A/N: Blood tests tomorrow to see if my blood cell count has improved, if it has, it means I'm no longer bleeding internally, so fingers crossed. At the last check, I was down over half, so my blood is very diluted, but hopefully not for much longer.

(Update as this chapter got left for a while and my A/N is too way out of date) My stomach hole closed up but is still very fragile so I have to be careful. Some of my old injuries have been acting up and complicating daily life; thankfully as a martial artist I know how to adjust my body to compensate to an extent. I'm not all bullshit with my SI/OC, though I must admit I don't have the angel light powers in real life… sadly… I'll figure it out…Maybe.

Dingir the curse of God, and now Campione?

Campione X Grey Faction crossover

Chapter 13: A God much like myself

क्या आपकी परछाई कभी आपसे बोलती थी?

और क्या उसने कहा कि कुछ गलत है?

केवल एक लैम्पलेट दीवार पर एक आकृति

कभी भी महसूस नहीं किया कि वह बिल्कुल परवाह करता है

क्या उसने तुम्हें जाना बंद कर दिया था?

kya aapakee parachhaee kabhee aapase bolatee thee?

aur kya usane kaha ki kuchh galat hai?

keval ek laimpalet deevaar par ek aakrti

kabhee bhee mahasoos nahin kiya ki vah bilkul paravaah karata hai

kya usane tumhen jaana band kar diya tha?

"Damn it what the Hell is going on?" Dingir demanded to his surroundings; a blinding swirling concert of lights. His movements were bound and he couldn't feel his Authorities.

"Hush now, let me see within you." Spoke a soft, lyrical voice. A robed figure appeared before Dingir, their skin and features similar to statues of Vishnu, but far more human, as though a human was imitating the divine.

"Let me turn your memories and soul into music."

लगता है कि मेरी छाया आज रात मुझसे बोली

और मुझे मेरे सपनों को दूर फेंक दिया

एक मुड़ आदमी की कहानी बताई

जो किसी मूर्ख योजना से खेल रहा था

'एक लड़की के बारे में जो उड़ गई थी

lagata hai ki meree chhaaya aaj raat mujhase bolee

aur mujhe mere sapanon ko door phenk diya

ek mud aadamee kee kahaanee bataee

jo kisee moorkh yojana se khel raha tha

ek ladakee ke baare mein jo ud gaee thee

Dingir screamed as his cracked soul strained even further as Annamacharya the god of music pushed his way into his memories, seeing whether his newest captive could provide inspiration for his namesake. He saw countless terrible battles, horrible pain, and an origin that began in torture and the fires of Hell. There were so many to choose from, each would make a wonderful song for his collection. There was a briefest flicker of statics in the glowing reality marble, though the god failed to notice. After the static, a single memory pushed to the foreground, and Annamacharya greedily observed the memory to convert it into song.

(Memory Sequence)

The ground beneath them began to shake as the last of the smoke and flame was dispersed by the primordial devil's thunderous roar. Both faced the demonic monster, ready for battle. John's tattoos were filled with magical seals that protected him from demons as well as hurt them, but he lacked the combat skills to truly use them, Mark would be the finisher for this.

Asag was nearly twenty feet tall, his skin was black, warped, filled with wriggling worms and dripping tar, Asag's body shape was vaguely human, but clawed and fanged, he had four long horns atop his head, face scaled and ghoulish, with a long black tongue slithering from a dark maw. A foul smell emanated from Asag, if not for their respective protection, the two would already be dying from the poison within it.

Asag's all-white eyes roamed the immediate surroundings, spotting Mark and Hickson, he rose to his full height, massive bat-like wings unfurling behind him. Asag grinned, a smile stretching horribly to reveal many knife-like teeth. The air was thick with demonic power, the plant life at Asag's feet began to rot and die, the rot spread out, the green becoming brown across the surrounding countryside.

"TO THINK YOU WOULD BE HERE AT MY AWAKENING, IT SEEMS FATE HAS ABANDONED YOU BOTH, DINGIR, NERGAL," announced Asag, his voice twisted and echoing. Raising a clawed arm, black energy gathered Asag's palm and shot through the air towards them.

