Chapter 425: The Forgotten Past - XIX

[Music recommendation: A Minor Benediction · Edmund Percival Montfort]

There were certain rules that had to be followed to maintain the balance between the three realms that together formed one world.

The first was that every soul born in a particular realm would be reborn in that same realm, unless fate itself decreed otherwise for a greater purpose.

The second was that no royal was permitted to cross into the World of the Living without paying an extraordinarily heavy price... one that demanded the sacrifice of something most precious to them. In exceptional circumstances, however, they could be granted temporary passage by the Devil himself, though the Underworld would eventually pull them back once their allotted time was up.

Queen Lilith knew this all too well.

Even after her death, only Raizel, the reigning Devil, could grant her permission to cross into the World of the Living for the purpose revealed to her in a vision a few nights earlier.

The impending catastrophe she had glimpsed was, in truth, unavoidable. And yet, she knew there was a reason she had been shown those fragments of the future... a purpose that only she could fulfil.

A crushing burden rested upon her shoulders as she fought to convince her husband to take her life. She knew with absolute certainty that if she failed, the entire Underworld would cease to exist.

"Please... Rai," Lilith’s voice trembled as she stroked his face lovingly.

Leaning closer, she whispered something into his ear that made Raizel go completely still.

Taking advantage of his momentary stillness, Lilith leaned forward and kissed him deeply.

Raizel closed his eyes, surrendering to the familiar warmth of the woman he loved more than anything, as another tear slipped down his cheek. He felt her intertwine her fingers with his before guiding his hand towards her heart.

Suddenly, a sharp gasp escaped her lips.

She bit down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood, and the air around them fell still as she silently chanted a spell within her mind.

When she finally pulled away, Raizel’s eyes flew open in shock.

Lilith offered him a bittersweet smile and whispered, "You must keep your promise. You owe me this, Raizel... to your mate."

"No!" Raizel gasped, his wide crimson eyes dropping to Lilith’s chest.

An ancient dagger had pierced her heart, her trembling hand holding his around the hilt.

"No, no, no!" Raizel instantly tore the blade free, causing blood to gush from the wound, and an agonised gasp broke from Lilith’s lips.

"Lilith!" Raizel screamed, pulling her collapsing body against his chest with shaking arms. "I’m sorry... I’m so sorry! What did you do... what have you done, Lilith?!"

Blood trickled from the corner of Lilith’s mouth as her weak hands gripped his back.

"Fulfil... my... last wish. I... love... you... Rai-"

Her voice faded, and her body went limp in his arms. A faint purple light began to emanate from her, gradually enveloping her entire form.

"LILITH!!!" Raizel’s anguished scream shook the chambers.

Suddenly, dark powers erupted from his entire body, spiralling into a colossal black tornado that tore through the royal chambers and surged towards the sky. Above the palace, dark clouds began churning violently, gathering into an ominous storm that seemed to herald the beginning of the end.

....

Meanwhile, a few minutes earlier...

The Grand Oracle, who had teleported herself to Las Noches and sought an audience with the King, found herself stopped by the guards. They informed her that no one was permitted to approach His Majesty, as Raizel had sealed his chambers behind a powerful barrier.

"You don’t understand! I must see His Majesty right now!" the Grand Oracle insisted. "Take me to where the barrier has been erected. If His Majesty senses me disrupting it, I’m certain that will be enough to catch his attention and compel him to hear me out."

Before the guards could respond, Raizel’s powers erupted from the palace, tearing through its roof and shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

The guards and the Grand Oracle immediately looked up at the sky.

"Are we under attack?" one of the guards exclaimed.

"Look! It’s coming from His Majesty’s chambers!" another shouted.

The Grand Oracle watched in horror as the King’s power wreaked havoc across the skies. Her face paled as she whispered, "No... Was I too late?"

....

An hour before Lilith’s death...

Far away from the chaos, Gavriel and Belial, accompanied by dozens of their elite special forces, materialised inside Prince Azrath’s palace.

As they marched through the grand corridors, an eerie, suffocating silence greeted them, as though someone had been anticipating their arrival.

Both Gavriel and Belial wore grim expressions. The possibility that Azrath had been alerted to their approach was not lost on them.

"Do you think he ran away?" Belial asked quietly.

"Even if he did... there is no corner in this realm where he can hide from me," Gavriel replied, his eyes burning crimson as he surveyed their surroundings like a predator searching for its prey, ever watchful for an ambush.

"Still... something feels off," Belial murmured.

A strange energy seemed to grow stronger as they approached Azrath’s chambers.

Just before they could step inside, Belial caught Gavriel by the arm.

Everyone came to a halt.

Gavriel turned to Belial, who urged, "Let the guards open the door."

Gavriel gave him a nod before calling out, "Orin."

Orin instantly commanded his subordinates, "Advance! Open the doors!"

The guards hurried forward and blasted the doors open with their powers.

None of them entered immediately.

Instead, they stood outside, cautiously scanning the room until Orin finally called out, "Your Highness..."

Both Gavriel and Belial stepped up to the threshold, their crimson eyes carefully sweeping over the empty chamber.

For a moment, no one spoke, until both princes narrowed their eyes toward a high-backed armchair situated near an open window.

Without another word, Belial raised his hand. A silver orb hissing with volatile dark magic hovered over his palm before he hurled it straight at the chair.

Just before reaching it, the orb collided with an invisible crimson barrier, unleashing a powerful shockwave that sent a gust of wind through the chamber and ruffled everyone’s hair.

And there he was.

Azrath sat comfortably in the armchair, his long, dark hair framing his face as he regarded them with a smug expression, his red eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Found you, bastard!" Belial hissed, gripping his sword.

Before Gavriel could stop him, the First Prince charged towards Azrath.

But the moment Belial stepped across the threshold, a massive magical circle sprang to life beneath his feet, and everything happened at once.

"Belial!" Gavriel exclaimed, rushing forward to pull his brother back.

However, before he could reach him, a colossal red portal opened beneath their feet.

"Your Highness!" Orin shouted.

The guards stared in horror, but they did not hesitate. The moment their princes were swallowed by the portal, they leapt in after them.

Within seconds, the portal had engulfed everyone before vanishing without a trace.

The next moment, they were hurled onto a barren expanse of land, surrounded by burning volcanoes and endless stretches of red sand.

Belial and Gavriel coughed as the harsh impact forced sand into their throats.

Around them, the guards struggled to their feet, coughing and shielding their faces as they tried to see through the thick clouds of dust.

"Where are we?" one of them asked.