The lights flickered as an oppressive weight seemed to press down on the room—like the air before a storm breaks. Everyone froze, instincts flaring as Azazel stepped inside, his presence thick and unnatural.
"Well, the game's over," Azazel said softly, his voice cold as ice. "And this time, you won."
Ava immediately moved forward, instinctively placing herself between Elias and Markus. Dan and Naomi mirrored her, forming a silent wall around their friend.
Azazel raised his hands, smirking. "Relax," he drawled. "I'm not here to fight."
Elias's jaw tightened. "You said you'd let him go."
Azazel tilted his head, studying Elias with a mocking glint in his eye. "And I will," he replied smoothly, his tone feigning sincerity. "A promise is a promise." He spread Markus's arms in a show of mock surrender. "See? No tricks."
Naomi's eyes narrowed, her distrust evident. "Then why are you still here?"
A flicker of amusement crossed Azazel's face, his grin widening. "I wanted to say goodbye."
His gaze drifted, almost lazily, until it settled on Lucius. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as the two locked eyes, tension crackling in the silence. Beneath their exchange was an ancient grudge, simmering just below the surface.
"It's been a long time," Azazel whispered, his voice dripping with malice. "How's that sense of guilt treating you, old friend?"
Lucius's expression was a mask of stoic resolve. "I feel no guilt, and I am certainly not your friend," he replied, a rare steel in his voice that surprised the group.
Elias blinked, glancing between Lucius and Azazel. "You know him?"
Azazel let out a low, dangerous chuckle. "Oh, he knows me very well." His gaze hardened, venom flashing in his eyes as he looked back at Lucius. "He betrayed me. Left me to rot when I needed him most. Isn't that right, Lucius?"
Lucius's eyes narrowed slightly, but he held his silence.
"What, no wisdom to share?" Azazel sneered. "No pontificating? You're as pathetic as ever."
Elias stepped forward, fists clenched. "Enough! You've run your mouth long enough. Asmodeus is gone, so keep your word and let my brother go."
Azazel's smile twisted, unsettling on Markus's face. "Oh, of course." He leaned forward, gaze flickering toward the sword at Elias's side with a gleam of contempt. "Just a final farewell for an old friend." His voice dropped to a cold whisper. "Enjoy eternity in there, Asmodeus, trapped and helpless. What a fitting end for you."
Elias's grip tightened on the sword's hilt. "Enough."
Azazel's laughter echoed in the room, low and mocking. "We'll meet again, Elias." His gaze lingered on the portal that shimmered in the distance. "Next time, I'll make you wish you'd never opposed us."
Without warning, Markus's body convulsed violently, his limbs jerking as if his strings had been severed. His eyes rolled back, and for a terrifying moment, Elias feared Azazel had killed him. But then, with a shuddering gasp, Markus collapsed, limp in Elias's arms.
He was free.
Elias held him tightly, relief flooding through him as he felt the warmth of life in his brother. "Markus?" he whispered, his voice breaking.
Markus's eyelids fluttered open, his voice hoarse but alive. "Yeah… yeah, it's me." He gave a weak smile. "Feels strange, not being possessed anymore."
Helping him over to the couch, Elias sank down beside him, the weight of relief almost overwhelming. Yet a lingering chill remained, the shadow of Azazel's presence refusing to fully lift.
"Is he... really gone?" Markus asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ava crouched beside him, checking his pulse. "He's gone," she confirmed, her voice steady. "But you'll need time to recover."
Markus let out a shaky laugh. "I thought being possessed would feel more... evil. It just felt cold." His smile faded, eyes haunted. "Like I didn't matter at all."
Elias felt a pang of empathy, recognizing the emptiness in his brother's words. He knew that feeling all too well.
Dan leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and shot a curious glance at Lucius. "So... you and Azazel have history?"
Lucius's expression remained unreadable. "I was there when he was formed, when his name was first whispered among the stars."
Ava's eyes narrowed. "And you never thought to mention that?"
Lucius shrugged, unfazed. "Would that have changed anything? There are truths that reveal themselves in their own time. And today was that day for this truth."
Markus chuckled weakly from the couch. "He hates you," he murmured. "Really, really hates you."
Lucius offered a wry smile. "Yes, I've noticed."
Elias's gaze drifted to the sword at his side, its faint hum a reminder that their struggle was far from over. His thoughts were already on the next step.
Naomi broke the silence, her tone sharp and focused. "We need to move. We can't just sit here."
Dan nodded grimly, pulling out his phone. "If we're going to find allies, we'd better start now. The world's already falling apart without us."
Elias managed a faint, determined smile as he glanced over at Lucius, who returned a solemn nod. "There'll be time for that soon enough," he replied quietly, a new resolve settling in his voice. "But first, there's somewhere I need to go."