Each passing day caused Uriel to be swarmed by more and more feelings of unrest, unease, and dread, like looming storm clouds forming in her mind.

  Their trip started off with everyone in decent spirits, but a crushing apathy soon lay over the whole convoy like a blanket of clinging cobwebs. Their somewhat lively chatter and discussion was broken by ever-increasing hours of silence. Everyone stared off into the ruined land around them. The roads they had taken were deserted, but brimming with what were once the signs of life. Abandoned cars, buildings, and homes littered the roads. Although they avoided all major highways and roads, the villages they passed through were just as scarred and ruined by the pestilence that passed over them. Once again, the gray sun was setting on the day.

  So much ruin and emptiness… All because of the powers dormant within me… The horrific thought crossed Uriel’s mind as she looked out over the vast emptiness. But soon, their journey led them towards a precipitous canyon. Uriel watched as they made their way alongside the roads carved into the cliffside.

  “Why are we going down?” She asked after a while. Her echoing voice seemed to wake everyone from the hypnotic haze they were in.

  “Uh… I…” Nathaniel mumbled, startled from his half-slumber. He strained to come up with an answer before Insect answered with a clap of her palms.

  “The river.” She signed.

  “Right! We’re already at Jade Canyon aren’t we? These past few days have been such a dull blur haven’t they?” He said.

  “So, why are we going down?” Constantine asked.

  “This will be the last respite on our journey. There’s a river flowing deep from within the earth, sculpting the rocks of the canyon like a serpent through grass. Damien must want us to stop there for today. We must gather all our strength and be at full capacity. Feast with whatever we have left, make sure our equipment is flawless and... bathe in the river.” Nathaniel said. With his last line, he shot Constantine a soft, condescending smile.

  It took him a second to realize it. “W-what, why are you looking at me, old man?” Constantine said. Embarrassed, he tugged on the shirt near his armpits and leaned his nose closer. His eyes shot open and he gagged silently. “Oh…”

  “I’m only slightly teasing you, Constantine.” Nathaniel began with a roaring laugh. “We’ve all been sitting unmoving in the back of this truck for several days now. I’d be surprised if one of us didn’t stink.“

  “Now I see why you insisted on making us not wear the clothes that we readied for Dudael.” Uriel commented, looking at Constantine with a mild smirk on her lips.

  “Yes. A clean body means a clean mind. And a clean mind will allow you to fight beyond what you think capable. Besides, its not often a man walks into almost certain death. Might as well give them what little comfort they can before then.” Nathan said, and realizing he might have been a little grim, he added: “And the water is absolutely ice cold. Which should be wonderful on a sore body.”

  “Are we that close to Dudael?” Constantine asked, his voice trembling with unease. “I hadn’t seen anything in the distance.”

  “We should be there some time tomorrow, yes. And no, you cannot see the mountain in daylight. It is shrouded beyond sight.” Nathaniel said.

  Uriel stood up, leaning over the edge of the truck and looking down into the canyon. “You guys mind if I go ahead and meet you down?” She asked.

  “Of course not, any reason why you’re leaving us?”

  “I don’t smell that bad…” Constantine pouted.

  “I just want to scout the area out first. Besides, it looks like it’ll only be an hour down for you guys.” She lied, as she stepped off the edge of the truck, letting her body fall into the canyon.

  Feeling her body be weightless was instantly relieving for Uriel. She felt trapped in the back of that car, like a bird in a cage. Her body ached for the need to feel the air rush against her feathers. Her wish was granted as she spread her massive black-feathered wings and the currents pushed against her, keeping her afloat in her glide. A twinge shot through her wing however, the one she had broken back in Gausville in her fight with Baphomet. She grunted through the pain, twirling not-so-gracefully in the air on the way down.

  The river was warmer than Nathaniel described it, but that was a welcome difference. She splashed her hand on the waves of the riverbed and flicked the droplets back towards the stream, watching them ripple against the crystal-clear water. When the water came to a still again, she caught a glimpse of herself. Her face was tired, which was to be expected, but beyond that she saw the fear and doubt that plagued her eyes.

  Why am I so afraid? Why am I still so unsure of myself? What is this dreadful fear I feel deep within my soul? She thought, questioning herself. But she did not let her despair grip her, instead embracing anger. Uriel stood up and fluttered her wings against the river causing a loud deep boom. No! I… I’ve trained for so long. I cannot falter on the doorstep of battle! This floating memory in my mind… my mother’s words… I must remember the training she gifted me before… before all of this…

  Uriel lifted her arm, pulling up her jacket sleeves. She took a deep breath, fanning out her fingers and causing a golden bracelet to materialize around her wrist. With it came a shining light in front of her, as three golden blades appeared like rays of pure sunlight in the encroaching dusk. As she moved her hand, they followed gracefully. She spun them around her, letting her powers dance, washing away her worries. Then she suddenly snapped her arm forward, and the blades obeyed. The swords sliced forward across the river, the force behind them cleaving the water itself for a moment before they smashed against the rock wall on the other side. Three large stabs were left in the stone cliff as Uriel dispelled her blades.

  Her eyes lit up with a newfound worry now, as the entire canyon echoed from her display of prowess. A cracking noise deep in the bedrock rang out, as several small rocks fell down, splashing in the river. Uriel held her breath all throughout, her eyes meekly looking up towards the sky. But the noises all quickly calmed down, and she let out a sigh of relief.

  “You know, that’s not a bad idea. If we manage to bring the demons out this far we can have you bring down the canyon on them.” An all too familiar voice called out to her. A voice that brought her joy, and an unusual fluttering sensation in her chest, a palpitation she couldn’t explain. But now, the satirical tone of the voice brought her only slight annoyance.

  “Don’t make fun of me right after I almost buried all of us in rubble.” She said, pouting and crossing her arms. “You guys arrived sooner than I expected, that was barely thirty or so minutes.”

  “Yeah. The road down wasn’t long. People are already making camp.” Constantine said. He then tossed her a decently large box, but thankfully not a heavy one. She caught it with ease. “Fresh clothing. I presumed you haven't jumped in the river yet given how you’re not… wet… or anything.” He stammered awkwardly. Uriel partially opened the box, taking a look inside.

  “There’s some armor in here too.”

  “Yes but that's for in the morning when we begin the last trip. Did you know I didn’t get any?”

  “How come?”

