As Azrael ascended the gigantic staircase, each step felt like a descent into despair. His breath came in heavy pants, his legs burned with exertion, and his feet ached from the endless steps. The pristine white walls surrounding him seemed to glow with an otherworldly light, filling the windowless space with a serene, yet unsettling, ambiance. Despite the sterile surroundings, a deep sense of unease gnawed at him.

  “How could I have been so stupid!?” Azrael muttered, his voice barely audible above the rhythmic pounding of his feet against the steps. “Why do I always put my trust in the wrong people?” The words echoed through the barren void, amplifying his sense of isolation and regret.

  His mind raced, desperately trying to recall how things had come to this? All he could think about was the idea that this was all his fault. His thoughts turned to his loved ones, his friends—no, his family, who he had to cast aside for their own safety. The world had ended, and Azrael knew that only he had the power to salvage what was left of this broken existence.

  Determination flared within him, a fierce resolve to make things right. Despite it all, Azrael worried about his loved ones, hoping they were safe without him. The weight of guilt pressed heavily on his shoulders.

  Azrael cursed to himself, his fists clenched in frustration. “I was too nice, too trusting. And now the world is in ruins because I believed in her.” The image of the person who had deceived him flashed in his mind. He had placed his trust in that fraud, accepted her lies, and now the consequences were devastating.

  As he climbed higher, the physical strain began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of urgency. With renewed energy, he continued his ascent, each step bringing him closer to an unknown destination. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of fear and hope driving him forward.

  At last, he reached the top of the staircase and stumbled upon a grand door. Its golden surface gleamed brilliantly, a stark contrast to the pure white surroundings. He hesitated, his hand hovering just above the ornate handle. Please, Azrael prayed silently, let me have the strength to save everyone. With a deep breath and a flicker of hope in his heart, he pushed open the door.

  The sight that greeted Azrael was nothing like he could have ever imagined. Instead of the heavenly scene he had hoped for, he found himself staring at a ruined city engulfed in flames. The once-clean air was now filled with the acrid stench of smoke and ash, as fires raged through the cracked streets. The sky was pitch black, and fiery tornadoes swirled violently, destroying everything in their path. The sound of screams and torment echoed through the air, impossible to escape from.

  “How could I have let this happen?!” Azrael shouted in despair, his eyes wide with shock and fear. He took a hesitant step forward, feeling the heat from the inferno even from a distance. Azrael’s fists clenched, but he refused to give up. Not when there were still people who needed him.

  With grim determination, Azrael steeled himself for the battle ahead. He would face the darkness, fight the inferno, and strive to make things right. No matter the cost, he would not abandon hope. He would not abandon his friends. And he would not abandon his resolve to fight for a better world.

  As he ventured deeper into the devastation, he heard faint cries for help, barely audible over the roar of the flames. His heart pounded in his chest, and without a second thought, he broke into a sprint towards the source of the screams.

  Please, let me be able to help them, Azrael pleaded in his mind as he navigated the treacherous terrain, desperately searching for any sign of life among the destruction.

  The weight of guilt pressed down on him once more, threatening to consume him. Yet Azrael couldn’t afford to succumb to the darkness, not when there were people who needed his help.

  “Stay strong, Azrael” he told himself, gritting his teeth and pushing onward.

  He continued to race through the madness, each scream fueling his determination to save whoever he could find. But as he ran, the door through which he entered vanished into thin air, leaving him completely immersed in the destruction.

  Ignoring the door’s disappearance, Azrael focused only on the task at hand—saving lives and finding a way out of this nightmare. What a journey Azrael had had up to this point. He knew that he was on limited time, but he just hoped that he still had enough to undo this catastrophe.

  While maneuvering his way through the burning city, the flames seemed to grow taller and more intense with each step. Despite the oppressive heat, he pressed onwards, fueled by a sense of responsibility and the belief that he could still make a difference.

  “Help! Please!” a voice cried out in the distance, snapping him back to reality. His eyes scanned the area, finally spotting a little girl trapped beneath a large piece of debris. The girl had a scorched pink backpack and doll beside her, suggesting that she was on her way home from grade school before this calamity started. Without hesitation, Azrael raced towards the desperate cries, determination etched on his face.

