Forgotten Realms:

Angels and Demons

Part LXI

Blinding light exploded all around, and Raven was blinded. Half of Manheim disappeared in an instance, and the demons in a fifty-foot radius just fell to the ground as mounds of dust. All around the Challengers fall back, grateful for the brief respite and unsure what had just occurred. Only one knows where to look, and as her vision returns, she can fell her hope surge.

"Sorry I'm late," Kirann said. "I'm afraid we only have a brief moment."

Strength returned to the Challengers, wounds were healed and for Walton, the years melted away. He stood again as he had a decade before, at his full strength and with none of the ravages of age. He too was speechless, as the voice of his friend is both recognizable and different. A reverberation, almost an echo comes as Kirann speaks, and the very act of his speech sends reverent chills down the paladin's spine. His student is already kneeling.

"Stop! Rise, Kyla Whisperwood!" Kirann said. "Those who have fought and bled with me, shall not kneel."

Kyla rises, but reluctantly. This being, has the shape and bearing of a deity. Every reverent instinct tells her to prostrate before this being, that he is a god. Yet, he embraces his old party, and he speaks to them as equals. Only Raven is given special treatment, as he lovingly embraces her.

"You didn't keep what I gave you did you?" he asked.

Raven blushed, "We were supposed to eat them together!"

"This is true," he said, and he held out an apple, an elixir and Ambrosia. "Here, our time is short."

"What about…" She started to ask, as he pulled out an apple of his own, and his own Ambrosia.

"Through Eternity, a thousand lives, you I would choose," he said as he bit into his apple. "Nevermore are we to be separated."

She followed suit, not sure what to expect. Warmth spread through her. The warmth one gets while sunning on a warm day. The feel of the sun gently caressing your skin, as the cool winds flow over you. She smelled heavenly orchards, and the baking of sweets off in the distance. Raven felt the gentle caress of a lover, her lover, and the taste of sweets on her tongue. Heavenly melodies rung through the air and she began to hear a multitude of music from countless worlds all around her.

Val watched as Kirann and Raven finished, and the Tiefling bard began to glow and speak just like the monk. Something had changed, and they were now more than they had been before. Power rolled off of them, the power of creation and destruction, the power only meant for the Gods. Tears streamed down her face at the beauty of what she was seeing, something so rare it would be forever recorded into legend, Ascension.

Kirann walked over to her, handing her a bottled elixir, "Drink this." Then to Leilani he handed a parchment with directions, ingredients and everything she needed. "This will remake the elixir. Find the materials, you will guard this knowledge. Only those who prove themselves worthy."

Time was running short, as Kirann had only slowed time down. Just enough to give his team the edge they needed. This battle was still far from a sure thing, but now their chances had gone from slim, to possible. Especially as he was joining them, and he was bringing one more surprise. He took his place in front of the newly made Devil, Manheim.

"Time after time, you have chosen Evil," he said. "Return to Asmodeus, never darken this world again."

Manheim unleashed a barrage of Hellfire, "You think yourself so perfect, so holy, I'll rip off your head and present it to Asmodeus!"

Kirann waved his hand and the Hellfire vanished, "Now! Al, it is time!"

Above the demon army, Angels appeared in the sky. Their holy wings shone down brightly. Holy weapons flashed, destroying demons. Howls of demons intermixed with divine war cries, and one of the loudest was a Dwarf in gleaming armor. Armed with a two headed axe, Boris laid into the evil army with the same glee as he had in life. Borrowed from his rest by Al, and with special permission by Moradin himself.

"Raven, a song," Kirann called, hands glowing as he prepared to strike.

She obliged, and the Challengers returned to the battle. Malena had regained more of herself, now that Manheim had his concentration broken. She went to flee, only to find Kyla and Walton waiting for her. Manheim struck at Kirann, only for him to dodge and Raven to slice into his devil body. He screamed, only for Kirann's blast of energy to take his jaw off. Val leaped onto his back, laying him open with her blades. Meanwhile Lorinda and Leilani sent their destructive spells at Malena, and nearly end her there.

Lord Wallace couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing. Angels and Demons, battling it out, with the allied people under his banner joining in. A sight that was a once in a myth's lifetime, but then he saw what he could only say was Kirann. That was enough to break his discipline, and the reserve a commander needed. He looked over to his confidant, friend and court wizard, Bruce.

"Do my eyes deceive me, my friend?" he asked.

Bruce laughed, "If they are, so are mine. How in all that is holy did he manage this?"

"Well come on men, before the Challengers and the Angels take all the glory," Lord Wallace called out. His sword bare and ready, he pushed his horse forward, hitting two demons as he did.

Bruce smiled and followed his friend. From horseback, he slung deadly spell after deadly spell with perfect precision. Demons fell as the army of mortals, and the army of Angels crashed into them. Some of the people fell, but they died for something greater than land, creed or royalty. They lived, fought and died for people they would never see, for those that would come after them. One could see their souls immediately rising to the Heavens as they fell, where they would be welcomed.

