n an epoch defined by harmonious relationship between realms of god and mortal, mankind had dispersed themselves in prosperous colonies among the stars, the power of their technology increasing dramatically. They built mighty ships for sailing the sea of stars, making war with the devils which soon emerged from the black reaches of the void. These demons were the armies of a fell dragon called Beoluz who came to torment the worlds settled by mortals and by extension their gods who favored them.

This wyrm was born in the abyss, rising out of dark fire alongside another demon, his twin, a giant called Meoluz who named himself king of demons. Beoluz had terrorized the mortal’s capital world, Ibrihl, with his armies for a long while, sparing no soul his aggression. The vast forces of the heavens and temporal worlds fought hard against the evil serpent and his ilk with their guns, swords, and spells. Even their warships high in the atmosphere rained fire with their titanic cannons to no avail, for the army of hell was perpetual. In the end it, was one warrior woman called Melié who appeared from the ashes of war, thrusting her golden blade deep into the dragon's breast. 

In the moment before she tore her shining blade from his dark heart he asked,“who are you?”

The woman’s defiant voice rang clear over the roar of hellfire.

“I am Melié, daughter of Ibrihl, wielder of the demon-slaying blade. I am the woman set apart in the world of men by strength. I am the one who rises from the ash of flame to send your soul back to the hell from whence it came.”

The glare in the dragon’s eye faded away as he lay dying on the streets of the capitol, his steaming black ichor pooling in the streets. The death cries of the fell beast splintered the armies of hell, causing them to withdraw back to their dark realm where the unseen twin Meoluz still cowered.

For this deed Melié was hailed as the greatest of heroes in her time. No human had killed such a powerful foe in memory. For years she lived in peace on a world called Ibrihl, a patron and exemplar of humanity’s strength. Even the gods who aided men recognized her prodigious ability, sending praise of her up to the throne of heaven itself.

She basked in the accolades afforded her in peacetime, yet in the shadows of her mind the terror of war lingered. Visions of dying comrades and the death of the family she loved repeated endlessly in Melié’s dreams. She wrestled with the cold grasp of the metaphysical, the demons of her soul drawing her near to madness. The universe drowned her in a sea of adoration, but never had she felt more deserted.

Yet there came a spark of hope: she came to present herself in the capitol before its lords. A prominent alchemist called Verelos took notice of her, not for her beauty or her station, but in concern. He had seen the hollowness of her smile, and being a man of gentle kindness, sought her in the courtyard and inquired of her condition.

“I am in pain,” she began, “and alone.”

Then Melié wept.

Melié’s sorrows grew ever dimmer as their friendship grew brighter. In time she returned Verelos’ affection, surprising herself. She had not expected to feel such affections after so much death. She and Verelos loved each other deeply, but they kept their love a secret.

Melié feared for Verelos’ safety. She heard on good authority, from the high courts, that demons were skulking in the dark corners of the worlds, their lust for vengeance kindled by the words of Meoluz, their lord. If it was to be believed, they would surely hunt her down.

On learning these dark tidings Melié went to Verelos in his home under cover of night. She cloaked herself in the robes of an unassuming handmaiden, and found him slumbering quietly in his chambers. Rousing him with a gentle touch, she whispered.

“Listen to me, my love.” She drew close to him, holding him tightly. “Tonight, I leave you. I shall not return to this world until you are safe.”

He began to protest, but she silenced him.

“The demon army will return! If they learn of us, they will kill you just as they killed my family. I cannot hope to protect you in the chaos and slaughter of this new war. If you come with me, I can find a place where they will not look for us.”

Verelos looked into Melié’s tearful, shimmering eyes. He shook his head.

“I cannot. I want more than anything to be rid of my duty if it would bring me closer to you. But what I can create can save us all from these demons. This new weapon’s power is tenfold what we had before. You’ve seen what it can do—you yourself wielded the prototype against Beoluz.”

