Lore
Cyrus, an Archangel, was ordered to eliminate all human life. His brothers and sisters would warn him of their evil, a blight on all existing life. However, upon his arrival, he couldn’t find the hatred that his siblings held for them. They weren’t perfect; they weren’t ready to be absolved, but they were ready for a new leader. Years pass by as he watches on; wars being waged amongst the Elves and Beast-kind. Their inability to limit their hunting in a time of war, ravaging the land of food and security. And so he made his decision.
Without further deliberation, he arrived at the edge of a battle, Elves and Humans engaging with one another in one of the bloodiest battles to have ever been waged. Thousands of lives were being lost, generations coming to an end over the fear of what they do not understand. Mankind doing their best to live in a world without fear of magic or the immortal kind, Elves joined by beasts, seeking only to live free without coming under threat. Neither side, in the eyes of Cyrus, could be judged as evil.
He calls upon his brothers and sisters to confess that he can no longer, in good judgement, act in their stead. He pleaded with them, asking for forgiveness in humanity, one last chance to allow them to show their worth. Alas, his words fell on deaf ears; not one of them returned a single word. And so, he returned to the heavens, seeking counsel with those that had once ordered him to commit a grave sin. But on his arrival, Cyrus was bound without hesitation, holy light gripping him tight as he was dragged into the hall of heaven’s decree. There sat his brothers and sisters, some expressionless, others imbued with rage. Without the ability to defend himself further, two of his brothers stood behind him, gripping his wings and stretching them out. A chorus of anger flooded the hall. Cyrus lowers his head, his face filled with anguish. His brothers ripped the wings from his back, tossing them into the holy fire and forcing him to watch them burn.
He was dragged from the halls, into the clouds, and handed to the Guardian of the Gates. The two brothers walked away, the guardian looking down on him, not with anger, not with disgust, but with pity. For he agreed with Cyrus, watching the world outside from his seat by the gate. As Cyrus looks up at him, realising the moment he leaves those gates without his wings, he would lose his power. Yet, for a reason unannounced, his brother opened the gates and removed the veil, allowing him to walk through with his powers. His understanding was clear, his motives unclear, but the Guardian kicked him through, sending Cyrus plummeting to the world he sought to protect.
Upon landing in a ball of fire, with a crater surrounding him and his back in agony, a holy light slowly glowed around his wounds where his wings once were. But that holy light faded, replaced by a flame that grew darker by the second. His connection to the holy well had been severed, his celestial birthright destroyed as he became a fallen Archangel. With his powers, he wandered the land, destroying those who would seek harm. Not just to him, but to all races on Earth. He realised his power is not just a tool of death, but a sign of peace. He cast out all evil from hell, opposing the devil himself and forcing them into retreat for the first time in millennia. But with awe-inspiring power comes recognition. During one battle he sought to end, a glowing light spread across the surrounding fields, incinerating those that were too weak to fight the holy power of Cyrus’ creator. Once the light had vanished, he locked eyes with God, the one who was ready to erase him for protecting another one of his creations that he judged irredeemable. God threatened him with annihilation if he weren’t to stand down. But in defiance, Cyrus launched a flurry of attacks against him, taking him by surprise as each attack that landed sounded like thunder roaring across the land. The air became filled with rage, Cyrus’ power growing, and even then, God realised his son no longer saw him as his father. The power of an Archangel beat his creator down. With his fist he would break bone; with an almighty scythe, he carved into God’s skin. The angels descended, forcing Cyrus to take a step back as the now bleeding God falls to his knees. Embarrassed, his pride shook as he looked at him with fear. Knowing Cyrus’ power not only equalled God’s but exceeded it, the Angels carried their father away. Cyrus warned that if they were to return, he would destroy the gates of Heaven and unleash a fury unlike anything they’ve ever seen in their existence. After that day, Heaven’s light never showed itself again, giving him the ability to truly focus on his goals.
He ended all wars; he ended their hatred. He rules over them with the hope that neither heaven nor hell would ever step on earth again, into his domain as Cyrus the Demon Lord.
Written by Adam Wilkins
