Neonatta: Becoming Human

The loud scream of the kettle shattered the silence of the vast house. Its piercing whistle echoed all the way to the second floor, and moments later, it was joined by the cry of a child.

A fair-haired woman jolted in place and rushed first to the stove, silencing the shrill kettle, and then hurried down the hallway. Within seconds she reached a small nursery. The soft pink walls had a calming effect on the anxious woman as she approached the crying baby.

The tiny child lay in a large crib, looking even smaller within it, like a miniature angel. Bright blue eyes shimmered with tears, and her pale, sleepy face was scrunched in distress. Small hands reached upward toward the woman leaning over the cradle. Her gray eyes gazed at the tiny creature with tenderness and endless sorrow before she gathered the child into her arms and held her tightly against her chest. The loud crying quickly softened into quiet whimpers as a tiny white hand tangled itself in the woman’s blonde curls.

“Catherine, my little one,” the woman whispered, rocking her gently. “It’s alright. Mommy is here.”

The baby calmed down but refused to let go. Large sapphire eyes stared at the woman with a strange sadness — and an awareness far too old for a child. The woman held her tighter and carried her toward the kitchen. Catherine needed to eat. Lately, she had barely touched her food, something unusual for a child her age. It was as if she could sense danger approaching.

Her cries had become more frequent. At night, her blue eyes would fix on the window, as if she were searching for someone in the darkness. During the day, she slept, trusting the safety of sunlight.

Andriella did not trust even that. The constant feeling of being watched was slowly killing her. She did not fear for her own life. Not anymore. She had accepted her fate long ago, the moment she learned she was pregnant. But she feared for Catherine — for her only child.

The angels would never forgive her. They would hunt her for the rest of her life. And they would not spare her daughter. No matter what precautions Belial had taken, they would not last forever. One day — perhaps when Andriella was already gone — the angels would reach Catherine. And when they did... they would destroy her. Destroy theshameAndriella had brought upon them.

The woman shuddered, and the baby in her arms burst into loud sobs once more. The very thought of the fate awaiting this tiny child caused her unbearable pain. Looking down at her daughter, Andriella whispered apologies, as she always did. She had never wanted such a future for her child. When other women rejoiced at the news of their pregnancy, she had wept. When men lifted their beloved into their arms, spinning them around and swearing eternal love, Belial had simply held her close and promised that they would endure whatever came.

He had sworn that he would protect their child at any cost. That he would do the possible and the impossible to keep their little one safe.

But he had been wrong.

That day, Andriella realized that promises should never be made if they cannot be kept. No one could ever be certain of their future. No one could ever escape their fate. What was meant for you would find you — no matter how hard you tried to change it. The futile battle against destiny clouded the mind, blinding you to the truth: in trying to escape your fate, you only ran straight into it — in places you never expected, at the very moment you least desired it.

A vicious circle with no escape. No one could run from the all-seeing angels.

Some believed angels to be compassionate, noble, merciful. But Andriella knew the truth. She had seen their cruelty with her own eyes — and once, she herself had been just like them. Angels did not forgive mistakes. Especially not the mistakes of their own kind. And in their eyes, Catherine was a mistake. An insult to their perfect light. A human child with the blood of both angel and devil. A creature immune to hellfire and the purest angelic flame alike. A child who could stand against both Heaven and Hell.

Perfection.

She could have become a bridge between two warring worlds. But no one wanted peace. The angels hunted Andriella and Catherine to destroy them. The demons sought to claim the child as a weapon — to bend her will and use her against their enemies. An endless war without meaning. Its purpose had long since been lost. Now it was nothing more than a desperate need to prove superiority — to bring an imaginary enemy to its knees.

Suddenly, the door burst open.

Startled, Andriella spun around, flames erupting along her forearm as she prepared to defend the only thing that mattered to her. But in the doorway stood a tall man in an immaculate black suit. Belial’s deep blue eyes were filled with sorrow as he looked at the woman he loved. The flames vanished, and Andriella leaned weakly against the table before breaking into tears.

Crying had become so familiar. In all her immortal life, she had never known such helplessness. Such fear. It was unbearable.