Melié took his hand. “They can do it without you. You’ve given them enough.”

For a long time Verelos considered going with her, but his conscience would not permit abandonment of his people, so he vowed to stay until the work was done.

etermined to keep her love safe she disappeared from Ibrihl that night, Melié sought refuge on a moon far off and lesser known. For a year she stayed there, relinquishing her golden gladius for plow and rifle. Melié one day hoped to steal her beloved away from life in the capitol, to keep him safe from the worlds known to the demon king. But the governments of Ibrihl began to equip their armies to push back the encroaching forces of Meoluz, and Verelos’ work was further extended.

Melié communed with the war gods there on her moon, offering up a portion of her goods, praying daily for the safety of her beloved. Because she had slain such a great demon, and because she had shown her humility to the war god clan, they were well pleased with her. They granted her moon their seal of protection, sending their own guard to protect her and Verelos against any evil that would seek them out.

Meoluz, the lord of the damned, learned of Melié’s location through his spies in the mortal realm, as well as of the gods’ fortifications of her home. Frustrated but undaunted, Meoluz worked a scheme to bring about Melié’s demise. Meoluz was gifted with uncommon craftiness, and used it to learn for himself many ways of magic and the smithing of weapons. These gifts he spread among the ranks of his vast army to multiply their strength a hundredfold.

When his plans were complete, and his armies equipped, Meoluz created a demoness to seduce the war god that stood guard over the seal on Melié’s moon. This god, called Eniane, became foolish, having drunk the strong wine that the succubus offered him, and allowed himself to be drawn away by her.

Forty-one of the strongest demons sent by Meoluz attacked Melié’s moon, anf being filled with the power of his black magic they broke through the gods’ seal. The demons destroyed everything Melié had created there, looting her storehouse and killing her livestock. Their burning blades razed her orchards, gardens, and her humble home. They left her for last in the hands of their leader, a general called Amlal, who branded her with a fell rune which weakened her. When they had made her watch the destruction of her land, Amlal took his curved blade and cut off Melié's arms, throwing them to his hell-hound to be devoured.

As she lay in the ashes before Amlal he bellowed.

“What will you do now, champion? Your heavenly masters have abandoned you at last. I, Amlal the general of Meoluz’s armies, have taken all you have, and have left you so that you shall never take back what is yours. Truly all that is left for you now is to wither away and die in agony. Perhaps if you praised my name and wept before me I might grant you death before the crows return to peck out your eyes.”

Then Amlal held out a pendant for Melié’ to behold—a silver jeweled thing coated in blood and rust. It was the token of her affection, left as a parting gift for Verelos on Ibrihl. Amlal twisted his scarred lips into a grin as the woman’s eyes fell on what remained of her beloved.

On seeing this Melié was overcome with grief. She cried out and cursed Amlal. But her wounds and the putrid air would not allow her to rage any longe. She fell before Amlal in the hot ash. As she choked on the air she whispered a prayer to the gods. Finally, she insulted her tormentor.

The demon captain roared, raising his fiery blade to slay the woman before him. Before he could strike, his head was pierced by the spear of a war god. Amlal fell back into ashen earth. All the light and wrath of heaven was revealed upon the demon captain as he was beset by all seven war gods, descending at once, carried by their great wings. The gods pinned his limbs with their lances. They stood over him, beating him with their hands and tearing at him with their teeth as he lay crying out. Their holy wrath did not abate until the entrails of that stygian beast lay strewn and their mouths dripped with his wine-colored blood.

hen Asthoth, the chief god among those slayers of Amlal, took the broken woman in his arms and departed, carrying her across the vast sea of stars to the world of Esperine, dwelling place of a race called Medane. These people were renowned for their healing arts and command over magic that governs vapors. Asthoth flew quickly to a temple housing a healer called Eshe and laid Melié before him. Eshe looked down, his countenance grave as he lay his hand on her, chanting a blessing of healing. The healer concluded his blessing, then inquired of Asthoth, “What has come into our realm from beyond that works this kind of evil on our beloved sister? Have demons grown in power to rival even the gods and our mightiest champion?”