  “Well Nathaniel said if I get hit by a big scary demon, I’m dead no matter how much armor I’m wearing. Best to be light and dodge everything.” He said, leaning his body left and right as if he was in a boxing match.

  “Constantine…” Uriel began, setting the box aside and walking closer.

  “Oh no, Constantine in that tone of voice means you didn’t like my joke and I’m in trouble.”

  “No stupid, I just want to talk.” She said with a chuckle. “You’ve been distant again. Avoiding me after… that day.”

  Constantine sighed. “I know, bad habit. But! But… unlike the last time now I’m not doing it because I’m afraid of… what I’ve done... like in Gausville...”

  “But…?”

  “I… haven’t been in love often…” He confessed, taking loud gulps. “Its not a feeling I know how to handle well. Especially because…” His voice trailed off, and he walked off, taking a seat on a large rock on the riverbed. Uriel floated by and sat beside him.

  “You still think about Nikolai, don’t you?”

  “Every day.” He said with a sigh. “You know… I never thought I’d be able to love anyone else. I used to fantasize that we’d grow old together. We’d have a little house on a beach by the ocean. Somewhere nice and warm you know…? I imagined I’d spent the last of my years collecting cool and interesting seashells, watching the waves crash next to her.”

  Uriel looked at him, a soft smile forming on her lips. “You know I… used to live in a dark and vile place. I once snuck out from my mother and visited an old lake hidden in the deep forest behind our home. It was one of the few places where the water wasnt littered with corpses, blood and other filth. The tranquility of the blue water was… beautiful. I would sneak out often just to visit the place.”

  Constantine turned to her, a look of pleasant surprise and confusion radiating from him. “Huh, you’ve never… told anyone what happened to you before we met you. You said you didn’t remember.”

  “I remembered. After we both almost died… during my slumber.” She lied, for in truth she had remembered long before then. It was the night Katherine had crucified her. The memories that were once clouded and undecipherable became clear in her mind.

  “Tell me more! What was this place?”

  “I… my mother never told me exactly but… I later found out from some demons that it was a land called Purgatory.”

  “Wow that sounds… horrible.” Constantine said, his shock causing him to be blunt. “Purgatory is just another name for hell isn’t it?”

  “No, this was not hell. It was slightly better. Hell was a place of torment this… was a place of emptiness.”

  “What was your mother like?”

  “Well, Cassandra was a towering and stoic being. She was a manticore, her body was that of a vicious woman above the waist and a massive golden insect-like body everywhere else.”

  A thought washed over Constantine’s face. He thought for a second to ignore it, but decided against it. “Mephisto… your dad… banged that? I thought you were half angel?”

  Uriel chuckled for a few precious moments, before going quiet. “No, I call her mother but… Cassandra was not my mother. She was just my caretaker. I don’t know who my mother was, she never told me about her.”

  “Mephistopheles knows. You should ask him about her when this is all over. He mentioned a name a while back…” Constantine began, his fingers instinctively reaching for the necklace around his neck. “Camael. That was her name, I’m sure of it.”

  “Camael… sounds beautiful.” She said, remembering the story Saturnus told her what felt like forever ago. Silence hung in the air, letting only the rushing of the river break it.

  “I should let you jump in the river, its getting late.” Constantine said, getting off of the rock.

  “You distracted me, avoiding the conversation I initially asked.” Uriel pouted.

  “What do you want me to say, Uriel?”

  The angel jumped off as well, floating in front of him and grabbing his arms. She splayed them in a praying manner, wrapping her soft fingers between his. “I need you to tell me… I need to know that you love me. I need to know that you’re not just trying to placate me so you can use me as you please.”

  “Hey, hey… don’t say that. I told you… I promised that I would give you the love you deserve, the love I truly feel for you. I might think about Nikolai every day but… I think about you every waking moment of my life. I wish I could give you my heart like you gave me yours so I can prove it. But I still love her enough to want to save her from the monster she’s become. I cannot abandon her to her fate.”

  “Constantine…” Uriel began, her voice echoing with severity, but Constantine quickly continued.

  “I know, I know you swore you will strike her dead if you ever see her again, but… I also swore to save her. I will try to, even from you. Perhaps if I can save her, her atonement can come not in death. I have to believe that I can. That belief is all I have.”

  How I wish that could be how it all turns out Constantine but… that is not a future I can envision. Uriel thought, before she spoke once again.

  “Very well then. Your answer is… acceptable.”

  “Sounds a little cold. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

  “No its not you, its this… blasted mission. I haven’t been able to sleep well lately. I’m just worried and crippled by fear. Here I am worrying about the future when by all accounts we could be dead the day after tomorrow.”

  “Yeah I guess we wouldn’t have to be worried about what Nikolai’s up to then, huh?”

  Uriel playfully punched her fist into his chest, causing him to cough and then laugh. But then she wrapped her arms and wings around him.

  “Is that how you’re going to comfort me?” She said softly.

  “I was joking… we’ll make it through this Uriel. I’m certain.” Constantine answered, his voice unwavering.

  I can only pray you’re right. She thought as she broke off the embrace. This horrific uncertainty in my mind, I need someone to save me from it… I pray it will be you Constantine...

  “I should go now, let me know when you finish.” He turned to leave, but Uriel grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back.

  “How about instead, you join me for a swim?” She asked with a melancholic-looking smile on her face. “Please, I need you here with me now. It might be our last day together after all.”

  Ronov ran with wild abandon across the battlefield, rushing head-first through the lung-clogging smog and hazy mist of evaporating blood. He panted, heaved, diving towards the ground as another titanic arm slammed into the ground in his vicinity. The executioner did not even register his presence, instead it ripped out a giant rocky chunk of the earth and threw it against the foe it was locked in deadly combat with. Ronov tried standing but fell on his back, unbalanced by the quaking and rupturing of the earth under his feet.

  He watched slack-jawed in awe as the executioner slammed the albino wendigo upside the head with the slab of rock and earth, and the beast was barely phased by it. It stumbled back, and Ron got to see the extent of the damage that the two behemoths were enduring. Both were pouring blood out of the deep gashes and bite marks that littered their bodies. Their muscles were torn from their bones, flesh dangling sloppily as they moved, unimaginable pain coursing through their veins.

  “Need-to-get-out, need-to-get-out, need-to-get-out-” Ronov said, crawling away through the mud and muck. His voice was shrill, his speech rapid and mumbled. But he stopped and turned around frozen in fear at the hideous ear-piercing shriek the white wendigo unleashed.