“I’m sorry, my love... I’m so sorry,” Belial whispered over and over as he kissed her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, as if trying to take away her pain. “Let me hold her.”

Andriella placed the small child into the devil’s arms. He cradled the baby so gently, so carefully, that it seemed impossible. She had always been taught that the Fallen were merciless creatures — killers who destroyed for pleasure. But now, watching her husband hold their daughter, she understood that it was all a lie.

Even a devil had a heart. He would do anything for those he loved. Not everyone was worthy of seeing that truth. Once, the devil had been a beautiful angel, willing to sacrifice everything for the ones he cared about. And that truth filled Andriella with unbearable pain. Her heart — a heart that had never known love before — now felt ready to shatter.

“It’s so unfair,” she whispered desperately, watching as Catherine grew quiet and gazed at her father with wonder. “They won’t even give us a chance at happiness. She’s so small... so innocent. How can they see her as a threat?”

“You know them as well as I do, Andri,” Belial said, a note of anger creeping into his voice. He quickly pressed his lips together as Catherine whimpered in his arms, clearly unsettled by his tone. “They would kill a child and call it the greater good — and everyone would believe them.”

“We’re trapped between a hammer and an anvil,” Andriella said, shaking her head as panic began to rise within her. She looked at her daughter as though seeing her for the last time. “I only wanted to live long enough for her. To see her first steps. To hear her first words. To guide her when times were hard. To give her all the love I have. But fate is cruel. We might save Catherine today... but who will protect her tomorrow? Balthazar? He would be among the first to wish her dead. Asmodeus? His soul is rotten with lust and manipulation. Astaroth? He cares for little beyond his own amusement — he would corrupt her before helping her. Or Samael? Do you trust him enough to place our daughter’s life in his hands? And Azazel... I won’t even speak of him. There is nothing holy left in him. He may be worse than Asmodeus himself! I would sooner entrust Catherine to humans than to any of your brothers, Belial!”

“We will,” Belial said. Confusion flickered in Andriella’s wide gray eyes, making her look less like a mighty seraph and more like a frightened child — and certainly not like a mother prepared to sacrifice everything for her daughter. “We will give Catherine to humans. The angels will not find her as long as her human soul keeps her hidden from them. It will give her a chance at a free life... until—”

“Until what?!” Andriella burst out. “Until some supernatural creature finds her and sees you in her?! You know she looks just like you. They’ll recognize her from a distance! No... I can’t do this, Belial. I have to speak with Gabriel.”

“No!” An inhuman growl tore from his chest, making the very air tremble. The ground quivered beneath their feet, and Andriella’s body shook with it as she fought back rising tears. “We are not trusting an archangel! The moment you try to contact him, warrior angels will appear and take you. I won’t allow it!”

“I trust Gabriel,” she said softly, cupping the devil’s beautiful face in her hands. She memorized every line of it, drawing strength from the fierce fire in his eyes. “Please, Belial... trust me. Gabriel won’t hurt me. He’s the only one I can still call a friend.”

“I trust you. But not him.” The tension in his brow slowly eased beneath her gentle touch, just as it always did. “We’re at war, Andri. We stand on opposite sides. It’s unlikely Gabriel will choose you over Heaven.”

“One conversation,” she pleaded. “Just one. The moment I sense danger, I’ll leave. My love... we have to do this for our little girl.”

“...Alright,” Belial whispered roughly.

His free hand tangled in her snow-white hair as he once again found himself struck by how beautiful his wife was. He leaned forward, needing the softness of her lips, the gentleness of her touch — the only things that had ever given him the strength to keep going, the only things that had kept him from drowning in the filth he had lived in before he met her.

***

A cool wind stirred her white hair and her flowing dress. The air was warm enough, yet the wind itself carried an icy bite. Andriella had never felt cold when she was a seraph. Her vessel had been immune to temperature, and her angelic nature had prevented her from feeling anything within. It had been right — or so she had believed.

To feel nothing. To simply obey. To exist without human emotion and trust in every step you took. But how easy it was to mistake emptiness for righteousness. Once, she had only existed. But after meeting a fallen angel — a devil — her enemy... everything had changed.

