Page 64 of Eternal Mate

Barimuz's eyes glazed over, a malevolent gleam replacing his previously steady gaze. A sinister smile twisted his lips as he stepped forward, breaking our circle.

He had forcefully fallen under Lucifer's thrall, becoming a puppet of darkness. It was a devastating blow, for Barimuz had been our guide, our fifth anchor for the binding spell.

Without his help, we would never be able to do this.

"No!" I cried out, my voice sharp with desperation. "Barimuz, don’t!"

But Lucifer's influence was too strong. He would never be able to resist it.

Barimuz raised his hands, summoning dark tendrils of energy that coiled around him like serpents. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed them upon us.

Chaos erupted within the chamber as we scrambled to defend ourselves against the onslaught. Michaelson, ever the protector, shielded me from the brunt of Barimuz's assault. His muscles strained as he deflected the dark energy, his eyes filled with a mixture of determination and pain.

Kiran, quick-witted as ever, dodged and weaved through the swirling shadows, his nimble movements a blur. He retaliated with bursts of arcane energy, desperately trying to break through the darkness that consumed our once-trusted ally without breaking the circle.

Neo's wings shimmered as he unleashed his divine power, his form blurring as though he was struggling to hold back from a complete shift. After he created a barrier of light, the dark tendrils coming from Barimuz were burned away, forcing them back.

A soft groan left the Archdemon as he clutched at his face, swiftly resorting to clawing until it was a bloodied mess beneath his fingers, and my heart stalled out in my chest.

He was trying to resist Lucifer's orders—or at least trying to buy us time.

But even with our combined efforts, we wouldn’t be able to seal him. Without his help, we didn’t have enough people to anchor him into the abyss.

It was all going to be for nothing.

"Tell me what to do."

I jerked at the sound of a new voice. Beneath the onslaught of our raw power, I turned to look at a familiar face that had appeared across from me.

Without hesitation, Kiyomasa joined our circle, linking hands with Neo.

Thankfully, as long as Michael and Neo were there, we didn’t actually have to teach him the spell. It was projected straight into our minds.

The air crackled with intense energy as Kiyomasa’s power was added to the circle, infusing the ritual with demonic energy. Even as the seal flickered, weakened by the chaos, Kiyomasa's power surged. His eyes blazed, his voice resonating with a power that surpassed anything we had witnessed before as the ancient incantation spilled from his lips, each word infused with an unyielding will.

The chamber trembled like the very fabric of reality was quivering under strain. Kiyomasa's energy intertwined with the ritual, bolstering its strength.

Slowly but surely, the seal regained its luminous glow, pushing back the encroaching darkness.

I could have sobbed as Barimuz began to sway, Lucifer's shrill scream of outrage echoing in the chamber when the beastly man managed to shake off his order.

With one final surge, the seal solidified.

The chamber was bathed in a blinding light, dispelling the shadows that had plagued us.

Barimuz stumbled back as Lucifer vanished in a spiral of black chains and smog, disappearing from view even as he strained against his bindings.

Breathing heavily, we surveyed the aftermath of the battle. Our bodies were battered, but our spirits were unbroken.

"Thank you, Kiyomasa," I whispered, my voice laden with gratitude. "You saved us all."

Kiyomasa nodded, his gaze filled with kindness. "Of course.”

As we reconvened, I expressed my heartfelt appreciation, swiping at the moisture on my forehead that I desperately hoped was sweat and not blood.

"Thank you all.”

Michael nodded solemnly. "My mate is going to be furious," he admitted, a hint of worry in his voice. "And the repercussions of this could be dire."

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