Chapter 104: Shade

"A--a-a-z .. r-a--e ... l," Uriel gasped, her voice barely a whisper as she called out for Azrael, her eyes searching for him in the chaos of battle.

Azrael's heart shattered at the sound of his name on her lips, realizing the depth of her pain and the urgency in her fading voice. He held her close, his wings shielding her from the surrounding turmoil, but he couldn't shield her from the cruel fate that had befallen her.

Time seemed to stand still as he clung to her, the world around them blurring into insignificance. The battle raged on, but for Azrael, it had ceased to exist. All that mattered was the angel in his arms, slipping away from him with every weakening beat of her heart.

In her final moments, Uriel's eyes met Azrael's, a mixture of pain and acceptance in her gaze. With a trembling hand, he brushed a strand of hair from her face, whispering words of comfort that were lost amidst the chaos of battle.