"Amada is right, I cannot touch you, but there was no order about not touching Michael's daughter," His smile was as wicket as it was repulsive.
Ezequiel felt his blood boiling. He could not believe what he had just heard. Why in the heaven and hell was she here?
"Damn you Azael," Ezequiel gritted his teeth as he was sure this was his brother's doing.
"All of you go find her and bring her to me!" Domenico roared. "I wonder if she is aware of her own mortality in this place. This will indeed be a nice gift for my lord, of course only after I am done with her."
---------------
"I still can't believe Estevan did not see us, or at least sensed us. We literally passed right next to him," Clementine could not help but worry at how easy everything was unraveling for them. Their journey to the dark forest had been so swift, she could not help but feel surprised at how they had not been found out yet.
"Don't forget that his powers don't work in the forest. The same for Azael and me," Emilia reminded her, "which means we have to rely on our training to be able to survive this journey."
"I always thought Estevan was more prepared than me, but seeing how we easily fooled him, it appears I am the bigger man,"
"You mean bigger demon," Emilia corrected him "and I don't think so. We were just lucky,"
Azael threw her an evil glare, "Must you always challenge me? You are so annoying!"
"No, you are the annoying one,"
"No you are!"
And just when the duo was about to get into another one of their famous tantrums Clementine walked up to them, reaching over to pinch them both hard on the arm.
The sound of ouches and whining could be heard in the area.
"Shhh, be quiet. Remember that we are here in secret," Clementine reminded them not believing what big babies these two were.
"You didn't have to pinch me so hard," Azael whined as he rubbed the redden area on his arm.
"Yeah Clementine, whose side are you on anyway?" Emilia protested
"I am on my side and don't you two forget that I did not want to come in the first place. The only reason I am here is because of you two so I suggest you behave if you do not want to feel my wrath,"
"You are just taking advantage of our weakness in this forest," Emilia fainted hurt as she continued to rub her arm to ease the pain.
"Of course, I am. After all I was forced to come. I might as well take advantage of its opportunities. Now hush and let's continue."
The trio was completely unaware that someone had been watching them since the moment they stepped foot inside the dark forest.
As they continued walking in the direction of the bright flame, they suddenly started feeling an immense cold zipping into their bones. Azael and Emilia had never felt any kind of physical discomfort and as such this was new to them.
Clementine, being the only human in the group was aware of what cold felt like and could only repeat over and over, "Now you know why I am always being careful. A human body is very fragile compared to you creatures." There was hint of mischief coming from her and it was obvious that she was enjoying the discomfort Emilia and Azael were facing. "I hope you guys try to understand me a little bit more from now on."
"I always understand you, honey." Azael quickly retorted thru gritted teeth as the cold he was feeling was conquering all his sense.
"Yeah, yeah, of course you do," Clementine could barely speak. Even though her mind was used to the sensation known as cold the intensity of this frost air that was surrounding them was something on another level. It was as if they were not even in the dark forest, but instead they were at top a snowy mountain.
"Why is it so cold?" Emilia could not help but ask.
"I am not sure but keep close." Azael order, but just as those worst left his mouth and immense darkness engulfed them.
Emilia and Clementine who were closer to each other managed to hold on to each other, but Azael who was leading the group was not so lucky.
"I can't see anything." Emilia was panicking. All these human emotions were very new to her, and she did not know how to react. Her father was right she was simply not ready.
"Me neither, what is happening?" Clementine was terrified. She could not understand how and why it got pitch black suddenly. What had happened. Was this magic? But didn't this forest repelled magic? It was all too confusing. "Emilia, please don't let go of me."
"I won't," Emilia interwind her fingers with her friend strengthening their grip.
"Azael, babe come closer to us and hold my hand," Clementine said as she reached her free hand over to where she assumed Azael was, but to her surprise all she touched was the frezzing air. "Azael? Where are you? Grab my hand!" But there was no response.
"Azael! This is not funny," Emilia was not having it "Come closer and grab Clem's hand!"
"Azael, I swear that if you don't answer me in three seconds, I will make you pay." Clementine was worried to her core. "One!"
"Azael! stop playing around!"
"Two!"
"Azael, when we get back, I will kick your ass for making us worry," Emilia could not do anything else but throw threats into the air hoping that he was indeed just trying to scare them.
"Three!" A thunderous voice screamed next to Clementine's ear.
The moment Clementine heard the voice she knew it was not Azael and both Emilia and Clementine could not help but stiffen up.