Dancing In The Void

Damien rushed forward with unparalleled agility and finesse before any other mercenary or soldier of his could react, but even his great speed was no match for Asmodeus' profane teleportation.

He slammed down onto the spot Insect stood, only mere moments after she had been transported to another place. Anger was clearly written across his eyes, as he pummeled his gloved fist into the spotless floor and muttered a swear.

"Damn it." He said, gritting his teeth and running his hand over the floor. He was disappointed to find that there was no trick or false door underneath, only solid stone. Following a quick rub of his index and thumb, Damien rose, dusting himself off.

"Aww." Asmodeus cooed from on high. "I'm sorry Damien Caramel, perhaps you'll be quicker next time."

"Where did you take them, demon?" The veteran hunter said with an icy cool in his voice. "Where did you take Insect?" He then added with a bit more vigor in his tone.

"Ah… I see… your task was to protect them, but especially her wasn't it?" Asmodeus said, his eyes lighting up with joy as he peered into his foe's mind.

"You're wrong demon, Insect doesn't need my protection. But you of all people should know all about that wouldn't you?" Damien smiled. His left hand moved subtly towards his right, pulling on his overcoat. For a brief moment, bandages of an aphotic blue color could be seen up the length of his arm, like a serpent of mist coiling around the limb.

In an instant however, Asmodeus crossed his arms forward in an arc, conjuring crimson energies in an eruption around Damien. Like walls of blistering red winds, they trapped him inside, and prevented anyone from coming in.

"Damien! Captain!" The voices of his men called out.

"It's alright, men!" He called back towards them, covering his eyes with one arm, while holding his hat from flying into the razor winds with the other. "This isn't an attack… just some sort of barrier."

"I must admit, I did not expect you to prove yourself an irritation on the level of the other three. You were merely holding back on me weren't you? Clever little candy. Very well, I wasn't planning to send you anywhere, but you might be dangerous if left alone."

"Captain!" More voices called out to him. "Fire everyone! Stop that demon!"

"No!" Damien grunted, feeling a puddle of blood form under his boots. "Don't fight him, you have no chance against him. Royce, you're in charge now! Keep everyone safe. I might not make it out, so just know it was an honor serving with you all! See you on the other side." He said as the winds came to a pause for a brief moment. In that moment, he gave his men a nod and a two-finger salute, before closing his eyes and being swallowed by a maw of flesh and fangs. The men watched helplessly as their leader vanished without a trace, and they were left alone before the archdemon. No one dared make a move, even their breaths were deathly still.

"Now then." Asmodeus said, turning towards them, his scarlet eyes pulsing with a dreadful resonance. His somewhat jovial attitude had been replaced by a terrifying aura. Something about Damien had startled the demon, even if only for the briefest of moments. "You have all been dragged into a battle that you have no personal stake in. I will ignore the past choice you have already made to serve your leader, instead, I shall offer you a new one. You have not yet entered Dudael truthfully, and thus, I will allow you departure. Go back to your families, and your pathetic lives. Or proceed further in a vain attempt to rescue your captain and your friends, in which case I will let you taste your own rotting tongues before the end. My locusts will rip you apart bit by painstaking bit while I use your remains as decorations. Make your choice." His voice fell like a dark omen, before the demon disappeared into the shadows.

Damien's teleportation was quick, and surprisingly painless. Darkness swallowed him, and while the slimy fleshwalls were disgusting to the touch, there was no great discomfort of pain as he was translocated. Although, he noticed a peculiarity as he passed through the shell of the prison into its deeper layers. It was an obtrusion, a veil that acted like a barrier into Dudael. But something about it seemed off. As if for some reason it did not affect him in the way that it should have.

Perhaps… I wonder if it has something to do with my…? Damien hypothesized to himself as he felt ground beneath his boots once again. He stood up, quickly scanning and taking in his new surroundings. What was immediately apparent was the cold. He was surrounded by trees, whose branches billowed in the icy wind of this place. Although he could not see any walls beyond them, he knew that he was not outside, even with the apparent sky above him. Snow seemed to fall down from its dark blue forms, but as Damien looked up and peered closer, he realized it was all an illusion.

"No stars in the sky… No clouds either. You'd think he'd take greater care of the details…" He mumbled to himself. As he reached out, grabbing a few snowflakes and crushing them in his fingers. "Truly unfortunate for you Asmodeus, that you'd send me here of all places." He chuckled.

