My heart sank, a sinking feeling of dread settling in the pit of my stomach. Something wasn't right. The trust I had placed in Jared, the belief that he was here to help, shattered in an instant.
He took a step closer, his gaze fixated on me with pure hatred, "You don't remember, do you? You took everything from me, Azriel. You left me to die, and I vowed to make you pay."
"No," I said, "I was there. I took your still beating heart so that I can save you afterwards. Plus, it was Abaddon. Abaddon killed you. We fought together. And you died, and yes, it should've been me. But you saved me."
"Yes, and it was a mistake." He growled, "Instead of taking my heart to the crystal the moment I died, you waited all these years."
"I didn't know it'd alive you!" I exclaimed, shaking with anger.
"No excuses. It won't work." He spoke venomously.
The realization hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest. The Jared I once knew, my closest friend, had been consumed by bitterness and revenge. He had planned his return, not to help me, but to exact his own twisted retribution.
"So, you're working with Abaddon now." I spoke, my voice laced with same venom. "You fucking betrayed me."
"You betrayed me first." Jared's eyes gleamed with satisfaction at my realization. "Oh, how the tables have turned, Azriel. You thought you could play hero, save me, and then everything would be forgiven? Well, I have news for you. Forgiveness doesn't come so easily."
Anger and betrayal surged through me, "First of all, you shit, I never betrayed you. Second, you're making a grave mistake, Jared. Abaddon will use you, discard you like a pawn once he's done with you. Is that what you want? To be his puppet?"
Jared's twisted smile widened. "At least I'm not a fool, blindly following false promises of redemption. I see through your lies, Azriel. And I won't rest until you suffer as I have."
The intensity in his voice fueled my anger. "You think you've suffered? You have no idea what I've been through, the guilt that has consumed me. But I sought a chance at redemption, to make it up to you, and because I fucking cared for you, because I wanted you alive because you died for me. And instead of standing by my side, you've chosen revenge."
Jared took a step closer, his eyes filled with malice. "Your redemption means nothing to me. I will relish in your downfall, Azriel. I will kill you because I want it. And Selene will die because Abaddon wants it."
"He's brainwashed you. You weren't like this." I spoke, before shifting my eyes to behind him, and then at him. "Where's Selene?"
He walked to the door behind him, while I was losing patience second by second.
My heart stopped when he opened the door, she had been badly beaten up, I couldn't even comprehend where she was bleeding from as she lay there fainted.
I saw red.
Rage consumed every inch of my being as I beheld Selene's injured form. My vision blurred with fury, and my body moved with an unbridled vengeance. In an instant, I was by her side, cradling her fragile body in my arms, shielding her from any further.
Wind blew in the form of my anger as every thing, every furniture, every cloth flapped. The raw energy coursed through my veins as I trembled with wrath.
It surged around me like an electric storm, crackling with an intensity that shook the very foundations of the room. My wings unfurled, gleaming with a brilliant radiance that pierced through the darkness.
Jared's face contorted with a mix of fear and disbelief. He had underestimated the lengths that I could go to protect the only one thing that had kept me alive.
With a swift movement, I surged forward, my fists colliding with Jared's body. Blow after blow landed with a satisfying impact, each strike fueled by my anger.
"You don't lay a fucking finger on her." I spoke, air still flapping.
Jared smirked, "What is so great about her anyway?" He spoke coughing out blood, "You met her in childhood, and then she was fine, but now she's a fucking bitch-"
Before the word could leave his mouth, I punched him again, not even giving him a chance to use his magic, "Fight me, you fucker, so I can torture the fuck out of you."
With each blow, his body trembled under the force of my wrath. Blood trickled from his lips, his face contorted with pain, yet he continued to spew venomous insults.
"You think you can tell her what she's worth? You know nothing," I growled through gritted teeth, landing another punishing strike. "You've suffered nothing compared to her."
Jared's attempts to fight back were feeble in comparison to my unleashed fury. His magical powers paled in comparison to the sheer force of my rage.
I landed blows and kicks at his face, and he could do nothing. I panted as he fell down before me, but his magic made him stand up again, grey aura coursing his outlining of the body.
