See Ya!

(Samira)

The heat.

A blistering wave of heat slammed into me as soon as Azrael dropped the barrier. If it wasn't for my powers over ice, I would've already caught on fire.

"Abi!" I called out but it was no use.

"It's not gonna be that easy", Azrael chuckled.

"How is this funny to you?!" I snapped at him.

"Oh, trust me it's not. It's just...", Azrael looked at me with a crazy grin on his face ,"Fun"

'Oh no' I thought to myself. I'd forgotten how much of a battle maniac he was.

Heck, if he'd wanted to, he would have taken on the entire fortress on his own!

Azrael looked past me and his grin only grew wider ,"And here comes some more fun"

At first, I didn't get what he meant, but then I heard it. Dozens of shuffling footsteps were quickly climbing up the staircase.

"Well", Azrael flexed his arms ,"I know what I'm gonna do. Happy Hunting!"

With that, he leaped past me and headed down the staircase. I would have followed to stop him but unfortunately I had my own problem to take care of.

"Raarrr!" Abi focused his gaze on me, his eyes still red with rage.

"Abi...", I said as I slowly approached him. I put on hand on my chest ,"It's me, Sam..."

He grunted but seemed reluctant to attack. He was still in there! I kept going.

"I want to apologize, Abi", I took a few more steps ,"I want to-"

Maybe I'd gotten too close, but for whatever reason it was, he'd heard enough.

Abi slammed the ground and lunged at me, lightning still pulsing all over his body.

I quickly ducked under his arm and rolled behind him to his exposed blindspot.

'Just what I was hoping for!'

I spread my arms and shouted ,"Gelerir!"

Ice and snow burst forth from my body, instantly dowsing his flames and lightning.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to completely immobilize him.

He turned around and swung his arm at me but I easily dodged it. His movements were more sluggish now and he was breathing heavily.

"Abi!" I called out again ,"I'm sorry I didn't ask you how you felt!"

Abi stopped and stared at me. I took that as a sign to keep going.

"At the palace...", I stepped closer to him. This time, he made no move to stop me ,"After I told you about Diazel and you just laughed at me, I just assumed you didn't care-"

I stood right in front of him now. Even as he looked down at me, he still made no move to attack.

"-But you've been worried about me from the moment this started, haven't you?", I said gently ,"You don't need to anymore. I'm fine now"

I reached up and touched his face. His skin was rough and so hot that it burnt my hand, but I didn't care.

"Forgive me, Abi", I said, with tears in my eyes ,"And please come back to me"

"Sam...", he said slowly.

The fur on his body began to vanish and he shrank back to size, till all that was left was regular old Abigor.

Abi looked at me and touched my face as if to reassure himself that it was actually me.

"I am so sorry I did this to you", I said, tears streaming down my face.

"Sam", Abi pulled me in and hugged me, he's nostalgic scent was almost intoxicating ,"It's okay...everything's fine now"

•

(OVERVIEW)

(Outside the fortress)

"Form a defensive line!"

"Where did he go?!"

"Over there! Look out!"

Outside the fortress, the army of demons was being thrown into chaos by a single figure.

Azrael stood confidently in the middle of the hundreds of demons that surrounded him with their weapons aimed at him.

A larger demon, dressed in black armor and armed with a spear, broke through the ranks and stood in front of Azrael.

"Your highness. I regret to inform you that we have orders to kill any unauthorized person on sight!", the demon bellowed gleefully.

"Is that so?" Azrael asked and shook his head slowly ,"Yes, that is quite regretful"

The demon took a stance and leveled his spear ,"My name is Celvaric! And it would be an honor for me to take his highness' head"

"You taking my head?" Azrael took off his jacket and tossed it aside ,"I'm sorry to disappoint you, buddy-"

Azrael vanished for a split second and reappeared behind Celvaric.

"-I'll be the one taking yours", said Azrael as he eyed the demons around him with a sinister look in his eyes ,"All of yours..."

The demons in the front line flinched away from him a little and one of them looked at Celvaric.

"Commander", said the demon ,"What are your orders-?"

THUD!

Before he could even finish, Celvaric fell forward and his head rolled off of his body. The soldiers cried out in horror.

