The Demonlord Chronicles

Chapter III – The Darkness of Light
26.
The first whip barely missed Ardan’s face, sirring past his head, as he used his left to punch off the angel’s striking arm, quickly moving in to attack Guan’s body with his right, which was, however, stopped midair, his enemy’s second whip entwining around the long talons. Jumping backwards, Ardan quickly retracted his talons and the energy whip pulled taut around air, leaving him unharmed.
Without giving his enemy a brake, Ardan dashed forward again, leaping into the air, dodging the first whip as he whirled above the angels head, his talons just barely missing Guan’s face and instead drawing a small scratch across the helmet. In return, the second whip found it’s way to Ardan’s ankle, the arcane glow cutting lightly into his right lower leg, leaving a minor cut.
Sending forward a wall of fire, Ardan forced Guan to back off, giving himself time to land and get back into a good position, charging the angel another time. Ardan’s strike was fast, precise and strong, yet the angel managed to pull up his bracers, intercepting the talons right in front of his chest.
“You’re good...” Ardan hissed. “... but not good enough!” Suddenly a spike of bone shot forth from his lower arm, darting past the angel’s defense and heading for the right eye. Pushing Ardan off, stepping back and turning ever so slightly, the spike barely missed it’s target, scratching along the head’s side, before the bone weapon retracted into Ardan’s arm again.
“And you know how to fight, demon. By pure strength, you could even beat me, I guess...” Guan lamented, his whips lashing forth to make Ardan back up into a safe distance again. “But I’m a general, not a champion. It’s my task to lead and beat my enemy’s with my mind, not with a weapon.”
With a chuckle, Ardan responded. “Well, right now your battleplan isn’t really successfull, is it?”
“You think so?” Guan smiled wickedly. “Your so called ‘army’ is a joke. It’s like bunching up a couple dozen animals and pitting it against a phalanx.”
“Well, appears my animals are powerful and your phalanx is lacking, given we’re standing in a large crater which has been ‘your phalanx’ before we attacked...” Ardan countered with a sly smile. God, that attack of Rihukan had been much stronger then he had exspected. He knew the dragon was, right now, circling in the sky, recovering from the exhaustion that single move had caused.
Guan had his whips strike forth again, whilst saying: “A few planned casualtys, we exspected something like that. So far, everything’s still going according to plan.”
“’planned casualtys’? Pah! That’s why you and your so-called ‘angels’ will never win: You have long since surpassed the demons in arrogance and cold-heartedness. What you do is not justice, it’s mayhem! We’re fighting for the right thing. And we’re fighting with clean conscience and brave hearts, whilst every angel with a spark of intelligence probably started doubting your methods already!” A few strikes of flaming crescents caused Guan to dodge in various directions, showing up he was perfectly capable of moving quickly regardless of his heavy armor.
“In a straight-out fight, without finesse, you would beat me. And in a straight-out battle, I admit my army would eventually loose against your hordes. We are proud and preserve organization and grace, even if it hampers our efficiency at battle. That’s why your demons, even though being outnumbered actually seem to have a chance right now.

But as I’ve said. I’m a man of mind, not a fighter!” The right whip launched forward, dragging along the ground, digging a scar into the ground. Dodging backwards, Ardan realized the whip extended far beyong it’s actual length and had to parry the incoming strike with his own claws, the glowing something painfully burning across his scales.
“You see, this whole battle is actually pointless.” Guan suddenly stated, gesticulating at he surrounding fights. “It doesn’t matter how many lives on either side are lost. The only thing that matters... well.. it’s you. If you die, your army will crumble and scatter. After your demise, the forces of light will wash over this realm and conquer it in the name of justice!”
Guan jumped forwards, starting to spin mid-air, the whips cutting through the air, forming a whirl of lethal, glowing light. Ardan didn’t back up this time, but instead raised his arms, ready for the attack.
Then he stepped forward, into the whirl’s range and it instantly stopped: He had grabbed Guan’s both arm’s, holding them, stopping the spin itself. “Maybe...” Ardan whispered, grinning lowly “... but as you said: You cannot beat me in a straight fight one against one!”
A sinister smile crossed Guan’s face. “Who said I would be fighting you alone?”
Ardan realized his fatal positioning too late. He was standing there, next to his enemy, both of his claws blocking those arm’s of Guan. From the corner of his eye’s, he saw something charging forward. He knew he wouldn’t be able to turn in time to face the second attacker. But as well, he knew he didn’t had to.
“Second Sunrise!” a female voice yelled and right next to Ardan, close enough for him to feel as if his scales were going to melt off, a pillar of fire erupted from the ground, forming a lethal barrier between him and the new attacker.
As the fire, a few seconds later, ceased, Myrahathikas figure became visible in the midst of scorched earth, her fur wavering around in an unnatural, orange glow. Her eyes were filled with a similar glow and Ardan instantly understood, releasing Guan and jumping off. The angel was too surprised by how his tactic had failed and didn’t even notice the other seven figures dashing in.
Turning towards the Wolven, he raised his arm to have his whip split her in half, when he noticed the orange glow suddenly surrounding him as the eight Wolven formed a circle, each of them holding a palm stretched forward, aiming at the angel. In unison, a single word left their lips: “Sunfall”.
Within the fractal of a second, a pillar of light, it’s heat much more intense then any flames Ardan had felt before, surrounded Guan, quickly growing in size until it as well swallowed the Wolven, forming a giantic spectacle of fire in the midst of the battlefield, reaching up the sky, piercing through the clouds and causing steam, molten snow, to rise all across the field when the air temperature literally skyrocketed.
When the fire, maybe a dozen seconds later, ceased, there was nothing left in the middle of the eight Wolven and Ardan felt how Guan’s presence itself vanished. He had still not figured out what happened to the souls of immortals who were slain by those not actually being immortal...
Stumbling backwards, the second angel, who had previously been intent on attacking Ardan, smiled grimly, raising her sword and shield, whilst staring to Ardan as the eight Wolven formed up behind him, Myrahathika on his side. “What in the name of light...” Her eyes twitched with slight confusion as she saw the eight mortal beings, all encased in orange glow, each of them emitting a definitely demonic aura.
“We’re the avengers,” Myra started. “the mortals who made a pact with the darkness, for the purpouse of taking revenge for all those you killed. We’re the Wolven who were gifted with the essence of Ardan Flamehearted.
We are the Flamewolves!”

