Chapter 21

  A CHAOTIC REUNION

  Max crossed the portal with his heart full of anticipation, expecting to find a splendid place, a haven of peace beyond any dream. But his awe quickly turned to horror when, instead of that celestial vision, he found rubble, columns of fire, and explosions echoing through the air like a sinister refrain. Paradise was under attack.

  He immediately took cover behind the remains of a building along with the others, who stood frozen as they watched the place they had sworn to protect crumble before their eyes. The weight of their failure as witches crushed them.

  —What the hell happened here? —Max murmured, still unable to comprehend it.

  —Look… —Melody’s voice, taut like a string about to snap, broke the silence. She pointed with a trembling finger toward a group of creatures advancing through the ruins. They were demons, as large as bears, with horns like rivers of solidified lava and eyes as black as nothingness itself—. How did they get in?

  Raían, his gaze fixed on the monsters, answered without looking away.

  —They’re demonic beasts. They live only in the infernal realm… but they never act alone. They always have a master.

  As he spoke, he clenched his right fist, the veins in his arm glowing with a reddish light. When he opened his hand, a dagger emerged from his palm, as if his flesh itself had shaped it. Its blade, carved from bone, was etched with runes stained by a reddish liquid, and the hilt looked like a weave of living roots. Raían was ready to fight if necessary.

  —Nice weapon —Melody commented, a mix of surprise and admiration in her voice as she looked at the blade Raían held.

  Suddenly, Laura pointed toward the sky, her face filled with concern.

  —Isn’t that Gabriel?

  Everyone looked up at once. There was Gabriel, his imposing wings spread wide, struggling to keep at bay a type of demonic fairy—a being that fused beauty and horror into a chilling entity. Its wings, large and tattered, seemed to be made of living shadows streaked with orange and red flames. Its skin was a sickly pale, almost translucent, with dark veins winding beneath the surface like rivers of ink, highlighting its unnatural nature.

  Its eyes, a bright and menacing red, emitted a glow that pierced the soul of anyone who looked upon it, filling them with terror. Its hair was a wild, untamed mass of flaming strands that moved like molten lava, radiating searing heat and an infernal glow that lit its face in shifting shadows.

  Its expression was a twisted, malevolent smile, revealing sharp teeth that looked capable of tearing through even the hardest material. Every movement of this infernal fairy carried a sinister grace, like a macabre dance where each step was a latent threat.

  With every beat of his wings, Gabriel generated powerful gusts of wind that drove a swarm of these fairies away from a particular building. At the top of that structure, Sofía was facing a colossal beast, desperately protecting Cristina, who remained behind her. Though Sofía wielded an imposing sword, the force of the attacks shook her body, yet she did not retreat a single step. Her mission was clear: protect, even if it cost her life.

  —Gabriel! —Max shouted, even though he knew the angel was far too far away to hear him.

  Laura stepped forward, determined.

  —We have to reach that building —she announced before transforming.

  Her body began to change. Flesh and fur merged in a terrifying display until she emerged as a towering, two-meter-tall being, with curved horns like those of a mountain goat, eyes glowing red, and a body covered in dark fur. Her legs now resembled those of a wolf, while her arms, partially covered in feathers, ended in sharp claws. Her breathing was deep and guttural, revealing gleaming fangs as the firelight reflected off them.

  —If I say you’re sexier like that, would that be inappropriate? —Raían remarked with a mischievous grin, though his eyes betrayed genuine admiration for Laura’s fearsome form.

  —Move! —she growled, ignoring the joke.

  They advanced cautiously through the ruins, trying not to draw the attention of the creatures prowling the area. But chaos was everywhere: explosions, roars, and screams filled the air.

  At that moment, Melody felt a chill run down her spine. The stench of sulfur and rot made her turn just in time to see one of the beasts about to attack her. The creature, with a roar that shook the ground, grabbed her and hurled her through the air as if she weighed no more than a feather.

  —Melody! —Max shouted, reacting instantly. He stretched out his hands, focusing with all his power. Melody’s fall stopped in midair, floating for a brief moment before being gently set down on the ground.

  Before them stood a colossal creature, bear-like in shape, as if forged from the very flames of the inferno. Its fur was a dark, scorched tangle, with glowing patches that emitted a burning light, like living embers embedded in its skin. Every movement released sparks and small flames, intensifying its terrifying presence.

