A Way Out

(OVERVIEW)

"I have an idea of how to get out of here"

"What?" Abigor asked in surprise as Samira got out of bed and got dressed.

"I said I think I know a way out of here", Samira repeated.

"How?" Abigor sat up.

"Something to do with Summoning contracts", said Samira as she put on her shoes.

"Abaddon mentioned something like that too but I didn't really get what he meant", said Abigor ,"Are you sure you got this?"

"Don't worry", said Samira confidently ,"My Father has tones of connections throughout the underworld. I'll find a way"

"That's great!" said Abigor with a cheerful smile.

"However-", Samira held up her hand ,"I'll only help on one condition"

"Which is?" asked Abigor curiously.

"I'm leaving with Azrael", she said.

"Yo-you can't be serious!" Abigor stammered.

"I want to be sure he'll be okay, Abi", said Samira ,"And the only way that will reassure me is if I go with him"

"Fine, then I'm going with you", said Abigor with a worried expression on his face ,"But Sam, it will be dangerous"

"And?" she smiled at him and leaned forward, kissing him gently ,"Do you think I can't handle danger? Don't you trust me?"

"You know I trust you", said Abigor as he kissed her back ,"With my life"

"Then it's settled", Samira straightened up ,"Now, I'm gonna go get to work while you can go tell Azrael the good news"

"By all means, please tell me", said an amused voice from the direction of the door.

Samira and Abigor turned their heads in surprise. Leaning against the wall, with a cheeky grin on his face, was Azrael.

"You sneaky bastard!" Abigor laughed and tossed one of the pillows next to him at Azrael ,"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough", said Azrael with a smirk.

Samira's face flushed slightly ,"I should freeze you up and break you to little bits and pieces"

"You're free to try", Azrael shrugged ,"Just know that you will fail"

They stared at each other for a moment before Samira turned away and sighed.

"Whatever", she said ,"I don't pick fights I know I can't win"

"Wise decision", Azrael walked over to them ,"So, are you guys sure you're coming with me?"

They both glanced at each other before looking back at him and nodded.

"Alright then", Azrael folded his arms ,"Sam, what's our way out?"

"I don't really have much to tell you right now", said Samira ,"But, I've heard a few rumours going around the Lower Echelons recently. Rumours about demons being sent to the mortal realm through a Summoning circle"

[*Lower Echelons: One of the three divisions of the Underworld. A sort of Black market for all demons as well as home to the weakest and lowest ranking demons.]

"Summoning circle?" Abigor asked ,"What about contracts?"

"That's the thing", Samira continued ,"From what I've heard, a summoning circle is a type of magic circle that only works if the user has a written contract"

"A contract with who?" Azrael asked as he began pacing around the room.

"I don't know", Samira answered ,"Right now, thats everything I know. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go see someone"

"Who?" Abigor asked.

"Someone who can help" she didn't explain any further.

With that, she walked past Azrael and left the room.

"Why the heck are women always so...?", Azrael shook his head helplessly.

"Mysterious?" Abigor suggested as he got of bed, the bed sheets slipping down onto the floor.

"Sure, let's go with that. For now-", Azrael covered his eyes ,"Get some damn clothes on. We've got stuff to take care of.

•

(Abigor)

"Wait wait wait, so let me get this straight. We're going to the Mortal Realm for a girl?" I asked Azrael.

After I had gotten dressed, Azrael and I decided to get a few more supplies since Sam and I were tagging along.

We were currently walking through the Lower Echelons, disguised of course with cloaks and everything, picking out whatever caught our attention.

"Yes", said Azrael as he picked up a wicked looking dagger from one of the nearby stands and examined it.

"A human?" I asked again just to be sure.

"Mm hmm", Azrael nodded absent-mindedly as he set the dagger back down.

Impossible.

I'd known Azrael since we were children, and I knew for fact that once he had his mind set on something, nothing could convince him otherwise.

He always got whatever he wanted, how he wanted it. No matter what stood in his way.

Heck, even if someone offered him an easier way to get what he wanted, he would never accept it.

'That is not what I wanted' -is probably what he would say. He absolutely hated relying on someone else to decide whether he got have something or not.

That was just the type of person Azrael was.

"You think too much about the simplest things", Azrael's voice shook me from my thoughts.

"So you noticed", I laughed nervously ,"It's just...it's hard to know what you're thinking sometimes. It worries me"

"Well it shouldn't" he said with a simple shrug ,"Alright, have you got everything you need? Cause I've had my fun"

"Already?" I asked sarcastically.

