"NO FALL BACK!" The real Azrathos yelled but his voice was silenced by the wards around him
The demon noticed it in seconds feeling his voice being forcefully stunted.
He charged forward at the fake version of him which quickly morphed into Morpheus the pale man hopped backward as Azrathos stepped into the ward zone Morpheus placed.
A dagger appeared in Morpheus's hand and a drop of blood touched the ground. Wards bloomed to life and sucked the magic from the small zone around them.
Suddenly both man and demon were powerless.
Azrathos bellowed in laughter, "Pitiful, this is just making me slightly tired. I heard about your ward schemes this is the best you can do?" he laughed again lunging for Morpheus
Morpheus hopped out of the way narrowly dodging the clawed hand, "really you don't think this is impressive for the amount of time I had to work with? Perhaps your expectations are too high Azrathos, the longer this goes on the weaker you will be." he spun the dagger in his hand a smirk spreading across his lips
"Let's have fun."
****
The army of angels and demons rushed forward down into the depths of the canyon, their battle cries echoing against the rock formations. Wings beat against the air, divine radiance clashing with the eerie glow of infernal magic, their forces descending upon what they thought was a crumbling defense.
Then the canyon came to life.
Dozens of wards flared to life, glowing fiercely as their enchantments and wards activated. The very ground beneath the invaders twisted against them. Rocks that had seemed stable only moments before shifted and collapsed, sending entire formations of demons plummeting into jagged ravines. Spires of transfigured stone burst from the earth, impaling creatures mid-charge.
A storm of magic erupted from the canyon walls. Wizards and witches, hidden in carefully constructed vantage points, unleashed their onslaught. Enchanted arrows, hexes, and transfigured shrapnel rained down, cutting through wings and armor alike.
The angels, who had so confidently taken to the air, found their path blocked by invisible barriers. They crashed into unseen walls of force, wards designed to keep them from maneuvering freely. Some tumbled from the sky, their divine forms colliding with the merciless stone below. Others, realizing the trap too late, tried to retreat—only to be met with concentrated volleys of piercing hexes and gravity-warping spells that sent them spiraling to the canyon floor.
The demons, on the other hand, were caught in a far more sinister snare. The air around them shimmered before solidifying into dense, inescapable quicksand. The moment they struggled, the transfigured terrain tightened, dragging them deeper into the rock. Others found themselves funneled into dead-end paths, forced into tight clusters where explosive curses tore through their ranks.
From above, American battlecasters and ICW enforcers launched their next move. Siege teams, stationed on high ridges, unleashed enchanted boulders infused with transmutation magic. The rocks exploded on impact, transforming into chains of silver and iron that wrapped around their victims, binding demons and angels alike.
Without Azrathos to command them directly, the angels and demons fell back on their own instincts and wartime strategies. The initial ambush had left them scattered, but they were no mere rabble they were ancient beings forged in conflict. As the canyon walls echoed with battle cries, their forces shifted into a defensive counteroffensive.
A high-ranking angel, his wings shimmering with divine energy, took command in Azrathos's absence. "Fall back to the trenches! Regroup and fortify!" His voice rang out like a bell, cutting through the chaos. At once, the celestial warriors adjusted their formations, retreating to the makeshift fortifications they had carved from the canyon.
Demons, snarling and bloodied, followed suit, their forms shifting as they reinforced their defenses. Some grew massive, their hulking bodies becoming living shields for their kin. Others dug their claws into the rock, reshaping the battlefield to their advantage. With unnatural speed, they erected crude barricades of stone and dark energy, turning the very terrain against the wizards.
The angels, using their aerial superiority, began a devastating bombardment. From above, they rained down lances of holy fire, forcing the wizards to reposition. Some angels dove with deadly precision, swords cutting through magical wards like parchment, scattering the defenders below.
Meanwhile, the demons launched a brutal ground assault. Some summoned waves of black, writhing tendrils that slithered across the battlefield, seeking out human prey. Others, their eyes glowing with malevolent power, chanted guttural incantations, causing the ground beneath the wizards to rupture and explode in bursts of dark fire.
The wizards, though hardened by war, found themselves on the back foot. The very terrain they had used to trap the invaders was now shifting, being torn apart or turned into cover for the enemy. The trap had worked but it had not destroyed them. Now, the battle was becoming a grueling war of attrition.
***
Morpheus circled Azrathos, his dagger glinting under the dim battlefield light. Blood dripped slowly from the blade.
Azrathos snarled his muscles coiled with unnatural power, his every movement a promise of devastation. His crimson eyes burned with rage as he lunged forward, his fists hammering through the air like falling meteors.
Morpheus danced away, his feet light, his breath steady. He didn't need to overpower Azrathos, he only needed to outlast him. The magic was already draining from the demon, siphoned away by the ward scheme.
Every second that passed, Azrathos became weaker. And Morpheus had all the patience in the world.
Azrathos roared and swung again, his fist carving through the air. Morpheus barely ducked in time, the force of the strike creating a small crater in the rock where he had stood. Before the demon could recover, Morpheus darted in, his dagger flashing. A shallow cut bloomed across Azrathos's ribs.
The demon snarled, twisting to backhand him, but Morpheus had already moved. He was a shadow, a flicker of motion just beyond reach. Another cut. Then another. Each one precise, each one stealing away more of Azrathos's strength.
"Did you really think I couldn't fight up close?" Morpheus chuckled, "I've been doing this for years against far stronger demons than the likes of you Azrathos."
Azrathos bellowed, charging like a beast enraged. This time, he anticipated Morpheus's dodge, twisting mid-stride and catching the wizard by the arm. With a savage growl, he hurled Morpheus against a jagged rock formation.
Pain exploded across Morpheus's ribs, but he didn't allow himself to hesitate. He rolled with the impact, twisting away just as Azrathos came crashing down with the force of an avalanche. The rock shattered beneath the demon's fist.
Morpheus seized the opening. His dagger darted forward, slicing across Azrathos's arm. More blood spilled, more power drained. Azrathos staggered.
"You are nothing!" the demon roared, but there was something else in his voice now. Not just fury. Fear.
Just then the sound of retreat echoed and a few stragglers appeared in the horizon spotting the duel.
Azrathos laughed, "COME! BREAK THIS DAMN WARD!"
The beasts surged forward and Morpheus cursed.
A/N: sorry short chapter still sick unfortunately. Important note, the anti magic ward is extremely complicated. To be able to make one quickly is already a goof feat