  The beast screeched, puffing out its chest and pulling its shoulders back. Like a tightly-wound spring, it lunged forward, its body low to the ground, its claws and hooves ripping through the earth and crushing all unfortunate enough to be in its path. The executioner titan readied itself, but the wendigo did not attack as expected. Instead of a head-on collision, the wendigo leapt high into the air, catching its foe by surprise. It crashed down upon the executioner’s head, the weight of their massive bodies collapsing into the ground.

  Ronov covered his face, a shockwave of dust and debris exploding outward from the impact. He meekly stuck his head out once more. Without relent, the wendigo’s jaws brutally clamped down onto the executioner’s bear head. The titan thrashed violently, howling in grievous pain. A sudden surge of strength allowed it to throw the beast off of it, but not without terrible cost. Ronov saw as the towering titan was now missing half of its face on the left side, only the deep marks of fangs and teeth carved into the bloody skull that remained where its eye once was.

  “I need to… run.” Ronov mumbled, frozen in awe. Suddenly, there came a much louder noise, one much closer to him. A flesh golem had stumbled onto some easy-looking prey, and its shambling cadaver rushed towards it. Ronov saw it just before its clammy, vile arms reached for him. He stumbled back a couple times before managing to jump to his feet. He kicked the grotesque golem, but the fiend barely stopped its onslaught.

  With just a few meters of distance between them, he reached for his belt. There, he yanked on a grenade and pulled the pin on it. Instead of backing away, he lunged towards the golem, which seemed to confuse it. He stuck his hand inside one of its larger orifices. He then yanked it out with all his might, taking an instant to gag at the sight and stench of his fluid-covered hand. Remembering what he had just done, he turned tail and ran out of range of the golem’s explosion. Guts and bile and chunks of gooey intestines fell from the sky around him.

  “Y-yea! That’s what you g-get!” He stammered awkwardly. His excitement faded almost immediately, as a deep, vibrating roar erupted from the Executioner.

  Ronov dashed to a nearby spikerock, taking cover as he watched the two behemoths fight. The executioner, driven into a blood frenzy by its wounds, began repeatedly slamming its chest with its fist. The white beast did not care. Its feast on the executioner’s eye had given it renewed vigor, and now it charged forward once more.

  “Right into its jaws…” Ronov said out loud.

  His intuition proved correct, as the executioner leaned back for an instant before unleashing a torrential blast of molten rock and magma from deep within its gullet. A conflagration of immense heat radiated across the battlefield. The executioner’s eyes and claws were alight with black-red flame. Even Ron, who was now a considerable distance away from their battlezone, had to cover his face from the radiating heat.

  The wendigo was hit with the full force of the eruption, its skin and fur instantly igniting under the force of the extreme temperatures. Its charred flesh melted and dripped in large flaming chunks down to the ground. The beast mewled and howled in pain, clawing at its face to the point of tearing its fur and sinew down to its skull. The executioner stepped back, wiping its snout and readying for a finishing, lethal blow. But the wendigo lunged back, it refused to let itself die so easily.

  “KRYAAAGHHAAA!” It screeched, its claws reaching towards the executioner’s neck.

  The titan snorted, unphased. It thrust it head forward, its jaws wide open as another river of molten stone exploded from within it. The sheer force of it almost sent the wendigo’s head flying back, nearly ripped off of its shoulders. But the animalistic rage within burned just as hard. The wendigo withstood the force of the blast this time and reached towards its opponent with vigorous drive. The wendigo’s poisonous claws sank into the titan’s neck and shoulders, embedding themselves deep into its flesh.

  As the final remnants of its face and head began to turn to black ashes under the executioner’s breath, the wendigo viciously attacked. With the last of strength, the wendigo shrieked and stuck its skull inside the executioner’s wide open jaws. The executioner clamped down hard, but the wendigo’s teeth clenched its tongue. As the two monstrosities fought to push the other off, the wendigo snapped its head back, ripping off the titan’s tongue. A rainbow of crimson-red blood appeared between them in the sky at that moment. The executioner howled, clutching its jaw as blood poured like a waterfall down its chin. The eardrum-shattering, gruesome sound it made was that of pure, horrific pain echoing across the battlefield.

  “How’re you still standing...?” Ronov pondered, instinctively reaching for his own mouth. He rubbed a cut across the lip that ached him immensely.

  The wendigo snacked on the tongue, snarling and drooling, its obsidian-charred, smoking skull clacking as it swallowed it like a savoury final treat. Ronov swore it heard the beast let out a gurgled chuckle as its body finally went limp and it crashed down into the bloodstained-rocks beneath it. It let out its last, dying groan.The battlefield went silent for a singular moment.

  I should… go. Ronov thought, looking up at the victorious executioner one last time. It stood tall, holding itself proudly despite the countless wounds and the lake of blood it formed beneath its feet. He was surprised to find that the titan was staring exactly in his direction. Two small beady eyes stared at him, soulless black voids piercing through him. Its face was covered in lashes, pulsing with blood as it breathed. Yeah... I should really GO!

  It twitched once, and then the monstrous hulk charged forward, straight towards Ronov. The unfortunate demon quickly jumped from behind the rock, running across the no-man’s land of the ongoing battle. He hung his head low, avoiding the belches of gunfire and flame, running past the vicious flesh-golems and his fellow demons.

  H-how, how did it see me, HOW DID IT SEE ME? He thought, his mind racing alongside his feet. Sweat poured down his face as he heard the ground-quaking footsteps following him, an animalistic growl chasing him into the dust and ash. The beast was catching up to him with surprising quickness.

  The next step however, Ronov felt himself float for less than a second. His foot slipped, caught behind a rock, a corpse, or on a patch of muddy blood. He did not know, for he did not have time to look. All Ron could do was curse with such vulgarity to every unholy God he knew as he fell face-first into the wet dirt. He took a moment to lay on the ground, letting the stench of rotten cadavers waft around him. He resigned himself to his fate as he flipped on his back and saw the behemoth now lurching back, ready to drown him in molten death. Ronov closed his eyes. He winced as he saw, through his eyelids, an incredibly bright light engulfing him.