  “Stay with me!” he shouted as he reached for the struggling individual. He gripped the heavy, ash-covered beam with all his strength, muscles straining as he attempted to lift it. With a final push, Azrael managed to free the victim, who slumped in exhaustion against the rubble.

  “Thank you,” the young girl gasped, tears streaming down her smoke-streaked face. Azrael nodded, offering a reassuring smile before helping the poor child to her feet.

  “Is there anyone else?” he asked urgently, the concern for others who were still trapped overwhelming him. The young girl shook her head, unable to speak due to her weakened state. But her eyes, filled with gratitude, spoke volumes.

  “Foolish decision, Azrael. Why do you choose to limit yourself to your mortal restrictions instead of using my power?”

  What felt like an all too familiar voice coming from Azrael’s core seemed to haunt him. It sounded masculine yet mischievous, almost as if he was being toyed with.

  “Shut up! I told you before, I will never use that technique!” Azrael yelled while unintentionally showing that he was fighting for control over his mentality. This caused the girl that he rescued to look worried. Azrael took notice of this and patted his cheeks to bring himself back to reality.

  No, I can’t worry about his nonsense right now. If I can just stop her, then I’ll never need to succumb to that cursed power. Right now, I need to get this girl to safety, and then I’ll make that liar pay for this carnage! Azrael told himself as he came back to reality.

  “Come on, we need to find a safe place,” Azrael said gently, guiding the injured child away from the fire-ravaged scene.

  As they continued their search for safety and other survivors, Azrael couldn’t help but feel his abysmal flicker of hope dying amidst the devastation. Even though the odds were stacked against them, he knew that he had to maintain a positive expression for the sake of the bruised child next to him. Giving up was not an option. Azrael tilted his head to his side and realized that the tired little girl’s stamina was running out.

  “Get on my back. I’ll give you a piggyback ride,” he shouted. The kid was clearly exhausted due to inhaling dust and debris in the air. She wrapped her arms around Azrael’s upper body and crossed her legs around his stomach, a mantra to keep him grounded in the face of unimaginable pain and destruction. As they moved deeper into the devastated city, Azrael vowed to hold onto his hope—no matter what challenges might lie ahead.

  The weight of the girl leaning against Azrael’s back seemed to grow heavier with each step, but he couldn’t let her fall. He had to keep moving forward, just as he had promised himself. His purple eyes scanned the seemingly endless row of crumbling buildings and smoke-filled streets, seeking any sign of refuge.

  The air was thick with an acrid smell of burnt wood and metal. Ash swirled around them like a dark firestorm, and every breath felt labored. Despite the overwhelming despair surrounding them, Azrael’s determination to save anyone he could remained steadfast.

  “Stay with me,” he urged the injured child. He could tell that she was struggling to breathe due to her excessive coughing caused from the unclean air. She struggled to nod, her once-vibrant spirit subdued by pain and exhaustion.

  Suddenly, through the haze of smoke, Azrael spotted the remnants of what appeared to be his old and now vacant high school, its walls still standing despite the devastation. It wasn’t much, but it was their best chance for temporary safety.

  Please still be there! Azrael wished to himself, running towards the structure. With renewed vigor, he carried the young girl towards the makeshift haven, supporting her as they navigated the debris-strewn path.

  When they reached the entrance, the two desperate souls began to navigate through the halls until they finally found their desired area of rest. “Thank goodness!” Azrael shouted as he saw that his old school infirmary was still intact. He then carefully set the girl down on a relatively stable bed. Her eyes fluttered open, and she managed a weak smile.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice raspy from the smoke. Azrael nodded, returning her smile, even though his own heart felt heavy with the weight of the city’s suffering.

  “Rest here,” he told her as he placed an oxygen mask over her face to supply her with much-needed clean air. “I’ll look for more survivors and try to find help.”

  Azrael rose his hand into the air, as sparkles of light began to shimmer onto the tips of his fingers and shouted, “Spatial Form—Radiant Barrier!” As soon as he said these words, a golden circular aura began to expand in engulf the room which left the little girl in awe. “Don’t tell anyone about this. Otherwise the magic will fade away,” Azrael stated as he turned back to the weakened girl and winked which brought a smile to her face for Azrael to see for the first time.

