Arknangels/Arknza

“	This was the last tunnel before our exit to the Golden City, and search for the four paradox players; the Arknangels.	”
	— Cedric Kharon

The Arknza, or Arknangels (a.k.a. ArknAngels) are powerful Arkn in the bloodline of the Hethe. Many of them have human counterparts who possess dormant Arkn powers, with whom they are partnered. The Arknza are at the center of a Hethian prophecy, which states that they will one day fight a great battle and emerge victorious, bringing about a new Golden Age of peace and prosperity for all beings.

The Prophecy

In the early years of the Arkn, Raziel discovered a Hethian prophecy in the Arknchron. It foretold seven warriors in the bloodline of the Hethe, lead by a core group of four (referred to by some as the Paradox Players). 

The prophecy is as follows: 

Seven Godly blooded Beings
One line fit to rule as Kings 
Another born to wars and beings.
The third raised from magic strings
The fourth came forth from time itself
The fifth a Queen fit to rebel
The sixth lost blood, from scripture fell
The seventh, a daughter, sent to Hell.*

All as children from the Dark.
Represented by Goodness, Courage, Love and Heart;
while the other three will do their part

The Four will stand ‘til battles done
To take back the Gods
And live all as one.

These are the Arknza.

_{* This line was sometimes rendered, "A daughter, born of Hell".}

Many of the Arknza have a human counterpart: a human, usually a descendant in their bloodline or a "duplicate" of themself in human form, whose Arkn powers were dormant rather than removed. In time, after the human had awakened his or her Arkn blood, human and Guardian Arkn could converge, becoming a single being of great power.

An addendum to the prophecy, later mentioned by Ellpagg, stated that one of the Arknangels must die in order for the End Times to begin.

The prophecy is later revealed to be a fabrication created by The Carver, in order to fulfill his plans.

The Arknza

Uriel Alexander Winter

Uriel is the first Arknza and Paradox Player of prophecy, described as "one line fit to rule as Kings". The only born son of King Gilgamesh, he is the second ruler of the Arkn and the commander of the Golden Army.

During Uriel's reign, the Arkn Lords gathered together and plotted to kill The Carver in his own realm. Expecting to use Uriel, they were instantly declined when he told them that he was not about to slay a brother, moral or immoral. Unable to depend on Uriel, they went to Ellpagg, Uriel's own son. Uriel gifted Ellpagg with one of his prized possessions: a revolver with mystical properties.

After sending Ellpagg down to The Infernous, and having his memories stripped, the Lords were interrupted by Uriel; he had come to say farewell to Ellpagg, but mistakenly overheard their plan. Outraged, in a fit of sudden fury, Uriel beheaded the Arkn Lord Xan'dri'el and was, in turn, locked away in prison. Uriel escaped and hurled himself into one of the .reality engines, killing him and sending him to The Infernous. The process created a human form of Uriel within .Reality, who was given the name Alex Winter. Uriel remained in the Infernous for quite some time before leaving of his own volition and seeking out Alex, so that the two could begin on the path towards convergence.

Uriel and Alex eventually converged, and the two of them continued fighting the good fight. As the End Times began and the War arrived in the human realm, Uriel took the fight to the streets, battling Dekn in the ruins of New York City.

Raphael Tobit Kestler

Raphael is the son of the Second Arkn, Abaddon, and The Carver. He is the second Arknza and Paradox Player, described as the ArknAngel "born to wars and beings".

Raphael was an Arkn warrior, and was very heroic amongst his kind, slaughtering countless Dekn in battle. He had a keen interest in Magick, in which he was gifted with the powers of life force manipulation and healing. However, events transpired over time which caused him to abandon the Arkn cause, defecting and undergoing The Bastard's Decay, having his wings ripped apart.

After this, he went in search of King Uriel, but instead found only his human counterpart, Alex Winter. He then went to his guarded human, Tobit Kestler, who had been undergoing an apocalypse within his timeline. Before the timeline was completely destroyed, the two converged and had a completely clean fusion; as a result, both their minds were at the same level with the other, and they co-existed in harmony.

