Capítulo 15: Going Back
Haisley
Zyraxiel holds out his hand, his eyes burning into mine. "I need to take you back," he says, his voice low, almost gentle. I peer at him, hesitant.
"What about taking what I promised?" I ask. After everything, shouldn't he take it now?
"That will come later," he replies, his tone measured. "In another game. For now, you keep it. Don't speak of the ending with the others. No one should know what transpired." His voice drops into a near-whisper, and I nod. I don't fully understand, but I know better than to question him.
Reaching forward, I place my hand in his. The instant my fingers touch his, he pulls me against his solid frame, and then the world shifts. The room around us swirls, distorting and bending like the air itself is unraveling. I squeeze my eyes shut as dizziness sweeps over me.
When the sensation stops, I slowly open my eyes. I'm back in the room with the others. The familiar cold air hits me like a slap, the harsh reality of the game once again wrapping itself around me. Zyraxiel smiles faintly, a strange look in his eyes, before he releases me. Without another word, he disappears back into the portal, vanishing as if he was never there.
"Finally!" Megan rushes over and pulls me into a tight hug. "I thought you refused and… burned to death or something!"
"No," I mutter, my voice a little hollow. "There are less painful ways to die than burning alive."
Her grip loosens as she looks at me, concern clouding her features. Olivia peers over, curious and suspicious. "Why did Zyraxiel come back with you? Why was he still with you? We were alone during our game."
I blink, confused. "Your demons didn't go with you?" I whisper.
"No," Olivia answers. "How could they? We all played the same game, had the same test at the same time. But you… you took longer. What happened?"
"What did you give up?" Gina leans in, her eyes wide with anticipation.
I hesitate, unsure of how to explain it. Finally, I whisper, "My soul." The words feel heavier than I expected, like they carry a weight I still don't fully understand.
Their eyes widen, shock rippling through the group. "Your soul?" Megan breathes, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't believe you gave that up. That's… that's everything. How could you do it?"
"I saw the choices," I explain, trying to keep my voice steady. "Only a certain number of people could choose each option. I didn't want someone else to have to give up their soul. So I chose it."
Megan shakes her head, disbelief written all over her face. "How painful will it be to lose your soul?"
"I… I hadn't thought about that," I admit, my mind spinning. The reality of it is starting to sink in. "From what I remember, there was an announcement that we'll have whatever we gave up… removed in the next game. But I don't know what happens when you lose your soul."
Olivia's voice cuts in, quieter now, almost afraid. "So… you're not going to find out?"
"No," I say, shaking my head. "Zyraxiel… he refused to take it. He told me that he would take my darkest memory instead. And when I'm ready to give him my soul freely, we'll trade. My memory for my soul." I still don't fully understand what that means, why he made such an offer, but the words feel surreal even as I speak them.
Gina chuckles, though there's no real humor in it. "Why did you get the nice demon?"
"Nice?" Olivia scoffs, her voice filled with disbelief. "Have you seen that monstrosity?"
I don't know why I feel the need to defend him, but the words spill out before I can stop them. "Hey, he's not a monstrosity." My voice is firmer than I expect, and I find myself surprised by my own reaction.
Olivia raises an eyebrow, her expression incredulous. "Are you serious? That thing looks like it crawled out of hell."
"Maybe," I admit, "but he's not like the others. He… he's different." The words feel strange on my tongue, but there's something about Zyraxiel, something beneath the monstrous exterior, that I can't shake. He sees me in a way that no one else does, like he knows every dark corner of my soul—and doesn't recoil from it.
For a moment, no one says anything, the weight of my confession settling between us. I don't know if they understand, or if they even want to, but the truth is there, hanging in the air. Zyraxiel didn't take my soul because he wants me to give it to him. And somehow, in the depths of this nightmare, that choice feels more terrifying than anything else.
We sit together again, the silence between us heavy and thick. "Does anyone know when it's happening?" I whisper, my voice barely cutting through the stillness.
"No," Olivia mutters, shaking her head. The room falls into silence once more, each of us lost in our own thoughts. One by one, I watch as they drift off to sleep, but sleep doesn't come for me. Something gnaws at me, keeping me wide awake. It's a restless feeling, an itch under my skin. And then, there it is—the pull. The urge to see him, Zyraxiel.
Quietly, I reach for the mirror, my fingers trembling slightly as I lift it to my face. I peer into the dark surface, waiting, my breathing shallow. After a few tense moments, his image flickers to life. Zyraxiel. He doesn't speak, and neither do I. I just watch him, studying every sharp line, every glowing ember in his eyes.
I should be terrified. His presence should send me into a spiral of panic. But somehow, seeing him calms me. It's twisted, I know. But the fear that usually claws at me fades in his gaze, replaced by something I can't quite understand. I keep watching him, and eventually, the weight of exhaustion pulls me under. I fall asleep with my eyes on him.
I wake suddenly to the sound of loud scratching, a harsh, grating noise that makes my heart slam against my chest. My body jolts upright, the adrenaline hitting hard. The others are startled awake too, and we huddle together, our breaths quick and shallow.
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