He pondered his location, waiting for something, anything to happen, but after a decent amount of time, he noticed that all but the biting wind could be heard.

He's not coming, not yet anyway. Perhaps he's gone to the others first...? Damien thought to himself, scratching his chin through his mask. He did say he wanted to test them first, I must not be a priority. Damn it, I hope they can withstand him alone. Especially you Insect… please be careful…

"In that case, let's see what we can find." He said, and like a shadow he dashed forward into the forest. He fearlessly charged through the thicket of trees, his footsteps silent as snow.

He ran for several hours, pausing to catch his breath every now and then or when he thought he might have encountered something. The landscape changed slightly but that did not stop doubt from settling in his thoughts.

Is this a trap of some kind? Is there a trick? He wondered several times and yet he pressed forward. While the scenery remained still and similar, the intensity of the blizzard grew as he advanced. That had to be a sign, an indication of what Asmodeus was trying to hide in this place. Finally, Damien approached past a few trees and he found himself before a clearing. His eyes went wide as a shadow loomed through the snow, wind and hail.

An enormous cathedral stood tall against the light of the fake moon. Damien tried to find its peak, but couldn't. Neither could he see where its width ended or started. As he approached, he found himself stunned by the architecture of the building. It was made out of what appeared to be a cold white glass. Each story had carefully sculpted figures adorning it row after row. Each figure was delicately painted with bright, saturated colors that seemed to dance and sing in the light that refracted through the snow.

"Enchanting." Damien said flatly as he approached the doorway. One of the nearer statues caught his attention. He recognized it as a demonic deity of knowledge named Marbas, who was said to have cleaved her own skull in half in order to create another self. Sure enough, on the other side of the doorway was a mirrored statue, depicted with the other half of the skull. Above the doorway, he caught a glimpse of some writing. The symbol "Ⅰ Ⅰ Ⅰ" was etched in dark ice on a plaque above the door, with the demonic name Gula written underneath.

Damien reached forward, pulling the massive icy doors open. He flinched as a shrieking wail cut through the air. Damien jumped back, sliding slightly on the frozen snow and readying himself. There was silence for some time, but he did not relax. He peered into the half-open gateway, and for a few moments more saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing but the chill air. Then another cry pierced his ears, like needles driving straight into his brain. He felt his skin prickle and his muscles tense, but he forced himself to act, charging forward through the doors.

As he went on, he realized that there was a chorus of wailing, coming from the section up ahead. The doorways did not lead into the nave, instead into a larger tunnel. He advanced carefully, but soon realized that the screaming was not a fault of his, but something else was taking place deeper inside the cathedral. He silently made his way inside, and from a distance spotted the grand altar. Several beings were having a scuffle near it, with upturned pews and broken candle-posts extinguished by the sheer cold inside. Damien's presence had not been noticed yet, and he intended to keep it that way, advancing and listening closely. Bodies of foul demons began littering the floor the closer he got.

"-Will burn in the fires of the pit! Serpent, deceiver! You betray not only our trust but those you care about!" The demonic cardinal screamed in the face of the one that lifted him off the ground by the neck.

"Silence, Priest, I was never on your side. I was always a prisoner here." The other spoke, brandishing a crimson blade against the bottom of the demon's chin. "And I don't remember giving you permission to speak beyond answering my question. Where is the damn LIBRARY?" He shouted.

"Herherherher!" The priest laughed. "Disappointed? You spent months combing every rock in this damned place, up and down, up and down the steps of Dudael like the busy little SNAKE that you are, and still empty handed? You will know fear, you will be punished our Lord Asmodeus will teach you that when he does to you what he did to your unholy bride-"

The man drew blood, ripping his dagger through the demon priest's open eye. He screeched once again, shrieking and wailing like what Damien heard earlier, only that much more intensely.

"Stings, doesn't it? Asmodeus was a fool to put you in charge of this place. I thought the dagger would be here, imagine my surprise finding out I had it all this time, just covered under a bunch of metal junk… I'll have to chastise Krank for not telling me where he got it from."

"Gargh, I should have known that blasted imp stole it!" The priest shrieked before Mephisto backhanded him across the chin.

"Listen, I do not have time to torture you, though I would gladly take the time to slowly rip every inch of your skin from your flesh with this knife. Tell me where I can find the damn library and maybe I'll give you a quick death."

