CHAPTER 68: CHAPTER 67: AZRAEL IS DEAD, LIKE LITERALLY...

"Spread out," Rhydric said quietly. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried weight enough to make Theo and Eryx nod without argument. "Check every room."

The group split, Theo swept through the lower rooms, the study, the dining hall, the back lounge, every was empty. Even the rooms downstairs.

Ian checked the back hallway and the kitchen, the metallic tang in the air making his skin crawl. "Nothing," he called out softly.

Then came Eryx.

He moved upstairs, but then his step slowed when he sensed something, each step echoing like a pulse.

The door to Azrael’s room stood half-open.

A faint mist curled from inside.

Eryx’s chest tightened. "Azrael?" he called, voice low. No answer.

He tried again, softer this time. "Azrael, you in there?"

Still nothing.

His stomach dropped.

Every instinct screamed at him not to move forward, but he did anyway. He moved before his brain could say otherwise.

The air grew colder with each step he took into the room. The floor was wet, The moonlight spilled through the wide open window, making the water shimmer under his boot. The air felt strange, the scent, metallic, water that can already be seen and something even concerning, Silver.

He could smell Azrael, but he couldn’t see him.

"Az..." he began again, voice tight. His heart pounding so loudly against his ribcage.

But then...

The door slammed shut behind him.

The sound was so violent, the kind that made your blood turn to ice.

Outside, in the hall, Rhydric froze mid-step. Theo’s head snapped up instantly, and Ian’s eyes widened a little.

"What was that?" Theo hissed.

"Eryx," Rhydric said sharply. "That came from azrael’s room."

The next second, they were moving fast. Actually they ran.

Their footsteps thundered up the stairs, every sense heightened, every muscle coiled to strike.

"Eryx!" Theo shouted as they reached the landing. But he was greeted by silence.

Rhydric reached the door first. His hand brushed the handle. He jerked it open with force, but it wouldn’t budge. "Shit...the door isn’t opening."

"It’s locked," Ian growled, shoving forward. "It’s not normal, I think it’s sealed."

Back to Eryx...

Eryx froze.

The sound of the door slamming behind him made the air vibrate like the room itself had taken a breath and held it. His pulse spiked as he turned back, his voice dying in his throat the instant his gaze collided with Azrael’s.

Those eyes... Fuck...

God, those eyes weren’t his.

They glowed like diamonds in sunlight and volcano. Flickering between blue and red, the veins around them darkened like cracks in porcelain. His chest rose and fell too fast, every muscle taut, trembling under the strain of barely controlled rage.

"Az..." Eryx started, stepping forward, his voice careful, almost pleading.

He didn’t even finish the name.

In a blur of motion, Azrael was on him. His hand wrapped around Eryx’s throat with supernatural strength, claws slicing through his skin like paper. Eryx gasped, his breath cut short as his back slammed against the wall.

"Azrael!" he choked, his voice breaking into a strangled rasp.

He could shove him away or better still, retaliate but this was Azrael. He would never fight him, not when he’s not in his right state of mind.

Azrael’s grip only tightened. His claws dug deeper, hot blood sliding down Eryx’s collarbone. The look in his eyes was hunger, madness, fury, but beneath it was a little struggle, like was he’s trying to control himself.

Eryx’s hands clawed at Azrael’s wrist, trying to pry him off, but then...

Then he felt it.

The sting. The unbearable, searing pain that lanced through his veins like molten acid.

Silver. Fuck he’s got silver in his blood.

Eryx’s eyes widened in disbelief, his scream caught in his throat as agony shot through him. It burned, it burned like fire beneath his skin, spreading fast, relentless. His wolf howled inside, thrashing in pain as the toxin from Azrael’s claws coursed into his bloodstream.

"Azrael...stop..." he tried to say, voice cracking. But Azrael’s snarl drowned him out. His claws twisted, and Eryx’s body convulsed.

Then, with a force that shook the room, Azrael threw him, like he weighed nothing.

Eryx crashed into the bookshelf, the wood splintering on impact, books and glass crashing around him. He hit the floor with a hard thud, coughing blood as he groan in pain, the silver still burning through his veins.

Outside the room...

Theo froze. The moment the sound of the crash echoed, his entire expression changed. His heartbeat roared in his ears. "Shit," he muttered under his breath, eyes wide.