'Of course he has' I thought to myself 'Azrael has no interest in anything'

"Wait", Azrael eyed one of the stands across from us ,"What about those?"

It was a simple jewelry stand where a wrinkly old demon sat. Dozens of different gleaming trinkets were spread out from simple necklaces to bracelets, earrings, hair clips and even clip on piercings.

"Jewelry?" I raised a brow ,"You've never stuck out to me as the 'flashy' type"

"Cause I'm not" Azrael leaned over a few bracelets, examining them closely.

"See anything you like, sir?" the old demon asked with wry smile.

"Yeah", said Azrael and he pointed at row of thin silver colored bracelets with small pale gems embedded in them.

"Oh, excellent choice, sir", the demon rubbed his bony hands together.

I frowned ,"Why would you want that-?"

"You have a good eye, sir", said the demon ,"These bracelets are enchanted with high-tier communication magic"

"What?!" My eyes widened. Those flimsy looking things?!

"The range is over 500,000 metres", the demon continued ,"Can connect up to 9 more bracelets of the same kind, not a single type of scramble magic can disturb the frequency and-"

He gave us a toothless grin ,"They are not detectable by any mid-tier magic, as well as a few high-tier magic"

"Impressive", I stared at the bracelets ,"How much?"

"One black coin for two of them", he said.

[These four types of coins are the currency of Hell:

1 Black coin- $1,000,000

1 Scarlet coin(blood coin)- $100,000

1 Gold coin- $10,000

1 Silver coin- roughly $100]

"Are you out of your mind!" I shouted.

"Surely you agree that is worth the product" he said innocently.

This was ridiculous! Sure the bracelets were good but that didn't give him the right to charge us half a fortune for them.

I was about to voice my complaints but Azrael put his hand on my shoulder.

"We'll take 10 of them", he said, his face completely expressionless.

The old bastard must've been just as surprised as I felt.

"S-seriously?", he stuttered as Azrael placed all five coins in his withered hand.

"You're the one who named the price", said Azrael ,"Why are you doubting?"

"I...um...well then, here are your bracelets", said the demon as he handed them over ,"Have a wonderful evening"

As we walked away from the stand, I couldn't help but ask.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Azrael kept his eyes on the road ahead.

"Cut the crap", I said ,"We both know that wasn't a fair price"

"No", said Azrael ,"It wasn't"

"Then why pay it?!", I got in front of him and stopped him in his tracks ,"Is it because you have the money? Did you feel sorry for him? This is exactly what I was talking about earlier"

"Abigor", Azrael looked me dead in the eye ,"You of all people should know that anything other than what I want, is of no relevance to me"

'Of course I know that', I thought to myself but said nothing.

Azrael stepped passed me and spread his wings.

"Lets go" he said and took off.

I turned and watched him for a moment as he flew, his silhouette already faded into the night sky.

"Would you give the same answer if it cost someone you cared about...?" I asked myself before I spread my wings and flew after him.

•

(OVERVIEW)

(Abigor's palace)

"Where the hell have you two been?" Samira asked as Azrael and Abigor landed on the balcony besides her.

She looked like she had been waiting for a while now.

She was resting on a large sofa that overlooked the central courtyard of the palace. A cup of tea sat untouched, on a small glass table in front of her.

"We went shopping", Abigor sat next to her on the sofa and put his arm around her.

Azrael pulled up a chair and sat across from them.

"So", said Azrael ,"Bring us up to speed"

"Well, I found out quite a few things", said Samira ,"Firstly, there is only one known summoning circle in all of Hell. And that it's 3000 miles east of the city in an old castle"

"The old stronghold..." said Azrael thoughtfully.

"Exactly", Samira nodded ,"It's been rebuilt and turned into a fortress that's overrun with an army of demons. It's basically impenetrable"

"Well then, this should be fun", said Azrael with a smile as he cracked his knuckles.

"Alright", said Abigor ,"How do we break in?"

"Secondly", Samira continued ,"I found out that the fortress belongs to One of the Seven Deadly Demons, the Demon of Lust"

Abigor cursed ,"As if this wasn't hard enough already"

"Lastly, I have some good news and some bad news", said Samira ,"The good news, is that Lust is currently out of town and has left her son in charge of all her duties"

"And the bad news?", Azrael raised his brow.

Samira gritted her teeth and the air around them suddenly dropped. Abigor moved his arm and looked at her in concern.

"Sam...?"

"In order to get access to the magic circle...", Samira's eyes were bright with rage ,"I...have to go on a date with that dirt bag"