This demon, why do I get the feeling that I've seen him before? No matter, what library is he talking about I wonder…? Damien thought, slowly peering closer towards these newfound foes. That dagger, there's a powerful force imbued into it. Something blessed, why is something like that here of all places?

"You cannot threaten me, foul demon. I will be reborn from the ashes of hell, and when that day comes, I will repay your deception a thousand fold. The evermoving library cannot be found by the likes of you."

Damien was not close enough to see, but he definitely heard the man chuckle heartily.

"Thanks, idiot. I just needed confirmation, and you just gave it to me."

"W-wha-" The demon priest croaked before his neck was violently sliced open. The weight of his skull pulled back and soon gravity ripped the remaining bits of veins and flesh off of the demon's decrepit spine, his whole head soon tumbling to the floor with a thud and a splatter of blood on the ice.

The man then carefully took the demon's vestment after tossing his body, using it to wipe himself and his dagger of blood.

"You can come out now." The man said, much to Damien's shock.

"You know, I'm quite renowned for my stealth abilities among my peers." Damien said with mild hurt in his voice as he stood from the pew. "I'm actually intrigued that you were aware of my presence. Few demons hear me coming before their demise."

The dark-haired man smiled, still cleaning his dagger even though it had long been spotless. "It's this icy palace's fault if you want to know. The light bends through the ice from below, there's some more basements hidden further down. This priest had six bodyguards, I killed them all you see. Two there on the right…" He said, pointing behind a pillar. "Two in the back." He continued, pointing in the other direction. "One on the altar, and one in the middle of the pews." He finished, pointing to a body further back behind Damien. His eyes tracked his direction towards the corpse, and Damien noted the large shadow that cast around the body, the likely culprit. "Excluding this guy here…" The man said, kicking the priest's head down the altar steps. "...That makes six shadows total, and yet, when I checked just now, I counted seven."

"Color me impressed, demon. There's a strange determination in your eyes. It is… familiar to me." Damien said plainly. He slowly adjusted his position, making his body smaller by turning sideways. He carefully reached with his left arm, tugging on his sleeve. "Before we do this, you seem like a somewhat affable sort. Let us make this an honorable fight. My name is Damien Caramel. I will be your executioner today."

'Hehe, Caramel? Is it because of the hair? Either way, my name is Mephistopheles, and I frankly don't have time for this shit." He said, his voice grimacing with anger and fatigue.

Damien attacked first, rushing like a dark blurr. Mephisto was ready, he tossed the vestment towards him, intending to block his vision and gain precious time. But Damien anticipated as much, as he nonetheless struck forward with his left hand. The hit landed, but indirectly. The demon had avoided it in time. Now, Mephisto attacked, slicing forward with his dagger. His weapon was stopped by Damien's forearm, a metal cling echoing as his blade cut through his cloth.

"The hell?" Mephisto exclaimed.

"Why no time, late for something, Mephisto?" Damien taunted as the two were locked, each pushing against the other.

"Fuck yourself!" The demon shouted, lunging back to break their stalemate and gain some distance before lunging forward. This time, having the dagger's reach, Mephisto was much more aggressive. He repeatedly stabbed forward, slicing and dicing, but no matter how precise he was, none of his hits landed. Damien expertly dodged or avoided them, frequently diverting the angles of Mephisto's stabs by thrusting his own palms into his arm.

"Sloppy!" Damien said, reveling in the fight.

Irritated, Mephisto feigned a strike, but quickly forced himself forward intending to slice Damien's face. He avoided it, but not entirely, the edge of the dagger cutting just barely into the skin of his cheek. But Damien was unphased. Mephisto had put himself in a dangerous position for little reward, and now he had an opening. Damien unleashed a mighty punch directly into Mephisto's gut, draining the air out of him. Debilitated, he was then pummeled by a flurry of lightning blows, barely able to stumble or block out of their full force.

Damien was relentless, his hands ripping through the air against his foe with savage yet graceful fury. Mephisto was on constant backfoot, his every attempt at recovery punished, every attempt at escape denied. Damien kept pushing the demon forward towards the steps, with the intent to trip him and deliver a final blow. But perhaps a slight miscalculation, as he aimed for a direct punch towards the demon's chin and provided a crucial opening. With some unexpected burst of energy, Mephisto rolled towards him, under his hand, just barely avoiding defeat. There was some distance between them now, and the demon seemed intent on keeping it that way.

"Ghuuh…" Mephisto panted and heaved, trying to recover his breath. He held his dagger towards Damien, keeping him at bay.