Mark leapt forward, swinging his sword to intercept it, "Sanctitudo..." he whispered, calling upon the angelic blessing Adel had given him through his bloodline, the protection of Heaven, the edge of his sword glowed white with angelic power, his sword swing met with the demonic attack, resulting in a shockwave, his blessed blade destroyed Asag's attack, but Mark was still sent flying back, he flipped with the momentum and was able to land safely. Mark briefly spotted Hickson sneaking into the now brown undergrowth, probably to grab whatever supplies he had brought from his store.

Reaching into one of his pouches, Mark pulled out a bottle of holy water with blessed silver shavings mixed into it. He hurled it at Asag as the devil charged, Asag screamed as the bottle shattered, the holy water burning his skin.

"DIE DINGIR!"

But Asag was strong, it ignored the pain, throwing a giant fist with a huge upward motion, the air rippling from the force, with Mark barely evading being hit, using the side of his blade to parry as the arm shot past him, sparks flew as tough demonic flesh met blessed steel. Raising his arms for a downward slash to sever the devil's arm, but Asag elbowed Mark first with tremendous force, Mark's feet lifted off the ground as it hit him, eyes widening in shock as his ribcage cracked, a searing stab of agony, spitting blood, Mark hit the ground hard.

Reacting on instinct, he rolled to the side, barely avoiding Asag as he stamped his gigantic foot down where Mark had been but moments ago, the ground cracked under Asag's strength. Then the earth itself rotted, turning to sludge, as Asag's poisonous magic spilled through the cracks, the corruption spread, soon nothing would ever grow here again.

"Omni Malo Purget..." Mark muttered, punching his fist into the rotting earth, a pulse of light and the corruption stopped spreading.

"DINGIR, YOU SHOULDN'T STAND IN THE WAY OF MY PURPOSE, YOU ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH," chided Asag mockingly, kicking Mark as he struggled to his feet, Mark smashed through one of the dying trees, he definitely felt bones break. Vomiting blood as he fell, Mark still reached into another pouch on his belt and hurled several metal balls at Asag, which exploded on contact, piercing the demon with shards of blessed silver, and power of good old fashioned explosives.

कभी-कभी परछाइयां पास होती हैं

मैं चीजों को बहुत स्पष्ट देखता हूं: मेरा जीवन अनकहा है

कहीं मैं अपना पक्ष रखूंगा

कल के आसपास देखो

और मेरा मन बदल दो

kabhee-kabhee parachhaiyaan paas hotee hain

main cheejon ko bahut spasht dekhata hoon: mera jeevan anakaha hai

kaheen main apana paksh rakhoonga

kal ke aasapaas dekho

aur mera man badal do

Hickson hid behind Asag at the moment of the explosion, the demon's body shielding Hickson from the blast, Asag shrieked as the explosion buried the silver deep within his body. In that moment, Hickson's magic tattoos glowing bright, he jammed his fist deep into Asag's back, a magic circle appeared around the wound, a powerful purification one.

"HOW DARE YOU?!"

Asag took to the sky with a few beats of its gigantic black wings, spinning in the air, he loosened Hickson from his back and tried to crush the man with his great grip as he fell. But Hickson's tattoos emitted strong holy light in response to the physical contact, dissolving the devil's hand, Hickson hit the ground hard, coughing blood, meanwhile the magic circle he had placed on Asag burned a large hole through the devil's chest.

Asag quivered as he hit the ground, barely able to stand, Asag used his wings like crutches. Mark came charging at this moment, wielding two swords, in his left was a katana, in his right was a bastard sword with a serrated edge, dodging Asag's attacks, he drove both into Asag's stomach. Each weapon was blessed with his power to harm demonic beings, it fed greedily like spilled acid. Asag shrieked, releasing a blast of demonic energy in all directions, repelling his opponents. Asag kept strengthening his demonic power, seeming to ignore the horrific injuries, refusing to return to hell and accept defeat.

"Think you can return him to hell again?" Mark hissed to Hickson, as he stumbled to his feet again, his swords now destroyed by the demonic energy, no longer unable to stand up to the corrosive power Asag used. They had done well to last this long.

"Not while he's emitting all that power," Hickson answered, "Mark...I need you to use Adel's Origin to weaken it."