Another crash. A strangled scream.

"Theo, don’t..." Ian started, but Theo was already moving.

He rammed his shoulder against the door, once, twice, again, shouting, "Eryx! Eryx, answer me!"

But nothing...

He hit the door again, harder this time, his voice breaking. "Open up, dammit!" He tried to teleport, something he knew he couldn’t do. Those groaned, he has never hated himself more than he did now. He is so useless. All he knows how to do was crack up stupid jokes and laugh like a maniac.

Hmmm...all this just because you couldn’t teleport.

"Fuck," he hissed, slamming his fist into the wall. "I hate this... I hate me..."

Ian’s fists clenched at his sides, helpless fury burning in his chest. His healing ability wouldn’t do a thing against whatever was happening inside.

Then, suddenly, Rhydric’s head snapped toward the door. His pupils dilated, his breath steadied.

Before either of them could react, he vanished.

Just like that.

Piahwn

The air around him shifted, the space where he stood bending, then collapsing as if he was never there.

"The hell...Rhydric?" Ian rasped, spinning around. "He just..."

Theo’s stomach twisted. The color drained from his face. His frustration growing even more. First Eryx, now Rhydric...Only the moon goddess knows what’s happening in that damn room. He wanted to punch something, tear something apart. They better come out alive. All of them.

Because he could feel it something wasn’t right.

Something far worse than rage was moving inside that room.

And Rhydric had just stepped straight into it.

As soon as Rhydric stepped into the room, the air changed.

More like Air, fire and water collided. If a human walk into that room at that moment, will surely drop dead.

Azrael’s head snapped toward him, eyes burning like molten fire, flickering violently between crimson and icy blue. His chest heaved with every breath, veins dark against his skin, his claws dripping red. The wolf inside him was barely beneath the surface, a beast clawing to be free. Still rhydric didn’t miss the fight. That wasn’t supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to fight the silver. You can either accept it and make peace with your monster or fight it and get yourself killed and damn Azrael was choosing otherwise.

Rhydric didn’t blink. Didn’t move at first.

He’d seen enough to understand what was happening.

On the floor, Eryx groaned, trying to push himself up, blood streaking down his neck. His gaze found Rhydric, panic slicing through the pain.

"Don’t..." he coughed, spitting blood. "Don’t let him touch you...he’s got silver in his blood."

But it was already too late.

Azrael moved fast, like a shadow breaking through the light. His fist connected with Rhydric’s gut before he could fully brace himself. The blow was brutal, sending a shockwave through his ribs. Rhydric staggered back, his breath catching in his throat.

Oh shit...

He looked up just in time to see Azrael’s claws slicing through the air toward him. He caught his wrist mid-swing, muscles straining against the force, their eyes locking, one filled with fury, the other with pain.

Azrael snarled, a guttural, broken sound that barely resembled his voice. The veins in his neck bulged, his teeth lengthening, his body trembling under the conflict tearing him apart.

"Azrael," Rhydric growled through gritted teeth, "don’t make me do this."

The only way to put an end to this madness is, to do the worse. Kill to redeem.

Azrael didn’t answer. He swung again, this time harder, wilder and a little lost.

Rhydric’s jaw set. He twisted his arm, slammed a fist across Azrael’s jaw with enough force to crack the air. The sound echoed, but Azrael didn’t even flinch. He only turned back with a groan, eyes darker, his breathing heavier.

But then something stopped him halfway.

Something struck Azrael from behind. The blow made him stumble. He turned slowly, his gaze landing on Eryx, who was now standing but unstable, with a broken lamp in his shaking hand.

Azrael’s lips peeled back, a snarl tearing out of him.

"Eryx, don’t...!" Rhydric barked, already moving.

But Azrael’s rage was faster.

Rhydric grabbed him from behind, his hand gripping Azrael’s hair, the other slamming into his jaw with enough force that isn’t normal. Azrael’s head snapped to the side, a guttural growl escaping him. His claws slashed backward, missing Rhydric’s face by inches.

"I’m sorry, Azrael," Rhydric muttered, his voice low, breaking.

And before the stray wolf could recover, Rhydric’s grip shifted, it twisted sharply, breaking the bone in Azrael’s neck.

Azrael went still.

For a heartbeat, no one breathed.

Then his body went limp, collapsing into Rhydric’s arms before sliding to the ground.