Azrael Targoth

Azrael killing a nascent demon lord

*"Though my past is haunted, and the present is filled with conflict...I will make the future bright, for everyone."*

## History

*"Im back...after all this time...im finally me again..."*

Though his past before Mordred remains mostly a mystery, Azrael has mentioned from time to time what he was like before, being a man who traveled the world, adventuring and aiding those he could before settling in the newly formed town of Almswood. His intentions then were nothing more than to raise a family and recreate the lost lineage of the Targoth's. Though even troubled back then, his heart was mostly at rest as he helped to built Almswood alongside his wife Lucinia. Eventually creating a small haven of respite to call their own, and a home to raise his young daughter Leah.

However, this would not last as Azrael had taken his fateful trip to the mountains south of Almswood, where his soul had been split in two by a mysterious force Azrael refuses to mention to this day. Meanwhile, as the beings Mordred and Sargon had been born, his home of Almswood was in grave danger; Barthonel, the mayor and friend of Azrael and Lucinia, had betrayed the town and sacrificed it to demons of horrific power. In the perusing chaos, though she tried her best; without Azrael both Lucinia and his young daughter Leah had been killed along with the rest of the town...Leaving nothing but an empty husk behind.

...After a century, the departed souls of Mordred and Sargon were finally rejoined thanks to the efforts of Pharasma and his closest friend and "brother" Lucent. After a quick ressurection Azrael had finally returned, but he was not the same man he once was. His mind was filled with the memories of both Mordred and Sargon, and they had learned and done horrified him. Sargon and Mordred both saw what became of Almswood, and his dear wife and daughter, along with who Mordred had become. This revelation caused him to be enveloped in a deep and horrific sorrow. Everything Mordred had done and sacrificed for was in vain, and his daughter was still lost in the Abyss somewhere, most likely suffering beyond his reach to save.

At this time, Azrael was a demi-god, still having the spark of divinity that...Orion...had gained, Azrael took advantage. He believed that with this power, just maybe, he could finally save Leah and hold her in his arms once more. Thus, he took to building his power, and in the process attempt to right every wrong Orion had committed. Though the process of facing his old demons had only made his sorrow grow, and his continued failed attempts at saving Leah had made his hopelessness nearly all consuming. However, unlike Mordred who had taken to a sad and sorrowful existence because of his sorrow; Azrael had grown angry and wrathful, both at the evil that once consumed Mordred and with himself and his failures. His wrath became legendary to all who served the darkness, as he had gone as far as burning the Abyss itself to find his daughter, and mercilessly slaughtering anything there that might cross his pass or fail to give him the info he needed. The process had taken a great toll on the deity as he had faced all of his past sins, manifest in the realm of the Abyss, but eventually he achieved his long goal of discovering where Leah was...and so he summoned all he could and laid siege against the layer of the abyss that held her...the Layer of Barthonel.

It was a long and arduous battle, the two traded many blows and the dark palace which held his daughter had begun to collapse along with the rest of the layer, but deep within the dark realm was Leah, chained and bound in torture by the betrayer. Though Barthonel did escape with her life, Leah had finally been found and after 110 year of loss, sorrow, and agony...Azrael finally held his daughter in his arms again. That night Azrael showed the true extend of his love and humanity towards his daughter, as he laid her in bed at the White-Gold palace of Lebenreich and sang her into her first night of peaceful rest.

*♫"Sleep like a baby tonight
in your dreams everything is alright
Tomorrow dawns with a mourning light
but your gonna sleep like a baby tonight...
Sleep like a baby tonight
as a bird your dreams will take flight
Like your mother, covered in light
Your gonna sleep like a baby tonight
Like a baby tonight..."♫*

## Chapter 2: The Spark of War

     Though Leah was finally safe, Azrael's wrath had only been sated for a short while. With Bathonel still out there, Orion's machinations finally taking form, and Maloglash's rise to power once more, Azrael set himself to task. With the help of his allies Scharp and Ruuska, the first two evils where already being taken care off, which Left Maloglash to feel the wrath of The Bright Lord. During the war, his "brother" Lucent had been doing all he could to defend his homeland of Amaria from the undead forces, creating the kingdom of Wolfsreach in the process, but even with the aid of lebenreichie forces and the power he held sway over, it wasn't enough to push Maloglash back, so he had devised a plan.

His intentions were to create a holy counterpart to Maloglash's sins and create a weapon of war that would bring awe and terror to Maloglash and all his allies. Through much discussion and planning he had chosen to join forces with the kingdom of Wrathia to create the Dawnbreaker, a monolithic airship of magic and war that could wipe out entire legions of the undead with a single volley. Once created he stowed nearly 2,000 of his most powerful paladins in the ship and brought it to bare at the Amarian warfront, changing the very landscape of the battle and leading his men in a holy charge to push back the undead forces, though this push would not last long as something even more pressing to Azrael had sprung up.

Though he had planed to do much more, he had received horrific news that his adoptive son, Jingo, a boy from the time of Mordred, had betrayed his people to dark powers and began devouring them alive. He had finally given in to the temptations of evil and undeath, joining Tae'lana as her newest hoursman in the process, Famine. Such a betrayal had shaken Azrael, as he believed his own evil as Orion may have set his adaptive son down such a dark path...but the horrors he had inflicted on the innocent could not be so easily forgiven, and he along with his allies marched to the kingdom of Chessur.