The god replied, “dark times are indeed drawing upon us all. But this good lady is a hope for us, and shall be in the employ of us gods. You will remake her and I will show you the way. We gods have devised a method to bring back Melié’s strength. She shall be raised up to become a phoenix of vengeance loosed into the cosmos.”

At once Eshe commenced his ritual, and other healers joined him. They drew her deep inside their temple to rebuild her broken form. They took heavenly metal from Asthoth and created golden arms, each perfect in shape and impossibly strong. They cast bones of the same ore and placed them within Melié, one by one, with much care. When their work was complete, they sealed her body and roused her from her trance.

Awakening, Melié found her pain was gone, Amlal’s dark rune erased. Melié raised her arms and looked upon their graceful flowing forms, an achievement of magic and science seen rarely outside the realm of gods.

The priestly one Eshe approached in reverence.

“Lady Melié, forgive our sudden intrusion into your body’s temple. It was imperative that we restore your form in a way mandated by the gods, for they wished to name you Champion for their cause.” Eshe clasped his weathered hands, “you have been given a wonderful and terrible gift; machinery of the gods has replaced what was given you at birth. What strength you once wielded has surely been given back tenfold by our arts.” 

The monks brought forth a tunic, black coat, and Melié’s sword. They knelt as they presented these items to her, and she thanked them graciously.

Melié stayed on Esperine for many months, training with Asthoth and Eshe in the ways of magic and sword, learning the potential her new form possessed. The martial secrets she had learned in her youth were of the line of Kaioph. Her strength and skill grew beyond any human that came before her, and many who came after.

Asthoth tested her harshly the way his master tested him, and though she was a human she excelled each test. Soon her strength was realized, equal to her fury. Then Eshe took her into the temple gardens and blessed her, calling upon his own gods to give her peace and clearness of mind. By this blessing her resolve was strengthened and her heart and mind were clear. Bur she asked the wise Eshe this question: had her restored body and mind softened her heart, such that it were still prudent to pursue revenge against Meoluz?

Eshe paused and took a seat below a twisted tree of blossoms, beckoning Melié to his side.

“It is not the way of us priests to advocate for the actions or inactions of those who seek our council. Rather it is our primary goal to bestow this adage: all which can be done may be done, yet all which is done may not be undone. This is the law of our reality.

“To be sure, there is a debt that the dark lord has incurred which can never be repaid in full. He has done that which is. No action shall ever bring about reparation for his sin.”

Melié looked up to Eshe and replied.

“I should go down to meet him, to see his face. I would struggle against him alone, and if I prevail, perhaps no other will meet the same fate as I have. If I should be killed by him, I stand to lose nothing. To hide away would prolong my life to pain and meaninglessness. I will confront him on the plains of hell or whatever world we meet. This is my path.”

“Let it be so,” said Eshe.

Soon after Melié showed her training was sufficient, so Eshe gave her a vessel which Melié accepted eagerly, naming it Verelos.

s Melié prepared for her journey, Asthoth came to her in private and commended her for her great strength. He promised to aid her in her vengeance when she confronted the demons in their home at last, and gave to her a parting gift: Verelos’ pendant. It had been restored, wiped clean of the rust and blood which covered it in the hands of Amlal.

Melié took the gift, eyes welling with tears.

“I could not protect him after all.” She stared at the glistening object in her hand.

Asthoth knelt beside Melié and placed a large hand on her gilded shoulder, saying nothing but looking to her eyes with understanding.

She embraced the god and cried for a long time while he held her.

