Inferno Of Desire

Chapter 28: Once an Ally

The oppressive silence of the Twilight Forest was behind them, but the weight of the Abyss clung to their souls, slowing their steps as they neared the outer edges of the Celestial Veil.

The boundaries between realms trembled, a thin veil of shifting light that separated the worlds from unraveling into chaos.

Azrael could feel the pull of dark magic against his skin, tugging at his very essence.

Seraphine's gaze lingered on him, her silver eyes soft but tinged with worry. She hadn't said a word since they had conquered the heart of the Abyss.

He could feel her concern without her needing to speak it aloud. The bond between them had grown, though neither dared to admit it fully yet.

"We're running out of time," she said, her voice cutting through the thick air like a blade.

Azrael clenched his fists. "I know. The Veil is weakening faster than I expected." His fiery amber eyes flickered, reflecting his inner turmoil. "We have to get to the Sanctuary."

The Sanctuary - a realm untouched by the Abyss, where both celestial and demonic beings held a fragile peace - the place where you find safety and protection.

But the fragile peace which both realms held was breaking, and they both knew it.

As they marched onward, the air shifted - an unsettling disturbance that Azrael immediately recognized. The once quiet expanse crackled with energy, and without warning, a dozen figures materialized, encircling them.

Their black robes blended with the surrounding shadows, but their faces were twisted, revealing their demonic origins.

Azrael's instincts flared. "Vanguard soldiers."

Seraphine drew her blade, the shimmering silver of its edge glowing faintly. "They're not here by accident."

The leader of the group stepped forward, a smirk curling across his face. His eyes gleamed with dark delight. "Azrael, old friend," he drawled mockingly. "I knew you'd fall again, but to an angel, of all things? I'm disappointed."

Azrael didn't flinch. "Torvin," he spat. His wings twitched, as though ready to burst from his back at any moment. "You should have stayed buried in the pits of the Abyss."

Seraphine, sensing the tension, stepped closer to Azrael.

Her presence calmed him slightly, but the rage boiling within him was unmistakable. Torvin had been a close ally once, before the fall. Now, he was little more than a puppet of the Abyss.

Torvin's grin widened. "Oh, I haven't come to fight. I've come to collect."

Seraphine's grip tightened on her blade, her eyes narrowing. "What does he mean?"

Azrael's jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides. "He's after the Veil."

"Not just the Veil," Torvin said, his gaze darting between the two of them. "I've been ordered to bring you back, Azrael. You belong in the Abyss."

"Never," Azrael growled.

Torvin chuckled as if savoring the moment. "Oh, but you forget... you still owe us." His voice dropped, sinister. "You made a pact. Or have you forgotten the terms of your fall? I didn't take you as one to break pacts, Azrael."

Seraphine's breath caught. She glanced at Azrael, confused. "What is he talking about?"

Azrael's gaze remained locked on Torvin, but the truth began to unravel in his mind. The pact he had made so long ago, the sacrifice he had agreed to in exchange for power... it was coming back to haunt him.

Torvin stepped closer, his grin widening. "You can fight it all you want, but the Abyss will reclaim what's rightfully theirs." He paused, savoring the next words. "Seraphine included."

The air crackled with tension, and in that moment, the reality of Azrael's betrayal became clear.

He had been played - his fall from grace had never been his own choice. And now, the one person who had rekindled a spark of hope in him was being threatened because of his past.

Seraphine's eyes flashed with fury. "Wha- What is going on? You used me?" She stuttered.

"No," Azrael said sharply, turning toward her. "I never meant for this."

But the hurt in her eyes was undeniable, and it cut deeper than any blade. The bond they had forged was now at risk, unraveling like the very Veil they sought to protect.

Torvin raised his hand, ready to strike. "Enough talking. The Abyss awaits."

With a roar, Azrael's wings burst from his back in a blaze of shadow and flame, his eyes glowing like molten fire. "Not today, you damned creature!"

In the next breath, the battle erupted, chaos breaking through as both sides clashed in a flurry of power and fury.

But the words Torvin had left behind still echoed in Azrael's mind, a reminder that no matter how hard he fought, the past would never fully release its grip on him.

And now, Seraphine was caught in the middle of it all. And he hates it!