A Tragic Tale

(Azrael)

"I'll kill you!" The priestess, Diana cried out in her fit of rage as she shot towards me.

I couldn't hide the look of excitement on my face as I leaped off the chandelier and dived towards her.

"ARRRGHH!" Diana bellowed as she flung her arms in front of her, sending a torrent of scorching flames at me.

My eyes widened in surprise as I swerved mid air to avoid them. Unfortunately I wasn't fast enough and the flames burned my entire left arm, making me grunt in pain.

I took a few steps away from her and looked down at my arm. My sleeve hadn't stood a chance at all and my skin wasn't any better. My arm was bright red with faint black patches here and there.

I tried to flex it but immediately winced and little black spots danced at the edge of my vision.

"Don't tell me you're finished already?" asked Diana as she marched slowly towards me, the flames now surrounding her in a glorious aura.

I chuckled, my forehead beaded with sweat as I gently touched my arm and chanted ,"Hazais"

I watched as my shoulder healed, although I noticed slower than usual. I looked at Diana and smirked.

"That's the most pain I've felt from the time I came to this world", I said ,"Those are some pretty nice flames"

"Hmph!" said Diana and she lit two spheres of fire in her palms ,"How about I give you a closer look at them!"

She hurled the fireballs at me but this time, I extended my hand and chanted ,"Setorir!"

Instantly, a barrier formed in front of me and the fireballs exploded against it. To my surprise my barrier cracked and shattered to pieces around me.

"That magic...even the healing magic from before...", Diana muttered ,"You have some impressive Origin magic"

"And you're just as impressive for being able to destroy my barrier", I complimented her as well ,"You're not a god by any chance, are you?"

"What does it matter if I'm a god or not?" she asked rather defensively ,"All that matters is that I avenge my comrades by taking your head"

"She has a point, you know?" Abigor called out from where he sat. He yawned as he said ,"Hurry up and finish things already"

"I never get to have fun", I sighed in disappointment ,"But all well. Hey, Diana-"

I extended my hand and summoned a ball of primordial hell flames in my palm.

"Why don't we fight fire with fire!" I swiftly hurled them at her.

Diana's eyes widened in alarm but she was too slow to dodge them. They hit her right arm and spread quickly, viciously burning away at her.

She cried out in intense pain and desperately tried to put out the flames.

"My flames cannot be extinguished except by me alone", I explained as I calmly watched her futile attempts.

Hearing that, I watched as Diana gritted her teeth and raised her other hand. She focused most of her flames around her hand before swung down, cutting off her arm before the flames could spread any further.

"My Lady!" Kathalia cried out in horror from the podium where she'd been quietly observing the fight.

"Oh...?" Samira remarked as she looked at Diana with mild admiration ,"She's brave enough to cut off her own limbs in order to survive?"

Diana was straggling to stay on her feet and her aura of flames had greatly diminished to mere flickers. But she still had a look of determination in her eyes.

"It's...not a matter of survival...", she said, coughing up blood ,"This pain is nothing compared to the pain of losing my friends...the pain of being exiled by my own family...the guilt that comes from being the reason monsters like Sirius exist!"

I said nothing and simply watched her.

"So...if you think I'm going to shrink away in the face of danger...in the face of death-", said Diana with a clenched fist ,"You have another thing coming!"

For a moment we all just stood there, none of us making a move. Then I clapped slowly and flashed her a kind smile.

"Impressive", I said ,"I like people like you. That's why I'll give you a choice. Become my subordinate, and I promise you peace or-"

I felt my eyes blaze with power ,"Burn by my flames and die"

"I would rather die than yield to a demon!" Diana yelled defiantly ,"What do you know about peace?!"

I sighed and lit another fireball in my hand ,"I had hoped for a different outcome but farewell, foolish priestess-"

I hurled the flames at her and she held her head high, prepared for them.

But something unexpected happened.

