Page 173 of A Hail From Hell: Vol 1

“In search of warmth, a heart is burnt…”

Burnt.

After staring into the fiery pit for a while, he couldn’t take it anymore. Summoning whatever strength remained, he stumbled up and grabbed Zeev’s collar, his eyes burning.

“How do I bring him back?” Evan seized the collar of Zeev’s robe, pulling it tight around his neck and cutting off his airflow. “Tell me, now!”

Never before in his life had Evan lashed out at anyone without a good reason. At least not physically. And his sudden fury surprised him as much as the other party.

Zeev’s brows lowered in discomfort but he didn’t fight against Evan. “You will have to help him break out, sir.”

“How?!”

“My Lord cannot perish in his current form. But…the eternal flames would affect his conscience and pull him into a trance,” Zeev coughed as Evan wrung the collar tighter around his neck. “The fire. It…it’s a fickle thing. It will show him his most favorable desire come true, and keep him trapped in the trance until he slowly dissolves into the fiery abyss. The only way he can break free…is on his own volition.”

With an irritated grunt, Evan shoved Zeev away and turned back to the blazing Hellfire that danced in the night breeze.

Zeev dropped his head. “You may try to call his name, sir.”

“I already did that!”

Evan raked his fingers through his hair.

Think, Evan. Think.

If someone else was in Xen’s place, trapped in a trance where their deepest desire became reality, what could break them free?

Perhaps the object of his said desires.

Xen’s desires….

Evan searched his brain, then cursed under his breath.

This moment would either be a mortifying memory he’d dread for life or an equally mortifying memory that he’d pretend never happened.

But he didn’t have time to contemplate. What if—by the time Evan was done considering and reconsidering everything—Xen had melted into a fiery puddle? What could be worse than that?

In response, pages furiously flipped in his head.

The Doctrine of Blackwood Exorcists. Rule 103: “The Blackwood Exorcists are servants of light and must always strive to uphold the good name of the lineage until the very end.”

Evan groaned, then chucked the rule book away and screamed into the flames, “IF YOU DON’T COME OUT, I’M GOING TO SCREW THE FIRST PERSON I SEE OUTSIDE!”

Zeev’s eyes widened.

Aaron groaned groggily, face scrunching.

Evan stared into the crackling fire with fierce determination, making sure Xen saw the seriousness in his eyes through the flames. That hewouldscrew someone just to prove a point.

As Evan stared into the depths of the Hellfire, the fire stared back. A thunder roared in the sky and lightning soared across the dark expanse like a burning dragon spreading its wings.

When a silhouette stirred within it, the Hellfire let out a shrill cry.

In the backdrop of the flashing sky, a tall figure emerged, red robes bellowing, long raven hair dancing wildly behind him. He strolled through the flames, hands in his pocket, fire licking at his boots. When he stepped out of the fiery pit, the Hellfire simmered down before disappearing into the cracks in the ground.

What remained behind was a blood-stained golden spear lying discarded on the ground.

Narrowed scarlet eyes glared at Evan as the figure stopped in front of him. His voice was a low, threatening whisper as he asked, “What did you just say?”

---