DANIEL REMEMBERS

Velma sat alone in the room that had been given to her—though she knew better than to think of it as a place of comfort. The walls were made of polished stone, smooth and eerily cold. A single lantern flickered in the corner, casting long shadows across the chamber. The silence was dense, the kind that pressed into your skin and refused to let go.

She sat on the edge of the bed, fingers laced in her lap, staring out through the narrow window. Night had fallen. The underworld sky was dark, not quite like the skies she had known above. There were stars, yes—but they shimmered in hues of red and violet, not gold and silver. It was beautiful and terrifying all at once.

Her mind swirled.

"After everything," she whispered to herself. "He's not Daniel… He's Azarel."

That truth pierced deeper than anything else had. It was more than betrayal—it was loss. The man she had married, the man who had laughed with her and held her when she cried… that man was gone. Or worse—he had never existed. The weight of it was unbearable. Her chest tightened.

A sudden knock on the door startled her.

She quickly wiped her eyes, forcing herself to sit straighter. "Come in," she said, her voice faint.

The door creaked open, and there he was.

Azarel. The King. No longer masked in mystery. No longer hidden in shadows of lost memories. He stepped into the room slowly, his gaze fixed on her with something unreadable—softness, regret, longing.

"Dan—" She stopped herself abruptly. "Your Majesty."

He gave a small smile, stepping closer. "Why aren't I Daniel anymore?" he asked softly. "Why do you hesitate?"

Her eyes widened. "You… remember?"

He nodded. "You are Velma. My Velma. And I am Daniel. I have remembered everything."

Her heart fluttered so violently she thought it might burst. "Really?" she whispered.

"Of course," he said, kneeling in front of her. "I'm so sorry for everything I've put you through. All this pain, all this confusion. But there is something I must tell you. There never was a Daniel—not truly. I have always been Azarel. Daniel was a shadow, a borrowed name, a mask crafted for your world."

Velma tried to comprehend his words.

"My memories were stripped," he continued, voice trembling. "Azarath… she did something to me. She erased who I was. She and Zamiel—they orchestrated everything. I believe they needed me alive for a purpose, something connected to the throne. That's why they brought me back through Daniel's mother and father. A vessel. A prophecy."

He took her hands gently. "But either as Daniel or Azarel, I have always loved you. That has never changed."

"Then why did you stay quiet?" she asked. "All this time, why didn't you tell me?"

"I only remembered in the punishment hall," he said. "But I had to pretend. I had to act as though I was still in the dark. I need to find out what Azarath and Zamiel are truly planning. If I reveal too much too soon, they'll vanish into the shadows again. And next time… I might not survive."

He looked down, shame crossing his face. "I'm sorry about Lucian. I never meant for that to happen."

Velma squeezed his hand. "I know."

"Velma," he said, looking into her eyes with aching sincerity. "Even if I come back to you, you must understand—I will always be Azarel. Immortal. Bound to this world. This throne. You are human. You belong to the light."

She opened her mouth to respond, but he continued.

"I'm not asking you to make a decision now. But you must choose—someday soon. Whether you want to live in this world with me or return to yours. And if you don't choose me… I'll still get you out of here safely. I swear it."

"But… I thought humans weren't allowed here," she whispered.

"That law doesn't apply to you," he replied. "You are no ordinary human. You're the heart of the man I was. The one thread I held onto even when everything else was gone."

He rose to his feet slowly, his fingers slipping from hers. "I will inform Lucian of everything soon. But for now, please… bear with me. Stay quiet. Stay safe. I won't let them hurt you again."

She watched him with misty eyes as he stepped toward the door.

"I'll be waiting for your decision," he said softly.

Then he was gone.

The door closed behind him with a soft click. Velma sat still for several minutes, the echoes of his words tangled in her heart.

Daniel—or Azarel—remembered.

And now, she had a choice to make.

Would she love a demon?

Or let him go forever?