Mark glared at him, "you know what using it does to my body if I use it for more than a moment."

"I'm sorry."

"Fine," Mark approached Asag, a much stronger angelic power surrounding him, talking the shape of six wings of light, the symbol of the Seraphim. Asag immediately noticed the change in his opponent, the stench of Adel's heavenly power. As Mark stood before the demon, Asag's body began to shrink, his injuries healing by condensing his mass, now Asag and Mark stood eye to eye.

"Damn it, you bastard, get out of my head." Dingir growled as the being trapping him prowled through his memories and knowledge, his existence forming a song for Annamacharya.

Asag bared his fangs, his powerful aura smashing against Mark, who stood unflinchingly under the demons wrath. Its long tongue stretched out, tasting the air, sneering, "YOUR BORROWED POWER WON'T BE ENOUGH."

"It worked once before Asag, no reason why it wouldn't work again, you're going back to hell," Mark replied. In this form he could sense all the magic around him, and Hickson was circling them at a distance, placing numerous magic circles in preparation to banish the devil. Good, as using Adel's Origin allowed him to massively increase his ability to purify at the cost of his health.

"I'M STRONGER NOW, DINGIR," Asag stated, his power condensed in this small form.

"I know," replied Mark quietly. There was a pause, then the two collided in sudden burst of destructive power, the air detonating around them with punches, kicks, biting and slashing, angelic and demonic power wildly surging around them as the two opposing forces tried to kill the other.

John carefully continued making the extremely complicated magic circle to banish Asag, trying to ignore the battle nearby, 'just hang on Mark, just a few more minutes.'

"IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?!" laughed Asag, as he smashed his fist into Mark's torso, one of the seraphim wings blocked it, but Asag then blasted demonic energy from his fist, it pierced the wing, leaving a small, smouldering hole in Mark's stomach. He screamed in agony, but did not fall, Adel's power not allowing him too, his sixth wing dissolved, now he was down to five.

"In...nomine Adel...Ad...Infernum!" Mark whispered, his eyes unfocused, blood cascading from his mouth as he spoke. Two of the wings dissolved into particles of light, which surrounded the demon, piercing its body all over, Asag slumped forward, his skin writhing as worms, black sludge and poison burst from the wounds instead of blood.

"HEH...NOT BAD DINGIR," hissed Asag, slowly standing, with a sudden bellow of demonic fury, his own demonic power dispelled the angelic power of Mark's two winged attack. "BUT MY POWER IS GREATER."

(SCENE CHANGE)

"Oh, this is a very interesting story, your memories are spinning together a delightful song of chaos, darkness, and fear – battle on against the monsters," noted Annamacharya, the God of music with delight as his Authority continued to drain the memories of the Campione before him, converting the knowledge into a divine song that epitomized a memory from the life of a God Slayer, it was dark, chaotic, frenzied, and yet eerily beautiful, like a single flower blooming amidst bubbling filth, a single spark, a pure goal, but tainted so deeply by darkness, the song of an avenger. "I shall call this Carnatic melody: Saaya." He could sense hundreds of songs within this soul, and Annamacharya wanted them all.

Dingir thrashed about in agony. He had been hired by the Indian mage association to kill a local deity that had appeared in Pradesh and was killing famous artists and singers, turning their memories and life force into a variety of song unique to this part of the world called Ankirtanas.

The god then played the music to the districts, influencing many to act under the nature of the slain, many imitating the past actions of the person, some took to manically writing and singing, others indulged in sex, drinking, and drunks, some raped and killed under its influence.

Sadly Mark had been swiftly captured by the god, an incarnation of Vishnu's sword, the god of music Annamacharya; he had been bound in strips of cloth, covered with songs penned by the great musician. Mark was then trapped within his own mind, unable to connect to his powers while the god probed into his memories, ripping them from his mind with agonizing slowness. Mark's fractured soul screamed at the music god's ministrations.

"Let us see what else would make a good contributor to this song…" However the same memory continued unnabated. The god frowned, but eventually shrugged, it simply meant the same memory could contribute further to the song.