The next day, Melié set to work devising her plan. She scoured the cosmos, speaking with many of her old companions, and those who knew of demons and their workings in the corners of space. It was then that she learned of a world far off, not on any map or text that was said to house a temple built by devils, where they conducted their unholy works. Here lay the seat of their power on the mortal plane, where their dark world was tethered. The place was called Shogh, and only demons knew its true location, so Melié stalked in shadows of distant wild worlds and the outer reaches of the galaxy until she found one strong demon wandering alone on an icy world far from any known places. This one she recognized as well, for she knew his gaunt face from among those who came with Amlal to destroy her.

Melié drew close to him silently, and with her magic created a deafening blast that frightened him. As she did this, she swung her blade at the demon’s knees from behind and severed both its thick legs. He howled as his steaming red blood spewed forth onto snowy ground. As he attempted to drag himself away from the woman, she hurled her gladius into his back with such force that it stuck him to frozen earth where he lay. He screamed louder than before upon seeing who dealt him the grave injury, knowing he would be slain and his soul tortured by Meoluz’s vile servants in hell for his blunder. Melié knelt beside the wretch then, and whispered in his ear.

“Tell me where the demon’s temple rests, and I may let you walk out the rest of your miserable life on your hands. I know you are a strong one, and will not die unless I impale your heart. Your cry belies your fear of death, so speak honestly.”

He cursed her, but told Melié the whereabouts of his master’s dwelling, giving her a runestone key that would show her the way.

“Now mistress, as you promised, spare my life so that—”

Before the demon could continue, Melié’s sword shot through his heart and he choked on his blood, dying promptly.

“I made no promise.”

he champion flew quickly to Shogh, a desecrated place where demons made their temple. She landed on their world of smoke and flame and stormed across miles of hot, craggy ground to their massive and ornate temple. As she marched, Asthoth and his trusted band of war gods appeared and followed her. These gods were the hardiest next to Asthoth, and all wore bright metal helmets depicting snarling faces. Their armor was emblazoned with a rune of power which signified their heavenly names: Lemos, Aren, Felior, Oric, Kath, and Gen. The six spoke to the woman as they went, commending her bravery and recounting the stories that Asthoth had told them about her training. Melié was put at ease by the boisterous company of these huge men with their giant silver weapons.

The trek across the badlands soon drew to a close as the eight warriors approached the blackened threshold of Shough. At once, Felior, who was the hugest god, handed his lance to Asthoth. With a mighty shove Felior thrust open the fortifications, breaking the metal gates loose from their thick hinges. As soon as the way was clear Ashtoth tossed the great lance back to the hands of Felior and their slaughter of that place’s inhabitants commenced. Stronger devils charged ahead and wielded their swords of fire against the heroes, but it was of no avail, for Gen had cast a powerful ward to shield them from the hell-fire.

Even in their empowered state, they met a gruesome fate at the ends of emboldened gods’ lances. Cowardly imps among them raced down to inner chambers, fleeing their onslaught—but they were caught by mighty elemental spells cast by Kath and Aren.

As they advanced, the stench of demon’s blood filled the air, and they became drenched with the substance. Oric bellowed as he charged about in a fit of rage, ripping the limbs off imps and pounding their captains’ heads to a pulp. This display elicited raucous laughter from Lemos and Melié who were fighting side by side against a desperately losing captain.

At last when all the foes in that great hall had been routed or killed, the largest demon any had seen yet crawled forth from the deep. Melié and her companions beheld it in full—pustulous, obese, with an abominable face like a ghastly eel. It propelled itself forward on uncounted spindly legs and dribbled foul liquid behind. Melié leapt over the hideous thing. Asthoth and his companions flanked it on either side. The demon paused and belched, acid bile flowing from its gaping maw. Myriad eyes appeared across the drooping flesh on it’s back and looked about wildly. With great effort it turned about frantically as gods of war surrounded it, lances held abreast.

Then the beast spoke with a deep voice.

“Halt your advance, sons of Kaioph, lest I burst and slay us all with the venom in my flesh! That woman shall advance alone, as decreed by Meoluz who waits for her within.”