It was as if she had awakened from a long sleep. Even now, it felt miraculous.

The first time her heart stumbled in her chest, she had been terrified. She had even suspected she had caught some kind of human illness. But when her heart began to race wildly at the sight of Belial’s crooked smile, she understood. The truth struck without warning. It was like being plunged into freezing water — pain flooding her body, both physical and emotional.

It was wrong to love. Even the word itself burned beneath her skin, spreading through her veins like sweet poison.

It was wrong to love him. A seraph had fallen in love — had shattered the thick walls of her cold perfection and betrayed her very nature.

Did she regret it? Not for a single moment. If, on the day the archangels had sent her to Earth, someone had told her how it would end... she would still have gone. Her meaningless existence had gained purpose. Love was a wild beast that attacked when you least expected it — and there was no hiding from it, no escaping it.

Andriella had tried. She had kept her distance from Belial, from her feelings. But it was useless. She always returned. You could run from a person — even from a devil — but never from yourself.

The ground beneath her feet trembled. She sensed the presence immediately. But she did not turn. Her gaze remained fixed on the horizon, on the dying light of the setting sun.

“You know, Gabriel... a sunset is the sun’s little death, before it is reborn again in the morning. Humans are foolish to give ordinary things such poetic meaning. And yet... their foolishness is their greatest strength.”

“Why did you want to meet me?”

Andriella sighed and slowly turned.

Gabriel stood a short distance away, his expression calm and cold. She had no trouble admitting his beauty. Unlike many of their brothers, he was just as beautiful within as he was without. His blue eyes were wary, but not hostile. Everything was under control — as always. As it had been today. As it had been during their last meeting. As it had been centuries ago. His face, his posture, his every movement spoke of unshakable confidence. Of immense power hidden beneath a simple form.

Andriella had always admired him. Once, she had wanted to be like him. Now that was impossible. The gulf between them was endless — and it was her fault.

“I missed you...” she began, faltering as unfamiliar embarrassment rose within her. She had never spoken of feelings to him before — she had never had any. “As my mentor. My friend. My comrade. But now we’re enemies... aren’t we?”

“You will never be my enemy, Andriella.” His face remained still, but his eyes softened. “Was it worth it?”

“We always believed love was a human weakness — a foolishness. And in a way, it is a weakness. But humans gave it meaning. They turned it into strength. That is humanity’s greatest gift — the ability to turn weakness into power. They will stand against the world for the sake of one person. The one they love. So yes... it was worth it. Even if my comrades abandoned me. Even if they turned me into an outcast. Even if they named me their enemy. What matters is that I still have the one I love.”

“Love has changed you,” Gabriel said without judgment — merely stating a fact. “I could have brought others with me. I could have captured you and dragged you back to Heaven. Taken your wings. Made you one of the Fallen. Why didn’t you protect yourself?”

“I trust you. More than the others.” Gabriel tilted his head slightly, as if trying to understand her feelings. Even that small movement carried immense power — greater even than Belial’s, though he ruled the depths of Hell. And for the first time, she felt hope. Hope that Gabriel might save them from their fate. “Please, Gabriel... don’t let this happen. Don’t let the angels kill my daughter. You could never forgive yourself for murdering an innocent child.”

“Your child may become a threat — not only to humanity, but to the entire supernatural world,” Gabriel said, reciting the words like doctrine. “You know that as well as I do.”

“Nonsense!” Andriella cried sharply. Gabriel’s silent warning did not go unnoticed — but she ignored it. She was defending her child. “We’ll raise her as a human. We won’t tell her the truth. We’ll suppress her magic. Please, Gabriel... you won’t even give us a chance!”

“The angels were never planning to kill you,” he said. His words echoed in her mind, and hope flared within her like neon fire. “At least... not yet. We are giving you a chance. Do not make demons out of us.”

“But one day you’ll come for her, won’t you?” she said with a sad smile. “I wanted you to meet her. She’s incredible. But everyone sees only a monster. Catherine is a child. She will always be a child compared to us. Your ‘second chance’ is nothing but a delay of our deaths. I was one of you. I know how this works. You’ll watch her. And the moment you sense danger... You’ll kill her.”

