A familiar voice

Azrael grabbed the map and prepared to leave the city. After making his way to the gate, he paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before setting off into the darkness. He dashed in the direction following the map, his movements fluid and graceful as he weaved in between the trees and rocks. Azrael didn't opt for taking a carriage or horse as he was way faster than any conventional means of travel.

Azrael dashed towards his destination at great speeds, his body almost a blur as he whizzed through the air. The night was quiet, and the only sound was the wind rustling through the trees and the rhythmic beat of Azrael's footsteps.

After hours of travelling, Azrael spotted a cyval checkpoint up ahead. They were blocking the path he was to take, and he stood a distance away for some time as he analysed the situation and formulated a plan. The checkpoint was heavily guarded, and it would be impossible to sneak past undetected.

After a while, it became clear to Azrael that there was only one way past them, and that was right through. The checkpoint numbered about twenty, and they each felt quite strong, but of course, not strong enough to trouble Azrael.

Killing them would mean he would get a substantial amount of dark ki, but he wondered why he still hesitated. Were Ellie's words really messing with him? Azrael took a long sigh before pulling up his hood and approaching his targets.

Azrael walked towards the checkpoint with purpose. Without a word, he approached the Cyval men who lingered around the passage, some sitting around a fire to escape the morning cold, and others watching their surroundings intently. One of the men exclaimed, "Hey you, stop there!" as Azrael approached, and he stopped in response.

"What are you doing?" the man demanded.

"I need to pass. I have some business far west of no man's land," Azrael responded.

"Hmm," the man said, looking Azrael up and down. "You know what, just be on your way. I'm in a good mood," the soldier said to Azrael.

"Really?" Azrael thought to himself as he began to walk through the checkpoint. He had assumed these Cyval soldiers were probably like the ones he had encountered before: ruthless thugs. They probably were, but just too tired to bother with Azrael.

Azrael walked past the checkpoint reluctantly. He wanted a fight. He wanted the dark ki he would get from defeating them.

"You know what? That won't work," Azrael said, stopping in his tracks. He couldn't let them be. After all, they were his enemy. They killed his squad, and they killed him. Yes, anything to further justify the massacre he was about to commit.

"What are you saying?" one of the soldiers said, still not taking Azrael seriously. But that quickly changed as Azrael unsuppressed his ki completely, and his deathly aura filled the area.

"I'm saying all of you will have to die here," Azrael said as the soldiers drew their weapons, gazing at Azrael in fear and hesitancy to approach.

Soon after, the floor was drenched in blood and littered with the corpses of the Cyval soldiers. Azrael stood in the middle, taking deep breaths as he absorbed the dark ki from his killings. He could feel his strength rising. Suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Wow, what a ruthless god you are," it said. Azrael swiveled his head rapidly, trying to find the source of the voice.

"Who are you? Come out!" he demanded, his eyes still scanning his surroundings.

"Oh, how hurtful. You can't recognize my voice, and here I thought we had such a bonding fight," the voice said again. Azrael realized he knew this voice. It was the voice of someone he didn't expect to hear from.

"You're the one from the Soulless Temple?" Azrael asked, recognizing her voice.

"Correct! I know it's impossible to forget me," the voice replied excitedly.

"Where are you? What happened to Mortimer?" Azrael asked.

"Ugh, so many questions, and I don't feel like answering them, you know. Okay, I'll answer one of them. I'm in the Watchers Gate," the voice replied.

"What? How?" Azrael demanded, confused by her words.

The voice remained silent, not answering Azrael's questions.

"Where's Mortimer?" Azrael asked again after the silence.

"Like I said, I don't feel like answering your questions. Maybe if you said please, that'll motivate me to give you some answers," the voice replied.

"Answer me before I-" Azrael began, but was cut off by the voice.

"Before you what, huh? I know you can't enter this place by yourself, so just stop trying to threaten me. And remember, the last time we fought, you only survived because Mortimer saved you," the voice said.

Azrael took a deep breath to calm himself down before asking the voice, "Can you tell me what's going on, please?" He was desperate for answers.

"Good," the voice replied before continuing, "After you lost consciousness, Mortimer brought my soul into the Watcher's Gate. He said he spared me because he wants me to serve you, but I have no plans of doing that, by the way. He said something about the possibility of infinitely evolving if my soul was bound to this place."

"What does that mean?" Azrael asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," the voice replied. "But since then, I occasionally feel my powers grow. And just now, I was able to see you and talk to you, and my power grew quite a lot too. I haven't felt like this since my last evolution."

"So, she grows in power every time I do?, could it be?" Azrael muttered to himself.

"Where is Mortimer?" Azrael asked.

"After he told me these things, he sat on his throne and has been asleep ever since. For what feels like an eternity, in this place time has become pointless to me," the voice said, taking a pause before continuing. "Mortimer said he would awaken when you are strong enough. He also said that you should be able to call for me if you will it."

"If I will it," Azrael repeated before staying silent for a moment as if in thought. "Come," he finally said.

Azrael's command had an immediate effect as a breathtaking scene unfolded before him. The air around him seemed to shimmer and warp as if reality itself was being torn apart.

Out of thin air, a massive wolf emerged, materializing before his very eyes. The creature was a towering behemoth, that exuded power and dominance. Its fur coat was a sight to behold, glistening in the light and flowing like waves in the sea.

The colour of its hair was an intense shade of blue that seemed to dance and shimmer like flames, as if it were imbued with an otherworldly energy.

As Azrael stared in awe at the magnificent creature before him, he noticed the wolf's bright golden eyes. They were fierce and penetrating, radiating an aura of intelligence and cunning.

As the wolf stood before Azrael, the same voice from before echoed in his mind once more. "Why am I here?" it asked, its voice booming like thunder in the stillness of the moment.