Azrail heard the bell jingled and right away he knew it was going to be a long day. Everything gotten comes with a price, if he had pleaded on Audrey's behalf, he should be willing to pay the price as well.
"It's the red code, brace yourself Azrail." He said to himself.
Azrail was still finding it hard to believe that he had interfered with Audrey's punishment knowing fully well he was putting himself into jeopardy.
"I wonder why I did that in the first place when it has nothing to do with me? It's totally impossible to know what Lord Adonis is thinking. What will his sentence be? What is to come will definitely come." Azrail mustered all his courage as he stepped out from his chamber to the main hall.
***
The girls were waiting at the main hall when Azrail walked in
"We greet you second master" the girls chorused
Azrail walked passed the girls without acknowledging their greetings but stopped briefly to take a look at lucia before he proceeded to his position and bow his head, The girls followed suite.
After a while, Lord Adonis walked in an imposing manner to his throne like seat yet his anger could be felt miles away. Azrail and the girls acknowledged his presence
"All hail the end of every beginning." They chorused together with shaky voice.
Lord Adonis smiled dryly at their fear as he made himself comfortable. A perfect time to make an example.
"There are boundaries that shouldn't be crossed because once they are crossed, there are grave consequences that follows." Lord Adonis started his speech. while observing his audience.
"Today, we have two people who have neglected their duties and of course they will be duly punished by facing the consequences of their actions. Both of you step out" Lord Adonis ordered
Lucia peed on her body and gave a shrieking sound before she fainted, None of the girls were brave enough to go close to her to help her up. Everyone was being watchful. Lord Adonis could sense their uneasiness and this bought a smile on his face again before he continued
"Let's do it one after the other. Azrail step forward." Lord Adonis ordered while touching his golden ring.
Azrail stepped forward with his head bowed
knowing that the time he dreaded had come
"Here I am master"
"Do you admit you're guilty of negligence of duty?"
***
Azrail couldn't respond immediately. He was torn in between taking responsibility for Audrey or denying her.
"If I deny her, then I'm truly weak."
He decided to go with the former.
***
"Yes my lord, I admit that I am guilty."
The girls were taken by surprise. Was Lord Adonis going to punish second master Azrail right in their presence?
Lord Adonis had thought of a punishment that was in proportion with Azrail's degree of responsibility.
"Then this is my verdict. Your eyes are your greatest gift Azrail. I will have them retrieved." Lord Adonis passed his judgement
"My Lord, you could do as you please with me but not my eyes." Azrail lowered himself to the ground as his entire body shook.
Without Azrail's eyes, he was nothing but an empty shell. His eyes were beautiful and enchanting. Under his watchful eyes, he was able to lead and supervise other death agents during Lord Adonis absence. What will he do without them?
"Is that a subtle way of pleading Azrail? You sure have gotten weak. What about I help you with that? Lord Adonis proposed.
"I'm Azrail the last arch agent. How can I be weak my lord? I'll take full responsibility for my actions but not with my eyes master. They are the core of my existence."
Lord Adonis pretended he was thinking for a while.
"Well then, our last arch agent I'll let your eyes be on one condition."
"Anything my lord." Azrail replied relieved
"Stop her heart" Lord Adonis ordered looking at Audrey's direction.
Audrey's feet grew cold
"My lord!"
"Do it now" Lord Adonis roared
Azrail stood transfixed without taking a step.
"You said you would take responsibility, well you can start doing that now Azrail and I'll believe you haven't gotten weak"
Azrail stood motionless
"Why ain't you not moving Azrail? Are you trying to add insubordination to your charge?" Lord Adonis inquired angrily
"Isn't master putting me to a test? if I stopped her heart, there is apparently nothing I'm taking responsibility for." Azrail countered
"Are you in love with her?" Lord Adonis asked paying more attention to Azrail's countenance than his words.
"No, I'm not master. I dare not fall in love with her or anyone. It is forbidden and I feel nothing, you have checked that with me master" Azrail answered abruptly
"So why are you hesitating or is there any reason why you should hesitate that I'm not aware of?"
Audrey sensed that Lord Adonis was trying to corner Azrail to a tight spot. Azrail would only end up trapped in the snare of Lord Adonis. She had dragged Azrail into this mess, she is the one who can dragged him out too.