“Andriella...”

There was a warning in Gabriel’s voice now — but she did not stop.

“I prayed so many times,” she whispered through her tears. “To you... toHim... to all of you. But it was useless. What is the point of prayer if no one cares?!” Sobs tore from her chest against her will. And then Andriella fell to her knees. Her long hair spilled across the ground as she bowed her head before Gabriel. “I beg you, Gabriel... do not turn away from my grief. Protect my child. Be her guide when hard times come — when I am no longer there. Do not let her lose faith as I did. I beg for your mercy... do not abandon her when she stands at the edge. Light her path with your radiance. Do not let her be lost in the darkness.”

A sudden gust of wind brushed against her shoulders. And she wept. Gabriel was gone. He had left her alone upon the cliff — broken and hunched, stripped of her pride, stripped of herself.

***

After meeting Andriella, Belial learned what fear truly was. He had not felt it in so long that he had nearly forgotten what it meant — the way primal terror coursed through the veins like poison.

The last time he had felt anything like it was when the angels tore the wings from him and his brothers. Back then, it had been the fear of the unknown. What would become of him when grace left his body? Would he become a monster, or would he keep his mind intact? It was the same fear that tormented him now.

In a single moment, he had gained everything — a woman he loved, a beautiful child, a family. He had felt needed again. And now they were trying to take it all away.

He remembered the first time he saw Andriella. It had been an ordinary morning. He and Samael had been walking through a park, discussing matters of Hell, when suddenly a surge of pure essence made his entire body tremble. Not far away stood a woman — no, a girl — who looked little different from an ordinary student. Her gaze was lost, confused, as if she didn’t understand where she was. Samael studied the angel with interest, clearly feeling the same pull Belial did.

A pure soul. A seraph on Earth — the first in a very long time.

The girl’s gray eyes fell upon them. They narrowed suddenly, flashing with recognition. A smirk spread across Belial’s face as she cast one last proud glance at the devils — and vanished.

Something primal stirred in his chest. His instincts flared to life, sharpening his senses. It felt like a hunt. A hunt for a seraph. And he gave chase. There was no resisting such urges — and truthfully, he had no desire to deny himself the amusement.

Their next encounter brought him no satisfaction at all.

The angel — Andriella — ignored him completely. She didn’t speak to him, didn’t acknowledge him, barely even looked at him. Well... she looked once. And that look was filled with pure arrogance. He didn’t like that. No one looked at the King of Hell like that and continued to walk the earth unpunished.

So he sought her out again. And again. Each time he grew more persistent, until finally Andriella snapped.

She didn’t use her power — not in a crowded café. No, what she did instead was far more entertaining. She grabbed a glass of red wine from someone’s hand... And threw it straight into Belial’s face. Familiar rage surged through him, threatening to ignite the world around them. But then he saw her smile.

Proud. Triumphant. Almost smug. It was a smile of pure happiness — as if someone had just granted her deepest wish. And just like that... The fire inside him died. The smile calmed him so completely that he had to press his lips together to keep from laughing.

It felt strange — smiling like that. After a lifetime of nothing but cruel smirks. After that, he continued to pursue her relentlessly — teasing her, provoking her, trying to force another reaction from her. But it didn’t work.

Eventually, he understood why.

Andriella had found another outlet for her emotions — especially her anger toward him. She painted. And she painted better than any artist Belial had ever known — and in his immortal life, he had known many. They weren’t just paintings. They were something divine.

It was as if Andriella lived within her art, breathing life into every stroke. Her sense of color and nature was flawless. She even painted Belial once.

He had hidden his presence, watching from behind as she worked. He chuckled quietly as she cursed him aloud. In her mind he was a vile devil, a disgusting creature, an insufferable bastard.

After the last insult, she suddenly gasped and began to pray, apologizing for letting such a terrible word escape her lips.

Her innocence amused him. Her very existence fascinated him. Though he would never admit it. His pride would not allow it. He still believed he was in control.

He continued to follow her — even accompanying her on missions to hunt demons. Strangely, the angels hadn’t sent nephilim instead, humans with angelic blood. He was grateful for that. It gave him more time to watch her.

