The sun beat down with unimaginable heat on a quiet summer day. A gentle breeze blew across the beautiful, lush, valley, washing over the grass that glinted from the remnants of dew left from the morning. The valleys small patch of heaven where the entire world was to never know about or to ever touch.
The valley was framed by a rugged range of mountains called The Scrag Peaks, which ran the length of the valley on it's western border. On the eastern side were tall and rocky hills, with a thicket that housed a variety of wild life, The greens sat in a bowl made up by the framing elevation.
From the shadows of the thicket strode a tall, grotesque figure, dragging the carcass of a doe in its claws. Blood dripped between the lengthy fingers from the fresh kill. With its other claw it picked fur and flesh and other such decaying matter from its jagged teeth.
Spiral horns protruded from the skull like cranium. It's skin, a sickly red, was covered with blemishes and scales. The creature walked on the balls of it's talon clad feet, the claws digging into and kicking up dirt as it walked, A tail whipped around playfully rooted from his spinal column. It's abdomen was concave and showed it's ribs. A hole sat in the middle of its chest where one could peer through and see the long greasy black hair laying matted over its shoulders.
The demon threw down his catch and sat down beside it with hungry eyes. The ground around him began to die as did the path where ever he had stepped. He grimaced and dug his fangs into the doe , ripping out a hunk of flesh and devouring it in an unsavory manner. The blood gushed out over the grass as the demon sank his teeth deep into the tissue before ripping off bits.
The demon continued to consume his meal laughing and singing a tune that played through his mind. A large shadow passed over him against the sun but he was too busy to notice as he ripped off a leg causing the blood to ark and splatter across the grass. Nothing free and wild moved in the valley. All tiny creatures had retreated into the thicket for fear of the beast dining in the open field.
A squirrel hid under a a bush just on the edge of the thicket. Out of fear, it it scurried away up the pant leg of a second shadowy figure walking through the wood. This shadow moved silently as the squirrel cowered behind the figure's coat collar. Malicious green eyes were locked on the demon in the midst of the dying grass. As the figure neared, the squirrel gave another peep. The shadow stopped and glanced at the little critter, his eyes changed to a soft and almost compassionate way.
"be still, little one," the figure spoke. "All shall be well and balanced again."
The squirrel remained silent and watched fearfully as the figure stepped out of the shadows, the sun caught the white, blood-stained, coat along with a tattered shirt and trousers. Long white hair fell from the figure's head to just below his pectorals in long straight strands. His hair covered most of the figure's face but his eyes, which returned to malice were almost glowing in the sunlight under the strands of hair.
The demon chomped away at the last few bits of the caucus burping in satisfaction. "Oh that was lovely," he boasted to himself. "The best in the region if you ask me!"
"You look like you could use a second one," the worn looking figure spoke smoothly.
The demon turned quickly to look at the one who spoke, not realizing that he had been approached so casually while enjoying his meal. His black soulless eyes were filled with curiosity and dismay. He was more surprised at the fact that he had been approached at all. Not very many people casually approach demons anywhere.
He spoke, "how long have you been watching me?"
"Not long," the figure replied standing perfectly still, his face was unreadable.
"Well you don't smell like a demon or a devil, so I really don't think I care whether you wanted some of my meal or not," the demon's tone was gruff and protective.
"What makes you think that I would want to deprive you of nourishment?" the figure replied with a sort of coy in his voice. "Seeing as you are already sunken in and decrepit."
"Your attire stranger," the demon replied looking him up and down. "You look like hell threw up all over you."
The figure gave a subtle smirk. "Something like that, yes," he replied.
There was a long pause as a gust of wind blew past them, blowing their hair causing their eyes met and lock of a moment before the breeze died. The demon cocked a brow seeing the hatred in his guest's eyes. The figure was unmoved by the demon's gaze and all together forgot about how blood thirsty he was.
"What did you say your name was?" the demon asked.
"I didn't," the figured replied. He took a deep breath before speaking again. "Lucius."
