Chapter 131: Where Is Azriel?
Seraphel
It did not take up to ten minutes before the demons surrounding us were completely destroyed.
The divine light was so remarkably powerful that clearing out the demons around me was effortless, and as the last shadow vanished, I turned to Sariel, who gave me a sharp nod to signal that it was over.
Finally over.
Moments later, the rest of the Sin Princes finished their clash above and descended into the ruined courtyard.
Lumiel landed heavily, dragging a celestial god with white wings pinned behind his back, while Taizel landed beside him holding another captive. Looking at the two gods, their identical sharp features made it obvious right away.
They were twins.
"We have captured the shadow-blade assassin twins of Elysium," Lumiel announced, delivering a harsh kick to the red-haired god’s back, forcing him onto his knees on the stone. "This one is Jalem, and the one Taizel holds is Caelum. They are the shadow killers of the celestial realm, but now, they lie entirely at our mercy."
Jalem and Caelum. The names sounded strangely plain, and I could not help but wonder why anyone would bestow such ordinary names upon high celestial assassins.
"Where is Zephyrus?" Luceriel demanded, stepping forward as his dark robes swirled around him. His eyes swept over the courtyard, filled with absolute, towering Pride. "Jalem claimed his lord was heading this way to dispose of the human.
Yet I see neither Uriel nor Azriel anywhere.
And why do you linger here, Sariel? Was it not your sole duty to protect the consort?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but Sariel spoke up before I could. "Tobias took Uriel away to goodness knows where."
"Tobias?" the brothers exclaimed in unison.
Raizel unfurled his golden fan with a crisp snap, waving it gently. "I was under the impression their ancient entanglement had ended long ago."
"Foolish, pathetic sentiment," Lumiel scoffed, crossing his arms.
"Oh, but their fate was rather romantic," Raizel murmured softly, tapping his fan against his jaw.
Taizel chuckled low in his chest. "It seems even Tobias lost his patience after waiting through all these centuries."
"Silences, all of you," Luceriel commanded coldly, his sharp voice instantly cutting through their banter. He pointed a slender finger at Sariel. "Since both you and the human stand unharmed, I presume Zephyrus has been dealt with?"
"Zephyrus was struck down by the human and is currently locked inside my cold dungeon domain, where I shall interrogate him," Sariel announced smoothly.
"Absurd!" Caelum shouted, glaring up from the stone floor in fury. "There is no universe where His Grace falls to a mere mortal insect—even one carrying a child of a sin!"
Lumiel slapped the back of Caelum’s head with enough force to make the immortal stagger. "Have you forgotten that this ’mortal’ struck down the Goddess of Life and Death? Zephyrus is nothing compared to the divine power his mother possessed!"
"It cannot be..." Caelum muttered through gritted teeth.
"How about I show you!" I shouted, completely fed up with being treated like a helpless insect and constantly being looked down upon. Every single one of them deserved to see just how powerful I was and how far I would go to protect my family!
Raizel stepped swiftly in front of me, waving his fan near my face to soothe my anger. "Quiet your fiery heart, little consort. Allow us to interrogate them before you reduce our only leads to ash!"
I clenched my fists tight, raising my head to face him. "Why waste time talking when I could just slice his throat wide open right now!"
"Because if you sever his breath, you will never learn where Azriel is hidden," Lumiel replied, his voice calm and grounded.
I let out a long, heavy breath, placing a hand over my chest as the truth settled over me. He was right. I was letting my rage take control because of the raw, overwhelming energy surging through my veins, but killing them blindly would not bring Azriel back.
"I am sorry," I muttered, lowering my eyes. "I should not have lost my temper."
Taizel offered me a warm smile and slowly pushed Caelum toward Lumiel. "There is no need for an apology. I would tear the Seven realms apart if my mate were missing as well. But Azriel possesses a supreme core—he will endure, I assure you," he promised gently. "Search his mind, Lumiel. He was the last person who came in contact with Azriel."
"The last person," I repeated, fixing my eyes on Caelum with deadly focus as my fists tightened again. "I want to kill you where you kneel, but I will not let my anger ruin our chance to find him. Just know you will pay dearly for what you have done. And there is no way you pulled this off alone—someone inside this palace opened the barrier for you."
Lumiel cleared his throat softly, and I went quiet as I turned to him. "I shall unearth every secret once I read his soul memory."
"I shall never allow you devil spawns to violate my soul!" Caelum screamed, his spiritual energy flaring violently. "I would rather shatter my own core than allow you—"
Before the threat could fully leave his lips, the air around Caelum warped.
Luceriel casually lifted a single finger. A shimmering, silver ripple expanded from his fingertip, washing over Caelum’s body in a heartbeat. Instantly, the flaring spiritual energy and the furious snarl on Caelum’s face froze completely solid. He sat locked in place like a statue, completely unable to move or speak.
The supreme power over Time. Seeing Luceriel exert such authority so effortlessly was breathtaking.
"Proceed," Luceriel said in a flat, indifferent tone, though the tight set of his jaw showed he was just as anxious to find his brother as I was.
Lumiel placed his palm flat against Caelum’s forehead and began chanting an ancient incantation, sending golden runes weaving into the captive’s skull while the other Sins watched closely.
I fixed my gaze on them as well.
Because everyone’s attention was locked on Caelum, no one noticed Jalem.
Lying restrained near the ground, Jalem’s eyes suddenly glowed with a hidden spatial light. Using a secret blood technique, he tore open a small, concealed portal behind his back, pushed himself off the stone, and lunged backward into the spatial rift.
"No!" I yelled out, thrusting my right hand forward.
A beam of radiant, blue-and-gold divine light erupted from my palm, striking Jalem square in the chest right before he slipped into the portal, which snapped shut immediately after.
I stood there, my palm steaming as my chest heaved. "Did I strike him? Is he gone?"
Raizel gasped out loud, dropping his fan as he rushed over to seize my wrist, staring at my glowing palm in complete shock. "You... you manifested the Divine Emperor Light of Castiel? How?"
"I..."
"He escaped," Sariel interrupted coldly, staring at the empty space where the rift had vanished. "Which means the high heavens of Elysium will now learn that Castiel’s light has resurfaced."
I let out a long, heavy sigh, dragging a hand across my face. Great, another massive crisis to deal with. "And what will happen now?"
"It means your path ahead shall be paved with endless tribulations," Taizel answered, rubbing his temples with a tired sigh. "That slippery snake Jalem... to slip away right under our spiritual senses. No wonder he holds the title of Elysium’s shadow assassin!"
I looked back at the empty stone floor, a heavy weight settling over my heart.
"I have found Azriel," Lumiel’s voice suddenly echoed through the courtyard, breaking the tense silence. His eyes snapped open, blazing with brilliant golden light as he pulled his hand away from Caelum’s frozen head. "I know exactly where he is locked away."