"My lord, the end of all things. This has nothing to do with second master. I beg you to let me bear it alone." Audrey interrupted the duo with thinking any further
"Oh would you? Can you really bear it?"
Before Audrey could respond, she was interrupted by Azrail
"Stay out of it, you are doing more harm than good. We wouldn't be in this mess, if you stood still and did nothing.
"I rather do something than do nothing"
"Haven't you realized it? Everything you do or say is only going to complicate things so if you want to help me, just stay out of it.
"You both are seriously asking for it. Isn't it?." Lord Adonis interjected.
"What will your option be Azrail? Her life or your eyes? Which will you be willing to part with?"
Azrail raised his head up and looked around, he looked at Audrey before giving his reply
"My eyes, master." Azrail replied with an heavy heart
"No second master, you can't do that. All my whole life I have know more bitterness than happiness. What about you do me a favour by ending all my pain? I won't be able to live knowing fully well that I'm responsible for your misfortune I just can't live."Audrey said amidst sobs
Lord Adonis was tired of watching the both of them so he got up from his throne like seat and approached Azrail who was still on the ground. He squatted in front of him
"Rise Azrail" Lord Adonis instructed Azrail
"Master please don't take his sight, take my life. It's all on me." Audrey pleaded
"It's alright, I'm fine." Azrail gave Audrey a sad smile
"Your call Azrail." Lord Adonis touched Azrail eyes and Azrail gave out a loud scream.
Azrail gift was taken and with that, he was thrown into gross darkness.
Audrey heart broke into a million ways, her recklessness has bought this harm upon Azrail. After everything she's been through, she thought nothing would ever get to her again but here she was, A new wave of pain swept across her heart. She let it overwhelm her and she died a bit inside her knowing she had caused someone else an unimaginable pain with her actions.
Lord Adonis stood up but didn't return to his seat. He was pacing
"Number eight" Adonis called out with spite in his voice
"Yes master" Audrey responded with an heavy heart and her head bowed.
Audrey felt nothing at this point
The other girls trembled and felt pity for Audrey but it is what it is. Every man for himself.
"Number eight, do you admit that you have failed in your duties in supervising the girls?
"Yes, my lord"
"Good, without further Ado, let's get to the verdict."
"My verdict goes thus, since you do a great job cleaning my chamber, I won't take away your sight but your sense of hearing and ability to speak will be taken away from you. Your mouth seems to be your greatest problem. What about I eradicate that for you. From this moment onwards, you are no longer in charge of the girls."
Lord Adonis moved closer Audrey and touched her mouth and ears and with that he took away Audrey's auditory sense and her ability to speak.
Audrey felt so cold from coming in close contact with Lord Adonis. She tried to say a word but she couldn't. Audrey was thrown into a world of no sound. Everything was annoyingly silent.
"I know you must wondering why I spared their lives? I spared their lives for you to learn from them. There are many ways to die and one of them is to have your abilities and strength taken away from you. Their lives will never remain the same again. If anyone of you is caught neglecting your duties, I'll be sure to throw you into a more darker world. Is that understood?
"Yes master" the girls answered as they continue to bow their heads
"One of you will have to take over her position but unfortunately, I don't trust Azrail's judgement." Lord Adonis roamed his eyes and saw her on the floor.
"The girl on the floor is going to be the new supervisor." Lord Adonis pointed to Lucia
Audrey could not hear or understood what Lord Adonis has said and she dares not raise her head up
Lord Adonis made his exit from the main hall and went his way.
Fear could be felt in every crooks and corner of the hall even after Lord Adonis had left.
The girls had many questions on their mind but they dare not raise it.
Just then Azrail tried to navigate his way but fell down. He gave out a deafening cry. The other girls were too afraid to help. Seeing Azrail in such a situation broke Audrey's heart, she walks up to where he was to help him up
"Leave me alone, you've done enough." Azrail pushed Audrey away with so much force.
Audrey fell to the ground and bruised her arm. she gave out some vague sounds indicating that it hurts.
Azrail picked himself up again and tried to navigate his path out of the main hall which he did by touching the walls.
Audrey stayed on the ground sobbing. The other girls quickly disperse to start their daily chores leaving Lucia to the ground.
She has her eyes but her life was changed forever. She wished Lord Adonis had taken her life instead of hurting Azrail.
"He doesn't deserve it, he must be in so much pain." she thought within herself.
Audrey went closer to Lucia, picked her up and strapped her to her back...