The demon stroked his chin inquisitively. "Lucius, Lucius, Lucius," he muttered to himself. "Nope, doesn't ring a bell."
Lucius nodded slowly, "it will soon enough."
- -
Lucius and Seganeous sat on a wooden bench beaten and weary from their travels for the past years since their city was destroyed. Their clothes were tattered and worn to lose pieces of fabric hanging about their necks and hips. Dirt and grime stained their faces, their hands, and their hair, which had grown thick and greasy over time.
Seganeous attempted to clean his glasses on his coat tail, but it only seemed to dirty them more. He sighed jeavily at the outcome and cleaned them with a cleaner piece of cloth that he drew from within a deep coat pocket.
"How much longer must we endure this, Lucius?" he asked glancing at his friend sitting beside him.
"Until we find the creature responsible and kill it," Lucius replied coolly twiddling his necklace in one hand. He ran a finger over the symbol within the metalwork, his breath calm.
"How long do you think that will take?" Seganeous asked. "Another day, a week, a month, a year even? How long, Lucius? Till you are satisfied?"
"I will search to the ends of the world and back again, as long as it takes," Lucius replied harshly, "I will find whoever is responsible for what we saw and I will be the last living being they will ever see!"
Seganeous sighed again, "then what? What will you do? Return to Reliegh and rebuild brick by brick till the city thrives once more?"
Lucius did not respond immediately. He looked down at the necklace dangling from a chain around his neck. He stared deep into it catching only a tiny burn mark that held the memories form that horrific day. Seganeous sensed the disturbance and placed a hand on Lucius' shoulder to calm him down and bring him out of the memory stream. The two remained silent but Seganeous sat back on the bench looking out over the scene.
They sat in the midst of a rather busy street outside of a bar named "The Reflective Gutter." Properly named for the large gutter that sat near the street where the drunk and rowdy were thrown out. People of all races passed by them. As they did, they made a subtle move to the other side of the road, away from the two angels sitting on the bench. Their very look and demeanor frightened them.
Lucius pulled out a small brown paper box and slid out a cigarette. Sliding it between his lips, he slid the box back into his coat. He lightly tapped the hilt of his sword, Helios, to the end and it instantly caught fire. Lucius took a drag on the cigarette before blowing the smoke out of the corners of his lips.
Seganeous waved the smoke away saying, "That is a terrible habit to start, Lucius."
"I'm immortal, Seganeous, as are you, this won't affect me at the rate it does humans," he said taking a second drag, letting the smoke billow out in circles.
"What are we still doing here?" Seganeous finally asked.
"What do you mean?" Lucius replied not looking at him. His focus was ahead as he unconsciously bummed the cigarette slowly.
"Why are we still in this town?" Seganeous answered bluntly. "We have no business here anymore, and can we please just leave? These people are very inhospitable."
"I'm waiting for my informant," Lucius replied.
Seganeous looked at him confused not knowing any of the plans. "Informant?' he questioned. "When did you contact an informant?"
"It's more of an involuntary employment," Lucius said, throwing his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out. He scanned the crowd with his eyes, his stare intense and icy.
They remained silent once again as the people of the town passed by, trying not to pay attention to them. The two angels looked on over the crowd, Lucius being the only one knowing who they were looking for. Lucius' eyes finally flashed and he stood ominously and strode into the crowded street without a word. Seganeous was taken off guard at first, but quickly followed pushing through the crowd to catch up.
Lucius moved through the crowd like a phantom, his eyes fixed on a cloaked figure moving shiftily down the sidewalk towards an alley. His pace was brisk, as if to almost run away. Lucius was unfazed and from his sleeve slid a tiny concealed blade. In a swift step, Lucius grabbed the cloaked figure, pushing him into the alley and pierced his lower abdomen with the blade.
