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NADIR
Nadir and the group materialized in an unfamiliar, nightmarish realm within Sheol. Her heart raced as she took in her surroundings. Jagged rocks jutted out from the ground like the teeth of some colossal, slumbering beast. The air was heavy with acrid smoke and steam, and the scent of sulfur hung heavily in the air, assaulting her senses. Nadir felt a shiver run down her spine, an uneasy mix of fear and determination coursing through her veins.
Belial stepped forward, his crimson eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Welcome to the Infernal Realms,” he said, his voice echoing across the desolate landscape. “Nadir,” he said, shaking his head in disappointment. A dark chuckle escaped his lips. “When we last spoke, you assured me of your loyalty and dedication to my cause. And yet here we are, in this cursed realm within Sheol, and I cannot help but feel that you have not been faithful to our agreement.”
“Despite my patience with you, you have failed me time and time again,” he spat out angrily. “Despite giving you every opportunity possible to prove yourself loyal, you have instead chosen to shirk away from your obligations! Do not think for one moment that I cannot see how little effort you’ve made. Do not think for one second I will forgive this betrayal!”
He paused for a moment and gazed at her intently before continuing. “Your hesitance to act on my command has caused us much delay already,” he continued sternly. “You understand that if you wish to remain loyal to my cause, then your actions must reflect your words.”
“What are you going to do?” Nadir replied, the words sticking in her throat.
Belial raised a clawed hand. “Silence! Your loyalty to me is bound by blood, and I’m tired of sparring you with words. Your words are fickle, Nadir, and I no longer trust you to hold to your agreements. Here, you shall face my challenge with the weapon you continue to refuse to use,” he declared, gesturing to the sancre belted at her waist. “The weapon I have ordered you to use as frequently as possible.”
Nadir’s eyes flicked to the weapon, her fingers flexing at her side. Though the thought of the challenge ahead filled her with trepidation, she could not refuse him. She gave a curt nod, acknowledging her obligation.
A cruel grin spread across Belial’s face. “You must face this challenge alone.” He turned his gaze to the others, his voice a low growl. “None of your cabal-mates are to assist you.”
Azimuth opened his mouth to object, but the look in Belial’s eyes silenced him. Orias and Kobol exchanged uneasy glances, the tension between them palpable. Nadir felt a wave of gratitude for their concern, even as fear knotted in her gut.
With a flick of his wrist, Belial summoned a monstrous daemon from the abyss. Nadir felt her skin crawl as the creature emerged from the abyss. Its form seemed to be made of a patchwork of body parts, some recognizable and some strange and alien. Despite its grotesque appearance, it still moved with an air of confidence, as if it was sure of its strength and power. She looked up at Belial and saw his lips pulled into a thin line, the only evidence he showed of his displeasure.
The beast’s beady eyes fixed on Nadir, and its snarl filled the air as it lunged forward, claws outstretched in a deadly arc. She pulled her sancre blade from its sheath, the lightweight, short, silver metal not filling her with confidence. The daemon lunged at her, its massive claws cutting through the air with a deadly hiss. Nadir brought her sancre down in an arc toward the monstrous foe, deflecting its strike before landing a hard blow on its head. The creature recoiled with a howl of rage but pushed forward again with renewed vigor.
Nadir dodged the attack, her daemon-enhanced reflexes kicking in. The sancre flashed in her hands as she sliced through the daemon’s claw, drawing black ichor. She grinned, her heart pounding with adrenaline. “Is that all you’ve got?” she taunted, her voice dripping with dark humor.
The daemon roared, its eyes blazing with rage. It flew toward her again, relentless in its hunger. Nadir’s heart leaped into her throat as it reached for her, the creature moving like a streak of lightning. Just as its claws grazed against her skin, she dodged its grasp, but not without consequence. A trickle of blood oozed down her arm, dripping onto the dirt beneath them.
Nadir continued to fight against the daemon, her weapon clashing against its claws in a symphony of destruction. Each time she blocked or struck it back, it seemed to become more enraged; each failed attack seemed to make it more determined. Sweat poured down her face as she fought for her life, and yet, somehow, she kept up with its speed and ferocity.
Orias and Kobol watched helplessly, their expressions a mix of fear and frustration. Azimuth glared at the daemon beast with unholy fury, the icy white nimbus of his powers swirling around him. But what could any of them do? Belial’s command was absolute, their vows in peril for defying the prince.
As the daemon bore down on her, Nadir tired, her movements slowing. She knew she couldn’t keep this up much longer against the massive beast. Panic rose within her, an icy feeling that threatened to choke her.
Nadir struggled to remain standing. When a piece of broken rock twisted beneath her foot and she fell onto her back, her eyes widened as she saw Azimuth leap forward to intervene. His aura shone like a miniature star through the darkness as he drew the daemon’s wrath away from her. She watched, locked in place by terror, unable to move for fear that the daemon would target anyone else within its sights. A surge of gratitude washed over her, quickly followed by sorrow as she realized Azimuth might be harmed in this attempt to save her.
The creature struck Azimuth with a devastating blow, sending him hurtling toward the edge of the abyss. With a strangled cry, he disappeared over the edge, his body swallowed by the darkness below.
“No!” Nadir screamed, scrambling back onto her feet, her voice raw with anguish. But the daemon was upon her again, its hunger for her blood undiminished. She had no choice but to fight, her terror morphing into rage. “Damn you!” she roared at the daemon, her voice echoing in the dark abyss. Her hands tightened around the sancre. She had to survive. She had to save Azimuth.
Leveraging her daemon strength, Nadir charged toward the beast. The sancre glowed with an eerie light as she sent it spinning through the air. Her metal-moving ability, a gift from her daemon blood, directed the weapon unerringly to its target.
The blade embedded itself into the daemon’s skull with a sickening crunch. The beast let out a guttural roar of agony before collapsing to the ground, its life force quickly ebbing away. As the creature died, its form crumbled into ash, swept away by the merciless winds of Sheol.
Nadir didn’t have time to celebrate her victory. She sprinted toward the chasm, heart pounding in her chest. The edge loomed ahead, an ominous void that promised nothing but despair. But she couldn’t think about that. All she could think about was Azimuth.
“I’ll find you, Azimuth!” she yelled, her voice a defiant cry against the howling wind. Without a moment’s hesitation, she hurled herself into the chasm, a human-daemon hybrid diving into the unknown.
As she fell, the world around her a blur, she glanced back one last time. Belial stood at the edge, his cruel grin replaced by an expression of surprise. Orias and Kobol looked on in horror, their faces pale.
With a last, determined glance at her friends, Nadir turned her gaze downward, her heart filled with determination. Whatever lay below, she would face it. For Azimuth. For herself.
And with that, she disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind only the echo of her promise.
CHAPTER53
ERIN
Erin’s heart pounded like thunder in her chest as she followed Blaine into the dimly lit council chambers, the air oppressive and charged with tension. Every molecule of air was humming with anticipation; her skin prickled with a sense of foreboding. Everywhere she looked, members of the council sat in their chairs, their expressions a curious mix of disdain and curiosity, cold eyes throwing daggers as they took in the sight of her. Blaine sat down opposite the chairman, who gave a stately nod in acknowledgement, but no extra seat was provided for Erin. She wasn’t part of the council.