"So", Azrael's eyes lit up with excitement, which only added to the absolute terror the demons felt ,"Who's next?"

•

(OVERVIEW)

"So tell me one more time, what exactly are we looking for?"

Samira sighed tiredly ,"Really Abi? How many times are you going to make me explain.

After they had both made up, they went to work and cleared most of the rubble and ice away from the summoning circle, which was surprisingly still intact.

They'd even found Asmodeus and set it against one of the gargoyle pedestals. There was no sign of Diazel though, he must have crawled away somewhere during the chaos.

Now they stood by the shelves with the contracts, Abigor sipping a vial of dragon's blood to get his strength and mana back, and Samira reading one the contracts in her hands.

"We need to search for a contract that will allow all of us to be summoned by the same mortal", Samira explained ,"So that we don't get separated"

"That means we have to go through of these contracts by ourselves?" Abigor groaned lazily ,"Where's Azrael?"

"Outside", Samira answered as she took another contract from the shelf and opened it ,"Having 'fun' again"

"Ooof course he is", Abigor rolled his eyes as he took one of the contracts and unravelled it.

He took one look and frowned ,"You said one with three demons and one mortal, right?"

"Abi, for the last time-" Samira threw her arms up in exasperation.

"No, I mean I found one", Abigor showed it to her.

"What kind of job would a mortal need three demons for...?" Samira muttered.

"We'll find out when we get there", said Abigor ,"Let's go get Azrael-"

"I don't think so!"

Diazel blocked their path, Asmodeus back in his hand. He was still a bloody mess from the fight he'd had with Abigor before.

Abigor stepped in front of Samira to protect her.

"Just let us pass, Diazel", Abigor threatened ,"And I don't have to hurt you again"

Diazel's eyes were filled with pure malice and hate as he pointed his sword at Abigor.

"You...", he said before turning to Samira ,"You would seriously choose a lowly son of Sloth over me?"

Samira's eyes glowed dangerously ,"Mind your tongue, Diazel, if you still value it"

"Unacceptable!" Diazel's face was colored red with rage ,"I swear, I'll make you pay-"

Diazel raised his sword and made a small cut across his palm. Then he held it over the magic circle, letting some blood splatter onto it.

The ground trembled as the circle began to glow. It felt like the entire fortress was about to collapse.

"What are you doing?!" Samira hissed ,"If you destroy this place, you'll lose everything and die with it!"

Diazel laughed maniacally ,"Don't be ridiculous! I'm just bringing you your doom!"

Suddenly, the tremors stopped and a single entity came through the circle.

It was a woman. Her eyes were closed as if she were asleep, she wore a silk red dress, her black hair flowing like water around her.

She was so breathtakingly beautiful, no one in the room made a single move at all.

"Asmodeus...", the woman whispered, her eyes still closed ,"Come"

The demonic sword immediately tore itself out of Diazel's grasp and flew to her hand.

"Ah, how I've missed this feeling...", said the woman.

She swung the blade in one swift motion and cuts appeared on the sides of Abigor and Samira's faces. They both shook in fear, too scared to touch the wounds on their faces as they watched the woman.

"It feels so good to be home...", she opened her eyes. Her scarlet colored eyes gleamed like a pair of two brilliant rubies.

Ravana, the Demon of Lust had arrived.

•

(OVERVIEW)

"M-mother!" Diazel snapped out of his daze and quickly bowed before Ravana ,"Welcome home"

"Why did you summon me?" Ravana asked.

Diazel raised his head and pointed at Abigor and Samira ,"Them! These two broke in here-"

"Broke in?" Samira raised an eyebrow at him.

"Shut up!" he snapped before turning back to Ravana ,"Mother, I implore to get rid of these pests that stand before you"

Ravana's expression remained blank as she answered ,"Very well"

With that, she swung Asmodeus down and cut off her son's head, instantly killing him. Diazel's limp body fell to the ground, a pool of blood slowly spreading around it.

"One pest down", said Ravana coldly as she fixed her gaze on Abigor and Samira ,"Two to go"

"How could you?!" Abigor shouted in outrage ,"He was your son!"

