The battle continued with neither side stopping.
"Hold on! It's almost over!"
"Keep them away!"
Lorelai was doing her best to stop Malifira from completing the process of injecting the corruption into all those souls. However, fighting four warlords simultaneously proved to be a challenge even for her at full strength and with the advantage of elemental damage.
"It's finished," Malifira's voice resonated in the air.
The whole fight came to a brief pause, and everyone's attention turned to the glass jar. The once white souls had now been tainted black. Nothing but darkness engulfed the giant jar.
Lorelai was horrified and cried, "No . . ." She could hear those souls screaming in pain like she could feel their agony. "Now, the only thing left is to destroy these souls . . ." Malifira muttered, gathering her magic to unleash a powerful spell that would obliterate the souls in one fell swoop.
"Stop it!" Lorelai cried, sprinting towards Malifira, but she was quickly intercepted by the force of Desira and the others.
On the side, Ren and his group were occupied with the two angels, ensuring they wouldn't interfere with Malifira.
Victory seemed within reach, and Azazel would finally be saved. Just as the magical energy gathered around Malifira, a gentle touch from behind made her lose all her power, and she fell to the ground, weakened.
It was the [Sovereign's Touch], an ability that made all demons and devils weak and temporarily loosed their powers. There was only one demon who could do that. "Lord Azazel . . ." Malifira muttered. Malifira was weakened. Her eyes rounding when she saw Azazel looking down at her with slit eyes.
Azazel had been reluctant to resort to that ability, unwilling to manipulate his friends. However, it seemed unavoidable now.
Desira and the others paused, exclaiming, "Lord Azazel, you're awake!"
While Ren and Evie didn't know what would happen next, they were too occupied with the two angels to intervene and give noticed to Azazel right now.
"Malifira," Azazel began, "I'm glad that you're doing all of this for me. However . . . when did I ask you to save me? When did I ask all of you to save me?"
Desira and the others lost their voices.
Malifira's eyes widened. "L-lord Azazel I . . ."
Azazel's face was serious for the first time as he addressed his warlords. "I have died long ago. My only regret is that I left all of you with this corruption. I can't bear that thought and mustered whatever power I have left to transfer my soul to this body.
"The moment I did, I had only one purpose for coming back, and that is to take this corruption with me for good. This is my choice. There's no need for all of these sacrifices, so everyone . . . stop it."
"Lord Azazel . . ." Desira could only mutter in a weak voice. She knew what Azazel was trying to do and she couldn't even speak nor move to stop it. Vivi cried and wailed. "Lord Azazel! You promised . . . you promised that you would stay with Vivi forever!"
"My Lord . . ." Hubrion lowered his weapon, his face unreadable.
Iraelyn was angered and yelled, "Lord Azazel! What are you saying?! Why do you want to die so badly?! There's another way! You don't need to–!"
"ENOUGH!" Azazel shouted, his voice carrying the weight of the Demon Lord, causing every Warlord to kneel on the ground.
"I have already decided . . ." Azazel stepped towards the glass jar but was stopped by Malifira's hand on his feet.
"My Lord . . ." Malifira pleaded, "Please don't do this. There's another way. Please . . . don't go . . . don't leave us again . . ."
Azazel only stared at her and continued, making Malifira bite her trembling lips and close her eyes tight. She couldn't bear to see what would happen next. The trauma of seeing Obsidian X die the first time was enough for her to be paralyzed for years.
'Not this again,' Malifira thought, holding her shaking self in the comfort of her hands.
Azazel continued to approach the jar and placed his hand over it. The corruption slowly entered his body, and everyone could do nothing but watch.
"Hoi! Lethargia! Didn't you see that this was the right path?!" Avaris shouted at the top of his lungs. "Didn't you say that Lord Azazel would be saved?! What's going on?! Answer me, Lethargia!"
Lethargia couldn't say anything. All she could do was watch in a weakened state as Azazel took the corruption into his body once more. She was shifting in and out of her consciousness, didn't know if she was still in the present or the future. Within seconds, the corruption was inside Azazel, and all the Warlords could do was watch and cry.
Azazel then shifted his attention to Lorelai and grinned. "Sorry, but . . . can you give me a hand? As you can see, I have no strength left in me to destroy myself . . . I don't want to ask my friend the second time around to kill me. That would be too cruel."
Lorelai was stunned, and for the first time, she didn't know what to do. This was her chance to retrieve those souls, get rid of the corruption once and for all, and save the whole realm in the process.
This was it . . . and yet, she hesitated.
"Lorelai," Azazel called and flashed her his signature toothy grin. "Don't tell me you're backing out now . . ."
Lorelai lowered her face, her thoughts hidden beneath the shadow it cast. But she still walked over to where Azazel stood with Demonsbane in hand. Her steps were heavy and her movement were slow like she carried the world on her back.
Raising her weapon, Lorelai's expression remained ice-cold.
Azazel gave his friends one last big smile, "I'm sorry that I have put you through this . . . please forget about me . . ."
"Lord Azazel!" Desira and the others screamed when Lorelai raised her sword. It seemed like time had stopped and everything turned slow. But just as Demonsbane was near inches on Azazel's head, Lorelai stopped when a voice thundered in the air.
"AZAZEL!"