Province of Dagonfall - Middle second era
The Nokhian heart is capable of invoking supernatural forces with it's emotions, and some Ancient Nokhians were able to sacrifice a piece of their own souls to enchant metallic or crystalized materials as a way to produce special tools and weapons as the same time immortalizing them.
Agum needed a shield capable of withstanding de dragons destructive claws without needing repairs, a shield capable of enduring fire without getting too hot, a shield that would strike fear in the hearts of his enemies with a single look, and with the help of the sorcery of the priestess and the strength of his strong spirit, he crafted a shield like no other, the Devil's face.
The Nokhian current descendants had no concept of Devils, but the original Nokhians had, and when forging what would later become a legendary cursed shield, he'd bring forth a supernatural force he himself didn't quite understood. But he was only able to do it with the help of Almasilvia, a witch who dedicated her life to discover more about all the Supernatural forces who influences this world, going beyond just the ancient Nokhians and the Demiurges, she told him about a ritual who'd allow him to actually forge the powerful shield he needed. Now the shield had a glowing red power within it, giving it life to the demon's face eyes.
As Agum make his way to the volcano, it gets progressively difficult as he have to face the heavy rain, the occasional floods, water currents, but the worse was the ashes of the eruption, making his breathing more difficult and sometimes even painful, but he resisted.
A hour or more later, he was at the feet of the volcano, the whole air was hot and the ashes even built up on his skin, but somehow he resisted. And as he was there, looking all the way to the top of the volcano, he could hear something... he could only describe as a chanting of a thousand voices, it was a very distant sound, but it felt like the voices were either coming from inside the lava, or provoking it, and it made him feel dizzied, it felt like it vibrated through his skull. But then, sounds of very heavy footsteps, the ground subtly trembling at each step, and as he focused to look at who was approaching, he saw a figure, a huge one, almost double his size even though he was very tall himself. But it wasn't a Dragon, nor any of the Dagon's creatures, no, it was a Human, but not a ordinary one.
He had a kind of tribalistic dragon scale armor, a mask like the skull of a elephant, and two big horns coming out of his head forwards. But more weirdly, his skin was grey, and he only had a huge curved bladed spear
Agum: Who... what are you?
Agum asked already pointing his spear at the direction of that being, who, in a distorted voice said
Skiros: I'm Skiros, A descendent of the outworldly ones, just like you. But not a human anymore.
Outworldly was how the Dragons would call the Nokhians
Agum: It's pretty clear you're a abomination, but of what kind?!
Skiros, walking slowly around Agum, making the ground subtly tremble before him, in short words said
Skiros: The kind that's loyal to true gods. Nokhians were never gods, they were more enlightened humans, nothing more.
Agum, still coughing due to the ashes, replies
Agum: That's the lie the Demiurges told us humans so they could enslave us! Don't you dare speak this lowly of our own origins
Skiros: They were a bunch of arrogant children's, whole lot of them. Our enslavement was a merciful decision by our overlords, who could much more easily just kill all of us, we should've be thankful for this blessing, but no, we humans couldn't let it go, we had to try to go back to the old ways, looking up to a bunch of arrogant children that was our "gods".
Agum was confused, the way Skiros talked, it like he was suggesting the Nokhian gods weren't... gods? That they were mortals like us?
Agum: You gave up your humanity, what you'd know about our Ancestrality either way?!
Skiros then pointed the spear at Agum, and then said
Skiros: Look at it this way, who knows more about how the Nokhians actually were? Their descendants who never lived in their time or saw them? Or the Gods that were alive since the very first human stepped into this world and saw everything unfold?
With that rain, those ashes, that rage, and Skiros provocative words, Agum couldn't just stand there and argue with him, he was the enemy, and probably telling lies, so Agum just shouted his war cry, and charged against Skiros. Agum jumping with his spear in hands and aiming for his heart, but Skiros easily reflected the blow by just kicking him with his huge legs before the spear could reach his chest, making Agum fall and roll over all the mud.
Before he got up and continued fighting, he looked back and saw the lava slowly getting to his direction, he had to finish Skiros quickly, so he got up, and now more concentrated, charged again into combat, but now a bit more cautious.
Skiros and Agum exchanged spear thrusts and blows one after another, Skiros easily deflected Agum's attacks, but Agum's shield completely absorbed and neutralized Skiros attacks, even his strongest blows couldn't stop Agum's advances, usually he could send both humans and dragons alike go flying, intriguing Skiros to how that shield was so powerful.
But one moment Skiros managed to dodge one of Agum's thrust attacks, twist his hips, and then kicking Agum's in the face with his big, barefooted feet with claws dark as midnight, throwing Agum's to the side into the mud again, and his face marked not only with the impact of the kick, but four ugly cuts from his feet claws, and the cuts burned like they were deeply infected or poisonous.
Agum was having a rough time fighting, after all he was also with his breathing weakened, and now he could barely get up. Skiros took the opportunity to calmly touch his shield with his spear.
Skiros: This shield... I was thinking about it, it isn't a normal shield is it? You've taken the ritual of the Devils haven't you? Would you be surprised to know Devils actually set foot on this world? Do you know that they fought against the Nokhians and were the main reason for their colony to get weaker and vulnerable to our lords?
Agum, slowly getting up, replied
Agum: I don't know the complete story... but the woman who helped me forged this shield told me something...
Skiros allowed him to get up, as he didn't felt Agum's attacks were going to be a threat, and he was curious to see what Agum would do or say
Agum: ...Nokhians believed there was much to be learned from the Devils, and some Nokhians were able to incorporate the Devils into their forms when absolutely needed... And they used it to ultimately defeated them with their own strength.
Then Agum hold his shield with his two hands, and start whispering some words, and suddenly, Skiros saw the red glow disappear, and then the Shield falling down to the ground like a empty vessel. And then... Agum started to grow too, saber tooth started to come out of his mouth and cut his lips, his skin became red, his hair white pale, and part of his simple armor break, Skiros them saw Agum's hidden power it was actually contained in the shield, Agum's Devil spirit and form
Skiros quickly got into position with his spear, and with his remarkable spear skills, he could actually keep good distance from Agum. But he just kept coming, growling and shouting a terrifying demonic scream
Eventually Agum's broke Skiros spear and started delivering all manners of blows to Skiros, making him being thrown all over the place.
But eventually, the lava gets close to them, and as Skiros feel it's warmth, Skiros, being held in the air by the Demon, used all the rest of his strength to pull a kick up his face, grab the rest of his spear on the ground and plunge into the Demon's mouth. But Agum just broke the bladed spearhead with his teeth. But on this short second, Skiros jumped with all his body on top of the demon, making him land with his back to the lava, and start burning him.
But Skiros new as soon as he got off Agum's, he was going to just get up and keep coming, so he did the ultimate sacrifice, he used every ounce of strength both his body and spirit had, to keep drowning them both into lava. And as more lava falls off the volcano, more both of them scream horribly as they melt together, to eventually become part of the ashes...