"He was a pest", she corrected ,"And so are you. Now, if you don't mind-"

Ravana took a single step forward but in a flash, she was standing right in front of Abigor, her sword raised above her head.

"Die!" Ravana shouted.

Samira cried out as Ravana brought the sword down on Abigor's head

CLANG!

Something had parried Ravana's strike and pushed her back.

"Just what do you think you are doing?"

Azrael suddenly stood between Ravana and Abigor, a shining sword in his hand.

"Don't you dare", said Azrael, his voice just as cold and void of any warmth ,"Touch my friends"

"Azrael!" Abigor said in relief ,"Thanks for the save"

Ravana looked at Azrael in surprise, but it was quickly replaced with an amused smile.

"Oh, I see now", said Ravana ,"You two pests are with the prince"

"Who do you think you're calling pests?" Azrael asked, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"Azrael", said Samira as she held up the contract from earlier ,"This is our ticket out of here. But all three of us have to be on the circle for us to go through"

Azrael nodded at her before looking back at Ravana ,"You heard her. Move"

"I think not, your highness", she said the last two words as if to mock him.

They both said nothing more than that and simply charged at each other. Their blades clashing violently and their movements were too fast for Abigor and Samira to follow with their eyes.

"Come on", said Samira as she grabbed Abigor's hand and pulled him along.

They skirted around the battle, keeping close to the wall as they walked towards the magic circle.

•

(Azrael)

Blood and adrenaline coursed rapidly through my body as I fought Ravana, neither of our attacks hitting their mark.

"You're not half bad, little prince!", Ravana called out as she took a jab at my chest.

"I should say the same to you!" I answered as I sliced at her throat.

We continued to parry each other's attacks, neither one of us willing to leave an opening.

I was fighting at 50% right now and Ravana was keeping up with me without any trouble at all.

'How exciting!' I thought as I fought.

I risked a glance over my shoulder and spotted Abigor and Samira creeping towards the magic circle.

'Good' I thought to myself 'I'll join them as soon as I take care of this'

I winced as Ravana managed to land a hit on my arm. I leaped back for a moment and examined the wound.

It wasn't a deep cut or anything, but something felt off...

"What's wrong, little prince?" Ravana teased ,"Are you finished already?"

I eyed her sword wearily ,"That sword...what power does it have?"

"Oh! So you noticed", said Ravana with a smirk as she stroked the blade of her sword ,"Asmodeus has the power to seduce and turn anyone I slash seven times-"

She brought the blade to her lips and licked it lustfully.

"-into a mindless puppet who's hopelessly in love with me"

I clenched my jaw. I could tell she wasn't lying. Even with one cut, I could feel the sword's magic working it's way through me. It was weak now but anymore cuts from that sword would be very bad.

"Azrael!"

I looked past Ravana and saw Samira and Abigor waving to me from the magic circle.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you", I said as I tossed my sword aside ,"But I have no intention of becoming your puppet"

"You think I'll give you a chance to escape?", Ravana laughed ,"How do you plan on beating me without your sword?"

"Enough is enough", I ignored her and put my hands together ,"let's see if you'll survive this"

I increased my energy, jumping to 75% and condensed my mana in my palms. A little sphere of dark purple energy formed in my hand and I hurled it at Ravana.

Her eyes widened and she tried to dodge it but she was too slow. The sphere expanded into the size of a boulder and Ravana held up her sword to keep the energy from going out of control and exploding.

"You imbecile!", Ravana screamed at me. I could see her sweating as she struggled to keep the mass of energy under control ,"If this mana core explodes, it will destroy the entire fortress"

"You'd better hurry up and get it under control then", I said as I walked passed her to where my friends were waiting.

"You think you can run away from me?!" Ravana bellowed ,"There isn't a single place in the Mortal Realm where I won't find you!"

I looked at her one last time before I stepped into the circle ,"And we'll be waiting for you"

With that I stepped inside and the circle began to glow brightly.

"Well, it's been a blast", Abigor winked at Ravana with a smile on his face.

"See ya", Samira waved at her too.

The summoning circle hummed loudly and the last thing I heard was Ravana shouting curses at us before everything went dark and we were gone.