  “Be careful,” she warned, her voice barely audible.

  “No worries. I’ll be sure to put a stop to this madness and keep you safe, I promise!” Azrael replied giving the girl a thumbs-up, which caused her to giggle before finally shutting her eyes and getting some rest, as Azrael ran out of the shelter and back into the hellish landscape, hoping to find any other victims that needed his help.

  “Don’t make a promise that you can’t keep. Let me out, Azrael. My supernatural abilities are the only way to keep that girl safe.”

  The voice once again tried to tempt Azrael with his offer. But Azrael tossed the bargain aside. He would never accept that power, even if it meant saving the world from this hellish nightmare.

  With each new step, he encountered more scenes of destruction. But he refused to let it break him. The cries for help, the desperate pleas of the trapped, and the dark atmosphere, all fueled his resolve. He didn’t know how exactly he would erase this nightmare, but he knew one thing for certain, he couldn’t give up.

  “Keep moving forward,” Azrael repeated to himself, pushing through the pain and fear. As the city continued to burn around him, he held onto that hope—a beacon amidst the darkness.

  Azrael pressed onward, the heat of the flames licking at his heels, casting ominous shadows across the crumbling streets. His heart pounded in his chest, every beat echoing the cries of the townspeople that filled the air. The acrid stench of smoke and sulfur burned his throat, but he forced himself to press forward, his ears straining to pinpoint the source of the screams.

  As he rounded a corner, his breath hitched in his throat. Before him, a group of terrified citizens huddled together, their faces etched with desperation and horror. Tears streaked their soot-stained cheeks, their trembling bodies pressed tightly against one another as though trying to shield themselves from the unspeakable nightmare that towered over them.

  The monsters were grotesque manifestations and loomed over their victims with predatory glee. The largest of the abominations stood on two muscular legs, its body an amalgamation of jagged stone and dark, writhing shadows. Its eyes burned like molten lava, fiery pits that dripped hatred and malice. Its mouth, split unnaturally wide, was filled with jagged, blackened teeth that oozed a viscous, glowing substance. The beast’s torso was covered in grotesque, fleshy spikes that pulsated with dark energy, each one twitching as though they were alive and hungry for flesh. Every movement it made sent tremors through the ground, as though the very earth rejected its presence.

  To the side, a few smaller creatures circled their victims like vultures. These twisted abominations resembled scorpions, though their bodies were malformed and warped by malevolent energy. Their tails, long and spindly, ended in venomous tips that glowed a sickly green, hissing as they lashed out toward their captives. Their eyes, eight in total, were soulless black orbs that reflected only the horror of their existence. Some had hunched backs that glistened like rotting flesh; others had razor-sharp claws that scraped against the cobblestones with shrill, nerve-shredding sounds.

  Azrael watched, frozen for a split second, as one of the scorpion-like beasts lunged forward, its tail whipping toward a defenseless pregnant woman who lost her balance and fell on her rear. She shrieked, throwing her arms over her face in a futile attempt to block the incoming blow. In the same instant, another creature, a hulking four-legged monster with twisted, gnarled horns, snarled viciously. Its fur was matted with blood, its skin blistered from the heat of the flames, and from its back sprouted grotesque tendrils that wriggled like snakes in the air, seeking their next prey. The monster let out a guttural growl, its maw dripping with saliva as it gnashed its razor-like fangs together in sadistic anticipation. It was a monster of pure brutality and fed off the darkest fears of the townspeople it terrorized.

  One of the smaller creatures caught sight of Azrael, its soulless eyes locking onto him as it let out a shrill, ear-piercing scream. The others turned in unison, their gruesome forms twisting toward him, hunger and rage burning in their bloodshot eyes. The hulking leader of the pack roared, a sound that rattled Azrael’s bones and sent waves of dread through his body.

  Azrael clenched his hand into a fist, though fear threatened to overtake him. He swallowed hard, his gaze never wavering from the citizens huddled at the mercy of the monsters. He couldn’t let this nightmare consume him, not until he could see her again and right this wrong.

