The Ashen Grimoire

 In the depths of a chaos invested, ruined castle. A dwindling army fights fiery beasts as they breathe in ash and the smell of brimstone fills their lungs. The knights, weary, on the brink of collapse as they swing their dulled blades to face the monstrosities. Their armor charred and blackened from countless hours of fighting; The soldiers, desperate to achieve victory, for the weight of the world was on their shoulders. If they fall, so too would humanity. The knights weaved inconceivable spells from their grimoires gifted by the council. Pillars of ice and maelstroms of fire scarred the battlefield, the knights trodden on the limbs and gore left behind from their fallen brethren. "Cliff!" A soldier called out amongst the roars and clangs of steel against stone-like flesh. "I'm here brother!" The brothers backed into each other, their numbers diminishing. "How has it not fallen!" Osmund shouted to his brother. "It is the Alberra, one of the first high class demons." Cliff responded, simultaneously beheading a demon twice his size. The ashen remnants from the slain demons choked and gagged them. "We will die at this pace, We need to retreat and come up with something better!" Osmund pleaded. The brothers knew they wouldn't come out unscathed and possibly alive but they steeled their hearts and fought with conviction to strike fear into the gods. "We have no other choice." Cliff glanced at Osmund, unsheathing the second sword from his back, waves of wind gathered around the sword and Cliff's body. "Wait!" Osmund attempted to grab his brother but the wind was holding him and everything around him, pushing back. "I will make the way!" Cliff shouted as he turned to face the horde. He charged, as his brother was blown back by his gusting wind, calling out his name. At the last moment, Osmund had an epiphany strike his mind and gathered all his aura and transferred it to his brother, effectively tripling his aura and thus; his power. The wind circling around Cliff's body, being enveloped by his magnificent aura, shot through the lines of the enemy; piercing through like an arrow. As he neared the giant demon, Alberra, its sinister voice cracked into Cliff's mind, like a magnet tugging at his deepest fears. "You will die here, human, Along with the rest of your cursed race!" Alberra screamed. Cliff leapt to the sky, pushing past the black smog that enveloped the skies within the chasm of the castle; Alberra was visible now, wings of distorted fire and shredded flesh the color of midnight kept it aloft. Alberra swung his massive arm at the roaring knight. Cliff prepared the sword, darkness coiled around its sacred blade and turned into blinding light. "You underestimate humanity's power to overcome!" Cliff shouted as he swung the sword, imbued with the power to slash dimensions. Alberras eyes widened, his pupils dilated as the light impaired it. The blinding light receded and Alberra's body was cut in half; A silhouette of dark and light wrapped around its body, encompassing it. Cliff fell from the sky as blood shot from every pore in his arms, filling his charred gauntlets, slowly losing consciousness he witnessed the demon's body fall along with parts of the castle that was caught by his sword. "Cliff!" Osmund rushed to reach his brother, the army retreated, slamming into him; However, he kept steadfast and pushed on. As he approached, he saw his brother, broken and left behind. Osmund grabbed his brother's body and the broken hilt of the once renowned sword he made for him. He ran as fast as he could while debris fell around him. "Leave me." Cliff mumbled as blood filled his mouth. "We will make it!" Osmund shouted. He carried his brother up the stairs as it began to fall. "Promise me you will come back!" A woman cried through Osmund's mind. He saw the dwindling light peeking through the castle doors. He rushed but knew he wouldn't make it. All of a sudden, wind guided Osmund and made their retreat possible. The brothers crashed through the doors and smacked against the dark ashy soil at the feet of the fleeting army. Osmund rolled and landed on his back to see the castle collapse underground. He looked behind him to see his brother on the ground lifeless. "Brother!" Osmund screamed as he ran to his brother, falling on himself. "Get me a damned cleric!" Osmund cried out as he held his brother in his arms. "You are going to survive this, you hear me!" Osmund said to his dying brother. A cleric's imperial healing could bring someone from the brink of death, however, most of the army's chosen was killed by the Alberra at the start of the fight. The rest either deserted or were trapped deep within the collapsed castle. Cliff held his brother's hand and mumbled into his ear. "Thank you brother, for letting me see such a beautiful sight." Cliff cried as he gazed into the sky. The rest of the army witnessed a holy light shine down onto the brothers. "By the gods." Osmund sat in amazement, totally enlightened by the holy rays. In that instant, Cliff's mortal wounds healed and he fell unconscious. Osmund sat there stunned as he watched a celestial woman float down into the clouds. "Goddess Idhena!" One of the soldiers cried out. Every soldier kneeled before the Goddess of the sun, her everlasting youth and beauty radiated amongst the weary soldiers and invigorated them. Osmund's admiration, however, soon dispersed as he felt a different presence among the beatific deity. He shuddered as her eyes met with his, an overwhelming feeling to strike her down enveloped his mind. The deity faded into nothingness and his murderous intent relinquished; Osmund held back the urge to retch. "Goddess Idhena." He repeated in his head.