Kathalia rushed forward and stood in front of Diana. Diana could only watch in horror as the ball of purple flames hit Kathalia square in the chest and sent her thrashing and screaming in pain on the ground.

"Kathalia!"

Diana rushed forward and knelt down by her side, tears streaming down her face. I purposefully slowed down the flames to let them speak.

"W-w-why...?" Diana stuttered as she caressed Kathalia's cheek.

Kathalia's voice was raspy as she said ,"You...deserve...to live...more than anyone...my lady"

Diana shook her head as more tears fell from her face. Kathalia forced a smile as the flames closed in on her head.

"Please...live...", said Kathalia before she completely burned to ash.

Diana sobbed as she stared helplessly at the remains of her friend.

"Why...?" Diana muttered miserably ,"Why must everything I do always end in pain...?"

We all listened quietly as she absentmindedly began recounting her past-

•

(FLASHBACK)

Somewhere, in a garden of golden roses and gems that littered the pathways, a little girl about five years old could be seen playing on the ground with a sapphire gem in her hands.

The girl held it up to the sun that blazed brightly overhead. She beamed happily when the gem glittered in the sunlight.

"Diana?" a voice called out.

Little Diana turned her head to a large man dressed in golden robes. He had long wavy blond hair and beard and his eyes shone like two miniature suns.

"Daddy!" said Diana as she got up jumped into his arms.

"Whoa there!" the man chuckled, his eyes twinkling kindly ,"What were you doing, sweetheart?"

"Looking for shiny stones again", Diana explained and showed him the sapphire ,"I found this one by the cave near the river"

Her father's smile faltered ,"Cave?"

"Yeah", said Diana innocently ,"The cave where all the sad singing comes from at night"

Diana's father set her down, his expression serious.

"Now listen, Diana", said her father ,"You must never go near that cave ever again, especially at night. It's not safe"

"But-", Diana wanted to protest.

"Diana!" He shouted, startling Diana before his expression softened once more and he said ,"I'm sorry for raising my voice at you. Come on, I heard your mother's preparing quite a feast tonight"

•

(FLASHBACK)

That night, despite her father's warnings, Diana couldn't sleep so she quietly left the house, jumping down from the window of her room.

She run through the garden and followed the river downstream to a massive blue cave. Although, the moonlight shone brightly, the mouth of the cave remained dark and seemed to be void of anything.

However, Diana simply picked up a pebble off the ground and threw it into the cave. A few seconds later, she heard a single set of footsteps shuffling and someone called out.

"Good evening, Diana", greeted a calm voice from inside the cave.

"Hello again, uncle", Diana responded, sitting down on one of the small boulders near the entrance.

"What's bothering you? You seem sad", the mysterious voice commented.

"Oh, it's just...", Diana muttered ,"Uncle, why are you always in this cave? Father yelled at me today, saying that it's very dangerous"

The voice chuckled softly ,"Well, that's because your father doesn't really like me and he makes me sleep here as punishment"

"Punishment?" Diana asked.

"Yes", the voice explained ,"Just because he heard a little story about something I didn't even do"

Diana frowned ,"That's not fair!"

"Right?" the voice laughed ,"And I would go and talk to your father about it if I could, but unfortunately I can't move out of this cave. Unless..."

The voice trailed off, making Diana stand up and come closer.

"Unless what, uncle?" Diana called out into the darkness ,"If you know how to get out, please tell me. I'll do everything I can to help"

"You are too kind, my sweet niece", said the voice ,"Yes, there might be a way and it will be all up to you. But I warn you, it will be a little painful-"

"I-I don't mind", Diana said, her voice shaking slightly ,"Tell me what I need to do"

"Alright", said the voice ,"Come closer to the entrance"

Diana moved and stood right in front of the mouth of the cave. An object was tossed to her feet and she picked it up. It was a dagger. The blade was made of a sharp blue scale of some sort, tied to a simple wooden handle.