It was in this battle, that the three known as "The Rays of Dawn" were born. As Jingo himself had fled, leaving behind the dark fey god "The Prince of Nightfall", and In the darkness of his realm had stood Azrael, Lucent, and Ruuska to fight him alone. The battle was long and intense, affecting the very planet itself, but in the end the three paladins of burning light where able to end the dark god's darkness once and for all, saving both Chessur and Azrael's adoptive granddaughter Ikari, leaving her to become the new queen of the fay nation.

After this event, though he would continue his fighting with Maloglash from afar, Azrael himself had chosen to return to Lebenreich to consolidate his power in the continent of Calmera and allow his divine power to grow. This would eventually have him grow to become a lesser deity, and one of the most powerful beings in the world of Oustomia.

## Physical Appearance

        Azrael is a very tall and imposing being of radiating light and heat, standing over 14' tall. At nearly any given point he is seen clad in his immaculate golden robe-like armor and helm, with the golden crown of Lebenreich which floats above him like a halo. he also sports a set of huge Tendril-like wings which glow and burn with holy soulfire, an energy almost completely unique to the bright lord himself. Though very rare, whenever he chooses to be more casual or approachable, he reveals his form as a tall half-elf in an immaculate white-gold suit and revealing his face and white glowing eyes, his longer white hair, which his helm always hides, seems to shine and reflect light as platinum. Though he can control the aspect of his divine power, he almost never reveals himself as lesser than a deity, always speaking in his otherworldly voice which sounds like rolling thunder.

## Personality

Azrael is a stern and powerful individual, almost always standing firm on his decisions and actions, even if they are not always the best. His pride, though usual more subdued, usually shines through in his actions as he sees himself as nothing less than the deity he has become, though he has shown a more human side to himself around those he deeply trusts or cares for. This is most apparent when he interacts with his children, in such instances he acts more as a stern but loving father than anything else.

Beyond anything else, Azrael is known for his wrath and merciless nature towards evil and those who serve it, giving some but little room for forgiveness. One of his most notable actions in this regard was setting fire to multiple layers of the Abyss when in search of his daughter Leah. As such, he can be quick to anger, allowing his wrath to aid in his decisions and actions when dealing with those he believes have wronged him or those he cares for.

## Friends

Lucent Schwarzejäger - The man who saved Azrael and brought him back as his true self. Hikari and Azrael have been through much together and have known each other for many years. Azrael cares deeply for his friend, enough to consider him a member of his family, in this regard he usually refers to him as his brother. After the fight with the Prince of Nightfall, Hikari became one of the "Rays of Dawn" along with Azrael and Ruuska.

Ruuska Torrengust - The friendship between Azrael and The champion of Sarenrae is newer than others, but their bond is strong nonetheless. The two have fought together and nearly died together fighting the prince of nightfall, not to mention that Ruuska was one of the champions that helped bring down Orion. Now, they fight together against the evils that are slowly consuming Oustomia and Sheng. After the fight with the Prince of Nightfall, Ruuska became one of the "Rays of Dawn" along with Azrael and Hikari.

Ava Schwarzejäger-Saint Claire - The daughter of Lucent, Azrael views her as a niece of sorts. Though sadly, some of Lucent's other children, Ava's upbringing was done elsewhere and in private. This caused the two to be rather distant and Azrael's past only caused the two to more trouble in forming a closer bond. Luckily, Azrael believes they have, atleast to some extend, as he truly does care for her well being and safety, especially wanting to help her in the process of taking over Wolfsreach now that Lucent has stepped down.

Leah Targoth - Azrael's daughter and the person he fought for so long to save. Words cannot truly describe his unconditional love he has for his daughter, but they aren't needed as he would do anything to ensure she had the chance to finally grow up happy. In the same regard, he would deliver a most cruel and merciless blow to anyone who would threaten Leah's soul once more. Currently. Azrael is teaching and grooming her to come into her own as the princess and future queen of Lebenreich.

Liam Targoth - The illegitimate son of Azrael and the inheritor of his divine grace. Though he was born from a time Azrael refuses to speak on, he discovered the boy shortly after the sin, Wrath, attacked the city of Hereafter in Lebenreich. He had seen fit to take him in and raise him as the father he was, and in turn Liam has shown nothing but the best for his father. This has caused Azrael to form a true bond with his son, as one should, and begin to garner the same unconditional love he has for his daughter Leah.

## Foes

Jingo Jenova - ~~Another individual Azrael holds in close regards, he has helped and guided Jingo through most of his adventuring career, a favor he returned by helping save himself from being Orion. All in all, Azrael effectivly considers Jingo as an adoptive son, as the two care for one another like family.~~

Though once his close friend and ally, Jingo betrayed Azrael and everyone to become the horsemen famine under the raven queen. Though he had since been dealt with by Scharp and given a second chance, Azrael cannot forgive him for his horrific actions, and his resistance to achieving atleast some sort of redemption proves his darkened heart still thrives, atleast to Azrael anyhow.

Tae'lana Thyrilestil - Azrael despises the raven queen, as she caused many issues within his previous life, and has hurt those he cares for. Azrael is also one of the very few people who knew what her true intentions were, before becoming the goddess of balance, and he cannot forgive her for what she was attempting to do.