Engulfed

The nausea hit as Azlynn reached the highest level of the library. Her eyes flicked rapidly over the spines of the books, reading the ancient angelic script in search of something useful. The next thing she knew, she was swaying dizzily and her stomach was churning. She flung out her hands, bracing herself against the shelves to keep from falling. The roiling in her stomach finally eased, but was replaced with a migraine that started between her eyes and exploded out through the rest of her skull, making her swoon. Azlynn took several deep breaths, squeezing her eyes shut. When she opened them again, the room was spinning.

Her mouth went dry as the world tilted wildly around her, her vision going gray and blurry. She could barely make out the bookshelves around her; everything was misty gray and black shadows. Azlynn was dimly aware of her wings unfurling behind her, an instinctive reaction when an angel senses danger. Her hands fumbled along the walls as she struggled to stay upright. She collapsed to her knees as pain tore through her stomach.

Azlynn choked, stinging tears prickling at her eyes. She felt something wet on her face, and reached up a shaking hand. Blood. Her nose was bleeding. Only, her blood didn't look right. It was inky black mixed with fiery gold. Demon blood, and angel blood. Another wave of white-hot pain washed over her, and Azlynn tumbled to the side, crying out as she landed on her wing. She sluggishly adjusted herself, now lying flat on her back with her wings spread around her. She panted, balling her hands into fists as the pain rolled through her body.

Azlynn's vision faded, leaving her in hazy darkness. Then she heard a crack and felt agony spike through her side. Her body was fighting itself again. Azlynn could feel something inside her ripping and battling and her skin felt on fire. She started screaming. She couldn't comprehend anything, couldn't think beyond the pain. She was sure she was burning alive, and she felt her bones snapping under her skin.

Azlynn screamed and screamed and screamed until her throat felt raw. And then she kept screaming because she didn't know what else to do and God it hurt. She just wanted the hurt to stop. After an eternity of fire and breaking, she could hear someone caling her name. Their voice sounded lightyears away, but there was a hand reaching out to touch her arm.

"No!" Azlynn shrieked. The hand jerked away. Any contact made the burning, terrible feeling worse.

"What's wrong with her?" someone asked, sounding vaguely panicked.

A hand rested against her forehead, and Azlynn started screaming again. "Stop!" She shouted the word so shrilly and desperately that it made her throat ache. But the hand didn't go away, and a soft voice began speaking in angel tongue. It was a healing prayer. It took several more agonizing minutes of torture, but finally the pain started to ease. The black haze faded from her eyes, and Azlynn could see her friends standing above her, their faces filled with bewildered concern. Ileus was the one kneeling at her head, still muttering soothing words of prayer.

The pain receded, leaving Azlynn shaky and weak. She tried to sit up, but cried out and fell back. Her skin was incredibly tender; any little movement made her want to start screaming again. She lay on the library floor, gritting her teeth and trying to tell her body to heal. Her sides ached and she felt like she'd been put through a wood chipper. She recalled the snapping sounds, and realized with horror that her ribs had broken during her internal battle.

They were knitting back together, but slowly. Azlynn raised her head gingerly to look down at her stomach. Thankfully, her tank top seemed to be hiding the worst of the damage. She didn't know how she would explain broken ribs to the others.

"Azlynn, what happened?" Dante knelt at her side, hesitantly reaching for her hand. "Were you attacked?"

"Was it Lucifer?" Charlotte asked, chewing her lip nervously.

"What are you talking about?" Azlynn asked, her voice sounding wobbly to her own ears.

"He was here. Well, according to Ileus it was a projection of him," Charlotte explained. "He said he wants to ally himself with us to defeat Ted."

"Which is not happening," Dante cut in. Azlynn's head was pounding; she could barely wrap her mind around what everyone was saying.

"The walls of Lucifer's cage are growing weaker and weaker," Ileus reported grimly. "If he was able to send a projection of himself here to speak to Charlotte...it is only a matter of time before he's completely free."