The cloaked figure gasped and coughed up blood immediately, his body stiffening from the sudden pain. Seganeous stood at the mouth of the alley so as to not attract any unwanted attention. His expression one of disappointment and distaste at Lucius' actions. Only Lucius stood still pressing his victim against the wall.
"Your sent," Lucius' voice was cold, almost mortifying to the ear. "I recognize it from the ruins of my home. Do you remember a city of angels?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," the man stammered, gasping for air, blood dripping from his mouth.
"My home was destroyed and the scent left from it is the same you reek of," Lucius yelled with ferocity., "Who led the attack? Be quick, you don't have much time at all."
"I am a simple thief, a lowly Arcane-borne sir, please," he gasped knocking his head against the wall in agony. "I don't know I really don't! I think your smelling the cloak. It's not mine I swear!!"
"Whose cloak is this?" Lucius demanded.
The cloaked Arcane-borne clenched Lucius' shoulder and slumped onto him, his whole cloak from the waist down dripping with blood. He gasped, "There was a demon who gave me this cloak! He said he didn't need it anymore so he gave it to me. That is all I know!"
Lucius redrew his blade letting the thief go. The thief used Lucius for only a momnt to catch his balance before he stumbled around past Seganeous and collapsed in the street, blood spurting from the gaping wound. As the crowd flocked to see the scene, the angels vanished from sight. Lucius dropped the blade in the alley as he did.
The two walked towards the outlying slums of the city and paused at another bench to sit and let the whole situation die down. As before, no one really paid attention to the two disheveled travelers sitting on a bench. Lucius wiped the blood off his hands returning to a comfortable position to think.
"Are you pleased?" Seganeous broke the silence.
Lucius looked at him. "With what?" He asked.
"Are you pleased with what you just did to gain the "upper hand" on your prey?" Seganeous said his voice calm, eyes closed.
"I did what I had to, to make my vengeance all the closer to fruition," Lucius said with a slight grimace.
"At the cost of an innocent man?" Seganeous shot back, "You killed someone because he wore the cloak of the demon responsible for Reliegh's destruction. You've become loose cannon, Lucius, you'll kill anyone or anything till the scales of your conscience is balanced."
Lucius was taken aback at Seganeous' outburst. He bowed his head knowing that what he was saying was true. The cloaked man was not the first to fall at Lucius' vengeful hand. The sullen angel murmured to himself.
"Lucius," Seganeous spoke. "What did you dream about last night? I sensed you were stirred in the morning."
"Why do you watch over me like my mother, Seganeous?" Lucius asked.
"Because we are the only family we have left, Lucius, we must look out for each other," Seganeous said. "No matter what happens."
Lucius sighed and leaned back on the bench looking up towards the sky. He took a moment to breathe it all in. "I saw a utopia," he began. "A place where angels, demons, elves, Riokuvin, Arcane-borne, humans, and all manner of creation lived in peace with one another. I saw myself standing with a beautiful angel and she was holding a child in her arms, at my side was a demon boy with golden hair leaning on a tree with an angel, a tiny vampire boy with white and black hair, an angel like me holding the hand of an elfish girl. I saw pain and joy but it was a world that I could live for, one that I want to come true."
Seganeous put a hand on his shoulder. "Your mind is a wonderful mechanism, Lucius," he chuckled. "I hope that your dream may be more than just that."
"Thank you, brother," Lucius said smiling. "But why do you say it like you won't be there to see it?"
Seganeous removed his hand and looked down at his feet, his eyes sullen. He spoke softly, "I have to find my own path, Lucius, I can't follow your way of revenge, and I have my own thoughts on how to sate it."
"So what your saying is," Lucius began, "we must part ways till we have regained our place in the world? Till we have come to terms with ourselves.""
"You can say that," Seganeous replied.
Lucius nodded slowly, "I get it. I am sorry," he said with a grim look, clenching his fists. "I just feel I have to punish the one responsible for the pain I've felt. It seems like the only way."
"I won't stand in the way of your justice, but I have to enact my own," Seganeous said standing up. "I will find you again, my brother, on the day when you have found yourself again."
