Hells diary

chapter seven

>>>MARKED FURY
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Thane, a powerful demon, paced beside Gage's bed, his heart heavy with worry. His beloved's screams had echoed through the night, and Thane's own powers, meant to harm and destroy, felt useless against Gage's suffering. In desperation, he had called upon the one being he knew could help - his estranged brother, Azreal, an angel of healing.

The brothers' relationship had shattered during the Great Fall, when the angels' rebellion against the Divine had ended in catastrophic defeat. Azreal, once a shining seraph, had plummeted to the earth, his wings torn and broken. Thane, who had always walked in the shadows, had watched in horror as his brother's light faded, replaced by a deep sorrow and resentment.

Now, as Azreal entered the room, his eyes locked onto Gage's battered form, and his expression softened. "Thane," he acknowledged, his voice tinged with a mix of emotions.

"Azreal," Thane replied, his voice laced with a hint of vulnerability. "I didn't know who else to call."

Azreal's gaze flickered to Thane, and for an instant, the old bond between them sparked to life. Then, it was extinguished, replaced by the cold reality of their fractured relationship. "I'll help him," Azreal said, his tone detached. "But it won't be easy."

As Azreal began his work, Thane's anxiety grew. His powers, meant to harm and destroy, felt like a curse in the face of his beloved's suffering. He watched, helpless, as Azreal's healing magic struggled to mend Gage's wounds.

The tension between the brothers escalated, their argument reigniting old wounds. "You're not even trying!" Thane accused, his voice cracking with emotion.

Azreal's eyes flashed with anger. "You think I don't care? You, who have always walked in darkness, while I bore the light?"

Their words hung in the air like a challenge, the weight of their fallen relationship crushing them. Yet, as they worked together, their powers entwining in a delicate dance, something shifted. Azreal's healing magic began to resonate with Thane's destructive force, finding a balance that slowly, steadily, brought Gage back from the brink.

In the end, it was Thane who held Gage's hand, his voice whispering words of comfort, as Azreal's healing energy soothed the wounds. The brothers' eyes met, a glimmer of understanding passing between them. For a moment, the Great Fall was forgotten, and they were brothers once more.

But as Gage's eyes fluttered open, and he smiled weakly at Thane, the fragile truce between the brothers shattered. Azreal's expression hardened, his wings rustling with a soft, ominous sound. "I'll always be here to heal, Thane. But don't think this means I've forgiven you."

Thane's heart ached, the old wounds reopening. "I never expected forgiveness, Azreal. Only your help."

And with that, the brothers' fragile peace crumbled, leaving only the echoes of their fallen relationship, and the uncertain future that lay ahead.

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Gage woke up feeling more refreshed, the tension in his muscles somewhat eased, but a lingering soreness still made every movement stiff and careful. He didn't see Thane's face when he first opened his eyes, and a part of him felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment. Pushing those thoughts aside, he rose from the bed, each step a reminder of the previous day's events.

The atmosphere in the room was charged with an uncomfortable stillness. As Gage walked out, he could sense something was different. The hallway seemed longer, darker, and the silence felt oppressive. It wasn't long before he encountered Thane.

Thane's demeanor had shifted dramatically. His usual calm and composed exterior was replaced with an intensity that made the air around him almost crackle. His eyes, normally a comforting shade of green, now burned with a mix of fury and something else Gage couldn't quite place.

"Thane, what's wrong?" Gage asked, his voice cracking slightly. Vulnerability crept into his tone despite his attempt to stay composed. Thane's expression only hardened, the sharp edges of his anger becoming more pronounced.

"Azrael marked you," Thane said through gritted teeth, each word laced with venom. "An angel's mark. Do you have any idea what that means?" His voice rose, echoing down the hallway.

Gage's hand instinctively went to his neck, feeling the mark Azrael had left. A burning sensation flared under his touch, reminding him of the angel's words and the power behind them. "I didn't ask for this!" Gage yelled back, his own anger surfacing. "I didn't have a know!"

Thane's eyes glinted dangerously. His claws, usually kept in check, extended with a slow, deliberate menace. The sight of them, sharp and lethal, sent a chill down Gage's spine. Thane's rage was palpable, a living, breathing entity that threatened to consume everything in its path.

"You don't understand what you've done," Thane growled, his voice low and deadly. "This isn't just about you. It's about us. About everything we've built."

Gage took a step back, fear mingling with his anger. "Thane, you're scaring me," he admitted, his voice trembling.

Thane's claws flexed, and for a moment, it seemed like he might lose control entirely. "I should rip out your heart for this," he hissed, his eyes glowing with an almost supernatural light.

The raw intensity of Thane's fury broke something inside Gage. Panic overtook him, and without thinking, he turned and ran. He could hear Thane's growl behind him, but he didn't dare look back. His feet pounded against the cold floor, each step a desperate attempt to put distance between himself and the danger he felt closing in.

Gage's lungs burned as he fled, his mind racing with fear and confusion. He had never seen Thane like this, so completely unhinged. The Thane he knew, the one who had always been his protector, seemed to have vanished, replaced by a creature of pure rage.

Thane, left alone in the hallway, struggled to regain control. He couldn't think straight, his thoughts a chaotic whirlwind of anger and betrayal. His own brother, Azrael, had marked his mate. An angel's mark, something sacred and binding, now tainted the bond he shared with Gage.

He wanted to scream, to yell until his voice gave out. He wanted to burn everything down, to unleash his fury on the world. But somewhere deep inside, a small, rational part of him fought to hold on. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, to think clearly.

"Calm down," he muttered to himself, his voice barely more than a whisper. "You have to calm down."

With a final, shuddering breath, Thane closed his eyes and concentrated. He focused on the one thing he could control: his own presence. And then, with a sudden, almost imperceptible shift, he vanished, leaving nothing but a void of emptiness in his wake.

Gage stumbled to a halt, gasping for breath. He glanced back, half expecting Thane to be right behind him, but the hallway was empty. The silence that followed was deafening, a stark contrast to the chaos that had erupted moments before.

He leaned against the wall, trying to steady his racing heart. Thane's words echoed in his mind, a painful reminder of the rift that had just formed between them. The mark on his neck throbbed,