The Outskirts stretched endlessly, a wasteland of forgotten souls and fractured hopes. Sariel, Azrael, and Remiel pressed forward, their footsteps crunching against the brittle remains of something that once had life. The deeper they ventured, the more the air itself seemed to close in, thick with unseen whispers that clawed at the edges of their thoughts.

  Sariel clenched her fists. The deeper horrors, Azrael had called them. She had thought he meant the scavengers or Vael’s men. But now, she understood—this was something else.

  "Keep moving," Azrael muttered, his silver eyes darting around. "Don’t listen to them."

  Remiel swallowed hard. "Who are they?"

  Azrael didn’t answer.

  Sariel focused ahead, willing herself to ignore the voices. But they were insidious, curling into her ears like tendrils of smoke.

  "You are forgotten."

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "Heaven does not mourn you."

  "You are already one of us."

  She grit her teeth. "They’re lying."

  Azrael glanced at her. "Are they?"

  She turned sharply to face him, but before she could respond, a new sound echoed through the darkness—low, guttural growls.

  Azrael cursed under his breath. "Hellhounds."

  From the shadows, glowing red eyes flickered to life. Silhouettes of massive, wolf-like creatures emerged, their forms shifting between solid and spectral as if they existed in multiple planes at once. Their fur was matted with something dark and viscous, their breath reeking of decay.

  Remiel tensed. "Can we fight them?"

  Azrael scoffed. "You can try."

  The lead hound snarled, stepping forward. Its eyes locked onto Sariel.

  "Not prey," it rasped. "Not yet."

  Sariel felt a shiver crawl down her spine. "What do you mean?"

  The creature’s lips curled, revealing jagged, blackened teeth. "He watches you."

  Azrael stiffened. "Who?"

  The hound's gaze flickered toward the horizon, where the storm clouds churned violently. "The Prince of this Place."

  Lucifer.

  A cold dread settled in Sariel’s chest.

  The hound exhaled a deep growl, then stepped back. "He will summon you soon."

  With that, the creatures faded into the darkness as if they had never been there.

  Silence stretched between the trio.

  Remiel exhaled. "That was… unsettling."

  Azrael rolled his shoulders. "I told you. This place is not just fire and suffering—it’s a game of power. And you, dear cherub, have just caught the attention of the most dangerous player."

  Sariel clenched her jaw. Lucifer knows I’m here.

  She didn’t know what that meant yet. But she would be ready.

  They pressed on, unaware that in the shadows, another pair of eyes watched them. Eyes that had seen the rise and fall of empires. Eyes that

  knew the true battle yet to come.

  The time was drawing near.