing dark teeth. This, however, bought her time and afforded Ciel a chance to escape.

Although Ciel raced away, she did not return to the Realm of Light quite yet...She had other business to attend to.