  “Leave them alone!” Azrael shouted, his voice cracking with anger and fear. The monsters turned their attention to him, their eyes narrowing with malevolence. Each monstrosity had the same all too familiar mark displayed on their flesh confirming that they were in allegiance with…her. The cryptic symbol that displayed a horned beast with a silhouette of a partial moon as its single eye which haunted Azrael, making him feel uneasy time and again.

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  “Run!” Azrael yelled at the cowering citizens. They hesitated for a heartbeat before scrambling away in search of shelter. With trepidation filling every fiber of his being, Azrael faced the leering monsters.

  “You want someone to fight? Fight me!” he challenged, fists clenched and heart pounding. The creatures laughed cruelly, their voices grating on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

  As one of the monsters lunged toward him, Azrael’s body reacted instinctually, dodging out of the way just in time. He knew he couldn’t rescue everyone at this rate, but he was determined to protect whoever he could.

  “Come on!” he taunted, trying to draw the monsters’ focus solely to him. “Is that all you’ve got?”

  The monsters snarled, launching themselves at Azrael with renewed ferocity. He narrowly avoided their attacks, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he used every ounce of his strength to stay ahead of their deadly reach.

  With a swift, decisive motion, Azrael’s weapon materialized into his hand as if responding to his distress—a blade that shimmered with a radiant light that had saved him from the darkness time and again, with its ethereal glow contrasting sharply against the dark chaos surrounding him. The blade sang as it cleaved through the air, meeting the first monster’s attack head-on. Sparks flew as steel clashed against claw, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through Azrael’s arms.

  Undeterred, Azrael pressed his advantage, his movements a blur of calculated strikes and evasive maneuvers. The monsters were relentless, their feral aggression unyielding, but Azrael fought with a determination that bordered on desperation. Each swing of his weapon was fueled by a fierce desire to protect the innocent.

  One by one, the monsters fell, their grotesque forms disintegrating into ash and shadow under the relentless onslaught of Azrael’s trusty weapon. His muscles burned with exertion, but he refused to let up, refused to give in to the fatigue that gnawed at his bones.

  As the last behemoth crumbled to dust, Azrael stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving with the effort of battle. He spared a glance at the retreating citizens, relief flooding through him as he saw them disappear into the distance.

  “Stay strong,” he whispered, more to himself than anyone else. “I won’t let this be the end.”

  But even as he spoke, the voice in his mind returned, insidious and persuasive.

  “You can’t keep this up forever, Azrael. My power is the only way to truly save them.”

  “No,” Azrael hissed through gritted teeth. “I won’t rely on you.”

  He shook his head, trying to banish the voice from his thoughts. There were more people to save, more monsters to fight. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by the mystical power that he swore to never use.

  With renewed determination, Azrael pressed on, his blade cutting a path through the devastation. The city was a labyrinth of destruction, each turn revealing new horrors and new victims in need of rescue. The weight of his responsibility bore down on him, but he shouldered it willingly, believing that every life he saved was a step towards redemption. But Azrael was only fooling himself, for every beast that he slaid, ten more would rise from its ashes. It was a never-ending cycle.

  Amidst the relentless torment, Azrael continued to stumble through the hellish city, his heart aching with each desperate plea for redemption he encountered. The overwhelming weight of suffering and despair threatened to crush him, but he refused to give in.

  “Azrael, focus!” he muttered under his breath, trying to push away the despair that clung to him like a heavy fog. He knew he couldn’t afford to let himself be distracted by his own thoughts—not when lives were at stake.

  A sudden scream pierced the cacophony of destruction, and Azrael’s heart clenched as he saw a young woman in glasses with a bag of book reports, suggesting that she was a teacher or an assistant, being cornered by one of the terrifying creatures. He didn’t hesitate for a second, sprinting toward her with newfound determination.

  “Hey! Over here!” Azrael shouted, catching the monster’s attention just before it could strike the terrified woman. It turned its gaze on him, its eyes burning with hatred.

  The creature hissed, while lunging toward Azrael with frightening speed. But Azrael was ready for it. He ducked beneath its outstretched claws, driving his shimmering blade into its grotesque face with all his might, causing green ooze to spew.