During those encounters, Andriella began to show him more emotion. She hissed at him. Sometimes even growled. It amused him far more than it intimidated him.

Once, she even set his jacket on fire with angelic flame — looking extremely pleased with herself. And something changed in him that day. Before he realized what he was doing, he shoved her against the nearest wall, pressing his body against hers and forcing a startled gasp from her lips.

She didn’t look afraid. She looked curious. As if she didn’t understand what was happening. And that realization made his blood boil. The tension became unbearable.

Slowly, he touched her lips — soft, warm — parting them for himself. Something tightened in his chest. Something unfamiliar. Something dangerously close to longing.

Andriella let him kiss her. Let him touch her. Let him press her against the wall. But it wasn’t enough.

A low growl escaped him, shaking the entire building — and that was what brought her back to her senses. She turned away — and in that instant he saw it.

Understanding.

Horror.

She shoved him hard in the chest with surprising strength... And vanished. Leaving him standing there, feeling the hollow pounding of what he once believed was a dead heart. That was what made him dangerous.

She had been gone for more than a month. Andriella had simply vanished. No one could find her for five weeks. Not even Balthazar, with his talent for tracking, had been able to find her. She remained invisible to them until she decided she wanted to be found.

Belial went after her, abandoning everything he had been doing in Hell, and finally found her as she fought two demons. Her golden hair swept around her in the midst of the battle like a halo above her head, while her gray eyes burned with righteous fury. The demons clearly stood no chance of putting up a worthy fight, and so they retreated cowardly, trying in vain to frighten her with their snarls. But nothing could break her proud bearing or diminish the pure sense of justice written across her flawless face. Her eyes found Belial’s, captivating him with their unshakable confidence—as though she knew the entire world belonged to her, and he was nothing more than dirt beneath her feet.

It became an obsessive desire—to possess her and wipe that haughty expression from her face. And gradually, it all began to fade. Slowly, but surely, the tension in Andriella began to disappear, giving way to something new. She was opening up to him; hesitantly at first, but more and more with every passing moment. Her gaze no longer held that arrogance, only quiet curiosity and endless warmth. And Belial understood that their relationship was changing, crossing into a realm they had never been able to reach before, yet he could not stop it.

Or perhaps he simply did not want to.

And when Andriella kissed him first, looking almost desperate, he could no longer hold himself back. Neither of them could. Their hands moved over each other’s bodies as they drew closer, losing themselves in one another, powerless against the madness that had taken hold of them.

It felt like a blessing—to have her in his arms. For a moment, he even wondered if something like this could truly be real, how he had not already shattered beneath the weight of the feelings blazing inside him. Fear crept in that it was all an illusion, that Andriella would disappear at any moment, dissolve into nothingness, and leave him to discover that it had all been a lie. He tightened his arms around her, holding her even more firmly despite the pain it caused her, needing the certainty that she was real and alive—even with her skin so cold against his.

Their meetings were filled with love, tenderness, and warmth. Andriella gave him all of herself, asking for nothing in return. She smiled her widest smile and sketched him whenever she thought he wasn’t watching—at least, she believed he wasn’t. She had become so... domestic. So right. His. His one and only. No one had ever looked at him that way—with boundless love, as though he were the center of her universe. Some selfish part of him reveled in it, but he understood that the closer she grew to him, the farther she drifted from those she loved, from the angels themselves.

Andriella never showed her sadness, insisting that he had replaced everyone else. But it did not change the truth—an angel could not be with the Devil. And it was breaking his heart. The very organ that did not function in devils.

And then something happened that no one could have anticipated. Andriella became pregnant, making herself Heaven’s greatest enemy. They did not strip her of her wings. Her grace did not abandon her. But the angels began hunting her, determined to cut out the thing growing inside her. Only Gabriel called it a child. Never openly, but he stood by Andriella, even touching her belly a few times.

Belial found the archangel’s holiness irritating, but he was endlessly grateful for his support during such a difficult time for them. What pleased him most was seeing Andriella literally glow whenever her mentor was around. There wasn’t even any jealousy. Gabriel was a cold, immovable stone, incapable of feeling anything. That was what made him dangerous. Despite his support, he was still an archangel—one who could so easily take away everything Belial held most dear.