  But he was unharmed. No overwhelming temperatures seared him, instead, just a warm glow. He opened his eyes, seeing a bright crystalline light enveloping him, and a large section of the plains alongside him. To his left, he saw his divine savior, golden light erupting from her hands, forming the barrier that surrounded them. Her dark black wings had an almost silver appearance in the shield’s radiance. He saw her sleek black coat billowing behind her from the sheer force that echoed outward from her. Underneath, he saw hints of her clad in a silver and gold armor that clung tightly to her legs and hips. He also thought he noticed one of her legs look off, as well as some bracers strapped to her arm, but it was difficult for him to tell from so far away and with all the brightness that illuminated her.

  “Y-you saved my life!” He called out to her, struck with awe at his savior.

  The angelic being’s focus was interrupted as she took a quick glance his way with her pale-white eyes, and then another take. Her second glance was more intense, and Ronov felt as if she was inspecting him of something.

  “Saving... you?” She called out, her voice echoing with confusion.

  Ronov looked around her, and saw a small group of people he didn’t recognize scattered about, each of them bracing themselves behind her barrier.

  “Oh.” He mumbled, slinking away. Before he could run, someone grabbed him by the collar, yanking him back and keeping him from running out straight into the rain of fire and rock.

  “You don't want to do that buddy.” The man said, keeping Ron in a semi-chokehold that still allowed him to breathe.

  “Not buddy…” The angel said. “He’s a demon. Don’t kill him, he might be useful.”

  Ron was gripped by an instant cold sweat. He quickly lunged forward, breaking free before the man’s arm could tighten further around his neck and prevent his escape. He tried to run away once again but his assailant landed a lighting-quick blow to the back of his head, knocking him out cold.

  Suddenly, the executioner’s lava breath stopped, seeing as it could not penetrate the barrier. The titan stepped back, clearly exhausted from its previous battle and now overexerted. This moment of hesitation gave Uriel a crucial opportunity. She twirled and stepped, thrusting her hands forward. Her barrier exploded outward into stakes of light that shot towards the titan. In their flight, the stakes formed into flaming swords of molten sunrise. Uriel jumped after them with a beating of her wings. She motioned them towards her opponent, and the blades obeyed. The battalion danced through the air, slicing further and deeper targeting the executioner’s pre-existing wounds. Each blade seared into its flesh, causing it to singe and burn and soon, a white smoke seemed to radiate from the titanic being. It fruitlessly swung its arms, thrashing its body in an attempt to rid itself of the agonizing stings. With maddened, delirious rage, the executioner lunged forward, grasping towards her.

  Too slow. Uriel smiled with humble confidence. She spun through the air, dodging effortlessly while flicking her hands. Swords impaled the executioner’s right wrist, each blade forming a dotted line across it as they pierced its bloodied skin. Before the monster could retract it, Uriel herself dashed through the air, materializing a sword of light in her hands. She then struck down with all her might exactly where she made its flesh and bone weakest.

  “Gyyyyaaaaaaaarh!” She screamed as her holy blade disarmed her opponent.

  The titan stumbled back in furious agony, clutching its now bleeding wrist. It howled and screamed, choking and gurgling with a mouthful of blood. The ground near it cracked under the weight of its body and the force of its pain. But quickly, the thunderous howl became a mewling yelp like that of a cornered, dying dog. The haze of death circled above its head like vultures now. Its muscles and bones were locked in place, moments before collapse. It panted, letting out its final large gaps of air. But it would not go peacefully. The executioner’s eyes locked with the annoying fly that cut off its hand. It let out a wild snort.

  “Still standing?” Uriel asked. She stared it down defiantly. Her massive wings shook the air around her every time they beat.

  The executioner’s left hand, covered in its thick red blood, began drawing a symbol on the air itself. The blood floated in the air, forming a dark rune enclosed within a rough triangle. Uriel dashed forward through the air the second she realized what was occurring, but even her great speed was not enough. A cloud of smoke, ashes, and poisonous gasses erupted from the demonic symbol, surrounding the angel and obstructing her sight in all directions. She coughed, unable to breathe in the thick black smog.

  She tried to fly, to get out, but her body disobeyed her. Her eyes stung and bled, her lungs choking under the thick poison that coated her insides. A poison that infected her with terrifying rapidity. At first she saw only vague shapes and forms against the cloud, but then her mind was flooded by darker images, hallucinations and illusions. Friends she recognized floated by like spectres, and her attempts to reach out to them were met with painful retaliations, cuts and a stinging, constant pain in her body.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “W-what are you... N-no!” She cried out to them. “Don’t leave me! Please!” She continued yelling, chasing after them deeper into the cloud.

  But they were gone, all she saw now was the shadow of her wings against the clouds. A shadow of herself, twisting, malforming, turning into a vile banshee, with a dark red eye at the center of its forehead. Its skin was crystalline black, with bright red veins visible underneath. The blood flowed through them, all the way to the gently glowing crimson heart in her chest. It was a broken, incomplete heart, missing a chunk of itself. But Uriel looked away, afraid, gasping for air. Angered, the spectre’s deep, terrifying voice rumbled within her mind.

  Embrace… power…

  Embrace... death.

  “N-no.” Uriel shouted defiantly. “You cannot tempt me with such cheap promises!”

  Sleep child, and let your fears wash away.

  “Phantom of Death, you should be trapped in your godless realm. You saved my life, but I owe you nothing. You cannot break my will. I will not sleep. I refuse to give in to you!”

  Foolish child, you think I am the Lady of Death? I am you. Your true desires, given voice and form. You refuse now, but the devil of the pit will break you. You’ll come begging...

  “I… I...“ Uriel mumbled, shutting her eyes tightly and trying to drown out the voice. In that darkness, she saw a single drop of blood falling into a black pool. A tranquil peace that broke her out of that hypnotic slumber.

  “I REFUSE!” She screamed. “I am stronger than you… than I think!” Her eyes shot open, and the shadow was now only a shadow on the clouds. Uriel blinked, but before giving herself a moment to relax and falter, she had a realization. The shadow on the clouds was too defined, too sharp. It was different than it was earlier.

  Light… behind… me? She thought, spinning around rapidly. Her eyes went wide, before she covered her head with her arms, cocooning herself and bracing. A final blast of lava from the executioner’s hanging mouth violently ignited the cloud of smoke, with Uriel at its epicenter. The sky erupted in a spectacular painting of fire and blood.

  Pain. Searing, burning pain throughout her entire body. Uriel gasped for air, but her mouth and lungs filled with ashen flames. She tried beating her wings once, but her muscles and bones refused her. Her mind felt hazy, and her body fell through the air. A trail of smoke followed her as gravity pulled her down towards her doom. Through her delirium, she heard a scream, a voice calling out her name.