Under the guidance of Malek and Raziel, Raphael became the guardian of Tobias Kestler, an alternate version of himself (and twin brother to his human counterpart) and a supposed prophet.

Raziel Gabriel Holden

Raziel is the fourth of the original four Arkn, an individual creation by the Hethe Gar'sha. He is the third Arknangel and Paradox Player, described in the prophecy as the Arkn "raised from magic strings".

Raziel's birth name was Guhab’uruhee’el, or Gabriel. His early life was that of a cultist and religious leader who would sacrifice Dekn to the Hethe. However, over time, he began to see the error of his ways and renounced his title, henceforth going by the name Raziel or (Ruhah'zehee'el). A feared warrior, he acted as an elder throughout the First War. Centuries into the War, however, he recognized that The First Tree was dying, and that Existence itself was in danger. Along with the rest of the original Arkn, he enacted a ritual that led to the creation of magick; Raziel mastered this power, and used it to create two separate realities for the Arkn and Dekn (which were stabilized by the fragmented Hethe, Malek).

Despite his many eternities of service to the Arkn, Raziel was condemned by the Paradisium Council for marrying a commoner and producing offspring. His family was executed in front of him, and he was stripped of his titles and his book of magick. While in disgrace in exile, Raziel continued to watch over his sole living relative, his granddaughter Ambriel.

Raziel began to find solace among the humans on Earth, and came to develop a great deal of respect for them. He first appeared to his human counterpart, Gabriel Holden, by influencing him to draw his sigil on a mirror and summoning himself as Guardian through it. Raziel appeared as a shade to Gabriel, and warned him of Azazel. He gave Gabriel a book in order for him to learn Magick. Due to a number of factors, however (including the intervention of Michael Knight, who attempted to kill Gabriel), Gabriel became afraid of the Arkn, and was reluctant to converge with Raziel. In time, however, Raziel was able to convince Gabriel to trust him by moving him to a reality where his family was alive and he had a strong support network of friends.

The two of them finally converged, completely fusing into a single being. Raziel allowed them to retain Gabriel's physical form and continue his human life (while making time for Raziel's own husband, Phoenix, and their son, Chamuel). He remained in hiding for eons, until the Battle of the Arknza arrived.

Azrael Michaelis Winter

Azrael is the fourth Arknangel and Paradox Player, described in the prophecy as the Arknza who "came forth from time itself". Chronologically the oldest of the Arknza, Azrael was born Michaelis Winter, an alternate version of Michael Knight. His powers were awakened through becoming the circumstantial vessel of Xerex Storn. The pair's convergence wasn't necessarily clean: rather than merging into a single being, Xerex killed Michaelis and tried to steal his vessel; however, Michaelis's disseminated data overpowered Xerex, taking control and leaving Xerex bound to him.

With the help of Ellpagg, Michaelis was sent back to the beginning of Existence, where he observed the other Arknangels growing up in the isolation of a lighthouse tower. During this time, Ellpagg acted as Michaelis's mentor, training him to use his Arkn powers. Michaelis came to see himself as a new incarnation of Edgar Kharon: a human who was seen as an avatar of Death, and was rumored to have become a Hethe. Ellpagg gave him the Arkn name "Azrael", which had formerly been owned by another Arknangel.

Azrael remained in hiding, using his abilities to save lost souls from The Infernous. Michael Knight took his place through another timeline, and acted as the supposed Arknangel for a long time. Due to The Carver's manipulations (and Ellpagg's mistreatment), however, Michael sided with the Dekn; through his supposed Arknangel powers, he attempted to murder the other Arknangels, such as Gabriel Holden. After The Carver revealed the truth of Michael, and took him as his vessel, Azrael stepped into the picture under the guidance of Ellpagg and took his place, revealing himself to be the true Arknangel.