Seganeous did not say another word after that. He turned slowly and walked away from Lucius, leaving him on the bench alone, still in deep thought. Seganeous stepped outside the city limits and flew off to the south east, the lands policed by the covens of Vampires with his own dark agenda in mind.
Lucius was unfazed by his friend leaving, at first; he remained in his modem of thought. He burried what pain had arisen from the interaction. He finally stood and walked out of the city. He took in a whiff of many scents from the wind, only one stuck out to him.
"Found you," he muttered eyes growing immensely cold and hostile. He spread his wings to their full reach then lifted off the ground and sped off to his prey.
- -
Lucius and the demon entertained a long silence where neither of the two made a move. The demon continued to survey him, trying to detect anything that might give away the angel's intentions, but he found nothing of the sort. Lucius hid his intent rather well, though within himself, it took every ounce of strength to hold himself at bay. Their breathing was heavy, the silence so thick one could cut with a blunt knife.
Lucius finally made a move reaching slowly across his right side to the hilt of his sword. The demon eyed him its body tensing from the unease. This angel was unemotional, he was so contrive in the face of a grotesque creature as he. The calmness drove the demon mad, but little he knew of Lucius' rising hatred and blood lust.
"You never told me your name," Lucius said, clasping his hand around the sword handle.
"Arkekon," the demon replied. "Son of Kriakon the demon lord."
"A pleasure to meet you," Lucius said. Suddenly eyes flashed as he drew out his sword and lunged quickly at the demon.
Arkekon leapt up and caught Lucius' extended wrist, the blade mere inches away from his hide. He snarled at Lucius, "you bastard!"
Lucius drew a second sword arching the tail end, smacking itself against the demon's chin, knocking him to the ground. The demon spat out blood and snarled fiercely at the angel. Lucius held a sword point to the demon's throat, the other blade held outright at his side.
The sun beat down behind Lucius casting the most intimidating shadow over Arkekon. The way the light hit his face showed the wild and blood thirsty look that his eyes cast upon the demon.Slowly, strands of his white hair began to become black. Arkekon noticed the change, but cast the ida aside as a trifling notion brought out from the light.
"I wanted to make sure you heard my name, demon," Lucius spoke coolly,. "Because it will be the last thing you will ever hear in this life!"
His eyes only flared with hate and rage. He spat at Lucius. "Bold words angel!" he said shifting his body. "I've killed legions of your kind, one more won't be difficult!"
At that moment Lucius arched both of his swords over his head with a battle cry. The demon barely had time to react lifting his arm to block the blow. The impact ripped a crater in the valley at the point below Arkekon, but Lucius didn't let up on the force. The pressure became so intense that the demon was brought to his back. Arkekon arched his back and kicked Lucius off him to regain his stance. He gently coddled his almost shattered left arm, which had taken the full force of Lucius' attack.
Lucius landed on his feet and kept a very controlled posture, glaring at his opponent. His grip on his swords was so stressed he could have bent the metal if it was an average alloy. All the pain he'd felt after his city and family were destroyed was going to be poured into this fight; he did not intend to lose, not this time.
The two leapt at each other, ready to kill with the first strike; the demon's claws extended, Lucius' swords arching over and below his head. The two clashed, the shock wave ripped through the air pushing Lucius up into the sky. He back flipped and threw his wings out to catch himself and hover around Arkekon, taunting him. Feathers on his wings were changing black in random succession..
The demon glared up at him then grinned. He cricked his jaw letting it drop open and a stream of black flames shot out at the angel. Lucius beat his wings ascending out of the fire's direction. Arkekon ran and leapt up digging his claws into Lucius' leg. The pain stalled Lucius for only a moment.
"Explode, Helios!" he called driving his right sword into the demon's flesh. The impact caused a burst of flames and burning heat. Arkekon let go of Lucius' leg clawing his ankle as he fell to the ground. Lucius' mind was racing.