  The monster reeled back, momentarily stunned by the force of the blow. Azrael grabbed the woman’s hand, pulling her away from danger as quickly as he could.

  “Go! Find somewhere safe!” he urged her, releasing her hand once they were a safe distance away. She nodded tearfully, murmuring her thanks before disappearing into the smoke-filled streets.

  Azrael barely had time to catch his breath before the enraged beasts closed in on him again. He fought them with everything he had, but he could feel his strength waning, his body growing heavier with each passing moment.

  “Please, someone help them if I am to fall here…” he whispered, desperation clawing at his throat as he stared down the malevolent creatures. But there was no one to come to his aid—only the harrowing screams of the city’s citizens and the crackling of flames.

  As Azrael braced himself for another onslaught from the monsters, suddenly the image of the girl that he brought to his old school’s infirmary and made a promise to flooded his mind. A glimmer of hope sparked within him. He couldn’t give up now, not when so many people were depending on him. With renewed resolve, he faced the monsters, vowing to protect the city and its inhabitants, even if it cost him his life.

  Emboldened by his newfound determination, he launched himself at the nearest behemoth, evading its vicious claws and landing a solid punch to its gut. However, the swift strike was in vain as a surge of pain overtook his fist. Azrael winced in pain, it felt as though he punched a brick wall, despite that, a smile formed on his face as he was happy to see that the monster’s attention was diverted towards himself and away from the suffering citizens. The gruesome creatures chased after Azrael, but he was able to outrun them.

  “Please, forgive me!” a voice cried out amidst the chaos. Azrael’s heart wrenched as he caught sight of an older man on his knees, a wedding ring was in view on his finger as he clasped his hands together in a prayer. Even as the monstrous creatures loomed over him, the man continued to beg for mercy, tears streaming down his face.

  “Leave him alone!” Azrael roared, rushing to the man’s aid. He managed to fend off the monsters momentarily, giving the man a chance to escape. But before he could take a single step, another creature swooped in and snatched the old man away, dragging him screaming into the fiery abyss.

  “No!” Azrael screamed, rage and despair mingling in his chest. He felt powerless, unable to save the people around him from their terrifying fate, and he blamed himself for it. “Dammit, if only I was at full power… But my energy has been heavily depreciated because of…her!” Azrael cursed himself as he was coming to accept the reality of his grim situation. The monsters were relentless, and every victory was short-lived. For each person he saved, countless others met cruel ends.

  “Someone, help us! Please!” a woman sobbed, clutching her child, who had a stuffed animal tightly wrapped to her chest, close as she stared at Azrael with pleading eyes. “We don’t want to die!”

  “I’ll do everything I can,” Azrael promised, swallowing the lump in his throat as he prepared himself for another attack. He fought with renewed vigor, driven by the desperate need to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. But even as his body screamed in protest, he knew deep down that he couldn’t keep this up forever.

  As the monsters closed in once more, Azrael’s thoughts raced. He wished for a miracle, for some kind of salvation to free them all from this nightmare. The first of these grotesque creatures lumbered into view, its bloated body covered in thick, leathery skin that seemed to shift and ripple unnaturally with each step. The creature was a vile fusion of a chameleon and a bear. Its limbs were massive and muscular, but its skin could change colors to match its surroundings, camouflaging its immense size. The beast’s large, jagged claws scraped the ground as it stalked forward, its elongated, serpentine tongue flicking out to taste the air. Its eyes—bulbous and filled with a craving that transcended mere hunger—locked onto a woman and her child cowering nearby.

  The creature’s maw, filled with razor-sharp fangs, widened into a grin that sent a shiver of dread down Azrael’s spine. The chameleon-bear hybrid let out a low, guttural growl as it licked its cracked lips, preparing to tear into the defenseless pair.

  “NO!” The word ripped from Azrael’s throat before he even realized what he was doing.

  His legs moved on instinct, his body acting faster than his mind could process. He bolted toward the monstrous beast with a speed fueled by pure adrenaline, his eyes locked on the mother and child. Time seemed to slow, the cries of the terrified citizens fading into a muffled roar as Azrael placed himself between them and the brute’s massive claws.

