The air felt charged, electric, as Lena staggered back from the pool of wild souls, still feeling the lingering chill of their power pulsing through her veins. She had done it—managed to control the chaotic energy of the untamed spirits. But her body shook, her breath came in short, ragged gasps. She felt drained, like the act of bending their will had sapped something deep from within her.
Azrael watched her with his usual half-smirk, though his golden eyes glinted with something darker. "You handled that better than I expected," he said, his voice cold and cutting.
Lena took a moment to catch her breath, giving him a wary glance. She could never tell if he was pleased or merely testing her further. The air around them felt tense, heavier somehow, as if something was building in the distance. The whispers in her mind were quieter now, their comforting hum receding, but she sensed they hadn't completely left.
"Where to next?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
Azrael began to answer, but something in the air shifted—a presence, several presences, moving toward them with a deadly precision. Lena's pulse quickened, and the whispers surged back, clear and urgent.
_Ambush._
"Azrael—!" she managed to gasp before an impact hit her like a sledgehammer, throwing her to the ground. Pain radiated through her body as she tried to lift herself, but sharp claws dug into her shoulders, pinning her down. Through blurred vision, she saw dark, monstrous shapes emerging from the shadows of the ravine.
Azrael spun to face the threat, his expression hardening. These weren't the ordinary demons Lena had seen around Hell—they were something far more powerful, each figure exuding an aura of raw, malevolent energy. These were major demons, and from the twisted markings carved into their armor, Lena recognized them instantly as warriors of Hell's highest order.
They were Lucifer's lackeys.
The lead demon stepped forward, a massive, towering figure draped in obsidian armor. A scar ran from his brow down to his jaw, and his red eyes gleamed with malice as he fixed them on Azrael.
"Azrael," the demon growled, his voice a deep, guttural snarl. "The Morning Star sends his regards."
"Draemnir," Azrael replied coolly, a mocking edge to his tone as he swung his scythe into his grip. "Didn't expect him to send such pitiful company."
A twisted grin spread across Draemnir's face, revealing rows of jagged teeth. Behind him, two more demons emerged—massive, hulking figures with obsidian armor etched with infernal runes. They flanked Draemnir, their fiery eyes blazing as they eyed Azrael with deadly intent. Unlike the lower demons, these were ancient beings, each crackling with dark energy, their presence warping the air around them.
Draemnir's gaze shifted to Lena, his eyes narrowing in surprise. "And who is this? I didn't know you kept pets, Azrael."
The two lesser demons turned their attention to her, their expressions a mix of curiosity and disgust. Lena struggled to rise, but one of them was already upon her, its massive hand wrapping around her arm and twisting it behind her back. Pain shot through her shoulder as she gasped, gritting her teeth to keep from crying out.
Azrael glanced her way, his face impassive. "She's none of your concern, Draemnir," he replied, his voice laced with a deadly calm. "I would worry more about your own survival if I were you."
Draemnir laughed, the sound low and mocking. "I think I'll start with the girl. She looks fragile." He waved a hand, and the two demons holding Lena grinned wickedly, tightening their grips as they yanked her to her feet.
The whispers in Lena's mind surged with panic, but she barely had a moment to process them before one of the demons slammed her against the rough stone wall, his hand pressing down on her throat. She clawed at his arm, struggling to break free, but the demon only laughed, his jagged teeth bared in a cruel smile.
"What's the matter, human?" the demon sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Lost without your precious Reaper?"
The other demon circled her, his sharp claws dragging across her shoulders and back, leaving long, shallow cuts that stung as blood began to seep through. "I think I like her better broken," he said, his voice cold and emotionless. "Maybe we should see how much she can take before she snaps."
Lena's heart pounded, her mind racing as the pain intensified. Azrael was locked in combat with Draemnir and the other demons, his scythe a blur of deadly precision as he moved, each strike aimed with lethal intent. Draemnir's spear crackled with dark energy as he parried Azrael's blows, the ground beneath them splintering with each impact.
Azrael's face was a mask of calm fury, his movements quick and efficient. Draemnir's lackeys had strength, but Azrael had skill, moving with a deadly grace that made him seem almost untouchable. He deflected Draemnir's strikes effortlessly, his eyes narrowed as he calculated each move, his scythe flashing as it sliced through the air.
But as powerful as he was, he was still outnumbered, and Draemnir's lackeys were skilled. One of the hulking demons closed in, his spiked fist aimed directly at Azrael's chest. Azrael spun, dodging the blow with ease, but Draemnir was already pressing forward, his spear poised to strike.
The second demon lunged, forcing Azrael to deflect with his scythe as Draemnir attacked again. His movements were relentless, each strike aimed to keep Azrael on the defensive, his spear darting forward like a serpent. And though Azrael blocked every blow, the distraction left Lena at the mercy of the two demons holding her.
The demon gripping her throat tightened his hold, his claws digging into her skin as he lifted her off her feet. "I'll enjoy watching you suffer," he hissed, his eyes gleaming with malice.
Lena gasped, her vision darkening as the pressure on her throat intensified. She kicked out desperately, trying to free herself, but the demon barely flinched, his grin widening as he watched her struggle.
"Azrael's pet is weaker than I thought," he sneered, casting a glance at his companion. "Lucifer didn't even know she was here."
The other demon laughed, a low, mocking sound that made Lena's skin crawl. "Then let's show her what it means to be in Hell."
