Whilst enjoying a merry skip through the Celidon forest, the Beloved Child Erzabet, chanced across a stray acorn that jabbed mercilessly into Her poor bare foot. Furious that the forest would harm Her so, Erzabet declared war on the woods and their Mistress, the Lady Asaka. Setting fire to all around Her, the Demon Child taunted the Lady of the Wilds to show Herself, and with mighty roar, the Wild One answered in the form of a giant tigress. Calling forth Aosoth, of The Thirst to fight for Her, Erzabet giggled as She sat back to watch the ensuing battle.
Not alone would Lady Asaka stand, however, as a small alliance came to Her side: the Lady Cassiopeia who had long called the Wild One Sister, and the Lady Epiphany and Lord Vahin who cast aside Their ways to aid in the fight. Unwilling to pass on an opportunity to destroy more of the Patheon, the Demon Lord Azaoz arrived soon after with Visyra close behind. There in the skies they clashed, tooth and nail, blade and body, with more bodies to soon join the fray as Aosoth summoned forth a legion or more demon hounds.
Soon, the Lady Asaka grew tired of the intruders into Her woodland home, and - returning to Her true form - summoned forth the power of the Wilds to destroy the Demons Erzabet and Aosoth as the Celidon forest came alive to hold the two in place. Aosoth then turned on the Lady's home, summoning more demon hounds to overrun the council below. Using all of Her might, Lady Asaka turned and released the built up energy into the council, destroying the portal and hounds below. Her last act would be to save Her children as the Demon Lord Azaoz took the opportunity to strike a blow against the Wild Maiden, sending Her toppling to land at the foot of Her council. There, the Lady choked out Her last goodbyes to Her gathered children, those same children who many years before the Wild One loathed with all Her passion. She promised her Asakii that there would always be a piece of Her waiting for them in the wilds. The Lady Asaka evoked Her teachings through Her existence: She lived, She learned, She loved... and then She died.
Taunted by the Demons, and enraged at the breaking of Their alliance, the other Gods fought on, but were soon separated. Lady Cassiopeia and Lady Epiphany continued their fight against Visyra and the ever growing legion of demon hounds as the Lord Vahin was pushed away to the north by Aosoth and Azaoz. Taunting Vahin about being pushed back, the Just One shouted out the revelation of His trap with the Raven Lord, Calix, and called His ally forth to battle... only to be met with a mere mortal servant (who likely died after his surprise flight) and a parliament of ravens. Mocked by the Demon Gods, the God of Justice pressed on, cursing His apparent betrayal as His previous injuries began to slow His reflexes. He suffered more wounds against the Demon pair than he was able to give. Far to the south, the Lady Cassiopeia faired better as She decimated wave after wave of demon hound, pushing Her way to the bloody gate in attempts to seal it shut. Lady Epiphany equally holding Her ground against the Demon Goddess Visyra as she clashes spear against whip.
No one paid notice to the ravens.
No one noticed as they circled the battlefield. No one noticed as they, as a dark and shadowy unit, crept closer to the Beloved Child. She cried out as a passing raven scored a glancing cut upon Her exposed arm, and swatted the birds away to return to Her voyeuristic enjoyment of the bloody battle before Her. The blood She'd smeared from the glancing wound was mixed with a dark and oozing substance, but the Beloved Child did not notice, as She once more ignored the ravens. Suddenly, the parliament of ravens shot into action, carrying a dark shadow quickly around the battle in the north. Small hits were scored across the three Demon Gods as the ravens distracted them from the fleet and dangerous shadow. Moments later the Lord Calix revealed Himself, a gleaming sitara in one hand, an open toxin vial in the other. He cursed as He noted the small doses were doing little more than distract the Demon Gods, and moving quickly at the closest offender, shattered the vial into the eye of Erzabet with His sitara, sealing her to a long and agonizing fate.
Enraged at the blatant attack against His own, the Demon Lord Azaoz appeared in front of Calix, sundering His torso from the neck down. Undaunted, the Raven Prince shouted, "Is that all you've got?" before dying in an explosion of inky ravens. The Lord Calix's familiar sprung forth from the streets of Antioch, consuming its once Lord, before flying away to the jeers of the Demon Lord Azaoz, who then quit the battle in disgust at the weakness of the Gods.
With their leader departed, the tide quickly turned for the two remaining Demons, and after a few more traded blows, they too quit the scene for wherever they find safety. After a short discussion on what to do with the Beloved Child, Lord Vahin declared that the Lord Calix's toxin would guarantee Her a slow and painful death, but that He could not stand for such suffering even amongst His enemies. He dispatched the Beloved Child as She called out for Her Mother, sure that all would be alright if only She could have Her Mother once more. Openly questioning His ability to continue the fight, the Lord Vahin fell, consumed by His wounds as He shattered into uncountable shards of ice over the frozen northlands.
So few now remain of the broken alliance, so few to stand against the remaining Demon Gods, and their Demon Lord, Azaoz.
Penned by my hand on the 10th of Artificium, in the year 678 AD.