Asthoth looked upon Melié with concern, but she assuaged his fears and bade him return to heaven with his brothers. The gods obliged her though they were quite reluctant to do so.

Melié then descended to an inner sanctum, followed at a distance by the bloated demon, its groans echoing as it dragged itself along. When she arrived at Meoluz’s large chamber she found him sitting on a great black throne reclining and relaxed, feasting on an imp as succubi lazily lay about him. The giant looked down at the golden-armed woman before him with his six sky-blue eyes, the veins across his bulky frame rippling under glistening azure skin. His lengthy ebony hair fell over his robust shoulders, the low torchlight illuminating the golden beads which decorated the strands.

“Come forward,” he commanded, his baritone voice filling the chamber. Melié obeyed, meeting his vicious gaze.

Meoluz dropped his grisly meal and stood on treelike legs, stepping down to meet the champion. Melié rose only to his knees, yet stared on with an intensity to match all his fury. Then the king knelt down unafraid of her anger and her drawn blade.

His expression softened somewhat, and he began to praise Melié.

“You bested my brother, and clung to life among the ashes and flame of your ruination. In truth, I was foolish to try your strength.” The demon laughed, “Though I am the most powerful of my kind who was ever born, my twin surely was only second. Alone you were enough to slay him, it was only by my cunning, the foolishness of one god, and your ignorance that I was ever able to bring you to heel.”

Melié raised her blade to the face of Meoluz, “If you mean to trick me again, you’ve already failed. I am the sword-saint of Ibrihl, the demon slaying phoenix. More beautiful creatures than you have tried flattery to advance their own ends. Perhaps you should give me a reason not to split your skull this instant.”

The eel-faced devil behind her snarled, bile spilling on the stone once again, but Meoluz hushed him and sent him away.

“Melié, I have seen your resolve from afar as my subjects have watched you. You command respect even from the gods, and put down my subjects with impunity. Now I desire to do battle with you, and should you slay me I have commanded that you should inherit my title of ruler. They have been bound by the most powerful oaths of our kind, to serve the strongest creature who will rule them.”

Melié thought deeply, but did not lower her sword. She looked on Meoluz as he rose and stepped back towards the throne with a smirk. 

“Very well,” she said.

The demon king produced a massive hammer out of the flames, summoned to his hand. He roared long and loud, commencing their battle.

At once the imps, succubi, and greater demons piled into balconies set in the inner sanctum, chanting and cheering as the woman and giant circled each other.

Melié struck first, bolting at the legs of Meoluz to slice at his knees. The demon stepped backward and swept the air in front of him with his fiery bludgeon. Melié leapt over it with ease.

She flipped back and withdrew as Meoluz raised the hammer over his head, and narrowly dodged its fatal blow. As the molten hammer struck the floor beside her a searing blast was released, throwing the human woman across the room. Melié landed, dazed and singed, but mostly uninjured.

Quickly she righted herself, shaking black soot from her coat as the demons jeered and mocked her, their shrill cries reaching a crescendo in the arena.

Meoluz rolled his titanic shoulders and snorted proudly. He charged forward and bellowed, the hell-hammer’s fire becoming even more intense. The air around him rippled as his whole form was set ablaze with blue flame, his eyes widening and his mouth foaming. Melié ran and backed herself into the wall, demons just above her spitting and jeering, though none dared interfere by striking her.

Meoluz chased her there and slammed his hammer down at her again.

This time, Melié thrust her hand toward the flying weapon and released a bolt of lightning from her palm. It struck the hammer squarely and bounced it backward, the electricity arcing to Meoluz, sending sparks raining all around. The magic did little to hurt the demon king, but the frustration of being denied his kill further enraged him. Melié strode forward as Meoluz raised his thick leg to kick and thrust her blade forward, driving it deep into his bare foot before twisting and ripping it free in a shower of blue blood. Meoluz howled in pain and stumbled backward, holding himself up with the hammer as a crutch. The chorus of demons grew silent and then roared in anger at the foolishness of their king.

