2025-01-16 15:08:52The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the city in a muted orange glow. Alex leaned against the counter of a small diner, sipping a lukewarm cup of coffee. The events of the past few days weighed heavily on his mind, but a rare moment of peace allowed him to let his guard down if only for a little while.
The bell above the diner door jingled, and Alex’s heart skipped a beat. In walked a woman with auburn hair that shimmered in the fading sunlight. Her eyes, a soft hazel, lit up as they met his.
“Lila,” Alex said, setting his cup down and standing to greet her.
She smiled, a warmth in her expression that Alex hadn’t felt in what seemed like an eternity. “Hey, stranger. You’ve been hard to find lately.”
Alex shrugged, trying to mask the turmoil beneath his calm exterior. “You know how it is. Life gets… complicated.”
Lila tilted her head, her gaze searching his. “Complicated doesn’t even begin to cover it with you. But I’m glad you’re okay.”
Her concern was genuine, and Alex felt a pang of guilt. He hadn’t told her about the deal with Lucifer or the battles he’d been fighting. How could he? She was the one good thing left in his life, and he couldn’t bear the thought of dragging her into his nightmare.
Later that evening, Alex walked Lila home. The streets were quiet, the hum of the city subdued as the night deepened. Lila chatted about her day, her voice a soothing balm to Alex’s frayed nerves. For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine a normal life a life where demons and hellfire didn’t exist.
But the illusion shattered when Alex felt the now-familiar pulse in his mind. It was faint but growing stronger with each step. His body tensed, his senses sharpening as he scanned the shadows.
“Alex?”Lila’s voice pulled him back. “Are you okay?”
He forced a smile, though his eyes remained wary. “Yeah. Just tired, that’s all.”
They reached Lila’s apartment building, a modest structure nestled between two larger complexes. She turned to him, her smile soft and genuine. “Thanks for walking me home. It’s good to see you again.”
Alex hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to stay. “Lila, I…” He stopped himself, unsure of what to say. Instead, he nodded. “Get some rest. I’ll see you soon.”
She looked at him curiously but didn’t press. “Goodnight, Alex.”
As she disappeared inside, Alex lingered on the sidewalk, his fists clenched. The pulse in his mind was stronger now, a steady thrum that sent chills down his spine. Something was coming.
The attack came swiftly. The streetlights flickered and dimmed as three demons emerged from the shadows, their grotesque forms illuminated by the faint glow of their crimson eyes. Alex stepped forward, hellfire igniting in his hands.
“You picked the wrong night,” he muttered, his voice low and dangerous.
The first demon lunged, its claws slicing through the air. Alex dodged, countering with a burst of flames that engulfed the creature. It let out a guttural screech before collapsing into ash.
The second demon was faster, darting around Alex with inhuman speed. It lashed out, its claws grazing his arm. Alex winced but didn’t falter. He summoned a wall of fire, forcing the creature back before delivering a devastating blow that reduced it to nothing.
The third demon hesitated, its glowing eyes fixed on Alex. But before it could strike, a new voice rang out.
“Get away from him!”
Alex turned to see Lila standing in the doorway of her building, a baseball bat in her hands. Her expression was a mix of fear and determination.
“Lila, get back inside!”Alex shouted, his voice edged with panic.
The demon seized the distraction, lunging toward Lila. Alex’s heart dropped as he saw the creature close the distance in an instant. Without thinking, he threw himself between them, summoning a shield of hellfire to block the attack.
The flames roared, and the demon recoiled, its skin blistering from the heat. Alex didn’t give it a chance to recover. He channeled all his strength into a final blast of fire, obliterating the creature in a fiery explosion.
The street fell silent, the only sound Alex’s ragged breathing. He turned to Lila, who stood frozen in the doorway, the bat still clutched in her hands.
“Lila,” he said, his voice soft. “Are you okay?”
She nodded slowly, her eyes wide. “What… what was that?”
Alex hesitated. This was the moment he’d been dreading. He couldn’t lie to her, not after what she’d just seen.
“It’s complicated,” he said finally. “But you’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”
Lila stepped closer, her gaze searching his. “Safe? Alex, you just fought off… I don’t even know what those things were. You’re not telling me everything.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re right. I’m not. But it’s better this way. The less you know, the safer you’ll be.”
“No,” she said firmly, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. “If you’re in danger, I need to know. You can’t shut me out, Alex.”
Her words struck a chord, and for a moment, Alex considered telling her everything. But the thought of her being dragged into his world, of her being hurt because of him, was too much to bear.
“Lila, please,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Just trust me. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”
She looked at him for a long moment, then nodded reluctantly. “Okay. But this isn’t over. You owe me an explanation.”
Alex managed a small smile. “Fair enough.”
As Lila returned to her apartment, Alex stayed outside, his senses on high alert. The demons were getting bolder, and it was clear they weren’t going to stop. But now, more than ever, Alex had something worth fighting for. He’d made a promise to protect Lila, and he intended to keep it no matter the cost.
