The War of the Demons

Malika Saahid

Fire! Depths of infernal power rose upon the Cold Spine.

Oh Arzt, Oh Jinsei, shield me from the powers of the dark.

Protect me, Oh gods, from those who would have this silenced, for it must be heard.

Here I will convey the troubles of Loke, whose death brought happiness to the land, and whose birth burned the world.

Whose birth began the War of the Demons and brought destruction upon Elsvyr.

The War of the Demons burned brightly in early years, and from those days the Cold Spine’s cliffs have shone with the scars of the years of war.

But before the destruction of the War of Demons, there were others, smaller but significant battles fought between mortals whose concern was for land.

Near the city of Kaldun, which is now named Princeps Petrum or High Rock in the common tongue, upon the throne of the rock sat a king whose voice was that of the people and whose heart was that of the gods.

There was war, war that ravaged the land and many armies fought in the shadow of the Great Barrier.

Good King Hasim sat on the rock and looked down upon his people, those who were at war and those who were dead and he saw favor in three choice soldiers from his ranks.

Many battles had been fought and from inspection of his ranks he found three who were favored by the gods and by their peers.

Battered and beaten his newfound friends were invited into his court, though few encouraged this action.

The King saw that they were good soldiers, loyal and brave, servants of their King to the grave.

Among those who were honored were Ayaki a kitsune priestess of Areluma the savior, a Tiefling named Loke the Magus whose extraordinary ancestry and whose strength none could match, and a Dwarf by the title of “The Cavalier” whose people had banished her for her love of the open road.

These three were chosen, and King Hasim shall be known for his wisdom, though what he had begun even he knew not.

While the War of the Demons was fought by these three not all would fight on the same side or battlefield, and thus began the fall of the first age of man, by the hands of devils.

The Tale of the Two Kings, which precedes this account is in summary here.

Hasim, whose rightful claim of the throne in Khaldun was despised by few except his brother, whose hatred grew deep.

Other cities upon the wasteland fell to his hand and soon Grand Kaldun was threatened by many foes whose leashes were held by the brother.

The brothers name was Makista, and he united the cities of the wastelands against the great city of Kaldun.

Hasim saw that his brother jealousy and hatred was a threat to thousands of lives and so from upon his throne Hasim surrendered his crown to dark-hearted Makista who greedily traversed the steppes of Kaldun to arrive at the city.

The gods saw that the reign of Makista would be devastating to the world and that from his hatred would grow a reign of darkness.

So from the plane of light and angels descended Oire, the messenger who disguised himself as an old woman.

Upon entering the red gates of Kaldun, Makista came face to face with the crone whose godly presence was hidden from mortal eyes.

Dark Makista, whose soul had grown tainted, was not fooled by the celestial disguise and in his rage at the gods interference he struck down the crone breaking the bone of her hip.

The people of Kaldun, whose bounty and goodness flowed through the streets saw the woman fall struck by their soon-to-be king and were angered in their souls.

The Tale of the Two Kings thus ends with the death of Makista by his own people who deemed him unworthy of a throne.

The death gave fire to battles across the land and good hearted Hasim had his brother buried next to his mother and father in the royal tomb. It is at the occasion of his brother’s death and the war did Hasim cry and look down upon his people, inviting the three chosen to his chambers.

Upon their arrival Hasim became very ill, as if taken hold of by some spirit.

His daughter, who was his only descendant was at his bedside as he fell into a deep sleep which he never would awaken from.

Upon her rise to the crown in the absence of her father and her fear of what the future held, she had the three heros chained and brought to her to stand trial.

In her good natured fear she blamed them for her father’s condition, although the sleep which Hasim fell into was the work of his brother’s spirit.

The heroes whom had done naught a wrong were sentenced to death.

In their last day the threesome plotted their escape and with their own wit fled the great castle hiding in the crowds of Kaldun.

The wreckage left behind was fierce revealing the culprit to be Loke, whose power knew no limits.

Loke was a born to a human mother but was sired by a demon father, whose presence still dwelt within the Infernal Plane.

His demonic heritage was personified by the great horns which protruded from his head as well as the extraordinary abilities which his father had granted him.

While in the army of his King Loke’s power was concealed by a sly man by the title of Inquisitor and the name of Covex.

The inquisitor tricked the god-like Loke into wearing an amulet which burnt with holy energy slowly sapping the powers Loke was gifted with.

Loke’s power still grew although slowly due to the permanent hindrance.

It was in the dungeons of Kaldun that the deal which would seal his fate was made.

In the dungeons a demon whose name was not his body nor his mind's approached the group and promised to release them under the condition that Loke would realize his true potential.

Interested in his possibility of gaining more power the Magus agreed to the terms.

Once the words were said the amulet which had hung on his neck for two years was shed, shattering as it hit the floor of the cell.

Loke’s power which had been slowed by the relic rapidly grew allowing him to destroy all that lay in his path.

His anger fed the fire which burned in his soul and from that fire came a whisper whose mind was cunning and greater than Loke’s.

It was this whisper that led Loke into the depths of the earth, so deep he found the dwelling of his father.

With the assistance of his father, and the whispering voice, Loke rained hell upon the earth and the very rock shown with the blaze.

He rose the great demons of old to walk upon the earth and the Cold Spine trembled at their roars. There was Bekett, Moras, Kladian, and Rostaosu, the demons whose sizes were so that their footprints became lakes and the blood which poured from their wounds became rivers.

The great army marched north destroying the Great Barrier whose dwarven clans could do little to slow the onslaught of devils.

Among their ranks was “The Cavalier” whose Hexenbeast mount died along side her in the battle to destroy the man she had once called friend.

The great horde moved upon the mount of Ganai, the last mount before the Desert of Elsvyr, and there stood the lone figure of Ayaki.

In her hand she held a staff made of ironwood and whose light brought life to the darkness.

This staff is known as Azuli, sealed within the heart of a forest Ayaki in her fleeing from Kaldun was lead to it by a whisper in her ear.

A whisper that spoke in her own voice but was much older and wiser.

Azuli shown upon the mountain and bathed the hordes of demons in light which banished them from whence they came.

Loke confronted the god-like Ayaki and upon the mount of Ganai a battle commenced, one which can still be felt upon the peak.

I know not what happened in these times for even the god’s shielded their eyes from the brilliant light, what is known as that only one descended the mountain, the figure of Ayaki, whose body now radiated light like the sun.

Her face shown and the people bowed down to her.

Loke’s body was lifted away by his father who mourned the death of his son by hurling himself into the great abyss.

Loke was slain and the armies of the damned as well.

The demons retreated into the fiery darkness from whence they came and the other creatures who were with them hid for fear of the godly priestess.

Oh Arzt, oh Jinsei, that your relic was used to shield the world from war, I thank you for your safety and your presence.

I finish this account with gratitude and thankfulness that your grace and light might keep me from harm.

Allow the light of the world to continue to shine through our goddess Ayaki, and shield us from the darkness of perdition and death.