CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE WRATH OF THE CHOSEN
The ritual ground was silent but heavy with a malicious energy that strangled the air. Calder, bathed in blood and broken, dropped to the floor like a lifeless puppet as the ritual dagger was pulled from his chest. A crimson pool formed beneath him. Caleb, without flinching, stepped forward and lifted his lifeless body with eerie grace. With deliberate slowness, he placed Calder's corpse back into the ritual circle—its boundaries now glowing with deep, violet fire. Caleb's face held no emotion.
"We carry on," he declared, his voice thunderous.
Around him, eight demons in cloaks of dark energy began to chant in a low, guttural tongue. A ritual song thick with ancient malice filled the air, vibrating through the stone walls like a war drum. Then Zareth, the tenth of the Chosen Demons, stepped forward and raised his blackened hand.
"By the void, by the blood, by the soul's last scream... awaken."
Suddenly—
A sharp thrum of sound split the air.
Above the dark skies of the ritual building, a black military helicopter appeared, rotors slicing through the wind like daggers. Painted with the sigil of the Ugandan Slayers Division, it descended like judgment from heaven.
"Target in sight," said Commander Lewis, his voice calm. "Deploy."
Within seconds, the side hatches opened and bolts of mystic energy shot from specialized Slayer rifles. The building trembled. Four elite slayers jumped from the helicopter, landing on the building's roof with perfect synchronicity: Edna, Rejoice, Henry, and Emmanuel. Commander Lewis followed, landing with such grace that even the wind seemed to pause.
Fifteen more Slayers remained inside the chopper. Lewis turned to them.
"Form a perimeter. If the other Slayers arrive, assist them immediately. This ritual ends tonight."
Then, the five descended into the belly of the demon hive.
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INSIDE THE HALL OF SHADOWS
The corridor greeted them with suffocating darkness. As they advanced, the air thickened, and the walls began to breathe—a living thing watching them.
Lewis raised his hand.
"Stop."
Everyone froze.
"Something is here," he muttered.
"Demon," Rejoice answered sharply.
Lewis closed his eyes, drawing his sword, its edge glowing blood red. Then, without hesitation, he slashed through the darkness.
A scream.
The sword had pierced an invisible figure—a demon, grinning despite being impaled.
"Clever... but not clever enough," the demon whispered.
With a snap of his fingers, the corridor twisted and folded. Space itself tore apart. In an instant, all five Slayers were separated—each thrown into their own pocket dimension.
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LEWIS' DOMAIN: THE WHITE ROOM
Lewis stood alone, calm. The endless white space stretched infinitely. He looked around slowly.
"I know you're watching," he said. "Why don't you show yourself, and we end this."
A disembodied voice replied with amusement, "Are you sure?"
"Separating my team was your biggest mistake," Lewis said coldly.
"Orders from above," the voice answered.
"A high-ranking demon? One of the elite?"
Laughter. Then a figure emerged—draped in flowing white robes, wearing a black, expressionless mask.
"Elite? Not yet," he said. "I am Razen, number six of the Chosen Demons. Chosen by the death goddess Sara herself."
Lewis's eyes narrowed. "Sara?"
He charged. "ENLARGE—DRAGON!"
His sword grew massive, glowing with pulsing red energy. He brought it down. The room exploded into two.
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REJOICE'S DOMAIN: THE RED ROOM
Cautiously, Rejoice walked through the blood-colored room. Her gun was drawn.
A laugh. A blur.
She turned—nothing.
"Show yourself."
A little girl appeared in front of her, barefoot, smiling.
"You're too little to be a demon," Rejoice said, eyeing her cautiously.
In a flash, the girl appeared behind her, sniffing her hair.
"Mmm, you smell like heaven. Beautiful eyes. A goddess."
Rejoice jumped back, raising her weapon.
"You're no ordinary demon."
"I just want to play," the child giggled.
Rejoice fired. Blue-flame bullets tore into the girl's head.
The demon-child feigned a tearful expression, but Rejoice didn't hesitate. Another shot. Flames engulfed the body.
"A child demon? What is this?"
---
LEWIS VS RAZEN CONTINUES
The white room reformed. Lewis whispered, "Too weak."
But then—
A blade stabbed him from behind. Blood gushed from his mouth.
Razen stood tall.
"You thought you escaped? This is my domain."
He snapped his fingers. The room reset. Lewis fell.
"Your attack was meaningless," Razen said. "I am born of Sara. My ability: Mind Twist. One glance into my eyes, and I command your mind. You cannot trust what you see."
Lewis gasped. "Illusion...?"
Razen moved to strike again. Lewis rolled away and stood up.
"Nice dodge," Razen clapped. "But it ends here."
Lewis charged again.
"FOOL!"
He swung at Razen—only to hit a stone wall. His hand shattered.
Pain exploded.
Behind him, Razen whispered, "Gullible."
Lewis spun, stabbing back.
A hit.
Razen's shoulder bled.
"Impressive," he smirked.
Lewis steadied himself. "Let's have a mask fight."
Razen grinned. "Oh yeah, I'm—"
Before he could finish, Lewis grabbed his face and slammed it to the ground.
But it was a trick.
Razen vanished. Reappeared. Then—
SLASH.
Lewis's arm flew off. Blood splashed the white walls.
---
REJOICE VS THE DEMON CHILD CONTINUES
Rejoice limped forward, smoke still trailing from her gun.
Suddenly, hands of black sludge grabbed her leg.
"No!"
She shot wildly—but they were endless.
From a throne above, the child demon laughed.
"Why won't you play with me?"
The child snapped her fingers. The hands let go.
Rejoice looked down—her left leg was missing.
She screamed.
---
OUTSIDE THE BUILDING
The fifteen Ugandan Slayers kept watch.
Then—another chopper appeared. It bore the insignia of the International Slayer Unit.
Lucien stepped out, flanked by other elite Slayers. The Ugandan team smiled in awe.
"Why haven't you entered?" Lucien asked.
"The building vanished upon entry. It's sealed. A barrier we can't pass."
Clante walked forward and examined it. A swirling purple energy vibrated through the air.
He bent down.
A hiss.
A snake-like purple smoke came from the earth.
"RUN!" Clante yelled. "IT'S A TRAP!"
Too late.
The smoke devoured them.
Screams echoed into the night.
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TO BE CONTINUED...