  The bear’s eyes were two orbs of intense, threatening red, glowing with a malevolence that seemed capable of piercing the soul of anyone who dared meet its gaze. Its mouth revealed fangs sharp enough to tear through even the hardest metals. From its breath emanated a searing heat, as if it had absorbed the fire of hell itself.

  Its claws, long and razor-sharp, gleamed with a metallic sheen, honed like blades. Each of its limbs was a lethal threat, and its massive, muscular body exuded an intimidating strength that left no doubt about its destructive power.

  Melody pushed herself up, her face burning with rage.

  —Son of a bitch! —she shouted at the beast, which now stared back at her with cold fury. She took a step forward, her eyes sparking with determination—. You don’t attack from behind. I’m going to rip your skin off and make a damn plush toy out of you!

  She raised both arms, and the debris around her began to levitate. The air crackled with energy, and with a piercing scream, she hurled the rubble at the beast like deadly projectiles.

  When the dust settled, Melody smiled, confident in her victory. But her expression changed as she saw the debris begin to crack. With a deafening roar, the creature emerged unharmed, its fur glowing with an incandescent light, as if fire itself flowed through it, making the air around the bear ripple with the heat radiating from its body.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  —Seriously…? —Melody whispered, stepping back as the creature advanced, more threatening than ever.

  —Rubble? Seriously? —Raían sighed, his frustration evident as he glanced at the group—. First rule with these things: not even the biggest rock kills them… —He turned toward the creature and raised his voice—. Hey, ugly, over here!

  The beast, drawn by the call, turned in his direction. It sniffed the air, detecting Raían’s demonic scent, and its fury only grew when it realized he was helping the witches. With a thunderous roar, it charged at him with brutal force.

  —And I was hoping to keep these clothes spotless… —Raían muttered, resigned, as he prepared for the attack.

  He waited patiently, every muscle in his body ready to react. When the creature was just inches away, he leaped upward with agility, landing on the beast’s back. It thrashed violently, trying to throw him off.

  —Second rule: they’re impulsive. Just wait for the right moment and jump. —Raían laughed as he clung to the monster’s burning fur.

  With one hand, he held on tightly, feeling the heat begin to scorch his fingers, while with the other he gripped his dagger. He watched carefully, searching for a weak spot. At last, he found a small area along its side where the fur did not glow with that fiery light. Without hesitation, he plunged the dagger into it.

  Instantly, Raían’s veins lit up with an intense red glow, pulsing with energy. The creature froze, emitting a guttural, choking sound. With a cold, calculating expression, Raían twisted the dagger inside the beast’s body, ensuring its death. Finally, the monster collapsed with a thunderous crash.

  Raían withdrew the weapon calmly, wiping the blood from his clothes as the glow in his veins slowly faded.

  —Third rule: find the spot without light and strike. If you don’t have a paralytic toxin like mine, make sure you don’t fall off. —He looked back at the group, offering them a roguish smile before signaling that they could move on.

  The group stared at him, impressed. The image they had of Raían as a vain, superficial demon began to fade. Now they saw him as a formidable ally, someone they could trust.

  As they moved forward, Melody approached him with genuine curiosity.

  —Nice moves, incubus —she said, giving him a light nudge, trying to hide her admiration.

  —Thanks. When I was a teenager, I hunted these things to make some money. —Raían’s pupils briefly flashed with a pinkish hue, a lingering effect of his toxin.

  —Are you okay? —Melody asked, noticing the change in his eyes.

  —Yeah, don’t worry. Using the toxin destabilizes me a bit, but nothing I can’t handle. I know how to defend myself without it. —He winked at her confidently.

  —Now I understand why Cristina trusts you —Melody said with a warm smile.

  —Why? —Raían asked, clearly puzzled.

  —Because beneath that clownish, flirtatious attitude, there’s a good man.

  Raían felt an unexpected warmth in his chest. It wasn’t common for someone to see him that way—let alone say it out loud. But the moment was interrupted as they reached the building Gabriel was protecting from the air.

  Laura looked up, assessing the imposing height of the structure.

  —This is what we’ll do: I’ll transform my arms into wings to fly up and help from above. You’ll have to go up the stairs. —As she spoke, a cracking sound filled the air, her bones shifting to form a pair of powerful wings, similar to a hawk’s.

  —All right. Go quickly and be careful. —Max hugged her briefly before watching her take off with a powerful flap.

  The group watched as Laura vanished into the heights. Then they all turned their eyes to the endless staircase before them. Just imagining the climb made them feel exhausted, but there was no time to complain. Without further hesitation, they began to climb.