"I've faced better. I'm barely warmed up now." Damien said. "You sure you're one of Asmodeus' demons? No… you must be working for those other invaders. Why else would you kill all these folks?"

"You wouldn't understand or care."

"I am intrigued though, what's the deal with that library? And that dagger… Why is it so familiar…" Damien said, pointing at it. "This is only a theory but, you've only just gotten it isn't it? That's why you're only using it as a mere tool and not tapping into the powers it holds."

"Well… you're certainly a perspicacious one."

"Although it is dishonorable to fight an opponent with a weapon, without one, I hardly feel pressured enough to do so."

"I don't give a shit." Mephisto said as he lunged forward once again. His attacks were quicker, more intense and more precise. The edge of his blade still did not find its mark against Damien's body, but his regal overcoat was not so lucky, soon finding itself with a few noticeable cuts.

"Humph." Damien furrowed his brow as he avoided another swing. "Very well then…" He said, his voice clearly annoyed. The captain jumped back, putting some distance between himself and Mephisto. "Despite your apparently poor combat abilities, and your obvious tiredness and weariness, there is fight in you. It is unjust of me to toy with you and I cannot risk underestimating you either." He said, as he pulled up the whole of his right sleeve, revealing the bandages all over his arm.

"What the hell…" Mephisto stepped back cautiously.

"Besides, my friends are waiting deeper in this prison, I cannot afford to waste time." He continued, unfurling the badges from his arm and revealing a gradient of solemn colors, like a cold winter's night. From his shoulder down his skin turned a shade of white-blue that slowly darkened as it approached his hand. The tips of his fingers were an almost dark indigo and throughout his forearm glowing black lines seemed to flow like veins and blood vessels over his skin. Most importantly however, Mephisto noticed a shining jewel embedded all the way through the center of Damien's right palm. It was a crystalline sapphire eye to which all lines converged. Mephistopheles' eyes went wide, and he soon noticed with each passing second, his breath became more and more visible in the air. The billowing of the winds outside now seemed to find themselves inside the church as well.

"You may not know me, demon…" Damien began. "There's a reason I am one of the few Pious Hunters still alive and kicking."

Mephisto grinned, trying to hide his concerned expression. "Oh, that's where you're wrong Damien…" Mephisto called back. "I did not realize it at first, but I do know you."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed. It's been a long time but, even in hell, demons talk, rumors spread, and legends and myths strike fear into those that wished to cross back into the physical world. This one time, my ears were found by this story about a certain man, a man whose name inspired fear and dread like few others had. An honorable hunter that slayed legions of demons, and even dared challenge the demon of black winds himself to a duel to the death. A man that came out victorious and in doing so claimed the demon's soul as his weapon."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"My my… It is flattering to know that such legends exist of me." Damien said with a chuckle.

"I never imagined you'd still be alive. You look great for your age."

"I am younger than I look." Damien cocked his head with slight irritation. "Enough, flattery will not save you, Mephisto."

"Perhaps that is so, still… I never in my wildest nightmares imagined I would one day come face to face with you, with that weapon…" Mephisto's voice continued, briefly interrupted by Damien as he manifested his weapon.

A soft light formed in Damien's palm, crackling like the shattering of glass. Two parallel lines grew in size like water turning to ice. Soon, the light coalesced into a solid pole around which Damien curled his fingers. Mephistopheles watched anxiously as the pole formed longer and longer, until the weapon-head itself began to form. A golden-white form accentuated by dark blue steel and an aura of frozen air made up the head of Damien's warhammer. In the center of the head, at perfect distance from each of the two massive faces of the hammer lay another jewel, an exact twin of the sapphire eye that was in his hand. When his weapon was fully conjured, Damien flipped it upwards, the atmosphere of the room itself shifting under sheer weight of it as he grabbed it with his other hand as well.

"...Bane of Cri'vathuul!"

Uriel dispatched the flesh golems that assaulted her with ease. Her golden dawnblade sliced cleanly down the middle of one and his two halves fell limply to the side, oozing red puss and bile.

"Disgusting." Uriel remarked as she floated over it.

Upon landing, she noticed all the remaining flesh beasts rightfully keeping their distance, with some even turning and fleeing. Uriel brought her blades closer to her face, basking in the soothing light. This tunnel she had been brought to was filled with an overpowering darkness, a dreadful shadow that seemed to radiate from the obsidian stone of the walls and ceiling. Even the grand emanating light she created with her power seemed to struggle against the dark, like a singular flaming match fighting to stay alight in a blistering wind. Still, it was enough to scare these creatures off, and for that Uriel was thankful, at least for now.