- -
Lucius lay peacefully in the floating gardens of Reliegh, Ilithia lying at his side. The gardens protruded from the northern peaks surrounding Reliegh, hanging from massive pillars set into the side of the mountains. All manner of plant life and birds lived and grew in the gardens. It was a paradise where the two angels loved to run off to to be alone.
Ilithia drew close to him, resting her cheek on his chest and closing her eyes with a smile. She was dressed in an elegant goen that fell all around them. Lucius wore loose fitting white robes that would normally be worn within the counsel chamber. The two laid in silence with each other enjoying the moment.
Lucius drew a breath and muttered, "Are you happy, Ilithia?"
"I am so happy, Lucius," she replied without hesitation, "Nothing could make this moment any greater than how it is right now."
"Is that a challenge?" Lucius chuckled and kissed the top of her head.
Ilithia smiled and giggled, "No, I'm just saying that this moment is perfect, I don't want it to be over any time soon."
Lucius sat up holding her against him gently. Their eyes met and a tear slid down Ilithia's cheek as her smile grew brighter upon her face. Ilithia shot up and kissed Lucius closing her eyes. Lucius returned the kiss, caressing her cheek with his free hand.
Birds sang above them in the trees as the sun broke through the leaves in the gardens. Little woodland creatures scurried around stopping to glance at the two but quickly ran off. Fountains flowed all around in little streams that ran off the edge into pools on the streets of Reliegh the inside of the gardens were completely hidden from all others, the perfect place for a secret love.
Lucius pulled away from the kiss and wrapped his arms tightly around her, "I love you, Ilithia," he whispered to her softly.
"I love you so much, Lucius," she replied tears of joy forming in her eyes.
- -
Lucius snapped back to reality as Arkekon lashed at him screaming a horrific screech. The two clashed again, sending a ripple through the air yet again. The ripples shook leaves from their branches in torrents that swirled all around. Mountains shook and rumbled under the pressure.
Lucius lashed back with his free sword aiming for the demon's throat. As the blade neared Lucius' eyes flashed. "Torrent, Scelene," he shouted. The blade glowed and let loose a torrent of water forcing the demon back.
Arkekon coughed and dried himself off after recovering. As he stood, he rushed at Lucius, eyes crazed and bloodthirsty. Arkekon slashed his claws wildly forcing Lucius to move backwards as the onslaught seemed endless. One blow after another came without rest, the demon bearing his teeth gritting them hungrily, waiting for the angel to drop his guard once.
"I will devour you, angel!" he roared and stretched his neck latching onto Lucius' shoulder. He dug his teeth deep into the angel's flesh.
Lucius cried out coughing up blood. In reaction he drove both swords straight through the demon's back the tips protruding from his chest laced with blood. The two stalled there not one of them having the urge to let up their strike. Blood seeped from their wounds and the pause seemed to last a lifetime.
Lucius threw up his arms and brought them down hard on Arkekon's shoulders causing the demon to rip some of Lucius' flesh as he face planted in the ground. Lucius roared in the excruciating pain as he stumbled back. The blood poured out over his shoulder and down his arm in waves. He held his other hand up to the wound and a bright light sealed the wound stopping the blood flow but Lucius could still feel the pain.
"I'll rip you to pieces!" Lucius yelled forcefully.
"Spoken like a true Fallen!" the demon Arkekon reared laughing hysterically. Lucius' swords protruded from both ends of his sternum.
Lucius gritted his teeth and roared, "I am no Fallen!"
"Look at yourself angel!" Arkekon sneered. "You are already falling!"
For the first time Lucius glanced at his hair and wings. His expression changed from rage to horror. Most of his long hair had now become black as the darkest ash from the fires of hell. His wings yet retained hints of white but all Lucius could see was black. Black. Black. Black! His worst fear, the thing he never even considered since Reliegh's destruction, was coming to fruition.