"You're going to have to cut yourself a little", said the voice ,"Just a small cut across your palm but I won't force you to if you can't do it-"

Diana had already stopped listening though, as she brought the dagger to her hand. She hesitated a little before she dragged the blade across her palm, tracing a red line of blood.

"W-what's next, uncle?" Diana asked, blinking back her tears.

The voice remained silent for a moment, seemingly in shock.

"Oh! umm...", the voice stuttered ,"Let a few drops of your blood spill on the ground in front of you"

Diana did as he instructed and turned her hand, letting her blood fall to the ground.

"Now repeat after me", the voice continued ," 'I, Diana, daughter of the sun, hereby revoke the seal of my forefathers and release the dragon god ' "

"I,Diana, daughter of the sun", Diana repeated ,"Hereby revoke the seal of my forefathers and release the dragon god"

As soon as she finished chanting, the ground began to quake and shake violently. Diana was thrown off her feet and sat down hard on the ground, looking around her in a panic.

A dozen pairs of shuffling footsteps could be heard as dozens of gods arrived, donned in shining armor and carrying deadly weapons. Diana's father came forward and plucked her up from the ground.

"Are you alright, Diana?!" he asked, with a worried expression ,"What happened he-"

He stopped when he noticed the cut on her hand and quickly pieced things together. He cursed and set her down, drawing his weapon.

Then, a huge explosion and the cave burst open, knocking back the gods nearest to it.

"Ha ha ha ha! It's so good to finally feel the moonlight again!"

A single figure emerged from the rubble. A tall man in dark blue armor with a sinister looking spear at his side. He had wavy black hair and his eyes gleamed like the sapphires Diana loved so much.

He looked around at the assembly of gods in front of him and laughed once more.

"You really didn't have to hold such a large reception for little old me", he said with a smirk ,"But I'm grateful nonetheless"

"Sirius!"

The man, Sirius, turned and focused his gaze on Diana's father and grinned some more.

"Helios, my dear brother!" said Sirius ,"Have you missed me? It has been a couple centuries since we've seen each other after all"

Helios ignored him as he brandished his broadsword at him.

"Come quietly and return to your imprisonment, Sirius", he declared ,"I don't want to hurt you"

"You know, it's funny that you think you can hurt me", Sirius laughed as he raised his spear ,"Isn't that the whole reason you sealed me away in the first place?"

Helios said nothing. One of the gods in the frontline must've gotten impatient because he charged straight at Sirius.

"No!" Helios cried out but it was too late.

Sirius swiftly dodged and brought his spear up in a deadly arc. The god fell forward and slumped on the ground as his head rolled lifelessly towards his brethren.

"How weak...", said Sirius without a trace of sympathy.

"H-how could you!"

Sirius looked up and saw Diana trembling behind her father, her eyes overflowing with tears.

Sirius simply swung his spear to the side, splattering blood to the ground.

"What? He attacked me first and I only defended myself accordingly", said Sirius coldly ,"You'll learn soon enough that that's how life works-"

"I should have never freed you!" Diana screamed.

"But you did. And for that, you have my eternal gratitude", said Sirius with a small bow of his head. Then he regarded the rest of the gods before raising his spear once more ,"Now come at me!"

With a mighty roar that shook the heavens themselves, a battle of the gods unfolded.

•

(OVERVIEW)

As Diana finished her tale, Samira and Abigor jumped down from the chandelier and stood besides Azrael.

"Many gods perished that day at the hands of Sirius", said Diana ,"He was finally defeated by my Grandfather, Hyperion but he escaped to the Mortal Realm with only a portion of his power before he could be completely sealed away again"

"Afterwards, a council was held and I was to be punished for releasing his seal", Diana continued ,"I was sentenced to be cast down to this realm, as a fallen god with my divine powers restricted"

"What a harsh fate for a child so young", said Abigor.

Diana shook her head ,"I felt like I deserved it. Besides, even after I was cast down, I only had one thought in mind-"

"Capturing Sirius", Azrael finished.