  That voice… its… beautiful… I hope… I get to meet them…

  A crimson dagger sliced across the battlefield, thrown high into the air. It drew a scarlet line like blood pooling in the sand. The blade materialized beneath her, and she felt the energies of another world ripping through this one. As it did, her descent seemed to slow down, almost to a complete crawl, until her body remained frozen in the air. From that other world, an all too familiar face emerged like an apparition. It lunged towards her desperately, almost as if they were stepping on air. Her body suddenly felt a pull, a sudden change in inertia and direction. She was now being pulled sideways, but still down. Then, came the crash. Her body, on top of another’s, both rolling through the sand and mud. But crucially, both still alive.

  “G-gaaah…” A simultaneous groan came from both of them.

  “C-Constantine?” Uriel asked weakly as she tried to make sense of which limbs were her and where.

  “Y-you okay Uriel?” He asked, his voice trembling with worry.

  “No I’m… not sure.” She said. The two of them finally untangled, and tried standing up. Uriel was unsuccessful, falling back down. “Ghhk.” She sucked air through her teeth. “My hands…” She moaned looking at the back of her hands. The skin on her hands was a deep, stinging red, with blisters rapidly forming. Her fingers trembled when Constantine gently touched her to inspect the damage.

  “Looks bad, but we should be able to bandage you up when we have the time. You’ll be fine. You heal quickly too which is nice.” He said with a smile.

  “This armor isn't half bad.” She said, showing off the bracers around her arms. The metal was a dark silver with swirling gold highlights etched into it. “I also think I hurt my ankle.”

  “Uriel… that ankle is robotic.” Constantine said, looking at her left leg. Indeed, her prosthetic foot was slightly bent out of place. Constantine quickly rushed to it and with a quick shove, bent it back into its socket.

  “Not that one dumbass!” Uriel shouted. But she calmed down and took a deep breath of relief. “B-but thanks.”

  “Here, I’ll help you stand.” He said, offering his shoulder to her. “You should try and keep that second leg around, or we’ll have to ask Sean for another prosthetic.”

  “The titan!” She shouted once again, remembering what had just happened and ignoring Constantine’s comment.

  Constantine smiled at her, rubbing her back reassuringly. She instinctively wrapped her wing around him as he helped her up. “I don’t think we need to worry about him anymore.” He said, pointing out into the battlefield. The titan’s body was splayed across the ground, its arm on top of a small ridge. Uriel noted how the body was now completely skeletal, as all the flesh and skin and blood had vanished.

  “I... didn’t even notice when it died.”

  “Yeah… you both fell at the same time.”

  “Are you two alright?” One of Damien’s men said, rushing towards them.

  “We’re good. Where’s the rest of you?” Constantine asked.

  “When the beast fell the battlefield was cut in half. Luckily, we’re on the half closer to the mountain. We took shelter behind that small sand ridge on the right over there.” He said, trying to vaguely point out an area in the distance, but the entire field was covered in dust and sand, making sight impossible. The man then tossed his rifle around his shoulder and then offered his hand towards Uriel. “I can carry her. There’s still some of those flesh demons lurking around. You should be the one to keep us safe, not me.”

  “I can figh-”

  “No!” Constantine quickly interrupted her. “Listen, you just fought a giant bear-demon-man and almost died. You did great, but you’re hurt. Take a break. We’ll get you and everyone else inside and patch you up, alright Uriel?”

  Uriel considered the proposal, trying to accept her own limits. “Okay.” She said plainly once decided. “But you’re not leaving me out of this.”

  “I promised before, and I promise to you again: I won’t leave you behind again.” Constantine nodded, handing her over to the soldier. Then once free, he took out his dagger in one hand and transformed it into its spear form, grabbing its pole with the other hand. “Lead the way, Royce. I’ll watch your back.”

  The sounds of gunfire and squelchy screaming quickly faded into the distance. The trio’s path towards the rest of the vanguard squad was thankfully brief and uninterrupted. As they passed by the executioner’s skull, Uriel noticed Constantine linger. He seemed entranced by the skeletal form, staring for a few seconds into its dark eyes before she called out to him. He shook his head and continued following. They soon reached the ridge, and found only five out of the six other soldiers that had accompanied them. Crucially, without the demon they’d just captured.

  “There’s only five of you. Where’s the skinny dude? Where’s Ben?” Constantine questioned them right away.

  “A large, armored demon charged right into us.” One of the soldiers spoke up. “He was there for his friend. We sank half of our munition into the bastard, didn’t even flinch. He caved Ben’s skull in with a fucking slap. Died on the spot.”

  A pressing silence lingered over the camp. Constantine and Uriel’s eyes both went wide, hers with disappointment in herself, and his with furious anger.

  “I didn’t mean to attract that thing… I was just…” She mumbled.

  Constantine looked around the camp. “Did you just leave his body back there?”

  “Yes. We would have been crushed by the titan otherwise.” A soldier said.

  “Suck it up.” Another soldier said harshly, addressing Uriel specifically. “We all knew what we were signing up for, but no one expected a war going on at their front door already.”

  “Madame knew… that's why she insisted we arrive today specifically. The war’s our distraction to get inside. We need to signal Insect and Damien that a path is clear now. The door’s almost in sight.” Constantine said quietly. An uneasy determination was written on his face.

  “Angel-girl, can you shoot a flare for them?” One of the soldiers asked.

  “And draw the attention of every demon and monster in the area?” Uriel said, exasperated.

  “We can hold them off until everyone arrives.” Constantine intervened. “Do it.”

  Uriel sighed, but nodded. She balanced herself against Royce, stretching her arm up high. A golden bracelet formed around her wrist, the runes inscribed within it glowing brightly. A globe of pure light formed in the center of her palm.

  “Everyone ready?” She asked before she unleashed a bolt of sunlight towards the dark sky. The flare traveled quickly, and on its zenith it exploded outwards into a ring of light.

  “Let’s hope they saw that…” Royce mumbled.

  “Here they come.” Uriel said. She pointed towards Dudael, the shapes and sounds of lurching, shambling, abominations becoming apparent through the clouds of ash. Constantine stepped forward at the head of the group.

  “What’re you doing kid?” One of the soldiers asked.