His heart sank and his knees became weak as he began to weep over his own falling. His trance was disrupted by the demon's laughter from in front of him. His glance returned to smoldering maliciousness at his enemy.
Before he could react, Arkekon had Lucius' face in the palm of his hand and lifted him over his head only to bring him back down, smashing him into the ground. Lucius hacked up blood at the sudden pain. Arkekon grabbed Lucius by the leg and whipped him about slamming him into the crumbling and destroyed earth.
Lucius' vision was hazy and the constant colission with the ground was not helping him in any way. Arkekon threw his beaten body away, only to chase after it at incredible speeds and lay a punch into his chest to send him the other direction. Lucius took the moment of relief while spiralling through the air to catch ahold of himself.
When Arkekon came again, Lucius whirled around and drove his undamaged foot into Arkekon's chest. Using it as a spring board, Lucius threw his injured leg around, catching the demon's jaw. The two rolled or staggared away from one another. Their gaze caught the other from across the valley.
"You're dead!" Lucius roared charging at the demon.
They both took in a deep breath and charged at each other bare fisted.The two threw punches at the other, both narrowly missing their own fists and nailing the other in the cheeks. Lucius' mind flashed.
- -
"Big brother Lucius," Stephanie cooed sitting beside him on a fluffy couch in their living room back at home.
"Yes, Stephanie, what is it?" Lucius replied looking up from his sketchbook.
"What does it mean when an angel falls?" she asked.
Lucius set his sketchbook down and looked at his little six year old sister. He spoke softly, "what makes you think about that? It's not a very nice topic. Where did you even hear about such things?"
Stephanie shrugged, "I was just thinking and that was one thing mommy and daddy never wanted to talk to me about."
"It's a bad thing when an angel falls, little sister," Lucius stated. "Usually their hair turns black as well as their wings, and they lose all of their angelic powers and they become darker in the heart. It's usually not pretty."
"Have you ever fallen?" Stephanie asked looking up at Lucius with big bright eyes.
At first the question appauled him and caught him off guard. But Stephanie's bright eyes drove away the notion. He smiled warmly and rustled her hair. "No, I haven't fallen," he said. "Nor do I intend to ever."
Stephanie smiled and snuggled up to Lucius, sticking her thumb in her mouth and lightly sucking on it like a little baby. She wore a short but pretty dress with lace across the hem and around the sleeves. Lucius played with her pig tails that she tied with golden colored ribbon. He loved his little sister.
"Have you seen Miss Ilithia today?" Stephanie asked.
Lucius nodded clearing his throat and checking to make sure his didn't smeel too strongly of his lover around his sister. "Yes, I did," he replied. "Why do you ask?"
Stephanie shrugged and rocked her head back and forth. "She is really pretty," she answered. "Will I ever be as pretty as Miss Ilithia?"
Lucius chuckled a loud and rustled her hair again. "I think that is almost assured, Stephanie," he said. "You are the cutest now, but when you grow up, you will be as beautiful as Miss Ilithia, maybe even more so."
Stephanie looked up at him with her bright eyes. "You really think so?"
Lucius leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and fixed her hair looking at her with warm eyes and a warm smile. "I know so, Stephanie," he replied.
Stephanie smiled brightly and laid her head back into his side and curled up next to him keeping her thumb close, but not enough to suck on it. Lucius put an arm around her and for a long moment, just rubbed her arm gently soothing her so she could fall asleep.
"Are you and Miss Ilithia going to get married?" Stephanie piped up from her comfortable position.
Lucius looked down at her, again thrown off by the question. He didn't realize how worldly his siter had become. "Um... yes," he said. "I hope to one day."
"Then I'll have a big sister," Stephanie replied cheerily. "That will be so much fun!"
Lucius smiled. "Yes, it will, won't it?" he replied almost absent mindedly. His mind drifted to thoughts of his secret love.
The room was queit again for a time before Stephanie piped up again. "Big brother," she cooed.
Lucius looked at her quizzcally. "Yes?"