But amidst the chaos, I caught a glimpse of Selene. Her eyes, filled with a mix of fear and tiredness, locked onto mine. My anger shifted into worry and protectiveness. I shifted my gaze to Jared, glaring at him. I had to end this fight.
I dodged Jared's feeble attacks with agility and struck back with even more powerful punches, air helped as my magic element, making everything easier.
Blow after blow, I pummeled him relentlessly, my fists fueled by a fierce protectiveness. Jared's resistance waned as my anger gave me the upper hand.
Selene's tired gaze never left me as I pressed on, anticipating Jared's feeble attempts to fight back. But my anger and focus propelled me forward, leaving him no chance.
In one final, jaw-breaking blow, I sent Jared crashing to the ground, leaving him to lay there in his pool of blood. I took heavy breaths, I just killed my so-called best friend, I thought. My heart felt heavy for a second before my mind reminded what he had done to Selene, and the betrayal.
Turning away, I approached Selene with a sense of relief and tenderness, cradling her gently. "You're safe now, Fiery," I reassured her, my voice filled with warmth. "I won't let anyone lay a finger on you, I promise."
A serene calm washed over me as I held her in my arms. Her teary eyes looked into mine.
Fate really liked to fuck me over in the worst ways possible. Because lord, I just wanted to kiss her until she was fine, until she healed.
Selene
My whole body screamed at me to faint so I don't feel any pain but I annoyingly didn't instead I let out a shaky, slow breath, as I looked into his eyes. I saw nothing but worry, and like he was holding something back. He had saved me yet again.
"I am s-sorry."
His eyebrows shot up confused as he picked me up.
"For leaving your sword, I didn't mean to- I-It just." I averted my gaze, "I forgot it was holding it." Letting it all out felt good.
He chuckled. This asshole.
"It's fine, lo-" He stopped mid sentence, looking ahead. "It's fine. Relax yourself, I'll take you home."
Home? Where was that?
"What about your trident?" My voice came out very weak.
"Guys? What happened?" Grace's voice let out. I knew by body was weak but that didn't deny the angriness that took over me. I just hated her and there was no good reason for that.
Azriel turned around, his eyes beaming with happiness when he looked at his trident. His trident left Grace and shot to him leaving sparkles behind as it disappeared beside his back.
"Where did you get it?"
"Well, I found it at the room, it was basement, and Jared had excused himself to the washroom and he is still not back yet." She frowned, "Have you guys seen him?"
Then, a crash was heard.
Azriel wore a fierce expression, "Abaddon is here. We have to leave now."
"Wait," Grace spoke, "What about Jared?"
"I- He's working with Abaddon, He had Selene. He did this to her," He rasped, his wings flapping out, tearing his already torn shirt. "Let's leave, now."
Grace did what was best now. Purple flames came from behind her as she too flew with us out of the Granzy tower, saving all the questions for later.
"How are you feeling, now?" Azriel said, leaning on my room's door side, his arms crossed.
I nodded, "I am feeling fine. Just a little pain here and there."
He tsked, as if annoyed by himself, "I couldn't protect you again."
again? What did that mean?
"You saved me again." I said, furrowing my brows.
"I saved you late. After you already had all those scratches on you."
He walked towards me and sat on the side of my bed as I asked after a while, "Are you okay?"
He nodded.
"Are you fine?" I asked again.
He shook his head, "No. I- Jared was my best friend. Never saw it coming and he fucking hurt you. So I killed him but-"
"It's a bitter feeling, isn't it?" I spoke, making him look at me. My parents, I wasn't very close to them but still I was the one who killed them and it made me want to vomit, feel guilt, suffer for all my life. He must be feeling the same thing.
He nodded.
"I don't know if it's going to be alright but um- I-I." I averted my gaze.
He furrowed his eyebrows, "What is it, Fiery?"
My cheeks reddened at the nickname. I was Fiery.
"Um...If we're like friends or something, I won't betray you anyways, now go fuck off, I hate you." I rambled, pushing the blanket over my head, and turning away.
He laughed out loud, sending silent butterflies to flutter in my stomach.
Asshole.