Inferno Of Desire

Chapter 42: Shadows of the Celestial Realm

The return to the Celestial Realm was swift but tense. Seraphine and Azrael had completed their trial, but the uneasy silence that followed them into the realm weighed heavily.

The golden gates shimmered as they passed through, their wings beating slowly against the air.

Though they had proven their strength, there was still an air of distrust toward Azrael, and Seraphine knew it. Their victory over the demonic forces should have secured their status, but the political undercurrents ran deeper than they had anticipated. Azrael could sense it too — the lingering doubt, the sharp stares that followed him.

Landing on the ethereal grounds of the Celestial Court, they were immediately greeted by the presence of the Council. Its members stood with their pristine white robes billowing in the wind, their expressions unreadable. Uriel, the leader of the Council, stepped forward, his piercing blue eyes fixed on Seraphine and Azrael.

“You have completed your task,” Uriel’s voice rang out, soft yet firm. “But there remains the matter of trust.”

Azrael’s molten gaze hardened. “We fought as commanded. We eliminated the threat. What more do you need?”

Uriel held his stare. “Trust is not earned through a single act of bravery. The shadows of your past still loom, Azrael. You must understand that the path to redemption is not one easily walked.”

Azrael’s jaw tightened, but Seraphine spoke before he could respond. “We’ve done what you asked,” she said, her voice steady. “And we’ll continue to do so if it means the safety of this realm and the balance of the Veil. But Azrael has proven himself time and time again. How long will you make him pay for a sin he no longer commits?”

There was a murmur among the council members. Tarian, one of the council’s younger members, stepped forward, his tone more sympathetic. “The trial was only the beginning. There are darker forces gathering, and they will require us to unite — something we haven’t done in centuries.”

Azrael glanced at Tarian, surprised by the angel’s sudden shift in tone. Perhaps there were those among the Celestials who did believe in his cause, after all.

Tarian continued, turning to the rest of the Council. “The threat of the Abyss is not over, and we are vulnerable. Azrael knows this better than any of us. His knowledge of the demonic forces could be the very thing that saves us.”

Uriel remained silent for a moment, considering Tarian’s words. The rest of the council exchanged looks, their collective tension palpable. Finally, Uriel spoke.

“You may stay for now,” he said, his eyes softening ever so slightly as he looked at Seraphine. “But we will not ignore the gravity of the situation. The Abyss still stir, and we have reason to believe its next strike will be catastrophic.”

Seraphine’s heart tightened in her chest. “The Abyss,” she repeated. “It’s not dormant?”

Uriel shook his head. “No. The heart may have been destroyed, but the Abyss itself can not be vanquished so easily. It has grown restless once more, and we’ve intercepted whispers of its return — stronger and more vengeful than before.”

Azrael’s fists clenched at his sides. The very mention of the Abyss gnawed at him, the memories of that place still haunting him. “What are you saying?” His voice was low, dangerous. “The heart is gone. We made sure of it.”

Tarian stepped forward again, his tone calm but grave. “The Abyss may be acting as a host for something much darker. Something that even you might not know about, Azrael.”

“You were right the other time, Azrael. The heart was only a decoy.” Seraphine spoke more to herself than Azrael.

“But how’s it possible still?” Azrael’s brows furrowed.

A cold silence fell over them, and Seraphine turned to Azrael, seeing the flicker of doubt in his eyes for the first time since they had left the Abyss. There was something neither of them understood, something lurking beneath the surface that had yet to reveal itself.

“What do we do now?” Seraphine asked, her gaze moving between Azrael and the council.

Uriel stepped forward once more. “For now, we need time to investigate further. You will remain within the Celestial Realm’s boundaries until we uncover more about this rising darkness.”

Azrael’s wings twitched in frustration, but he nodded. “We don’t have much time. Whatever’s stirring… it’s not going to wait.”

Seraphine touched his arm, calming him slightly. “Then we prepare. We get ready for whatever comes next.”

Uriel gave a solemn nod. “Indeed. But tread carefully. The Abyss may not be the only force rising from the shadows.”

As the council dispersed, Seraphine and Azrael were left standing in the center of the court. The weight of Uriel’s words hung over them like a storm cloud. It wasn’t over. Whatever darkness they had thought they vanquished, it had only just begun.

Azrael broke the silence. “This isn’t what I expected.”

“Neither did I,” Seraphine admitted, her hand still resting on his arm. “But we’ve faced worse. Whatever it is, we’ll stop it.”

Azrael’s eyes softened as he looked at her, his molten gaze glowing in the fading light. “We won’t lose again. Not to this.”

Seraphine smiled faintly, leaning into him. “We won’t. We’ll fight this — together.”

As they turned to leave, Seraphine’s mind raced with thoughts of what could be lurking in the Abyss. But one thing was clear —whatever was coming next would require them to trust not only in their strength but in each other more than ever before.