Now then… where am I? Uriel pondered as she ran deeper into the tunnels, still keeping her blades around her in a ring-like formation to shut down any possible ambush on her from the retreating flesh-golems. I need to find some cover, a place where I can meditate and find out where Constantine got taken, where… I got taken to… But can I risk letting Asmodeus poke around through my mind again? When I used my soulsight outside he found me like a lighthouse, I practically invited him inside my brain… God I don't know… I hope everyone is alright…

"You should not worry about that my dear." The dreadful all-too-familiar tone of that spoken devil once again rang in her ears.

Without a moment of hesitation, Uriel spun on her heel, launching a wave of blades into the dark corner of the diverging tunnel. Her blades stabbed into the stone, destroying chunks of the wall with a loud thunderous crash.

"Just like your friend, all too eager to charge right into the belly of the beast." Asmodeus' voice appeared in her ear, as if the demon was standing right behind her.

Uriel turned around once more, but this time before she could counter-attack, the demon's powers shot from the walls, dark tendrils of flesh wrapping around her neck, arms, and wings. She was yanked back, slammed into the wall she had destroyed mere moments ago.

"Gyaah!" Uriel grunted in pain.

"Settle down. I got it, you're feisty. But I have no intention to fight. I did not come here for that." Asmodeus said, towering above her with his crimson eyes shining like two damned lights in the shadows.

"W-what are you here for then?" Uriel said, catching her breath.

"Mainly to test. But also, to gloat."

"Bastard…"

"Oh lighten up." The demon said, an eerie grin creeping across his lips, too stiff, too unnatural to be called a smile. "Get it… because of the darkness, your powers?" He continued, almost disappointed that she did not understand his humor.

"Out of all the demons I've had the misfortune of running into, you are definitely the most twisted."

"Is that so? Have you met many demons, aside from yourself?" Asmodeus' voice stung Uriel, a visceral arrow tearing through her determination. She grit her teeth painfully hard, her muscles aching against her bondage. "Struggle all you want little angel, the truth is laid bare, and it cannot be hidden anymore."

"How…?"

"Hmm? Did you seriously ask how a mind-reader knows what's hidden inside your mind? You're not that dull are you?"

"Don't bullshit me, demon." Uriel lashed out. "I can tell when you try to probe my mind with your despicable tendrils, and I can repel you. No, you haven't even attempted it since you've come. You knew what I was long before I entered this prison."

Asmodeus let his head hang low, his shoulder perking up as he broke into a hideous laughter. "Wonderful, you are all so wonderful." He said gleefully. "You pass your test with flawless colors, just like your friend Constantine."

"Test? Constantine? What the hell did you do, you monster?"

"Yes. I do not get such esteemed guests like you all often." Asmodeus said, his crimson sight peering into Uriel's golden eyes. His gaze seemed to bore straight into her soul. "I cannot pass such an amazing opportunity to see what makes you all tick, what you're all capable of. Although I must apologize, I have been testing you especially so, since before you've even arrived properly. You're a living, breathing descendant of the moon, Uriel." Asmodeus leaned closer, his eyes wide, bloodshot, trembling with excitement. Uriel felt her heart gripped by fear as she was forced to stare at them. "And the beauty of your being… does not disappoint." He said, his deep voice even deeper than usual. He slowly pulled Uriel's chin up, indicating to her that she had no choice but to look up at him. Asmodeus softly rubbed her lower lip with his gloved finger, drawing a pained whimpered groan from the Angel.

The demon seemed to freeze, and he quickly retracted his hand, slinking back into the shadows. Only his red gaze remained in sight.

"My apologies. I got a little carried away." He said, a brief crack in his facade showing through for the briefest of moments, but when he returned into the dull light, his demeanor returned. "Ah yes, your friend Constantine. I was curious if his guts were strong only because of the weapon he'd been gifted with, but no, it seems there is indeed true strength in him. Wild and untamed like a hurricane."

"Y-you don't know half the story of it!" Uriel shouted, trying to recover from the demon's touch. "Constantine is stronger than you can imagine, he… he's stronger than I am. He is the sole reason I am able to be strong." She said, almost a whisper.