Manheim ran from Kirann and Raven. Subvocally he began a final spell, for he knew soon this body would wear out. He would then be returned to the Hells, and Asmodeus would punish him for his failure. However, he wasn't the only power seeking to disrupt the status quo. Manheim had come across another in his studies, before his untimely death. A power greater than any God on this plane of existence.

He finished, with his last gasp, a hole opened in the sky above. Darkness crawled out, along with nasty tendrils connected to an Illithid similar shape. He let out a satisfied gurgle as the figure turned slowly, as if realizing an opening had been made. Even the appearance of Asmodeus couldn't convince Manheim he had lost. The Ancient One had been contacted, and it had a way into this world now.

"What have you done, you imbecile?!" Asmodeus asked, pure fear in his voice.

What he and the others were seeing was beyond all imagination. This was a force beyond descriptions of Good and Evil. Shaped like a man, with a squid like head, flapping wings, cloven feet and a barbed tail, this thing was an outsider. Unlike the Overlord Ao, this thing's power didn't come from this reality, but somewhere else. This somewhere else was a place of darkness and brackish water. Its glowing red eyes were hungry as it started forward.

"Here we are, don't turn away now," Raven sung. "We are the warriors that.."

Kirann sent a blast of energy into Manheim, mortally wounding the recently turned Devil. He then pulled in a massive blast of energy and threw it straight at the Outsider. The thing howled in pain, and slapped at itself to put out the flames erupting over its body. Again he did this again, and the thing backed off even more.

"Now, Raven!" Kirann called.

She responded by thrusting out her hand, song still on her lips, "Here we are, don't turn away now. We are the warriors that…"

The hole in the sky slammed shut, sending a shockwave that was heard across the region. The thing on the other side let out an angry screech, causing everyone except Raven and Kirann to grasp at their ears. Some were so affected, they fell to the ground crying in fear, with the Angels recovering first.

Seeing the demons losing, Asmodeus sent them all back to the Hells. At which time he turned to leave, only to be faced with an angry Aasimar. Before the Devil turned God could react, the monk slammed a fist into his chest. Asmodeus felt weakness spread as Kirann pulled his hand back out, a tiny, writhing, incorporeal thing with him. Shock replaced pain, as this wasn't possible.

"How? Only the Liberator…" Asmodeus coughed.

Kirann responded, "This doesn't belong to you. A prophecy all misunderstood, and you targeted a future savior."

"You will pay for this!" Asmodeus cried, as he crawled away.

Trying as he might, to pull enough energy to leave this plane. Just as Raven as about to stab him, he managed to escape. Cursing the whole time, and unsure what had just happened. The power he had stolen, and corrupted was gone, but he could still feel his godhood on him. This wasn't the first time he had been badly wounded, but it would be the last. The question now, was how to regain his power, before the other Devils figured out he was weakened.

Back with the Challengers, the edge of the fight wore off, and so did the temporary effects Kirann had mustered. Walton found himself back to his real age, and with painful wounds. His younger self had been able to shrug them off, but his older self would forever carry them. Lorinda needed Leilani's help patching up her own wounds, as many burned from the weapons of the demons. Meanwhile, Val watched as her wounds began to slowly heal before her eyes. The only one to come out mostly unscathed, was Leilani.

Kirann and Raven stood holding one another, bathed in the light of a new day's sun. The wriggling piece of soul that he had removed from Asmodeus, lifted into the air and flew straight into the rising sun. Behind them and following it seemed to be a chorus of divine harps and voices rising to crescendo.

Just as the little piece of soul reached its destination, Kirann heard the thanks of a thankful deity. What had been stolen years ago, was returned, and again the balance of power between Good and Evil, leveled out. It did not stop the summons that both he and Raven felt, their time among their friends coming fast to a close. As all things change, as they tend to stay the same, sometimes it was the intervals between the two that caused the most drama.

Kirann cast healing spells on his friends, knowing this would restore them, but not reverse some of the wounds they had received. They had fought, and that fight was meant to take their sacrifice. They had put up their health, future and well being to defeat great Evil, and most would be returned, not all. Still, he would give them as much back as he could. They were good people, ones worthy bending the rules for.

"Raven and I need to leave soon," he said to the other Challengers. "Know we are never far, and always close. Just call out and we'll return when we can."

Raven nodded, "Every year we can meet up in Altamar, celebrate our travels together. Though we all are about to go our separate ways, we will forever be connected. We are a family now, and ever after."

Val was sniffing, "Stop it you two! All this dust around here, makin' me tear up."

Kirann brought her close, "Your heart, your strength, never let it darken. I can't wait to see what you do with immortality."

Raven hugged both Leilani and Lorinda, "You both have been my sisters. I'll be checking in on you two, and dropping by to catch up when I can."

To Walton, Kirann clasped the paladin's arm, "Always a good man, you became a great one. Your student here reflects well on you. I will await you at the gates, and a place you'll always have with us."

By now Lord Wallace had made it to where the Challengers were. Bloodied, slightly wounded, and covered with demon ichor, a light was in his eyes. He saluted the returned monk, while his wizard, Bruce clapped for the heroes. Behind them, the whole gathered army of defenders kneeled in salute of the heroes.

"We must leave now," Kirann said. "When the need is greatest, when the hour darkest, we'll return."