The Demon King's words hung in the air like a blade poised to fall. Around them, the arena had fallen completely silent, thousands of beings waiting to see how the Forsaken Flame would respond to the revelation of divine betrayal witnessed from the depths of hell itself.

Azrael felt the weight of that moment—the perfect setup, the compelling offer, the promise of partnership with beings who at least claimed to understand what it meant to be cast out and forgotten. The visions the Demon King ...