  Constantine turned his head with a grim expression. “Try not to shoot me please.” He said before he arched back and unleashed the holy lance. Crimson energies arced off of it as it sliced through the air towards the flesh golems. Immediately after, Constantine’s after-image faded away, and everyone tried to discern what was happening in the distance beyond the dust cloud. Screeching and the gushing of blood suddenly erupted. Animalistic growling and furious groaning could be heard alongside the sound of metal slicing flesh and bone.

  “Anyone have a visual of the enemy?” A soldier asked.

  “Negative.” Another called out.

  “I can see him.” Uriel said. Everyone turned to her. Her eyes were closed and her right hand reached forward. Her skin hurt from the way she splayed out her fingers, but she grit her teeth through the pain. “There’s a lot of them. He’s teleporting all over, fighting them.”

  These twisted, malformed souls. So dark and vile. Miserable wretches, you deserve my pity. I shall punish whichever cruel torturer did this to you. Her thoughts raced with disgust. She strained herself as she tried keeping her mind’s eye on Constantine alone.

  “There!” She suddenly pointed in towards the right. “A group is breaking off and coming towards us. You can shoot that way!”

  “You heard her, open fire!” The mercenaries screamed, volleys of bullets radiating in waves from their position.

  The sound of gunfire drowned out Uriel’s thoughts. But it was not just the bullets. She suddenly felt a stabbing sensation, a dizziness like a dagger being driven into her skull. She had made herself vulnerable, and someone seized the opportunity. Clutching her head, Uriel unleashed a brutal scream, but no matter how loud her voice echoed, no one heard her. It was like a constant violent pulsing against her brain. Her body shook and trembled as it tried to make sense of the words the voice spoke directly into her consciousness.

  Welcome little angel. I’ve been waiting for you. The voice was strange, ethereal and deep like a gray mist settling over an empty forest. My doors are open, enter if you please... Fall inside the rabbit hole.

  A hand suddenly grabbed her by the shoulder, shaking her awake. She opened her eyes and found herself staring into Constantines. His face was spattered in a dark blackish blood while chunks of flesh, guts and entrails still clung to his coat here and there.

  “I heard you screaming, so I came back. Are you okay?”

  “H-how did you hear me?”

  “I don't know… I just did.” He said. “Are you okay?”

  “A voice… in my head… it hurts so much.” Uriel groaned. “I think its… him. Asmodeus.”

  Constantine audibly gulped. “You’re stronger than him, Uriel. You can push him out.“ He said, grabbing her hand tightly. “I need you with me. Fight against his evil! Fight it!”

  “Its… its gone now… but if it comes back… I will fight it. Thank you… I needed that. I’m glad you’re here with me.” She said, through heavy breaths.

  Constantine smiled. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek before standing up and shouting to the others around. “Guys, there’s like thirty or fourty of them. I couldn’t count them all. I killed off as many as I could but I was getting swarmed.”

  The soldiers paused their assault, reloading their weapons. “You got any ideas? Our bullets are barely slowing them down.” One of them asked.

  “Just one.” He said as he walked up once again. “Stand back guys. I was hoping not to have to use this.” He mumbled as he unholstered the Death Rose.

  Constantine held the gun in his left hand, stretching it towards the now very visible and very angry horde of flesh golems rushing towards them. He trembled, but took a deep breath in an effort to calm his nerves and, feeling ready, opened his eyes and fired. The instant he pulled the trigger, an unholy vortex of transcendent energies exploded from the weapon. These unholy energies lashed out in thorn vines and stabbed viciously into his wrist. Constantine winced in pain. He felt his blood being forcefully sucked from his veins, forming the blood bullet that ultimately fired from his weapon.

  The newly formed projectile pierced through the air, straight into the closest golem. The moment it touched the abomination’s slimy, wet skin it erupted into an otherworldly purifying flame. The flesh golem disintegrated from it almost instantaneously, exploding further into a bright flaming red mist. When the other golems unwillingly touched the mist, their own skin began to sizzle and burn, their flesh and bones turning to black ashes almost immediately. Once the flames engulfed them, their bodies burst from within, thereby expanding the growing death mist. Soon, the cacophony of shrieking screams and dying gulches faded. Not all flesh golems had been disposed of, some of the more cunning ones had managed to back away from the lethal chain reaction and were now waiting for the mist to fade from the outskirts.

  “You couldn’t fucking START with that?!” One of the soldiers called out to Constantine.

  He looked back, taking deep breaths. He put his gun away and showed off the pool of blood that was rushing down his arm from the hole in his wrist.

  “Oh fuck off! This shit drains like three liters of my blood when I fire it.” He shouted.

  Before their argument could continue, a powerful whistle came from behind them. It was the rest of their brigade, headed by Insect and Damien. With reinforcements approaching, everyone’s morale was reinvigorated. The group pushed forward towards the gates of Dudael, killing off the straggling monstrosities. Constantine and Uriel remained near the back, both reeling from their injuries. Insect reached them, with a look of relief on her face.

  “We’re almost inside.” She signed. “I’ll fix you both once we’re safe.”

  “It’s good to see you, Insect.” Uriel said, her voice echoing softly.

  “Why didn’t you come with us?” Constantine asked, annoyed.

  Insect’s gaze drifted away with disappointment. She pointed at the man now leading the charge.

  “Damien?” He said, confused.

  As the three of them stepped inside the massive gates of the prison, Uriel expected more resistance, or indeed any sort of resistance. The chamber they entered was an extremely tall circular lounge room with a dome cupola as the ceiling. An ethereal gray light shone from that ceiling, illuminating the strange furniture and decorations of this entrance. Uriel noticed a large plaque on the left wall. It was inscribed with a purple “Ⅰ” and the word Oblivia etched underneath. Everything else was unnaturally mundane and yet at the same time, misaligned. Armchairs and sofas arranged to stare into blank walls, desks devoid of any items randomly strewn around and numerous portraits hanging from the walls and even up high in places no human nor ladder could reach.

  The greatest oddity however lay in the very back of the chamber. A colossal tree stood tall against the wall. Its trunk was thick at the base but the higher up the tree the more it appeared to be hollowed out, only half a shell. A great orange fire roared within the tree, scorching all the way up and creating flaming leaves over the tree’s blackened branches.

  “The hell… Is it Christmas already?” Constantine mumbled.

  “Chief, nothing seems to be following us inside.” Royce called out to Damien. “Should we camp here or push further inside.”