  Up close, the chameleon-bear’s grotesque features were even more horrifying. Its teeth dripped with viscous, black saliva that sizzled as it hit the scorched earth. Its flesh, if you could call it that, writhed and pulsed as though something beneath the surface struggled to break free. The monster’s claws, long and jagged like talons made from bone, gleamed in the firelight, ready to slice through anything in their path.

  Azrael could see his own reflection in the abomination’s cold, reptilian eyes, small and insignificant in the face of such raw power. He barely had time to lift his blade before the creature lunged at him with terrifying speed.

  He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable impact, for the searing pain of those claws slicing through his flesh. He was ready to give his life to protect the innocent mother and her child.

  “Caring for the lives of others more than your own? This is why you deserve my power!”

  Azrael heard the same mischievous voice and used all his willpower to resist arguing with it. After returning from his thoughts, Azrael found one of his arms to be drenched in blood as one of the monster’s fangs dug deep into his shoulder while the rest of his arm appeared to be devoured within the abomination’s slimy jaw. Unfortunately for the beast, this is exactly what Azrael wanted to happen! “That’s right, get a good taste, you reptilian punk. I just hope that you can handle a little heartburn!” Azrael yelled as he summoned his trusty blade within the palm of the hand that was trapped in the beast’s mouth. “Luminara Form—Solar Blaze!” Azrael screamed as his entire arm became enshrouded in a fiery beam of light and incinerated the monster. Azrael collapsed to the ground following this attack. He then observed his surroundings. There was only a woman and her child, along with what looked like all that was left of the disintegrating monstrous corpse.

  The woman and her child stared at him with a mixture of gratitude and terror. “Thank you,” the woman whispered, tears streaming down her face as she tried to tend to Azrael’s wounded arm. The child clutched tightly to his mother’s arm in agreement, his own eyes filled with fear and desperation.

  “Don’t worry about the arm. I’ll be fine!” Azrael grunted through clenched teeth as he pressed his back against the crumbling wall of a burning building. His right arm hung uselessly at his side, blood trickling down from the deep gash where the beast had slashed him. But he wasn’t ready to give up yet. With a surge of determination, he raised his weapon high in his uninjured arm, his purple eyes glowing with fierce resolve.

  “Vitalis Form—Radiant Wave!”

  The words left his lips with power and intent, and instantly, a soft blue hue began to pulse from his blade. The glow spread outward like ripples on the surface of calm water, and from the tip of his weapon, a shimmering stream of glimmering liquid burst forth, flowing in a graceful arc before wrapping itself around his wounded arm.

  Azrael felt the soothing embrace of the water the moment it made contact with his skin. It was cool to the touch, almost as though he’d plunged his arm into a refreshing mountain spring. The sensation spread across his injury like a gentle wave, washing away the burning pain that had been pulsing through his body. His muscles, once clenched in agony, slowly began to relax as the healing force worked its magic.

  He watched in awe as the radiant energy seeped into his torn flesh, knitting together the skin, muscles, and tendons with seamless precision. His mangled arm was restored with such speed and perfection that it felt as though the injury had never existed. The dull ache that had plagued him just moments ago was now replaced by a warm, tingling sensation, like sunlight streaming down on a cold day. It wasn’t just his arm that felt healed, but his very spirit. There was something purifying about the Radiant Wave, as if it washed away the fear and exhaustion that had taken root in his heart.

  Azrael flexed his fingers, testing his now fully restored limb. The strength returned to him immediately, and with it, a renewed sense of hope surged through his veins. His weapon that he had gripped from the hilt began to dematerialize, a testament of the powerful spell that depleted all its energy. Feeling whole once more, Azrael’s heartbeat steadied, and his mind cleared of the dark haze that had threatened to consume him.

  The radiant energy pulsed one final time before dissipating into the air, leaving nothing but the faintest mist in its wake. His arm was completely healed—better than ever, in fact.

  With a determined gleam in his eyes, Azrael got to his feet. “Go, find shelter!” he commanded the mother and her child, pointing toward a narrow alley away from the chaos. “I’ll handle the rest.”

  The woman nodded, her tear-streaked face filled with gratitude, before rushing off with her child in tow. Azrael watched them for a moment before turning back toward the hellish battlefield, his heart steeled for the next fight.

