A gray sky pressed low over the horizon as the group walked along a cracked road leading away from Volkov's estate. The air was thick with the faint scent of wet earth and iron—a cold, sharp undertone that lingered like the warning before a storm. Elias trailed behind the others, the weight of the sword pulling at his side, a steady anchor he couldn't shake. The blade's hum had softened, but it still thrummed against his skin, insistent as a heartbeat he couldn't quiet.
He rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the knot between his shoulder blades, but it wouldn't go away. Markus's face flickered behind his thoughts like static—the sight of his brother's features warped and twisted, a sick grin stretched over a face that wasn't really his. Azazel's grin, draped over Markus's skin. The memory coiled tighter inside him, like a knot in his gut turning dangerous, brimming with a sharp edge that screamed to be released. There's no time to wait. I need to move now. Before it's too late.
But as his eyes darted over the others, his urgency clashed with their calm. Naomi, Dan, and Ava walked just ahead, their conversation low and focused, unaware of the storm building in his mind. He didn't know how they could stay so steady after what they'd just faced. Ava kept glancing back at him, a hint of worry in her gaze, as though she could feel his barely contained anger simmering beneath the surface.
She finally slowed her pace, falling into step beside him. "We need to talk about the sword," she said, voice calm but firm.
Elias's eyes flicked toward her, but he didn't stop. "Not now."
Ava matched his stride, unyielding. "Yes. Now."
They stopped, and he met her gaze, a silent standoff hanging between them.
"How can you not see that, Elias?" Her voice was low, urgent. "Those disgusting tentacles coming out of that thing?" She gestured to the sword, her face twisted in disgust.
Elias frowned, glancing down at the weapon in confusion. In his hand, it looked like a pristine blade, sharp and unmarred. But to Ava…
"What do you mean, Ava?" Naomi had stopped, her eyebrows knitted in confusion. "It looks like a normal sword."
Dan, ever quick to tease, chimed in, "Did you eat something bad at Volkov's?"
Ava looked between them, her frustration evident. "Look, I don't think this is the time for jokes, okay? After what we just saw… this thing—it reeks of them!"
Naomi's gaze shifted to Elias, her face hardening. "I don't know how she can see it, but I can feel something off too. If this thing's corrupted, we both know it could turn on you. If we don't cleanse it—"
"Cleanse it with what?" Elias cut in, his tone sharper than he intended. "You see a priest around, Naomi? We're not in the game anymore!" He kept his grip tight on the sword, lowering his voice. "It cuts through devourers. That's enough."
Naomi's brows furrowed, her voice cooling. "I know we're not in the game, Elias." She straightened, her tone unyielding. "But there's Lucius. He's always given us answers. If anyone knows how to deal with something like this, it's him."
Elias's grip tightened. The weight of the sword felt steady, grounding him in a way nothing else could. Better than the emptiness that clawed at him every time he thought of Markus. "I don't have time for that."
Naomi's face shifted, surprise mixed with confusion. "What do you mean? We've got a month. What do you mean we don't have time?"
Ava stepped forward, her gaze softened. She gently laid a hand on his shoulder, her voice low. "Elias… what's going on?"
He hesitated, the words catching in his throat. "It's Markus." His voice wavered, thick with something he couldn't swallow down. "They got him. Azazel's… he's inside him."
Ava's face fell, her hand tightening slightly on his shoulder, though she held her reaction in check. "Elias… we all care about Markus, but if you rush into this… if you let this sword control you…" Her voice trailed off, and her eyes softened, a quiet plea in her gaze.
Anger surged in Elias's chest, hot and sharp, pushing his patience to its breaking point. They don't get it. None of them do. The sword pulsed against his side, feeding his anger, pushing it closer to the surface like water bubbling up through cracks in stone.
Dan, sensing the tension rising, threw a grin into the silence. "Hey, how about we all cool it, huh? We can save the dramatic fallout for after we survive this day. That's usually how it works, right?"
Naomi's jaw tightened, but she took a breath, letting Dan's words settle. Ava nodded in agreement, slipping her fingers into Elias's, grounding him, reminding him that he wasn't alone.
Elias gave Dan a tight nod, grateful for the momentary truce, though tension still hung between them, unspoken but heavy.
They kept walking, Dan a few steps ahead, his attention fixed on his phone's map. He waved them forward, his usual grin flickering back to life. "We're close. Just past that ridge. My bunker's not much, but it beats sleeping out here."
