A soldier charged into the courtyard where Raden and a group of archangels stood discussing a battle strategy. "WAIT!" All eyes were trained on the poor soul who had run from the city. "I've just received word," large inhale, "Merikh has captured the girl."

"We need to find them now," Raden barked. The rest nodded and they were about to fly off.

"Hold on," inhale, "I wasn't finished." The soldier held up a hand as he continued his struggle to catch his breath. "Merikh has captured the girl in King's City and they're on the move."

Raden looked over with impatience. "Where exactly?"

"Dude, I just sprinted from the other side of the city give me a damn minute." This got a few chuckles from some of the others standing around. Raden shot them all warning glares that shut them up quickly. "They're heading here. The legion of death angels was sent ahead to wipe out our armies in the city then the archangels."

Raden turned to one of the angels. "Tell Deimos and Lorcán now." He turned back to the soldier. "When the legion arrives, hide them throughout the city and everyone is ready for an ambush."

"You're not serious about having us fight Death!"

"No. I'm about to have us kill the motherfucker." Raden ran back inside the castle hoping word reached Lorcán before he got to him. Luckily enough it did.

Deimos began barking orders for his men. Lorcán was rushed off to the innermost room of the castle and guarded tightly. The entire castle was going into lockdown with royal guards posted at every potential entryway. Much of the celestial army was sent out to the city waiting for the arrival of death angels with Deimos and Raden staying put at the castle.

Both watched over the city. Not much could be seen from the castle as Ifera became a ghost town overnight, but they stood over it nonetheless.

"You think we'll finally be able to end this war," Deimos broke the silence.

Raden stood stoic in the shadow of the night. "It's our only option. If we don't stop this now then there won't be another day to fight." The lights in the city below were extinguished and he knew that Merikh was here.

Deimos looked over at Raden. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah," Raden answered hesitantly. He glanced over at Deimos watching him rest on his arms against the banister.

"What happened? You went in so confident that Azrael would be coming back with you."

Raden sighed. He sat against the banister folding his arms. He turned to face Deimos who was waiting patiently for an explanation. "Serkan had placed several charms and spells on that place he had Azrael. All to dull or completely extinguish any powers. I don't know how I found her because on top of all that it was a complete labyrinth of halls and doors."

"Powerful magic," Deimos added. "So, what happened?"

"Serkan beat me until I almost died."

Deimos raised his eyebrows and whistled. "Fucking hell man." Then his brows knitted together. "How are you standing here?"

"I don't know." A lie. "I just remember hearing someone speaking and I woke up alone and healed."

"Looks like you had a guardian looking after you," Deimos joked and smiled. Raden smiled as well.

It was moments like these. The small jokes or smiles made up for the hell they endured.

"You really love her."

Raden nodded. "She's my purpose in life."

Deimos pushed back on the banister and patted Raden on the shoulder. "Then let's make tonight count."

Horns blew and the two's attention were brought to the southernmost part of the city. Infernal hordes fell on the city. Raden and Deimos leapt from the banister into the darkness of the city. Others would follow suit.

This will be the night everything ends.

~~~*~~~

Merikh marched Azrael through the city. He wanted her to see the carnage that was beginning because of the hoards. No one cast a glance towards them. Fire erupted around them but Merikh pushed them forward. Azrael tried to fight but found herself stuck in a tight grasp. By the time they made it halfway through the city. Most were engulfed in flames and Azrael was trying her best to keep from inhaling the smoke. Her eyes burnt and her lungs screamed. She wanted to run but couldn't. As she fought in this losing battle, a faint outline of a man danced through the smoke. She squinted her eyes but couldn't make it out. Not until he yelled.

"MERIKH!!!"

Azrael thought her legs would give out. She couldn't believe her eyes or ears.

Merikh turned and for the first time was completely shocked at what stood in front of him.

Raden stepped from the darkness into the fires of war. His halo glowed brightly above and his wings spread ready for take off. He walked forward with purpose. Anger fueling each step. His eyes glowed with righteous rage.

Merikh quickly recovered from the shock and grabbed Azrael by the arm. "Kill him."

Azrael was too in shock to move let alone comprehend the order she was given. She just stared blankly down the road at Raden who was closing the space between them quickly. Merikh groaned in annoyance and threw her to the side. "Fucking useless." He removed his cloak revealing his own personal armor.

"IF YOU WANT ME DEAD, THEN DO IT YOURSELF, COWARD!" Raden yelled before taking off into the night.

Merikh looked around but the smoke and night sky hid the death angel well. Raden dove at lightning speed. He lifted an unsuspecting Merikh from the ground and threw him into the nearest building causing it to crumble. He waited for a few seconds but Merikh didn't emerge. Raden rushed over to Azrael, picked her up and checked her over for injury.

She grabbed his face with both hands. The moment her fingers grazed his cheeks she engulfed him in a tight embrace. Raden wrapped his arms around her letting out a sigh of relief before pulling back.

"H... how?" Azrael frantically searched his face. Her hands shook as she stood confused.

Raden grabbed her hands. "I promise to tell you everything but right now those hordes need to be dealt with." She nodded and went running off but Raden kept a hold on her causing her to turn around again. He pulled her in for a kiss he desperately missed. "I love you."

"I love you," Azrael replied. A commotion behind Raden caught her attention and her eyes went wide. Raden turned to see Merih blasting his way through the rubble.

"Go." Raden pushed Azrael away and she ran off to help the other. He readied for the fight that could cost him his life.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Merikh roared. The whites of his eyes went black as he raised his arms up.

The ground under Raden's feet rumbled and moaned as the earth cracked open. Raden hovered a few feet above and watched as charred hands shot out from the ground. Around thirty burnt and charred beyond recognizability bodied climbed out. They cried out in agony with each movement, but their attention was set on Raden. As Raden was watching the dead move beneath him, he didn't catch Merikh who was flying at him with full force.

Raden felt the impact on his side and the pain of broken ribs spread instantly. He groaned as the ground broke the fall. Just a few feet away were the slowly crawling corpses. Merikh pushed himself off the ground ready for another attack. Raden grabbed his side as he stood. He looked around at the debris and saw Merikh. A long blade of obsidian appeared in his hand. Raden readied his sword. The pain radiated through his side.

"You're going to have to try harder than that," Raden spat sarcastically.

Merikh raised his sword and swung. Raden raised his sword to block the blow and as the two connected, thunder exploded from the strike.