  “Please…forgive us for our sins,” voices of men in the distance pleaded. “We have wronged others, and now we are paying the price.”

  “Forgive us…” the voices of women from far away echoed, their words were barely audible over the chaos surrounding them, but they carried the weight of a lifetime of regrets.

  Azrael looked around at the devastated city, his heart breaking for these people who had lost everything. He knew he had to do something. Azrael began to sprint, not knowing where to go or what to do. Everywhere he went, he could see people suffering in the devastated city. Every pair of eyes that Azrael met communicated fear, pain, and suffering. “I’m sorry. For everything,” he said softly, determination growing within him. “But I will do everything in my power to fix this, I just need to face…her, again!”

  As Azrael spoke, a sudden surge of courage welled up inside him. It was as if an unseen force was guiding him, urging him to fight against the monstrous horrors that continued to ravage the city.

  “Stay behind me,” he instructed the trembling citizens, his voice steady even as fear gnawed at his insides. “I’ll protect you.” And with that promise, Azrael stepped forward into the fray, his every movement fueled by his burning desire to save these desperate souls.

  Amid the chaos, he fought with every ounce of strength he possessed. Each thrust of his fists, every swift kick from his legs, and each dodge of an attack seemed to be guided by some unseen force. And yet, despite his best efforts, the darkness polluting the world only grew stronger.

  “Accept the power I offer you. It’s the only way to save them from this nightmare.”

  The mischievous tempting voice again tried to win Azrael over with its promise of salvation from this hell. In that moment, with the screams of terrified people ringing in his ears and the monstrous creatures closing in, Azrael felt as though he was going to lose his mind. Azrael, in his struggling state, thought that he had seen the worst that this dying world could possibly show him, but little did he know that the worst was yet to come!

  Azrael clenched his fists, feeling powerless and frustrated. He wanted to help all the suffering people engulfed in the city. It was in his nature after all to care for those in need, but wasn’t it his kind and overly trusting nature that allowed…her to throw this world into darkness in the first place?

  “Is there any way that I can bring this madness to an end?” Azrael wailed, his voice echoing throughout the city.

  As if in answer to his cries, Azrael spotted a glowing object floating among the ruins, seemingly unaffected by the devastation around it. An aura of mystery and power surrounded this enigmatic item, drawing Azrael closer despite its trepidation.

  “What is this?” Azrael asked, his voice trembling amidst the chaos.

  The cryptic voice began to haunt Azrael’s thoughts once again, providing an offer too good to refuse.

  “Take the ring, Azrael. With its power you may be able to undo this calamity. But beware, there will be consequences and much hardship that will come from this strength, but it’s the only way you’ll be able to see her once again!”

  Azrael hesitated, eyeing the ring warily. Could he trust this object? As Azrael froze in place weighing his option, his moment of thought was interrupted by a gigantic roar that caused the whole city to quake.

  Azrael’s hands pressed into his ears, trying to block out the torturous sound. He then looked upwards at a seventy-degree angle to observe the source of the commotion. When looking in that direction, Azrael witnessed the terrifying creature who gripped him with insurmountable terror. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from it. It was bigger than the world’s largest skyscraper and put the other monsters ravaging the city to shame. If Azrael didn’t know any better, he’d say that the other beasts were afraid of this gigantic behemoth. Its grievous body gave off an oily feeling as if it had been soaked in shadowy goo within the darkest cave on Earth and made Azrael feel nauseous to look at it for too long because he wasn’t able to take all its evilness at once. The terror that overtook Azrael’s whole being can only be described as the Devil.

  “Alright,” he struggled to whisper, reaching for the ring. “I’ll take it and accept the potential consequences that I will have to face. It’s the only way that I’ll be able to make her pay for what she’s done!”

  Azrael extended his hand and claimed the ring. As soon as the radiant band made contact with his flesh, a blinding flash of purple light filled his vision, momentarily erasing the horrors that surrounded him. Gasping for breath, Azrael braced himself for whatever would come next, determined to fight for redemption amidst the overwhelming darkness, and the hope that this mysterious accessory would give him the strength to face her again.