No one questioned him. Even Naomi, who usually had a retort for everything, remained silent, her gaze distant.
But suddenly, Naomi stopped. She cast a wary glance around, her body tense. "Wait. Stop," she said quietly. "Something doesn't feel right."
The group stilled, following her gaze, as a figure emerged at the edge of the road, stepping into their path. He looked human—leather jacket, jeans, boots worn from travel. But his amber eyes glowed in the dim light, predatory and unyielding, and a strange warping twisted the air around him.
The man smiled, his gaze settling on each of them in turn. "There you are, you brats. Good to finally see you."
Elias felt his heart quicken, his hand instinctively reaching for the sword. "Asmodeus," he breathed, his voice a low snarl.
Asmodeus tilted his head, his smile widening, his gaze cold and amused. "Interesting. Every time I see you, there are more of you mortals." He nodded at Elias, his tone almost playful. "Tell me, brat, how does it feel? Leading your little friends to utter ruin?"
Elias didn't respond. He lunged, the blade a silver arc in the dim light, and Asmodeus sidestepped easily, almost lazily, as if Elias were nothing more than a mildly amusing inconvenience. Before anyone could react, he turned, moving toward Ava with predatory precision. She tried to block him, but his hand shot out, grabbing her face and slamming her down with inhuman force.
Her body bounced on the pavement, the crack of bone echoing in the stillness.
"Ava!" Naomi's scream cut through the air, raw and desperate.
Ava crumpled to the ground, blood trickling from her mouth as she struggled to keep her eyes open, the pain etched into her face.
Elias's vision blurred, fury roaring in his ears. He drew the sword, its hum growing louder, sharper, the blade guiding his movements with a confidence that felt almost foreign. His strikes were fast, a violent dance honed through countless battles in Celestian Requiem. But Asmodeus dodged with ease, a mocking grin twisting his face.
"You move as you did in that pathetic world," Asmodeus sneered, ducking another strike. "But I can see it—you're out of your depth, little hero."
Elias pushed harder, his muscles burning with every swing, his body barely keeping up with the demands of the sword. His breath came in gasps, his vision tunneling. Asmodeus sidestepped him again, letting out a disappointed sigh.
"Pathetic," he said, voice dripping with contempt. Then, his gaze slid over to the rest of the group, his eyes narrowing. "What about the rest of you? Care to join your friend in this little display?"
Elias pushed through his exhaustion, gritting his teeth as he lunged again. This time, his blade found flesh, slicing deep into Asmodeus's side. A dark mist seeped from the wound, and Asmodeus staggered back, his face twisted with pain and fury. His hubris, his own undoing.
"You… dare stab me in the back like a coward?" he growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "Fine! If that's how you want to play, I'll play accordingly. My soldiers are already here, scattered through this world so watch every shadow, boy."
And then, like smoke caught in the wind, he vanished, leaving only the dark mist to linger in his wake.
Elias lowered the sword, his chest heaving, his mind a tangled mess of rage and fear. His gaze flicked to the others—Dan and Naomi whose eyes trembled in shock, and Ava, who was bloodied and beaten. And for a moment, he felt it again, that dark pull, whispering in his mind, telling him they didn't understand, that they were in the way.
Dan stepped forward, his hand stilling Elias's. "Elias. It's over."
The words cut through the haze, snapping him back to reality. Elias released the grip on his sword, letting it fall back to his side. He looked away, unable to meet their eyes, the weight of his own choices crashing down on him.
Naomi knelt beside Ava, working frantically to figure out how to help her. "Dan, I need you—now!"
Dan dropped to his knees, his usual grin replaced with grim determination. "Fuck... we need a stretcher. No, we need a hospital!"
"Hospital?" Naomi shouted. "You just heard him! They're everywhere now!"
Elias watched, helpless, as they fought to save Ava. The sword hung heavy in his grip, its corrupted energy still thrumming beneath the surface. This is all because of me.
Elias's feet stepped back. Then another step. Until he was ready to run away.
"Where the fuck are you going?" Naomi's voice made him freeze.
Elias, without turning around said in a quivering voice, "I got you all into this. This is all my fault... I'll just make things worse if I stay."
Dan, his usual attitude now shaky, said, "Hey, man we really need to stick together."
Elias hesitated, but the choice was clear. "I'm sorry."
Then, running with all his might, he slipped into the night.
"Elias!" Naomi screamed.
But he was already gone.