27. Volezimir

27

VOLEZIMIR

I approach Zylpha's chambers, my heart heavy with regret. The words of my apology tumble through my mind as I rehearse them silently. Each step feels like an eternity as I draw closer to her door.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierces the air, followed by the violent crash of furniture. My blood runs cold. Zylpha's in danger.

And then I hear something worse. Zylpha's voice rings out. "Someone help! Please!"

I break into a sprint, my long strides eating up the distance. The sound of my footfalls echoes off the stone walls, matching the frantic beating of my heart. Another scream, this one choked and desperate, spurs me on faster.

As I round the corner, I hear the shattering of glass and a deep, masculine growl that doesn't belong to any of my staff. Panic claws at my throat. Who's in there with her?

"In here! Help!"

I move faster, reaching for the door handle, my hand trembling with a mix of fear and rage. The sounds of struggle continue from within - grunts, the thud of bodies against walls, Zylpha's labored breathing.

"Zylpha!" I roar, yanking at the door. It's locked. Fuck. I slam my shoulder against it, once, twice. The wood splinters but holds.

Inside, I hear Zylpha gasp, "Vol-" before her voice is cut off abruptly.

Red clouds my vision. With a roar that shakes the very foundations of the castle, I summon every ounce of my demonic strength and throw myself at the door. And this time it doesn't stand a chance against me.

I burst through the shattered remains of the door, splinters flying as I stumble into the room. The scene before me ignites a fury I've never known. Zylpha's pinned against the far wall, Azrathel's hand around her throat. Her face is red, eyes wide with terror and desperation. The bastard's back is to me, but I can see the cruel smirk twisting his features as he turns.

A roar rips from my throat, primal and filled with rage. The sound reverberates through the room, shaking the very foundations of the castle. Paintings crash to the floor, and a vase shatters, but I barely notice. My entire being is focused on one thing: destroying Azrathel.

I launch myself across the room, my body a blur of motion. My fingers elongate into razor-sharp claws, and I feel my horns growing, pushing through my skin. The transformation is painful, but the agony only fuels my anger.

Azrathel releases Zylpha, turning to face me. His eyes widen in shock at my approach, clearly not expecting such swift retaliation. I slam into him with the force of a battering ram, driving us both away from Zylpha. We crash into an ornate bookcase, wood splintering around us.

My claws rake across his face, drawing first blood. He howls in pain and outrage, retaliating with a vicious uppercut that snaps my head back. The taste of copper floods my mouth, but I barely register it. All I can see is red.

We grapple, rolling across the floor in a tangle of limbs and fury. Furniture shatters beneath us, magical artifacts exploding in showers of sparks as we collide with them. I hear Zylpha's ragged breathing, her coughs as she gulps in air, and it only spurs me on.

Azrathel manages to get a hand around my throat, squeezing with demonic strength. I feel my windpipe constricting, but I refuse to yield. With a snarl, I headbutt him, my newly grown horns gouging deep furrows in his forehead.

He releases me with a cry of pain, and I seize the opportunity. I pin him to the ground, my weight crushing down on his chest. My hands wrap around his throat, squeezing with all my might. Azrathel's eyes bulge, his face turning a sickly shade of purple.

"You dare touch my family?" I growl, my voice barely recognizable, distorted by rage and my partial transformation. "You miserable, pathetic excuse for a demon!"

I slam Azrathel into the ground, the impact cracking the stone floor beneath us. He retaliates with a blast of dark energy that sends me flying across the room. I crash through the wall, debris raining down around me. But I'm on my feet in an instant, my eyes locked on Zylpha and Kaelox.

With a thought, I summon a shimmering barrier of protective magic around them. It flares to life just as Azrathel hurls a fireball in their direction. The flames splash harmlessly against the shield, but the heat is intense enough to scorch the nearby furniture.

"You'll have to do better than that," I snarl, charging at him.

We collide with the force of two meteors, the shockwave shattering every window in the wing. Our fists connect simultaneously, the impact sending ripples of energy pulsing through the air. The floor beneath our feet cracks and splinters.

Azrathel's eyes glow with malevolent power as he summons a whirlwind of razor-sharp shadows. They slice into my skin, drawing rivulets of dark blood, but I push through the pain. I counter with a blast of pure demonic energy that catches him square in the chest, sending him crashing through several walls.

The entire wing of the estate groans and shudders. Columns crack, ceilings cave in. But my focus never wavers from my family. I reinforce the protective barrier around them, pouring more of my power into it even as I pursue Azrathel.

He rises from the rubble, his face twisted in a snarl. We trade blows that would shatter mountains, each impact sending shockwaves through the crumbling structure. I feel bones break and reform, my demonic healing barely keeping pace with the damage we're inflicting on each other.

"Why?" I roar as I drive my fist into his jaw. "Why target them?"

Azrathel laughs, a sound filled with malice. "Because they're your weakness, Volezimir. And I'll destroy everything you love!"

His words ignite a new fury within me. I channel it, feeling my power surge. With a primal scream, I unleash a torrent of energy that lights up the night sky. Azrathel attempts to block it, but the sheer force overwhelms him. He's blown backward, crashing through what remains of the estate's outer wall.

I stand over Azrathel, my chest heaving with exertion and rage. He's sprawled on the ground, battered and bloodied, but still conscious. His eyes meet mine, and I see the fear there, finally replacing the arrogance and malice.

"Volezimir," he croaks, raising a hand in supplication. "Wait-"

I don't let him finish. My hand shoots out, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off the ground. He claws at my arm, but his strength is fading. I can feel his pulse racing beneath my fingers.

"You threatened my family," I growl, my voice barely recognizable. "You dared to touch what's mine."

With my free hand, I summon a blade of pure shadow energy. It hums with deadly intent, casting an eerie glow across Azrathel's terrified face.

"Please," he gasps. "I'll leave. You'll never see me again-"

I drive the shadow blade into his chest, cutting off his plea. The energy crackles and sizzles as it pierces his heart. Azrathel's eyes widen in shock and pain, a choked gasp escaping his lips.

But I'm not done. I twist the blade, feeling it shred through muscle and bone. Azrathel's body convulses, dark blood bubbling from his mouth. His eyes roll back, but I can still sense life clinging to him.

With a roar of pure fury, I channel my demonic energy through the blade. Azrathel's body lights up from within, veins glowing with the intensity of my power. He screams, a sound of pure agony that echoes through the ruined estate.

I feel his life force flickering, struggling against the onslaught. But I don't relent. I pour more and more of my energy into him, until I see cracks forming in his skin, light spilling out.

With one final surge of power, I release everything I have. Azrathel's body can't contain it. He explodes in a burst of dark energy and gore, the force of it sending me staggering back.

As the dust settles, all that remains of Azrathel is a scorched outline on the ground. I stand there, panting, my body trembling with the aftermath of expending so much power. But I feel no regret, only a grim satisfaction. The threat to my family is gone, permanently.