"Why would an angel fall?" she asked.
"You're still on this?" he replied.
"Well I want to know so I can try my best to not fall myself," she replied pouting.
Lucius sighed and took a moment to collect his thoughts. "To be honest," he explained, "there are many reasons why an angel would fall. One reason is they could enter an endless despair and feel like all hope is lost. Another way is that an angel could do something violently against their moral code. And one that is very uncommon, but not impossible, is the Divine would damn the angel."
Stephanie shuttered at that thought and snuggled up closer to him. "I don't want that to happen to me, Lucius," she whimpered.
"It won't, Stephanie," he said kissing her forehead. "You are too pure of heart to ever be in danger of falling."
"What about you?" her eyes were starry as she gazed up at him.
Lucius thought long and hard about her words, then looked back at her and took her hand. "My life," he said, "has too many blessings to ever let me fall. Nothing will change me from the angel I am, sitting here beside you today, I promise you, Stephanie."
- -
Lucius ducked just barely evading a cleave to the face by the demon, Arkekon. He grabbed hold of Lucius' hair and jerked him along ground and spun him around like a slingshot. Lucius screamed in pain and reached up to lessen the pain on his cranium. Lucius flipped a wing out to trip up Arkekon. The demon let go of Lucius and fell to his knees.
With barely any time to react, Lucius took hold of his swords in mid swing around and pried them out of Arkekon's back. The arch of the blood splattered his clothes. As the demons roared and spun around cutting through the angels' leggings, Lucius glided back to catch his breath. The memories kept swirling back to him.
The demon coughed up blood like a hose and neglected to heal himself. He glanced at Lucius then grinned wickedly. "You know," he snickered, "I remember, I have heard your name before."
Lucius' eyes flashed as his grip on his swords tightened. His anger began to rise higher and higher with every word Arkekon said. The smugness and confidence in his voice pushed Lucius over the edge.
"A few years back I ransacked the hell out of a city of angels up north a good ways," he chuckled remembering what fun he had, "They tried to bring me down, but not one of them was strong enough. There was this really hot and sexy angel I found. She even fought me but she was as weak as the rest. She kept crying for some guy named Lucius, who was supposed to "save" her. So I let her die slowly just to prove her wrong."
At that, Lucius' hair and wings burned black as night and the angel lost all mental control. In the midst of his roar, his aura became visible as a flickering, vivacious flame. He roared as the aura around him dramatically switched killing all of the foliage around his feet. His body was surrounded by pulsating dark energy that forced a wind current harshly up making his hair and coat blow up with the current.
Arkekon held up his arm to block the wind and laughed diabolically. "Poor little angel," he laughed. "You were once pure, but now you have lost everything pure about yourself!"
All of a sudden, Lucius was right in front of Arkekon, his jaw clenched and eyes wild with rage. The sudden force caused Arkekon to slide back slightly, his talons digging into the dirt. Lucius and Arkekon's eyes met and suddenly the demon's smug expression faded.
"Oh," he was cut off as Lucius kicked him hard in the side of his , shattering the jaw bone and multiple teeth.
Arkekon was completely thrown off guard and spun around like a rag doll. Lucius stepped and appeared in all directions hacking at the demon so fast the last cut was mere milliseconds from the very first. Arkkon couldn't keep up. Lucius would vanish and reappear only to vanish again.
Lucius reappeared feet away from the demon and as the onslaught of cuts ceased the demon blew up like a fountain of blood. Arkekon held himself at his knees dripping all over with blood forming a puddle under him. The air stung him as he tried to stand. His eyes were dark, his vision hazy from the bloodloss.
The Fallen strode over and grabbed hold of his opponent's skull. With the hand guard of the sword, Helios, he punched the jagged guard square in between his eyes. Arkekon fell back and gripped his shattered nose rolling on the ground in pain.
"Holy fucking shit!" He roared leaping up at Lucius to drive his claws in his chest. He was met with both of Lucius' swords being driven through his throat. The demon's eyes went wide.
