Chapter 17: A Train

The Struggle Within

The room was dimly lit, silence thick between Bucky and Richard. They both sat slumped on opposite sides of the couch, their faces grim.

“So,” Richard started, breaking the quiet, “those demons… They knew you. They called you Azur.”

Bucky rubbed his temples. “I don’t even know what that name means, Richard. Every time I try to remember something, my mind... It feels like it’s not mine anymore.”

Richard leaned forward. “But they’re targeting you. It’s not random. We need answers, Bucky.”

Bucky exhaled heavily, shaking his head. “We don’t even know where they came from. And what’s worse? What if Stacey or my parents get caught in this?”

Richard frowned. “Then maybe it’s time to bring your parents closer. Keep them safe.”

Bucky looked up, determination hardening his features. “You’re right. I’ll bring them here.”

The Demon’s Plans

Far away in the fiery depths of the demon castle, a council of towering demons surrounded their god—a colossal, nightmarish figure radiating dark energy.

“My lord,” a clawed demon hissed, kneeling before the deity. “Your vessel, Azur, is becoming resistant. He fights back.”

The demon god’s glowing eyes narrowed. “He is merely afraid of his true nature. That fear will break when he has nothing left to cling to.”

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“And the humans around him?”

“Take them. His heart must be stripped bare. His soul must belong to me fully. Bring me their lives—through him.”

The demon god's voice boomed, echoing through the castle. The demons around him hissed and growled in agreement, their twisted faces eager for carnage.

The Train Journey

Bucky reached his parents’ home early the next day. His mother greeted him warmly, her face lighting up at the sight of her son. His father, ever stoic, gave him a firm handshake.

“Bucky,” his mother said as they packed their bags. “You look so tired. Are you eating well? Is everything alright?”

He forced a smile. “Yeah, Mom. Everything’s fine. I just… I want you and Dad to stay with me for a while. Things feel safer that way.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Safer? Is something wrong?”

Bucky shook his head. “No, nothing. Just... humor me, okay?”

The train ride back started uneventfully. The rhythmic sound of the tracks was soothing, and Bucky allowed himself to relax for the first time in days. His parents chatted about mundane things—work, neighbors, and the garden they’d been tending.

But as the train passed through a dark tunnel, Bucky felt it: a deep, crawling sensation in his chest.

The Demon Attacks

The train suddenly screeched to a halt. Passengers lurched forward, panic spreading like wildfire.

“What’s happening?” Bucky’s mother asked, clutching his arm.

Bucky stood up, scanning the car. The lights flickered, and a cold, unnatural breeze swept through the cabin.

Then, with a deafening roar, a demon burst through the ceiling—a hulking creature wreathed in flames, its claws glinting like blades.

Screams filled the air as the demon tore through the train, its fiery claws ripping seats and passengers apart.

“No!” Bucky shouted, standing between the demon and his parents.

But as he tried to fight, the familiar black aura enveloped him. His vision blurred, his body moving against his will. His eyes glowed crimson, and his lips curled into a sinister grin—not his own.

“Stop!” he screamed internally.

But the voice of Azur echoed back. “Let it happen, my son.”

The Aftermath

When Bucky regained consciousness, he was lying amidst the wreckage of the train. Fires burned around him, casting eerie shadows on the twisted metal. He staggered to his feet, his body trembling.

“Mom? Dad?” he called, his voice cracking.

No answer.

He stumbled through the wreckage, his heart pounding as he searched desperately. Then he saw them—his parents’ lifeless bodies, burned and broken among the debris.

“No... no, no, NO!” he screamed, falling to his knees.

His hands were covered in blood, and he realized it wasn’t just the demon. It was him. He had done this.

Around him, the bodies of passengers littered the ground. He was the only one alive.

Bucky threw his head back and roared at the sky, his voice raw with grief and rage. “WHY?!”

The voice came again, cold and triumphant.

“Well done, my son Azur. You are finally mine.”

Bucky’s scream echoed into the night,

the flames casting his shadow—a demon’s shadow—against the ruins of the train.

To Be Continued...