"I need to lie down," Azlynn muttered. "I-I don't feel so great."

"Of course," Ileus said. "How thoughtless of me. I'll take you all to the apartments right now, if you're up to standing?"

"I can stand," Azlynn said, more to herself than to Ileus. She had to grit her teeth and exhale sharply, but she was able to force herself to her feet. She swayed for a moment, her wings feeling too heavy on her shoulders, but she stood up tall and faced the others. She didn't want to show any weaknesses in front of them.

"Lead the way, Ileus," she instructed. Everyone watched her out of the corners of their eyes, but Azlynn stared straight ahead and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. She had come to realize a terrifying truth, and she didn't know how to tell Dante and the others.

Azlynn was dying.



She had sent Dante out for food so he wouldn't see her like this. Her sides and stomach were bruised, and the skin was still slightly distorted by the broken bones that hadn't mended yet. Azlynn stared at herself in the mirror, tears running silently down her face. Her body couldn't handle the warring powers that it contained, and eventually it would just give out altogether. Her incredible powers were going to shatter her, leaving her empty and broken. Azlynn jumped as she heard the door open. She snatched the towel off the bed and wrapped it around herself to cover her bruises and whirled around.

"Charlotte!" she snapped. "Ever hear of knocking?"

"Sorry," Charlotte said quickly, and Azlynn thought she saw a flicker of shock in her eyes. Azlynn had a moment of panic, wondering if Charlotte had seen the bruises. But if she had, she said nothing about them. Instead she cleared her throat and closed the door.

"I need to talk to you," Charlotte began. "The projection thing that Lucifer sent...he didn't just say he wanted us as allies. He said he wanted you to take over as his general, and he wants me to be his blood practitioner since Ted betrayed him. He gave me this." Charlotte reached into her pocket, producing a slim book. A feeling like snakes crawling over her skin made Azlynn stiffen. She eyed the book warily, stepping closer. The stink of sulfur and evil hit her square in the face, and with a hiss Azlynn snatched the book out of Charlotte's hand.

"Hey!" she protested.

"Did you show this to anyone else?" Azlynn demanded. "Did you tell anyone about it?"

"No! Lucifer said no one else could look at it or they would belong to him."

"That's because he made this," Azlynn said, tossing the book onto the dresser because she couldn't stand to touch it any longer. "That book is evil. It has Lucifer's smell all over it. What's inside?"

"It's a Blood Book. It's written in a really old demon language. Lucifer told me to look to the book to find him."

"Oh that won't be hard," Azlynn said dryly. "I'm sure once he's free he'll be right back here."

"So you think that he will get free, then?" Charlotte looked startled.

"I'm sure he will," Azlynn sighed. She sank down on the bed. "So many monsters roaming the world lately. And so few good guys to stop them."

"We'll stop Ted," Charlotte said firmly. "We have to."

"And Lucifer wants to help us." Azlynn shook her head. "That's a sentence I never thought I'd say."

"Dante says we shouldn't partner up with Lucifer under any circumstances."

"Normally I would agree," Azlynn said. "But if he gets free of his cage...we might be better off keeping him close than not knowing where he is and what he's doing."

"What do you think we should do?"

"Skim that book," Azlynn commanded, standing. "I'm going to take a hot shower." She padded into the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it. She shed her towel and stepped into the steamy water. She remained under the spray long after she was done washing her hair and scrubbing her skin clean and pink. She waited until the bruises had almost completely faded and her ribs felt only slightly tender before stepping out and drying off. She tugged on a pair of black silky pants that billowed around her legs, and a red racerback tank top.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, Azlynn found Charlotte sitting cross-legged on the bed, her eyes glued to the book and her face ashen.

"Good read?" Azlynn quipped.

"This book has some really messed up spells," Charlotte said. "I mean really dark stuff."

"What did you expect from a book that the devil gave you? A love story?"

Charlotte was about to reply, when her cell phone rang. Drew had insisted they all carry them after everything that had happened lately.

"Amanda?"

