Ashes Of Us |A PolySaja Story|

Ashes of Us: Prologue

*A/N: ANGST ANGST ANGST BABYYYY & Also I made the demons a fight a little more violent and they are able to bleed as well lol*

The demon realm was cold.

Not in temperature—no, the infernal sky still blazed that violent, otherworldly red, streaked with the glowing veins of magic and brimstone. No, it was cold in the way grief was. In the way loss could hollow you out and leave nothing but flickering rage in its place.

They hadn't walked back into the demon world.

They were banished.

Shoved through a portal like rejected trash after the Huntrix's battle with Gwi-ma—thrown into the dirt with scorched bodies, bloodied lips, and broken bonds.

And Jinu hadn't come with them.

Mystery stood by the edge of the cliffs overlooking the ruined fields of war-torn ash, his long coat whipping in the sulfur wind. Baby paced behind him, fingers twitching, his glamor long gone—black veins spiderwebbing down his neck, fangs still stained with someone's blood.

Romance sat cross-legged on a jagged rock near the fire pit. His lip was split. His hair matted. His usual perfection smudged by the chaos they'd been through. But it was his eyes—burning and red-rimmed—that made him look the most monstrous.

"He chose her," he finally said, voice flat.

No one answered.

He looked at them—at Mystery's clenched fists, Baby's shaking form, and then at the still, unmoving body of Abby, laid gently beside the fire. His skin was pale. Unnaturally so. He hadn't spoken since Mira had cut through him mid-battle, blade dripping with both her tears and his blood. His chest still rose and fell—barely—but his eyes remained closed.

A demon in stasis. Fading, but not yet gone.

"I can't believe," Romance growled, voice cracking with venom, "he would sacrifice himself for a stupid girl he just met... when he loved us for centuries."

Baby froze mid-step. Mystery's shoulders stiffened.

"He was our family," Romance hissed, standing now, voice rising. "We've bled together. Killed together. Slept under the same damn roof for over three hundred years. And he—he just—he—"

His voice finally broke.

"He left us," Romance whispered, eyes glassy.

Baby finally turned to him, eyes wide and wet. "I tried to grab him. I saw it happen, I saw Rumi about to get hit by Gwi-ma's blast and Jinu—he—he didn't even hesitate. He shoved her out of the way and then—"

Mystery spun on them both, his voice low and sharp like a blade. "Enough."

The fire cracked, sending sparks into the wind.

Mystery stalked over to Abby's body and knelt beside him, resting a hand on his chest—like he was checking for something, or maybe just grounding himself.

"If Abby doesn't wake up... I'll never forgive any of them," he muttered. "Not the Huntrix. Not the council. Not Jinu."

Baby sat beside Romance now, curling his arms around his knees. "He didn't even say goodbye."

Romance wiped his face roughly, as if furious with himself for crying. "He looked right at me when he did it. And then he smiled. Like it was noble or something."

Mystery didn't speak. His silence was deafening.

There had been a time when they thought nothing could break the bond between them. They were demons—not bound by mortal weaknesses like indecision or betrayal. Their love had been sharp, immortal, ugly and beautiful all at once. They'd carved kingdoms into ash and named them after each other.

And now?

Now they were back where it all started—alone in hell, hearts in pieces, missing the one who was supposed to stay.

Romance stared into the fire, voice a bitter whisper.

"He should've died with us. Or lived with us. Not... her."

Baby shivered. "What if he's gone forever?"

Mystery stood again, towering, unreadable. "He won't be."

Romance looked up. "How do you know?"

"Because we're going to get him back," Mystery said simply. "And we're going to make him explain why he thought they were worth more than us."

They all turned toward Abby as a gust of warm wind brushed through the cave.

His fingers twitched.

Romance was at his side in seconds, grabbing his hand. "Abby? Abby, baby, can you hear me?"

Abby groaned softly, brow furrowing, lips parting with effort.

"...Mira?" he croaked.

Romance's face fell. His grip loosened. "No Abby, it's us...your safe."

But Abby's eyes fluttered open—barely. And when he saw them, saw Romance, Baby, Mystery—he smiled faintly.

"I thought we were all dead."

Romance squeezed his hand again, despite himself. "Not yet."

Abby closed his eyes again, his voice faint. "Then let's fix that."

Mystery cracked a rare, cold smile. "Don't worry. We're going back."

Romance looked out into the dark sky above hell, voice bitter and aching.

"And when we do, we're taking back what's ours."