The Ruined Plains of Amanécer—Twilight
Charred soil stretched endlessly beneath a sky torn between dusk and fire. The bones of forgotten war machines jutted from the ground like rusted monuments. Ash drifted through the air, whispering ancient names—names long consumed by death.
Erebus ordered the army to carry on to Olympus. However his loyal men stayed just in case he needed assistance which they were sure that would prove unnecessary.
Helios was forced to return to Olympus. Rudolph took the chance to take him away knowing that their emperor was no longer fit to fight.
Erebus stood alone, blood on his brow, cloak shredded, Umbra pulsing faintly in his grip. The light had all but died from the land, except for the unholy glow emanating from the figure across the cracked earth.
Iblis.
He rose from a mound of corpses, clad in armor forged from grief and flame, eyes molten with ancient power. Horns curved skyward from his temples, and black fire danced along his limbs.
"At last," Iblis said, voice dripping with mockery and menace. "Amanécer was once beautiful. You should've seen it before I turned it into a grave."
Erebus answered with silence—and movement.
They collided.
A shockwave rolled across the plains, flattening what little remained. Umbra clashed against Iblis's infernal glaive, sparks igniting in the dying air. Erebus struck low, feinted high, then drove a kick into the demon's ribs. But Iblis caught his leg mid-air and slammed him into the ground with the force of a comet.
The earth cracked.
Erebus rolled aside as Iblis's glaive came down, carving a molten trench. He leapt, slashing upward—Umbra tore through Iblis's pauldron, sending shards of enchanted steel into the sky. Iblis retaliated with a burst of hellfire that engulfed Erebus's left side.
Screaming in pain, Erebus dropped to one knee. For once he strongly felt Jafar's absence. The one who was there to aid him in his toughest moments in battle.
Iblis loomed.
"You've fought well, mortal," he said. "But even gods die in Amanécer. I've broken angels here. You are nothing."
Erebus's voice was a whisper of steel.
"Then I'll be the ghost that haunts your victory."
He lunged.
Umbra flashed with spectral flame, bypassing Iblis's block, sinking deep into his chest.
The demon howled, staggered, clawed at the blade as dark energy erupted from the wound. The corrupted plains howled in resonance, and the sky cracked open with a crimson bolt of lightning.
Iblis dropped to one knee, smoke rising from his body. His horns cracked. Wings shriveled. Yet his smile returned—sickly, triumphant.
"You think you got me..." he rasped, coughing ash into Erebus's face. "But another one will rise after me. My vessel will be ready..."
His form began to unravel, flames licking upward, consuming his flesh, leaving behind the scent of scorched fate.
"I shall be reborn again."
And with that, he disintegrated, leaving only black embers and the echo of prophecy on the wind.
Erebus stood still, body trembling. Around him, the plains of Amanécer fell into eerie silence. No birds. No breath.
"It just ended like that..." Erebus looked up in the sky. More than relief he felt the anger. Just to be ended like this meant all their sacrifices were deemed meaningless.
The night sky was starless. Plumes of smoke still tried to grasp the sky. The fissures in the sky disappeared.
He fell on his knees with exhaustion, still holding onto his blade with his injured hand.
He was too tired to carry on. The gush of wind sudden hit his face and Infront of him was a faint light.
"Erebus!" The boy called out in a jolly voice.
Erebus stared at the boy in disbelief.
"Asmodeus." He voiced the name lingering on his mind.
"Thank you. My dearest twin. For releasing me from this torment." The boy put his head on Erebus' shoulder.
Just as he placed his hand on the boy's head. The figure slowly disintegrated into the air leaving the wisps of light as its remnants.
A tear escaped his left eye. A delayed realization that Asmodeus never wanted any of this to happen. He was trying to protect. But took down the wrong path.
"Damnit it all." He cursed. He didn't even get to bury his own blood.
Erebus' beast appeared from behind and nudged him lightly.
"Let's go." He got up and mounted his beast after one last glance to make sure if Iblis would attack them again.
But he was nowhere to be found. The winds whispered no tales about him.
He found three of his soldiers waiting his return.
They bowed and wheeled their steeds and followed him.
The war was finally over. The alchemist tower took over the task to disintegrate Dabbah a d the other beasts for their research.
While the Amanécerian army never got the chance to join them on the final expedition. Everyone headed for Olympus.
All were exhausted. Too tire to carry on with the battle. Soldiers wanted to return to their families or whoever of their family or beloved were alive. Many wanted to get married and settle down and live a peaceful life. Away from conflicts and battles.
Weary as they were, they never forgot the loss they suffered for three whole years.