"Well, despite his bravado and strength, he did not seem all that well when I left him…" Asmodeus said, pressing a finger against his cheek and turning his gaze away.

Uriel's eyes went wide with dread and fear. "What did you do to him?" She said, her voice still and emotionless, her angelic echo barely resonating.

"Perhaps I pushed him too hard… you see. That's how I knew your true nature. I knew before I even met your father and read his mind. You see, one of the most prized pieces of my collection is your mother's divine cadaver. And like any good collector, I shared it. I showed him a glimpse of your mother's true form… Well, true is not the right word, considering what I did to her, that's not really her anymore is it… But the sight of her soul, trapped in that form along with… well, it truly shook him. It shattered his psyche in a way I've seen few people survive…" Asmodeus said, every single word he spoke enunciated with loathsome satisfaction, dripping like ashes of poison in her ear. As he spoke, his vile words took an even deeper insult, shifting and changing to sound like Constantine instead. His face slowly shifted alongside them, turning into the all familiar visage of the one she loved most. His comforting eyes however, were filled with evil. His warm smile turned into a stomach-churning grin. It was a mockery, a vicious affront to strike deep within her very heart.

Uriel stayed deathly still for a moment, her face obscured by shadows. Even her heartbeat froze. Every synapse in her brain ceased firing, as if time stopped in a bubble around her. Her muscles went numb, and her skin turned pale.

"If anything, I did you a favor, Uriel. This guy…" Asmodeus said, circling his face with a finger. "...A jewel such as yourself deserves a true craftsman to polish her."

A final insult, the last spark on dry kindling necessary for the blazing fire. Uriel's eyes exploded wide open, pale white lights surrounded by a divine holy flame burning with everlasting anger and hate. The golden bracelets of her power were no longer shaped and contained instead a wild blinding aura that incinerated the fleshy tendrils that bound her arms. Her azure hair billowed behind her like a dawnsky crown. Even Asmodeus had an unexpecting smile on his face as Uriel flew to him in the blink of an eye. He expected an outburst, but perhaps he had slightly miscalculated.

Uriel had no time to ponder such things, the only thing on her mind was the desire to hurt this demon. To tear him apart bit by bit, to rip his soul to shreds and let it burn. Her fist carried both of them through the wall, and then another, and finally through the floor with such destructive force that the massive holes through which they passed seemed to radiate outward. The stone shattered like glass.

"Wonderful… truly wonderful!" Asmodeus said, his voice unusually hoarse as he shifted back to his normal self. His body melted into a pool of blood before Uriel's eyes, the blood seeping through her fingers and into the cracks of the crater they were sitting in. Unable to stop her anger, she slammed another fist into the ground, but the damage was quite minimal this time. She jumped back onto her feet, clasping her hands together and summoning a trio of her radiant sunblades. Any more would become a hassle in such an enclosed space. She thrust her hand forward, and the swords obeyed her thoughts, stabbing into the floor, cutting and slicing as if through silk.

D-damn it! Uriel thought. Did he escape?

"No, not yet dear. Although I am not there at all, please stop destroying my floor." Asmodeus' voice came from behind her once more.

Uriel spun around to face him, her hands and arms twirling and thrusting forward in a dance possessed. Her blades obeyed, moving forward with violent grace, cutting towards the demon and leaving after-slices of light hanging in the air. But the demon was not to be caught off guard again. His movements were more intense and rapid, as was the deathly stare of his scarlet eyes. Uriel's blades barely whizzed past his body and clothing, and the few times it seemed she might land a hit, his flesh unfurled, melted away causing a miss.

"Haven't we done this song and dance already?" The demon taunted her. "I am a bit disappointed that despite your friend's death, you still haven't drawn out your true power. I thought I could push you to do so, but you can't stop yourself from restraining yourself…"

"SILENCE DEMON!" Uriel screamed furiously, quickening her attacks. "I'll cut out your rotten tongue. You lie. Your words are nothing but cursed deceit. Constantine will not have fallen before the likes of you!"

"You are so certain of it aren't you? HmmhmmhmmHMM. How exciting…" Asmodeus chuckled. "You do not realize it, but you and your friends are like little rabbits, Uriel. Little critters running across a field. No matter how tall the grass, you cannot hide from the eyes of the eagle whose talons you will soon be shredded by."

Uriel paused, letting some distance settle between the two of them. "You will pay. I will make sure of it. You will pay for what you have done to my friends, to my mother, to me. Your days are marked, demon."