  —Gabriel, more are coming from the south! —Cristina shouted, her eyes scanning frantically for an escape route.

  —Why do they keep showing up? —Gabriel complained as he descended from the sky, his breathing heavy and his wings weary.

  —The thing I threw off the building is climbing back up —Sofía warned, panting after nonstop fighting.

  —Is this the end? —Gabriel whispered as he wrapped his arms around his friends. They were ready to fight—or die together, if that was their fate.

  Suddenly, when everything seemed lost, a winged figure emerged from the side of the building. Laura appeared, radiating overwhelming power, her eyes blazing like torches in the gloom. She roared with such force that the sound made the air tremble.

  —Venite ad me, pestes! Umbra et os mentes vestras invado! —she shouted in a guttural voice, reciting the spell with an authority that seemed beyond this world.

  Her eyes shone with a supernatural glow. Blowing toward the clouds, the sky turned a strange green, and cockroaches, snakes, rats, and countless vermin began to rain down. The animals hit the ground unharmed and, obeying Laura’s will, surged forward to attack, distracting the demonic beasts.

  Laura landed beside her friends, relieved to find them alive. Her wings gradually vanished, giving way to her massive claws. She was ready to tear flesh if necessary.

  —That’s incredible, a beast! —Sofía exclaimed, amazed by Laura’s transformation.

  —Will those animals kill them? —Gabriel asked, unable to hide his nervousness.

  —No, but they’ll buy us time —Laura replied, her gaze fixed on the creatures. She seemed to be present both physically and within the minds of every vermin she had summoned.

  —Time? —Sofía echoed, still not fully understanding the plan.

  Suddenly, the stairwell door burst inward, revealing Melody and Max. The pair advanced in perfect sync, their eyes glowing intensely as they murmured barely audible words. Their hands were clasped together, invoking runes along their arms that radiated ancient power.

  —Coniunge aera, gravitatem gravem redde! —they proclaimed in unison.

  As the spell concluded, bluish smoke emerged from their mouths, forming ethereal serpents that coiled around the demonic beasts. Gravity became their prison: the creatures were forced flat against the ground, unable to rise. An invisible force crushed them, completely immobilizing them. The atmosphere vibrated with the power of the ancient incantation, and Melody and Max, hands still joined, stood firm at the center of the chaos, controlling the situation with astonishing calm.

  Gabriel ran to Max, who looked on the verge of collapsing, and caught him just before he fell.

  —Hey —Gabriel said, trying to ease the tension with a smile.

  —Shit… —Melody muttered, snapping out of the spell and seeing Max’s condition—. It’s a basic spell, why is he like this?

  —We have to move. They won’t stay immobilized forever —Cristina interrupted firmly, pointing toward the inside of the building.

  Once inside, the group took a moment to breathe while Max lay back, clearly weakened. Cristina knelt beside him.

  —How do you feel? —she asked, her eyes full of concern.

  —Tired… —Max replied weakly.

  —How did you get here? —Cristina turned her attention to Laura.

  —Max… opened a portal —Laura confessed, lowering her gaze, fully aware that this was what had drained her friend.

  —A portal? Max opened a portal? —Cristina spun toward Melody, furious—. You let him do that?

  —I didn’t let anything happen! —Melody protested—. Besides, he has plenty of magic. Nothing should’ve happened to him.

  —No one has enough power to open a portal of that magnitude without consequences. How did you stabilize the spell? —Cristina looked directly at Max, her voice hard and worried.

  —The demonic connection ritual… —Max admitted, avoiding eye contact.

  Silence fell over them like a weight. Cristina closed her eyes for a moment, trying to process the gravity of the situation.

  —What is that? —Gabriel asked, desperate to understand.

  —It’s an ancient method used by quantum witches to stabilize portal creation. They draw on demonic energy to create a bridge between the spell and the witch, preventing it from exploding. But it was abandoned because demonic energy always ends up corrupting the user. Damn it, Max! —Cristina kicked a nearby crate in fury, then turned to Raían—. Why did you give him your blood?

  —I just wanted to help… —Raían whispered, visibly regretful.

  —But is there a way to cure him? —Gabriel asked, searching for hope in Cristina’s eyes.

  —Yes, but not here. We have to return to the mortal realm. The infection will take about twenty-four hours to fully spread —Cristina said, forcing herself to stay calm.

  —Then we have to go back through the portal Max created —Laura said quickly.

  With the help of Gabriel and Melody, they lifted Max and prepared for the final challenge: escaping Paradise alive.