  While a few of the soldiers began pushing towards the different entrances of the room, checking every nook and cranny for potential threats, the rest circled around Damien. He took off his purple capotain for a moment, letting his rough braid hang down his left shoulder all while ruffling his slick caramel-colored splits. His violet hat matched the deep regal black shades of his long overcoat. Uriel looked at their captain, trying to discern the face hidden beneath the mask that covered everything below his icy blue eyes.

  “This space is too open.” His deep voice rang out. “Too many different entrances and exits. We’ll pause for a few while we patch up our wounded and then try to find a more fortifiable position.”

  Immediately after, Insect grabbed two medical kits from the supply pile and rushed to Constantine first given he was in more immediate danger. With precise speed and expertise, she washed then sewed up Constantine’s wrist. Then she padded it with some alcohol before wrapping it and part of his hand in a webby bandage.

  “You have experience it seems.” Uriel commented as she watched. Except for a quick nod, Insect did not reply. Her hands were busy. Uriel looked carefully at them, noticing the symbol drawn on Insect’s gloves.

  Once Insect was finished she moved on to Uriel. She began by first applying some soothing lotion. Uriel winced at first, but quickly found the substance to alleviate the powerful pain and itching that she was beginning to feel. She noticed Constantine’s somber gazes, perhaps he punished himself for her injuries. She wanted to reassure him, but chose to remain quiet. But in her silence, the quiet, disappointed words of the mercenaries around her reached her ears. She tried shutting them out, but couldn’t help herself from hearing.

  “...Thought we might have a decent chance… but if even an angel got fucked up so badly…” One of the soldiers grumbled to another.

  I suppose I continue to be a disappointment. Uriel thought to herself.

  “Don’t listen to them.” Constantine intervened with anger in his voice. “If you got hurt so badly killing that thing, imagine how much deader they’d all be without you, and how much more alive it would be.” He smiled at her. She smiled back meekly.

  Insect then finished bandaging her arms and she began checking them both for any additional injuries, like Uriel’s ankle. She also gave them some water bottles and two medium sized pouches which they both attached to their belts. As they did, Uriel noticed they were suddenly joined by another person, Damien himself.

  “Despite what reviews you might have heard, you two did great. I’m impressed.” He began.

  “Spare me. You used us as bait.” Constantine angrily lashed out. “I get that we needed to clear a path, but you could have let Insect join us. We barely made it out of there.”

  “Someone needed to guard the rest of us.” Damien calmly responded.

  “Bullshit, you had plenty of men with you, you didn’t need-”

  “Constantine, please.” Uriel intervened, but to no avail.

  “I do not answer to you, Constantine Sancthos.” Damien said, his voice falling like a spear of ice. “I needed you two to clear a path, yes. I needed to know what you two were capable of, if you have what it takes to survive this place. I wouldn’t risk half my men and the strongest fighter here in the opening act. Besides, you’ve got a magic dagger and a magic revolver while she’s a walking nuclear reactor. That's more than all of these soldiers behind me have. I hedged my bets and assumed you’d live. And you both lived didn’t you?”

  “And what of those that didn’t?”

  “Constantine, please!” Uriel attempted to quell the conversation once again, this time her voice echoed with greater force.

  “I will personally let whatever relatives and friends the fallen might have, know of their fate. Everyone here knew what they signed up for Constantine. We are hunters. We hunt, we kill, we die.” Damien said.

  “So that’s it? Everyone here is expendable to you?” Constantine lashed back at him, standing and staring down Damien.

  Damien chuckled. His wider piercing blue eyes stared back at his subordinate. “I hold no love for you, Constantine. Nathaniel respected me enough to give me the choice in assisting you, and I’ve made my choice. As such, I will not abandon you, nor anyone else, to death. If I can. But we’ve walked into a domain of death, and you still seem to cling to your pitiful idealism. You’ve seen death, so many countless times, and yet somehow you still do not know its true face. The finality, the suddenness, the tragedy of it all. There is no coming back from that, and if one does by some nefarious or miraculous fate… it will simply never be the same.”

  Constantine stared back in stunned silence. The whole room that was alight with the buzz of chatter was now deathly still, save for the crackling of the flaming tree.

  “What a fascinating conversation. Damien Caramel was it? What a curious name. I didn’t take you for being so eloquent with your speech.” A deep rapturous voice echoed throughout the chamber. The timbre was that of a malevolent, sinister tone that squirmed its way into everyone’s ears and minds. Uriel’s eyes went wide in fear, recognizing the voice right away. “My apologies for not welcoming you all into my humble home sooner. I did not want to intervene with you tending to your wounds. There would be no fun in slaying an already limping foe, Hmhm.”

  Everyone spun around, looking up at the Archdemon Asmodeus levitating high above. He looked down upon them all with wide, unblinking, bloodshot eyes. A dreadful, demonic aura radiated from them, his sight seemingly encompassing the entire chamber at once. Despite this, neither the demon, nor those standing next to him, nor anyone else in the room could predict what one man was about to do.

  In a flash of reckless impulse, without any thought or fear of consequence, Constantine unleashed his spear. It ripped through the air before anyone could even twitch a muscle. Asmodeus remained unphased, his body completely motionless in the air. He watched as the spear approached to the very center of his iris, before his head snapped to the side, letting the holy lance whizz past him. But even Asmodeus was surprised by Constantine’s sudden teleportation behind him. The demon looked over his shoulder, watching Constantine grab the lance and spin into an undodgeable strike. His eyes were pale, without doubt or incertitude, eyes locked solely into the desire to kill. Asmodeus felt a smile curve from the corners of his mouth.

  “KRYYYAAAH!” Constantine shouted, as he sliced across Asmodeus’ neck.

  The demon did not dodge, nor did he react. Instead, as Constantine’s holy spear almost touched his skin, Asmodeus’ flesh opened. His skin and muscles pulled apart, becoming pulpy tendrils like the teeth of some hellish maw. Once the tip of the spear passed far enough, his neck closed back down. The blade passed through his whole neck without even touching him. His flesh and skin closed and not a second later his hand lashed forward, latching to and choking Constantine’s neck.

  “What the fu-” He groaned, bewildered at what he had just witnessed.

  “Constantine!” Uriel screamed.

  “Stand back everyone!” Damien ordered.

  “Constantine…” Asmodeus repeated. He appeared to focus his eyes for a moment before continuing. “...Sancthos? Not as curious as Caramel, I’ll give you that. Marvelous first impression child, I did not expect such lack of hesitation on your part. Even my dear old Insect was frozen by my sudden appearance.”