"Oh dear… and to think I haven't even begun to show you the true meaning of despair yet…" The demon said, disappointed. "You keep calling me a demon, as if it is an insult, but then, aren't you insulting your very self? But then again, that is truly the case is it not? You hate your demonic self. Your doubts and misery all stem from it. You are afraid of what you might unleash if you don't keep your darkest terrors in check. Even now, with the knowledge that I possibly killed the love of your life, the other half of your broken heart, you still held back!"

"SHUT UP!" Uriel's voice boomed as she began attacking the demon once again to fruitless avail. "You're a liar! Constantine yet lives! He has not fallen, not yet. I can feel my heart beating within his still."

"You do not understand Uriel, that real power can only be found in the face of absolute truth. You need to embrace yourself, your true self, to tap into your birthright, the power your mother has gifted you, the power that Katherine tried stealing from you, using it without permission. Let go of your insecurities and fears, and blossom. Your dark wings are not ugly, they are a sign of your true beauty."

"How! Dare! You!" Uriel shouted as her blades kept relentlessly assaulting the demon. "Do not speak of my mother any longer, demon! I do not need your guidance to gain power, I've been doing just fine on my own."

"Is that why you've failed as much as you have? Baphomet, Lady Death, Nikolai? Has it not been you all this time that's craved the power to save those you care about? The one that craved the power to bring justice to those that have wronged you?" Asmodeus said, grabbing Uriel's wrist, unbalancing and pulling her closer towards him. "Look at yourself, you swear you'll kill me for what I've done, to you and those close to you, and yet you didn't even mention your father." He said, the flesh over his face instantly changing and morphing into Mephistopheles. "You hate me for what I've done to a mother you've never even met, and not the father whose actions are the only reason you're still alive!"

"Guh!" Uriel let out a grunt, the pain in her burns still aching as her eyes went wide in stunned silence. Her face was wrack with shame and fear. Her blades dissipated, no longer driven by a wild determination to attack the demon. "I…"

"It does not matter what you think. I've stated my part. Perhaps you will come to agree as you advance deeper into the prison." The demon said, letting go of her and putting distance between them, his face morphing once again. "Unfortunately my dear, I must depart for now, I'm already late to meet my protégé. While you don't get full marks, you still pass your test. But heed my words, if you wish to defeat me, dear Angel. Embrace the demon in your skull, the shadow of your wings, and you will fly like a phoenix of the night." The archdemon's ominous voice echoed through the tunnel as he vanished.

Uriel was left alone, with only the darkness surrounding her. Her light faded, but still, she forbade herself from falling before despair.

I will not believe him. I cannot! We are more than mere lambs being sent to the slaughter. Constantine is still alive… his heart still beats, but… he needs me, I… I need to find him. She thought. With a trembling hand, she conjured a radiant blade that illuminated her surroundings and charged deeper into the shadowy tunnels ahead. I am… strong enough… aren't I? She thought, as she stared at her bandaged hands.

The pain was still there under her wrappings, burning like ice pressed against her skin. Especially now, having pushed herself against the demon. But Uriel just grit her teeth. She could not allow herself to fall against despair any longer. She knew its cold embrace all too well. No, she would not face it, not now. Her righteous anger willed her to stand and make her way deeper into the darkness.

There were few obstacles still in her path. That did not make her descent any less terrifying. The words of the demon still lingered in her mind, like flaming cobwebs draped across the tapestry of her thoughts. It was as if the very walls whispered of Constantine's demise, and for that, she flew forward through the tunnel, avoiding their touch. Uriel emboldened herself within the glow of her blazing blade. Her light offered peace, comfort, and reassurance in these threatening depths. But soon, the dark light that surrounded hers was met by a purple glow in the distance.

Something new? She thought as she rushed forward, her wings beating harder.

Descending a long stairway, Uriel found herself in an enormous cavern. At the center of this cavern was a massive gateway of otherworldly mist. A veil designating the next level of Dudael. Her skin prickled with goosebumps as she made her way closer to it. Her eyes saw high above, inscribed with flaming letters in the doorway, the number "Ⅰ Ⅰ" followed by the name Desira underneath.

"What...?" Uriel said out loud. "I'm only this far down?" The angel stopped for a moment, considering her options. Perhaps I should turn back? Maybe I can meet up with the others? No… Constantine was taken deeper into the prison if what the demon said was true… And who knows where Damien and the rest are by now… My best option is to push forward…

Her resolve was steeled, and Uriel stepped forward through the mist. Immediately, she collapsed on her knees on the other side, choking and gasping for breath. Her eyes went wide as she felt a piece of herself torn.

