Asmodeus's rage reached a boiling point, and his powers surged to new heights. The Paladins stumbled back, overwhelmed by the fallen angel's fury. Izalea, caught off guard, found herself face to face with Asmodeus's wrath.
The demon's claws tore through Izalea's defenses, and she stumbled back, her water manipulation faltering. Asmodeus seized the opportunity, his grip closing around Izalea's throat like a vice. She struggled, but his hold was unyielding.
William, Pearl , and Charles launched a desperate attack, but Asmodeus's rage made him nearly invulnerable. He ignored their assault, his focus fixed on Izalea. Her eyes began to fade, her strength waning.
Just as all hope seemed lost, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. Dante, a boy thought to be long dead, stood tall, his eyes fixed on Izalea with a deep, unspoken love. His powers stirred, and the shadows around him seemed to come alive.
"Let her go!" he screamed at Asmodeus.
"How are you still alive?" Asmodeus said in genuine shock and his grip on Izalea softened.
With a swift motion, Dante wrapped Asmodeus in a cocoon of darkness, momentarily blinding him. Izalea took advantage of the reprieve, breaking free from Asmodeus's grasp. She stumbled back, gasping for air, as Dante positioned himself between her and the demon lord.
Asmodeus's rage intensified, but Dante stood firm, his shadow manipulation allowing him to dodge the demon lord's attacks. With a subtle gesture, he summoned a wave of darkness that crashed against Asmodeus, giving Izalea time to recover.
The Paladins rallied behind Dante, their powers combining with his to push Asmodeus back. The fallen angel's rage still burned bright, but Dante's unexpected return had shifted the balance of the battle.
As the fight raged on, Izalea caught a glimpse of Dante's eyes, and for a moment, she saw the depth of his feelings for her. She realized that he had risked his life to save hers, and that their bond went far beyond mere friendship.
Dante's actions spoke louder than words, and Izalea's heart swelled with gratitude and love.
Dante's eyes gleamed with determination as he grasped Rahil, the sword of Raziel . Izalea, sensing his intent, nodded in understanding and sped away from his side. With a swift motion, Dante activated the sword's power, and a surge of angelic energy coursed through him. Raziel had granted him his enormous power.
His body glowed with a soft, ethereal light as he charged towards Asmodeus. The fallen angel, fueled by rage, swung his claws wildly, but Dante dodged with ease. With a swift strike, he severed Asmodeus's right arm, the limb falling to the ground with a thud.
Asmodeus howled in agony, but Dante showed no mercy. With precise, calculated strikes, he severed the demon lord's left arm, then his right leg, and finally his left leg. Asmodeus thrashed about, his body mutilated, but Dante stood firm.
The angelic power coursing through him granted him speed and precision, allowing him to outmaneuver Asmodeus's desperate attacks. With a final, decisive blow, he called out to Rahil.
"Reveal your true form, Rahil!"
A sudden column of light erupted from the ground beneath Dante and Asmodeus, engulfing them both. Dante floated calmly in the middle of it, his eyes glowing with bright holy power.
However, Asmodeus was burht to a crisp as his darkness collided with Raziel's enormous power.
As the angelic power faded, Dante stood panting, Rahil still humming with energy in his hand. Izalea approached him, her eyes filled with awe and gratitude. "You saved us," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Dante's gaze met hers, and for a moment, their eyes locked in a deep, unspoken understanding. He knew that his actions had changed the course of their lives forever.
"What do we do with him?" William asked Charles, pointing to Asmodeus' burnt, limbless yet alive body.
"We'll take him to the headquarters for severe detainment. It's going to be a while before he regenerates so it should be easy."Charles sighed in relief that it was over.
The Daris sub division had prevailed, but not without suffering some casualties. A few hundred Arcana Guard soldiers were killed in the crossfire but the building was untouched.
" You did it Dante."Pearl smiled.
" Wait. Does anyone know where Thalia and that shithead are?"William asked in a sudden burst of thoughtfulness.
Thalia and Maru, found themselves trapped in the depths of hell, surrounded by hordes of twisted, demonic creatures. They fought valiantly, their powers unleashing waves of flame and gusts of wind that sent the monsters flying.
But despite their bravery, they were vastly outnumbered, and their strength began to wane. Just as all hope seemed lost, a figure emerged from the shadows. A mysterious woman with an enigmatic smile, stood before them, her eyes gleaming with a knowing light.
With a subtle gesture, she summoned a blast of siveling strings of energy that sent the demons reeling. Thalia and Maru stared at her in confusion, unsure of what to make of her sudden intervention.
"Who are you?" Maru asked, his voice wary.
Her smile grew wider. "Someone who has been watching you both for a long time," she replied, her voice dripping with an otherworldly charm.
As she spoke, she reached out with her powers, and the demons retreated, cowering in fear. Thalia and Maru exchanged a skeptical glance, but they were too grateful for her help to question her motives.
Without a word, she led them out of hell, back to the mortal realm. As they emerged into the bright moonlight of the Shadowfell, Thalia and Maru turned to her, eager to thank her. But her expression had changed, her eyes glinting with a calculating intensity.
"You don't need to thank me," she said, her voice cold. "I'm just glad I could... tidy up a loose end."
With that, she vanished, leaving Thalia and Maru staring after her in confusion. They had no idea that she had been the one who had sent them to hell in the first place, as a pawn in her game of power and deception. She had sided with Asmodeus, using her cunning and abilities to further her own desires. And now that she had achieved her goal, she had decided to set them free, a benevolent gesture from a woman with a dark heart.
Thalia and Maru returned to their friends,who were relieved to be reunited, but unaware of the shadowy figure who had manipulated their fate. Little did they know that her true intentions were far from benevolent, and that that encounter was only the beginning of a much larger, darker story.
End of Volume 1 part one