Failing to stop The Carver, Azrael sought out Samael Crow to kill him, only to be killed and sent to The Infernous. The Carver instructed him to warn the other ArknAngels that he was coming to destroy them, and that none of them were ready for him. Once Azrael got out, however, he received word that Tobias and Ambriel were trapped in The Infernous, and that he would need to go back to retrieve them. Azrael went into The Infernous unarmored, and used the last of his power to get out Ambriel and Toby, leaving himself trapped there. While in The Infernous, Azrael was found and tortured by The Carver, who revealed himself to be De'ebo. Azrael was left mentally broken, and mistakenly killed Michael Knight (believing him to be a disguised Carver). Wracked with guilt, Azrael escaped, and vowed to rescue the humans still trapped in The Infernous.

Azrael ended up becoming trapped in The Infernous upon his return, due to his emotional trauma and his own lingering guilt. Once he got out, Azrael found himself threatened by Ellpagg, who claimed that he needed to die in order for the End Times to begin (as per the prophecy), so that he could personally kill The Carver. Azrael tried to leave behind his life as an Azknza. However, Ellpagg tracked him down, claiming that he couldn't outrun his destiny and that the Arknza needed to die.

Realizing that the Arknza fellowship was hopelessly broken and didn't stand a chance against The Carver, Azrael departed and sought out Redgrave, who trained him to use his powers to their full extent. This enabled Azrael to project himself back in time and unite the fellowship early, helping them to avoid the pitfalls that had befallen them in Universe A. When the time came for Ellpagg to enter the Infernous, Azrael agreed to go in his place, offering himself up as a sacrifice. Azrael's actions caused the new version of events to split off into a new universe, while in the old universe, he joined the fractured Arknangel fellowship on the battlefield against The Carver.

Ambriel

Ambriel was the former Arkn High Muse of Radiance, Song and Empathy. She was the fifth Arknangel mentioned in the prophecy, described as "A queen, fit to rebel".

Born in secret to Jos'sephine (the daughter of Raziel) and the Arkn High Priestess Kry'atha, Ambriel was raised by The Choir, and was completely unaware of her heritage for much of her life. After she was named High Muse, Raziel took her under his wing (along with Raphael and Uriel) and secretly began training her in the ways of magick and battle.

During the Day of the Great Calling festivities, Raziel revealed to Ambriel her true identity, and the real history of the corruption behind the Arkn government. Ambriel inadvertently revealed her powers before the Arkn aristocracy, marking her as a threat to the city and forcing her to flee for her life.

Ambriel lived on Earth for two years in the guise of a human before being captured by The Carver and imprisoned in the Infernous. After learning she was the fifth Arknangel (and still trapped in the Infernous), Azrael used most of his remaining power to get both her and Tobias out. Ambriel returned to the Paradisium and was forced to face her past, eventually overthrowing the corrupt aristocracy and becoming Queen of the city.

While she was an Arknangel of the original prophesy, Ambriel's destiny was different; according to a prophesy given by the Hethe Gar'sha when Ambriel grabbed onto the strings of Riviera:

"The Arkn bathed in golden light who speaks in the green shade will bring the end of those who shout worship choked in waves of blood. The circles of knowledge will soar once again in the skies and the Paradise of magic will once again overflow with the songs of praise, becoming a dirge for those who dared tread on my name and a hymn for those who would raise it back to the skies."

Gar'sha cast her back to reality with one last strange message: “Go with my will and my word; Mak'kran'grash.” True to the prophecy, Ambriel went on to re-establish Riviera, which became a haven for Arkn and Dekn alike. There she remained, until the Battle of the Arknza.

Raguel

Ishmahab'Raguel'M, better known as Raguel, was the Arkn Warrior of Justice and Vengeance. He was the sixth Arknza, described as the Arknangel who "lost blood, from scripture fell".

Raguel was the youngest son of Abaddon (and, unbeknownst to himself, The Carver), and the younger brother of Raphael and Asmodeus. He was created in case one of his brothers failed to fulfill their destiny. Sent away at birth, he grew to become a fierce and loyal Arkn Knight, with a fearful reputation.