„Damn it… Guan…” the female angel hissed.
Before Ardan or the Wolven could lead another attack, another figure merged from the surrounding fights, stepping up to the angel’s side. “Well, I did tell him this wouldn’t work out... we knew this demon is using... unconventional ways. Guan was a fool to fight him like that.”
“Azael!” the female said with slight anger.
“It’s true.” The male simply responded, before facing Ardan. “Well then... you and your bunch of mortals... against the two strongest fighters of our angelic race. My name is Azael Whitefire, lord of the arcane elements, member of the circle of light. And the adorable lady next to me is my sister Benel, the most renowed swordsma...woman of all three realms. Do you think you stand a chance against us?” the angel taunted, visibly self-confident.
Ardan started to smile. “That looks more like a challenge... Flamewolves, watch not to cross the path of my attacks. I think someboy would severely dislike me if I were to injure one of you.”
One of the Wolven spoke up. “We have already devoted our lives, our future, our souls to this. If necessary, strike through our bodys, if it helps our common goal.” The cold and serious tone of her voice made Ardan blink in slight surprise.
Ardan felt a voice touching his mind, him quickly identifying it as Myra: Be careful though, my sisters are exhausted. We wanted to make sure to take that one angel down and have used a major part of our power. You can’t exspect another shot like that from us.
Ardan simply nodded, before charging forward, aiming for the sword-wielding angel. Opposed to Guan she was wearing a much thinner layer of silver armor and easyly dodged Ardan’s strike, dancing around him in a swift motion, forcing him to turn his back on Azael as he parried her weapon.
He heard the angel casting a spell and then a roar of fire as a wall of flames consumed whatever he may had conjured. Relying on Myra’s backup, Ardan started an assault at Benel’s defense, speeding up his strikes until they came as a flurry of continiously singing metal, sounding whenever his claws struck her blade.
To his surprise, the angel stood her ground however, not letting any amount or strength of strikes force her back, not even one step.Suddenly, her blade darted forward, past Ardan’s attacks, striking across his right shoulder, cutting off a few scales. Quickly taking a few steps back, Ardan saw how Benel had the weapon in her hand whirl around a few times, before taking a fighting stance again, a confident smile on her face.
Touched by the stray thought of a Wolven, Ardan spun around and darted forward, forcing Azael to jump off sidewards, interrupting his next spell’s preparation, before Ardan had to face the incoming strike of Benel, parrying the sword and... watching his talons flung off as the weapon cut right through them, radiating a blue glow, piercing further forward, into his lower arm, creating a deep wound.
Ardan stumbled backwards, quickly trying to gain distance, but Benel was already lunging forward with precise agility, her weapon angled to dig through Ardan’s left chest, aiming for his heart.
Her head right next to his, Benel stopped, her body pressed against his, the blade of her weapon emerging from Ardan’s back. “That one was for Guan.” She whispered.

“I’m sorry if I have to interrupt your dramatic moment... but no.” Ardan responded, his voice strangely high-pitched.
Benel’s eyes went wide when she realized the blade’s tip was not covered in blood. But she had for sure pierced through the demon’s chest! Jumping backwards, she saw the reason for him still being alive: There was a large, circular hole in his chest, where her weapon should have caused a fatal injury. And as she darted off him, she saw how the hole simply closed up again.
But not just that, his scales started to shift, changing their colour to a clear blue. And then his face altered as well, becoming a feminine one.
“Hi there...” Cyraminon said, chuckling amusedly and waving towards her opponent.
“But... that... he... she... it’s not Ardan!” Benel muttered, still in utter disbelief.
A voice, coming from right behind her ear, muttered: “Yep...” 
Screaming in pain, the angel stumbled forward when countless blue spikes erupted from her chest region, causing a rain of blood and innards to be spread across the ground in front of her.
As she fell to her ground, the spikes retracted, and a blue glibberish something, which had been attached to the angel’s back as she had come close to Cyra, emerged from her back, forming into a long string, wavering over to Cyraminon’s outstretched arm, where the mass combined with her scales again, absorbing into her body.
Then she turned to Azael. “Sorry for killing your sister. But I can’t have it when people penetrate my body without my permission. Don’t worry though... I’ll send you right after her...”