Azazel's POV
The sky turned blood-red by the time we reached it
The Crimson Border.
A jagged rift in the land that shimmered with otherworldly energy, splitting the Dragon Realm from the Deadlands, one of the few rumored paths.
Legends say no one returns from the Crimson Border.
Great.
"Tell me again how this is a shortcut," I muttered, folding my arms as we stood at the edge of the rift, staring into the swirling vortex of magic and shadow.
He insisted that we search the here then the demon realm for clues, and even though I didn't want to go to the demon realm I agreed
Azrath didn't respond.
He just stared into the storm, his jaw tense, with his golden hair whipping in the wind like he was some tragic statue carved by some pissed-off gods.
I hated how annoyingly attractive he was in moments like this.
And I hated that I noticed.
"Well?" I pressed. "Are we going through or just admiring death from afar?"
He turned to me, face unreadable. "Once we cross, we won't be able to come back the same way we will have to look for another exit,.This border reads minds and Identifies Even magic. If we're not careful, we might get separated and that will trigger the bond violently"
I blinked. "violently?"
"You don't want to know what that feels like." nandros whispered
"And yet, here we are." I stepped forward, my voice firm. "We need to break the curse. And This is one of places we might find clues to locate Ashen sanctum So move, dragon"
Something flickered in his eyes. Something… complicated. And maybe a little impressed, or angry.
With one final glance at the old man trailing behind us, I impatiently stepped into the red mist.
And everything went to hell.
~
Azrath's POV
I felt her pain before I heard her scream.
The Crimson Border didn't just attack the body it tore at the soul. I growled from pain also before I turned and looked at nandros "cast the jufe spell" he nodded in response before I followed her into the red mist.
The air was thick with whispers, illusions, fragments of memory. I saw Azazel kneeling there with her palms covering her face, then suddenly I saw My brother's smirk. He was standing there right in front of me.
I could feel anger build up in me when suddenly nandros voice came "remember everything you see it's an illusion sire".
Even though it was an illusion I wanted to tear Xykalis apart.
But
Then I felt her fear.
It slammed into my chest like a blade.
I reached out blindly through the mist, grabbing her arm. Her skin was cold, and her eyes wide with shadows.
"Don't let go," I growled.
"I wasn't planning to," she snapped, voice shaky.
This girl is still stubborn even in this situation.
But I really don't have time to start arguing with her, cause before we are done we will both be dead.
So I dragged her and
We ran.
The storm screamed around us, and then it went Quiet.
We stumbled into a hollow beneath a shattered tree. The mist couldn't reach us there cause the jufe spell was already taking effect, I could see it attacking the mist.
We both collapsed, breathless, sweating, and shaking.
Azazel leaned against the wall, her hair stuck to her face, lips parted. "That was… awful."
I nodded, watching the curve of her throat as she swallowed hard.
And then suddenly like the gods had planned it lightning cracked overhead and a sudden soulstorm slammed down.
And then it started raining but it was unlike anything I'd seen poured from the sky, it was not of water, but energy. Pure, humming magic that could fry the nervous system of anything left unprotected.
Nandros immediately rushed into the cave
"We can't go back out there," Nandros said, pulling his cloak tighter.
"We have to wait till it dies down" I replied, glancing toward Azazel.
She was shivering, with her teeth clenched.
"Your magic's fading," I said, sensing it.
"I'm fine," she muttered.
But I knew She wasn't.
The storm was draining her fast.
And The bond thrummed between us, hot and pulsing.
I knew what had to be done.
"Come here," I said quietly.
She raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"You're cold. Weak. The curse feeds on imbalance. If one of us collapses, we both die."
She hesitated, suspicion flaring in her eyes. "And what exactly are you suggesting, dragon?"
I unbuckled my cloak and spread it wide beside me on the floor. "I'm not asking for your soul demon, I am trying to help your body needs heat."
Her eyes narrowed. "This isn't some ploy to get me to crawl into your arms, is it?"
"I promise you it's not," I said dryly, "trust me I will never want you in my arm little demon."
That made her blink.
"You should go demon, it's unlike my master to help, so when he does just accept it" nandros said.
But am sure it slipped, cause the moment he did he placed his palms on his lips and bowed down immediately "I am so sorry sire".
I just ignored him, this wasn't the first time I heard that, and he was right anyway.
She finally sighed and crawled closer, lying beside me stiff as a board. "Don't get ideas."
"you really think a head of yourself," I said under my breath.
"What?"
"Nothing." I said shortly not wanting to argue with her.
We lay in silence, with tension thicker than the storm outside.
Her breath slowed and Her body softened, bit by bit, close to mine.
She didn't know it, but she was humming with magic her core reacting to mine, syncing, aligning.
The bond between us pulsed once.
Then again.
I should have pulled away.
Instead… I let it happen.
Let our souls slip a little closer.
Just enough for her to heal.
~
Azazel's POV
His heartbeat was loud against my ear.
Steady.
Strong.
It should've comforted me.
Instead, it made something coil deep in my stomach.
I hated this.
I hated how my body calmed next to his.
I hated how safe I felt.
And more than anything…
I hated that I didn't want to move.
But I would.
Because the moment we broke this curse I was taking his heart.