A tempest of rage and grief surged through me, obliterating everything else. My wings stretched wide, their combined energy radiating in blinding flashes of light and searing darkness. The black markings spiraled faster across my body, burning themselves into my skin as if branding me for this moment. My breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, each one fueling the storm inside me.
The demon hesitated, its molten-red eyes flicking between my wings and the spreading corruption of my form. Its grin faltered, replaced by an expression that was almost… wary.
"What… are you?" it growled, its voice shaking for the first time.
I didn't respond. Words were meaningless now. My body moved on its own, driven by the unrelenting force within me. I lunged, the ground cracking beneath my feet as I propelled myself forward.
The impact was cataclysmic. My fist collided with the demon's chest, sending it hurtling backward through the grove. Trees shattered like brittle twigs in its path, and the air quaked from the force of the blow.
Before it could recover, I was on it again.
The demon snarled, swinging its massive claws at me, but I moved faster. Ducking beneath its strike, I drove an open palm into its side, unleashing a burst of crimson fire. The flames consumed its wing, the smell of burning flesh and sulfur filling the air.
It roared in pain, twisting to strike me with its tail. I leapt over the attack, landing behind it and slashing upward with a blade of pure light that had formed instinctively in my hand. The blade tore through its back, and black ichor spilled like tar onto the ground.
"You dare… challenge me?!" it bellowed, its voice trembling with fury and disbelief.
I didn't answer. I couldn't. My thoughts were a swirling maelstrom of anger and pain, and the only thing that mattered was making it suffer.
The demon lashed out, its claw grazing my shoulder. Pain flared, but it only fueled my rage. I retaliated with a surge of energy, my markings glowing brighter. The ground beneath us split open as a wave of combined light and shadow erupted, slamming into the demon and throwing it into the air.
It landed heavily, its massive form shaking the earth. Blood and ichor dripped from its wounds as it tried to stand, its once-mighty presence now faltering.
"This… this is impossible," it muttered, its voice tinged with fear.
I advanced, the air around me vibrating with raw energy. My blackened markings pulsed like molten veins, and my crimson eye burned with intensity.
The demon swung its claw one last time, desperate and wild, but I caught it mid-swing. My hand, wreathed in black fire and radiant light, gripped its massive arm and crushed it with a sickening snap. The demon howled, dropping to its knees before me.
"Please… spare me," it choked, its voice ragged.
The words only fueled my fury. "You didn't spare him," I growled, my voice low and guttural, distorted by the power coursing through me.
I raised my hand, a sphere of crackling energy forming in my palm. The demon's molten eyes widened, its expression shifting from fear to terror.
"No—!"
The energy shot forward, a concentrated burst of celestial and infernal power that pierced through the demon's chest. It screamed, a sound that echoed through the grove, as its body disintegrated into ash and shadow.
For a moment, there was silence.
The ground trembled again, but this time it wasn't from my doing. A suffocating presence descended, the air growing heavy with an overwhelming sense of dread.
From the rift above, a figure emerged, cloaked in shadow and flame. It was tall, far taller than any being I had encountered, and its six massive wings spread out behind it, each one wreathed in black fire. Its form was both elegant and monstrous, its chiseled features twisted by an aura of pure malice.
Its eyes were deep voids rimmed with crimson, and when they locked onto me, I felt an instinctive chill that pierced through my rage.
"Well," it said, its voice smooth and filled with dark amusement. "You've caused quite the spectacle, haven't you, little hybrid?"
My fists clenched, the markings on my body pulsing again. "Who are you?" I demanded, though my voice was hoarse from exhaustion.
The demon chuckled, a low and haunting sound. "Who am I? I am Malgron, Lord of the Infernal Abyss. And you, child, have just slain one of my prized generals."
"Good," I spat, my wings flaring as I readied myself. "You'll join him."
I surged forward, my power blazing, and struck with everything I had. My fists burned with celestial fire, my black wing trailing crimson flames as I launched my attack. The grove shook as my strike connected, but Malgron didn't move.
He caught my fist effortlessly, his expression one of mild amusement. "Is that all?" he asked, his grip tightening.
Pain exploded in my arm as he twisted it, forcing me to my knees. I roared, trying to pull free, but his strength was incomprehensible.
"You're strong," he said, almost as if praising me. "But you're unrefined. A child wielding power beyond their comprehension."
He drove his knee into my chest, the impact sending me sprawling. I gasped for air, the markings on my body dimming as the energy within me began to falter.
Before I could recover, he appeared above me, his clawed hand glowing with dark energy. "And now," he said, his tone almost regretful, "you will die."
His hand plunged into my chest.