~~~*~~~

The hoards of infernal infested the city and were burning their way through it at a rapid pace. Azrael sprinted down alleyways trying to stay alive until she could reach any who needed help. She shot out of an alleyway into the opening of a large street. Three demons were racing down the street when they saw her and changed directions.

"Well, shit." Azrael looked around for a place to get off the ground but came up short. The three demons were closing in fast and Azrael huffed. She felt a tingle go through her hand and smirked. She raised a hand up to the sky bringing it down and with that several bolts of lightning. The demons fell limp and Azrael didn't stand around long enough for others to arrive.

Blasts and yells were becoming louder and louder as Azrael went to the southern portion of the city. Several angels flew low overhead and Azrael ducked out of instinct. Up ahead was a small group of human soldiers fighting the best they could against a rather large hoard.

Azrael ran up but was stopped by one of the soldiers. "Someone get this girl out of here." He turned to face Azrael. "We evacuated everyone, why didn't you follow?"

"I'm here to help."

He began to push her into a building for cover. "We don't need the help." Azrael maneuvered and ran out from underneath his arm ignoring his yells.

Anéislis had trained her to control the most powerful parts of her magic. And this was the moment that training would come into play. She felt the increase of magic flow through her veins as she ran to the midst of the fighting.

"Get down!"

With a stomp of her foot, a tidal wave of chaos magic rushed through the skies above and the streets below. Anything not held down was completely destroyed. Anyone who didn't take cover was hit with the concentration of powerful ancient magic. Bodies of demons hit the ground as several fell from the flight and a few angels as well. Some managed to run off but for the most part, the hoard terrorizing this place was killed off. The archangels that were hit stood in a daze but managed to get into the air and after those that ran off. Azrael turned back to see the soldiers all staring at her in shock.

"Well don't stand there with your mouths open." A death angel had just run up with two others to see what the commotion was about. "Get this place secured and move." He turned to Azrael and she recognized him from King's City. "Have you seen Raden?"

She nodded. "Heart of the city now. He's trying to take on Merikh."

"That motherfucker is always going in alone!" He motioned for the other two to go. "You pass any other death angels, send them to the fight."

"Are you all insane!"

The death angel gave a cheeky grin. One that Azrael had seen Raden with. "We wouldn't be the legends we all are if we weren't insane." Then he flew off.

Azrael shook her head. She ran through the city listening out for any more yells and explosions but things went quiet the south she went. So she changed directions heading west. With each encounter with smaller groups of demons, she took them out with ease slowly dwindling the numbers. She could hear the explosions from somewhere near the center and knew it was Raden. If the explosions were occurring, that meant Raden was still fighting. That's what Azrael continued to tell herself.

A horde of fifteen infernal had overtaken a small group of soldiers and they had fallen back into an inn. Archangels were nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, assholes!" Azrael then whistled and was able to grab their attention. The infernal snarled and squealed. Get them away from the soldiers first.

She sent sparks their way trying to get them to chase her. Hoping she didn't harm the soldiers that were held up. One of the demons let out an ear-splitting scream and launched into a full sprint after Azrael. She didn't stand around for it to get any closer and booked it down the main road looking for any alleyway to turn down. Behind her was the entire hoard screeching and clawing for her.

An alleyway stood a few feet ahead and Azrael made the sharp turn left for it. The smoke had kept her movement hidden from the demons in the very back of the hoard but a good number followed her into the alleyway. Up ahead the opening had been blocked by a building that had crumbled. Azrael's stomach dropped. There wasn't another way out and she was now trapped.