अब आपकी छाया हमेशा नहीं है

बादल दिनों के प्रकाश में

या उन मंडलियों में जहां आप दृश्य से छिपाते हैं

वो सारी धूल जो कभी आपको परेशान करती थी

और जहां लोगों ने आपका नाम ढीला कर दिया '

ab aapakee chhaaya hamesha nahin hai

baadal dinon ke prakaash mein

ya un mandaliyon mein jahaan aap drshy se chhipaate hain

vo saaree dhool jo kabhee aapako pareshaan karatee thee

aur jahaan logon ne aapaka naam dheela kar diya

Though barely conscious, his body supported by Adel's blessing, Mark was able to still mutter, "Well fuck..."

Asag gathered a huge amount of demonic power into a fiery orb, and destroyed another of the Seraphim's wings faster than Mark could react. Now he was down to two wings. Seeing Mark begin to collapse, Asag grinned, fingers extended like knives, he lunged at Mark, only for his arm to be caught in a sphere of hell fire, accompanied by a shout of, "Leave Sensei alone!"

Reina appeared in a burst of aura boosted speed. She grabbed Mark and dragged him to safety, Asag regarded Reina and her heat-based attack, he could sense the demonic energy in it, and a demon leeching off her soul, how interesting. Asag flexed his arm and the heat sphere shattered, its aura dispelled. Though her powers had burned him, it had been minimal. He was a devil after all.

SO...A CONTRACTOR-MAGE?" mused Asag, eyeing up the young woman, it had been a while since he had slaked his lust on a living human, this summoning wouldn't be a complete waste of his effort and pain after all.

"Sensei, are you okay?" asked Reina, gently shaking Mark, she had watched the battle, it seemed there was far more to magic, angels, and demons than she knew from being in a contract with Incubo and working with Grey Faction, but those were questions for after the battle.

"...I'll live," he whispered, regarding his remaining two angel wings, their light flickering like static, their power all but spent. "Reina, you have to run, I can't move right now, a demonic mage cannot beat a true demon, a devil, particularly for you who uses heat, and I can't protect you." It hurt Mark to admit it, but his body was at its limit, angelic power was not meant for humans, who was neither in a contract or a Grimoire mage.

"I'm not leaving you here, your friend is preparing something right?" she whispered, "I will hold him off until then."

"No Reina, you can't face Asag," Mark replied, his eyes were beginning to close, "Incubo, please tell her..." Mark passed out, his blood soaking Reina's clothing in the brief time she'd held him.

'So he could sense me after all, and to even know my name,' remarked Incubo, though this was not the time for awe or questions, Mark was right, Reina couldn't win. A true devil was largely immune to the powers of a demon Contractor, only those whose powers were aligned to the light could hope to seriously wound them. Neither was she protected from the poison that Asag constantly emitted from his body, even now she had grown pale.

Deep within her mindscape, Incubo regarded the egg-like structure imbedded in his body, it hosted the form he would one day take, as well as what angelic power he had been able to recover so far. He hesitated, he could shield her with this for a time, but then he would have to start all over again to rebirth himself as an angel and escape this demonic form, could he really do that? He still might be able to control Reina's mind, force her to flee. Asag couldn't stay here indefinitely, he would run out of magic keeping him in this world eventually.

'I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!' Reina's subconscious shouted out, her aura building, ready to fight.

Incubo sighed, he couldn't do this, could he? "Reina, if you won't listen, then I'll just have to help you, follow my instructions if you want to live long enough to save your Sensei and the tattooed stranger."

'You got it!' Reina replied mentally. Suddenly she felt an unfamiliar surge of power, it was gentle and pure, a soft golden glow surrounded her. 'What's this?'

"The power I gathered to retake my life as an angel, I'm using it to protect you from Asag's power of corruption, he can rot and destroy anything that he touches, only the power of the divine and holy can withstand it, this power is a short term shield, now hit him with everything you've got while it lasts."

"Thank you Incubo, I know what this power means to you."

"Don't die, and I won't regret it," Incubo replied.

Reina strode towards Asag, she spotted John Hickson working in the distance with her aura boosted sight, whatever he was doing, she hoped it would work. Mark seemed to trust him at least, whoever he was.