Pain unlike anything I'd ever known consumed me. My wings flared briefly, their light and shadow flickering before fading entirely. The markings on my body dimmed, the fiery veins extinguishing.
"Such wasted potential," Malgron said, his voice distant as darkness claimed my vision.
The last thing I saw was his smirk as he turned and spread his wings, his voice echoing in my fading consciousness.
"The heavens will fall soon enough, hybrid. But your part in this ends here."
And then, there was only silence.
The battlefield was silent. The grove, once a haven of divine tranquility, was now a scarred wasteland of ash and ruin. The heavens themselves seemed to weep, golden light dimming as storm clouds of celestial energy churned above.
In the distance, angels arrived, too late to save either Seriel or Lucian. Their shining forms descended cautiously, their pristine armor glinting faintly in the somber light. They moved through the desolation, their usual confidence muted.
Seriel's broken body lay crumpled near the remains of what had once been his sacred sword. His face, though pale and lifeless, bore the serenity of one who had accepted his fate. Around him, the ground was stained with black ichor and his own golden blood, marking the final stand of an Archangel.
And Lucian…
Lucian's body was unrecognizable at first glance. His wings, both the radiant white and the crimson-touched black, lay motionless, battered and torn. The dark markings that had consumed one side of his body had faded, leaving behind faint scars that hinted at his transformation. His face, once serene and angelic, was now frozen in a grimace of rage and sorrow.
The angels gathered around him, their expressions a mix of shock, grief, and unease.
"This… was the child Seriel raised?" one of them asked, his voice trembling.
"Look at the markings," another whispered, pointing to the faint traces of infernal energy that lingered in the air. "He wasn't just an angel. He had… the taint of demons within him."
"But his power…" a third angel said, his voice hushed with awe. "Did you see the devastation? That wasn't just demonic, it was something else. Something… terrifying."
The group fell silent, their gazes flickering between Lucian's broken form and the destruction surrounding them. The sheer magnitude of his unleashed power had carved deep fissures into the earth, uprooted ancient trees, and obliterated the demon general with a force none of them could have imagined.
As they turned their attention to Seriel, grief overtook their unease.
"He was ill," one of the angels murmured, her eyes brimming with tears. "For years, Seriel bore the weight of this child while hiding his own weakness. He knew his time was short, and yet… he still chose to protect him."
"An illness that even our divine light could not heal," another added. "And yet he fought with all he had, even knowing the cost."
The angels bowed their heads in unison, their shimmering halos dimming in a gesture of respect. "May his light find peace," one of them said softly, her voice heavy with sorrow.
But the moment of reverence was short-lived. A low rumble echoed across the grove, the oppressive aura of Malgron, the demon lord, lingering in the air like a suffocating shadow.
The angels' wings flared instinctively, their hands gripping the hilts of their weapons. But even with their combined strength, they hesitated.
"He was here," one angel said, his voice barely audible. "Malgron. The Lord of the Infernal Abyss."
A ripple of fear passed through them. Even among the strongest of Heaven's warriors, the name Malgron was spoken only in hushed tones. Few had ever seen him and lived to tell of it.
"He killed the child," another said, her voice quaking. "And he did it… effortlessly."
"The child fought Azgrath and won," an elder angel whispered. "He defeated a greater demon with power none of us could comprehend. Yet Malgron struck him down as if he were nothing."
For the first time in millennia, Heaven's forces felt fear, not just for themselves, but for their entire realm.
In the distance, beyond the ruined battlefield, Malgron stood on the edge of a jagged cliff overlooking the scorched land. His towering form radiated a malevolent grace, his six flaming wings folded against his back. Shadows coiled around him like living entities, whispering in a language older than time.
He glanced back at the battlefield, his crimson-rimmed eyes narrowing as he focused on Lucian's lifeless form. A smile, dark and knowing played across his lips.
"So, this is how it ends, my son," he said softly, his voice carrying an unsettling mixture of pride and mockery.
The shadows around him swirled, echoing his words with a haunting resonance.
"Yes, my son," he repeated, the declaration heavy with twisted satisfaction. "She thought she could hide you from me. Thought she could deny the truth of your bloodline. But even she couldn't sever the bond between us."
He raised his hand, dark energy swirling in his palm. The remnants of the battlefield shuddered, responding to his will.
"You are both angel and demon, my precious hybrid. The perfect union of light and darkness. And though you've fallen today, your story is far from over."
Malgron's eyes glowed brighter, and his voice dropped to a sinister whisper. "One day, Lucian, you'll embrace the truth of what you are. And when that day comes, the heavens will crumble, and the abyss will rise."
With that, he turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving only the echo of his laughter behind.