Azlynn was instantly on high-alert, watching Charlotte's stunned face as she spoke on the phone.

"Put it on speaker," Azlynn hissed. Charlotte hit the speaker button and now Azlynn could hear Amanda's frantic voice and the sounds of things breaking in the background.

"He's coming, Charlotte." Amanda's voice sounded eerie and inhuman. She snickered, and it sounded like a hundred hissing snakes. "You're an auntie now, Charlotte. And his daddy is coming for a visit."

"What are you talking about?" Charlotte demanded, sounding uneasy.

"You know," Amanda breathed. "I thought about killing myself, you know. To get rid of the baby. But that made him angry. And he found me; convinced me that I would be better off doing what he wanted because then I'd have so much power. So it's done."

"Amanda?" Charlotte whispered. "What did you do?"

"You'll see soon enough." Amandalet out another one of those creepy laughs, and the line went dead. Charlotte and Azlynn stared at each other. Then they both bolted for the door, sprinting down the hall and into the common room, where they ran into Drew and Dante, whose arms were full of food.

"Where's the fire?" Drew asked.

"Amanda just called," Charlotte said shakily. "I think something terrible is happening."

"Lucifer is free," Azlynn said. "We need to increase the wards around the building-"

"It's too late for that, I'm afraid."

Azlynn whirled, seeing Lucifer himself lounging against the doorframe.

"Speak of the devil," she murmured.

"And he will come," Lucifer said, flashing her a toothy grin. Drew looked grim and Dante had murder flashing in his eyes. Azlynn shooked her head at him.

"So you want us to help you out?" Azlynn asked, striding forward to face the Prince of Darkness.

"I believe we can help each other. You see-" Lucifer stopped as he tried to step forward. Azlynn was amused to see a look of genuine surprise flicker across his face.

"Look up, Your Highness." Azlynn grinned cheekily, pointing to the ceiling. A Devil's Trap, as well as several ancient angel glyphs that held Lucifer in place. He chuckled darkly.

"It would seem I have underestimated you, little mixed blood."

"A girl can't be too careful. Now, what exactly are you proposing?"

"You can rally armies of both angels and demons. Impressive trick, that. Charlotte was trained in blood magic by the same mage that you now search for. You want Tedantrios dead. I want Tedantrios dead. Why don't we pool our resources and get the job done faster?"

"Too bad I can't trust you, Lucifer."

"And here I thought I had a trustworthy face. You wound me, Azlynn, daughter of angels and demons."

"You're not even showing me your true face," Azlynn pointed out. She narrowed her eyes. "Reveal your true form."

"Are you sure about that?" His eyes glittered. Azlynn folded her arms and waited. Lucifer's image shimmered, fading at the edges. Then the man in the slick black suit was replaced by a fallen angel. His skin was blacker than a moonless night, and silver hair fell to his shoulders, wickedly curved black horns protruding from his head. His eyes burned like live coals in his face, and black leathery wings unfurled behind him. He wore black pants, and no shirt or shoes. He was massive, seeming to fill the small space. A red tattoo of ancient Hell-tongue was etched beside his left eye, and his nails were like claws.

"Does this suit you better, little one?" he asked, his voice echoing and making Azlynn's skin crawl. But she didn't flinch. It was best not to show fear in front of monsters. They could smell it, and it only gave them strength.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Azlynn demanded.

"Wait, you're not actually considering taking him up on this, are you?" Dante sounded horrified.

"And why would we need your help?" Azlynn went on. "What do you have to offer?"

"I know the location of the Mezzosphere."

"You could be lying."

"I could be telling the truth," Lucifer replied mildly. "I told you; I want Tedantrios dead. It wouldn't do me much good to lie, in this instance."

"If you know where the Sphere is, why do you need us?" Azlynn asked skeptically.

"I'm not skilled in blood magic; and Tedantrios knows how to destroy me using it. I can't get close enough to do him in, but you can."

"So you are just looking out for number one," Azlynn said. "That I'm familiar with."