  Asmodeus’ hand suddenly closed around empty air. He looked around below him, noticing the dagger had been dropped by his opponent. He quickly floated down towards the floor, but Constantine materialized and grabbed it first. The two were face to face, but now Constantine was on solid ground. He rushed forward, striking with his weapon.

  “I must admit the ‘bang your head against the wall' strategy doesn’t seem to be the brightest plan I’ve seen.” Asmodeus taunted as he effortlessly avoided Constantine’s attacks. Even the few attacks that did land immediately passed through the demon as if his flesh was not even there. It was like fighting a phantom made of water.

  I… I have to do something. Uriel thought. She wanted to rush forward and assist somehow, but she was frozen at the sight of the demon. Her wounds still kept her back. Don’t be stupid Uriel, remember what you learned. He’s in this battle now, look for an opening, a way to assist. If you rush in you’ll only make yourself a target or distract him. She said to herself, willing herself into action.

  “God! Damn! You! Fucking! Freak!” Constantine shouted between each violent swing of his weapon.

  “Mind your MANNERS, child.” Asmodeus said, a tinge of anger subtle in his voice. The demon puffed his chest out, and from it spiked a tendril of muscle and bone. Constantine barely avoided it, the razor sharp edges of the flesh-tentacle slicing across his cheek. The two of them stepped back and stood apart, taking a momentous pause in the tempo of battle. Constantine watched as the tendril retracted back into Asmodeus’ body, perfectly transforming back into his blue vest and the white shirt underneath.

  “You seriously are one disgusting demon.” Constantine said in disbelief. “What the hell are you?”

  “Are you deaf in one ear? You really have not learned your lesson have you?” Asmodeus laughed. “Very well then, I am Asmodeus the Faceless, Archdemon of Desire, Lord and Master of Dudael. I am a force beyond your comprehension. Before me, you are nothing but meat, sustenance for a cosmic hunger that you cannot even fathom.” The instant he finished, he unleashed a swarm of fleshy tentacles from his chest. Constantine was trapped. He jumped back, but he was surrounded from all angles. There was no time to fade into the other realm before getting hit.

  Now!

  Uriel dashed forward in flight, forming a barrier around herself and blocking the demon’s attack. His flesh singed upon touching her light, and the teeming masses undulated back towards him. But the angel did not give him a chance to recover. Her barrier of light molded into a singular blade, which quickly followed her, floating beside her wrist as she flew towards the demon. She swung it with all her might, causing a shockwave to erupt from the edge of her sunblade.

  Asmodeus seemed pleased. He smiled and effortlessly deflected her swing with his gloved fist. The blade did not make a single scratch on his dark black gloves.

  “Ghhhk!” Uriel grunted, before swinging once more, and then once more. Her blade danced between their bodies, flashes of blinding light bursting out with every maneuver. He was untouchable, but she was relentless. Every swing of her sword was emboldened by a ferocious strength. The blade obeyed every single thought, following every motion of her body and hands.

  “Hahahahahaha!” Asmodeus laughed. “Absolutely marvelous! I’ve not faced an angel like you in eons! Your beauty is truly...” Asmodeus paused. Uriel grabbed her blade directly and stabbed forward with it. The demon however, caught the blade between his palms. Uriel saw his dark red eyes grinning at her, mere inches from her sword’s edge. He yanked the sword out of her hands and launched it high into the air. Uriel was unbalanced for a moment. Asmodeus took advantage and twirled forward, graciously grabbing her waist close and pulling up her chin. He stared into her eyes for an instant. “...Extraordinary!” He said before he quickly floated back, avoiding the blade that fell in his exact spot. “Almost.” He added with a smug smile.

  “Get the fuck away from her you creep!” Constantine shouted.

  Uriel just smirked, pulling her sword out of the marble floor. “Not quite, you’re exactly where I wanted you to be.”

  Asmodeus’ smile faded. He looked back over his shoulder but it was too late. Insect’s body was propelling through the air towards him, her right fist arched back, ready to strike. A crimson-red aura radiated from her hand and her eyes were different. Uriel jumped back, sensing the incoming blast. A thunderous outburst occurred as Insect’s fist smashed against the demon, crushing him into the floor. But this was no mere punch, the force of her unholy attack radiated outward, sending massive chunks of the floor into the air like a phenomenal shockwave.

  “Haaa..” Insect let out a steamy breath of air, standing back up.

  “W-well damn…” Constantine sighed with a worried smile on his face. “Nathan wasn’t kidding about you huh…?” He said, looking towards the crater of marble and stone that remained in the center of the floor. But when the dust clouds settled, there was no demon at their epicenter.

  “Outstanding work.” Asmodeus said, clapping. Everyone turned to him and saw him reforming himself near the flaming tree. Only his head and hands were complete. The rest of him were multiple different chunks of ambiguous meat and sinew. Very quickly, the flesh took shape and clarity, becoming the demon they saw at first without a single scratch on him. Asmodeus flexed his fingers and snapped his head at an almost right angle to the left and right, producing an incredibly loud cracking noise. “I must admit, it’s been a long time since anyone has landed such a direct hit on me. Despite the fact I did not engage you with the full extent of my abilities, I respected you all enough to not have underestimated any of you…” He said, his horrifyingly unemotive voice now beaming with glee. “Well… maybe except you Constantine.” He added.

  Despite his bravado however, Uriel noticed him casually rubbing his left shoulder, as if he had pain of some kind. “Unfortunately, I want to test all of you alone, so that kind of wonderful teamwork you all just displayed must end… Now.” He said, snapping his fingers. “Welcome to Dudael.”

  The sound of his snap was accompanied by a loud grunt from Constantine. Uriel’s head snapped towards him, and what she saw left her breathless. The floor beneath Constantine became a pool of blood and flesh. Undulating masses wrapped around his limbs and head and, before anyone could blink, the masses pulled him below the ground. The teeth-like jaws chomped shut right away and almost immediately transformed back into the marble floor from before. Uriel reached out in horror, trying fruitlessly to fly towards her lover, screaming all the while. However, she soon discovered that she was in a similar predicament. Fleshy tendrils had latched around all of her limbs, and below her lay a scarlet mirror.

  “Fuck!” Was all she could mutter before Asmodeus’ power dragged her into the darkness below.

  The Tale Of The Prince And The Red Door: Chapter I

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