W-what… is this…? Her thoughts raced, trying to make sense of the situation. T-this gateway… this is some sort of… seal…

Before she could make sense of it fully, Uriel felt her thoughts overpowered by terrifying noises of screams and pain. Sounds of people begging for mercy and release flooded her mind. A vision of people screaming her name, before a dark scythe cut through her neck. Worst of all, her mind was flooded by the crackling of fire. The noise intensified, growing, and with it it seemed to manifest itself around her. Uriel found herself surrounded by a circle of flame, the heat it radiated intensifying the pain of her burns. She covered her eyes with her hands, trying to drown out the noise and hallucinations.

"Its not real, its not real, this can't be real, it's not real!" She chanted to herself, trying to wait out the illusions.

"Denial will not save you, Uriel." The voice of a demon from her past wormed its way into her ears. Fear gripped Uriel as she took her hands from her face and laid her eyes on the blinding visage of Nikolai.

"N-no…" Her lips quivered. "Y-you can't be here!"

"Oh but I am." She said, walking closer with grace. "Although I know you wish I wasn't. I know you wish this was all just some bad dream."

"D-dream... No… you're not real!"

"Is that so Uriel? When was the last time you truly slept? It has been a while has it not? Your mind is no longer just yours is it? Everytime you close your eyes you see your sins made manifest."

Uriel sat in the circle of fire, clutching her chest in pain. Sweat and tears dripped down her face, and every breath became a painful struggle. "My mind… I… my head is pounding… everytime I close my eyes… I cannot sleep… I cannot dream… I cannot… since the day I saw you again in Gausville. Since the day I willingly accepted my death…"

"You can no longer tell what is real and what isn't, can you Uriel?" Nikolai asked her.

"I… I…" Uriel's heartbeat throbbed, and it was as if she remembered, a memory from what seemed like forever ago. "I know that… his love is real…"

"Heh… hehe, hahahahahahahaha!" Nikolai laughed enthusiastically underneath her mask. "You truly believe Constantine loves you? You're such a fool. He will never love you, no matter how much of yourself you strip away for him. Nothing you will do will ever make him love you as much as he loves me."

Uriel's pale eyes stared onwards with pearly tears welling within them. A single tear almost fell down her cheek, but she wiped it away before it could. Her act was not one of heartbreak, but one of determination. Her eyes were alight with flames of purpose. "I do not care if what you say is true. His heart is his to give to whom he deems worthy. I already willingly gave mine to him. Whether he accepts it or not is not my burden to bear." Uriel said, her voice echoing defiantly as she rose slowly and stepped through the circle of flames, untouched. "He is down in the depths of this place. He loves me, and he loves you, but right now, you are far away from this place. You are blind and deaf to his pain, and I am the only one of us that can save him."

"That is what you think… but who really saves him I wonder? Where are you now, when his mind is trapped in the deepest abyss? Which one of us really saves our savior?"

Uriel stepped forward, manifesting two blades of light floating beside her wrists. "I know you are not real. I know you are a piece of my soul, my regrets and fears brought to physical form by this barrier, but still, Nikolai, perhaps these words will find their way to you through the ether of the world, and the connections of our souls. For the sake of the love he bears for you, I will give you a chance to redeem yourself. But know this, should you refuse…" Two lightning-fast flashes illuminated the darkness for a moment, their light weaving and dancing through the shadow and flame. "...I will show you no mercy."

The false Nikolai did not make a sound as her unreal form vanished, cleaved atwain by Uriel's blades. The angel spun around, noticing that she was now alone in an empty, cold tunnel behind the dark veil. She wiped away her tears, cleaning herself up before she looked at it once more. A moment of respite before her next battle. I've never seen such a powerful and mysterious barrier. What exactly is the purpose of it? I feel… my chest feels hollow still now having passed through it. A thread of my very self being pulled, threatening to unwind me whole…

"Whatever it may be, I cannot linger here." Uriel said, waking herself from her deepening thoughts. "I have to keep pushing forward." She said, turning around and walking away all while trying to settle the storm of thoughts, doubts, and fears that billowed in her mind.

Ahead, deeper in that oppressing darkness, Uriel heard the forthcoming clashing of steel and flame.