Raguel set out on a special mission to investigate reports of the Dekn Legion amassing great forces and purportedly experimenting on Arkn and Dekn alike. While attempting to track down Legion in .Reality, he had a run-in with a corrupted Ellpagg that resulted in a brutal beat-down for both parties. Raguel had one of his wings cut off and was drained of his Hethe blood, while his rival sustained a near-fatal sword wound to his chest. Raguel eventually recovered, but was severely reduced in power.

After many, many years of searching for Legion, Raguel was ultimately overwhelmed by his forces and murdered by Legion himself, using his own weapon. While in The Infernous, Raguel was subjected to torture so extreme that it fractured his soul into three fragments. Two of the fragments, Ishmael and Ahab, entered .Reality and were bizarrely transformed into humans, while the third was left to rot in the Infernous until being freed by Azrael. Now freed from his prison, his purpose realized, he began the arduous task of reclaiming his lost fragments and locating the Reality Root — a legendary relic that could aid Legion's plotting — before Legion could lay claim to it.

Raguel eventually succeeded in his quest; only then did he realize that Ellpagg had never truly taken his Hethian power from him. Once his power was revitalized, he was finally able to fully heal his fractured fragments.

Ellpagg

Ellpagg was the son of King Uriel, formed out of the raw energy of the Infernous and the power of The Carver himself. He trained as a Knight under Raphael and Lazarus Delphar. Though he would later fight in the War, Ellpagg was unsure of himself; driven, but unfocused, he secretly longed to be seen as more than an Arkn or a born royal.

Multiple eternities after The Carver slayed King Gilgamesh and was cast out of The Golden City, the Arkn Lords gathered together and plotted to kill The Carver in his own realm. Expecting to use Uriel, they were instantly declined when Uriel told them that he would not slay a brother, moral or immoral. Unable to depend on Uriel, they found the next best candidate: Ellpagg. Unaware of the non-choice selection, Ellpagg believed he was volunteering for the task of convincing the Carver to come out and reform, when in actuality he had already been selected by the Arkn Lords, who were betraying him.

Imprisoned in The Infernous and stripped of his memories, Ellpagg was subjected to eternities of torment, which were broadcast to the Arkn and Dekn through Cloud9. After a failed escape attempt, he was eventually rescued by Malek, but was found by The Carver and convinced to return to The Infernous (with The Carver sent back to The Infernous himself shortly thereafter). While Ellpagg planned for them to escape together, The Infernous began turning on The Carver, due to not recognizing him. Ellpagg and The Carver fought, and Carver was mortally wounded. When he died, his powers and memories were transferred to the nearest conduit, being Ellpagg.

Now aware of the treachery on all sides (and transformed into a being unlike any other), Ellpagg renounced all loyalties and vowed to form a neutral third party that would bring an end to the War. Ellpagg went about awakening the first four Arknangels before escaping from the Infernous for good. He went on to devote his energies to building a realm for the Neutral, hoping to amass an army (consisting of the ArknAngels) which would bring an end to the War. However, he was unaware that he still carried part of The Carver within himself (and that it was warping and twisting him to its will).

Other Arknangels

Az'uh'ra'el

Az'uh'ra'el (or Azrael) was the son of Gynesis and The Carver. He was the original fifth Arknangel, and a powerful knight and magick user. Known as "The Knight" or The Arknangel, he had power on par with that of the Arkn Lords, as well as possessing free will (which was very rare); because of this, the Arkn Lords feared him, and he was counted among the Feared Ones. The main domain of the Knight was Castle Domm’erauj. However, his free will enabled him to travel to nearly any realm — including The Beyond, Xoya, the Infernous, and the Golden City — without being seen as a problem (with the only exception apparently being the Infinitium).

Az'uh'ra'el first appeared after Cedric Kharon and his companions were attacked by a creature called a God’tera’angun (possibly sent by The Carver). The Knight decapitated the beast at the last second, saving Cedric, and invited the party to "tea" at his castle before departing. Upon the party's arrival at Castle Domm’erauj, the Arknangel presented himself as being "too important for this nonsense", talking down to Cedric, forcing him to kneel, and raising his voice. The Arknangel sent Cedric on a question, commanding him to retrieve the first four Arknangels in the Golden City (and Ellpagg, who was still trapped in the Infernous) so that he could bestow upon them the power of the Paradox Players.