He raked his claws across her arms, tearing through flesh and muscle as blood pooled from the wounds. Lena screamed, her entire body writhing in pain as the demon's claws dug deeper, twisting as if savoring each moment of her agony.
Azrael... she thought desperately, her mind clouded by pain. But he was too far, too consumed by his battle with Draemnir and the other major demons.
The whispers surged in her mind, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of panic and urgency.
_Focus, Lena. We're with you._
The cold energy of the ghosts she had sensed before flickered within her, a faint glimmer of hope amid the overwhelming pain. But the demon's grip was relentless, crushing, his laughter echoing in her ears as he tossed her to the ground like a rag doll.
Lena's body hit the dirt, her vision spinning as she struggled to push herself up. Her arms shook, her legs felt like lead, and her entire body throbbed with the wounds inflicted by the demons. She could barely breathe, her mind drowning in the haze of pain, but the whispers didn't abandon her.
_Stay awake. Focus. We're here._
She felt the cold energy surging within her, the same power that had helped her control the wild souls, but it was distant, faint. The pain was too much, clouding her thoughts, making it impossible to grasp.
The demon sneered as he loomed over her, his twisted grin filled with malice. "Still alive? Impressive." He raised his foot and stomped down on her ribs, sending a fresh wave of pain tearing through her body. Lena gasped, her vision going white with agony as the demon laughed, a low, cruel sound that echoed through the ravine.
Azrael was still locked in battle with Draemnir, his movements a blur as he deflected one strike after another. The second demon lunged at him from the side, and Azrael barely managed to parry the blow in time, his scythe flashing as he retaliated with deadly precision. Draemnir's laughter rang out, mocking and relentless.
"Is this the best you can do, Azrael?" Draemnir taunted, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. "I expected more from Hell's Grim Reaper."
Lena's vision darkened at the edges, her body crumpling to the ground as the demon's foot pressed harder against her ribs, the pain radiating in waves that made it hard to focus. Her blood soaked into the rocky ground beneath her, and each breath came as a ragged, strained gasp. She could see Azrael in her peripheral vision, his scythe flashing as he parried another strike from Draemnir. But even Azrael was showing signs of fatigue, his movements slightly less fluid, his focus split as he tried to fend off Draemnir and the other two demons.
Stay awake, Lena. Don't let them win.
The whispers in her mind stirred, but they felt distant, dulled by the constant waves of pain that clouded her senses. Her ribs ached from the weight of the demon's boot, and she could barely keep her eyes open, her vision blurring as the agony overwhelmed her.
"Still breathing?" the demon sneered, his jagged teeth glinting as he leaned down, pressing his weight even harder against her ribs. "I was hoping you'd be more fun."
Lena clawed at his boot, trying to push him off, but her arms felt like lead, her strength fading. She could feel herself slipping, her consciousness fading as the pain became too much to bear. Her body felt like it was shutting down, giving up, but the whispers surged again, louder this time, more insistent.
Let us help. We're with you.
The ghostly presence within her flared, a cold, sharp energy that pulsed through her veins like ice. She clung to it, using it to stay conscious, to push back the darkness that threatened to consume her. The demon's eyes narrowed, sensing the shift in her, but he didn't move, his twisted grin widening as he watched her struggle.
"Resilient, are we?" he sneered. "Let's see how long that lasts."
Before Lena could react, he lifted her by her throat, his claws digging into her skin as he yanked her to her feet. She gasped, her hands clawing at his grip, but he held her effortlessly, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. The second demon circled her, his claws tracing cruel lines along her arms, tearing into her flesh with shallow cuts that stung and bled, his expression cold and detached as he watched her bleed.
"You'll break soon enough," the second demon murmured, his voice a low, cruel whisper. "Humans always do."
Lena's body trembled, her vision swimming as the pain flared, but the whispers in her mind grew louder, the ghostly energy within her pulsing, refusing to let her give in.
Breathe, Lena. You can do this.
The demon holding her let out a low chuckle, tightening his grip as he watched her struggle. But as his claws dug deeper, Lena's anger flared, a spark of defiance igniting within her despite the agony that wracked her body. She didn't know how, but she could feel the spirits around her, their presence faint but steady, like a lifeline she could grasp.
The demon sneered, his cruel smile widening as he pulled her closer, his breath hot against her face. "Give up, human," he hissed, his voice dripping with contempt. "There's nothing left for you here."
The demon's breath was hot and rancid against her skin, his sneer cutting through her fading consciousness. Her entire body throbbed with pain, her ribs and muscles aching from the relentless assault. Lena could feel herself slipping, the darkness creeping in at the edges of her vision, threatening to consume her completely. But she couldn't give up—not here, not yet.
A faint, familiar chill brushed against her thoughts, the presence of the spirits lingering at the back of her mind, urging her forward. Her fingers twitched, her senses straining as she tried to focus, to grasp the cold, spectral energy that had shielded her before. She was weak, barely able to lift her hand, but her mind was sharp, fueled by defiance.
Lena's fingers twitched, her body weak but her mind determined. She could feel the spirits, their energy swirling around her like a protective shroud, and for the first time, she reached for them, opening herself to their power.
The air around her grew colder, and the demon's sneer faltered as he felt the shift. He released her, taking a wary step back as a ghostly figure materialized behind Lena, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.