"A CLEVER TRICK WOMAN, BUT IT WON'T LAST AGAINST THE MIGHT OF ASAG!" declared Asag as Reina slowly approached, her aura emitting both angelic and demonic properties. It seemed he would have to play with her first to get what he wanted.

Reina nearly gagged at the smell of death and rot that originated from the devil, its face was truly hideous, disfigured, monstrous, a long black tongue slithered towards her. She gathered her aura, boosting her strength, speed, reactions, sight, and everything else. "We'll see won't we?"

Reina suddenly dodged to the side, even before she could see Asag's first attack, her instincts reacted to the danger and the devil's deadly intent. Where she once stood was Asag's clawed hand, Asag smiled, "YOU MOVE LIKE DINGIR DOES."

'Dingir?' thought Reina, he seemed to be referring to Mark, but she had never heard that word before, she could feel Incubo's shock at the word through their mental link. But that didn't matter.

"ARE YOU ONE OF HIS? ALL THE BETTER, LITTLE DEMON."

Aura flaring, she engulfed them both and their surroundings, just shy of Mark and the ring of magic circles that John was making. The air around them was tinted like blood. "Burn!" she hissed, eyes glowing red, and pain erupted throughout Asag's body, his flesh began to boil, distort, and burn.

He reared back from her in surprise, this one had power, but demonic magic wouldn't stop him, gathering his own demonic power Asag pushed back at Reina's heat, if it couldn't reach past his skin then her powers meant nothing. Asag was certain he could regenerate faster than she could wound him.

Reina continued strengthening her heat, watching the monster before her, Asag no longer seemed to be in pain, he straightened his posture, engulfed in flames as he burnt. Then he vanished as he took a step, Reina's body span on instinct as she felt a powerful strike hit her side, it only grazed her as a result, but Reina felt bones creak, and she shrieked as Asag's seared flesh burnt into her. Normally she was safe from her own powers, but not in this instance it seemed.

Reina hit the ground hard, another attack hit her, she turned into it, going with the flow, and threw Asag over her shoulder with aura boosted strength. She glanced to Mark, he still wasn't moving, he had lost a lot of blood. She had to do this! The next few minutes were a blur of attacks, counters, and searing pain, she used everything Mark had taught her, while Incubo issued rapid fire instructions, without them both, and her opponents apparent resistance to her heat powers, Reina knew she would already be dead. She kept burning Asag, using the brief opening it created to dodge and run, but he was relentless.

It continued on like that, oddly Asag didn't attack her with pure demonic energy like he had done to wound Mark, what she didn't notice with the demon's relentless attacks, was that he'd focused on strengthening the poison and rot emitted from his body, it filled the air, constantly attacking the angelic power that Incubo had cloaked Reina in, and then the protection disappeared, only a flicker remaining within her.

'Reina, run!' shouted Incubo, realising what Asag had done. A sudden choking pain in her chest, the world span, and Reina hit the ground.

"What...Happened?" she murmured.

Incubo appeared in front of her in spirit form, emitting what meagre power remained in himself as a warning to the approaching devil, who was still coated in flames as he burned, unconcerned by the damage. A horrific sight.

"You will withdraw Asag-Nak!" Incubo demanded.

Asag paused, head titled to the side, a blast of demonic power blasted away the last of Reina's heat, in seconds the damage healed away, but smoke still billowed from his form. Asag peered in interest at the flicker that Incubo was, now able to see the other demonic being clearly. He smiled, fangs flashing, "INCUBO-NOK, TO SEE YOU AS A FRAGILE SHADE IS MOST AMUSING, SO YOU ARE THE ONE WHO GAVE POWER TO THAT GIRL?"

"Indeed," Incubo replied, he could faintly sense that the tattooed one was almost finished with his banishment spell, every minute, heck, every second that he could stall the ancient Sumerian demon mattered. "I ask as a fellow devil, that you cease battle here."

"YOU'VE CHANGED INCUBO, WHY PROTECT A HUMAN? THEY EXIST TO SATE OUR INSTINCTS FOR VIOLENCE AND LUST," stated Asag, puzzled by the actions of his fellow devil. "LAST TIME I WAS SUMMONED, THOSE EXORCISTS SEALED ME BEFORE I COULD ENTERTAIN MYSELF, YOUR CONTRACTOR WILL DO FOR NOW."