"You're either with me, or against me, my dear." His tone was light and even, but Azlynn sensed the threat beneath it. If they refused this offer, Lucifer would destroy them all. Granted there wasn't much stopping him from doing that anyway, but Azlynn supposed she should take the risk. Maybe it was the demon blood in her talking, or an onset of insanity that was a side effect of dying, but Azlynn nodded once.

"Wait here." She was gone in a blink, hurtling through dimensions until she reached Hell. She strode purposefully into one of the chambers, and everyone inside instantly went still as she entered.

"Miss me?" Azlynn asked sarcastically. She surveyed the room. She pointed demons out in turn. "You're all coming with me."

The chosen demons exchanged looks.

"Did I stutter?" Azlynn demanded. "Move. Now." She emphasized the last word, and the demons slunk to her side as she moved out of the room. One was a girl with snakes tattooed all up her arms, and a pixie cut made of fire. Her eyes were a poisonous looking green set against olive skin, her ears were full of piercings, and she had knives sheathed all over her body.

Three of them were small, spindly creatures with huge, beady black eyes and long skinny tails. They could turn invisible, create illusions, and steal or plant memories. They talked incessantly, and had a tendency to drink too much alcohol when they could get their hands on it.

She had also selected a Necromancer demon; one who could venture into the spirit world and raise the dead. He was a tall, silent figure whose face was hidden beneath a gray cloak.

Azlynn chose one more creature of Hell to add to her makeshift army. The Hellhound was huge and black, body wreathed in smoke and flame.

"What do you want with us?" Fire-Girl asked.

"I want you to help me kill someone," Azlynn said. "What's your name?"

"Roh."

"Well, Roh, I hope you brought enough knives."

The demons followed her to Earth, and Azlynn sent a silent call to Gabriel.

I'm sure you know, Gabe, but Lucifer's back. He says he knows where the Mezzosphere is. We're going to find Ted; end this thing once and for all. Shit's about to hit the fan, Gabe. I could really use some backup.

Azlynn told the demons to wait where they were, and then strode back into the lobby of the angel's quarters, attached to the library. She knew there would be angels arriving soon.

"Okay, Luci, here's the deal," Azlynn said. "You're not calling the shots. You came to us for assistance. You're not going to betray us."

Lucifer simply raised an eyebrow.

"And you're going to swear it in blood, just to be safe," Azlynn added. Lucifer's eyes darkened.

"You arrogant child!" he roared. "How dare you ask me to take a blood oath." His eyes glowed crimson but Azlynn stared calmly back. She needed to make sure her friends would be safe if she didn't make it to the end of this. Lucifer seemed to suddenly sense as he looked into her eyes what she was thinking. He laughed, low and ominous, in his throat.

You're crumbling on the inside, little mixed blood. His voice reverberated inside her skull. Your poor little body is dying a little more each day, and you can't stand to leave your little friends without a fearless leader. How touching. Perhaps there is more angel in you than I had anticipated.

"I see," he said aloud. He laughed again. "Very well, little Azlynn. I accept your conditions."

Azlynn strode forward, palming an angel blade and slicing it across Lucifer's upheld palm.

"You shall not betray or harm any non-demons who agree to help you with this quest," Azlynn said. "Their souls are their own, and you will not touch them. Do you understand and swear to these terms?"

Lucifer stared at her, and for a moment Azlynn thought he had changed his mind.

"Yes," he said finally, his eyes burning with amusement as he stared at her. "I swear not to hurt any of your little friends, so long as they do not try to turn on me, or do anything that would earn me their soul fair and square."

Azlynn didn't much care for that, but she traced a rune in the air over Lucifer's palm, sealing the deal.

"Now then, Your Fallen Majesty." Azlynn strode to the doors, flinging them open. Her chosen demons, as well as a flock of Warrior angels, stood outside. "You wanted an army? You've got one."

Lucifer smiled, and the sight made Azlynn shiver.

"Excellent work, little angel. Now let me out of this damn Devil's Trap, and let's go kill ourselves a mage."