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Bargain Infernal Episode 6: The Hunter's Prey
The night’s silence was broken only by the crunch of gravel underfoot as Alex, Lila, and Mara trudged down a desolate road. The fiery glow of the collapsed church still lingered on the horizon, a grim reminder of the battle they had barely survived. Alex walked ahead, his shoulders tense, scanning the shadows for any sign of danger.“Where are we going?”Mara asked, her voice cutting through the oppressive quiet.“There’s an old safehouse a few miles from here,” Alex replied without turning around. “It’s warded against demons. We’ll rest there and figure out our next move.”Lila quickened her pace to walk beside him. “Are you sure it’s still secure? After what we’ve seen, I wouldn’t put it past these things to break through wards.”“It’s our best shot,” Alex said, his tone clipped. He glanced at her, his expression softening. “We need somewhere to regroup. You… need to rest.”Lila raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. She could see the exhaustion etched into his face, the lines of worry
Bargain Infernal Episode 7: The Light Within
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Bargain Infernal Episode 8: Bonds in the Darkness
The night settled uneasily over the cabin, the aftermath of the battle leaving an oppressive stillness. Mara sat by the window, staring out into the dark forest. Her hands trembled slightly, the memory of the celestial light she had wielded still fresh in her mind. She wasn’t sure if she feared the power itself or what it meant for her.Alex entered the room quietly, his footsteps barely audible on the wooden floor. He held two steaming mugs of tea, setting one down on the table beside her.“Couldn’t sleep?”he asked, his voice low.Mara shook her head, her gaze not leaving the window. “Every time I close my eyes, I see them. The demons, the light… it’s all so overwhelming.”Alex pulled up a chair, sitting across from her. He studied her for a moment, his expression softening. “You’re stronger than you think, Mara. What you did tonight… it saved us. Don’t doubt that.”She turned to him, her eyes searching his. “But what if I lose control? What if this power hurts someone I care about?”
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Bargain Infernal Episode 12: Whispers of the Damned
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Episode 221: The Thing That Should Not Wake
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Helena did not kneel.Not to kings.Not to gods.Not to the Firstborn, who had cut history to shape and made it fit.She had stood against death.She had stood against fate.And she would stand now.Even as the God-King of the Firstborn loomed before her, his celestial fire coiling in the air like an executioner’s blade.As the burden of their command bore down upon reality itself, compelling everything to bend.Helena stood tall.Her dagger blazed with black flames, oscillating between the Hollow King’s strength and something more ancient.Something that was hers and hers alone.The battlefield was silent.Even the Hollow hesitated.Because no one had ever disobeyed the Firstborn’s command and survived.Until now.The God-King’s expression did not change.They took a slow step forward, their silver eyes calm and infinite, burning with cold.“Then I will break you.”The world shattered.A void pulled inward, the air itself ripping apart as the God-King began his assault, faster than l
Episode 219: The Forsaken Queen
Helena felt everything.The Hollow King thrummed through her as she surged forward, a scintillation of wicked pleasure that burnt in her blood like a fire that would never run soft. Not only did it fill her, it transformed her.No longer was she Helena, the fighter who had resisted destiny.She was something more.Something that never was meant to exist.And as she stood at the very center of the battlefield, surrounded as she was by another ruin crumbling around her, one of a war older than time itself, she understood.The Firstborn knew it, too.They had expected a rebel.They had expected resistance.But they hadn’t expected this.They had not believed she would survive the Hollow King’s might.And they did not expect her to turn it against them.”His silver eyes, previously flooded with naught but icy apathy, now sparkled with another emotion.Fear.And Helena?Helena smiled.Then she attacked.Her movements were like a storm, her new blade slashing through the Firstborn’s ranks.
Episode 218: The Moment When the World Picked a Side
The battlefield froze.Helena’s voice still rang in the ruins, suspended in the air like a blade poised to fall."I will fight for the truth."And just like that.She had chosen a side.The Hollow King turned its void-like eyes to her, unreadable.Cain gaped, his breath ragged, his silver eyes bouncing between disbelief and something else. Something closer to fear.The Firstborn did not speak.They didn’t scream in rage or throw accusations of betrayal.Instead.They smiled.And Helena learned something a little too late.She had walked into a war older than she could understand.And each side had been waiting for her to make a choice.Now.There was no turning back.The Gods Strike FirstThe Firstborn moved first.Helena didn’t have time to react before the sky itself lit on fire.The clouds parted, hurling javelins of heavenly fire onto the battlefield. The Hollowed howled, their flesh caught alight, their bodies liquidizing beneath the assault.The pallor of the air cracked apart b
Episode 217: The Gods Must Bleed
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Episode 216: The Ah Which Ends Worlds
A Throne of Lies, A War of TruthHelena’s breath was quick and brittle, her heart pounding against her rib cage.The Hollow King knelt before her.Not as an enemy.Not as a monster.But as a warrior awaiting a response.The gods had walked the earth before her, and the earth had been their altar. They stood behind their King, all soulless eyes on her, waiting for her to make a choice.And in the distance.Something else was coming.Something worse.Cain moaned next her, spitting blood from his mouth. “Well,” he muttered, “this complicated fast.”Helena barely heard him.Because she wasn’t looking at Cain.The throne of the Hollowed, upthrust from the ruins, split reality like a jagged wound.It was waiting for her.And deep inside, she knew.If she did that, if she chose the Hollowed, there could be no undoing it.She would not only be battling the Firstborn.She would be waging war on the very gods themselves.And it was a war no one had ever won.The Hollow King’s voice was gentle,