Azrael whipped around as she heard the hoard growing closer and closer. She had to think fast. Up above hung untouched laundry. Azrael shot a bolt of magic breaking the lines and sending the clothes down on top of the hoard. They screeched in annoyance and began clawing through the clothes, ripping them to shreds, but it gave Azrael enough time to organize her thoughts on what to do next. She held her hand up above her head and brought it down. Lightning hit the side of one of the buildings obliterating the side. It rushed down like an avalanche and completely buried the hoard. She smiled at her victory but that was short-lived as explosions not too far off shook the city.

She began to climb the mountain of debris that blocked the way out. Her hands slipped off the loose rubble causing gashes. However, Azrael was determined to make it out. Above her soared two archangels searching for any demons.

This was her chance. "Hey! Down here I need some help." She waved with one hand and continued to yell out hoping they would hear her.

They flew past and Azrael's hope waited until she heard the familiar flapping of wings and looked behind her. One swooped down, easily lifting her up and out of the mess that she had partially created. She held on tight not wanting to fall from these heights. All three landed in a clear spot and Azrael jumped out of the angel's arms.

"Thank you. I don't know how long it would've taken me otherwise." Azrael looked between both of them and smiled as best she could, given the circumstances.

The one nodded but the other gave her a strange look. "You Raden's girl?"

Azrael nodded slowly but was hesitant. "Yes?"

"Deimos." He held out a hand to shake her. She declined to show him the gashes. "I've been helping him out these last few weeks. Leader of the archangels."

"Nice to meet you. Right now, though, I need to go."

"Well hold on, maybe we can help," Deimos said. He reached out for her to stop before she ran off.

Azrael paused and thought for a second and nodded. "You two may can. I need one of you to try and find as many of the death angels out here and tell them to head to the heart of the city."

"Why?"

"Raden has decided to fight Merikh on his own." Azrael saw the look of anger flash through Deimos's eyes.

"That idiot."

"I know." Azrael agreed.

Deimos motioned his head to the other angel standing with him. He nodded and flew off. Deimos looked back to Azrael. "What do you need me to do."

Azrael wiped the blood off her hands and ripped her clothing to wrap her hands. "Get me to that fight."

He nodded, swooping her up in his arms and they were off.

~~~*~~~

Raden was standing his ground but he could feel his strength waning with each blow from Merikh. However, he was too stubborn to give up. The militia of the dead was swarming the streets below waiting for a body to drop from the skies above. Raden's main priority right now was getting away from the souls below.

Merikh snapped his finger and daggers of dark matter appeared in front of him. He waved his hand and all five raced forward towards Raden. He managed to dodge them as he flew higher above the city. Here he had the advantage of hiding in the darkness. Merikh yelled in frustration.

"You hide in the shadows like a coward," Merikh yelled. Dark matter formed in his hand as he readied an attack. "Show your face and accept that you will never win against me."

The darkness of the early hours was pierced by the brilliant light of celestial magic Raden cast. Merikh turned in time to see the blinding light but was hit square in the chest and sent flying to the ground. Raden followed after watching everything unfold in slow motion. Merikh hit the ground and an explosion of dark matter went off completely obliterating everything within half a mile of the crash. Buildings were flattened and the souls were destroyed once again. Raden landed waiting for Merikh to appear through the smoke but he never did.

As Raden stood there watching the smoke and dust settle, death angels began landing waiting for his next move. Raden looked around at everyone in shock as they stood with him.

"What's our next move?"

Raden looked over to his right as the death angel spoke. "We kill him."

They all nodded and walked over to the small crater that had been created by Merikh. Raden peered in and saw that Merikh somehow hadn't been killed by the blast. He made eye contact with Merikh and saw the evil that truly was Death. Merikh launched forward, wrapping his hands tightly around Raden's throat. The attack was short-lived as Raden felt a shield fly up around him and Merikh fell back. Complete shock ran through the angels. Raden stood untouched and smirked. He motioned for them to grab Merikh.

Merikh fought against them but was gravely injured and weakened from the blast. He looked up as Raden stood in front of him victorious. Merikh glared daggers into Raden. "You were my greatest mistake. I am your creator and master and you've chosen to forsake me."

"You are not my master," Raden said calmly. Merikh lurked forward but was stopped by those who held him. Raden knelt down. "You forsake me as your son. You chose to cast me to the side. I am no longer your child to abuse." He stood and walked to one of the angels who stood a ways away watching.

"Then you will walk this earth as an orphan."

Raden turned and smiled. Sword in hand. "I am no longer a son of Death. I was saved and created again by one you fear deeply." He saw something shift in Merikh whether that was fear or anger he would never know. "My name is Raden, Angel of Death, son of Anéislis, no longer a Nameless God."  Raden sliced the sword down through Merikh's throat. His head fell to the ground and his body slumped.

Death was no more.