Once Cedric arrived in Elysia, he discovered that the entire quest was a ruse, and that Lazarus Delphar had asked The Arknangel to send Cedric to the Golden City so that a sample of his blood could be obtained as a power source for the Entropy Machine.

Some time after this, The Carver once again attempted to attack Cedric; Az'uh'ra'el stepped in to save him, and was apparently killed. A modernized version of his name was later passed on to Azrael Michalis Winter.

Seraphina

Seraphina was the daughter of King Uriel. Like her brother, she had no mother, and was formed out of the raw energy of the Infernous through the power of her father's Hethian blood. She is the seventh prophesied Arknza, described as "a daughter, sent to Hell" (or, alternately, "a daughter, born of Hell"). Lost at birth, she was found as a newborn by a Dekn named Lilis outside the Infernous, and was taken in by The Valkyrium. She began her training and education at a very young age, taking upon her the symbol of the Unie'ndis at eight years old in order to control and hone her magical skills.

Despite Lilis telling her not to, Seraphina watched the Cloud9 stream of Ellpagg 's torment in the Infernous. The Infernous intrigued her, though she felt disgusted by the entertainment factor of the entire ordeal. As time passed by and her training advanced, Seraphina grew to loathe the traitor king Uriel and his son, the traitor knight Ellpagg. She placed all emotional concerns to the side and focused only on honing her skills as a Valk. She vowed to serve the Valkyrium and eliminate any traitor or enemy of the Arkn that she could. As a result of her dedication, she rose through the ranks, becoming a skilled assassin, fighter, and magi (with Arknangels ironically being one of her prime targets).

The Carver

Hash'bor'kanibal, commonly known as The Carver, was the first Dekn. Despite this, he was able to take the form of an Arkn when it suited him; as such, it was possible for him to (briefly) became an Arknangel by acquiring the vessel of a human.

Carver's vessel, Lucifer "Luke" Anton, was a young man from New Comshine who may have possessed dormant Arkn blood. A slacker with little ambition, he ended up becoming a vessel for The Carver through the intervention of The Hooks Killer. While it's unknown precisely how he did it, Hooks may have performed a magick ritual that summoned The Carver into Luke's vessel, taking him over.

The Carver used Luke's form to track down Ellpagg, drawing him out of Michael Knight and coercing him into going back to the Infernous. However, due to a combination of The Carver's power overloading the system and Hooks revealing the existence of the Arkn and Dekn to humanity at large, a .Reality crash occurred on the prophesied date of May 15th, 2015. On that day, The Carver tracked down Michael Knight, only for him to reveal that he was possessed by Azrael at the last second. Azrael shot Luke's body, killing his vessel and sending The Carver back to the Infernous.

Once in the Infernous, The Carver discovered that he was now a prisoner himself; because he was bound to Luke's vessel, he was no longer in control, and was subject to the same torments he once carried out. Ellpagg started plotting to escape with the Carver. However, the two had a misunderstanding (due to The Carver being influenced by the Infernous), and they fought, resulting in Carver being mortally wounded. The Carver died before Ellpagg could find help, and his powers passed on to Ellpagg, corrupting him.

Chamuel

Chamuel was the son of Raziel and Phoenix. He was born in a powerful magick ritual, and carried by a surrogate named Circe. He was raised in peace, learning everything there was to learn about the Earth and Magic. However, Raziel and Phoenix kept the story of the Arkn, the Dekn, and the War from him (as well as his true nature), with the intention of telling him "when he was ready".

Chamuel had never been away from Earth. While he was blooded as an Arknangel, his powers were not awakened, due to a malformation in his Hethian blood. For safety and learning, he stayed with Phoenix in New Orleans during the Battle of the Arknza (with the aid of a spell Raziel cast upon him to keep him from following.) His ultimate fate is unknown.