And now, right before him, in her large crib, lay a little girl with white hair and blue eyes that already seemed far too wise for her age.

Catherine. Pure and innocent, carrying nothing but light. Belial could hardly believe she was real. He had been cast out of Heaven, stripped of his very essence, and yet fate had given him the most precious gift of all—a family. Was he worthy of it? Could he carry all that happiness upon his shoulders?

“She’s your copy,” Azazel said from behind him, careful not to come too close. “Except for the hair. I heard Azrael has already begun hunting her.”

“Let him try to come near her,” Belial growled. “And I’ll remind him why I rule Hell.”

He had heard the rumors too — and he did not like them. Azrael was far too confident if he dared move against his own king. He would deal with him later. The Renounced had begun to go too far.

“To whom are you giving the throne?” Azazel asked.

“Balthazar,” Belial replied. “He’s the only one capable of ruling Hell. Samael refused the burden. But Balthazar... I trust him completely.”

“Asmodeus always wanted your throne.”

“Then his dreams will remain dreams.”

Flames flickered in Belial’s blue eyes, spilling outward like tongues of fire. Azazel did not flinch. Belial’s anger was familiar to every devil. They had all grown immune to it.

“And Aveyra?” Azazel asked carefully. “If I remember correctly, she wanted either a place beside you... or your throne.”

Belial’s shoulders tensed.

“Never speak her name in my presence again.”

Aveyra. Once, that name had been a synonym for passion. Later, it became a curse. She had been powerful, cunning, and unbreakable. Once, Belial had admired her. He had even considered making her his queen. But then Andriella appeared. And everything changed.

Where Andriella gave love, Aveyra demanded passion. Where Andriella sought peace, Aveyra craved power. So Belial distanced himself from her. And Aveyra could not forgive that betrayal. She hunted Andriella like a shadow, poisoning everything she touched. Eventually, Belial had no choice but to imprison her in Hell. But Aveyra was not easily contained. And sometimes Belial feared the gates would not hold her forever.

If she escaped... Even the angels would become a secondary problem.

Azazel glanced down at the child, who listened with quiet curiosity, as if she understood every word. He pitied her. Her parents were fugitives. Danger surrounded her constantly. Nearly everyone hunted her. It was no fate for a child. And yet... Something told him she would endure. Just like her father.She had to.

Andriella returned with swollen eyes, walking past Azazel as if he were nothing more than a piece of furniture. She lifted Catherine into her arms and held her tightly. There was a strange determination on her face. And despair.

“The angels won’t help us,” she said quietly. Belial felt those words strike the very core of his ruined soul. “We only have each other.”

“We’ll survive,” he said. He kissed her softly before leaving, determined to find another way. He always tried to defy fate.

And Andriella always feared for him. Even with his power hidden, angels could find him. Or worse — the Renounced demons. Lately they had grown more aggressive. And they were not alone. Half-demons walked beside them — humans with demonic blood, bound to the Three Witches.

Andriella still remembered the greedy look in those women’s eyes when they saw Catherine. They would betray anyone for power.

Sometimes it felt like the entire world hunted her daughter.

For power.For blood.For her soul.

She and Belial had created perfection. A being who might surpass even Lucifer. But Andriella refused to think about that.

By evening, Catherine had grown restless. She cried whenever her mother set her down, calming only when held again. It was as if she sensed something. Warned of something.

Andriella felt it too. A presence. An unfamiliar energy. Something between darkness and absolute void. Even the lights in the house flickered and died.

Fear pierced her chest. She clutched Catherine tightly. The child stared at the open window — seeing something Andriella could not. And then suddenly... Everything ignited.

Poisonous red flames burst into life, black tongues licking toward the sky. Smoke filled the air, choking even an angel. Catherine cried out, coughing desperately. Andriella turned just in time, shielding her child as the flames struck her back.

A scream tore from her throat. This was no ordinary fire.