Incubo felt a chill, no human would survive Asag's attention, nor would he allow it. "You will not!"

"HOW WILL YOU STOP ME?" laughed Asag, lunging for Reina, who was struggling to rise. "I WILL RAPE THIS WOMAN, THEN TORTURE THE OTHERS UNTIL THEY DIE!"

Reina's aura changed at Asag's words, recalling her former trauma with the Oyabun, it turned blue, synchronising perfecting with what little angelic aura remained, it swirled powerfully around her, ready to be unleashed. Reina raised her head, meeting Asag's gaze as he smashed through Incubo's spirit form, her eyes glowed blue, hand raised, she yelled an order, "STOP!" her power reacting to fear, anger, and the desire to end this. For the first time Reina's powers acted in a manner Alex had once theorised was possible. Instead of using her aura to create a field of effect which made all cells vibrate to produce extreme heat, she did the opposite, attempting to stop every cell in Asag's body from vibrating, his skin and the air around him froze, halting his movements. Asag screeched in genuine pain as he was frozen far deeper into his body than the heat had previously reached.

"I-I did it?" Reina muttered in shock, staring at her palms as the blue aura returned to its usual red, and then disappeared. 'What was that just now?' The ground beneath them then began to glow as intricate patterns and symbols stretched out under the demon and all around them, emitting a powerful magic.

"Well done Miss," said John Hickson appearing next to Reina, his tattoos glowing and moving like writing snakes as he continued with the magic seal. She glanced to him, breathing a sigh of relief, only to cough blood, Hickson rushed to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder, his tattoos stretched out onto her skin, and through that he used purifying magic, black smoke emitted from her pores, as he forced out the poison out that Asag used on Reina. Hickson was careful to not purify Incubo or the aura in her body, the little demon had done well for his contractor.

"Thank you..." she whispered as she felt the poison leave her body, her strength returning. Hickson smiled, ruffling her hair, when he let go of her, the tattoos retreated back into his own skin. The magic circle he had made, which was made from hundreds of complimenting banishment seals and spells began to rotate and shrink, its glow becoming stronger with each passing second.

"Thank you for buying us time, normally for a high level devil of the ancient world, Mark and I would have prepared all this ahead of time, but we were unlucky, with this impromptu summoning, we had to rely on you."

"Is Mark okay?" Reina asked in sudden realisation.

"Of course he's not!" Hickson replied, "But he won't die from just that, once Asag's back in hell, I'll sort him out."

Asag was frozen in place, surrounded in holy energy as the banishment circle shrunk around him, even so he began to move, the ice started cracking, his skin tearing apart, but regenerating faster than the damage. Asag tore his upper body from Reina's ice, his legs were still bound in ice however, "I WON'T GO BACK YET!" Asag bellowed, he quickly gathered demonic energy to shoot from his hands, the same attack that the devil had struck down Mark with.

"We gotta run!" shouted Hickson, moving to get Reina to safety.

Reina felt so heavy, 'I must have used too much aura to freeze him,' she realised.

"YOU WON'T ESCAPE!" declared Asag gleefully, seeing their fear.

"They will," stated a voice as cold as the ice that bound him. Two swords pierced Asag from behind, one through the head, another through the heart, both glowing with holy light.

Mark had returned to the battle, his eyes were weary, his clothing soaked in his own blood, but still two wings of light remained, he could still purify. "Sanctitudo, Omni Malo Purget!" he chanted, the two swords began to shine blindingly with light, funnelling the last of the wings power, Asag's flesh bubbled and melted.

"NO, NOT AGAIN!" Asag cried out, realising he had been bested, he wanted to kill, rape, and pillage on Earth again, it had been too long since he could escape the boredom of the fiery pits. Weakened, he finally slumped forward in defeat, Mark stumbled back as Hickson's banishment magic activated in full, now surrounding only Asag. The glowing writing stretched up over him like webbing, Asag let loose a bellow of purest rage, and disappeared in a flash of light and hellfire.

It was done. Asag was defeated.

Mark's swords had dissolved from the clash of angelic and demonic power, only the hilts remained in his grip. "Are you and Reina okay?" he asked, slowly walking over to them, his gait swaying, stumbling with each step.