Lucius' voice was oddly calm but full of cold hatred. "Explode, Helios, Scelene," he spoke.
The explosion was a horrendous one filled with blood, fire, and ice with a shockwave to carry the force outward. The two were flung away from each other at stellar speeds. Arkekon rolled violently and his broken and mangled body was torn up in the heat of it all. Bits and pieces of him flung from him in all directions adding dust and flesh to the mix of debris.
Lucius was hurled back and smacked hard into a tree. The wieght and velocity of his impact crushing the trunk. It splintered and fell to the side with a thunderous thud. Lucius was dazed from the impact, his vision again hazy, only now he could feel a level of disorientation that unnerved him as he attempted to stand.
Lucius spied a flickering black flame in the distance. Arkekon lay sprawled out on the ground. He held out his only functional arm out with a growing ball of flame on the end. His eyes read a look of exhaustion and bliss as he pumped what he had left into the blast.
"Join your bitch, Fallen!" he roared letting the blast race out of his palm at Lucisu.
Lucius rolled out of the way just in time and was thrown across the field from the explosion. He laid in the grass for a moment. Arkekon was panting from where his body lay, but after seeing Lucius narrowly escape the blast, he put his arm down and closed his eyes. He knew it was over, at least for combat.
He couldn't move save the involuntary flops his body did as he realized his head was barely attached to his shoulders. The yet rage filled angel stood and staggered over to his defeated foe holding his swords just barely at his skull ready to deliver the final blow.
"It's over," Lucius stammered. "I hereby slay you in the name of the Counsel of Reliegh and her majesty, Princess Ilithia, both of whom have since been deceased by your hand, Arkekon, son of Kriakon, any final wishes?"
"I have a request young Fallen," he muttered almost chuckling and coughing up blood from his lips and out of the gaping wound of his neck. "I want to give you a gift."
Lucius remained silent his blade tips pressing against the demon's skull. The pool of blood they stood in soaked and stained his boots. He had no intention of bargaining.
"No one has ever bested me like this," he choked out. "You deserve a prize, a reward for this feat."
"You have nothing I want, demon," Lucius replied coolly. He lightly began to pierce the skin, "Now die!"
In a whirl of blood and limbs the demon threw up his functioning arm and grabbed onto Lucius' temples. In a sudden rush of pain and energy, Lucius was filled with Arkekon's first-hand account of the destruction of Reliegh. Lucius saw it all as if he had lived it; down to every last kill and laugh he saw it all. His eyes were wide as they burned into his mind like a brand.
A rush of power came over him as Arkekon also passed on his demonic powers as an added bonus. However as the demon flailed, the blades were forced straight threw his brain severing everything as he laughed his last. He fell limp on the ground.
Lucius cried out letting go of his swords. In his lunacy he beat down on the broken and bloodied corpse of his enemy. Blood spurt up into his face that began to stream and mix with hot tears as he pounded on Arkekon's chest. His hands became engulfed in black flames but he didn't notice nor could he see his eyes being blinded by tears and blood.
Lucius cried heavily as he saw how Arkekon slaughtered his sister and struck Ilithia with a slowly fatal blow. He took up his swords and flung blood all over the ground making sure that every blade of grass was covered in the pain he had felt. In his mind, he had thought that now the culprit was dead, he should have felt better, everything should go back to normal.
In his heart, he knew what he just did, changed nothing at all. He just added to the body count. Seganeous was right, it changed absolutely nothing. The only thing that had been changed was himself. In the glint of his blades, he caught glimpses of his stained and abominable self. His hair had become black as the night, his wings bore not even a single white or grey feather. He had fallen, for nothing, he had killed for nothing.
As he flung Arkekon's blood in every direction he came to the realization; even though justice had been served, it was not repaid. The thousands of bodies still lay dead in the streets. The rivers of blood yet flowed. His family still lay in their eternal rest back in the ruins of his home.