Colin's posts

Azazel was silent for a moment... almost shocked when she responded the way she did.

She... she didn't respond at all. Not emotionally, anyway.

She just... seemed to give him some... response. A verbal response.

"...Erica..." he whispered.

"......." he was then silent again, before shaking his head.

'She must be in a state of shock.' he reasoned mentally.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.

Azazel wasn't sure what to make of this.

This was... a jarring change.

"....Erica..." he said quietly, before leaning in and wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm sorry." he apologised.

"I'm so sorry." he repeated.

"I didn't know a demon was extorting you." he went on.

"....I'm so sorry..." he whispered.

"........" Azazel was silent, before looking at Erica. He looked around a couple of times, before making a split-second decision. He disappeared from where they were, and appeared in his home, in his den.

Once there, he laid Erica down on the couch.

"Erica?" he asked.

"Erica, are you all right?" he asked her, checking her over.

Azazel narrowed his eyes.

"I don't care." he said.

"You may very well be considered a prince of hell, but I refuse to let you get your way with Erica." he told him.

He then concentrated hard... and caused the mana that was worsening the marks on Erica to actually seep into HIM. Erica needed to have her markings calmed down and she needed it NOW. And he knew that the seconds counted here.

He also put up a small mana barrier bubble around him and Erica... though he was in immense pain from taking in Balphagor's demonic mana.

"Erica..." he whispered.

"Erica... hang... on..." he said quietly.

Azazel looked back at the other demon, and held Erica close.

"So YOU'RE the cause of this!?" he exclaimed.

"Damn you." he cursed.

"Damn you and your lust for power." he growled, as he put out his own demonic mana, trying to counterbalance Balphagor's and cancel it out.

"I don't know HOW you managed to ensnare Erica like this, but I won't let it happen." he continued, glaring at the demon.

Internally, he was making plans to escape. Balphagor was a lot higher on the demonic tier... and he knew he couldn't fight him head-on. He needed to escape and take Erica with him.

The demon just laughed as he saw this.

"You pathetic worm." he said.

"Did you really think that calling Elizabeth's little pet would save you!?" he asked her... mere seconds before a portal appeared behind him, and a fist slammed into the back of his head, causing him to fall to his knees, breaking his concentration, and causing the surrounding 'hellscape' to subside considerably.

And that's when Azazel jumped out of the portal.

"...Balphagor." he growled.

"Azazel." Balphegor snarled back.

Azazel responded by slamming his head into the wall, and rushing over towards Erica.

"Erica!?" he exclaimed.

"Oh my good God, are you all right!?" he asked.

If she'd hoped for any serious damage, she would have been sorely disappointed.

However, if she'd hoped to push him away and surprise him into letting her go, then she DID achieve that.

He was caught off guard and stumbled back, letting go of her wrist and stumbling back.

However, this didn't appear to stop what was happening.

She was still feeling seriously oppressive mana surrounding her, and she could almost feel it crawling into her mind. And her curse marks were starting to outright throb, causing her physical pain each time they did so.

It was as though hell was being brought to the surface, and the markings were now actively and rapidly consuming her.

It rang for only half a second, before the demon shot a small bolt of mana at it, causing it to explode and break into pieces.

"Why you little..." he snarled.

He then literally threw her against a nearby wall, winding her and causing pain to shoot through her body.

"All right." he said.

"Looks like I need to make this quick." he commented.

"When he comes here, he's going to find you to be absolutely broken." he told her, approaching.

"I will make you little more than a shell for MY desires!" he declared, as she felt the very presence of hell itself surrounding her.

The demon responded by roughly grabbing her wrist and lifting her arm up. The arm with her markings on it. And as soon as he did so, she felt them pulse and spread, almost threatening to take over.

"DON'T play dumb with me." he snarled.

"I have VERY little patience for that." he told her.

"I guess you'll have to go through hell once more." he then said further.

"Seems the last 3 days didn't learn you your lesson." he continued.

"Or are you willing to cooperate now?" he asked.

He just looked at her with deadpan eyes.

"Your soul." he said.

"How droll. How stereotypical." he commented.

"Please. Soul brokering isn't what it used to be. I don't want your fractured and fragile pathetic little soul." he told her.

"Having your POWER at my disposal, though. THAT is a prize." he went on.

"...though it seems like you're not broken enough yet."

What happened next she was unsure of. But before she could blink, he was inside her house, and she had stepped back... he was inside the door, and slammed it behind him. His eyes started to glow red, and she could swear she felt him piercing into her soul, before he sighed.

"...seems it's just coincidence." he mumbled, before shrugging.

"Guess I overreacted." he said further, as the horns on his head formed, and his tail emerged from behind him.

"Regardless, it seems you don't remember." he then commented, before sighing quietly, and chuckling. "So I think I'll enlighten you." he went on.

"You already paid me." he informed her, as the envelope and money disappeared into the flames, burned to cinders.

"3 days ago." he went on.

"...but your debt to me is only BEGINNING to be paid." he added, a cruel smirk playing out on his face.

The man narrowed his eyes at the envelope.

"...it reeks of celestial." he said.

"You had an angel here." he told her.

"What did you tell him?" he asked her, his tone growing angrier.

"Answer me now. And it better satisfy me." he growled, snatching the envelope, demonic flames engulfing it... though it resisted being burned a little, from the miniscule residual mana Zeke had left on it.

When Zeke left, there was... a bit on his mind.

"Something seemed... up..." he said to himself. "Something was... off... with her..." he went on.

He then paused for a moment, thinking about it, and then sighing.

'Or am I overthinking this because of concern?' he asked himself mentally.

Sure enough, about 15 minutes after that, there was a knock on her door. This one was forceful, and there was a hint of impatience to it, meaning she knew exactly who was there.

And they did NOT sound pleased, if the knocking was any indication.

"Of course." Zeke responded.

"I'll text you as soon as it goes through." he assured her, before finishing up his drink.

He then set the mug down and looked at her.

"I should be off." he said.

"Gotta get back to work." he chuckled.

"Glad I could help, and thanks for the coffee." he went on.

"I'll see you later." he finished, before getting closer and giving her a hug.