Hellfire. The most dangerous force in existence. It burned her wings first. Grace began to fade. Her power broke free — and the flames surged toward her like a living beast. She tried to reach the door. Tried to save Catherine. But the fire only grew stronger.

The house began to collapse. This was the end.

Belial was on Earth when he felt Andriella’s energy. Before, it had been hidden, just like his own. But now, all at once, it spread across the entire world. For a second, the Devil staggered, nearly dropping to his knees from fear. He barely managed to pull himself together before teleporting home, certain that something terrible had happened. And Belial was not wrong. His home—the place where he had wanted to spend the rest of his life with the woman he loved—was burning. Hellfire engulfed the entire house, and Andriella’s screams barely rose above its vicious crackling. Belial lunged forward, throwing caution and fear to the wind. He ran toward where he belonged—beside his angel.

The flames parted before their ruler, beckoning him deeper, luring him into their trap. Belial knew the nature of this fire—it could not be controlled. But he could not stop himself from entering, not when Andriella’s screams were slowly turning into ragged gasps, while Catherine cried and struggled to break free from her mother’s arms.

His wife. His light. His treasure. She was on her knees, protecting the most precious thing in her life at the cost of her own. Her dress had been torn open across her back, and scars from her burned wings marred her delicate skin, just like his own. The sight struck him squarely in the chest.

Belial knelt beside his wife. She did not raise her head, overwhelmed by unimaginable pain and the bitterness of her loss. Instead, she placed their daughter into his arms.

“Take her,” she whispered. “Now.”

“I’ll come back for you, my love.”

Taking off his jacket, he wrapped Catherine in it and rushed forward, doing everything in his power to bring the flames under control. He pushed closer and closer to the exit until he finally managed to draw a breath of clean air, carrying the child out of the burning house and straight toward the people gathered outside.

The women were crying. The men stood in stunned silence. Only an elderly couple—demons he trusted with his life—stepped forward and took Katerina from his arms, meeting his frantic gaze.

“You know what to do!” They both nodded and, as if on command, turned their frightened eyes toward the burning house. The walls could no longer withstand the force of the flames and collapsed.

Belial let out a roar and ran toward the one he had promised to always stand beside—in sorrow and in joy, even when the whole world turned its back on her. He ran toward his little angel, the woman whose life he had turned into a nightmare.

Andriella lay unconscious, slowly dying. Her small body was curled into the fetal position. Belial lifted her and settled her across his lap. A faint smile was his reward. Andriella raised a trembling hand, cupping his cheek as she smiled a happy, peaceful smile that touched the heart of the once most merciless Devil in the universe.

“I have no regrets, Belial... You gave my life meaning... And I...” A cough cut her off, but she quickly continued, “I love you more than anything... As long as you are beside me, I am not afraid of death...”

“My treasure, I love you more than my own life. I would give everything for you.”

“I’ll be waiting for you up there, my love.”

The people screamed even louder.

The house collapsed, and with it was buried an extraordinary love story between two beings who could not have been more different—and who had never been given a chance at happiness.

***

Flames danced in his eyes. It was a mesmerizing sight — watching hellfire devour not just a building, but the one whom everyone had feared for thousands of years. A contemptuous smirk slowly spread across the man’s face.

“An entire era has passed,” he said with feigned sorrow. “What a tragedy. Where is the child?”

“The demons took her,” his subordinate replied, equally entranced by the flames. “The girl will be taken to a safe place. Do you want us to retrieve her now?”

He paused, considering the question. Then he shook his head.

“She’s too young. We’ll wait until she’s ready.”

The second man nodded and vanished. The fire, its purpose fulfilled, slowly began to die down. And only he knew the truth — it was he who had unleashed the flames. He felt no remorse, only triumph. His plan had worked; everything was unfolding exactly as intended.

All that remained was to wait. And he would wait.

He had waited all these centuries — a few more decades meant nothing. When victory was so close, patience was easy.

Casting one last glance at the house — or what remained of it — he began to hum. A quiet melody, almost like a whistle, telling the story of love’s tragic end. No matter how strong it was, even love could not withstand hatred.

Once again, the light had lost. And something told him that, in the end, it would lose again.

He would make sure of it.

Now... only the final touches remained before he could leave.