The world around Alex Mercer collapsed into nothingness. A cold, merciless void swallowed the battlefield, leaving only the deafening echo of the snap that had shattered his soul.Helena lay motionless at his feet, her lifeless eyes frozen in time, her body discarded like a broken doll. Her presence, her fire, her unwavering resolve all snuffed out in an instant. A choked breath rasped from Alex’s lips, but he wasn’t breathing. He was drowning in something far deeper than air, something that smothered reason and replaced it with raw, unrelenting rage.Lucifer stood over her, golden eyes gleaming with amusement. He tilted his head, watching Alex closely, waiting for the inevitable break. “There it is,” he murmured. “The moment you finally understand.”Alex’s fingers curled into fists. Shadows pulsed violently around him, writhing and distorting, responding to the overwhelming force of his fury. The abyss within him no longer whispered. It roared, drowning out every thought, every hesit

The sky above writhed with darkness, tendrils twisting like a living thing in the maelstrom of a violent storm. The battlefield was in ruin, cracks splitting the scorched earth beneath Alex Mercer's feet. His chest heaved, blood trickling down his temple, and his sword still slick with the remnants of the darkness purged from Helena. And yet, despite his victory, dread crawled up his spine.Lucifer didn't move. His slow, rhythmic clap echoed through the silence. His golden eyes gleamed beyond amusement with satisfaction and expectation. He tilted his head to one side, a smirk never wavering from his perfect, unearthly face."Bravo, Alex." Lucifer's voice curled through the air, smooth and intoxicating. "That was a show worth watching."Alex tensed his grip on his blade, disregarding the white-hot fire that bolted through his limbs. Helena was alive, but barely. He needed to get her out of here. Now. But Lucifer. Lucifer wasn't done with him."What do you want?" he spat the words out,

Darkness coiled around Alex Mercer’s fingers, crawling up his arms like living veins of corruption. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body barely holding itself together after the battle. The battlefield was silent now, the abyssal colossus vanquished, yet something far worse had taken its place.Him.Helena stared at him, her green eyes wide with horror. He could see the way her fingers twitched, hovering between reaching for him and pulling away. The silence stretched between them like a chasm, and for the first time, Alex felt truly alone.Lucifer knelt beside him, one knee pressing into the scorched earth. A slow smile played on the fallen angel’s lips, his golden eyes brimming with satisfaction.I must say, I had my suspicions," Lucifer mused, his head canted to one side. "To see it firsthand, though… Oh, Alex, you truly are a masterpiece.Alex gritted his teeth, trying to shake the whispers clawing at the edges of his mind. The abyss inside him was restless, writhing beneath

The air was torn asunder by the deafening roar as the creature lunged forth, its shape twisting between nightmare and shadow. The ground bucked beneath Alex Mercer's feet, cracks spreading out across the scorched earth. Tendrils of dark energy lashed out, slicing through the air with deadly precision.Alex didn't hesitate. He flung himself to the side, narrowly avoiding a whip-like strike that shattered the stone where he had stood. The pulse of hellfire ignited along his arms, the familiar heat coursing through his veins. Despite the raw power thrumming within him, the abyss still clung to his core, whispering insidious promises."You belong to me," the creature's voice slithered through the chaos, ancient and hungry.Alex gritted his teeth, forcing back the tide of darkness that threatened to engulf him. Not today."Stay close!" Helena screamed, her voice piercing the din.She moved with deadly precision, her blade flashing in the crimson light as she sliced through a tendril that r

Darkness closed in from all sides. Alex's body floated in a void, numb and weightless. Faint echoes drifted through the blackness fragments of memories, distorted whispers of battles fought and alliances forged. A flicker of light pulsed in the distance, faint but insistent.All of a sudden, pain shot through Alex's chest, jolting him awake. His eyes snapped open and he gasped for air. The ground under him was cold and cracked with scorched debris. Smoke clung to the air, heavy and acrid.Helena's voice pierced the haze. "Alex! Get up!"He blinked, clearing his vision in time to see her ward off a shadowy tendril lashing toward her. Her blade flashed as she parried the attack, but the force sent her stumbling back.Alex's muscles shrieked at him as he forced himself onto his feet. The rift grew, its twirling vortex becoming the dominant landmark on the horizon. Tendrils of shadow writhed like living serpents, lashing out at all they touched. The ground began to shudder beneath their f