The flames exploded around her, reaching for the sky as though responding to their master’s call. Azrael emerged, his wings extended across the dark sky, and the flames followed. The flames gave much-needed warmth, but she stood there imprisoned between a wall of fire and shadow. When she stared into Azrael’s fiery eyes, she saw savagery and malice she had never seen before. The shadows beneath his eyes grew darker, a scowl developed on his face, his black undertone receded, and his red eyes burned with an unending fury. He is the King of the Dead, not only a figure in her nightmares or the shadow she pursued during the day. He is well beyond her comprehension. The shadows turn around, morphing like serpents to entangle the blazes; they murmur something that Natasha couldn’t understand. She couldn’t close her eyes or take her focus away from what was pounding so hard against her ribs.
Azrael avoids making direct eye contact with her.
“I told you to stay away from her!” In his chase of Sahir, Azrael tore through the air. Her pulse accelerated as the ground beneath her feet rocked. The flames encircling Azrael’s fist collided with Sahir’s shadows. The crash sounded like thunder tearing the sky apart. Sahir found himself in the night sky after being shoved by Azrael.
“They must stop.” Aris stands in the heart of the flames, unconcerned by the approaching darkness.
“Is there nothing we can do to stop them?” Anxious, Natasha asked. While she could feel the flame’s heat, she knew it didn’t burn her. She tries to approach the fire and finds her hand in the crimson, orange flames, feeling nothing but heat. Is its sole purpose of causing Azrael pain? He’s being punished because of her. She bucked, spun, and fought her way out of the mile-long inferno, but the snow didn’t melt, and the fire didn’t go out.
“It’s impossible; even if they are cursed, they are the kings of the two most powerful realms,” Aris’ look is one of despair.
Natasha’s pulse rate increased, and her nerves were wrecks. She can only see the fire and the darkness. That should have been her death toll by now.
“There had to be a way out, Aris!” Natasha yelled.
Aris’ fight came to an end as soon as she looked up.
“Give me a moment to think! Give me a moment to think!”
Natasha was trying to capture sight of Azrael or the Shadow King while Aris struggled with her shadow holds, but all she could see was the flames and shadow warring against each other. Her heart fills with helplessness; she knows nothing. Natasha is new to this world. She had no idea how to stop it; Natasha’s thoughts were confused by doubts, and as her doubts grew, she stopped feeling the flame’s heat, and the shadow began to capture her in her clutches.
“You are no one and nothing,” the shadows murmured as the blackness tightened around Natasha. Natasha’s body stiffened, but she didn’t feel like the shadow pierced through her human skin. Blood poured from her arms, lighting fire, yet she felt nothing.
“Natasha!” Aris’ eyes widened as she noticed Natasha in a trance, walking across the flames toward the shadows.
“Natasha! Don’t go into the shadows! They feed on human flesh! Natasha!” Aris could not break her grip, and Azrael’s gaze shifted from Sahir to the ground.
“Natasha,” he muttered, realizing what had already transpired and turning to Sahir.
Sahir closes his eye and sighs in disappointment, looking at Natasha going towards the shadows, the corner of his mouth swollen with blood. Both of them rushed to the ground.
Natasha pulled away from the flames as the heat seared one side of her body, and the darkness blurred her vision.
“Azrael!”
She had gone blind. She couldn’t see or feel anything. Fear engulfed her from all sides, and she had no idea how to stop it. Everywhere she goes. She feels the heat of the flames or the grip of the shadows on her. When she believed every cell in her body was about to burst from fright, She closed her eyes. The feeling of helplessness gives birth to another emotion: fury. Something unknown, yet it felt like a dormant part of her rising. She doesn’t comprehend it but feels it raging within her.
Is it already too late? Has she truly gone missing? Is she supposed to be here? Doubts began to creep in. The truth was in front of her; how insignificant she was? She had no right to be here.
This is the voice of the shadows, don’t allow them to get to you, said a childish voice, innocent and sweet. Natasha had no idea where the voice was coming from. They’re attempting to apprehend her. Azrael, where have you gone?
Come with us; you don’t belong with him, the vile murmurs crept into her mind like a snake grip.
“Ignore them; you don’t have to stay here.”
“This place isn’t nice,” the child-like voice said again, like a spark piercing the darkness. Then, Natasha noticed a tiny spark in the impenetrable darkness, flickering like a firefly, and her senses returned.
“Natasha!” Azrael’s anguished voice reached her, and she could feel tears filling her eyes.
No way, this isn’t true. ‘I’ve always been pulled to him. She was sure she would be at ease with Azrael. She is not yet lost.
“No, no, no….” Natasha’s lips move, but no sound is come out.
“Azrael is also nearing the end,” one voice stated.
“He broke the rules,” the other said quietly.
“He won’t survive this struggle,” the shadows continued to whisper. Natasha hurriedly moves her hand, attempting to look, to focus. The murmurs go on.
You must accompany us, little forlorn soul.
“No,” Natasha says emphatically.
“Natasha!”
“Azrael!” She opened her eyes, stuck inside the black haze. She could feel the pain of thousands of cuts, blood bathing her, and torment weakening her knees.
“Don’t move, Natasha. “Please wait for me!”
“Azrael, where are you?!”
The scream, “Natasha, don’t-Natasha!” jolted her to her core.
“Azrael,” She runs towards the sound, her legs trembling and her stomach jerking, her mouth full of her own blood.
The shadows sing, “He’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone.”
“No, no, no….” STOP!” she screamed.