ROYAL PALACE – AZREAL'S ROOM

Azreal laid still—lifeless, pale, caught between two worlds. His chest barely rose, every breath a whisper. Beside him sat Laisa, her hands trembling, her eyes swollen from crying. A single tear slid down her cheek and landed on his hand.

Time froze.

Inside Azreal's Mind — The Crimson Domain

The moment the tear touched him, Azreal's eyes snapped open—but he wasn't in his bed. Instead, he stood in the middle of a vast crimson room. The sky above was swirling fire, and pillars of flame cracked through a burning stone floor. The heat was suffocating, and the air reeked of ashes and power.

"What… is this place?" Azreal muttered, stepping cautiously forward.

Then he heard it. A slow, echoing clap. From the towering staircase before him, a shadowed figure descended—regal, confident, dangerous.

"Well well," the figure said, voice smooth and mocking, "you're finally awake, huh?"

Azreal squinted at the silhouette. "Who are you? Show yourself!"

The figure laughed—a deep, unsettling sound. Step by step, he walked down the obsidian stairs. As the firelight hit his face, Azreal's eyes widened.

"You…" Azreal gasped.

"That's right," the figure grinned, his eyes glowing blood-red. "I am you. You are me."

"You look like me," Azreal whispered.

"I am Lucifer," the man said, smiling darkly.

Azreal stumbled back, confused. "Lucifer?! That's impossible!"

Lucifer chuckled again. "Don't act surprised. It's not your first time hearing that name."

"Who are you really?!" Azreal yelled.

Lucifer stepped forward. "I already told you. I'm you—your rage, your pain, your guilt. Everything you locked away, thinking it made you strong. But now… I'm awake."

Azreal's fists clenched. "Then I'll burn you out of me."

His eyes flared with golden light. With a roar, he raised his hand, and a tidal wave of fire surged forward, engulfing Lucifer in white-hot flames.

The entire room shook, walls cracking under the pressure.

Smoke curled in the air.

Suddenly—CLAP CLAP CLAP.

Lucifer emerged, untouched, his black cloak fluttering in the heat.

"Is that how you greet your evil twin?" he sneered.

Azreal growled. "I don't know what you are, but I don't have time for this. I need to find Aria."

Lucifer's smile twisted. "Ohhh… Aria. The girl with the God's Mark, right? You two had fun, didn't you?"

Azreal's breath caught.

"Did you ever find her?" Lucifer taunted. "Or did you just collapse, like a weakling?"

"You shut your mouth—"

Lucifer's voice turned cold. "You sealed me away like trash, thinking you were stronger. But here we are… and you're kneeling in my world. Pathetic."

Azreal's eyes flared. He vanished in a flash of flames and reappeared in front of Lucifer, slamming him against the wall.

"I said—SHUT UP!"

But Lucifer grinned. CRACK—he broke Azreal's arm like it was glass.

Azreal screamed.

Lucifer kicked him across the room. Azreal smashed into the floor, skidding like a comet.

"You're angry now?!" Lucifer yelled, stalking him. "Where was that anger when Aria was kidnapped?! Where was it when you failed her?!"

Lucifer lifted him with one hand, then delivered a brutal knee to Azreal's gut. Azreal coughed blood, eyes dimming.

"You're not a hero. You're a coward."

He slammed Azreal again. "She didn't deserve someone as weak as you."

Azreal gasped, blood dripping from his mouth.

Lucifer circled him, dragging his foot through the burning ground.

"And when I kill you here," Lucifer whispered, "I will wake up. I'll find Aria. I'll give her everything you couldn't. I'll take care of Laisa too. I'll give her what she really wants."

Azreal's body twitched.

"Maybe I'll kill Aria," Lucifer hissed into his ear. "Right before Sin does. That way, it'll hurt most."

BAM.

A wave of raw power exploded from Azreal's body, knocking Lucifer back.

The floor cracked. Flames erupted from Azreal's skin. But this time—they weren't red. They were blue. Blazing. Hungry.

Lucifer stepped back. "Ohhh. Now we're getting somewhere!"

The temperature spiked. Flames spun like a cyclone. Azreal's body surged with power, his hair flaring like a sunlit storm. His fists tightened, trembling with fury.

Lucifer laughed, stepping forward.

"Yes! YES! Let it consume you. Get angrier! Let it out!"

Azreal's mind blurred. His heartbeat raced. He felt himself slipping.

"I'm… losing control," he muttered. "I'm becoming him…"

Suddenly—light. A soft hand touched his chest. Time slowed.

"Nena…?"

She appeared, bathed in gentle gold. Her eyes sad, but kind.

"Azreal," she whispered, "this isn't who you are. You know that."

"But… he—he said he'd—"

"Anger will destroy everything," she said gently. "You'll become the very thing you sealed away. You're stronger when you think. When you feel. Calm your flames… and your heart."

And then—she vanished.

Azreal fell to his knees. The flames dimmed.

Lucifer screamed, "NO! I SAID GET ANGRY!"

But Azreal stood. His fire now calm, focused, crackling silently around him like a second skin.

He vanished—then reappeared mid-air, slamming his fist into Lucifer's face. The force bent space, creating shockwaves.

Lucifer flew backward, crashing through three flaming pillars. He rolled, stood up, blood on his lips, grinning.

"Hah… impressive," he muttered.

Azreal approached, steady. "You were bluffing. You can't kill me. You can't even leave."

Lucifer raised a brow. "And what makes you so sure?"

Azreal narrowed his eyes. "Because I am you. And you're me. If one of us dies, the other dies too."

Lucifer froze.

"You were just trying to make me lose control," Azreal continued. "So you could take over. You almost had me."

Lucifer's grin twitched. Then—he laughed. Wild, chaotic laughter.

"You figured it out, huh? Too bad. Now we're both stuck here."

Azreal shrugged. "I don't mind. At least the people I love are safe."

Lucifer slowly walked back to his throne and slumped down, flames coiling around him.

Azreal sat down on the cracked floor, closing his eyes.

"…Aria. Please be safe."

---

REALITY — ROYAL PALACE, AZREAL'S ROOM

Thunder rumbled outside.

Azreal's body twitched slightly on the bed.

Laisa wiped her tears quickly as Aria entered, eyes red but strong. She knelt beside Azreal, gripping his hand.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "You always risk everything for me. But one day… I'll be the one risking everything to protect you."

She leaned down, pressed her lips to his forehead, and stood tall.

"I'll be stronger next time."

As she turned to leave, Nena stood at the door, arms crossed.

"You better move quick," she said with a smirk. "Lady Laisa's not the patient type."

Aria nodded and exited.

Nena looked at Azreal, then leaned close.

"Wake up soon, Azreal. Hell's been too quiet without you."

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