"Yeah, just about, you?" asked Hickson.

"I'm going to need more blood, and a lot of stitches...but I think I'll be...okay," Mark promptly passed out, landing headfirst into the dirt.

"Mark-sensei!"

लेकिन ओह मीठा डिंगीर आपकी रोशनी फीकी पड़ जाएगी

आप जानते हैं कि चंद्रमा हर रात उगता है

कि तुम गिरोगे और अंधेरे में घूमोगे

हमेशा के लिए और अधिक। बुराई के लिए गिरना चाहिए

तुम्हें ले जाओ, छाया तुम्हें बांधती है

और प्रकाश बाहर चोक। हमेशा के लिए अधिक।

lekin oh meetha dingeer aapakee roshanee pheekee pad jaegee

aap jaanate hain ki chandrama har raat ugata hai

ki tum giroge aur andhere mein ghoomoge

hamesha ke lie aur adhik. buraee ke lie girana chaahie

tumhen le jao, chhaaya tumhen baandhatee hai

aur prakaash baahar chok. hamesha ke lie adhik.

Suddenly static filled the surroundings of the god of Music. "What is this?"

Annamacharya pondered in shock. He had subdued the Campione easily by entering his mind during an ambush. It wasn't the Campione fighting back. This realm was his to control, a strong mind or magic meant nothing here… and yet something was intruding on the spiritual realm that the Annamacharya had surrounded Dingir in.

Dingir began to chuckle, his voice evil and twisted, almost maniacal.

"What have you done?" Annamacharya demanded. "You are already within my realm, no matter how much power you have, only the creation of music from the soul is permitted."

"You've bound me," Dingir grinned. "But why do you think you chose that particular memory?" he asked. "Because I chose it, because he chose it. So let's see what happens when I give power to a memory."

A river of poison and filth then erupted from Dingir, swallowing him, and surging outwards, tearing apart the isolated realm that Annamacharya had created. They both found themselves in a district deeply under the thralls of the music god. The toxin swept on, becoming a river, killing any too slow or enthralled to escape. Hundreds immediately died. The rest wisely scattered like startled rabbits. The fact that a mythic figure stood among them, someone that could not be human – it did not matter in the face of the river of death that was pursuing them. As such many escaped to safety as the streets and buildings began to rot and crumble.

Annamacharya who watched from the air, was stunned, horrified. The feeling of this magic was perverse, primal, and primordial. The magic was not divine but was on par with divinity. Slowly the river of death and sludge and rot retreated into itself, convulsing, bulging, and slowly from its center emerged a figure.

It was a gigantic humanoid, however unnaturally thin and gaunt. Its skin was black and purple and infested with parasitic maggots. Its face was ghoulish with all white eyes and long jagged fangs. Its hands and feet were clawed and a single pair of bat-like wings. It was Asag the Pestilence, primordial devil of the ancient world, an evil god, a monster.

"Heh, Heh!" the abomination chuckled. It casually slashed a screaming civilian with one of it long, clawed fingers. The person exploded in a mass of blood and offal. "Who'd think that he would unleash me by choice?" the creature mused, absently licking the blood from its long finger. It then regarded the Heretic god with a raised brow. "Interesting… I had hoped for a woman, but I can make do. A hole's a hole."

Annamacharya flinched at the implication. "What the hell are you?" the god demanded. "All magic comes from the divine, good and evil, but your power is completely different."

Asag tilted his head in confusion. As in his world there was only one true God, with all other gods being angels and demons worshipped by the ignorant masses. His power was born from Hell, within the primordial concept of TDH. In effect he was born from the void to fulfill a role for Hell. There were many different types of magic. This pale blue mockery of a god truly knew nothing of the universe. "Demonic power is what I use, and my power is pestilence. I am age, I am the rot, and I am death. So now little mockery of a god – Shall you submit, or do I need to educate you first?"

CHAPTER END

Next Chapter: Nandaka, Devils, and Orochi

A/N: Sorry this has a flashback (Grey Faction 2 reference) but I intended that from the start. Don't worry the next chapter will have two fights and I will be moving the plot forward – rather than stocking up on Authorities.