Melié seized the opportunity and charged the wounded king head on. He kicked again with his weakened leg, and she rolled underneath it, slicing upward and gouging his calf. He tensed and fell backward yowling, the flames on his body extinguished. Now Meoluz dropped his hammer and kicked himself away from Melié with his arms and good leg. He loosed a jet of fire from his mouth to incinerate her, forcing her to sprint away to avoid it. She ran around his left, spiraling closer as he twisted around increasing the intensity of the flame. Meoluz was beginning to get up again, the wounds on his leg healing quickly.

Melié rushed close enough to fling another thunderbolt at his head. It struck him squarely, stopping the endless gout of fire and knocking the beast back in a rain of white flame. She lunged for his chest, sword raised to impale the heart of the monster, but he batted her aside. She slammed into the floor, air rushing from her lungs. Meoluz kicked her as she tried to breathe, and she dropped to the stone wheezing. The wounds on his foot and leg had healed.

The demons were calling for her blood, and their king looked up at them saying, “vengeance is mine! Witness me as I slay this worm! Witness your one true king!”

Then he screamed in pain and fell to his knees, doubling over. The demons cheering turned to mocking as they witnessed what Melié had done to him.

“Demon or not, I suppose a male is a male.”

Melié pulled herself up in front of the whimpering giant holding her dented ribs. She had managed to throw her gladius directly above her as Meoluz stood overhead.

“Only a fool would wear a loin-cloth in a deathmatch.”

She reached for the hilt of her sword and wrenched it from it’s resting place, blue blood pooling beneath her on the floor. The succubi which had sat around him earlier laughed in the distance. Meoluz attempted to swat her away, but Melié summoned her strength and sliced through his wrist as it came down at her, severing his hand. The king looked at her with hate in his eyes and began to speak, but before a single word left his lips the woman’s golden blade was plunged into his black heart.

For a moment all was silent save for the labored breathing of the champion. The dark blood dripped and flowed out from the gigantic corpse of the lord, a sickly-sweet aroma filling the air. The remaining captains of Meoluz then appeared before Melié, and a venom-bloated courtier scuttled forth on his thin legs, announcing in a loud voice.

“Behold! Our new ruler, our queen! Praise be to the conqueror of hell!”

A cacophony was raised in the sanctum, all the demons rushing forth and foaming at the mouth. They barked and howled and cheered, the stygian chorus reaching a zenith. The captains took her up and sat her on the giant’s throne, laying a black crown on her head.

The eel-faced one dragged himself towards the throne and lay prostrate, his numerous eyes gazing with awe.

“You have shown us your power, only the strongest of us shall rule. No one of us could have defeated the giant or his brother, and you have done both. You transcended the grave and alone you slew him! The mortals and gods call you by their name, but we shall name you our name of power: you shall be Zuel, empress of demonkind. Your will is our command.”

Then the wounded empress spoke to all in the dark place.

“Cease your struggle with the gods, who were my friends before you were my subjects. Nothing will be gained from that but your eradication. I will go to them and promise that their lands, and the lands of mortals will never be trifled with again as long as I rule.”

ust as she said, so it was done. The demons withdrew from the lands of the gods and from the worlds of mortals. Melié-Zuel taught her new subjects the way of magic, of building and of hunting. Under her the demons built up their civilization on Shogh, and in their home realm of Barduil, the dark world. They became a peaceful race and their twisted forms, though ever bestial, did become more pleasant. They renounced the barbaric ways of demonhood, and called themselves the Guldr, a name which associated them with peace in their tongue.

Asthoth visited Melié often in her new realm and a peace was struck between gods and Guldr. This peace would last eternally, and Melié-Zuel was made a demi-god in honor of her efforts and exploits, even being commended by the old and mighty king of the gods, Vanha, who observed her merciful treatment of that kingdom in the dark.