Episode 2: Bound by Darkness

A sharp, throbbing pain shot through Elias’s head as he slowly regained consciousness. The scent of incense and burning wax was gone, replaced by something earthier—the dampness of stone and the faint metallic tang of blood.

He was no longer in the temple.

Groggily, Elias pushed himself up, his fingers grazing cold, uneven rock beneath him. He blinked against the dim light, his vision adjusting to his surroundings. The room was vast, its walls carved from dark stone, glowing red sigils pulsing faintly across their surfaces. Chains hung loosely from the ceiling, remnants of an ancient prison—Raziel’s prison.

And then, he saw him.

Raziel stood a few feet away, watching him with an unreadable expression. His long silver hair shimmered in the dim light, his crimson eyes glowing softly in the dark. He was dressed in black robes embroidered with arcane symbols, his posture relaxed yet commanding.

Elias’s pulse quickened. “Where—” His voice cracked. He swallowed hard and tried again. “Where have you taken me?”

Raziel smiled, tilting his head slightly. “You’re in my domain now, little priest.”

Elias stiffened. “That’s impossible. The gods wouldn’t allow—”

“The gods,” Raziel interrupted smoothly, “have long since abandoned this world. Or perhaps, they simply weren’t as powerful as you were led to believe.”

Elias clenched his fists. “That’s not true.”

Raziel took a step forward, and despite himself, Elias flinched. The demon god chuckled at the reaction, his gaze lingering on Elias’s palm—the wound he had made during the ritual.

“You still don’t understand, do you?” Raziel mused. “Your blood did not strengthen the seal. It shattered it. And in doing so, you forged a bond with me.”

Elias’s breath caught. “A bond?”

Raziel lifted a hand, and the mark on Elias’s forehead burned. A sharp, searing pain spread through his body, and he gasped, clutching his chest.

“You feel it now, don’t you?” Raziel murmured. “That mark binds us. Your soul is tethered to mine, and because of that, you can no longer escape me.”

Elias gritted his teeth, forcing himself to breathe through the pain. “Then break it.”

Raziel raised an eyebrow. “Break it? Why would I do that?”

Elias struggled to his feet, shaking from both exhaustion and fury. “Because I refuse to be your prisoner!”

Raziel’s smirk deepened. In a flash, he was in front of Elias, so close that Elias could feel the cold energy radiating from him. A single clawed finger tilted Elias’s chin up, forcing him to meet his gaze.

“You misunderstand,” Raziel murmured, his voice soft but laced with something dark. “You are not my prisoner, little priest.”

Elias’s breath caught as Raziel leaned in just enough for his next words to ghost over his lips.

“You are my beloved.”

Elias’s heart pounded so loudly he was sure Raziel could hear it. His body screamed at him to move, to push the demon away, but he was frozen in place.

Raziel straightened, stepping back as though he had all the time in the world. “Get some rest, Elias. You will need your strength for what comes next.”

Elias glared at him, every fiber of his being resisting the idea of submitting to Raziel’s will. “And if I refuse?”

Raziel merely smiled, eyes glinting with amusement. “Then you’ll soon learn that this bond cannot be denied.”

With a flick of his wrist, darkness surged around them, swallowing Elias whole.

To be continued…

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